CHAP. I. Of the Seminary and Nursery.

Of prepa­ring the ground for the Semi­nary.§. 1. AGainst the Beginning of October carefully prepare Ground by Digging, Le­velling, and Cleansing it from Grass, Stones, Weeds, and Roots, ma­king the Mold very. Fine: choose not a wet or very stiff Clay Land, nor over-rich with Dung, but such as being it self good, you may make better only with a little mixture of very rotten Dung: Let it be fenced from the cold as well as you can, so that it be free from shade and droppings of Trees.

How to set Stones for Stocks.§. 2. When you set Stones, (which if they be Stones of Fruit soon ripe, you must [Page 2]keep in Sand till October) do it by a Line, pricking holes about six Inches distance one from another, and then put in the Stones about two Inches deep, with the sharp end uppermost: When one Row is finished, re­move your Line a Foot farther, and set an­other Row in the same manner; but let your third Row be about a Yard distant from the second, that you may have liberty to go between every two Rows to Weed, &c. And set your Plum-stones and Cherry­stones each apart by themselves, and so pro­ceed to set as many as you have a mind. Possibly some of these Stones may not come up till the second Spring after setting, and may not frustrate your desire, if you then expect them. Some keep their Stones in Sand or Earth, in Tubs (well cover'd for fear of Mice) placed in a dry Cellar, in a House, and then in February they Sow them (having prepared their ground) in Trench­es, as Pease are Sown. The Stones of A­pricocks and Peaches are apt to spring too forward, if set too soon, and be nipt by Frosts. In like manner you may set Stones of Sloes, Haws, &c.

How to set Nuts, &c.§. 3. After the same manner you are to set all kind of Nuts, Acorns, Ash-keys, or the Seeds or Kernels of any other kinds of Shrubs or Trees; but because it's necessary that your young Wallnut-Trees and Ches­nut-trees should grow longer in your Seed-plot [Page 3]than Stone-Fruit, before they will be fit to be removed to the place they are to spend their Lives in: you must set them at much farther distance, that they may have more room to grow big, without hurting one another.

How to sow Seeds.§. 4. To raise Stocks from Seeds, or Ker­nels of Apples, Pears, or Crabs, (each of which sort are to be sowed by themselves) you must go thus to work.

When either you or any Neighbour hath made Cyder, Verjuice or Perry, take the Must, Murc, (or as some call it the Pouz) which is the substance of the fruit after the Juice is pressed out, the same day or the next day after, before it heats, and with a Rid­dle sift out the Seeds on a clean Floor, or Cloth, and these you must sow (as soon as you can conveniently) upon Beds of very fine Earth, very thick; for some being brui­sed in the grinding or pounding the fruit, and others not being ripe, may never come up; then sift Mold upon them, about two Fingers breadth in thickness. This way is much better than to Sow the Seeds with the Must, Murc, or Pouz together, (as some do) because the Must will heat them, and ma­ny of the Seeds will putrifie, and others will not be able to root or shoot up, be­cause they are so imprison'd in that dry and tough stuff, clinging about them.

[Page 4]The Beds of Earth you sow them on may be made about two Foot in breadth, with a good distance between the Beds, that you may the better come to Weed them, and draw them up as you have occasion.

How to se­cure them from pre­judice.§. 5. To keep Fowls or Birds from scra­ping them up, lay some white Thorn on the Beds till the Ground be well setled.

Some cover the Beds with Fern or Straw, to keep them warm in the Winter, which may not do amiss, but then it must be taken off at the Springs approach.

If Moles or Mice get in (which you may easily discover, because the Mice leave shells of the Seeds on the top of the Beds) they must be destroyed.

For Mice, lay Poison, or Oatmeal mixt with Glass pounded small, and Butter, and cast bits of it upon the Beds, or set Traps for Moles or Mice, better known than de­scribed.

The next Spring you will see these Stones and Seeds come up plentifully; first the Leaves, almost of the shape of the Kernel split in two, and from betwixt them will the Stem Put forth. Keep them clean from the Weeds all the year, which must be plucked up while they are young, lest if they get Root, in drawing them up, you root up the Seedlings with them; but if in the Weeding any Seedlings come up, set them again almost to the top; then water them.

[Page 5]These Weeds, and such as are pluckt up any where else, thrown up into a heap, will rot, especially if any Lime be scatter'd a­mongst them, and become very good Ma­nure; but this should be before they are Seeded, for then the Manure made of them will be apt to make the ground it is cast upon more subject to Weeds.

If a dry time happen, you may some time in the Summer water the Beds.

The proper Seeds for stocks, and stocks for each kind of Fruit.§. 6. Your Seminary is to be stored with Stocks raised of Stones and Seeds of these following, viz.

Peach-stones are to yeild Stocks for Peach­es and Nectarines.

Stones of the Wheat-Plum (which is a Plum ripe in August, and is white) or of the white Pear-Plum, or of some other good white Plum (in defect of them) whose Tree puts forth large Shoots, Branches, Stones of the white Pear-plum or Wheat-plum make the best stocks for Peaches, Nectarines and Apri­cocks to be inoculated on. and Leaves, or for want of them, Stones of the Mustle-Plum, black Pear-Plum, Primordian, or any other black or red Plum, whose Tree is of free growth, and large leaved, will yeild you excellent Stocks for Peaches, Ne­ctarines, Apricocks, and Plums; but stocks raised from the stones of Damsons are the worst, and very bad, being dry stocks, and not so sappy as the before-mentioned.

The Seeds of Pears yield the best stocks for Pear-trees.

[Page 6]Grafting Pear-Grafts or Cyens on a white Thorn or Quince stock, will make the Tree to be of small growth, and the Fruit bad, having hard and stony Cores, if grafted up­on a Thorn Tree.

Black Cherry stones and Red Cherry stones yield stocks to Graft or Inoculate Cherries on; but the Black Cherry stocks are best; for they yield goodly straight large Plants, and full of Sap, and become greater Trees than those produced of Red Cherry stones, and consequently more proper for Orchards and Fields.

To Inoculate an Apricock very low on a white Pear-Plum stock, or on a Wheat-Plum-stock, and then after a Years growth Inoculate a Peach or a Nectarine on it, is highly approved; only this way there will be two Years loss of time: And note that the red Roman Nectarine will scarce take on a Plum-stock any other way.

Stocks rai­sed of Crab kernels are better than those raised of Apple kernels.The Seeds or Kernels of Crabs and Ap­ples yeild stocks the most proper to Graft any kind of Apple upon, and though the stocks raised of Apple-seeds or Kernels do shoot more clear and smooth, and come for­ward faster, and are of a quicker and lar­ger growth in stock than stocks raised of Crab-kernels or Seeds, and Grafts grafted on them will grow quicker than on Crab-stocks, yet by the universal consent and ex­perience of all, stocks raised from the Seeds or Kernels of Crabs are preferred either for [Page 7]Orchards or Fields, Cyder, Baking, or Ta­ble, far before stocks raised of Seeds or Ker­nels of Apples, and that for these reasons: Crab-stocks are more free from Canker, and more hardy, and so better able to en­dure cold and course Land, and because they root better, and so will make large Trees, and will make Buds, Blossoms, and Fruit more hardy and strong to endure frost and cold weather in the Spring: it also not on­lp preserves, but quickens, enlivens, makes brisk and poignant the Gust of any deli­cate Apple.

But if you intend to propagate any deli­cate Apple which is over tart in taste, Graft it on some stock raised of the Gennet Moyl, or some sweet Apple Tree, which will sweeten its juice something. So a Pear is improved by Grafting on a Quince-stock, but the Tree will not be large, but serve well for a Dwarf-Tree.

However where you cannot conveniently be stored with Crab-kernels, Apple-ker­nels are not so much inferiour to them, but they may well enough be made use of (as they commonly are) for raising stocks to Graft Apples upon.

Objections against Crab stocks got out of Woods and Hedges to Graft Ap­ples on.Do not furnish your self with Stocks for Apple-trees by getting young Crab-trees out of Hedges, rough grounds, and Woods, because the Workmen in getting them break some, and hurt others of the principal Roots; and it sometimes falls out that they [Page 8]have been cut down, and Sprung up again, out of the remaining stump, or otherwise hurt, which though not easily discern'd, be­cause skin'd over, yet will be a prejudice to them for ever; also many of the stocks so got out of Woods and Hedges, have, for want of room, and by reason of shades and the dropping of other Trees about them, been checkt and baffl'd in their growth, and so become crooked, scabby, ill grown, rough, and unkindly, and never like to make good and thriving Trees. Some that furnish themselves this way with stocks, choose such as are largest, and those having for the most part, thick and hard Bark, and old Roots, which come on but slowly when they are removed to make Apple-Trees. Likewise if these stocks be not Grafted ve­ry low, (and if they are, a Years growth or two will be lost) they will put forth Branches and Suckers of their own every Year, in such abundance, that without con­stant pruning of them, the Grafts will be in danger of being starved, and a better advantage may be made of Crab-trees in Hedg-rows and rough Grounds, by graft­ing them where they are, where they will thrive the better.

The only objection is, that a Man can­not be furnished with Trees of a good large­ness, to bear so soon by stocks raised by Kernels and Stones as those got out of Woods, &c. or those raised by Suckers, [Page 9]that may be of several Years growth be­fore used.

To which it's answered and approved by daily experience, That if at the same time that you get Crab-tree stocks (of six or seven Years growth) out of the Wood or Hedges, or Suckers, and set them in or­der to be grafted, you sow Kernels or Stones, the Stocks and Suckers you so graft for six or eight years may continue larger and big­ger than Trees that come of Kernels and Stones, but yet these lesser Trees shall so get ground of the other, that by the tenth or twelfth year they shall not only overtake them, but out-strip them in growth.

Stocks for Pears, Plums, and Cherries, of suckers, not good.And as to the way of raising of Stocks for Pears, Plums, and Cherries, by Suckers, it's to be observed, that Trees so raised will be ever apt to cast up such Suckers them­selves, and such as do, are seldome found to be good bearing Trees, because they ex­pend their Sap so much that way.

Nevertheless Suckers springing out of the Roots of Pear-Trees, Plum-Trees, and Cherry-Trees, may be good Stocks for to graft Pears, Plums, and Cherry-Grafts on for Wall-Trees and Dwarf-Trees, because they make Trees of small growth.

And one shall very difficulty store him­self with Crab-Tree Stocks from the Wood and Hedges, and from Suckers, to such a number as he may desire, because many of them will prove bad and miscarry; where­as [Page 10]as from Kernels, or Seeds and Stones, it's almost the same labour to have thousands as hundreds, and such as will almost all of them be fit and proper for use.

You may also raise Stocks to graft Ap­ples and Pears on, by setting cuttings of the Gennet Moyl, and Kentish Codlings, and the Quince-Tree for Pears, by setting those in the place where the Trees of Ap­ple and Pear are to grow, in Dwarfor Wall Trees: and also the ends of Roots, cut off from young Trees, taken up to be trasplant­ed, and set in Beds of good Earth, will shoot forth tops, and become good Stocks, which may serve for Dwarf Trees and Wall Trees.

Or you may Inoculate Buds on the small Roots of great Trees that grow at farthest distance from the Bodies, and after a years growth to cut off the Root about a Foot in length, with the new shoot growing upon it, and transplant it; because a Tree will be raised thus sooner than from 2 Seed or Stone.

In case of an exigent for a stock or two, this way may be practised, but it will be found too troublesome for a general use.

Suckers springing from the Root of the Wheat Plum-tree, or white Pear-Plum-tree, make excellent stocks for Peaches, Necta­rines, Apricocks, and Plums; but to have plenty of stocks for large standards for Or­chards or Fields, there is no better way of [Page 11]raising them, than by ripe Kernels or Seeds of Crabs, or for want of them, of Apples, (the ripeness of the Seed or Kernel is known by its being black) and of Pears for Pear-stocks, and of Cherry-stones for Cherry-stocks, and of Peach-stones for Peach-stocks, to Inoculate Peaches and Nectarines on, and of Wheat-Plum and white Pear-Plum-stones to graft or Inoculate Peaches, Ne­ctarines, Apricocks, and Plums on; with which a Man may easily provide himself.

Of remo­ving and transplant­ing Seed­lings or Seed plants from the Seminary into the Nursery.§. 7. In the later end of October, or be­ginning of November, after one Summers growth in the Seed-plot, you ought, and must in no wise neglect to draw up with your hand such of your Crab, Apple, or Pear-Seedlings, as you find grown a Foot or more in height, but those which are not grown a Foot in height you may let remain in your Seed-Plot another year; and as for those proceeding from Stones, they need not be removed, but grafted or inoculated in the Seminary, the stones being set at six Inches distance, as afore is said; but very many will in October remove those coming of stones as well as of Seeds or Kernels, and like it best; because such as grow two or three years upon the Seed-bed before re­moving, thrust their Roots very deep in the Earth, and are not only very hard to be drawn up, but their Roots, when set again, (though a great part be cut off) must of [Page 12]necessity be thrust down very deep into the Earth; and then such spread their Roots deep and below the good Soil, by thrust­ing their young Roots from the lowest part where the Root was cut off, and so they neither have so good Nourishment from the Earth, (as spreading below the best Soil) nor are they so easily transplanted when ready, as those drawn the first year, and are set very small.

How to or­der the Seedlings after drawn up.§. 8. When the Seed-plants or Seedlings are drawn up, cut off the side-sprigs from about the top, and the strings from about the Roots, and snip off the ends or extre­mities both of the top, that it may not run too fast upwards, but the Body may grow in bigness, and of the Tap or Heart-Root, that it may not run directly downwards, (lest it run farther than the good Soil) but may be more apt to spread its Roots in breadth, and near the top of the Ground, where the best Soil is.

Then have Beds prepared of good fer­til dry Earth, not over-rich, lest upon re­moval afterward into a much worse Soil, (as for the most part Orchard and Field-ground is) your Trees coming of a sudden from such delicate Food to such course Fare, pine away, if they do not perish. And this is rationally thought to be the cause why many Trees bought out of London-Nurseries (which are vastly deep with fat [Page 13]and rich Manure) decay, or come on very poorly when they are brought into the Country.

Therefore upon every removal or trans­planting, either of Seed-plants, or young Trees, endeavour to have Earth as good, or better (to place next the Roots at least) than that out of which they were taken.

If any of these spring upright, top them early, (that is, cut off about an Inch long at a Bud at the uppermost end of the Seed-plant, that the cut may be covered with a fresh sprig) and it will make them grow bigger Bodied, and spread at the cut place, and so become sooner ready for Grasting. And let not the Roots be too long; about a handful in length (or less) is sufficient; for if the Roots be long, and set deep, the Trees afterwards are taken up with more difficulty, and worse Roots. And the rea­son why all Seed-plants ought to be trans­planted or removed after one Summers growth on the Seed-bed, is, because they get good Roots, which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part, and that into the bad Soil. But if you would have stocks an Ell or more high, to Graft or Inoculate for Standerds, you must not top them, or cut off their Tops; because top­ping them makes them to spread at the cut place, and their growing up to cease.

If you would Plant and Orchard, and have excellent sound Trees, early, and great bear­ers, [Page 14]and the Trees free from Cankering, remove your Seed-plants into the places, and in the order you intend your Apple or Pear-Trees to grow, and let the Seed-plants or Stocks grow there two years, and then graft them, and order them as you do Trees that are set in Orchards, and by this means there will need no removal after Grafting, and you'l be quit of the many mischiefs that attend Transplanting, and have better bear­ing, freer growing, and sounder Trees than any you can transplant out of the Nursery into the Orchard, only you must carefully preserve them from Cattel, Hares, and Co­nies, both before and after Grafting, until they have attain'd a sufficient height and bigness.

Of setting the Seed­lings, stocks, or seed plants.§. 9 Let every Bed you make for setting these Plants or Stocks in, be about two Foot broad, leaving room betwixt each Bed to walk and work about them, without preju­dicing the Plants or Stocks; set two rows a Foot or more distant from each other on every Bed, by drawing a Line and pricking holes a full Foot a sunder; let the holes be so deep that if the Roots be not very long, you may set your plants or stocks about two fingers breadth deeper in the ground than they grew in the Seed-Plot; close the Mold about them, and if it be a very dry time, water them the very same [Page 15]day, the better to settle the Earth about them.

If you can get old Fern, (in some places call'd Brakes or Brackin) or for want of it, Straw or new Dung, cover the Beds with it, which will keep the Roots warm in the Winter, and preserve them from over­much heat in the Summer; if the Land be any whit stiff, this cover will make it mel­low, and when rotten enrich it, and very much hinder the growth of Weeds, which ought duly to be pluckt up; and put new Fern, &c. as the old rots: and be sure you draw the biggest of the stocks first, and set them by themselves, and the least by them­selves, and set stocks of Crab-kernels by themselves, and of Apple-kernels by them­selves, and stocks raised of Plum-stones, Cherry-stones, Peach-stones, each distinctly by themselves in straight rows.

If you intend to raise any stocks to be set out in Fields before they are graft­ed, you must not top them upon their first removal, neither need you remove them before they are grown high enough to stand in the Fields; if you find that they spread their Roots, and run not downwards, as in gravelly, and such kind of Soils they will not be apt to do, (and by the first you draw up you may judge of the rest, whe­ther they do or no) if you reserve any for this use, you had best choose such as grow straight, and at convenient distance one [Page 16]from another, which you may contrive to do in drawing out the first two years such as be of stature to be transplanted from a­mong them; dress these once or twice a year, by cutting off the biggest side-branch­es, to hasten their growing tall, but leave on the top, and some small side-branches, for this causeth them to thrive in bigness the more, which they ought to do propor­tionable to their height, or else they will be too weak to bear a top.

Observe this also in your Grafted Trees in your Nurseries or elsewhere.

Grafts must not be grafted on different kinds.§. 10. All Stocks and Cyens or Grafts that prosper when they are joynted toge­ther, are congenerous, or of the same kind, and nearly related in some degree; there­fore Cherry-Grafts, or Cyens, Grafted or Inoculated on Plum-stocks, will not prosper long, nor Plum-grafts on Cherry-stocks, neither do Apple-grafts on Pear-stocks, nor pear-grafts on Apple or Crab-stocks. Nei­ther will an Apple Cyens grow grafted up­on a Sallow, Poplar, Alder, Elm, or Horse-plum.

Apple-seeds, &c. will not produce the same kind of Apple, &c. they were had out of.Seeds or Stones of Fruits gathered from Trees that have been grafted, or inocula­ted on stocks of different kinds from the Graft or Cyens, produce of themselves (not being grafted or inoculated) not the same Fruit as that was from whence the Seed or [Page 17]Stone came, but a different and most com­monly a far worse Fruit; and as concern­ing the Seeds of Apples, it's to be obser­ved, That although they produce not Trees bearing the same kind of Apples as those the Seeds were had of, yet without graft­ing they will bring forth a good harsh Fruit that may yield good Cyder; and thus it's said we came by some of our best Cyder-Apples. Neither are some sorts of Crabs so contemptible a Fruit as they are gene­rally accounted; for being gathered very ripe, and kept a good while to mellow, some of them will make good Cyder, or ground with other mellow Fruit, do much enrich the Cyder, and are the best refiners of foul Cyder; and generally Crabs yield a strong Liquor, so that such kind of Crab­stocks may rather help to mend some Ap­ples of weak Juice, than make them worse. And this inconvenience is always found in Trees coming of Seed, and not grafted or inoculated, That they are very long before they bear Fruit, whereas stocks grafted or inoculated from Trees, which experience assures are of good bearing kinds, and Fruits, commonly bear well in three or four years, and so continue. If you would have some Trees raised of the Seeds of Apple-kernel, view your Seminary about Michaelmas, and see which of your Seedlings have produced the broadest, fairest; and largest Leaf and Shoot, and those elect for your Trees to be [Page 18]set without Grafting, for it's commonly ob­served that those Seed-plants or Trees that have very large, fair, and broad Leaves, bear the fairest and largest Fruit.

Meer grafting betters not Fruit.§. 12. Mere Grafting doth not meliorate the Fruit at all; as if you graft a Cyen up­on the same Tree you took it from, the Fruit will be the very same, without the least alteration from what the Tree bore before it was so grafted; but Fruit may something participate of the nature of the Stock where­in it's grafted, so as to be made by it either better or worse; as if you graft a very sour Apple Cyen upon a sweet Apple Tree, the Fruit will be something better: So a sweet Apple Cyen, grafted on a very harsh four Crab-stock, hath produced a better Fruit than the Tree from whence the Apple-graft was had. So a Pear-Cyen, grafted on a Quince-stock, hath mended the Pear; and though the Graft doth keep its own Nature, and mightily predominate on what Stock soever it's grafted, yet such an union as that of the Stock and the Graft, in natural Bo­dies, is hardly conceivable without some commixture of their Natures, and there are some reasons from experience which make this more than probable, as

I. The Seeds of a grafted Tree take much after the stock, and it's something strange to conceive the Kernel should participate [Page 19]so much of the stock and the Fruit be no­thing influenced by it.

II. Those that produce the best Fruit by their stones or seeds, yet vary from the Fruit the seed or stones were taken out of, which in all likelihood proceeds from the mixture of the quality of the stock and Cyen in that Tree the stone came from.

III. It's manifest that amongst Trees of one kind, in the same Orchard, you shall have some one of them bear better Fruit than any of the rest sometimes; and it's not known what to impute this excellency more probably to, than that the Stocks they were grafted on might be Crab-trees that bore Crabs of several kinds, some bet­ter, some worse.

So that to conclude, it cannot be amiss to be so far curious about the Stocks you graft, as rather to choose such Seeds and Stones to raise them from, as come from Trees that bear the best Fruit in their kind (if you can have them) than to take them at adventure, which makes some choose Seeds out of fair, large, juicy Crabs, to raise stocks to graft some delicate Ap­ple-grafts on.

[Page 20] Concern­ing the Pith of a Tree.§. 13. It's held by some, That the Ker­nel of the Fruit hath a great dependance upon, and Sympathy with the Pith of the Tree, and that hollow Trees, though they grow and bear Fruit, yet that Fruit hath few Kernels in it, and those little better than withered Husks; and experience evidences that there are some hollow Fruit-trees that bear Fruit so much more excellent than a­ny of the same kind the Owners have had, or could elsewhere meet with, that they have been very desirous to propagate from them, but never could, any manner of way, raise young ones of those old Trees, that would bear so good a Fruit as the old Trees: which seems to intimate, That the Fruit of a Tree may be the better for the Piths being consum'd; and if that be true, as it must be so, because the Pith conveys to the Fruit a worse sort of Juice than any other part of the Tree doth; and therefore be­ing freed from that infection by the con­sumption of the Pith, the Fruit becomes more choice and delicate: and that the Pith is the conveyance of a courser or other sort of juice, is rendred in some sort pro­bable, because (as hath been before obser­ved) the Kernels of Fruit depend much upon the Pith, which almost never produce such good Fruit as the seeds or stones come out of, but generally much worse.

[Page 21] Reasons why every one ought to Graft, Plant, and raise his own Trees.§. 14. Because most men are through ig­norance indifferent whether they have Fruit-trees of their own or no, because for a lit­tle money they can have Plants from others, ready brought up to their hands; yet it's far better to have them of their own bring­ing up and Propagation, and to have Semi­naries and Nurseries of their own for this purpose, for these reasons,

I. Because this way a Man shall be sure to meet with no failure, either in the kind, great bearing, or goodness of the Trees and Fruit; in all which he shall frequently be disappointed and lose much time and ex­pence, if he have his Trees upon the re­putation and trust of others, who make a Trade of selling them, and are therefore many times incurious, careless, and perhaps knavish in raising them, and in stead of the right kinds, (if they can get either ease or any thing by it) will not stick to put him off with another.

II. This trouble and expence of buying young Plants, and getting them home, (ma­ny times from places very remote) and the prejudice they often receive in the carri­age, will be wholly prevented.

III. This way a man shall, with almost the same labour and charge, both furnish him­self sufficiently, and have so many more as to defray the Charge he may be at about it, if he will sell them, or to gratifie his friends, if he had rather bestow them.

[Page 22]IV. He will this way be provided with stocks for Apples, Pears, Plums, Cherries, and all choice Wall-Fruit, raised from Ker­nels and stones of Fruit, which are incom­parably better than stocks procured any o­ther way.

And lastly those that propagate Trees for Sale have their Nurseries exceeding fat, rich, and fertil, whereby Trees removed out of them into the Orchard, &c. of others, which are always almost of a far courser and worse Soil, frequently prin, pine away, and very often dye; and if they live, they seldome prove fair, large, or well bearing Trees; and it often happens, that the Air and Soil into which they are removed, is heterogeneous and unsuitable for Trees coming out of the Air and Nursery you have them: For it's a sure Rule, always to trans­plant or remove Trees or Stocks from a worse to a better Soil upon every removal, and then they will prosper well. So Trees removed out of the South into the North seldom prosper, whereas Trees removed out of the North into the rich Southern Soils, like well: So Trees brought up in Nurseries in Lancashire, and transplanted into Ireland, thrive and bear exceeding well.

About the Bark of Trees on Barren ground.§. 15. Stocks or Trees that grow on barren ground, have commonly their Bark very white and hard, whereas those on good Land have their Bark very smooth, green, [Page 23]and plump, and the last years shoots large and full; but the others shoots are short, small, and meagar.

How to raise a Fence of Crab-trees§. 16. If one have a mind to raise a good new Fence about a Field he designs to in­close, which he can keep for four or five years together, to bear Corn, or Clover-grass to Mow, that Cattel may be so long kept out of it, he may do it rarely well, by sowing Apple-Kernels of as many sorts as he will on the top of a new-made Ditch-bank, making the dead Hedge (that is usu­ally on the top of the Bank) on the ut­side of the Ditch, to defend them.

When they are grown up, he may plaish this Hedge, leaving at every four or five yards distance one of the best Trees to grow up, which of themselves will bear good Cy­der-Fruit, (which he may guess at by the broadness and largeness of the Leaves they bring forth) or may be grafted to bear what pleaseth the owner: and by this means in a little time, and with small charge, he shall have a fruit-bearing and impregnable hedge.

Remove out of the Seminary all Stocks, whether raised of Seed or stones.§. 17. Let all Stocks whatever, that are re­moved, grow a year or two before you graft them; and notwithstanding some opinions to the contrary, no sort of young Plants or Stocks, that come of Seed or Stones, ought to be grafted or inoculated in the place where they were sowed, before that they [Page 24]have been removed; because if they be not removed, they thrust down a single Root or two commonly into Clay, Gravel, or moist ground, &c. which Root or Roots draw bad nourishment from below the good Soil, which always is nearest the top of the ground, and thereby hurts Trees, Roots, and Fruits, and in case any of them be there grafted, and removed afterwards, they want good Roots, and are difficult to remove, because not removed when young, of one or two Summers growth.

CHAP. II. Of the Ways, Manner, and Time of Grafting.

The time to Graft in.§. 1. FRom the middle of January until the beginning of March, if the Weather be open, without Frost, and grow warm, the wind not being North or North-East, you may graft Plums, Cherries, and Pears, but not Apples, till the Bark of the Stocks will a little rise or peel from the wood, which is seldom before the middle of March, and often not till April, because this is necessary for the best way of grafting them; but if you will graft any Apples in the Cleft, you may do it from the begin­ning of March until the tenth of April, and that with success; but grafting in the Cleft early in the beginning of March, is best, e­specially, if the weather be mild and open: and Graft not within sixteen hours before or after the Change or full of the Moon.

The graft­ing Instru­ments.§. 2. Your Instruments to graft with are to be a fine, neat, sharp, small, well-set Saw, to cut off the heads of some stocks which [Page 26]are grown too big for the Knife; a good strong Pruning-Knife, made a very little coming, which will be ready to cut off the heads of your smaller stocks you intend to graft: also a good midling Knife to cleave some of the smaller sort of stocks with; also an Instrument like a broad Chisel, the handle of Iron, and the edge alike on both sides, not sloping on one side, like that of Joyners, but plain as a Knife, and very thin, about three or four Inches in breadth; with which you may either cleave your larger stocks, or prune your Trees; also a little Mallet, or else a stick about a Foot long, made of an old Spade or Shovels handle, or some other hard wood, to use instead of a Mallet, to drive your Knife when you cleave the stock: Also an Iron Tool about six Inches in length, made turning at each end about an Inch and an half; if it be steeled at either end, it will be the better, and not so apt to bend when you open a strong stock: these ends are to be made flat, a little like a Chisel, but not above half an Inch broad at most, only pretty strong; if yon will, one end may be pretty small for the smaller stocks, and the other bigger; the use of it is to supply the place of a Wedge, by holding open your Stock till you have set your Graft or Cyen exactly in its place in the Cleft of the Stock.

[Page 27]This represents the Form thereof.

[figure]

Instead of this Instrument you may use a Wedge of hard wood, about a Foot long, especially for great and large stocks.

You are also to have a sharp Pen-knife, to shape your Grafts or Cyens with, and al­so a Whet-stone to quicken the edge of your Knives when dull, and a Basket to car­ry your Tools in, and another to carry your Grafts or Cyens in: Also you are to have Ruches, Bastes, or soft Flags, to bind Grafts or Buds to the Stock. You may be furnished therewith at the Mat makers.

The man­ner of pre­paring clay: and how to clay grafts.Also you must have Clay prepared with Horse-dung very well mixed and workt to­gether as Mortar, about two parts Clay: If it be not well temper'd and wrought to­gether, it will be apt to fall from your Graft, in case of much wet, or chop, or cleave if dry weather happen, and so you'l lose your labour in Grafting; for you must Clay your Grafts close on every side an Inch above the top of the Stock, and an Inch be­low the bottom of the Clefts, that no Air [Page 28]get in to wither the Graft; and keep Clay on the grafted part until the stock be co­vered over with the Graft. For Clay is as a Salve to a Wound, which heals it up, and it rather keeps out moisture than otherwise, if well closed; and also preserves from dry winds, Sun, and other annoyances: There­fore keep on the Clay a year or two, till the head of the stock be cover'd with the Graft, and the cleft healed up.

Choice of Grafts or Cyens.§. 3. These Cyens or Grafts you get ought to be the last years Shoots, strong and very well grown, that grow on the top or out-side of a Tree, that several years expe­rience of those that know it, can faithfully assure you bears very well, and good fruit of its kind; and cut not off the tops of the Cyens until that you graft them, for so they will keep better; but immediately after grafting, the tops of Grafts are to be cut at a Bud, that they may spread the better, and of such as are but short, if there be Blossom-buds on the top, as it's commonly seen in Pearmain-Cyens, and many other good bearing kinds. Grafts that are very small and slender commonly fail, therefore choose the fairest, fullest, and strongest shoot of the last years growth, and fullest of Buds, and of good bearing kinds, else you may have fair Trees, and little or no Fruit on them, and so fancy you have an Orchard, though seldom Fruit; for some Trees will [Page 29]grow and blossom very well, yet rarely bear Fruits; the reason is, for that they were grafted from bad bearing Trees, and are of bad bearing kinds.

A shoot or Branch of the year next fore­going makes the best Cyens or Graft, and thrives best, though in Herefordshire, when they graft old Trees, they commend and use Cyens of two or three years growth, yet those are seldom found to have convenient Buds to put forth at, and often times have blossoming Buds on them, and make not so good a growth, neither have they so good a joint to graft at as those of the last year.

When you get Grafts, you had best cut off at least three Inches of that which grew the year before with them, besides the last years Shoot, for so they will keep the bet­ter, and you may use about an Inch and an half of that old Wood in every Cyens when you Graft it.

Perhaps you may not have several sorts of Plums, Cherries, or Pears so near you, as that you may get Buds fresh enough for Inoculation: In this case you may procure Cyens, and graft them, and they will con­tinue fresh, though you should send for them from beyond Sea.

These Cyens or Grafts of any kind may be grafted immediately after they are got­ten, and that successfully; or they may be kept three Weeks or a Month before they are used, and there ought to be a Fortnight [Page 30]or three Weeks betwixt the time of their being cut, and their being grafted, that the Stocks in that time may be replenish­ed with Sap, and the Cyens more empty of it; and then they will quicker incorporate by more greedily attracting the Sap out of the Stock.

To keep your Cyens or Grafts after they are cut, you need not, as some direct, bury them in moist Mold; for this may be a means to make them swell and bud forth by receiving moisture from the Earth; and then when by grafting they are exposed to the cold open Air, they will be in danger to wither and die before they have nourish­ment from the Stock. You may lay them in a dry house, so it be near no heat, or un­der the shade of an old Tree or Hedge, and cover them all over with dry Mold, that the Air may not have too much Influence upon them: though they seem somewhat dry, yet if they cut with a fresh colour, and be not much withered, they will not grow the worse, but rather the better; yea some that have seemed withered, being carried 70 or 80 Miles, have grown well. And they may be carried hundreds of Miles in a Box of Mold, or their ends stuck in Clay, or a Tur­nip, and wrapped about with green fresh Moss, that they bruise not; bind not many together; for if so, those in the middle will dry, and be spoiled in certain days, but ra­ther lay them thin in the Mold.

[Page 31]Be very careful that the Buds be neither hurt or rub'd in the binding or carriage of the said Grafts.

In providing Cyens or Grafts of Pears, Plums, and Cherries, you must cut them in the beginning of February, having respect to the forwardness or backwardness of the Spring, and the warmth or coldness of the Country you live in; but you must be sure to cut them before the Buds have any speck of white appear on them.

Cyens or Grafts for Apple-Trees will sel­dom be too forward any time before the beginning of March.

Grafts of Cherry and Plum-Trees must be grafted soonest, because they bud earli­est, and you are to begin with them ere they bud forth, then with Pear-trees, and lastly with Apple-trees.

Elect the fairest and largest Grafts on the top Branches of a Tree, and of the last years growth, and on the Sun-side of the Tree, which will bear sooner than those got on side-branches.

Of joints and height of grafting§. 4. There be some indifferent whether they graft at a joint or no, but forecast to have a Bud directly behind the shoulder of the Cyen; if Cyens with joints were scarce, you might practice so on small Stocks, that will speedily be cover'd, but if Cyens can be had with joints, never graft with others, for these will cover the Stocks sooner. How­ever [Page 32]this is the opinion of many, yet I al­ways grafted at one of the lowest Buds on the thicker end of the last years Shoot or Sprout, and valued not a joint of the for­mer years growth, unless the Graft were too short; for the straiter and smoother your Graft is, the more exactly you may fit it to your Stock, especially if your Stock be young, and have but a thin Sap, and this was very successful; however grafting at a joint may do well if the Stock have a thick Sap or Bark, as commonly your Wood-stocks and all large Trees have. The wood below the knot or seam is commonly crook­ed, and not so smooth and straight as the wood below a Bud on the thicker end of the last years Shoot; therefore rather graft at a Bud, because you may joyn the Graft and Stock the more exactly.

Height to graft at.§. 5. If you Graft Apple or Pear-Cyens, graft a Foot or less from the ground; do the like for Wall-trees and Dwarf-trees, but if you graft Cherry or Plum-Cyens, for stan­dards in Orchards or Fields, graft them six or seven Foot high, and at that height let them begin to spread; and when you graft, cut the top of the Cyen or Graft off close above a Bud, about four or five Inches above the Shoulder, if it be for a Standard-tree, two Buds above the Clay being full enough; but for Dwarfs or Wall-trees, you may let the Cyens or Grafts be six Inches or more [Page 33]long, with several Buds, that they may shoot forth many Branches and spread from the very Stock. If you Graft old Apple, or Pear-trees, or their Branches, you must Graft according to the thickness of their Branches, which is usually seven or eight Foot high or more. It will do well in Graft­ing Stocks for large standards, to put but one Cyens or Graft into a Stock (unless the Stock be very large, or an old Tree you Graft) and if it put forth several Shoots, to cut off all but one, that is the straightest and strongest: But for Dwarffs and Wall­fruit, put in two Cyens if the Stock be big enough; let the later be Grafted near the ground, the former at such height you think fit, and the Stock will allow.

The size of stocks to be Grafted.§ 6. If the Plants that you removed out of the Seed-plot into the Nursery, and such Stocks for Stone-Fruit in the Seed-plot as you intend to Graft, be half an Inch over in thickness where they are to be Grafted, or little more, its enough; Its best not to have them above an Inch in the Diameter, both that you may lose no time, and that the Stock may be easier cover'd by the Cyen or Graft. In the cleft you may Graft any Stock, that is a little above half an Inch, to three Inches Diameter at the place to be Grafted at; but one Inch Diameter of the Stock at the Grafted place is the best,

[Page 34] How to mark Trees to know and distin­guish their kinds.§ 7. In Grafting or Inoculating its neces­sary to have some mark, to know what kind of Fruit is put upon each Stock: If you Graft many of one kind, (as it's necessary for Cyder-Fruit) you may observe to make every row to consist but of one kind, and it's but entring in a Book, that such a row hath such a kind of Fruit in it, and no other; but where there are several in one row, there may be a Stake knockt into the ground, at the beginning of every new sort, and so entred in your Book; and where you have very few of a kind (or for the whole Nur­sery if you please) you may make marks of several figures or shapes in the Bark of the Stocks, which marks enter in your Book, and what kind it denotes, and at two or three years when you remove it, the mark will be very visible, and by renewing the marks sometimes, you may continue it as long as you please; and if any Tree be stolen, you may own it by the mark, which is made with the point of a Pen-knife by cutting al­most through the Bark of the Stock, the form of a Letter or any other figure or cha­racter whereby to know the kinds of Fruits.

Buds on the Stock at Grafting not to be pull'd off untill the Gr [...]ft put forth.§ 8. Buds upon the Stocks that are en­grafted, should be let alone, all or most of them, untill the Grafts have put forth Buds of their own, and be able to draw up the Sap out of the Stock, and then rub off all the [Page 35]Buds on the Stock, below the Grafts, that they may have all the Sap.

§ 9. Stocks that are white, when you Graft them will seldom make the Graft to grow well and prosper; the whiteness being caused through the barrenness of the Soil, and observe what length the Stock did shoot out Sprouts the fore-going year, and commonly so long will the Graft shoot out, or more, if it take well.

CHAP. III. How to Graft several ways.

§. 1. THere are several ways of Graft­ing and all good, if Judiciously and dexterously performed: To which end, I shall endeavour to set down the most plain and exact description of each way, for the better and truer information of the young Planter, and first begin with that call'd sli­cing, or Packing on, which being described at large, may serve as a General direction for all.

Grafting call'd Slic­ing, or Packing on.§. 1. Cut off the top of Stock, in some smooth and straight place, that may be Ans­werable to the straightness of the Graft, when set on. If you do it with a Hand-saw, cut it smooth afterwards with a Knife, leav­ing the top flat and even.

Then prepare your Cyen or Graft, (first observing which side is straightest at the bot­tom or thicker end, that so it may fit the straight part of the Stock when set on) by cutting the Graft or Cyen on one side only, from the Joint, Knot, or Seam, if the [Page 37]part below it be smooth and straight; (the Knot or Seam is a Circle round about the Graft, dividing and distinguishing the last Summers growth from the former) or from some one Bud on the lower part of the last years Shoot, or Sprout, down slopewise in the Wood till it be cut quite off, in that the slope may be about an Inch long or somthing more, observing it's bent, that when the Graft or Cyen is fixed to the Stock, it may stand almost upright; and cut the Graft or Cyen thin at the bottom of cut place, yet leave on all the Bark on the opposite side; then give a cut cross through the Bark at the top of the Slope, and then cut a thin Chip of that Slope upward to the cross cut, that there may be a shoulder to rest on the top of the Stock, but cut not this shoulder too deep, little more than through the Bark will be enough, and this will cause a little rising in the Sloped part, which you must cut down, that the whole Slope may be plain and smooth, without dints or risings, and lie even and close to the side of the Stock. Cut then the top of the Cyen off, close above a Bud, about four In­ches above the shoulder if it be for a Stand­ard-tree, two Buds above the Clay being full enough; but for Dwarf, or Wall-trees, you may let the Cyen or Graft be six Inches long with several Buds, that they may shoot forth many Branches, and spread from the very Stock.

[Page 38]The Cyen or Graft thus prepared, lay the cut part of the Cyen or Graft upon the straight side of the Stock, and if it may be, on the West, or South-west side of the Stock, and so measure and mark the just length and breadth of; it then cut away so much of the Bark of the Stock, as the cut part of the Cyen or Graft may fit, drawing your Knife upwards; but as the Stock is bigger, and the Bark thicker than that on the Cyen, or Graft, so the Chip must be longer and broader, or els the passage of the Sap in the Stock and Cyen or Graft (which is chiesly betwixt the Bark and the wood) will not meet together, which should and must be aimed at, as in the work you will easily see.

Then lay the cut part of the Cyen or Graft on the cut part of the Stock, and let the shoulder of the Graft or Cyen rest di­rectly upon the top of the Stock, so that the cut parts of both may joyn even and smooth all along, and so bind them together close, with course woollen Yarn, Basses, or the inward peeling of the Witch-tree, if you bind with such materials as will not be loose or rotten by Midsummer; about that time give the binding a cut cross-wise with a Knife to set the prisoners at liberty: Have in readiness some Clay free from stones, well mixt with Horse-dung, &c. ( Vide Chap. 2. Sect. 2.) and daub it about the Stock and Cyen, an Inch above the head of the Stock, [Page 39]and an Inch below the bottom of the Cyen or Graft; work it up round the Cyen or Graft till it be sharp at the top, that the Rain­water may fall better off it; and with a Knife or rather a little Trowel dipt in water, smooth over the Clay, but in doing this, be very careful not to displease the Cyen or Graft.

Thus you may Graft Pears, Plums, Cher­ries, and Apples, if it be before the Bark of the Stock will part from the wood of them, for when it will, the next way fol­lowing is better for Aples.

Grafting in the Back or Rind.§. 2. The second way call'd Grafting in the Bark is much like this, and some prefer it before the beformentioned, or any other way; but it can only be used for Apples, be­cause all Cyens of other Fruit, will be grown past use, before the Bark of the Stock will peel, which is about the end of March or beginning of April, but this will be time enough for Apples if your Stocks be in any thing good liking, which if they be not, they are not fit to be Grafted any way: Prepare then your Stock and Cyen or Graft, exactly as your were directed in Packing, only instead of cutting the Bark of the Stock, slit it on the South-west side, from the top, almost as long as the sloped part of the Cyen, and loosen the Bark at the top of the slit with the point of your Knife.

[Page 40]Have in readiness a little Instrument made of Ivory, or of a Deer or Sheep-shanck or Silver, or of some hard smooth wood; at one end let it be made of the shape of the slope part of the Cyen, but much less every way; thrust it down betwixt the Bark and wood of the Stock where it was slit, to make room for the Cyen or Graft, Some peel off the out­most thin, brown rind of the Graft, on the opposite side to the cut and slope part of the Graft, that must enter between the Bark of the Stock and wood, but leave on all the inner green rind, and then thrust the Graftdown between the wood and Bark of the Stock which does very well. then take it out and put in the Cyen, but first cut a little of the Bark at the thin end of the slope of the Cyen or Graft, that it dou­ble not in going down, yet leave it with a sharpe edge; and because when your Cyen is put in, it will bear the Bark hollow from the Stock, nick or slit the Bark, on each side the Cyen, so that it may fall close to the Stock, and to the edges of the Cyen; bind and Clay it as before.

This way of Grafting is commended by some, as Mr. Langford, tho others disap­prove thereof; yet I have Grafted large Stocks often this way, and very successfully, but with small Stocks I seldom had the de­sired Success, tho as careful in the operation as possible; but the first way I take to be the best for them, for these reasons.

I. Because Stocks may be Grafted so, some years before they can be ready to Graft in the Cleft, and though Whip-grafting may be used sooner than that way, yet there are other great inconveniences attending it.

[Page 41]II. The Stocks this way are less harmed than where a Cleft is used, because the Cleft lets wet into them, and rots and makes them not so fit for Grafting again, (if any fail to grow the first time) as these continue to be, though they should once miscarry.

III. The Cyen will much sooner cover the Stock and make a more sound, health­ful and swifter growing Tree.

IV. This is more speedy, easy, and sure to succeed. Therefore if the Stock exceed three Inches Diameter at the place it's cut off, the best way is to Graft in the Rind or Bark, and you may set many Grafts round the Stock, and they will sooner cover the Stock; but if the Stock be from one Inch to three Inches Diameter, then Graft in the Cleft; if under one Inch Diameter, then by slicing, Packing on, or Whip-graft­ing.

Grafting in the Rind is attended with some inconvenience; for the Grafts usually make large Shoots the first Year, which in case the Wind happen to blow strongly on the opposite side of the Stock where the Graft is, commonly it is broken off, hav­ing as yet no other hold than in the Bark or Rind, and being top heavy with all, is easily broken: but after one Year the dan­ger is past, because that which grows so plentifully at the joyning of the Graft and Stock the first Year being but sappy Rind, the next Year is converted into solid Wood. [Page 42]Some well approve by their experience the Grafting Stocks above three Inches Diame­ter, by placing two Grafts opposite to each other in the Cleft, and other two opposite to each other in the Bark, so that you may place four Grafts in such a large Stock, and they will soon cover the Stocks head.

§. 3. There is another way of Grafting small Stocks call'd Whip-grafting; Whip-grafting. and here your Graft or Cyen, and Stock ought to be exactly of the same bigness as the manner of performing it plainly shews, viz. Slope off the Cyen or Graft a full Inch or longer, and do the like to the Stock, and tye the one upon the other; both the Stock and Cyen ought to be cut at the smoothest and straightest place. You may if you will make a Shoulder on the Cyen, and cut the top of the Stock to suit with it, and then bind them together, and Clay them about the place. If you joyn the Inner Bark of the Cyen and Stock exactly together at either side, it will grow, tho not so well as where the Cyen and Stock are of an equal proportion.

This way call'd Whip-grafting, is success­ful enough, so that special care be taken that both Stock and Cyen suit exactly where they are joyned together, which is some­what troublesome to do; and so is it to find Cyens and Stocks of an equal bigness; be­sides the head will be apt to overgrow the Stocks; all that can be done to prevent it, [Page 43]is to Graft these very low; or if high to give the Stock more liberty to thicken by slitting the Bark of it with a Knife almost to the wood.

In this way of Grafting there is another little Knack may be added to very good purpose, and that is, when the Stock and Cyen are prepared (as you heard before) to be joined together, to make a slit, or Notch with a Knife in the bare place of the Stock downward, beginning towards the top of the slope, and so slitting or Notching it a little way, and doing the like in the slop­ed face of the Cyen, but beginning at the same distance from the lower end of it, as you did before from the top of the Stock, and so carrying it upwards, and then joyn them by thrusting the one slice into the o­ther, till the bare place of the Cyen cover the bare place of the Stock.

This may be done likwise in Grafting by Packing, and in both conduceth much to strengthen the work, and is called by some Lipping, or Tounging.

In Whip-grafting the cut parts both of the Graft and Stock, must joyn and answer one another from the top to the bottom.

This way of Whip-grafting is commend­ed by some, not only for the same reason as slitting or Packing on is, but also because the Graft soon covers the Stock, which is not impaired by slitting or cleaving, and [Page 44]the Graft having it's Wood, as well as it's Rind bound to the Stock, is not so apt to break off, as that which is Grafted only in the Rind, nor is the Graft apt to be top heavy, the Stocks being smaller af­ford not so plentiful Nourishment.

Grafting in the Cleft or slit.§. 4. The next way of Grafting is call'd Grafting in the Cleft, which is the most Antient and common way of Grafting, and if carefully managed, not inferior to any other way of Grafting, tho the modern Planters do somthing slight it: You may Graft any Stock this way, from half an Inch to three Inches Diameter, and that if the Stock be no bigger than the Graft too, if you have neat Tools, and be ready in the managery thereof, and with good success, as I have frequently experienced. The manner is thus, viz.

Cut off the top of the Stock in some smooth and striaght place, that may be answaerble to the straightness of the Graft that is put into the Cleft; if you do it with a Hand-saw, cut it smooth afterwards with a Knife, leaving the top flat and e­ven.

Then cleave the Stock with a strong Knife, (or the Chisel before described at Sect. 2. in Chap. 2.) Let the slit run about two Inches deep, and let it be as near the middle of the Stock as you can, but not in the Pith or heart, and let the slit be on the [Page 45]somothest sides of the Stock. Have in rea­diness the Steel Iinstrument before mention­ed at Chap. 2. Sect. 2, or els a Stick of hard Wood near a foot long, at one end made like a Wedge; when you have taken out the Cleaver, put one end of the Instrument, or els the Wedge into the slit or cleft of the Stock, and open it so wide as to put in the Cyen, when it is prepared, and made ready for that purpose.

Which is by cutting the Graft or Cyen from the joynt, knot, or seam, if it be straight, or els from some Bad on the thick­er end of the last years Shoot or Sprout down aslope on both Sides, The slope cut off the Graft should be an Inch and half long at least, if the Stock be big enough to allow it. somthing more than an Inch long, making it thin at the bottom, and in shape like a Wedge, very smooth and even without dints or risings, that it may joyn close all along; so far as it goes into the Cleft of the Stock, let the out­side of the Graft or Cyen be somewhat thicker than the inner side, unless the Stock be so big as to pinch the Cyen or Graft much, then make the Cyen or Graft as thick on that side that goes into the Stock as on the outside, which will prevent the Stocks hurting the Sappy part, and Bark of the Cyen or Graft, by preserving the outside from being pinched too much.

You may let the Graft or Cyen have on the uppermost part of the slope, a shoulder on one side, or both, or neither; all these ways are used, but shouldering takes up more [Page 46]time, and makes the Cyen or Graft weaker, and so apter by chance to be broke off; then with your sharp Pen-knife cut away any Jags, or roughness, or blackness that re­mains after cleaving, on each side of the Cleft of the Stock within, and so put in either one, or two Cyens or Grafts; if the Stock be large, place them so as the passage of the Sap betwixt the Bark and Wood both of the Stock, and Cyen or Graft may meet and joyn all along the Cleft as near as you can; for you must be sure always to joyn the inner side of the Bark of the Cyen or Graft to the inner side of the Bark of the Stock all along the Cleft, that the Sap may come out of the Stock to feed the Graft and make it grow.

The Graft being thus placed in the Stock draw forth the Instrument, or Wedge, and Clay them close on every side, and an Inch above the top of the Stock, and an Inch be­low the bottom of the Cleft, and keep Clay on about the Grafted part untill the Stock be covered with the Graft, and it will be the sounder Tree.

If you put but one Graft or Cyen in (which is best unless the Stock be large,) then cut off a piece with a slope cut from the top of the Stock about an Inch and half deep on the worst side of the Stock, the Graft being to be put on the straightest and smoothest side, in cutting the Stock thus, the Graft will cover over the sooner.

[Page 47]Many cleave big Stocks crosswise again, and put in two more Cyens; but cleaving hurts the Stocks so much that it's better (if you will have more than two Cyens in one Stock) Graft the other two in the Bark, according to the second way of Graft­ing, but forecasting one of them to be on the West side of the Stock; But two Grafts are enough for any Stock.

It's an Erronious practise to set the out­side of the Stock and Graft even and smooth; because the Bark of a big Stock is much thicker than the Bark of a slender Graft, and consequently if the outside be smooth and even, the inside must needs be uneven, but where the Graft and Stock are almost of an equal proportion, there you may set them smooth on the outside, but where the Stock is large, set the cut part of the Graft more inward into the Cleft of the Stock.

When you cut Grafts it's very convenient to leave a Bud or two on the outside of the cut place, that in case any of the Grafts happen to be broken off, such Bud or Buds on the outside, will spring out, and supply the defect, altho the Graft be broken off, even to the top of the Stock; or you may leave the Bud just at the shoulder where the Graft joyns to the top of the Stock, and it will answer the said intenti­ons.

[Page 48]The only objection that is raised against Grafting in the Cleft, is, that the Stock being slit or cloven, the Rain is apt to get in and decay the Stock, and sometimes the Graft too, therefore caution must be used, not only the first year, but untill the head of the Stock be covered with the Graft, to keep well tempered Clay on the Graft­ed part both, of Cyen and Stock, and that as far as the Cleft extends it self, to keep out both Wet and Air.

I have Grafted this way Stocks from half an Inch to above three Inches Diameter, and that very succesfully, observing the afore­said rules, but a Stock of about an Inch Di­ameter is the best to use in this way of Graft­ing, which I like as well as any other, notwith­standing the opinion of all modern Plan­ters is to the contrary.

There is one small observation necessary to be noted in Cleft-Grafting, and of no lit­tle concernment to make Grafts thrive well, which is to cut the Graft so as to be set as deep into the Stock as possible, so as the Stock be not clove too far, which is by mak­ing the cut part of the Graft to be an Inch and half long, or longer if the Stock be large, and thereby the Graft will attract more Sap, and make a larger Graft by much, than one cut but short from the Knot, Seam, or Bud. Therefore for that end make the cut part of the Graft an Inch and half long at least.

[Page 49] Side graft­ing.§. 5. Side-Grafting is done by preparing the Cyen or Graft as in Whip-grafting, then without cutting off the head of the Stock, (but making it thin of side-Branches) from a smooth Place of it on the West side, take off as much Bark as the Cyen will cover, as in Packing, and slit both Cyen and Stock accordingly as is directed in the third Sect. and fix them together accordingly; bind it close, and Clay it.

If it grow at a years end cut off the top of the Stock at the Grafted Place slopewise, and Clay it.

Some done thus grow well, but suffer not the top of the Stock much to overgrow the Cyen the first year before it's cut quite off.

Some use another way, that is, to slit the Bark of the Stock in the form of a great T, and loosning it with the point of a Knife, and then clapping in a Cyen, prepared as hath been said before, (but without the slit for Lipping) bind and Clay it; this can be only used when the Bark will part from the Stock.

[Page 50] Grefting by Ap­proach.§. 6. There is another way call'd Graft­ing by Approach, Ablactation, or Enarch­ing, which is by having a Stock or Stocks grow so near another Tree, whose Fruit you would propagate, that the Stock and the Branch of that Tree may be joyned together in the manner following.

Cut the side of the Branch, and of the Stock (where they will meet) about three Inches in length, till you come near the Pith of each, and fit them both together, that the passage of the Sap may joyn, and the green inner side of the Bark of the Stock and Tree; in which posture bind and Clay them: Assoon as you find the Cyen and Stock to be well cemented together, cut off the head of the Stock about four Inches above the binding, and in March following, cut off the Stub you left of the Stock, and also the Cyen underneath, close to the Grafted place, that it may subsist by the Stock only.

It is also used to be done by cutting off the head of the Stock at first, and slopeing half off about two Inches long, and joyn­ing the Cyen thereunto, being cut accord­ingly.

This manner of Grafting is unnecessary, and scarsly practicable in common Fruit-trees, but for Oranges, Lemons, Pom­granats, Vines, Jessamines and such like Shrubs, it may be used. Also it's said that [Page 51]Trees of different kinds will sooner take this way than any other.

§. 7. I once saw a man Graft half a dozen small Stocks thus; After he had cut off the top of the Stock, he cut it on each side from the top a slope about an Inch and half, directly like a Wedg reverst, then he clove with his Pen-knife the Graft from the bottom in the middle of the Graft an Inch and half, then he plac'd this Graft on the S [...]ock, one side of the Graft on one side of the Stock, and the other on the other, but joyn'd Sap to Sap, and then bound and Clayd it; these Grafts took well, and it's an easy way of Grafting.

§. 8. Some have an Iron Instrument made for the purpose, which will make a Nick or Notch in the Stock up to it's head, an Inch and half long through the Bark, and some depth into the Wood, in form of an v, or rather after this form, V, then fit the Graft, and put it into the Noch, joying Sap to Sap, and bind them together with Bass, and Clay them. This way is much commended.

CHAP. IV. Of Inoculating.

§. 1. INoculating is the taking off a Bud from one Tree, and putting it be­tween the Bark and the Wood of another Tree or Stock; the end and intention is the same with other ways of Grafting; and moreover by this way, divers sorts of Fruits, which are not apt to take or grow by ordinary ways of Grafting, are by this easily encreased.

The man­ner of In­oculating.§. 2. About a fortnight before or after Midsummer (which is the best time, though it may be done from the beginning of May untill August) when you have pitcht upon such Stocks as are fit to be Inoculated, to get the Bud from, choose out a strong and well liking Branch, or Shoot of that years growth, upon a Tree that bears exceeding well, and such kind of Fruits as you would by this operation produce, and about the mid le, or lower end of it, (for the top will be too tender) fix upon a leaf that hath a fresh and fair Bud growing out be­twixt [Page 53]it and the Bark, and about half an Inch below and above the Bud, cut off the Branch, and so you will have a piece of it about an Inch long remaining, with a Bud and Leaf on, this you must cleave just through the midst, so as the Bud may be directly in the middle of the one half; and then snip off a part of the Leaf; and holding it by the remainder, clap it to a smooth Straight place on the Stock, and with a Pen-knife score out, on each side of it, so much of the Stock as it covers, or rather a little broader, (because when the Bark on which the Bud is, is taken off from it's own Wood, and applyed to the Stock, it will cover a wider space of the Stock than it did before) After you have thus marked your Stock, with-draw the Cyen again, and cut the Bark through where you had marked it; then cut the Bark cross and straight from the uppermost end of one score to the upper end of the other, and cut the Bark again cross and straight from one score to the other, but not so low as the Lower ends of the scores, by a quarter of an Inch; then take the oblong square piece of Bark, that is cut on every side, quite off the Stock, and raise up that part of the Bark that remains betwixt the side-scores at the bottom of the work, from the Wood, till you come to the lower end of the side-scores.

[Page 54]Take then a Goose-quill, cut in the fashion of an Apple-scoop, or scraper, and having with your Nail a little loosned the upper part of that Bark that is on the Cyen, thrust the Quill betwixt the Bark and the Wood, that it may separate them, and take off with the Bark a little Wood or Root of the Bud over against it: If you see a hole on the inside over against the Bud, when you have taken the Bark off, cast it away, that little labour is lost, and try another till you find it otherwise.

Then put in the lower end of that Bark or Cyen betwixt the Bark that was raised on the Stock and the Wood, and so bind it on the Stock gently with Woollen-yarn, or narrow Shreds of Linnen Cloth, or gentle Stuff, or with Basses, or Bast, of which the Russia Matts are made, but so that the Cyen may Lye close to the Wood of the Stock that was made bare, and have an espe­cial care that you hurt not the Bud.

§. 3. There are some other ways of In­oculating used, differing only in the man­ner of the cut, both in the Bark of the Stock, and of the Cyen.

And first, some proceeding in all other things, as is before directed, cut the Bark out of the whole length of the side-scores, and apply the Cyen to the disbarked place.

[Page 55]§. 4. Others cut one slit only down the Bark of the Stock, and another cross the the top of it, like a great T, when this is done, they prepare the Cyen or Bark as before directed (only cutting it sharp point­ed at the lower end before they take the Bud off it's Wood) Then raise the Bark of the Stock up on each side the slit, and put in the Cyen, beginning at the top and slid­ing it downward gently, and let the top of the Bud joyn close to the cross-cut in the upper end, and so bind the Bark gently upon it, but not just upon the Bud: This is the common way used by Gardiners.

§. 5. Others make the cross-cut in the middle of the downright score on the Stock, and lifting up the four corners of the Bark, and making the Cyen sharp at both ends, put it under the Bark of the Stock at both ends, and then bind it; but in doing this, there is danger of hurting the Bud or Cyen.

§. 6. Mr. Rea commends the making the cross-cut at the lower end of the downright cut, and having opened the sides, put in the Cyen upwards, being made sharp at the upper end only.

You must be nimble and quick in Inocu­lating, and preparing the Bud, els the Air by sudden drying the Bud or Cyen and the cut part of the Stock will much be hurt.

[Page 56]Thus much to satisfy the curiosity of such as have a mind to make tryal of e­very way, but the first is esteemed best.

Necessary rules and observations on Inocula­ing.§. 7. Lest one Bud fail, or any mischance break it, put two in every Stock, but not directly under one another on the same side of the Stock. The Branch or Shoot, you cut one Cyen off may yield you se­veral.

§. 8. About a Month after the Inocu­lating, or sooner if you perceive the Bark swell where the binding is, cut off the binding.

If it grow it will fix to the Stock, keep it's colour, and that part of the Leaf and Stalk that was left, will drop off, and the Bud appear fair; Then sometime before the next Spring, cut off the top of the Stock a hands breath above the place it was Inoculated at, and all the side-branches that grow any where upon the Stock; and at Spring the Bud will put forth; and if any other Sprouts or Buds appear on the Stock, cut them off.

§. 9. If the first Inoculation fail, or the Buds dye, the Stocks may be Inoculated again the next Summer, and of such as are Inoculated timely in the year, it may be sometimes seen whether they grow or not, [Page 57]time enough to Inoculate them again the same year.

§. 10. Apricocks will have Buds ready sooner than other Fruit, so that you may begin with them and follow with the other.

§. 11. Stocks raised of Peach-stones are commonly big enough to be Inoculated the second Summer, sometimes the First after they are set: when they or any o­ther stocks are an Inch and half in compass, or thereabouts, they are big enough to be Inoculated.

§. 12. Those you intend for Wall or Dwarf-trees, are to be Inoculated within a handfull of the ground, and not Pruned at all, till you remove them, and then you will better see whats necessary to be cut off; and these you may remove after one years growth, or two, with more safety.

If you Inoculate any Plums, Pears, Cher­ries, or other Fruit, that you intend for an Orchard, or other place for tall Stan­dards, you may do it higher on the Stocks, viz. six or seven foot high, and Prune these up in the Nursery, and let them grow there, two or three years (according as [Page 58]they grow in hight) before they be re­moved.

§. 13. After Stocks that are Inoculated have made one or two years growth, you must cut off the head of the Stock, that remain'd above the Bud: At your first cutting it, cut it close to the new Branches, that it may grow over the cut; let it be cut a little slope, and Clay'd over, if you desire the Branch should quickly cover it; and the sooner it doth the better.

§. 14. Care must be had in choosing Branches or Shoots from which you are to have your Buds, that they be of Shoots of the same years growth you Inoculate; and of strong growth, the Bark firm, and not spungy; suffer them to fade as little as may be before you use them; and the Shoots must be got from Trees that your own or others experience can faithfully assure you not only to be good Fruit, but very good bearers; and if the Fruit you design to raise, be at such a distance that you cannot have Buds to Inoculate the same day they are cut, put them in wet Moss or Grass in a Box, and so they will keep a day and a night very well. But if by carriage in the Air or o­therwise they are a little withered, you may revive them by setting them in wa­ter, [Page 59]which will make the Buds come clea­ner from the Wood.

§. 15. Nectarins, Peaches, and Apri­cocks are seldom raised otherwise than by Inoculation; because they will rarely or never grow by Grafting; but Pears, Cher­ries, or Plums take and grow full as well by Grafting as Inoculation. The Bark of Cyens taken from some Plums, is so ten­der and spungy they will often miscarry when Inoculated: such one be sure to raise rather by Grafting, tho many Plums will hit very well being Inoculated.

Cyens of Apples fail for the most part, when you Inoculate Buds of them, be­cause their Bark is tender, and Buds weak.

Cherries and Pears take very sure being Inoculated on young fresh Stocks, whose Bark is not very thick.

§. 16. Upon consideration of all, I ad­vise the Planter to raise all his Fruit-trees by Grafting, as being both the surest and easiest way; only his Peaches, Nectarins, and Apricocks can be propagated only by Inoculating; yet where Inoculating suc­ceeds well, it's esteemed and prefer'd be­fore Grafting, for the following reasons. 1. Because the Stock will be big enough to Inoculate by two or three years sooner than to Graft, and your Plant groweth much [Page 60]faster after the nature is so alter'd than it did before, and will be sooner ready to transplant than if it be suffer'd to grow two or three years longer, as it must be before it be ready to be Grafted. 2. It makes a sounder Tree than one that is Grafted, especially in the Cleft; because it covereth the Stock speedily and well. 3. It hurts not the Stock so much as Graft­ing; and if it chance to fail, it may be In­oculated next year again, and sometimes the same year. 4. Some look upon In­oculating to be more speedy, easy and delightsome than Grafting, and may be practised by Gentlemen, who in June may lye on the ground and do it; whereof they cannot so well bear the cold without danger of taking hurt in February, or March, which is the choice of Grafting sea­son.

If you do Inoculate any Buds of Pear, Cherry, or Plum, let the Shoots be very strong and large, but you had better Graft them.

§. 17. Not only the Pith, but also the Wood of the Bud is cast away in Inoculating, and nothing made use of but the Buds and Bark of any young Shoot, and yet they bring forth the [Page 61]same Fruit as the Tree whence they are got.

§. 18. It's debated among Planters what time of the day is best for Inoculating; Time of the day to In­oculate. some persons argue stiffly for the morning; because there pasleth up much more Sap or juice in the day-time than in the night, as they observe in piercing the Birch-Tree, and other Trees to get the liquor out of them for Physical uses; and consequently the Bud Inoculated in the morning, must be more likely to grow, having the whole days plenty of Sap to invite it to unite with the Stock, than if it be Inoculated late in the day, and so must be discouraged in it's new habitation by the niggardly pro­vision of the nights Sap.

If you follow this advice, you had best wrap some broad Leaves or Fern about the Stock; so as to shade the Cyen from the Scorching heat of the day following, to prevent it's drying before the Stock hath undertaken the charge of preserving it.

But this work may be done in the heat of the day, if the heat be not violent, and then you must (as at all times you ought) be very quick in the doing of it.

[Page 62]And for all that hath been said before, the afternoon may be as good a time as any; because if the Bud have less liquor afforded it in the night, then the cool­ness of that time makes it less thirsty; and as it's thirst encreaseth by the heat of the next day, a more plentiful Stream will be very seasonable to satisfy it.

CHAP. V. Of Pruning Fruit-Trees.

§. 1. AFter Grafts have had their full growth the first year, they must be Pruned, such as need it; Those that are Grafted low and yet must be made Stan­dards, or tall Trees, leave only one Shoot, the strongest and biggest, and let not that Shoot begin to spread untill it be seven foot high at least; therefore cut off all the side­branches, till they are grown to the hight you desire. If to spred low, let some be left on each side, that the boughs on any one side may grow straight upright. As for Wall-plants it's no matter of how ma­ny Branches they spread, the more the bet­ter. Now unless young Grafts put forth a strong and lusty Shoot, Prune not off all the side-branches, lest the body of the Plant be too small and limber to bear his head; therefore if the body be very slender suffer some of the side-twigs to grow, un­till the Body be of a sufficient strength to bear the top, and from year to year Prune off those Shoots and Branches as are su­perfluous, [Page 64]and grow too near one another, interfere, fret and gall each other, and pre­serve only such as are fit to make the Tree of a comly form; and suffer them not the first three years (at least) to grow thick and bushy-headed, by cutting off some of the inside-shoots, and such as grow cross one another, or pendent.

§. 2. What you cut off the Body, or a­ny Branch, do it close and even, that the Bark may grow over it.

§. 3. If you cut part of any Shoot, or of a Cyen for Grafting, cut it close at a Bud, that the cut may be cover'd with a fresh Sprig, and the wound may again grow up, and a Stub-end not be left be­hind.

§. 4. At what hight soever, or where­soever you would have the Tree, or any Branch, or Shoot to spread, there top it, that is cut off a Bud, an Inch of the very top close at a Bud, and there it will spread.

§. 5. When Trees grow big that a Knife will not Prune them, use the broad Chis­el (mention'd in Chap. 2. Sect. 2.) with which, and a Mallet, you may take off a Bough or large Branch, as you will, with­out either hurting the Bark of the Tree, by cutting too near, or leaving a Stump, [Page 65]by not cutting near enough; one of which is not easily avoided by the chance blows of an Ax, or Hatchet, and being amongst thick boughs your Chisel and Mallet will be more governable than other Instru­ments; If the boughs are very large you may use a Saw first, and then smooth it with the Chisel.

§. 6. Trees growing in Orchards, Fields, or Hedges, &c. must be Pruned from year to year as need is, in November, or Decem­ber, by cutting off superfluous Branches and such as cross one another, and grow too close; leave no dead Twigs or Branches, and scrape off the Moss on the body, or Bran­ches of the Tree.

§. 7. Concerning the Pruning and order­ing of Wall-trees, see hereafter, Chap. 10. And you must not Prune those Plants you intend for the Wall, untill transplant­ed and set at the Wall.

§. 8. Prune not much and often, if you love Fruit more than a Tree to thrive in Wood; therefore whilst your Tree is young, bring it unto a handsome shape and order, and when it comes to beat Fruit forbear Pruning, unless in case of broken, or such boughs as grow cross, or gall, or fret others.

[Page 66] Touching the height of Fruit-trees.§. 9. And here I must beg leave to thwart and contradict the opinions of all our modern Planters, who applaud the mak­ing Trees not to be above an ell high before they spread: Their reasons are these that fol­low.

• 1. Because the low Trees sooner at­tain to be Fruit-bearing Trees, and grow fairer than the tall; the Sap and juice wast­ing in its long ball and passage, which in the shorter Trees expends it self soon in the Branches.
• 2. You may Plant more of them in the like quantity of Land, because the shadow of the one Tree doth not reach the ground of the other, as that of the tall Tree doth.
• 3. The lower and broad spread­ing Tree is the greater bearer, by reason the blossoms in the Spring are not so obvious to the bitter Blasts, nor the Fruit in the Autumn to the fierce and destructive Winds.
• 4. Fruits are more easily gather'd from a low than a tall Tree, beating or shaking down Fruit from such Trees being to be rejected by all judicious Cyderists.
• 5. Any Fruit on a low well spread Tree, is better and fairer than that on a tall Tree, by the same reason that the Tree is fairer, because the Sap is not so much wasted in the low and humble Tree, as in the tall and lofty by its large Trunck.

Notwithstanding these reasons seem plausible, yet experience assures, that a Tree of a reasonable height (I mean not high like Tymber Trees) bears as well as the low­er, [Page 67]and if you observe a due distance, which ought to be, the shade will not be in­jurious; and tho Fruit on a low Tree is easily gathered, yet the other may be with some little pains gathered well e­nough.

But if you design to use the Land under, or about the Trees you plant, either in Orchard, Field, or Hedg, for the Syth, Spade, or Grasing of Cattle especially, let your Trees be seven foot high at least be­fore they begin to spread, because you can scarce so cautiously preserve them, but Cattle will somtime or other get into your Orchard, and then they will not a little endamage your Fruit-trees, if low, by nip­ping off the Buds of all boughs within their reach; and if you chance to farm the Orchard, your Tenants in despight of all Covenants to the contrary, will either be negligent, malitious, or so covetous as to permit Cattel to Graze in the Orchard, to your no little damage, which by letting them be seven foot high before they be­gin to spread, will be infallibly prevented. But where you intend Trees for Table-fruit to he set in the Borders of Gardens or Walks, there you may let them spread within an ell and less of the Earth, as you shall hereafter be more fully instructed.

[Page 68]§. 10. In Pruning Trees be cautious of cutting off the small Sprigs, which are the more apt to bear Fruit, it being too usual for ignorant Planters, to beautify their Trees, by taking off these superfluous branches (as they term them) whereby they deprive themselves of the Furit.

§. 11. Cherry-trees must be Grafted at the hight you would have them spread, a­bout six or seven Foot high, unless for the Wall, and then within a Foot of the ground.

§. 12. Prune the Heads of some sort of Trees that have but small Pith as Apple-trees, Pear-trees, &c. when you remove them, to proportion the Branch and Root as near as you can; but Cherry-trees, Plum-trees, Walnut-trees, &c. that have a large Pith are not to be top't, only some of the side Branches may be taken away.

If you cut part of any Shoot, or a Cyen for Grafting, cut it close at a Bud or Sprig, and the wound will again grow up, and a Stub end not left behind.

CHAP. VI. Touching the Distance of Fruit-Trees.

Distance of Orchard-trees.§. 1. THe distance of Trees in Orchards ought not to be less than eight Yards, neither need it be more than 13, or 14; the richer the Land is, the greater distance you ought to set the Trees at from one another, to which you ought to have respect, and also to the kinds of Fruit-trees you plant; for some Trees take up more room than others, as most Apple-trees more than Pear-trees, and some Apple-trees more than others, according to their aptness to grow more or less, too tedious and difficult to be here related; only the Red-streak be­ing Generally a desired Fruit, you may take notice that it's one of the least Ap­ple-trees; where it yields the best Cyder, somtimes it's almost but a Shrub, the Win­ter Pear-main, Golden-renating, and John-apple, are Trees that spread not much, but the Gregory-pippin, a Fruit-Tree in Lancashire, is a mighty spreader, even on course Land, grows well and quickly, and [Page 70]is an excellent Fruit for any use, and th [...] Trees great bearers, and the Fruit will easily keep untill the following May.

§. 2 As to the distance Wall-fruit-trees are to be set at, Distance of Wall-trees. where they are to grow, you may learn that best by considering their aptness to spread; Apricocks and some o­ther kinds of Plums spread most, the May Cherry [...], and some others are of a very small growth, it's impossible to give Rules for all, but the general distance is about four yards asunder.

Cherry and Codling Hedge distances.§. 3. Of late times it's used to make Cherry-hedges in Gardens and Orchards, and Hedges of Codlings, Nurs-gardens, Plums, and such like Trees that may be kept by cutting and plaishing one Branch within another, and from growing very large; these are usually made along the side of Walks, or round about a Garden-plot, and are Ornamental to a Garden be­ing ordered and kept handsomly.

Trees for these purposes are to be set about a yard, or an ell asunder; for they should near meet the first year, and should be thus ordered, viz. stretch a line from one end to the other where the Hedg is to be made, and set the Trees straight at the distance aforesaid: Afterwards knock down a Stake betwixt each Tree, then having straight long Rods, or Poles of Ash, or the [Page 71]like; tye a row of them from one end to the other (about a foot from the ground) fast to the Stakes with Osiers, or such like, or else nail them, which is better, and an­other row of Rods a foot above them, and so a third if need be, according to the height of the young Plants; Having thus done spread and tye the Branches of the Twigs of the Trees in order to the Poles, but not too hard, and draw and fasten some of them down close to the ground, that so there may be Blossoms and Fruit from the bot­tom to the top, which will be a beautiful sight in the Spring and Summer: Then after a few years the Stakes and Poles may be ta­ken away, and the Branches platted and woven one within another from year to year, and the superfluous ones cut off.

Reasons for a large distance in setting Trees.§. 4. For many respects Trees ought to be planted at a large distance, especially for the following reasons.

• 1. The Plantation will be little Annoyance to the Land, if either you set Goos-berries, Currens, Ras-berries, Straw-berries, or Garden stuff in it; sow Corn on it while the Trees are young, or graze it when they are grown up.
• 2. Whereas some say the more Trees the more Fruit; that's absolutely false; for when they are set so close, that the Sun can­not have a good influence on them, by re­freshing the Roots, Body, Branches, Blos­soms and Fruits, they bear poorly, and [Page 72]ripen worse; and close-set Trees in a few years when they should bear Fruits, croud, fret, and gall one another, and by rubbing often cause the Canker.
• 3. They cannot grow to be Trees of that size as they would (if the Land be good) being set at a good distance, and some kind of Trees being of stronger and swifter growth than others, will so domineer over their neighbors, that they will make them almost good for no­thing; and one Tree that is set at a fair distance will bear oftner, and more Fruit than three, or four Trees set close, as is dayly seen by some Apple-trees that grow single, or in a Hedge.
• 4. You may Plant betwixt every Tree, a Cherry-tree, Plum-tree, or Codling-tree, which may grow up and bear with the other Trees many years, and never reach or Prejudice them, but will decay before the others are at full growth; Or you may set a young Apple-tree, or Pear-tree betwixt every two of your Standards that you set in the Orchard, and nurse it up with necessary dressing and Pruning seven or eight years, or less time, to transplant into Fields or Pasture-land, where Cattle feed; whereby with little help it will not be in such danger of hurt from Cattel as small ones would, and bear Fruit soon after it's set, and you cannot let them grow so long in your Nursery without galling, fretting, or hurting one [Page 73]another, unless when you remove Trees out of your Nursery, you take care to leave every other Tree, whereby they may have liberty to grow big, and so more fit for your Fields.

As for Standard Cherry-trees, Plum-trees, and the like, six yards distance is the most convenient, unless the ground be exceeding rich, and then a greater distance, as seven or eight yards asunder.

CHAP. VII. Choice of Ground for an Orchard, and the ordering it.

SO far as it lyeth in ones power to choose a plot of Ground for an Orch­ard, let it be done with respect to the following advantages

§. 1. It should lye conveniently near him, declining and lying open towards the South, South-east, or South-west, and defended from the North, North-east, and North­west Winds by buildings, Woods, or high­er Grounds; the Land should rather incline to dryness than moisture, without Springs, the Soyl deep and a fat Earth, not a stiff, cold Clay, or binding Gravel, nor a light, sandy, esky or hollow Earth; yet with good Husbandry, if it run not into the extreams of any of these, Fruit-trees may prosper reasonably well in it.

[Page 75]§. 2. The natural Soil for an Orchard is more to be respected than a Garden; for the Garden Fruit-trees, and what els groweth there, rooteth little deeper than it may be easily manured; but Pear-trees and Apple-trees in Orchards should grow to be large Trees, and therefore send forth Roots broad and deep, so that it transcends all cost and pains to enrich the Ground for them, as far as the Roots every way reach.

§. 3. But they that are seated or fixed in any place, and cannot conveniently change their habitation, must be content with their own, and if any defect or disadvantage be in it, it may be it hath some advantage that another wants, if it lye to the North, the Trees Bud and Blossom the later, and many times the Fruit thereby succeeds the better, and is free from the injurious South-winds in the Autumnal season.

§. 4. If it lye to the East, it hath not only the advantage of being later Budded, and blown, because of the cold Easterly Winds in the Spring, but the Fruit ripens the better, the morning Sun in the Sum­mer being by much the best, and the Fruits freed from the Western Winds, which with the South are the worst.

[Page 76]§. 5. If your Land be on a dry, or rising Ground, you may Plant them the thicker, which will cover and shade the Ground the sooner, and make them bear the better; the Fruit will also yield a more vinous Li­quor.

§. 6. If your Ground lye in a cold moist Vale, the sooner may you raise a natural Fence about it, to defend your Trees from cold Winds, and stiff Gusts, which diversly anoy your Trees and Fruits; and I once knew a person that had a cold moist flat springey plot of Ground, who caused double Ditches to be made therein, at ten yards distance, each from other, and about an Ell high; upon these Ditches he planted Apple-trees each ten yards distant from another, which Trees did grow, prosper, and bear exceeding well.

§. 7. But if you have liberty to choose what Land you will for Planting of Fruit-trees, observe the directions given in the first Section of this Chap. and choose a warm, light Rye-land, or either a black or brown mold, if with a mixture of Sand, so much the better, but the heavy cold and moist Wheat-land is not so good.

[Page 77]§. 8. If the Ground be very light and rich of it felf, or so made by improvement, several sorts of Apple-trees, especially the Pippin, will be so apt to canker, that they will scarce ever be large Trees; therefore a firm and strong Land; is best for Winter or long lasting Fruit; but for Summer-fruit, Land cannot be too light; the more it in­clines to redness the better.

How to qualify the Ground.§. 9. If the Land you intend for it be a Turf or Green-sward, you ought to Plow it two years before you set your Trees in it, to make it mellow and loose, that the Trees may be better take Root, and you may then lay on Manure, which by Plow­ing will be well mixt with the natural Soil, and use such Manure as will best suit to amend it; and if you sow the Ground a­bout ten days after the Midsummur before you Plant, with Turneps, and when they are got off, which will be about November, if you please, then set your Trees, they will like well.

§. 10. Where the natural Soil is not good of it self, whether it be in Garden, Orchard, or Field, there it ought to be by skill assisted and better'd, at least wise for such a compass as the Roots of every Tree take up for some time, if not so far round as they are ever like to extend them­selves.

[Page 78]And this must be done by mixing such Manures with the Soil as suit best with it's temper. If the Soil be Clay, or Clay mix­ed with Gravel or wet heavy Land, hot Dung, as that of Horses, or Poultry, or for want of that, of Oxen or Cows is best to mix with it, to bring it to a due tem­perament.

And if the Soil be light, hollow, esky, or sandy Land; Marl, Mud out of a Pond, Ditch, or River, or shovelings of Dirty yards or Highways, if they be not Sandy, and be well Mellowed, by lying on heaps, and especially if those heaps are mixed with Lime, are proper to mend it.

If this last Soil be barren likewise, you may properly add a mixture of Neats Dung.

It hath been seen that an Apple-tree on a Hemp-but, which was constantly Plowed, and Manured to a great richness, bore more Apples than four such Trees in an Orchard would do; and it's constantly seen in Bar­ren hungry Land, Trees thrive poorly, grow Mossey, or Bark-bound, bearing sel­dom, and that a poor Fruit: Only Wal­nut-trees and Pear-trees do not necessarily require a very rich Ground, and will pros­per best on Stony, and light Land.

If your Land be too rich (which is sel­dom seen) you may mix Coal-ashes with it.

[Page 79] Moist Land to order.§. 11. If your Land is very flat, that wet is apt to stand upon it, or be a shallow Soil, you may somthing help it in Plowing, also by gathering the Land always up in and near the place where you intend the Rows of Trees shall afterwards stand, which in two years time will somthing raise it, and thicken the Soil, and the Furrows so made will help to carry off the Water, or which is better, raise the Land on broad Ridges, that the middle of them may be about 24, or 30 Foot distance, according as you intend to Plant your Trees: Let the In­tervals between the Ridges be about eight Foot broad, and the Earth taken up be­tween, about a Foot deep, and cast on the Ridges which will make the Ground thicker of the best Soil than before it was, that the Roots of the Trees you Plant on the Ridg­es cannot run down, nor spread into the bad Soil, which otherwise it would do; by this means the Trees will thrive and pros­per well, as may be perceived on the Banks of some Land, and the Hedges, that Apple-trees will thrive better there than on the Level-land.

Moist Land to order.§. 12. If it be a Springey moist or spewy Land, you must Trench it at the head of the Spring, and that deeper than the cha­nel of the Spring runs in the Earth, which you may leave open, and yearly cleanse, or fill it up with Alder or Oler-boughs, and [Page 80]cover them with the Turf and Earth that came forth, much higher than the other Land; for the Wood and loose Earth will sink very much by degrees; or you may dig several narrow Trenches, one between each Row of Trees, descending to some Ditch at the lower end of your Ground, and lay in the bottom of it Alder-frith, or Fag­gots of Beech, and fill the Trenches again on the said Frith or Faggots with Earth, as aforesaid, and the Water will insinuat­ingly pass through the said Wood to the lower side of the Ground, leaving the rest dryer; but if you cannot easily do this, or­der it as at the foregoing Section.

§. 13. If it be Springey, but only lye so low and flat that in the Winter Rain or Land-floods will lye upon it, and that it hath been lately Plowed, or that you'l not lose two years time by Plowing it before you set your Trees, or if it be shallow or ebb Soil, you may set your Trees by Tump­ing.

Hot dry Land to order.§. 14. If your Ground be a hot dry San­dy shallow Land, Marl laid on the surface and there spread, will cool, sadden, and make it rich; or if you can, cause the Cur­rent of some Rill of Water, or rather Wa­ter that runs from Pools, Ponds, or Dung­hills, to over flow it somtimes, which will [Page 81]not only moisten, but make the Ground fertile also, and the Trees prosper well.

Fern or any other vegetables, nay Stones covering such Land, will preserve it cool and moist.

Gravelly-ground to order.§. 15. Gravel-grounds are as bad as any; because a Tree in them cannot Root to any great bigness; and if Muck, or other Soils be laid to the Roots of Trees in such Land, the Gravel will in a few years eat it up, and convert it unto it's own nature; but if a little Stony, a mixture of Mold among the Stones, and at the digging to pick our the largest Stones, then Trees will Root indifferent well in such Grounds.

Over-flown Land.§. 16. If Land be subject to be over-flown by the inundation of Rivers, or other falls of Water, so as the Water stand not too long upon it, nor the Land be of a stiff cold nature, it's very good for Fruit-trees.

Of uneven Ground.§. 17. If there be any unevenness in the Land, some direct to level it, by carrying the Banks into the low places; but this will not only be very chargeable, but hurt­ful, by making the high places too bar­ren, and the low Ground too rich.

But that your Trees may grow some­what level in their tops, and not one over­shade another, and also appear comly, you may fore-cast to set such Trees as grow pen­dant, [Page 82]or are not apt to grow tall Trees, on the highest Ground, and such as are aspiring in the lower places.

The Fence and Order of Trees in an Orchard,§. 18. Enclose your Orchard with a good double Ditch about four Foot high, and plant thereon two Rows of good Hawthorn, or Whitethorn, which will be an excellent Fence by the time that the Fruit-trees bear, to keep out Cattel from cropping the ten­der Twigs of the Fruit-trees, and rub­ing against their Stems, and unruly People from destroying the Fruit. Good White­thorn being the best Quick-fence for your Orchard, when it's grown up may be plaish­ed, the better to prevent Hogs or Sheep for creeping into it. Set no smooth Quick in it, that may grow to great Trees, because they will be hurtful both to the Hedg and Fruit-trees, both by their tops and Roots when they are grown up: Having set two Rows of good Hawthorn, and made the dead Hedg on the out-side the Ditch, the Quick-set will grow the faster, for the dead Hedg upon the Ditch is apt to choak the Quick-sets, and thus with somtimes Weeding it you may soon raise a good Fence.

If you have an old Hedg already about your Orchard, scour the Ditch and plaish the Hedg, and cut down all big Trees that grow in it, unless on the North, and West­side, the one requiring a defence to keep [Page 83]the Orchard warm, the other to secure it somwhat from the strong Winds, that blow down the Fruit before it's ripe, tho it's far better they grow on the outside the Hedg.

On the outside of your Orchard, not too near the Hedg, if it be not well defend­ed by Hills, Buildings, or the like; Plant on the North-side, two or three Rows of Walnut-trees, thicker than is usually done on other accounts, to preserve the Orchard from the cold Nothern Air.

Some are also for Planting a Defence on the west-side, to protect them from the brisk Autumnal Winds, which blow down the Fruit before ripe.

Within the Orchard on the North-side, set the first Rows of Pear-trees, or such other Trees as you know are apt to grow tallest, and the rest South-ward, as they decrease in hight, as near as you can judge; for so shall all your Trees share in great measure of the South-sun, and will be less lyable to receive damage by the Northern old: The best way you can set Trees in an Or­chard is according to the Figure call'd a Quincunx, by Planting them at an equal dist­ance every way, only with this observation, that every Tree of the second Row may stand against the middle of the space of the First; in the Third against the space of the Se­cond; and so through out, which makes an [Page 84]Orchard appear pleasant to the Eye in what part soever thereof you stand.

§. 19. If your Soil be not rich enough, once in three or four years in the Winter­time, Baring the Roots of Trees-in Winter. open the Earth for a good space round about the body of each Tree, and about a Month after with some proper Manure mixt with what came forth, fill up the hole again; but if you dig or Plow your Land, you will have no need to do this so long; and if your Trees were set by tumping, you need not do this, till the Roots are grown past the Ditch that was made about the Tump.

Muck-wa­ter good for the Roots of Fruit-trees.§. 20. The Water that soaks from a Dunghil, is an excellent thing to enrich the Earth about the Roots of Trees, and if your Orchard chance to lie so as that it may be floted somtimes, you may do it after this manner.

Make a little Trench along the upper part of the Orchard, and from it cut a small Gutter down every row of Trees, take off the upper Turf for half a yards breadth round about every Tree, at about a Foots breadth distance from the body, when a rainy day comes, let this soke down one Row, so that (as near as you can) e­very Tree may enjoy it three or four days at several times in one Winter

[Page 85]If your Orchard stand so that you can­not convey this Water to the Trees after this manner, you may carry two or three pale-full to every Tree twice or thrice a year, and pour it in where the Roots were opened, and against Spring put in the Earth again; when you do this first, stir up with somthing the bottom of this Water the more to thicken and enrich it.

This will follow the Roots and more enrich the Trees than can be done by Ma­nure, or Dung, so that you suffer the Wa­ter not to be above a days time at once up­on any one Tree.

Plant Fruit proper for the Soil and Clymate.§. 21. Some judgment is required from the Planter in setting each Tree or Plant in the proper Clymate and So I it most de­lights in, or in adapting Plants to the Nature of each Soil you have to Plant; for Trees will strangly prosper, grow and bear in Soil and Ground they like, compa­ratively to what they will do if they are Planted in Ground wherein they delight not.

The Apple it self, which is but one kind of Fruit, yet are there several sorts of them, that delight in some places, and will not thrive in another, which made the Kentishmen so addict themselves to the Planting of the Pippin and Codling; be­cause no other Apple would prosper so [Page 86]well in that County, whence they are call'd Kentish-pippin and Codlin; when in some other places neither of those Fruits will prosper without Art, but are destroyed by that pernicious disease the Canker.

The Red-streak also is observed to pros­per better and yield a better juice in some places than in others, altho but in the next Parish, so Summer-pears will thrive where the Winter will not.

Therefore consider what Species of Fruits are most natural to the Country or place where you intend to raise your Trees, which may be known partly by the growth and well bearing of Trees in the Neigh­borhood, or by experimenting variety of sorts in your own Ground, then propa­gate and Plant those that grow, prosper, and bear best.

Plant not Standards too near your Houses or Walls.§. 22. When you Plant an Orchard, or any Ranges of Trees near your House or Walls, Plant them at such a distance from your Houses or Walls, as that when they are grown up to any considerable magnitudes, they may not over-hang your Wall-trees, or hinder the Sun too much from coming to them, whereby your Fruit is much better in everp respect.

CHAP. VIII. The time most proper for Trans­planting of Fruit-Trees.

§. 1. STone-fruit will be first ready to remove; Time for removing for after two years growth in the Seed-plot or Nursery after they are Inoculated or Grafted, you may well remove them, be they for Wall or Dwarfs, which you ought to do in October or November, early removing being advan­tagious for all Fruit-trees, both for the security of their growing and their well-growing. The best time to transplant into Orchards is from the end of September to the end of November, tho you may do it un­till the end of February, but that's not so good by far, for the sooner after Michaelmas the better; if the leaves are not all fallen when you remove the Trees, pick them off.

You may begin sooner to Plant well-grown Trees, than those that are very young, and in a very thriving conditi­on, especially young Apple-trees, and Peaches, whose Stocks were raised of the Stone or Kernel, which will be [Page 88]in a growing posture untill extream wea­ther put them to a stand; therefore for such stay untill about the middle of No­vember.

Young Trees having been taken up about November, and the end of the Roots cut off, like unto a Hind or Goats foot on the under-side, and laid in the Earth till March to be Planted, being then taken forth again, it hath appeared that they have put out many Fibrous Roots at the ends of those big Roots cut off, which had they done in the place they were to grow in the next Summer, this would have been a good pre­paration against Spring; and it's always seen that Trees set in February, or March make generally a much less growth the next year, than those that were set before win­ter. If a dry Summer happen to succeed, it often kills some of the late-set Trees, and puts such a Sap to others that they re­cover not of many years.

In sharp Frosts, or in Snows, though you could dig, it's not good to remove Trees.

§. 2. If your Trees for Standards at set­ing are not very weak bodied, How to Prune and order Trees at removal. Prune them up, leaving three or four of the principal Branches on the top, that grow outward, which should be lop't off almost a years growth but if they be weak (lest the Winds should injure them by tossing them) you [Page 89]may top them lower, doing it at a Bud or small Twigg, and in big Trees cut the top almost all off; and whensoever you trans­plant young Trees cut off the end of all big Roots on the under-side, like unto a Hinds Foot, and they'l put forth new Roots the better.

Bigness of Trees to be removed.§. 3. At three years end after Grafting in the Nursery, Trees may be fit to be re­moved into an Orchard, especially if you Plow (or which is safer, dig) the Orchard-Land, and set Beans or other Kitchin-Gar­den stuff in it for some years; but if it be such a piece of Land that you Graze, then you must be sure their heads are grown out of the reach of Cattle before you set them there, and you must Fence them one of the ways mentioned hereafter.

How to re­move a large Tree.§. 4. It's the best way to remove Trees very young, as at three years growth, if they may be secured from danger, which in Orchards or Fields where Cattle have liberty to feed, they cannot well be with ordinary Fencing, unless they be of five or six years growth after Grafting. He that hath a Nursery of his own, and re­moves them into places, so near that he can well do it, let him the very same or the next day after they are taken up, set them in the place appointed for them, and not cut off too much of the Roots, but the [Page 90]greatest part of the Top; and he may do well to Plant strong and well grown Trees especially, in his Fields, and out-grounds; for the charge of Fencing will be much eased, and being carefully set, they may prosper as well or better than small ones, especially in uncultivated or stiff Land by nature, where young Trees cannot so well put forth Roots; and the following way is better to have old Trees grows and pros­per well than is commonly practised, viz.

If you chance to have any Trees betwixt Ten and Thirty years old that you have a mind to remove, you must about No­vember, the year before you Transplant them, dig a Trench as narrow as you please, but so deep as to meet with most of the spreading Roots at such a distance round about the body of the Tree as you would cut the Roots off at when you remove it, (about half a yard distant from the bo­dy may do well, if they be not very large Trees, but if you have not far to carry them, longer) as you make the Trench cut the Roots you meet with clear off, and smooth without splitting them, or bruising the Bark; fill up the Trench a­gain, and by October next after, when you take up the Tree to set it elsewhere, you will find those great Roots will have put forth many fibrous Roots, and made preparation for more, with fresh and [Page 91]tender Roots, upon removal will enable the Tree to draw more nourishment than otherwise it would, and consequently to prosper better in it's new mansion.

§. 5. Many of those Trees removed very timely, as in the end of September, or in October, may shrink and seem to wither much, yet they will recover and come to their former plumpness.

CHAP. IX. Of the manner of removing and set­ting Trees.

Coasting Trees.§. 1. IN removing any big Tree, men generally observe to Coast them, that is, to place the same side of the Tree to the South-East, &c. as grew formerly that way where it stood before; to which end before you remove it, you had best make some mark in the Bark of the Tree which way it stood, this you may observe in straight Trees, but it's more material if your Trees lean one way more than an­other, to set the leaning side towards the South-west, from whence the strongest Winds blow; but notwithstanding this ob­servation, you need not mind it in small Trees, or such that have grown in close-Nurseries; they not being capable of any considerable alteration from any Aspect of the Heavens.

In case a Tree before removal hath the benefit of the East, or West Sun, more than of the South, then Plant that Tree that before had that advantage, on the like [Page 93]again in it's new place, which altho it va­ry from the directions aforesaid, yet not from the reason of it.

How to take up Trees to be Transplant­ed.§. 2. Be carefull in taking up the Plants; dig round about them, and take off the Mold from their Roots; if it be a small Plant, it may be drawn up easily, the Mold being taken away, if it be great, and the Roots spread much, then they may be cut about half a yard from the body of the Plant, and the greater it is, the further off cut the Roots, and so draw it up; but keep the Spade from coming too near the Tree, by surrounding the Tree at a good distance, and endeavour to raise as much Earth as you can with the Tree, but if it be to ca­ry far, shake it off; then pick off all the Leaves, if they be not fallen off, because the Sun and Air by their means extract the Sap out of the Branches.

Pear-trees have ordinarily more brittle Roots than Apple-trees, and the Roots of Apple-trees, or Stocks, raised of the Ker­nels of good Fruit, are more brittel than those raised of Crab or wilding Kernels; therefore take more care and pains in open­ing Ground deeper and wider, when you take up the more tender and brittle Root­ed Plants, and pull not over hard, lest you leave most of the Roots behind.

[Page 94] Young Trees best to set.§. 3. Young Trees of three or four years old at most when removed, do not only grow surer, but make a larger growth at first Planting, than greater and elder Trees can do, and are therefore best to transplant.

§. 4. If your Trees have lain some time out of the Ground, or been carried in the Wind or Frosts, that their Roots seem to be dry, set them over night in Water, im­merging only the Roots, and it will very much revive them; or when you Plant them, after you have added an indifferent quan­tity of Earth, cast in a Pail or more of Water as the largness of the Foss or hole requires, which not only quickens the Roots, but makes the Earth adhere there­unto, which otherwise would lye light and hollow about them. The Air does much in­commode the Root of any Plant whate­ver, and so does Frost.

§. 5. One may Carry young Trees many Miles to be transplanted; How to or­der Trees for Carry­ing. being carefully taken up, lay the Roots all one way, the smallest and tenderest in the middle of the Bundle, and bind them close from the Roots to their tops with a soft band, and then stuff the Roots round about with Straw, Hay, Moss and the like; afterwards bind the bundle all over from the Roots to the very top with Hay, or Straw-bands, or [Page 95]something els, to preserve them from brui­sing, and wrap something abouts the Roots, a piece of an old ackcloth, or any thing that will preserve the Roots from the Wind, Sun, and from bruising: And in Winter you may carry young Trees thus many Hun­dred Miles.

§. 6. See Chap. 8. Sect, 2.

Set upon e­very Re­moval in a better Soil.§. 7. It must always be observed that upon every removal of Fruit-trees, to Plant or set them again into as good or better Soil as that out of which they were ta­ken.

But if that cannot be, then Plant, and set them for so far as the Roots may ex­tend in three or four years growth in as good or better Mold than that out of which they were removed, by laying good Soils under, upon, and about the Roots at the setting; for after they have taken Root two or three years, they will then grow in ordinary Soils; the great danger is at first Planting, which is the reason Trees pros­per abundantly better taken out of course and barren Nurseries, than out of those whose Soils are very rich, either by nature, or improvement: therefore be sure to lay as good or better Soil upon, under, and about the Roots when they are set again, if you expect your Trees prosper.

[Page 96] Set not Trees deep but shallow.§. 8. Take heed of setting the Roots of your Plants too deep below the good Soil, for if set shallow they prosper far better, than such as are set deep; because in the top of the Earth is the best Mold, so made by the Suns influence thereon, and every shower of Rain reaches, and re­freshes, and feeds the Roots: for all may easily observe Trees thrive best where the Roots run near the Surface, and not at all where Planted deep; because by deep Plant­ing they thrust down their Roots below the good Soil into that which is barren and unfruitful; which causes your Trees to be injured by Canker, Moss, and to be bad bearers, and ill thrivers.

§ 9. Cut away many of the Branches of all large Trees you set, Prune the Branches and Roots at removal. because every removal is a check to nature, and their growth, and the Roots being cut, yield for some years but a faint nutriment, scarce sufficient to preserve life, much less to make a large growth: But Plants of a lesser size need not have their Branches cut, unless they cross one another, grow too nigh to­gether, or run up too high without spread­ing, but cut off the ends of all the Roots; because if cut, many small Fibra's or strings shoot out of the cut place, which draw nourishment for the Plant, which without cutting would not.

[Page 97] See before Sect. the second, in Chap. 8.

§. 10. Make a hole about one yard square and two Foot deep; but if your Soil be wet, or binding Gravel, or such like, How to set Trees. very bad in the bottom, go not so deep, it will be better to set them shallow, and raise the Earth about them; And if not manur'd Land you set them in, have in readiness some very fine rich Mold, or shovelings of a Yard where Cattle are fre­quently lodged or fed, or well temper'd Street-dirt, or the Mold of rotten Vege­tables, or the Sediments of Currents that settle in the bottoms of Pools, or Ditches, that have lain long on heaps, till the same are become mellow and dry; especially if some Lime be at casting out mixt there­with, or rotten Neats-dung, which you may mix with the Earth that came forth of the hole; and so order it, that it may be as good or better than that out of which the Trees came; Fill the hole full half way up with this, and tread it down in such form (having respect to the Roots of the Tree that is to be set in it) that the Roots may rest close upon it, then cut off the ends of all the Roots like unto a Deers foot on the underside, they'l put forth new Roots the better, (if the Tree have one long down-right Root (call'd the Tap, or Heart-root) cut it almost half off) then clay [Page 98]your Tree in, and fill up the hole with the Mold, by casting in the smallest and best next to the Roots, and be careful that all the small Mold run between all the Roots; to that end, stir and shake the Plant, that there may not be any hollow place where the Mold salls not, and with your hand, draw up the uppermost Roots, and part them that they may spread in the Mold e­very way; Fill up the hole with the Mold, and use all diligence to Place the Roots of your Tree in the same posture they were in before you removed it. If the Tree be young, and the Roots slender, this can be performed no way but by throwing in a little Soil at a time, and then raising up with your hands such Roots as are pressed down by it below their proper situation, spreading them on the Soil you have cast in, and then throwing in more, and or­dering the Roots as before, so continu­ing to do till you have fill'd up the hole.

Old Trees with sturdy Roots require not so much curiosity, but be sure that the Mold lye close under, betwixt, and among the Roots.

If the Soil be light, press it down gent­ly with your foot; then cover them half a yard about with Straw, Weeds, Litter, Fern, or the like, which will keep the Roots warm all Winter, and moist and cool in the following Summer; but if your Ground [Page 99]be not very rich, cover the top about the Tree with Dung.

Note that Dung is not good to lay next the Roots of your Trees, unless it be con­verted to Mold by it's long lying and rot­tenness, but Dung is better, being mixed with the Earth laid next the Roots of Trees than alone.

§. 11. Forget not to water all Trees you Plant, either very early or late.

To Stake Trees.§. 12. Standard-trees Planted in an o­pen place should for a year or two be staked, if they be large Trees in danger to be shaken by the Winds; for a Tree at first setting should not be shaken, but af­ter two or three years Rooting, shaking is good: If they stand in a sad Earth, not Plowed or digged, knock down a straight Stake close to every Tree, and tye the Plant fast to it with a Hay-band or other soft Band, and be careful to prevent galling or fretting by interposing and wrapping the Hay-band once or twice about the Tree before you tye it to the Stake; set the Stake leaning towards the Coasts you ex­pect the greatest Winds, and let not your Stakes continue above a year and half.

Watering Trees.§. 13. Trees being Planted, it's very good to keep yearly the Ground Digged or Plowed about them for the first seven [Page 100]years, which will conduce much to their growth, and preserve them from Moss, and other diseases.

If you are enforced to remove a Tree in Summer, take the Earth you digged out of the Foss or hole you intend to Plant your Tree in, and mix and temper it well with an equal quantity of Cow-dung, and as much water as will make it into a Liquid pap; fill the hole almost with this, and let the Root of the Tree gently sink in­to it; cover it over with the Mold, and lay some Fern or Litter over all, and once a Month water it, and it will grow well.

To help Trees on barren Soil.§. 14. If your Land be not rich on which your Trees grow, it's exceeding good in October, November, or December to lay on the top of the Earth about them, Lees of Wine, the washing of strong-bear Barrels, Blood of Cattle, dead Dogs, or any Carrion, Swines-dung mixed with Earth, once in three or four years, but have a care that you lay not too much, and too often about them, also Soap-suds, when cold, and Soap-ashes are also good. And if your Trees be grown out of the reach of Cattle, you may suffer them to ly amongst them in the Winter from Michaelmas till May­day.

[Page 101] About bad bearing Trees.§. 15. Trees of good bearing kinds will usually bear after they are four or five years old, untill extream old age, unless they grow on barren Soil, or somtimes they'l not bear whil'st they grow very strong, lustily and vigorously, and have too great a supply of Sap; but after some years they'l then bear well, if they were Grafted of good bearing kinds; but in case Trees are Wall-trees and shoot excessively, and bear not, then abate their overful and rank fer­tile nourishment, by putting in Sand, or a­ny thing that is barren instead of the fat Soil, and cut off one or two of the biggest Roots from the body, that so it may have less nourishment, and that left will turn to Fruits; and bend downwards also the Bran­ches, and fasten them to the Wall with their tops as low as may be, which restrains and obstructs the excessive rising of Sap, which rising moderately turns to Fruits. But if Trees are naturally bad bearers, there is no other remedy, but Grafting them again with Grafts taken from some good bearing kinds, which are known by yearly experi­ence to bear Fruits well and abundantly.

To Graft old Trees.§. 16. When Fruit-trees are grown to extream old Age, and therefore bear little, cut off their heads or big Boughs, not straight over, but aslope, that Rain and moisture may not rest on the top to Rot it. These will put forth many young Shoots [Page 102]next Summer, which may be Grafted the Spring after with good bearing kinds; and these old Bodies having young heads which draw up Sap vigorously, will bear store of Fruits many years after; or you may cut off their heads even and smooth, and put two Grafts in the Cleft, and two in the Rind, and they will soon cover their heads, if you keep well temper'd Clay continually on and about their heads. See Chap. 2. Sect. 10.

To know the kinds of your Trees.§. 17. When you Plant Fruit-trees in your Garden, or Walls, or in Orchards, draw the Platform of them in paper, and so set down the name of every Tree accor­ding to the place it stands in, which will be both satisfactory and useful at any season of the year, readily to know what kind of Fruit every Tree beareth.

CHAP. X. Of Planting Wall-fruit.

AS for the Soil, distance, and Stocks for Wall-Trees you are before in­structed; It remains only to say something that before has not been touched on con­cerning them.

Setting Wall-trees.§. 1. Make a Trench by the Wall-side you are to set them up to, about two Foot broad, and as deep, and in every place where a Tree is to be set, about a yard square, mingle good old rotten Neats-dung with the Earth, and fill it up near as high as you intend the Borders to be, and when you have filled it up about half full, tread it down; but if you design no Borders, make then only a hole about a yard square; but if your Soil be wet, or binding Gravel, or such like, very bad in the bottom, go not so deep, it will be better to set them shallow, and raise the Earth about them. Try by setting the Tree in the hole which side will stand best to the Wall, and then cut off such Branches as grow directly to­ward, and fromward the Wall, leaving [Page 104]only the side-Branches to be nail'd unto it; then clap your Tree in, placing it as far from the Wall as the top will allow, that must be spread upon it, that the Roots may have the more liberty to spread towards the Wall, fill up the hole with the Mold, and observe the Directions given at Chap. 9. Sect. 10. and 11. about setting Trees in all other things.

Summer pruning of Wall-trees.§. 2. Every year it will be necessary to Prune and nail them to the Wall, twice or thrice according as they grow more or less; First in Summer about the end of June or middle of July. Cut off such as grow directly out-ward close to the body; if you cut a part of any Branch off, do it at a Bud, that the Cut may be cover'd with a fresh Sprig; some must be Cut off, and others spread to the Wall; Cut off those that will not spread to the Wall, and pluck not off the Leaves of the others.

Cutting off the small Branches in Sum­mer, is some check to the Sap, and hinders its excessive rising at that time, which else would spend it self in larg and superfluous Branches, and so rob the fruit.

Lay none a cross or under one another, but let them spread as the fingers of your hand when expanded.

The Winter Pruning.§. 3. The Winter Pruning may be done as soon as the Leaves and Fruit are fallen, [Page 105]or any time before February, except Necta­rin's and Peaches, which are apt to dye if Prun'd before the Sap rise; the best time to Prune them is after they Flower.

The Winter Pruning is chiefly for the well ordering of the Branches, that could not be well placed in Summer time, and for the Cutting off great Branches when need is. Preserve Branches as low, and as near the Ground as may be, and cause them to bend and grow straight along the sides of the Wall both ways, and suffer not the biggest Branches to rise straight upward, but nail them down-wards, to furnish the bottom of the Wall. Be sure to take off those that grow the straightest out, and will not be bowed close to the Wall. And Observe to bend down the strongest Shoots (that would grow upwards) towards the sides, otherwise they will be apt to run straight upward and not cover the space you design for them, and by their Luxuri­ous growth will extreamly rob the side-Branches of their nourishment; there will Branches enough spring out fresh to run upwards out of them, when they are so bowed.

Those that suffer all the young and larg Shoots, to grow as much as they will all Summer, without Cutting, and then in Winter Cut all or most of them quite off from the Trees, and preserve only the old stumps, or biggest Branches of the Tree, [Page 106]do commit a great errour; because thereby in the middle part of the Tree, and near the Root, few or no young Branches will be seen, whereas they should preserve all the young Branches to spread up against the Wall untill it be full of small Boughs, and then some young Shoots every year may be Cut off.

Shreads of Woollen Cloath are the best things to nail them up with; some use gen­tle Leather, or the Cuttings of any old Hat, any of these may serve the turn.

To renew Old Trees§. 4. When your Wall-Trees are grown old and full of big Wood, you may in three or four years time renew them, by Cutting out some of the biggest Stems or Boughs yearly, cutting each Branch off at some small twig (if it may be) that either it, or a fresh Branch may grow over the cut place, which must be kept cover'd with Clay, and so go on yearly till all the big Wood is cut out. Or if you dislike the kind of Fruit, you may Inoculate or Graft the Boughs with a better sort of Fruit, but not all in one year, but some in one year, and some in another.

By either of these ways you may renew a decaying Tree, and keep your Wall al­most still furnished, with less trouble and charge, or loss of Time, than by taking up the old one, and Planting a young one in its stead.

[Page 107] Setting Fruit pro­per for each Wall.§. 5. In furnishing your Walls with Fruit-Trees, Observe always to Plant Peaches and Nectarines up to the Wall that is most Southward; the East-Wall is to be allotted to Apricocks, early Cherries, and the choicest Plums; the West may be set with Pears, Cherries, and Plums. Some of the coursest Pears and Plums, you may set to the North-Wall, both to cover the Wall handsomely, and many years they will bear as well on it, as on Standards; especi­ally if your Wall stand not directly North, but so as to have some considerable benefit of the Sun, Nut-Trees likewise are proper for this Wall, and will prosper well up to it.

If your conveniencies will allow it, and you are to build a new Wall, it is much bet­ter to have your Garden Walls not stand directly towards the four points, than o­therwise, and then the worst Wall will be much better, and the best good enough for your purpose.

As thus, the East-Wall to incline to the South; the South-Wall to the West, the West-Wall to the North; the North to the East; or contrary, but not so well: In the first way the two first Walls will be extra­ordinary good, and the two later good e­nough for Ordinary Fruit.

How to build a new Wall for Fruit-trees.§. 6. In building a new Wall it would be very advantagious to make it with half-Rounds, each semicricle being eight yards round in the inside, and about six yards in [Page 108]the face, or diameter, each taking two Trees; and betwixt every half-Round let there be two Foot breadth of plain and di­rect Walling, where you may place a Flow­er-pot on a Pillar two Foot high, or Plant a Vine to run up it, which every Summer, you may let spread it self a little into the half-Rounds on each side it.

One in a cold Countrey having his Gar­den-Walls thus made, had his Trees bear Fruit plentifully in such years as his Neigh­bours generally fail.

In some places Walls are thus made for raising Melons under, by a pattern and di­rections from Italy.

Grapes ripen delicately on every side the Cluster that grow in a half-Round. By means of these Rounds, every Wall will one time of the day or other, have a share of the Sun, and the best Walls (by reason of such a Reflection, and Collection of the Sun-beams as will be in every Round) will be exceeding hot, and the Trees be more secure from Winds.

A Pale is as good for this purpose, and in respect of Ripening Fruit better than any thing else; it can be raised up too, if the Pale be made of sawed Boards, nine or ten Foot high, and exactly joined, that no wind may come through; next to this in goodness is a Brick-Wall, and then a Stone-Wall; and the worst of all that which is made of Tymber and Morter; but in this [Page 109]every one cannot be his own chooser, but must comply with what the Countrey he lives in will permit him to do for his best Convenience.

Baring the Roots of Wall-trees.§. 7. Sometime in the Winter after two or three years growth, if the Soil the Roots are to spread into be not rich enough, open the Ground at the outside of the holes you made at setting, as near round about as the Wall will permit; if you find no Roots bare, let it lye open a Month, and then fill it up with the Earth that came forth well mixt with such a Manure as suits with it.

CHAP. XI. Of Trees of low Stature and Growth, commonly call'd Dwarf-Trees.

§. 1. DWarf-Trees have been of late more than ordinarily valued and coveted; because they are of great advan­tage for Table-Fruit (whether Pears, Ap­ples, Plums, or Cherries) and being but of low Statute may be conveniently Planted for Walks, and in the border of Garden-Walks, without prejudicing any thing else about them, and their Fruit will be as well secured, and commodious for gathering as the Wall-fruit.

Stocks for Dwarf Pear-trees.§. 2. Plants for this purpose must be provided, and prepared somewhat diffe­rently from those for Orchards, or Fields.

The Quince-tree is generally used, and best for Stocks for Pears both for Dwarfs and Wall, as well because it may possibly somewhat meliorate the Pear as (and that chiefly) because it groweth not to that big­ness as on a Pear-stock it would be apt to do.

[Page 111] Stocks for Dwarf Apple-trees.§. 3. For Dwarf Apple-Trees the best Stocks are such as are raised of the Cuttings of other Apple-Trees that will grow by Cuttings, as of the Gennet-Moil, Kentish-Codling and others.

That these are more proper for Dwarf-trees than Crabstocks appears.

• 1. Because the Fruit will be rather better'd and not tainted with any asperity or Roughness, as possibly it might be, if Crabstocks were made use of; and one chief design in these Trees is to have choice and delicious Fruit for eating.
• 2. Apple-Trees that are raised on such Stocks will not grow so big as those on Crabstocks, but are with ease and cer­tainty kept Dwarfs. Mr. Rea judging the Paradise-Apple of somewhat slow growth in bringing forward a Cyen, advises to Graff a Paradise on a Crabstock, and the Fruit you would have, on that Paradise, that the Crab might yield plenty of Juice or Sap to the Paradise, and the Paradise retard the growth of the Apple Planted on it, so as to keep it a Dwarf; but besides loss of time the success of this is doubted, because the Crab will put forth strong Roots, and yield plenty of nourishment; for why Ap­ple-Trees raised of Cuttings grow not to be very large Trees, is their putting forth such small Roots, by which means the Tree hath Sap conveyed to it accordingly.
• 3. By using these Cuttings for Stocks you shall get at least four years time, reckoning from [Page 112]Sowing the Crab-Kernel, and the setting the Stem or Cutting be duly consider'd, as by setting the Stem in the place you intend the Dwarf-Tree shall grow, and setting it in good Earth, for then after one years growth, you may Graft it, and you will easily discern the advantage in point of time.

If it be said Crab-stocks ready grown may be made use of instead of Cuttings, There's readily answer'd, they must grow two, if not three years after they are set before they are fit to Graft, and in respect of their large growth will not be fit for Dwarfs.

Some Nursery-men have made advan­tage to themselves by this speedy way of raising Trees by Cuttings, but to the dis­advantage of them they put them off to, for Planting in Orchards; because they are never like to make large or long-lasting-Trees.

§. 4. The way then to provide Stocks for Apple-Dwarfs is thus;

How to provide Stocks for Apple-Dwarfs.In October from such Trees whose Cut­tings will grow, take such Stems, or Bran­ches that grow straightest, and which (in the place where they shall be Grafted) are an Inch or more thick, if they be near two Inches so much the better; Cut them off if you can, an hands breadth below such Knots or Burs as are on them (for at those Burs [Page 113]they principally put forth their Roots) and cut off the top that they be not above a yard long, (if you cannot get them so long) of Quinces, you must be content with shorter, if they be two foot it may do reasonable well; Cut off also all the side-Branches close to the body, except one small Twig near to the top, for the Sap to vent it self at; set these presently in Beds as your Seed-plants were, or rather if your Garden be laid out, (that you can know the places they shall stand in) set them there.

You need not fear setting these as deep as the length will bear, so that there be of them about a Foot above Ground, because they will shoot out Roots all along, al­most to the top of the Ground, and so spread their Roots in the good Soil, and by setting them something deep, they are in less danger of Dying, and this prevents the trouble of covering the Ground about them with Fern or Straw; and by this means likewise they will stand the firmer in the loose Garden-land for Grafting at a years end, and better support a spreading top af­terwards.

Stocks by Circumpo­sition.§. 5. But because its hard to meet with great plenty of such Branches, thus to be cut and set for Stocks, that have Burs or knots on them; Planters have therefore found out a way (which is called Circum­position) to bring these knots or Burs up­on [Page 114]Branches, that had them not before, and to mend and improve those that before had them, and the way of it is as followeth.

About the beginning of February next before you design to cut these Stems, di­rectly above the place you intend to cut them off at, for above a Foot in length, fasten about them some Earth in an Old Hat, or Boot, or Bag made of some strong Cloth: and in that Earth they will have put forth Roots against the Octob. following, when you are to cut them off to set them.

Or (which is a quicker and readier way) you may dawb some wet Earth or Clay a­bout the place, and wrap a Hay-band a­bout it, putting some moist Earth likewise betwixt the rounds of the Band, and then running it about again over the spaces be­twixt those first rounds of the Hay-band, and making fast the ends of it.

If the Stem have no Bur, before you go either of these ways to work, then take off here and there a little slice of Bark, about an Inch long round about it, near the mid­dle of the place to be cover'd, as hath been directed.

Some direct that before this applicati­on of the Earth, about an Inch breadth of the Bark be taken off round about the part of the Branch, that is to be surrounded with the Earth, that Roots may shoot out in greater quantity, by coming out in the upper skirts of that Circle, as well as in the [Page 115]lower; but this is but a Crotchet, and grounded (as my Lord Bacon and others have observed) upon the opinion of descen­sion of the Sap; whereas indeed there is no such thing; for the whole mass of Sap is always ascending, but in lesser quantity in the Winter; because the Tree is then only to be nourished, and kept alive, to which end a small supply is sufficient, and yet necessary; and in greater plenty in the Summer to furnish the Tree with Leaves, Fruit, and new yearly growth; and the true reason why Leaves and Fruit fall off towards Winter, is not because the Sap re­turns downward from them, but because the Sap ascends not so vigorously at Win­ter as in the Summer, by reason of the cold­ness of the Season, and the Suns small stay on our Horizon, and because they have arrived to their full ripeness, and the Trees fail by degrees to convey up so much Sap as it did in the Summer to them, to pro­duce fresh ones; and therefore consequent­ly that's an idle mistake too, to think that the Sap or Juice in the Winter, is laid up in the Roots, as a Repository, as appears plainly, inasmuch as they are ever found dryer in the Winter than in the Summer, so that upon the whole, this taking the Bark off round the Branch is good for no­thing, but to endanger it by intercepting the Juice or Sap, which rises in greatest quantity betwixt the Bark and the Wood; [Page 116]but if as before was hinted, you take some little slices of the Bark off round the Branch, here and there, leaving the Bark entire in some places, this may by checking the Sap, cause it the more abundantly pass and be converted into Roots.

But to proceed to the business in hand, you have seen the way of preparing Cut­tings by Circumposition; and though some will pretend to raise Trees of any kind by the use of it, yet it's certain it avails not, but only in such as by a peculiar property are apt to put forth Roots, being cut off and set into the Ground, and those gene­rally known and made use of this way, are the Kentish Codling, the Gennet-Moil, some sorts of sweet Apples, and Bitter­sweets, the Quince-tree, the Mulberry-tree, Goodsberry-trees, Curran-trees, and the Paradise Apple-tree, which last is much commended by Mr. Rea, for to raise Stcocks for Dwarf Apple-trees.

To raise Stocks by cutting down an old Tree.§. 6. Another way to raise Stocks for Dwarf-trees is, to cut down some one Tree of little worth, of such a kind as you want Stocks of, about a Foot or more from the ground: This will make some kind of Trees very apt to cast forth very good Suckers from the old Roots; such as are of two years growth may be transplanted; and the stump above ground, will also put forth abundance of young Shoots: after [Page 117]these young Shoots have grown out of the Stump one year, cast Mold or Earth about them a good height, so that you cover not the Tops of any of them, where let them grow two years more, and they will be well rooted, then cut them off from the old Stock (which after that may yield fresh ones again) and set the Shoots you take off as before hath been directed about Cuttings.

These will be about three years longer before they be ready to Graft than Cut­tings, but will be very good young fresh Stocks, and is a good way to raise Stocks of the Quince-tree for Pears, because Quince-trees generally grow so crooked and irre­gular, that its difficult to procure any con­siderable quantity of them by Cuttings.

If they shoot up tall after they are mold­ed, you had best top them at a convenient height; it will make them grow the more in bigness and so be sooner fit to Graft. But if you have a desire to have any of the same kind as the old Tree was, you need not top them.

And by this means if you want Quince-trees, Codlings, &c. you may be furnished with plenty, that will make better and handsomer Trees than if you raise them by Cuttings.

Stocks for Dwarf Pear-trees.§. 7. You may raise Stocks for Dwarf Pear-trees from Suckers of Old Pear-trees (if you cannot conveniently get enough of [Page 118]the Quince-tree) for many Pear-trees cast them naturally, which being preserved from Cattle, may be taken up and set in Beds of Earth as you did the Seedlings.

If your Pear-trees yield not Suckers of themselves, you need only cut off the top of some old ill Pear-tree (and Graff it with a better Fruit if you please) and the Roots will cast forth Suckers plentifully, and you may help them by making a small Ditch or Gutter so as to bear some of the Roots a­bout two yards distant from the Tree, or pare off the Grass (if any grow about the Tree) that they may have the more liber­ty to spring up.

Or in this case you may bare the Roots, and then give a Cut cross some Roots al­most to the Heart, and from the cross Cut cleave the Root, raising up the loose part, and put in a little Stone to keep it open; cover it three Inches over with Mold; let this be done if you can, where you find a Bud or Eye on the Root for the Sucker to Shoot out at, and either inoculate the young Shoot in the place where it stands, or re­move it to some other place after a years growth, and when you do, cut off with it about a Foot of the old Root; and by this means you may have Suckers from some o­ther Trees, that do not naturally yield them.

[Page 119] Stock for Dwarf-Cherry and Plum-trees.§. 8. To have Stocks for Dwarf Cher­ries, and Plums, or for such Trees for a Wall, the speediest way, and such as will succeed for that purpose, is by Suckers of the common red Cherry, and any ordina­ry, or rather white Plum-tree, both which cast up Suckers plentifully.

If the Suckers grow in a place secure from harm, you may inoculate, or Graft them before removal, under their mother Plant, and let them grow there one year after: and thereby you'l gain a years time and more; and choose such Suckers as grow at greatest distance from the old Tree.

How to or­der the heads of Dwarf-trees.§. 9. In Grafting or inoculating Stocks for Dwarf-trees, observe to do it as low as you well can, with two Cyens placed on each Stock, and those longer than in Graft­ing for large Standards that they may spread from the Ground.

And after they are grown two or three years in the places they are to stand in, to make them spread, and to keep the Boughs outward, you may tye an old Hoop of a Barrel, or some such thing in the midd'st of the Branches, to bear them a good distance one from another; but if one Branch be much stronger, or more inclined to grow upright than the rest, then you [Page 120]may drive a Stake into the Ground, and tye the sturdy one down to it.

If you Cut the Bark crosswise in several places on the inside of the Branches, when they are placed as you would have them, it will be a means to make them more willing to continue in that order of their own ac­cord, after some years growth: If any one Branch shoot out much further than the o­ther, cut off its top to keep it even with the rest, and yearly cut much off, especi­ally new Shoots, that grow directly up­wards, after they are grown to that height you design them to be of, Trees rai­sed of Cut­tings. which may be about a yard and an half.

§. 10. Having directed how to raise Kentish-Codlings, Gennet-Moils, Quin­ces, or any that grow of Cuttings for Stocks; there needs no other Rules for raising Trees, or Hedges of the same kind of Fruit, only you need not cut them so short as you do for Stocks.

Codlings Grafted on Crab-stocks, and set in a Garden or elsewhere will, en­crease their growth; because Crab-stocks have great Roots, and will yield them more plenty of nourishment than Roots of their own putting forth, when they are raised only of Cuttings. Others [Page 121]Graft Gennet-Moils on Crab-stocks, and they thrive well, and bear a larger and (some think) a better Fruit than those Trees of that kind raised by Cuttings: some have Grafted several of them in rough and Woody Grounds, which have grown with very strong Shoots, and cover'd the Stocks very soon.

CHAP. XII. How to Plant in the Fields, with the various advantages thereof.

§. 1. MUltitudes of Fruit-trees may be Planted abroad in the Fields and Hedges of inclosed Grounds, whereof very great profit may be made without any considerable damage either to Corn, Hay, or Pasture, and its best in this way to Plant the courser, harder, and long-keeping kinds of Fruits, which will not be meanly serviceable to a Family by using them ei­ther for Baking or Cyder. These Trees being about seven Foot high before they begin to spread, will be out of the reach of Cattle, and not troublesome to Work­men about Hay and Corn in Summer-time, if Planted twenty or thirty Yards distant one from another, and in Ranks through­out the Field, that the Plow may continue a straight Furrow all along from one end to the other, whereby Corn will grow near the Roots of such Trees almost as good as any where in the Field, and Grass as much or more under Trees as where none are, [Page 123]tho not altogether so sweet, by reason of the droppings, yet the multitude of Fruit abundantly compensates the damage almost Ten-fold.

Many Countries in England have expe­rienced the benefit of Planting in the Fields, where it hath been of long and general usage, and in many other Countries Gen­tlemen have begun already to imitate them, which should much encourage others to follow; for the more there are that Plant, the less particular persons will lose by Thieves, and where Fruit is in great plean­ty, it is found to be more slighted by Idle people; and besides if a man hath store, hee'l not feel the loss of a little, or it may quit his cost, to have one to cast an Eye to them, for a months time near ripening; and further yet Cyder-Apples, Baking-Pears, and Pears for Perry are so little grateful to the Tast (which Pilferers chiefly aim at pleasing) that he that tasts them once, shall scarcely find his Teeth water after them a second time. However the benefit of Planting in Fields much out-weighs these and all other incoveniences; for by this means you may have a double Crop on your Lands, viz. Grass or Corn, and your Fruit, and the Land rather bene­sitted (as the matter may be ordered) than damaged; One of these Trees also bears as much Fruit as three of the best in a thick-planted Orchard, the benefit [Page 124]whereof for Sale or use in a Family for Bak­ing, or Liquors, or other uses, is known to be so very considerable, that it's needless to say more of it.

Encour­agements to Plant Pear­trees in Fields.§. 2. Because the Planting Pear-trees abroad in Fields is of less reputation gen­erally than the Planting other Fruit-trees, to take off the aspersion, consider the fol­lowing suggestions.

• First some Pears do not make so contemp­tible a Liquor as Perry is commonly recko­n'd, but very strong, and kept two or three years, drinks to admiration, so that several good Palates that have drank of it, have not been able to distinguish it well from Liquors of more esteem.
• Secondly, Their Fruit is not eatable and so in less danger of Thieves in your out-grounds than Apples are.
• Thirdly, They will grow on barren Land where Apples will not prosper so well.
• Fourthly, They are Trees of long con­tinuance, and often grow to that bigness, and bear so plentifully, that one single Tree will bear Fruit enough to make a Hogshead of Perry, sometimes two, or three in one year, which would save the expence of much Malt, tho the Liquor were but mean.

There are several ways of Planting in the Fields, all which are here set down, [Page 125]that every man may use that which suits best with his conveniency and good likeing.

§. 3. If your Land be in tillage, you may set Fruit-trees at thirty Yards distance from one another, How to Plantwhole Fields. throughout the whole Fields, in straight and direct Rows, after the manner of an Orchard, and you may go on with your Plowing with the loss on­ly of about a yard, or four Foot Square of Land about every Tree for twenty years at least, and when they are grown so big, that you think your Corn receives hurt by the shade or droppings of the Trees, if you can turn it to pasture, the Trees will improve most kind of Land, by keeping it warm in the Spring, they will make the Grass come and grow more early, and by Shades in the Summer preserve it from burn­ing; but the Trees being set at such a dist­ance, the Land may continue for any purpose for ever, if you dress or Prune these Trees higher up than any other, that no Boughs may hang in the reach of Cattle, and for convenience of going about them with your Team to any work, and thereby the Air and Rain will have free access to the Grass, or Grain near about them, and the Fruit will be safer from common Pilferers. These need no other fencing than Thorns bound about them, and a Stake driven in the midst to keep them from shaking; be­cause you may receive the prosit of the [Page 126]Stubble or Fallow without suffering any large Cattle to come into the Ground, that will browse upon them.

§. 4. Another way of Planting Fruit-trees in Fields is by setting Walks of them, How to Plant Walks of Fruit-trees in Fields. running through the midst, or along the sides of your Pasture-grounds, where you have a mind to have Walks for ornament, or shady: for why Walks of Fruit-trees should not be rather Planted than of Elm, Sycamores, Ash-trees, &c. none can pretend a reason, there being some sorts of Fruit-trees that will (and almost any kind may be ordered so as to) grow very handsome in shape, besides the beauty and sweet smell of the Blossoms, and worth of the Fruit.

To prevent damage by Cattle, if you go this way to work in Field Planting, they must be well grown before you set them, that is, they must be of about six years growth, and then well fenced, and there are two ways used to save them harmless. 1. One much commended is by Tumping them, To set Trees by Tumping. and it's performed thus, viz. set your Trees in the place designed on the top, or almost on the top of the Ground, no deeper than to make it stand, tho all the Roots be not cover'd, till the Tump or Mound be raised about it; and then take a line about a yard and quarter long, tye the one end of it about the Tree, but so [Page 127]that in going round the Tree with the Line strain'd, it may slip about the Tree as you go; fasten the other end to an Iron setter or stick with a sharp point, and as you go round the Tree, mark the Ground; Make then a Ditch on the out-side of the round Score, and lay the Turf handsomly two or three heights, with the Grass-side outward so as to make the work full half a yard, or two Foot high; then cast the Mold out of the Ditch, observing to throw the best of it next the Roots of the Tree, till you have raised it within as high as the Turf; then prick strong Thorns into the Mold, that they may lye upon the Turf, and point outwards a yard over the Turf; as you place the Thorns, put more Turf or fast heavy Earth out of the Ditch upon the ends of them, treading it down the better to fix them, and lay the Earth shelving down from the Turf towards the Tree, that if Rain fall it may soke towards the Roots; if you have any small Thorns, Bry­ars, Furs, or Gorse, lay it one the top of the work finished, round the Tree and repair all yearly as you see cause, which may be done with small trouble. The following observations will demonstrate the great convenience of setting Fruit-trees this way.

First if your Land be over moist this Ditch will drain all wet from the Roots of the Tree; but if the Land be Clay or [Page 128]such that the Water will stand in, then when you perceive it (which is very rare­ly) cut some little Notch or Trench to let it out.

Secondly, This way of setting is com­mended in dry Land; because the Earth of the Mound will secure the Roots from the heat of the Sun, and every shower of Rain will much refresh it, by soaking to­wards the Tree.

Thirdly, You need not bind your Tree to a stake which doth often gall and Hurt the Tree, for so much Earth about it will keep it steady,

Fourthly, If your Land be stiff, or strong old Land, the Mound made of it will mel­low and improve about the Roots, and al­so by that time the Roots spread as far as the Ditch, it will be fill'd up with Mold fallen from the Tump, and with sticks, Leaves, &c. which will be rotten, loose, and good for Trees to Root in, and by that time they will need little or no de­fence, if any at all; A few Thorns tyed about the bodies of the Trees, to keep Cattle from rubbing against them will be enough.

Fifthly, The Chief benefit of setting Trees thus, is, that where the Soil is some­what too moist or shallow, the Tree being set on the top of the Land, will put forth it's Roots plentifully into the Earth cast [Page 129]up, and thence shoot into the upper Turf and best Land that hath been Plowed and manured before.

Another way of Fencing is, by erect­ing at a Foot and a half distance one from another, about every Tree three small Posts, (if they be sawed they need be but three Inches square) or you may use Poles, or straight Boughs, either whole, or if big enough, cloven in two, three or four parts, about five Foot above the Ground in height, being driven into the Ground, nail a cross Bar of Wood from each to other, within a Hand's breadth of the tops of the Posts, to which Bar, nail a Pale or two betwixt each two Posts, stuck into the Ground or nail'd to the like Cross Bat within a Foot of the bottom of the Posts; the way of it may be seen now in diverse places, and learn't in a Minute; though what's said here makes it plain enough.

This way is more chargable than Tump­ing, where Timber is scarce, but much more dureable than it, and absolutely ne­cessary where Deer, or Rabbets, or any thing that peels the Bark off, come into the Land Planted.

Planting near Hedg­es in the Fields.§. 5. Another way of Planting in Fields which hath been successfully Practised, is thus; When you scour a Ditch, and cut down or plaish an old Quickset-Hedg, then set a row of Trees within a yard of the Hedg [Page 130]on that side that is not Ditch't, and Fence them with half-Round Tumps only on the one side, for the Hedg will secure them on the other, and from the cut or plaish't Hedg, you will commonly have Thorns and Bryars enough for the Mounds, to Fence it as hath been before directed; and at the same time, or in Summer, draw some of the Quickthorns, Hips, or Bry­ars, from the Hedg in o the Fence, about the Tump which will contribute to the strengthening and preserving the dead fence you had made about it before; so that you may be free from trouble about it for ever after.

There are these advantages in this way of Planting, viz.

• 1. The Ditch on the out-side the Hedg drains the Ground and makes it healthful and sound.
• 2. The Ground near the Hedg is com­monly very Rich, as not having been im­poverished by Tillage, but improved some­times by the often scouring of the Ditch, and commonly with the Dung of Cattle, that for shelter, Shade or Fodder repair thither.
• 3. Its not the least hindrance to Plow­ing or Grass; for the Hedg when its grown up, usually beareth out as far as the Tree is set in the Field.
• 4. And this is much better than Plant­ing in the Hedg Row, as many do; for in [Page 131]a large top its apter to weaken the Hedg under it, but these being set a little distance from the Hedg, and growing (as they will) with the greatest part of their Heads from it, will not damage it.
• 5. The Fruit may be gathered with much more ease, than of those that are Planted in the Hedges.
• 6. They will not be choak't or hurt by the Hedg when its grown up, but be good handsome fair Trees.

You may set these at eight yards distance, or nearer, being but one single Row, and so if but half a Field (as usually it falls out) have the Ditch on the out-side, you may set a considerable number, and find advan­tage without damage, and with inconside­rable charge, especially if the Ditch stand on the North-side, if you can, therefore choose such Hedges.

This is not to be practised near Hedges that are full of great Wood, or Trees; but if there be but few Trees, its but leaving a vacancy near such Trees, and set­ting your Fruit-trees against such places, where there grow none in the Hedg.

How to Plant in Hedges is the Fields.§. 6. Another way of Planting in Fields is this, if you would Plant without any charge of Fencing, you may do it in your Hedges; these Trees must be well grown and strong, that the Hedg choak them not while they are young: and when you [Page 132]plaish or cut down a Quick Hedg, observe no certain distance, but as it happens where you find it most free from Quick, set a Tree and inclose the Body in the Hedg, but bind not the Etherings too close about it, lest they gall and fret it, and as it groweth observe what Thorns annoy it, and cut them off.

Planting by the Cut­tings of Gennet-Moils, &c.§. 7. If you have a mind to set any Cut­tings of Codlings, Gennet-Moils, or o­ther Apple-trees that grow of Cuttings, they will prosper very well in, or rather near a Hedg, because generally there the Mold is loose and mellow for them to put forth Roots in, and somewhat enrich't by the frequent cleansing of the Ditch; if you Plant them near the Hedg, you must a little Fence them on the one side, as by the third foregoing direction; but the Tumps you raise to set the Thorns in, must not be above a Foot high, for the Cut­tings will shoot out their Roots, almost to the top of the Earth about them, and a high Mound falling down by degrees, some of the best Roots may be left bare, or very little Earth upon them.

The way of preparing Plants for this purpose, is by Circumposition, &c. as is directed in the 11 Chap. of Dwarf-trees.

Make choice of Cuttings or Stems as big as a Mans wrist (if you can) towards the lower end; before you set them, prune [Page 133]them out of the reach of Cattle, and leave but little top on them when you set them, neither let them be very long; if the tops be out of the reach of the Cattle its e­nough.

Planting in Fields by long Crab-tree Stocks.§. 8. There be some that get long Crab-tree-stocks out of Woods, or else dress some up in their Nurseries to grow tall, and set them in their Fields or Hedges, and at three years standing Graft them, which may do well and is better approved of, be­cause there needs no removal after they are Grafted (which is of great advantage as to make both good-bearing and sound Trees) but some inconvenience there is in this way: the long Stocks out of Woods being commonly very old, their Bark thick, their Roots big, they thrive but indiffe­rently; and those raised in Nurseries will seldom be taper grown, or strong enough to bear a large top well, after they are Grafted so high as they ought, being set in Fields: You will also be longer in raising Stocks to that height, and any considerable strength (as is necessary for this purpose) than in raising Trees, if your Stocks be Grafted young in your Nursery, because they thrive more after Grafting than be­fore; and in both Cases if you Graft them high, the Stocks will be continually put­ting out sprouts of their own kind below the place they are Grafted at, which will [Page 134]require frequent cutting off; if you Graft them not very high you will find it difficult to defend them from the nipping of Cattle, and from the Cyens being broke out of the Stocks by some casualties or other, to which they are more exposed in Fields that lye common to Cattle, than Nurseries that are inclosed.

Planting in Fields by Gra [...]ting old Crab-treestocks.§. 9. The way most used in Planting-Countries is by Grafting such Crab-trees as grow in the Hedges or Grounds, and this is the speediest way to have Fruit; because the big Trees have Bodies already, and in four or five years time (well ordered) will have good tops to bear; and if you Graft small Stocks in your Ground that have grown of their own accord there, and Fence them, they will speedily bring on Grafts, being so well Rooted.

The mis­chi [...]f of Grafting the bodies of old Trees.§. 10. Many cut off the tops of old Crab-trees, or Apple-trees, and Graft the body or Trunk, but the Cyens could never cover the Heads of those Stocks, and by that time the top was a little grown up, the body was ready to perish with rotten­ness. The best way for big Crabtrees (or if you would change the kind of any Fruit-trees) is to Graft them in the Boughs, where they are not bigger than a Mans Arm, making use of none but those that grow handsome at convenient distance one from [Page 135]another, cutting off the others smooth and even, close to the Body of the Tree.

To do this, that Winter that you cut or plaish a Hedg, order the Workmen to trim up, but not to lop or top the Crab-trees, unless it be the tops of the Boughs two Foot above the place you intend to Graft them at, and then in March following saw off the Heads at proper places and Graft them.

Of Graft­ing old Trees in the Cleft.§. 11. Many are for Grafting these in the Cleft; because they think the Cyen hath best hold, and will not be so subject to be broke off, or out, by the Wind, as those Grafted in the Bark; but many times those in the Cleft are broke out by the Wind, neither can you perceive that the Wood of the Cyen in the Cleft did ever cement with the Wood of the Stock, but only on the outside as the others do: And those in the Cleft are not so apt to grow all of them, nor to make so great a growth as those in the Bark, which with a little wa­riness may be preserved from danger of the Wind, and full as much care must be had about those Grafted in the Cleft, if you will preserve them all from the same pre­judice.

How to Graft old Trees.§. 12. You may observe the following difference in Grafting these great Foughs from all the forementioned varieties of [Page 136]Grafting, and look upon it as a thing well worthy to be taken notice of and observed.

When you have prepared the Cyen as you are directed to do when you Graft in the Bark, apply it to the place you design to put it in, and slit the Bark of the Bough through on both sides the Cyen close to it, beginning at the top of the Bough, and not carrying the slits much above half length of the slope of the Cyen, separate that lit­tle portion of the Bark between the two slits, from the Wood with your Instrument, thrusting it a little lower than the slits, to let in the Cyen as far as it is sloped, and then stick the Cyen in, having first taken off from the edges of the Cyen any uneven­ness (not cutting through the Bark) that all may the better fit together, and you may put in two, three, or four Cyens in every head, having respect to the bigness of it; or you may in the biggest put in two Cy­ens in the Cleft, and two others in the Bark, doing one of the later on the West-side of it, for then the Wind blowing it towards the Head, is not so apt to break it out, as if it drove it from the head; bind the heads and Clay them as you heard be­fore, and continue to do so yearly till the heads are almost covered.

At first Claying, stick in Feathers or long Escures, to prevent Birds lighting on the Cyens.

In July following (whether you Graft [Page 137]these big Stocks in the Cleft or Bark) pick off most of the Leaves of the Cyens, and cut off such sprigs as growing inward will make the head thick, and all stragling out Boughs, that the Wind may not have so much force upon them to break the Bran­ches out of the Stocks.

Cut off also some of the biggest Shoots the Crab-tree puts forth of its own kind; but for the first three years, you must not cut off all, left the Tree not having liber­ty to vent all the Sap that cometh up, sur­feit and dye, the small Grafts not being a­ble to receive near so much Sap as the old top did the year before.

Thus many Country-men when they take off the head of an old Oak, have some­times found it dye, and therefore in some Countries, they leave one big Bough to grow for one year to draw up the Sap, (as they term it) whereas it is indeed that the Sap may have liberty to vent it self; for Trees that have a thick Bark, as old Oaks have, when all the small Boughs are cut off, are long in putting forth Branches; and difficulty at last put forth so many as will spend the Sap which comes up the Tree, in some proportion to what it did the year before, when the whole top was on, which Sap being chiefly in the greatest Channel betwixt or near the Bark and out-side of the Body of the Tree, and not being ven­ted, is either dryed or consumed by the [Page 138]heat of the Sun, or putrifies for want of that continual motion that is in it, when it hath vent, that several Trees dye of this Disease; and when Trees dye this way the Bark will drop off from the Body of them sooner by some years than otherwise.

Hence it is that you may kill a Tree, by lopping off the whole top in the Summer time, or so much of it that the remaining Boughs cannot receive all the Sap, but it ly­eth choakt up for want of Issue.

The second Summer you ought to bind some Hay-ropes, about the lower part of the Cyens; there will be no great need of repeating this the third Summer, but if done, it will the more certainly secure them from breaking by the Wind.

Thus you may securely and speedily Graft old Trees, that are either bad Bear­ers, or bear Fruit of bad kinds, and they will in three or four years hear plentifully, if you take care (which you always ought to do upon any Grafting or inoculating) to Graft them with kinds that experience of your self, or others, can faithfully as­sure you to be of very good bearing kinds.

CHAP. XIII. Of propagating and ordering Vines.

Soil proper for Vines.§. 1. THe best Ground for them is a rich dry, light, Sandy Land, in­clinable to Stony or Gravel, so it bind not; if it incline much to Brambles it's a sign of apt Ground for this Plant; the richness of the Soil is not altogether so requisite as the heat and dryness thereof; a short Vine full of Knots or Joints is most fruitful, and fit­test for our Clymate. The best Dung to Fatten the Earth they grow in, is Horse or Sheeps-dung; make bare the Roots in the beginning of Winter, and throw in plenty of the same Dung most Winters.

Kinds of Vines to be propagated in England§ 2. Next be sure to make choice of such Grapes as are most suitable to the English Soil and Clymate, which is more subject to nipping Frosts and cold blasts than France &c. and our Northern Country much worse than the Southern for these Fruits (as well as all other) especially, are better or worse, and bear according to the place they grow in, if they have a proper Soil, be well or­dered, [Page 140]have much Sun, as upon a South-Wall or upon the East-Wall which is best next, the Fruit will be better and sooner ripe. And I have read that the Vine that yields Grapes in the Canaries, of which the Sack is made, was transplanted from the Rhine in Germany thither, and that it was no other than the Rhenish-Wine Grape, which agreeing and improving in that Cly­mate, affords the most delicate Wine, far different from it's parents on the Rhine.

The small black Grape, by some call'd the Cluster-Grape, or Currant-Grape, is the first ripe, beares well, the Bunches are small, but the Grapes so thick that you cannot put a pin between them, and is a very pleasant sweet Grape, and as fit for propagation as any. There is another sort so them without Stones.

The next is the Red and White Musk­adine, bearing well, large Bunches, and fair Fruit, and ripens in most years against a South-Wall; but the Red is not so good as the White.

The Red and White Frontin [...]ac, is a Fruit, of a very pleasant haut-gust, where it comes to perfect ripeness, which it scarce does, unless in a hot Summer, and it be Planted against a good South-Wall.

The Black or Red Orleance is a very good Grape, and ripens very well with us.

[Page 141]The great Blue-Grape, is very good Fruit, and ripens well with us.

The Canada, or Parsley-Grape, so call'd from the Country whence it came, and from the form of it's Leaf, being divided and Jagged like a Parsley Leaf, it's ripe some­what late, but a good Fruit.

The Raisin-Grape is a large and long Grape, but ripens not well in this Cly­mate.

The Burlet, is a very large Grape, but seldom ripening here.

Grape de Arbois, is a very good Grape.

The Bursarobe is an excellent large sweet White Crape, and in some years rip­ens well, as also will the Muscat.

The way of propagating Vines by Layers.§. 3. The best way of propagating Vines, is in November, to Lay a Branch of that years growth into the Earth, under the old Tree, without cutting it off; lay as many Joints, or Buds in the Earth as you can, leaving but one or two out; for it puts forth it's Roots chiefly at the Joints; at a years end, or in the February come twelve-month cut it off from the old one, and Plant it where you design it should grow; lay it in the Earth in the same posture it lay in before, and also lay some of the Buds of the new Wood that grow out since it was first laid down; that it may gain the more Roots, leaving out of the Ground again not above one or two Buds.

[Page 142] Propagating Vines by Suckers and Cut­tings.You may chance to have Suckers of an old Vine which will be sure to grow. Or you may take Cuttings of Vine-Branches of that years growth, and cut the bottom in shape of a Deer's foot on the under side, and set them in good warm loose Land, and many will grow; if it be in the place you intend they shall always stand in, next year lay down a part of that which hath grown out, to Root also, or els upon re­moval lay in the new growth all but a Bud or two, with that part which is already Rooted; if it have made but small growth the first year, lay part of the second years growth in the Ground; it will more ad­vantage them by helping them to good Roots, than the loss of a year or two's growth in the top will amount to.

§. 4. If you have an old Vine that bear­eth not well, To help an old Vine. lay down in February or March some of the strongest Branches of the fore­going year, (that grow low) in the Mold under the old Tree, without cutting them off, leaving out of the Ground a Bud or two to grow, and your Wall will quickly be furnished with new and Fresh Branches; so that by degrees you may cut off many of the old Branches of the Vine; for tho one Vine may cover abundance of Wall­ing, yet three or four Roots in that com­pass will strengthen it the more to bear.

[Page 143] Of Pruning Vines.§. 5. As Vines stand in more need of Pruning than other Fruit-trees, so great care is to be taken in the performing of it; when you have set your Vine as you have been before directed, so that not above two Buds of it remain above Ground, you are to nail up such Branches as grow forth up to the Wall, till it have over-spread as much Wall as you design for it, suffering not above two Branches to grow from the Ground, and snipping yearly the tops of the Branches a considerable length, as far as they are weak and tender, and also all small poor ones, close to the body, unless the well-liking Branches be but few, and then you may leave the lowest Bud of some of them, to grow forth next year, and this you are to do yearly towards February, or the beginning of January.

When your Vine comes to bear, you are to use your Knife about it three times in the year.

First at farthest in February, and the be­gining thereof you are to prune off part of the foregoing years Shoots where they are too thick, close to the old Wood. As it enriches your Vine to keep it thin of Bran­ches, so you must take care it be well stored with Buds against the Spring fol­lowing, for it bears Grapes only on the new Shoots of every year; and in cutting off these Branches, you must take care your Wall continue furnished with such Branches [Page 144]as may be spread upon the Wall regularly and decently, not thick in one place and thin in another, nor crossing out another. On every Sprig you cut off in this Pruning, where you would have Fruit the succeeding year, leave two or three Buds, for out of those Buds, especially the second or third, proceeds the Clusters; also cut off the Branch aslope on one side or under, that the Rain rest not on the Pith of the re­maining part.

Secondly, The next time to take off su­perfluties from your Vine is about Midsum­mer, when the Grapes are knit; clip off then the end of the Branches that have Grapes on them, a little above the Grapes, that they may have the more nourishment and keep them nail'd to the Wall, as also barren Branches where the Wall needs them.

Thirdly, The last time of cutting is in August, for then, because Leaves and Bran­ches may be so thick, as to keep the Heat of the Sun from the Grapes, which is neces­sary to ripen them, you may pluck off some of the Leaves, and cut off some of the Branches to open way for the Sun to come to them.

There's on thing to be observed in Prun­ing these, peculiar to it, that whereas others are cut at a Bud, the Branches of these must be cut off near the midst betwixt two Buds, and that not later in the year than the be­ginning [Page 145]of February, Note. that December and Jan­nary, are the best times for tee Winter Pruning of Vines. for afterwards the Sap or Juice will run out, and the Vine will be much weakened by bleeding. You will by that time also see what the Frost of the Winter foregoing hath kill'd, which must be taken all away.

If Frosts come before any Grapes are ripe, defend them in the night time by Tilts or Mats.

§. 6. It's not worth your labour to Plant Vines by Espaliers, Vineyards prosper not in England. or in a Vineyard in England; because of the early nipping Frosts which our Clymate is very subject to, which is the reason ti's seldom used, and the usage of people in such cases affords no weak Argument that it's of no advantage; And Grapes seldom or never ripen well in this Isle, without great help of Art and industry, to which purpose take these di­rections.

First, To Plant such as ripen soonest in the year, that they may have as much of the Summer heat at ripening time as may be.

Secondly, Let the Wall you Plant them against, be a full South, or but a little in­clining to the East; or if you have a half round, or corner in a Wall, or the back of a Brick Chimney, or a Kiln-wall, or Barn­wall posited as aforesaid, make use of such places for them.

[Page 146]Vines will prosper and bear well against a high Wall, yet that is not altogether so necessary but that low Walls may serve turn, and the higher may be reserved for such Fruit-trees as will not do well with­out them. That of a Tarras Walk may do well for Vines, and the Gravel Walk under the Wall mightily encrease the heat about them.

If you Plant any Trees against your dwelling-house Wall, there may be some narrow places between two windows, or the like, where other Fruit-trees have not room to spread: a Vine may grow up there, and above those narrow places enlarge it self where ever it meets with room.

You may also Plant a Vine betwixt e­very Fruit-tree that groweth against your hottest Walls, and let it spread a little in the Summer time into the Fruit-trees on either side, especially if the Fruit of such Trees use to be early ripe, or that they bear little Fruit, or have not been so long set as to have covered the Wall. And tho such Vines cannot extend themselves to that bigness, as those Planted where they have more room; yet by this means you will make advantage of such portions of your Wall, as otherwise you could have but lit­tle benefit from.

Some Vines Shoot sorth exceeding large Branches yearly, but bear little; in such cases bare the Roots, and cut off a Master [Page 174]Root, or two from the Tree, then lay some Sand, Ashes; or any hot barren Soil to the Roots, and it will abate the redun­dancy of Sap, and conduce to bearing Fruits.

§. 7. Do not pull or cut off your Vine-Leaves in August, or September, with design of giving access to the Suns heat, thereby to acclerate the maturity of the Fruit, as many frequently use to do, and as is before directed in Sect. 5. for on my own experince, such depriving the Grape of it's Leafed shelter from the cool Air, or morning Frosts, hath always proved pernicious and destruct­tive to the Grape; and I have often observ­ed the best Grapes and earliest ripe, to be under the shadow and Protection of some Leaf.

CHAP. XIV. Of Figs, their kinds, and propaga­tion.

FIgs are a Fruit that agree with English Palats and Soils much alike, Figs. there be­ing few that affect them. Among the se­veral sorts of them, there are two of chief­est note among us. The great blew Fig, as large as a Katherine-Pear, and which is most common, and bear their Fruit to per­fect ripeness, if set against a South-Wall, and spread thereon with Nails and Leath­ers, and Planted on warm Land.

And there is the Dwarf blew Fig, that's sooner ripe and better tasted than the for­mer, but the Tree and Fruit is lesser.

Fig-trees ought to be Planted in a very warm place, against a Wall defended from the North and North-East Wind: every old Tree will yield plenty of Suckers fit to raise new ones from beginning of October, untill Candlemas; or they may beraised by Layers; as Vines. Prune them no more than extream necessity requires.

CHAP. XV. Of Walnuts, their kinds and pro­pagation.

Kinds of Walnuts.§. 1. THere are several sorts of Wal­nuts, some being larger, others thinner sheld than the common, but differ so little one from another that Men have not much minded giving them Names; the largest sort is usually call'd the French Wall­nut; the best are those of a tender thin shell, of a full Kernel, and of a middle size.

For what Walnut Trees are good.§. 2. Walnuts are much Planted of late, and are very proper for Walks in Grounds, and a good Fence to shelter Buildings and Orchards; the Fruit is useful, and profita­ble if you can spare any to sell, or for Oil for Painters, if the Markets should be glut­ted with them, and the Timber so excel­lent for Tables, Chairs, Stools, and the Stocking of Guns, &c. that it goes off well, and takes a good price.

[Page 150] Way of rai­sing Wal­nuts.§. 3. They are raised by Nuts gathered from the same Trees: if you can, let them have their Green Husks on them, for the bitterness thereof will defend the Kernels from being eaten by Worms before they spring up; but you must chiefly respect their full ripeness, at which time they are apt to shed their Husks; you may either set them as they come immediately from the Tree, or keep them in the Sand till March.

Set them in rich, dry, warm Land, lit­tle more than an Inch deep, and when you transplant them, set them as speedily as you can after taking up, and cut off little of the Roots, but by no means the Sap or heart-Root (as in other Trees) and top them not at all, if you can help it; but if the Tree be so tall, crooked, or dead at the top before removal, then you must put a Peg, or some soft Wax into the Pith-Pole, or cover the Cut with Clay, that wet may not get in, and make it dye down­ward, because these Trees have a large Pith; when you do cut off the top, do it if you can, at a side-Branch or Sprig, and that will spread under the Clay and cover the tops again; you may cut off many side-Branches when you transplant them.

No Cattle will brouse or peel them by reason of their bitterness, so that a Fence that will preserve them from Cattles rub­bing it sufficient.

[Page 151] Soil proper for Wal­nuts.§. 4. They will grow in loose Gravel­ly, Stoney, or almost Rockey Land, and best where they are first set without being removed, to which end you may in such a Hillock as is spoken of in Field-Plant­ing (but not so broad nor so high) set three or four Nuts, or more, and about two years after they are grown up, pluck up gently all but one of them, that is like­ly to make the best Tree.

CHAP. XVI. Of Chesnuts.

THe best Chesnuts among us are those that come from beyond Sea, but of those that grow with us, some are larger than others, without any difference worth observation.

Chesnut-trees grow to b [...] very large, and bear good Fruit on a h [...]t dry Land; they are excellent for a defence [...]rom Winds, and better then Walnut-trees, but of much flower growth; It's not good [...]o top them as some do when they transplat them.

They are raised by setting N [...]ts an Inch and half deep, that come fr [...]m beyond Sea, at the end of the year; or [...]rom good Nuts well ripended in England, [...]hich you may set with the Husks on wher [...] they are fallen, or rather kept in Sand till the great Frosts are over: these Tr [...]s grow best likewise without being ever [...]moved, [Page 153]some say that they will grow well being Grafted upon Oaks, Beeech, or Walnut-trees.

The Horse-Chesnut growth of Lay­ers, and makes delicate Trees for Ave­nues.

CHAP. XVII. Of Filbeards.

THere are two sorts of Filbeards, distin­guisht by the colour of the skin of their Kernells, the one being Red, and the other White: There is another sort, call'd the Filbeard of Constantinople; the Leaves and Fruit of which, are bigger than either of the former: And there is besides these an excellent large plump Nut, that hath a ve­ry good Kernel, the best of which have a very thin shell.

Filbeards and Hazle-Nuts worthy to be Planted in Orchards or Gardens, are raised from Nuts set in the Earth or Suckers from the Roots an old Tree, or may be Graft­ed on the common Hazle-Nut-Tree.

CHAP XVIII. Of Quinces their kinds and propa­gation.

THere is not a more delicate Fruit for the Kitchin and Conservatory than the Quince, whereof there are some sorts, though not many, somwhat different from each other.

The Portugal Apple Quince, is of best esteem, it's a large yellow Fruit, tender, pleasant, and soon boiled.

The Portugal Pear Quince is much like the former, except in it's form.

The Barbary Quince is good, but small.

The Lyons Quince is a large yellow, and the Brunswick Quince a large white, both good Fruit, but inferior to the two First.

The English Quince is the most Stony, and a harsh Fruit, and covered with a Doun or Cotton.

The way of raising Quince-trees is by Suckers, Cuttings, as you are taught in the Eleventh Chap. aforegoing; and it's only to be added that if you have a part of a [Page 156]Tree that growth so low, that you can bring it to the Ground, either by Plaishing or otherwise, you may do it in the begin­ning of Winter, and cover it all with Earth but the ends of the Branches, and let it con­tinue so one year, and then uncover it, and every Twig will have put forth Roots in the Earth, which being cut off, and transplanted will make you a Tree.

And this is the way of propagating Fruit-trees by Layers: How to propagate by Layers. And you may here take notice, that all such Trees that may be pro­pagated by Cuttings, as Currans, Quince, Goosberries, Raspherries, Barberries, Figs, Vines, Mulberries, &c. may be rais­ed likewise by Layers, and this way takes more sure than by Cuttings. Trees ge­nerally have large Pith that will grow by Cuttings and Layers.

Quince-trees delight, and bear best in a fat, moist, rich Land, where some Sinck, or Gutter that carries away the soke or Wash of a Dunghil or House, is a place usually chosen for them, and is such as they like very well in.

Some will Graft or Inoculate Quince-stocks, with Grafts or Buds from Quince-trees of good bearing kinds, which will cause them to bear more early.

CHAP. XIX. Of Mulberries.

MUlberries are distinguished by their Colours, for there are Black, Red, and White.

The Black Mulberry-tree never fails of Fruit after it's grown up, but the White seldom bears well.

They are raised by Suckers, Layers, or Cuttings from the Branches or sides of the Tree.

These following Trees and Shrubs are very apt to grow of Cuttings or Slips, as Codlings, Gennetings, Brets, Gennet-Moils, Quinces, Goosberries, Currans, Figs, Vines, Tamarisk, Honeysuckles, and Roses in some Grounds. By Laying, almost any sort of Trees or Shrubs will grow, if a little Incision be made, as the beformention­ed and Mulberries, Cornelions, Lime-trees, [Page 159]Gelder-Roses, Roses of all sorts. The Season for setting of Cuttings of Trees to grow, is from the full of the Leaf un­till Candlemas. The Season to encrease Trees by Laying, is from Michaelmas to the beginning of March, and somtimes in the Spring or Summer.

CAAP. XX. Of Medlars, and Service-trees.

THere are three or four sorts of Med­lars, the biggest sort, call'd the great Dutch Medlar without any Thorns upon the Branches, is the best, and a good bearer; the common hath Thorns upon the Branches; and there is another sort without any Stones in the Fruit.

There are two sorts of Services, one larger than the other, that groweth wild in the Woods, but neither the sorts of these, nor of Medlars, are distinguished by names, and the Fruit of both is not eatable till they are rotten.

Medlars are raised by Grafting on the Pear-tree, Crab-tree, White-thorn, or Service-tree, the last is the best, and the White-Thorn by much the worst.

[Page 160]You may get Plants of services out of the Woods, where they grow wild, from which you may raise Service-Trees, or Stocks for Medlars; or if you can get none such, Graft the service on the Wickey-Berry Tree, or the White-Thorn.

CHAP. XXI. Of Goosberries, Currans, Raspher­ries, and Barberries.

§. 1. GOosberries so call'd from the use that hath a long time been made of them, Goosber­ries. in the Kitchin when Green Geese are in season.

There are some varieties of Goosberries, the best sorts are the Amber, and great Hedghog Goosberry, which is prickly, but the other smooth, both of a bright Yellow colour, and the great White Holland, or Dutch Goosberry, which is large, trans­parent, and a great bearer. The great Yellow Dutch Goosberry, differeth from the last only in colour. The great early Red Goosberry is a fine, sharp, pleasant Fruit, and first ripe; there are likewise some that are Blue, differing little from the former, but late ripe, and the Great Green Goosberry late ripe, but good; and there are several small Goosberries not worth Planting or taking notice of.

[Page 162]§. 2. Currans or Corinths, Currans. taking their name from Corinthia where first had. The great White Dutch Curran, and the great Red Dutch Curran, are the fairest, largest and best, and the great Yellow Dutch Cur­ran differs only in Colour, all others are to be ejected out of your Gardens; the English and Black Currans not being worth Planting in comparison with the White and Red Dutch Currans. The great Dark­red Dutch Curran is largest, and hath a sweet relish, and since it became a Native of our Soil, is much improved, where Planted in rich moist Grounds.

§. 3. Of Barberries there is the ordinary, Barberries. or common sort, and Barberries without Stones, and the great Barberry, which is a sort bearing bigger Fruit than either of the other.

Of Rasberries there are three sorts; Rasberries. The Common Wild; The large Red Garden Rasberry, a pleasant Fruit, and yields a delicate juice, And the White Rasberry lit­tle inferior to the Red.

Goosberries, Currans, Rasberries, and Barberries are best raised by Suckers, of which you may have plenty about the Roots of old Trees. And Goosberries, and Currans may be propagated by Lay­ers, or by Branches, or Shoots cut off and set; they are to be set four or five Foot distant from each other upon Borders, or [Page 163]Beds of rich moist Land: The season for Planting them is from Michaelmas to Can­dlemas.

Currans and Rasberries will prosper and like very well in shady places, and the colder the Soil, the better will Ras­berries bear and thrive.

Rasberries usually bear the same year they are set, if drought, or too late Plant­ing hinder not; and that which bears this year, dyes after bearing, and what Springs new this year bears the next; Cut no more of them than what will make them a lit­tle handsome, and in the Winter cut or break out all the dead Stalks from amongst the living Rasberries.

When Currans, Goosberries, and Bar­berries have grown some years, suffer not too many Suckers to grow about them, nor cut the tops to a round close Bush, as ma­ny Gardiners do, whereby they grow so thick that they neither bear, nor ripen their Fruit so well as if the grew taller and thinner.

All the said Fruits ( viz. Goosberries, Currans Barberries and Rasberries) like well in shades, tho the Fruits are not of so delicate a tast, as those that grow in the Sun: You ought to keep the Ground a­bout [Page 164]them free from Weeds, and other Vegetables, and to Dig, and well Ma­nure it each two years at Michaelmas, and yearly with a pair of Sheers about fourteen days before Midsummer dub the tops of Currans and Goosberries and they'll bear better; do the like at Mi­chaelmas.

CHAP. XXII. Of the kinds of Peaches, and Nect­arins.

§. 1. THe Stones of Peaches produce Trees that will bear Peaches, somtimes better than the Peaches out of which the Stones were taken, altho those Peaches grew upon a Tree that was In­oculated on a Plum-stock: And therefore some Gardiners by setting many Stones of the Newington-peach, have found some a­mongst the Trees come up from them, to bear a Fruit rather improved than worse, and by giving it a new name, and Inocu­lating from it, have made good gain of it; but this is not a practise for every pri­vate person; because Peach-trees so raised, will be much longer before they bear Fruit, than those which are Inoculated; and be­cause he must run the hazard of filling great part of his Wall with these Peach-trees thus raised from Stones, and not one, it may be, in an hundred prove any thing extraordinary, and the rest of no use, unless for Stocks; after he hath waited [Page 166]several years to see what Fruit they will bear.

§. 2. Of Peaches the first and soonest ripe is the White Nutmeg, next that is the Red Nutmeg, next to that is the Troy, which is ripe almost as soon, and a better Fruit; next ripe are.

The

• Isabella
• Savoy
• Early Newigton
• Burdeaux
• Old Newington
• Violet Muscat
• Persian
• Modenae
• Morello
• Rumbullian
• Scarlet
• Bellice
• Royal
• Ricket
• Bloody Mounsieur, one of the latest, and Red within and without, and an excellent Fruit.

Peach.

These are accounted excellent kinds of Peaches, and there are many other good sorts besides these, and so there are of Apples, Pears, &c. more than are menti­oned [Page 167]in this Book, or is necessary to trou­ble the Reader with; some choice Fruit of every kind being here nominated, for e­very one to please his fancy with, or store himself with them or others, as he approves them, or hath convenience so to do.

The best Nectarines are. Nectarins.

The

• Red Roman
• Murry
• Tawny
• Paper White

Nectarins.

There are others though worse sorts as,

The

• Yellow
• Painted
• Russet
• Red

Nectarines.

The Algier Nectarine is commended by some; because it parts easily from the Stone.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the kinds of Apricoks, and Strawberries.

APricok, so call'd from Apricus, de­lighting in the Sun, is a kind of Plum, but far exceeding others in every respect.

The Algier Apricock is early ripe, and in June, it's a small round and Yellow Fruit.

The Masculine Apricock is a better and earlier Fruit than the former, but not so good a bearer.

The Turkey Apricock is much commend­ed, so is the Orange; the white Apricock is accounted better than the Common.

They are to be propagated only by In­oculating upon the White Pear-plum Stock, or White Wheat Plum-stock, or some Plum-stock which is Sappy, of large growth, free, and bears large Leaves, Shoots and Branches.

Strawberries will grow under the shades of more lofty Trees. Strawberries.

[Page 196]The common English Strawberry is much improved by being transplanted from the Woods and Hedges into the Garden.

The White Strawberry is more delicate than the former.

The Long Red Strawberry is not altoge­ther so good as the former.

The Polonian, or Great Strawberry is the largest of all Strawberries and very plea­sant.

The Green or Rasberry Strawberry is the sweetest of all Strawberries and latest ripe.

The New England or American Strawber­ry is the earliest ripe of any English Fruit, being often ripe at Midmay, and continues bearing till Midsummer. They are the farest (except the Polonian,) and of the best Scarlet dye of any Fruit that grows, and very pleasant and cool to the Tast. They are propagated by setting of the young Roots (chiefly in the Spring and Fall) which increase from the Strings that run from Elder-Plants, and the Strings must be very often cut, and they Weeded.

CHAP. XXIV. Of the kinds of Plums.

IN Berries the white is commonly more delicate and sweet in Tast than the co­loured, as is seen in white Grapes, white Rasps, white Straw-berries, Currants, &c. but in Fruits the white is commonly the meanest, as in Plums the white Harvest Plum is a base Plum, the Musle, Damazeen, and other black Plums are of the best, &c.

There is great variety of Plums, and they appropriated to several uses, they conti­nue longer on the Trees than Cherries, and are a more pleasing, but not a more whol­some Fruit.

Plums to be preferred before others are as follow, The Red and Blew Primordian, as being first ripe, tho not so good Fruit as several of the following.

[Page 171]The

• Morocco
• Myrobalan
• Violet
• Apricock, a delicate Plum, and parts clean from the Stone.
• Barbary
• Black Damascene
• Green Damascene
• Prunella
• Queen-Mother, one of the best Plums.
• Kings
• Matchless
• Black Pear Plum
• Pescod
• Catalonia
• Bonum Magnumque, a fair yellowish green Plum.
• Black Date
• Cheston
• Marbled
• Imperial, one of the largest of Plums.
• Nutmeg
• Turkey
• Prince, last ripe.

Plum.

These Plums you may set to a Wall, tho most of them will bear well being Dwarfs, or Standards, if you have not wall enough.

[Page 172]The white Pear Plum, Prune, Damsons, and Verdock, are good preserving Plums.

The

• Muscle, one of the best Plums
• Wheat.
• Lammas

Plum.

And Bullice, and Damsons, and several course Plums are raised by Suckers, with­out Grafting or Inoculating, and may be set in Orchards, Hedges, or any common places.

The driest Plums which part clean from the Stone and are of a black or inclinable to a Black or Red colour, are accounted best.

Plums are best propagated by Grafting.

CHAP. XXV. Of the kinds of Cherries.

THe May Cherry is first ripe, and should have a good Wall to expedite it's ripening; for tho they are but ordinary Fruit, yet their earliness makes them a ra­rity: next ripe are.

The

• Duke
• Arch-Duke
• Flanders
• Red-heart
• Lukeward, one of the best of Cherries.
• Cluster Cherry, bearing three, four or five usually on a Stalk.
• Bleeding-heart
• Spanish Black
• Naples
• Carnation, a delicate Fruit for the Ta­ble or conservato­ry.

Cherry.

[Page 174]The

• Amber, the Grater.
• Purple, one of the best and latest Cherries and a good bearer.

Cherry.

The great bearing Cherry of Millain, and Morella, are Blackish when ripe, and Blood Red within, excellent to make Cher­ry Wine, affording a strong and Vinous Liquor.

These viz. the Cherry of Millain; Mo­rella, Cherry, and Prince Royal Cherry are good to preserve.

If you have not room upon your Walls, these will bear well in any warm place, Plant­ed as Standards.

Those that you find put forth small Twigs, and have a small, dark, Green Leaf, are easiliest kept for Dwarf-trees.

CHAP. XXVI. Of Pears and their kinds.

PEars are of very many kinds, in so much that some have affirm'd that there are no less than four or five hundred several kinds; but however, certain it is there are so many, that to trouble the Reader with their names would be very needless, there­fore some of the Choicest for all uses will be most proper for the storing your Plan­tation, especially if you respect profit more than curiosity, which is the main design of this little Tract.

Pears are much improved, as is most Fruit by being Planted against Walls. In France they are accounted among their best Fruit, and the best kinds well merit it.

The Summer and Winter-Bon-Cristien growing pendent are fitter for a Wall, than to be Planted of Standards; the Winter will keep till May, and is a very choice Pear.

The Bury de-Roy, is esteemed for the Table the best of all Summer Pears, it's a fair Brown Pear, excellent in it's season, [Page 176]melting in the Mouth, thence call'd the Butter-pear, and bears well against a Wall; the Green Bury-pear, is more Green, and larger than the former.

The

• Violet
• Dove
• Grean Musk
• Amadot
• Rousellet
• Messier Jaen
• Great Soveraign
• Blood
• Windsor
• Green-field
• Dionier.
• Great Burgamot
• Virgalous
• Roshea one of the best of Pears.
• Red Katherine

Pear.

The Double Flowred Pear keeps till May, not fit to eat till March, these do well Planted against a Wall: If you have not Wall room enough, such as grow with small Twigs, or almost any Grafted on Quince-stocks, may be kept Dwarfs. The Winter and Summer Burgamots may also make Dwarfs.

Meet Pears for Standard-Trees in Com­mon [Page 177]Orchards, are such as follow, both for Summer and Winter-fruit.

The

• Hill
• Primating
• White Geneting
• Red Geneting
• Green Chissel
• Pearl
• Soveraign
• Orange
• Red Katherine is the best of Katherines.
• Anthony
• Sugar
• Lyons a rare Winter Pear for the Table.
• Pimp
• Berry
• Popering
• Deadmans
• Scarlet
• Prick
• Royal
• Nonsuch
• Kings
• Ladies Buttock
• Muscat
• Oak
• Virgin
• Lyons
• Ice

Pear.

[Page 178]The

• Gascoign Burgamot
• Winter Popering
• Little Dogobert
• Great Kairville
• Long Burgamot

Pear.

With divers others, each Country afford­ing variety.

The Slipper, and the Lewis Pear by some call'd the Maiden-heart, is the best off all Pears to dry, and a good bearer.

In Fields you may set Baking Pears, and Perry-Pears for Baking.

The

• Norwich
• Quince
• Bishops
• Arundel
• Bell
• Painted

Pear.

The great Black Pear of Worcester, or Perkinsons Warden, is to be prefer'd before all other Pears for Baking; the Pears usual­ly weigh twenty ounces, somtimes more, and it bears very well against a Wall. Al­so Wardens of several sorts are good for Baking.

Pears for Perry are the Red, and White­horse Pear; and there are also divers o­ther wild or Choak-pears, whereof the Red coloured yield the strongest Liquors. The [Page 179]Bosberry, and the Bareland Pears are by much the best for Perry, yet taken notice off, the Tree that bears the Bosberry-Pear will grow to that Bigness, that it will bear Fruit to make one, two, or three Hog­sheads of Perry in one year: their might be much said of it's excellency when it's two or three years old. The Tree will prosper on almost any course Land.

The Turgovian-pear, mentioned by the ingenious Mr. Evelin, in his Pomona, is said to yield the most superlative Perry the World produces, and it were wished the same was more generally propagated.

Pear-trees require not generally a very rich Ground, but will prosper best on Stony, and light Land.

CHAP. XXVII. Of Apples and their kinds.

§. 1. APples are seldom Planted against a Wall: therefore it's best to furnish your self with the choicest of these following for Table Fruit, by making them Dwarfs in the Garden, or larger Trees in a secure Orchard, being very tempting Fruit, and some of them early ripe.

The Jeniting is early ripe, and a Fruit off a pleasant tast.

The Margaret or Magdalen is the best and most early, commonly ripe about Saint Margarets day in June; it's a fair Beauti­ful Fruit, of a pleasant tast and scent, and not equall'd at that time for the Table, and Kitchin.

King Apple, tho not a Common, yet e­steem'd an excellent Fruit, and preferr'd to the Jeneting.

The Aromatick or Golden Russeting Ap­ple hath a Gold colour'd Coat under a Rus­set hair, with some Warts on it, it's Flesh of a Yellow colour, and form of a flattish Round not ripe till after Michaelmas, lives [Page 181]over the Winter, and the most pleasant tasted Apple that grows, having a delicate Aromatick haut-gust, and melting in the Mouth.

The Flax Apple a good early Apple.

The Spice Apple in some places much valued.

The Summer Queening mixt with o­thers, a good Cyder Apple, being of it self sweet.

The Go-no-further, or Catshead-Apple a large Fruit with Red sides.

The Golden Pippin is smaller than the Orange Apple, but like it in colour, tast, and long keeping, and the Trees are great bearers.

Bontradue, or good Houswife is the larg­est of Apples, a great bearer, and good for the Kitchin, and makes good Summer Cyder.

The Giant Apple is a large Fruit and well tasted, the best of any Summer Ap­ple for Kitchin uses.

The Pome-Water is an indifferent good lasting Fruit.

The Summer Pearmain is known to be an excellent Fruit, but not so good as the Winter Pearmain.

Kirton Pippin or Holland Pippin is one of the best sorts of Table-Fruits from Micha­elmas to Alhallontide, and yields very good Cyder.

[Page 182]The Orange Apple is of the colour and form of an Orange, hath a fine rough Gold coloured coat, resembling the Golden Pip­pin, only fairer, is of a very pleasant tast, and will keep long.

Summer Bellabon is a fair Apple, the Tree a good bearer and the Fruit very good, but will not keep any long time.

Russet Pearmain a very pleasant Fruit, continuing long on the Tree, and parti­cipates both of the Russet and Pearmain in colour and tast.

The Paradise Apple is a curious Fruit produced by Grafting a Pearmain on a Quince-stock.

The Famagusta is one of the best early Apples.

§. 2. There are also some Apples of great esteem in their respective Countries, as,

The Darling Apple is much valued in Cheshire.

The Stocken Apple in Herefordshire, tho not known by that name in many places.

The Golden Renating in Hartfordshire, a very pleasant and fair Fruit, and it some­thing resembles the Pearmain, the Trees great bearers, but subject to Canker, the Apple keeps well.

The Angles Bit in Worcestershire, a de­licate tasted Apple.

[Page 183]Kirton Pippin in some parts of Nor­thamtonshire.

The Harvey Apple in Cambridgshire, a choice Fruit, but the Trees no good bear­ers.

The Devonshire Quarrington is a very fine early Apple.

The Bitter-scale in Devonshire much e­steemed, yielding excellent Cyder with­out the mixture, or assistance of any o­ther.

The Underleaf in Herefordshire, an Ap­ple of a Rhenishwine Flavor, and may be accounted one of the best Cyder Apples.

Deans Apple is well esteemed of in De­vonshire, on the same account that the Bit­ter-scale is; and so is the Pleasantine Ap­ple.

§. 3. The subsequent Apples are good Winter Fruit, and such as may be Planted in Orchards. And observe that long lasting and fair Apples, will not only adorn your Table, but yield most profit, either for the family or sale, for one Bushel of good Ap­ples after Christmas may be sold for three times more, than the same Fruit would have taken at Michaelmas; and your long keeping Fruit is of good use and profit untill new come, as well for the Table, and Kitchin, as Cyder.

The Winter Pearmain.There are three sorts of Pearmains, and the larger sort is more pulpy than the smal­ler, [Page 184]and keeps not so well, they are all of them excellent Fruit, but the Winter is best.

The Winter Queening is a very good Table Fruit, and so is the Quince-Apple.

The Nonsuch Apple is a long lasting Fruit and good at the Table.

The Pealing is a long keeping Fruit, makes good Cyder, and the Trees are great bearers.

The Leather-coat a good Winter Fruit, and long liver, so is the Golden Doucet.

The Pome Roy hath a good tast, a pul­py substance, and not yielding much juice, yet that which is, is very good.

The Lording is a fair, green, and sharp Apple, a constant bearer, being a hardy Fruit, and for the Kitchin only, and hath little Core.

The July-flower is of a pleasant tast, and long lasting, a thick rind, and hard Core, well stripped, good for Cyder, mak­ing an excellent mixture.

Pear Apple is a curious pleasant Apple, of a rough coat, but the Tree no great bearer.

Greening is a good Apple, of a Green colour, and keeps to a second year.

Lones Pearmain is call'd by several names in several places as the Marygold-Apple, Onyon-Apple, Kate-Apple, John or Joanes-Pearmain; It's a very good long lasting Fruit, fit for the Table, Kitchin, Conser­vatory, or Cyder, having a good juice, bears [Page 185]every other year to admiration, the inter­vening years but a few, and there is another of them call'd the Summer Marygolds.

Green Russeting is a tough and hard Fruit, long lasting and of a pleasant tast.

Red Russeting is of a lesser size, but an excellent Apple and long lasting.

Pome-water is an indifferent good last­ing Fruit.

Winter Fillet or Violet is an excellent Cyder Fruit, yielding a delicate Vinous juice.

Winter Bellabon is a great bearer and keeps well and is a fair Apple.

The Oakenpin a long lasting Fruit, yields excellent Liquor, and is of the nature of the Westbury Apple, tho not in form.

The Nonsuch, is a long lasting Fruit, good at the Table, and well marked for Cyder, and the Redfennel, and Figg-Ap­ple whose Tree yields no Blossoms as o­ther Apple-Trees; nor Fruit any Core or Kernel, are also good Winter Fruit.

There are several other good Apples that will last and keep long as.

The

• John-Apple or Deuxans
• Westbury.
• Winter-Reed
• Flower of Kent
• Parsly
• Winter-Chesnut
• Maligar

Apple.

[Page 186]The

• The Short tart
• The Winter-Russeting
• The Pelmel
• The Thrift
• The Winter-Clary

Apple.

There are many and diverse kind of Pip­pins, all of them very good, yet the Gre­gory-Pippin propagated much about Man­chester in Lancashire, I esteem to be one of the best for profit and service; it's a fair, large, well relished Fruit, hath little Core in it, and keeps and lasts well till the fol­lowing May; The Trees are quick and large growers, and will prosper well upon courser Land than other Pippins, and the Trees are great bearers and the Fruit good for any Culinary use; And it's an excellent sort to be propagated, on mean Soils and where better Soil, is not to be had and for the Northern parts.

There also are several sorts of Renat­ings, very choice and good Apples, as the Goldin-Renating, the Lincoln-Renat­ing, &c.

In Planting Winter Fruit, the best course is to Plant several Trees, of some few of the best kinds, after you have found what sort prosper best in your Soil; for many sorts will be troublesome in gathering, and keeping them severally when you have done. Long lasting, keeping, and fair Fruit, and [Page 187]Apples, will not only adorn your Table, but yield you most profit and service.

§. 4. For Cyder Fruit, the Red-streak, Bromsberry-Crab, Golden-Pippin, Gen­net-Moil, Westbury-Apple, Cyder-fruit the White and Red Must-Apples, the John-Apple, Un­der-Leaf, Winter-Fillet, Elleots, Stocken-Apple, Bitter-Scale, Claret-Wine-Apple, Arrier-Apple, Richards or Grange-Apple, Coling-Apple, Olive-Apple, Fox-Whelp, Pippins and Pearmains mixt, Gilliflower-Apple.

But above all Cyder Fruit, the Red-streak, is most celebrated for it's juice of any Ap­ple the English Soil affords; It's one sort of Wildings of Herefordshire, and for the excellent Liquor it yields, is now spread into most parts of England.

There are several sorts of them, as the Summer, Winter, Yellow, More-Green, and the Red Redstreak, which is the Chief and more Red than the other. The Red­streak should be Planted for Cyder rather than any other Fruit, and that for the following Reasons.

• 1. Because it yields the best of English Drinks.
• 2. Be­cause the Fruit is harsh and unpleasant, and tho kept long, tempts not the Palats of Lewd persons.
• 3. The Tree thrives in as mean Land as any other Apple whatsoever, being a spontaneous Plant at first.
• 4. It's a constant bearer, being a Wilding, endu­ring (more than the grater part of other [Page 188]Fruit) the severity of sharp Springs often destructive to those that are more tender.
• 5. The Tree bears in a few years after Grafting, recompencing betimes the indust­ry and cost of the Planter, the delay where­of in other Fruits, hath been a principal obstacle to the great design of Planting.
• 6. The Tree is low and humble and so more of them may be Planted in a like quantity of Ground, than the taller Trees which shade the Ground more.
• 7. The lowness of the Tree prevents the sharpe Winds in the Spring, and the Fruit of them are not so apt to be blown off in Autumn.
• 8. The Fruit exceeds all other Apples in the Kit­chin for the time they last.

Golden Pippin.But it's observed that the Cyder made of the Redstreak is not in all places alike, altho it be a curious Liquor, excelling most Cyders in most places, yet in some Lands other Apples may make a better Cyder; As the Golden-Pippin being a delicate Apple, yields a juice in many places exceeding the Redstreak: so that if your Land be rich inclining to the Pippin Fruit, the Golden Pippin merits a place in your Plantation, being a very great bearer, and the Fruit one of the best for the Table, as well as the Mill, and makes an admirable and restaura­tive Cyder.

If the Redstreaks are kept till they are mellow, the Cyder at first is very luscious, [Page 189]if Ground early, then is the Cyder more racy.

Boms burry. Crab.The Bromsbury Crab is reputed next to the Redstreak for good Cyder, and altho it be little better than the common Crab, yet if kept on heaps till almost Christmas, and then Ground, it yields a brisk, poig­nant, and very excellent Cyder.

White, and Red Must-Apples.The White and Red Must-Apples make a Cyder very good to be drunk about Christ­mas, next following the season of making Cyder. The Trees are of quick and large Growth, good bearers, and 12 or 14 Bush­els or Strikes of them will make a Hog­shead of Cyder.

Gennet Moil.The Gennet-Moil was once accounted the best Cyder Fruit, and still many Gentle­men that are Cyder Masters prefer it, and preserve it for their own Drinking.

Winter Queening.The Winter-Queening is not commonly used for Cyder, yet it yields a strong and Vinous Liquor, but so dry a Fruit, that 24 Bushels will go to make one Hogshead. The Fruit must not be Ground till very late in the year.

Pippins and Pearmains.Pippins and Pearmains mixt are much used, and Pippins alone make a strong and wholsome Liquor.

Westbury Apple.In Hampshire near Peterfield, there is a Fruit known by the name of the Westbury-Apple, so call'd from the Village where the old Trees stood, that yielded the Grafts to it's Neighbours. It's a fair, Green, and [Page 190]dark coloured Fruit, having on the Sunny side of them some Red stripes, the Rind or Peel exceeding rough, the Flesh spongy and not inclining to Rot, altho rudely handled; if the Fruit hang long enough on the Trees untill they are ripe, which will be with the latest.

This Fruit is not to be eaten by reason of it's tough, rough and austere substance and Tast, untill Christmas.

The may be kept untill the Midsummer following, and are to be preferred for any Kitchin uses. The Trees are great bearers, and thrive in any cold and moist Land, and it's probable in barren Land, it being a natural Fruit to this Country, and endures all weathers, and yields an excellent, and plentiful juice. For which property of being hardy, unpalla­table whilest on the Trees (a worse Ap­ple than it not being to be found) well bearing, durable, and usefullness, the more ingenious Neighbours have encreast them. Of which Fruit hath been made Cyder far excelling any Redsstreak that could be there obtained, and it's probable may exceed any other Cyders, so that the Fruit be not Ground untill December at soonest; For all hard, durable, rough and sharp Fruits make the worst Cyder, if Ground from the Trees, or soon after, and the best when they have been kept until time hath throughly digested their juice by lying on heaps and there sweating.

[Page 191] John-Ap­ple, Deux-Ans, or Two-year-old Apple.The John-Apple, or Two-year-old, so call'd from it's long lasting, continuing near two years, is an Apple not much unlike the Westbury-Apple last mentioned; for it a­grees with all Soils, and where the Pippin Fruit are so subject to Canker, that it's la­bour lost to Plant them, there this Deux-Ans, or John-Apple flourishes even to ex­cess, and it's Rind so clean, that no other Tree is to be compared to it. The Tree is more apt to aspire than any other Ap­ple-tree, it's Branches grow very uniform, and therefore may be Planted near one to the other in Rows, but those Rows at a fair distance, whereby beautiful Avenues may be made, yielding Fruit as well as shade. The Trees are great bearers, and hardy against all Winds and Blasts; The Fruit is so hard, sharp, and unpalatable from the Tree, that it's freed from the danger sweeter Fruits are subject to; they hang long on the Trees before they are ripe, and then being laid up until December, or after, and Ground, yield a very delicate Cyder, which will soon ferment, therefore must be drawn off the Lee in a few days.

This being a common, and in some pla­ces but a Hedg-Fruit, and yielding but a thin sowr juice, being Ground from the Tree, hath been of late slighted, when in truth there is scarce a better Fruit to be Planted, than this John-Apple, or Two-year-old, [Page 192]both for the beauty of the Tree, it's quick growth, it's liking all Grounds, great bearing, enduring all Weathers, long lasting, it's excellency for Kitchin uses, and preference at the Table, when most other Fruits are past.

Observe that Cyder Fruit may be di­vided into three Classes, First, such as are for making early Cyder, or for present Drinking, as the Codling and Summer Fruits, &c. Secondly, such that are for making the best, rich, oyly, spicy, poignant, and high relished Cyder, and also long keeping and lasting, such are the Redstreak, Broms­berry Crab, Golden-Pippin, Westbury-Ap­ple, John-Apple, the several sorts of Musts, and Fillets, the Elliot and Stoken-Apple, &c. Thirdly, such that are useful Fruit for the Table, yet making a very pleasant and acceptable Cyder, and such are the Pip­pins and Pearmains, Gilliflower, Marigold-Apple, Golden-Renneting, Harvey-Apple, Queening, &c. Generally all hard Apples and Wildings, having a lively, pert, poig­nant, brisk juice (so that they come not too near the degree of stark Crabs) make excellent Cyder; but Cyder, made of hard, harsh Fruits, is not so soon ready for drink­ing, as that of Summer Fruits, and those more pleasant: That made of Table Fruit being earliest ripe, is ready to drink so soon as it is well settled and cleared; but that of hard Apples, not till Summer fol­lowing, [Page 193]and will continue good for two or three years, or longer, if kept in a cool Cellar, good Vessells, well stopt, and will improve in keeping.

Of Plant­ing several kinds of Apples,Some object that since one or two kinds of Fruits may be had very good for Cy­der, what occasion is there to Plant of so many sorts?

For Answer; They will find it advanta­geous to have several sorts of Fruit for Cy­der, for the following considerations,

• 1. One sort of Fruit-trees may and do bear one year when another fails.
• 2. Cyder made of some kinds will be ready to drink sooner than others, and thereby you may have it successively for your use. The Must-Cyder may be clear a Month after mak­ing; The Gennet-Moil a quarter of a year after; the Redstreak near Half a year af­ter, though it's much improved by longer keeping.
• 3. You may make your Cy­der with more ease, the Fruits you make it of ripening one after another.
• 4. Tho some Fruits yield not so good Cyder as others, yet the Trees may be quicker of growth, bear more plentifully, and last longer than those that yield better; and the Palates of men being various, some like one sort and some another, and so all may be pleased.
• 5. Some Fruit-trees a­gree with the Soil and Clymate better than others, which you'l not be able to know, till you have made tryal of several.

[Page 194] How to make a new kind of Ap­ple or Pear.Graft one Fruit on another many times over, every year a different kind, (so that you keep to those kinds that will grow to­gether.) As first to Graft a Crabtree near the Ground with some good kind of Ap­ple Graft, and the next year to Graft that again a handful or two above where the first was Grafted, and the next year to Graft that second Graft, and so proceed for five or six years, by setting Graft up­on Graft, and this may probably make some alteration and commixture in the Fruit of the topmost Graft; tho it be true, every Graft keeps it's own nature, yet so as it re­ceives some small alteration from the Stock, the Sap thus arising and passing through so many kinds of Stocks into the topmost, may possibly raise a new Fruit.

The more Red any Apple hath in it's Rind, the better for Cyder, the paler the worse; no sweet Apple that hath a rough Rind is bad for Cyder, if suffered espe­cially to digest some time on heaps, as is hereafter directed, Chap. 29. Sect. 3.

Mixture of Fruit is of great advantage to your Cyder, the meanest Apples mixt make as good Cyder as the best alone, ex­cept the Redstreak, and some few cele­brated Apples for that purpose; but al­ways observe that the Apples so mixt be of equal ripeness.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Annoyances to Fruit-Trees.

Concerning Moss or Canker.§. 1. THe nature of Soil is the chief cause of the Moss and Canker, and therefore without altering the one, you can scarce prevent the other, however you may with a hair cloth rub the Moss off, after rain, or (as some say) burn it with a bottle of Straw under the Tree: but if you only scrape or rub off the Moss, in few years they'l be as much annoyed therewith as ever; because Mossiness is caused by o­ver coldness of the Ground; as in the Wa­terish and Clay Grounds, and likewise by Barrenness of the Soil. If the coldness pro­ceed from over much moisture, lay it dryer, by Trenching the Ground; if Clay Grounds, then mix warmer Soils therewith as you are before taught at Chap. 7. Sect. 10. yet be sure you take away the present Moss.

All Canker, filth, and Worms, must be picked clean off, and bind some Clay well mixt with Hay about the Canker'd place.

If the Tree grow but poorly, which is for the most part caused by the ill temper [Page 196]of the Soil, open the Ground about the Roots and put in some Manure proper to cure it.

The Canker assaults generally the best sorts of Fruit-trees, as the Pippin, Pear­main, Harvy-Apple, Golden Rennet, &c. of Pears the Wardens of all sorts, Burga­mots. &c. And it somtimes comes by gal­ling and fretting of Boughs on each other, and somtimes by setting Trees not shallow but too deep, as well as by Barrenness of Soil, and somtimes it comes by breaking off Boughs (which should be cut off close to the Tree, tho in the Summer) and Cat­tles nipping off the Buds or pieces of the Tree, or unseasonable Pruning.

Raising of Stocks from Crab kernels in the same Land and Grafting on, after once removed, and placed where they are to grow and be Grafted, prevents the Canker.

To cure the Canker at present, cut it out, if it be upon the body or great Boughs of Trees, and wash the place with Cow­dung and urine mixt, and then cover the place with Clay mixed with Horse-dung, and cut off the small Branches that are dead; however stop the cause by amending the Soil at Roots with proper Manure, as the Dung of Hogs, Pidgeons, Poultry, Horses, Cows, the sediments of Pools, Ponds, Cur­rants, Shovelings of yards where Cattle fre­quent, &c. according to the nature of the Soil.

[Page 197]§. 2. Slitting the Bark is an excellent ad­ditional help to most of the aforsaid evils, Bark bound. and also for Bark binding; some advise that the Bark be cut according to the grain of it, as in Apple-trees, Pear-trees, &c, straight down; in Cherries &c. round a­bout the Trees; and where the Graft o­ver-thrives the Stock, there slit the Stock, but not quite through the Bark, and this slitting must be done in the Spring about the middle of February, or at Candle­mas.

Some Trees prosper where o­thers will not.§. 3. You'l often find in the same Land some kinds of Fruit-trees very subject to some of the beforementioned evils, and others prosper well; when once you disco­ver this (because it's utterly in vain to make Ground and Trees of different Ge­nius agree together) you must make it your business by degrees to change your Trees, till you have left none against which your Soil beareth such an implacable hatred, and furnish it with such as will flourish and be fruitful.

§. 4. If any of your Trees are galled by rubbing on each other, Bark Gall'd or by being bound to Stakes, or by Thorns, or other­wise, lay some Clay upon the gald places and wrap Hay-bands about them, but with­all remove the cause by Pruning, or other­wise.

[Page 198]§. 5. Bigg Plants that upon there re­moval have had their Tops cut off, Dead Tops or bitten Twiggs to be cut off. are apt to dye from the place they were cut off at, to the next Sprig or Branch upon them; these dead parts, or any piece bit by Cattel, ought to be cut off close to the next good Twig or Shoot, and cover'd with Clay as in Grafting, that the head may be well grown over by such Twig or Shoot, and the wet prevented of getting into the Pith, to the dammage of the Tree.

§. 6. Hares and Rabbets are very mis­chievous to Nurseries, Hares and Coneys. and young Orchards by peeling off the Bark of the Plants; if your Fence be a Wall, or close Pale, or Water, there's little danger of them, but because such Fences about Orchards are rare, and no other can keep them out, some expedient must be made use of.

Some have used Hay Ropes bound about the Tree from the Ground a sufficient height; but this were endless in a Nurse­ry, it may be done in an Orchard, but there are other ways to be preferr'd before it.

Others therefore dawb the bodies of the Trees over with Tar, which being used alone endangers the life of very young Plants, and extreamly hardens the Bark, and otherwise hurts them, which evil is pre­vented by mixing the Tar with any kind of Grease, and boiling them on a Fire, so as both may incorporate, then with a Brush, [Page 199]or little Broom, dawb over the body of the Tree, as high as an Hare or Rabbet can reach, and this is to be done about the tenth of November, it will preserve the Trees for that whole year, with that once doing, it being the Winter time only that they will feed upon the Bark.

Some use Grease alone, and then it will require to be laid on twice in a Winter.

Some thin stuff out of a house of Office, or the thick tempered with Water, and brusht on, once or twice in a Winter hath been often used with good success.

And if you desire to take them, set Grins of Wire, Snares, or runing Nooses of Wire (whose brittleness is allay'd by the heat of Fire) at and in their Musets, or the holes they come in at, and you may take many, but scarce all before you have great mis­chiefs done you.

Pismires and Ants:§. 7. If you find Pismires, or Ants, breed about or near the Roots of any of your Trees, cast away the Earth they lodge in, and supply it's place with some stiff Clay: If they breed distant in several places, some direct to dawb the Tree about with Tar, that their feet may be taken in it, but you heard already that's prejudicial to young Trees; but if they pester you extreamly, and your Tree be young, you may bind a single list, or shred of cloth about it, and once a week (when Buds and Blossoms are [Page 200]putting forth, for that is the chief time they prejudice them) dawb the cloth over with Tar. And where you find their breeding places, pour scalding Water there­on.

§. 8. Moles are to be killed, especially in Seed plots and Nurseries: Moles and Water Rats Spring-traps, or Box-traps are best to destroy them, not easily described, but are now almost ge­nerally known. There are also some kinds of Cats that will not leave a Mole either in your Garden or Orchards, and some say that Water Rats will spoil a whole Nur­sery getting through Mole holes, and Bark­ing or eating the young Roots, and these are said to be frequent where your Nur­sery is near a Fish-pond.

Suckers.§. 9. From the Stock usually spring ma­ny Suckers, which extract the nourishment from the Tree, they must be taken off dex­terously from the Root, and may be pre­vented by Grafting on good Stocks rais­ed from Kernels: for Trees Grafted on, or proceeding from Suckers, are always sub­ject to this disease, which the Canker usu­aly attends.

Ests.§. 10. Ests or (or some call them) As­kers, are said to be pernicious to Trees; therefore as you find either Moles, Wa­ter Rats, or them, destroy them.

[Page 201] Blastings, Frosts, and Caterpil­ars. §. 11. The greatest prejudice to Fruit is by Blastings, Frosts immediately succeed­ing rain, Caterpillars, or black Flies, that eat up Buds, Leaves, and Blossoms; there­fore when in the Spring you perceive these Caterpillars or Flies appear, make fires of somthing that will smoak, so near the Orchard, and in such places that the Wind may carry the smoak as much through the Trees as may be. A thing frequently u­sed is Hemp sheaves (as t'is called) being the Stalk of the Hemp, when the Tow is separated from it, and 'its certainly very good, but bad Chaff, wet Straw, or Mol­dy Hay, or any thing of that nature may serve turn, and 'tis said to be good for Frosts also, but how, I know not; and you may also pluck off those Leaves which have the Cobwebs made upon them, (in which they breed) and tread them under foot, for one of them contains multitudes.

§. 12. Snails are pernicious to Wall-fruit therefore destroy as many of them as you can, Snails. when they are best to be discover'd which is early in the morning.

Cover Wall-Fruit.§. 13. To preserve your Wall-fruit as, Apricocks, Peaches, Nectarins, &c. from blasting Winds, and Frosts, it will be ne­cessary to cover them in the nights and cold days, by hanging before them Canvas or [Page 202]thick Linnen cloths, which you may draw up and let down by Pullies.

§. 14. Birds, as the Bullfinch, Titmouse, or Tomtit, Birds. &c. are affrighted best by a dry Hawk perching in the middle of the Tree, or by taking them with Birdlime: Crows will be frighted if you kill one or two of them, and pull it in peices, and scatter the pieces about the Trees, they'l not come their again whilst the Feathers are any thing fresh: but Magpies, Jackdaws, Jay's are not to be frighted from your Cher­ries, but kill'd as they come with a Gun, and that early in the morning.

Earwiggs.§. 15. Earwigs are destroyed by setting Oxhoofs, Canes, or any hollow thing near the Roots of the Trees, and among the Boughs upon the ends of sticks, and they'l Creep in, and lye there, then take off these Hoofs quickly, and shake them and crush them on the Ground with your foot.

Cattle.§. 16. Cattle, wheresoever they come a­mongst Trees, are a mighty and mischie­vous enemy, if the Boughs be within their reach; for then they'l bite off the ends of all, and thereby with their Teeth, so bruise the ends of the Boughs and Shoots, that the Tree seldoms thrives of many years, if ever, afterwards. Where this misfor­tune happens to any Tree, the only reme­dy [Page 203]is to cut off at some Sprig or Bud, so much as they have had in their mouths, or is bruised by their Teeth. And Fence your Orchards well from them, or els, which is the surest way, not to let your Trees begin to spread before they be six or se­ven foot high, of the Trunk or body, and so Prun'd up, that all the Boughs and every part of them be so far from the Ground as will be impossible for Cattle to reach.

Setting too deep.§. 17. Altho the setting Trees too deep and below the good Soil be no disease, yet it's the cause of many diseases to your Fruit­trees, as Moss, Barkbound, Canker, &c. therefore carefully to be avoided; setting shallow being attended with no other incon­veniences, but that the Trees are somtimes blown down, if not Staked the first two years.

CHAP. XXIX. Of Gathering Fruit, and the best way of making Cyder.

§. 1. IN gathering of Fruit, be careful that the Branches of your Trees be not battered and broken.

§. 2. Such as you design to keep any time, ought not to be shaked off the Trees, be­cause of bruising, but picked off with your hands: Be sure the Fruit you gather be throughly ripe, which you may know by it's beginning to drop, or by cutting an Apple, and seeing the Kernels turn black: Let the Weather be fair and dry when you gather, and no dew upon the Trees; lay up what you thus gather in a close, but a sweet room, upon a boarded (but not with Deal) Floor, and not on a Clay, or plaist­red Floor, and lay them up without any green Leaves, or Sticks among them. As you find any in your heaps rot, pick them out, and in Frosts cover them with Straw, or Straw Mats, and also hang in sharp Frosts Blankets before the Windows to keep out [Page 205]the Frosts. Lay every kind by them­selves.

If you have some Pears that are choice and lasting, wrap them up in paper, and lay them one by one upon shelves, or hang them up by the Stalks, and keep out the Air from them as much as you can.

§. 3. In gathering Cyder Fruit, you must be sure to let them be well ripe on the Tree, Gathering of Cyder Fruit and preparing it for the Mill. for there is much Cyder spoild be­cause the Apples are Ground before they are ripe, and all Fruits yield a different Liquor according to the different degrees of maturity of the same Fruit; for when it's most ripe it yields a richer, pleasanter and more lasting drink; but if pressed be­fore ripe, tho it yields a greater quantity, yet it's but a thin, raw, crude, sowr, phleg­matick, and unwholesome drink: Therefore if your Fruit be not ripe all at one time, select such sorts as are of a like degree of maturity, or if the Wind beat down ma­ny, and you are unwilling to spoil or lose them, let them lye dry as long as you can before you grind them, to obtain as great a degree of ripeness as they can, and let that Cyder be thoroughly fermented be­fore barrel'd, and the first that is spent; neither mix ripe with unripe Fruit, not ought you to permit some sorts of Fruit be too ripe; because it then grows pulpy in Grinding, and will not yield it's Liquor [Page 206]unless some Water be mixed therewith; your choice Summer Fruits are some of them, as also the Pippins, and Renat­ings subject to pulpiness, if full ripe.

Lay such Fruit by themselves (to be Ground and pressed for Cyderkin) that are broken; but a small bruise does not much injury.

Your Apples being well ripe, let them be gently shaken down, and laid out of the Sun and Rain, not abroad but in a heap; upon a sweet and dry Floor that is board­ed (but not with Deals, nor on a plaist­erd Floor) and on dry, Rye, Wheat or Oaten Straw, till they have sweat out and digested their crude and phlegmatick hu­mour, and there let them so lye a fortnight; the Redstreak and harder Apples you may let lye longer, that is, three weaks or a Month; the longer they lye, the less Cyder indeed they will yield, but much the bet­ter, it being necessary to have them as ripe as may be, so that too many of them begin not to rot, which rotten ones are to be picked out.

Grind not your Apples immediately from the Tree, so soon as they are throughly ripe, tho they will then yield the greater quantity of Liquor, but neither pleasant nor lasting, therefore let them lye on heaps as aforesaid.

By hoarding only of Windfalls for some time, or untill the time it was expected they [Page 207]should have been ripe in, doth very much meliorate the Cyder made of them, which otherwise might have been very bad.

For from the due time, place, and man­ner of hoarding of the Fruit is oftentimes the Cyder very good, which otherwise might have been very bad.

Thus when your Fruit is duly ripe, ga­thered, preserved or hoarded some time, it's ready for the Mill.

When you bring your Apples to the Mill, or just befor you fill them up; pick out, or cast by, all that are Green, un­ripe, rotten, or otherwise naught, and all Stalks Leaves, &c. that may injure your Cyder, for it's better to want a small quantity of Liquor than to spoil the whole.

Some are of opinion that rottenness in the Apple injureth not the Cyder, but that a convenient quantity of rotten. Ap­ples mixt with the sound is a great help to the Fermentation and Clarification of the Cyder; but it's supposed they mean such Apples only as have been bruised in gather­ing, shaking down, or carrying, which will by lying become rotten, and (the skin be­ing whole) be not much the worse, only the Cyder will retain a smack of them; not­withstanding which, by no means admit them amongst your Cyder, that you intend for keeping, but rather make Cyder of them for a more early spending: for others [Page 208]affirm, that one rotten Apple corrupts a whole Vessel, which I presume is intended only of putrid rottenness.

§. 4. Grind not your Apples too small, for if they are not very small Ground, Of grind­ing and Pressing the Apples. you'l have but little less Cyder (altho the contrary is commonly believed.)

After your Fruit is Ground, let it stand 24 or 48 hours, according as your time and conveniency will admit, so that it be altogether in good quantities in large Ves­sels; by standing thus it not only matures, but acquires colour, commendable in Cy­der, and also causes the lesser part of the Apple easily to part with it's juice in the Press; therefore observe not the gene­ral advise to press immediatly from the Mill.

You may leave a passage open in the bot­tom of your Fat, wherein you keep your bruised Apples, during the time of their being therein, from the grinding to the pressing; and some of the Cyder may spon­taneously destill into a receiver placed under it, or you may have a false Bottom full of holes, that the greater quanty may be had which may run through some Tap or other passage into your receiver: Cyder thus ob­tained far excels that which is forced out by the Press; as Live Honey that destills of it self from the Combs, is much better than that which remains and is pressed out [Page 209]afterwards; but this is only used to get some small quantity of the richest Cyder.

In pressing the Apples, in case you intend not to use (which is bad husbandry) your Pulp, Must, or Murc afterwards for the making of Water Cyder, usually call'd Purre, or Cyderkin, then it is best to press it as dry as you can, but incase you intend to add Water to your Murc, and to press it again, then you need not to press it very hard, for your Cyder will then be somthing the worse, and so will your Purre, or Cy­derkin: for the last squeezing is the weak­est, and makes your Cyder the rougher; and if any thing will, that gives it a Wood­dy tast, unless it be prevented in the easy Grinding; but this only is observed when you intend to have some rich Cyder, and Cy­derkin for your own use, otherwise Cy­derists generally press their Apples as hard as they can, altho they intend to make Cy­derkin of the Murc.

Barrelling of Cyder.§. 5. As your Vessel under the Cyder­press fills, then take the Liquor, and pour it through some Streyner or hair Sieve (which will detain the Pulp and grosser pieces of Apples from intermixing in the Vat) into a large Vat, from whence most prescribe to tun it immediately into the Bar­rels wherein it's to be kept, lest it's spirits should evaporate; but others rather choose to cast a cloth only over the Vat or Tun [Page 210]to preserve it, and rather wast and con­sume the wild Spirit of the Cyder, in the Tun or Vat, and let it there in some small degree purify by standing coverd five or six hours in the Vat, before you put it into the Barrel it's to be kept in; then they se­parate the pure from the impure by leav­ing as many Feces or Dregs to remain on the bottom of the Vat as possible; because Dregs very much incommode your Cy­der by making it quickly become acid.

Then Tun up the purest (leaving the sediment at bottom of the Vat) Liquor in a Hogshead or Barrel, seasoned and sweet, fill it not up by two Gallons at least, and stop it up only with a loose stop­per for four or five days, and then stop it up close with Clay on the top or Tun­hole, and put a Cork or some stopper in [...]e Vent-hole, loosly putting in the Peg; but for a weeks time or more, you may once a day draw it forth a little, lest it break the Vessel, or force some other vent; then stop it close up also, and so let it stand till you think it may be somthing clear, and then pierce it, to try how it fines; The Summer Fruit after a Month, the Moil after the first Frosts, the Red streak not till after January, other Winter-Fruit Cyder about the same time.

If the Cyder be so clear that it will not again ferment, and you intend to keep it long in the Barrel; put in clean unground [Page 211]Wheat, after the proportion of a quart to a Hogshead, which will preserve it; and this artificial head is only to be used, where an admission of Air may probably be into the Vessel.

Stopping of Cyder with Clay, if you de­sign to keep it long, is not so good as a Woodden Plug, turn'd fit to the Bunghole, and covered about with a single brown paper wet, before you wring it into it's place, and then let the Plug be well lu­ted on the top and sides with Clay temperr'd with Salt.

How to fine or clear Cyder.§. 6. If your Cyder be not fine at the times aforementioned, try them again a­bout a Month after, and then if it be not fine, rack it off as you would do Wine, setting another Vessel in a convenient place, that through a pipe of Leather, or a Si­phon, or a Crane of some metal, (as of Latten) or Glass, the Liquor may run out of the one into the other, without being exposed to the Air, which is a most ma­terial thing to take care of at all times, the spirits of Cyder being very apt to eva­porate.

Some chuse rather to fine their Cyder with Water Glew, commonly call'd Isin­glass, than by racking it. And the common and best way is that amongst Vintners, &c. that have frequent use for it; and it is to dissolve a considerable quantity of Isin­glass [Page 212]in White Wine, without putting it on the fire, which it will do in about a Months time, and turn to a Jelly, which they keep by them, and it will keep good a Twelvemonth; and when they have occasi­on to use it, remove the Scum that will be on the top of it, and take what quantity will serve their turn out of it, according to the proportion of a quart to a Hog­shead; and this they beat to a froth, and mix it with a quantity of the Liquor it's to be put in, and them pour it into the Ves­sel mixing it well together with a Broom, and so leaving the work.

Or if your Cyder hath stood long, and will not be fine, as ostentimes it so hap­peneth; Then take Isinglass about an Ounce to an Hogshead, and steep it a day or two in about two quarts of Cyder untill the whole be reduced to a Gelly, which by standing warm it will easily do, then draw off about a Gallon of the Cyder, and mix the Gelly (being cold) throughly with it, and put the whole into the Vessel of Cy­der at the Bung, and with a splitted staff, stir it well together, and in a day or two it will be fine without any prejudice to your Cyder.

This way of purification will serve in all sorts of Liquors, and is much to be pre­ferred in the juices of Fruits, to that vul­gar way of making them to Ferment by the addition of Yeast, or Tosts therein dipt, [Page 213]as is usually prescribed; that being but an Acid excitation to Fermentation, all things tending to Acidity being (as much as may be) in our operations to be avoided.

This way also is better than the tedi­ous way of Percolation, and racking from Vessel to Vessel, which wasts not only the Spirits, but substance of the Liquor it self, and leaves you but a thin and flat drink, hardly ballancing your trouble.

When your Cyder is very fine, either draw it out of the Vessel as you drink it, or which is far better, Bottle it: And take notice after it is fine, the sooner you draw it off the better.

§. 7. Altho your Cyder be well made, yet if it be put into ill shaped, corrupt, Of Vessels for Cyder. faulty, and unsound Vessels, it's certainly spoil'd. Altho the vulgar round Barrel be most useful, and necessary for Transpor­tation from one place to another, yet is the upright Vessel, whose Ribs are streight, and the head about a fourth or fifth part broader than the bottom, and the height equal to the Diameter of the upper part, the best form to stand in a Cellar. The Bung-hole of about two Inches Diameter, is to be on the top with a Plug of Wood turn'd round exactly to fit into it, near unto which there must be a small Vent-hole, that after the Cyder is tumn'd up, and stopt at the Bung or Tun-hole, you may give it [Page 214]Vent at pleasure; and that when you draw it forth, you may there admit Air into the Vessel. This is call'd in Lancashire, a Stand Barrel, because it's made after the form of a Vessel which the meaner sort of People keep their drink in, call'd a Stand. This form is preferred; because that most Liquors contract a skin, or cream on the top, which helps much their preservation, and is in other forms broken by the sink­ing of the Liquor, but in this is kept whole; which occasions the freshness of the drink to the last. The form hereof is thus.

The Forme of the Vessel: ∽

• a y ^e Bung hole
• b a small Vent hole
• c the tap

[Page 215]If the Vessel you put Cyder in be New, scald it well with hot Water, wherein some of the Must, Murc, or Pouz of the Apples have been boil'd.

If your Vessel be tainted, take five or six Stones or more of some unslak'd Lime, and put it in the Vessel with six or seven Gallons of Water, and stopping it well, Roll it about a while till the Lime be thoroughly slak'd.

Wine Cask, if sweet, are accounted pro­per to keep Cyder in; but Vessels out of which strong Beer, or Ale have been late­ly drawn are to be rejected, unless through­ly scalded and seasoned as before, which then will serve indifferently well, nothing agreeing worse with Cyder than Malt. Small Beer Vessels well scalded are not amiss. White or Rhenish Wine Vessels may do well for present drinking, or for luscious Cy­der, else they are apt to cause too great a Fermentation.

The using of Cyder Vessels between the Cyder seasons, with Beer or Ale, not only very much prejudiceth the Cyder, but the using of them for Cyder, injureth very much the next Brewing of Ale or Beer. But if you are enforc'd to use such, let them be well seasoned and scalded as be­fore.

To Sent your Cask as Vintners do for their Wines, do thus, viz. Take of Brim­stone four Ounces, of burn'd Allum one [Page 216]Ounce, and of Aqua Vitae two Ounces, melt these together in an Earthen Pan over hot Coals, then dip therein a piece of new Canvass, and instantly sprinkle thereon, the powders of Nutmegs, Cloves, Mace, Ginger, Cynnamon, Coriander, and An­nise Seeds, and by a wire let it down into the Vessel, and set the Canvass on fire, and let it burn, and it will fill the Vessel full of smoak, then take it out, and immedi­atly Tun up your Liquor, which gives it no ill tast, nor savour, and is an excellent preserver both of the Liquor and your health.

Some take Brimstone, Orras Roots, and Mastick, of each a like quantity melted al­together, and long narrow pieces of new Canvass drawn through it, being lighted, and put in at the Bunghole, keeps the Cy­der long, clear, and good, and gives it a pleasant tast.

Cyder by time changes it's greenish co­lour for a bright Yellow, inclining to Red­ness.

Vessells wherein Malaga, Canary, Sher­ry, or Metheglin have been kept, will much advance the Colour and tast of your Cyder, especially if some of the Lees of Canary, or Malaga, be left therein, viz. about two or three quarts.

If your Vessel be musty, Boyl Pepper in Water after the proportion of an Ounce to an Hogshead; fill your Vessel therewith [Page 217]scalding hot, and so let it stand two or three days, or instead thereof use Lime as aforesaid.

Wheat Bran cast into the Vessel after Fermentation, thickens the Coat or Cream of Cyder, and conduces very much to the preservation thereof.

Choice of Bottles as Corks for Cyder.§. 8. Thick, double Glass Bottles con­taining about quarts apiece, are preferr'd very much to Stone Bottles; because that Stone Bottles are apt to Leak, and more apt to taint than the other, and are so rough in the mouth that they are not easi­ly uncork'd, neither are they transparent, that you may discern when they are foul or clean; it being otherwise with Glass Bot­tles, whose defects are easily discern'd, and are of a more compact metal, or substance, not wasting so many Corks. If Glass Bot­tels happen to be musty, they are easily cured, by boyling them in a Vessel of Wa­ter, putting them in whilst the Water is cold, which prevents the danger of break­ing, if you be so cautious as not to set them down suddenly on a cold Floor, but upon Straw, Board, or such like.

If your Glass Bottles be foul, you may cleanse them with hard Sand, or some Lead-Shot (each about the bigness of an ordinary Pease) roll'd, and tumbled up and down with Water, which will also in some degree take away the mustiness from them. Great [Page 218]care is to be had in choosing good Corks, much good Liquor being absolutely spoiled through the only defect of the Cork; If the Corks are steeped in scalding Water a while before you use them, they will com­ply better with the mouth of the Bottle, than if forced in dry: also the moisture of the Cork doth advantage it in detaining the Spirits.

§.9. Drawing of Cyder into Bottles, and keeping it in them well stopt for some time, Bottling of Cyder. is a great improver of Cyder. This is done after it is throughly purified, and at any time of the year; if it be bottled early, there needs no addition, it having body and spi­rit enough to retrive in the Bottle what it lost in the Barrel: But if it have been o­ver-fermented, and thereby become poor, flat and eager, then in the Bottling if you add a small quantity of Loaf Sugar, more or less according as it may require, it will give a new life to the Cyder, and proba­bly make it better than ever it was before, especially if it were but a little acid, and not Eager.

When your Cyder is thus Bottled, if it were new at the Bottling, and not abso­lutely pure, it is good to let the Bottles stand a while uncork't before you stop them close, or else open the Corks two or three days after, to give the Cyder Air, which will prevent the breaking the Bot­tles [Page 219]against the next turning of the Wind to the South.

The meaner Cyder is more apt to break the Bottles than the richer; being of a more Eager nature, and the spirits more apt to fly, having not so solid a body to detain them as the rich Cyders.

Observe that when the Bottle breaks through the Fermentation of the Cyder, to open your Corks, and give vent, and stop them up again a while after, lest you lose many for want of this caution. Lay your Bottles sideways, not only for pre­serving the Corks moist, but for that the Air that remains in the Bottle is on the side of the Bottle, where it can neither expire, not can New be admitted, the Liquor be­ing against the Cork, which not so easily passeth through the Cork, as the Air. Some place their Bottles on a Frame, with their mouth downwards for that end, which is not to be so well approved of, by reason that if there be any the least settling in the Bottle, you are sure to have it the first Glass.

Placing Bottles on a Frame, as is usual, or on Shelves, is not so good as on the Ground; by reason the farther from the Ground they stand, the more are they sub­ject to the Variation of the Air, which is always more rare in the upper, than lower part of a Cellar, or other Room. Setting Bottles in Sand is much used, but without [Page 220]reason, because it adds not that coldness to the Bottles as is generally expected, be­ing rather of a dry and temperate quality than cold.

The placing of Bottles in Wells, or in Cisterns of Spring Water running, or ve­ry often changed, is questionless the best way to preserve either Ale, Cyder or a­ny other Vinous Liquor.

A Conservatory made where a continual recruit of a cool refrigatory Spring Wa­ter may conveniently be had, will so long preserve Cyder untill it become to the strength even of Canary it self.

Where you have not conveniency of Water, or are unwilling to be at the ex­pence of making such Conservatories, there the best way is to dig Vaults in your Cel­lars, under the level of the bottom, or to make Niches in the Walls near the Ground, and in them place your Bottles leaning: for the more they are from the Air, and the more they are encompassed with Stone or Earth, the cooler they will continue, and the less subject to the inconveniences that happen from the mutability of the Ambient Air.

Binding down the Corks of your Bottels in case of danger is not so much to be commended, as well fitting them in by full Corks; because the Liquor were better fly the Cork, that break the Bottles, which [Page 221]must be in case the Cork be tyed down, and the Liquor not well qualified.

Restoring of Decayed Cyder.§. 10. Sometimes Cyder that hath been good, by ill managment, or other accident be­comes dead, flat, sower, thick, muddy, or musty, all which in one sort or other may be helped.

Deadness or flatness in Cyder is often occasioned, from the too free admission of Air into the Vessel, for want of right stopping; which is cured by pressing some Apples, and put up only the new Must or Cyder that comes from them on the decay­ed Cyder, and stopping it close, only some­times trying it by opening the small vent, that it force not the Vessel. The same may be done in Bottles, by adding a spoon­ful or two of new Must or Cyder to each Bottle of dead Cyder, and stopping it a­gain. Cyder that is dead or flat, will of­tentimes revive again of it self, if close stopt, upon the Revolution of the year and approaching Summer.

But Cyder that hath acquired a deadness or flatness, by being kept in a Beer or Ale Vessel, is not to be revived, the smack of the Beer or Ale being the only cause of it, will always predominate,

Honey or Sugar mixt with some Spices and added to the Cyder that is flat, revives it much; let the proportion be according as the distemper is that requires it.

[Page 222]If Cyder be Acid, as somtimes it happens, by reason of the Immaturity of the Fruit too nimble an operation, too great a Fer­mentation in the Vessel, or too warm a situation of your Vessels wherein it is kept, this somtimes becomes pleasant again, in case it's Lee be yet in the Vessel, as is sup­posed by a second operation on it; but in case it doth not, if you add about a Gal­lon of unground Wheat to a Hogshead of it, it will very much sweeten it, and make it pleasant; The same effect will two or three Eggs put in whole, or a pound of Figgs slit, produce, as is reported; but the surest remedy is Bottling it with a knob of Sugar proportion'd according to the oc­casion.

Wheat Boyled till it begin to break, and when cold, added to the Cyder, but not in too great a quantity, and stirred into it, helpeth it much.

If your Cyder be Musty, which happens either from the place the Fruit lay in be­fore Grinding, or from the Vessels through which the Pulp or Must hath past, or that the Cyder is contained in, the cure there­of is very difficult, altho in some measure the ill savour of it may be corrected, by Mustard-Seed ground with some of the same Cyder.

Thick Cyder is easily cured at what Age soever, by exciting it to a Fermentation, [Page 223]and purifying it with Isinglas, as is before directed.

Note that there are several Cyder Mills lately found out which are better under­stood by seeing one, than any description can be given, and they are excellent to grind Apples before you press them.

Of making Water Cy­der, Purre or Cyder­kin.§. 11. It's observed that many sorts of Apples throughly ripe, will endure some addition of Water, without any prejudice to the drink, especially in the Island of Jersay, where they frequently give it a dash; this dilution is only with Apples of a mel­low and rich juice, and is necessary to help it's clarification, the Cyder it self being of too glutinous a substance, and they not acquainted with any other way of attenu­ating it.

If your Apples be pulpy or mellow, they will yield their juice with difficulty, unless Water be added, but you may press them easily at first, and extract a small quantity of the richest juice, and then add of Wa­ter boiled one hour, but cold again, to the remaining Pulp, which after 48 hours stand­ing will yield you so rich a Liquor, that shall exceed most Cyders drawn from newly ripened Fruit.

To some sorts of Fruit that are of them­selves acid, crude, or of a thin juice, di­lution is very improper; but if the Wa­ter be boil'd and let stand till it be cold, [Page 224]it will be the better, that abating much of it's crudity.

Water mixt with the Fruit when Ground, and permitted to stand 48 hours, incor­porateth abundantly better, than if added in the Vessel; and if mixt in the Vessel, better than if added in the Glass.

By the additon of Water no other ad­vantage can be expected than the encrease of the Liquor, as more small Beer than strong is usually made of the same quan­tity of Malt. For the ordinary expence in house keeping, you may make Cyderkin or Purre after you have Pressed out your Cy­der, by putting the Murc, Must, or Pouz up into a large Vat, and add thereto what quantity you think convenient of boyld Water (being first cold again:) if about half that quantity as was of the Cyder that was Pressed from it, it will be good; if as much as the Cyder, then but small: Let this Water-stand upon it about 48 hours, and then Press it well.

That which comes from the Press, Tun up immediately, and stop it up, and you may drink it in a few days.

This being the most part Water, will clarify of it self, and supplies the place of small Beer in a Family, and to many much more acceptable.

You may amend it by the addition of the Settling, Sediment, or Lee of your Cyder you last purified, by putting it upon the [Page 225]Pulp before pressure, or by adding some overplus of Cyder, that your other Vessels will not [...]old, or by Grinding some fallen or [...] Apples, that were not fit to be added to your Cyder, and pressing it with this.

This Cyderkin or Purre may be made to keep long, in case you boil it after pres­sure, with such a proportion of dry Hops (but not Green Hops) as you usually add to your Beer that you intend to keep for the same time, and it will thus be very well preserved, but then you need not boil your Water before the adding it to your Murc, Must, or Pouz.

How to make choice Cyder.§. 12. If any one shall desire a small quantity of Cyder extraordinary for it's goodness, let him take the Liquor that comes first from the Must without much Pressing, and dispose of what comes afterwards by it self, or mix it with the juice of another Grind­ing.

Some have been so curious, as to pick off the Trees the ripest Apples, and espe­cially those that have had most of the Sun, and to make use of them by themselvs for choice and rich Cyder.

How to make Perry§. 13. Perry is made the very same way as Cyder, only observe not to let your Pears be very ripe before you Grind them, for if they should be too mellow when [Page 226]Ground, they are so Pulpy, that they will not easily part with their juice: and it's advised by some to mix Crabs at Grind­ing among the Pears, especially of weak­est juice, and it's affirm'd they'l very much mend and improve the Perry: The proportion must be with discretion ac­cording as the sweetness of the Pear re­quires.

§. 14. The best addition that can be made to Cyder is that of the Lees of Ma­laga Sack, Of mixtures mun Cyder or Canary new and sweet; a-about a Gallon to a Hogshead; this is a great improver and purifier of Cyder.

The juice of Rasberries preserved, or the Wine thereof, gives an excellent tin­cture to this Liquor, and makes it very pleasant, if the Cyder be not too new, or too luscious. When you Bottle Cyder, put into every Bottle▪ a little Conserve of Ras­berries, and it gives it a curious tast.

Elder-berries are of great esteem to ting Cyder with, which may be thus done, Take a Gallon or more of clean pickt and full ripe Elder-berries; put them in a Pot and cover it with a Paper, set them in this Pot in an Oven immediatly after you have drawn forth your Houshold Bread, let them stand till the Oven be cold, if they be not enough, heat the Oven again, but not too hot, and set them in it again; when taken out, strain out the juice, which will be [Page 227]thin and clear, and Bottle it up with Loaf Sugar for use. Two or three spoonfuls of this mixed in a quart Bottle of Cyder at the Bottling makes it of a fine Red col­our, pleasant to the Tast, and endows it with all the Medicinal vertues of the El­der-berry.

In like manner you may use Mulberries and Blackberries, which will give cooling tinctures to Cyder.

If your Oven be not very hot, set the Elder-berries, &c. in with the Bread.

To make Curran Wines, &c,§. 15. Take Twelve quarts of full ripe and clean pickt Currans, put them into a Stone Mortar, and there bruise them with a wooden Pestel, or els rub them in pieces with your hands, then put them into a well Glazed Earthen Pot, and thereunto put of boiling hot Water that hath been boiled a full hour, Twelve quarts; stir them about very well with a wooden Slice in the Wa­ter, and let them stand 24 hours to infuse, then drein them through a hair Sieve, and put the Liquor into a small Barrel well seasoned, and sweet, or into an Earthen Pot close covered, and add to each Gallon of Liquor Two pounds of bruised Loaf Sugar, and let the Liquor stand in a cool Cellar, six or seven weeks well stopt, only some­times, if in a Barrel, give it a little vent, else it will break the Vessel; Then take off the Scum or Cream that is on the top of the [Page 228]Liquor, and let the Liquor run through a fine Strayner, and Bottle it, putting into e­very Bottle a little spoonful of beaten brown Sugar Candy, and in six weeks it will be ready for drinking: Let the Bottles be strong ones, else it will break them, only you may prevent that, by opening your Bottles and let them stand a whole day uncork't, if it either cause the Corks to fly, or break any of your Bottles, or put the Corks loosly in at the first, and then knock them in close after some time.

Thus you may make excellent and deli­cate Wines of Currans, Black-berries, Rasberries, Goosberries, only let not your Goosberries be too ripe, but all the rest full ripe.

If you desire the Wine to be stronger than this, put but a Pint and half, or a Pint of boyling Water to each Quart of the Fruit, and you may make a second and smaller sort of Wine, of the Must, Murc or Pouz of your Fruit.

Another way of mak­ing the said Wines of Currans &c. but not so good as the former except for Cherrie-Wine.§. 16. For every pound of clean pick't, and ripe Fruit stampt, and the Liquor or juice prest out, take a Quart of Spring Wa­ter, and a quarter of a pound of fine White Sugar, boil the Water and Sugar, Scum it and put in the juice of your Fruit, then let it boil up again, take it off the Fire, run it through a hair Sieve, and when it's through­ly cold, put it in a stean Pot or Vessel close [Page 229]covered, and placed 15 days in a cool Cel­lar, then draw it out into Bottles, put in­to each Bottle the quantity of a Nutmeg of Loaf Sugar, it will not be fit to drink under a quarter of a years time, and will keep good a year.

Cherry Wine.According to this last direction, you may also make Cherry Wine, or to make it stronger use no more Water than juice of the Cherries. When you bottle any of these Wines you may put the Corks loose­ly in for some time before you stop them close.

Cherry Brandy.§. 17. Cherry Brandy is usually made with Black Cherries, by filling a Bottle half full of Cherries, and putting in the Brandy till the Bottle is near full; shake it somtimes, within a Month it will be ready to drink, but keep it in a cool Cellar.

Goosberry Brandy.§. 18. If you put the like quantity of Goosberries instead of Cherries, it will make the Brandy very delicious.

How to make Me­theglin or Hydromel.§. 19. Take Live Honey (which is that Honey that naturally runs from the Combs without pressure, by laying the Combs on a Sieve, and placing a Vessel under it to receive the Honey) and add what quantity of Honey you please, to clear Spring Wa­ter, (about the proportion of a Pint of Honey to a quart of Water) then boil [Page 230]this Liquor in a Brass, or rather Copper Vessel, for about an hour or more, then let it cool, the next morning you may Bar­rel it up, adding to the proportion of 15 Gallons, an Ounce of Ginger, half an Ounce of Cynnamon, of Cloves and Mace of each an Ounce, all grosly beaten, for if you beat them fine, they will always float in your Metheg­lin, and make it foul, and if you put them in whilst it is hot, the Spices will lose their Spirits: You may also, if you please, add a spoonful of Yest, or Ale Barm, at the Bung-hole to encrease it's Fermen­tation, but let it not stand too cold at the first, that being a principal impediment to it's Fermentation; As soon as it hath done working, stop it close, and let it stand for a Month; then draw it into Bottles, which set it in a cool Cellar, or Refrigeratory of Spring Water, and it will become a most pleasant Vinous Drink, dayly losing it's luscious tast; and the longer it is kept the better it will be.

You may make it more or less strong as you please, by adding of more Honey, or more Water.

By long Boyling it is made more plea­sant, and more durable.

All Green Herbs are apt to make Me­theglin flat or dead, therefore use your Herbs after they are well dryed in the shade: Cloves are apt to make it high co­loured; and the Scumming of it in the boil­ing [Page 231]is not advantagious but injurious to it, because the Scum being of the nature of Yest or Barm, helps to ferment and purify.

How to make small Meath.§. 20. Take 24 Quarts of clear Spring Water, that hath been boyled with Li­quorish, Rosemary, Bays, Fennel and Pursly Roots, of each half a handful, till it tast strong of them, which will be in half an hours boyling; put the Water through a Sieve, and add full eight Pints of Honey to it; When it is dissolved set it over the Fire in a Brass, or rather Copper Pan; let it boyl a quarter of an hour after it would boyl all over, in which time continue to Scum it clean; put it then into Earthen Pans, and when it is cold as Wort is when it is put together, pour off the clear into a Pale, and put to it about one Pint and half of Ale Barm, or Yest, which must be pour­ed in by degrees as it works; when it hath stood all together a day and a night, Tun it up together in an Earthen Pot that hath a Spigot, and hang in it a bag with Nut­meg, Ginger, and Cinnamon, quartered or sliced; if the weather be cold, cover it; it must stand till the Barm begins to shrink from the sides, which will be in eight or ten days; then Bottle it, and let it stand all night, with Corks put loosly in; the next day give them Air, and knock them down; if the Weather be hot, put them in the Cel­lar, [Page 232]otherwise in some warmer place to ri­pen, it will be ready to drink in a Month.

You may this way make Metheglin by adding a grater quantity of Honey; and the same is highly commended.

Of Birch Wine.§. 21. You may easily extract great quan­tities of the juice of the Birch-tree by cut­ting off the ends of the Boughs of the Tree, and hanging Bottles thereon, leaving the ends of the Boughs fit to go into the Bot­tles mouths, and the Liquor will therein distil. Or with more ease cut a Swan or Goose quill at one end, in the shape of an Apple scoop or Apple Scraper, and with a Gymblet make a hole in the body of the Birch-tree, and put in this Quill with the mouth upwards, and set a Pot under the other end of the Quill, and great quantities of the juice or Liquor will fall thorough the Quill into the Pot; but that Liquor which comes from the Branches, being better and longer digested, is better than that which comes from the Trunk of the Tree. And this is only to be done from the end of February, to the end of March, of this Liquor or juice of the Birch is made a very wholsome and medicinable Wine in this manner, viz.

To every Gallon of the Liquor add a pound of refined Sugar, and boil it about a quarter or half an hour, then set it to cool, and add a very little Yeast to it, and [Page 233]it will Ferment and thereby purge it self from that little dross, the Liquor and Su­gar can yield; then put it in a Barrel, and add thereto a small proportion of Cyn­namon and Mace bruised, about half an Ounce of both to ten Gallons; then stop it very close, and about a Month after Bot­tle it, and in a few days you'l have a most delicate Wine of a Flavour like unto Rhe­nish: It's Spirits are so Volatile that they are apt to break the Bottles, unless placed in a Refrigeratory, and when poured out, it gives a White head in the Glass. This Liquor is not of long duration unless pre­served very cool. Instead of every pound of Sugar, if you add a quart of Live Ho­ney and boil it as before, and adding Spice, and Fermenting it as you should do Me­theglin, it makes an admired Drink, both pleasant and medicinable.

Ale Brewed of the juice or Sap of the Birch-tree is esteemed very wholesome.

Birch Wine, as also Birch Ale, are ex­cellent remedies against the Stone; Van Hel­mont being the first that discoved it's ver­tue, mightily commends it.

If when you make your Metheglin you use the juice of the Birch instead of Water, and when Barrell'd, you for every Gallon of the Liquor hang four Ounces of Daucus Seed, something bruised in a bag in the Li­quor, [Page 234]it's said to be very good for the Stone.

Profits of Planting.§. 22. The advantage in Planting Trees may thus easily be computed, viz. An Acre of Ground (accounting eight yards to the Pole or Perch) will take about 160 Trees, which may be set at distance enough; which Trees if bought, and not raised by your self, may be had for about six pounds, when set and staked; the yearly prosit of the herbage or Tillage of this Acre of Ground for the first seven year [...] after Planting, may well be employed in digging about the Roots of the Trees, carrying off conveni­ent and proper Soil, or Compost for them, mantaining the Fences, paying duties, &c. At the seven year [...] end, these 160 Trees, one Tree with another, will yield a Bushel (accounting 32 Quarts to the Bushel) of Apples [...] Tree, altho some of them may have perished, and others as yet but young raised in their places, yet may some of these Trees at seven years growth, bear two or three Bushels, and some a Bushel and an half, which may in the whole a­mount to one hundred and sixty Bushels, which at six pence per Bushel is four Pound; the Herbage then will be worth at least thirty Shillings per Annum, altho the Ground were worth less before it was Planted; the eighth or ninth year your Trees may one with another, and one year with another [Page 235]yield you at least two or three Bushels on a Tree, and sometimes more, which at so low a rate, your six Pound first expended, and the forbearance of the profit of your Land, and interest of your Money for se­ven years, will bring you at least eight Pounds per Annum, the Herbage being still allowed, for the maintenance of your Plan­tation; but if a good Fruit year happen, and your 160 Trees yield you six or seven hundred Bushels, and those worth twelve pence, or eight pence the Bushel, it will in one year more then retaliate all your past labour, charge and loss, and your self will be furnished with an excellent Orchard, very serviceable to your Family both in baking, and making strong, and small Cyder for your Table, and thereby sav­ing great quantities of Malt.

A Bushel and half, or 48 Quarts of Ap­ples will make 18, 20, 22, or somtimes 24. Quarts of Cyder, according to the good­ness of your Fruit for that purpose, and there will also be so much Cyderkin made of the Pouz, or Murc, as will be better worth than the charge of Grinding and Pressing, &c. Twenty Bushels commonly make a Hogshead of Cyder.

They that are desirous to understand the ordering of a Garden, either for the Kit­chin, or Flowers, let them peruse a Book call'd, The English Gardiner, writ by Leo­nard [Page 236]Meagar, and therein they'l find both ample and true instructions.

Altho there is no Liquor, Drink, or Diet alike pleasant to all; some preferring Dull Coffee before any other, some stale Beer, others fat Ale, or Mum; one Claret, another Sack; yet our English know no other Drink so generally palatable as Cyder, because it may be made suit with any humourous Drinker. It's made Luscious by the ad­dition of a good quantity of sweet Apples at the Grinding; pleasant, being made with Pippins or Genent-Moyls; Racy, Poig­nant, Oyly, Spicy, and Rich, with the Red­streak, and several other sorts of Fruits, even as the Operator pleases. And it satis­fies thirst, if not too stale, more than any other usual Drink whatsoever; and in such years as Corn is dear, the best Cyder may be made at a far easier rate than ordinary Ale. The considerations whereof adds much to the exhilerating virtue of this Drink.

Next unto Cyder, Perry claims the pre­cedency, especially if made of the best juicy Pears celebrated for that purpose, as the Bosbery-Pear, Bareland-Pear, the Red and White Horse-Pear, or many sorts of wild and choak Pears, but above all the Turgovian Pear.

Wines or Drinks made of Currans, Goosberries, Rasberries, Blackberries, Cherries, or Plums, prepared and made as is before taught, may be more acceptable [Page 237]to our Palats, healthy, pleasant, and pro­fitable than those exotick Wines many are so fond of and Dote on.

And in this very year 1682, I know Wine made of the White Dutch Curran, according to the direction of the 15 Sect. of this Chap. (only there was but a Pint of Water added to each Quart of the Fruit) far superiour to the best French White Whine could be bought in our Country, if several judicious Palats were not mista­ken.

℞ Of Diapalmae, and of Deminio Com­posit. of each two Ounces, How to Li­quor Boots or Shoos to walk in the Fields and Orchards to keep out wet. and of Hogs­grease rendred (no Salt being in it) half a Pound, melt them together, keeping continual stirring, and Liquor the Leather and Soles therewith, before the Boots or Shoos are shaped out, and afterwards when occasion is, the Liquor must be warm when used.

CHAP. XXX. Brief Monthly Memorials for the Planter.