Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

_Pumpions_: Set seedes with your finger, a finger deepe, late in _March_, and so soone as they appeare, euery night if you doubt frost, couer them, and water them continually out of a water-pot: they be very tender, their fruit is great and waterish.

_French poppy_ beareth a faire flower, and the Seed will make you sleepe.

_Raddish_ is sauce for cloyed stomacks, as Capers, Oliues, and Cucumbers, cast the seeds all Summer long here and there, and you shall haue them alwaies young and fresh.

_Rosemary_, the grace of hearbs here in _England_, in other Countries common. To set slips immediately after _Lammas_, is the surest way. Seede sowne may proue well, so they be sowne in hot weather, somewhat moist, and good earth: for the hearbe, though great, is nesh and tender (as I take it) brought from hot Countries to vs in the cold North: set thinne. It becomes a Window well. The vse is much in meates, more in Physicke, most for Bees.

_Rue, or Hearbe of Grace_, continually greene, the slips are set. It lasts long as Rosemary, Sothernwood, &c. too strong for mine Housewifes pot, vnlesse she will brue Ale therewith, against the Plague: let him not seede, if you will haue him last.

_Saffron_ euery third yeere his roots would be remoued at _Midsummer_: for when all other hearbs grow most, it dyeth. It flowreth at _Michael-tide_, and groweth all Winter: keepe his flowers from birds in the morning, & gather the yellow (or they shape much like Lillies) dry, and after dry them: they be precious, expelling diseases from the heart and stomacke.

_Sauery_ seeds and dyes the first yeere, good for my Housewifes pot and pye.

_Sage_: set slips in _May_, and they grow aye: Let it not seed it will last the longer. The vse is much and common. The Monkish Prouerbe is _tritum_:

_Cur moritur homo, cum saluia crescit in horto?_

_Skerots_, roots are set when they be parted, as _Pyonie_, and Flower-deluce at _Michael-tide_: the roote is but small and very sweet. I know none other speciall vse but the Table.

Sweet _Sicily_, long lasting, pleasantly tasting, either the seed sowne, or the root parted, and remoued, makes increase, it is of like vse with Parsly.

_Strawberries_ long lasting, set roots at _Michael-tide_ or the Spring, they be red, white and greene, and ripe, when they be great and soft, some by _Midsummer_ with vs. The vse is: they will coole my Housewife well, if they be put in Wine or Creame with Sugar.

_Time_, both seeds, slips and rootes are good. If it seed not, it will last three or foure yeeres or more, it smelleth comfortably. It hath much vse: namely, in all cold meats, it is good for Bees.

_Turnep_ is sowne. In the second yeere they beare plenty of seed: they require the same time of sowing that Carrets doe: they are sicke of the same disease that Cabbages be. The roots increaseth much, it is most wholesome, if it be sowne in a good and well tempered earth: Soueraigne for eyes and Bees.

I reckon these hearbs onely, because I teach my Countrey Housewife, not skilfull Artists, and it should be an endlesse labour, and would make the matter tedious to reckon vp _Landtheefe_, _Stocke-Iuly-flowers_, _Charuall_, _Valerian_, _Go-to bed at noone_, _Piony_, _Licoras_, _Tansie_, _Garden mints_, _Germander_, _Centaurie_, and a thousand such physicke Hearbs. Let her first grow cunning in this, and then she may enlarge her Garden as her skill and ability increaseth. And to helpe her the more, I haue set her downe these obseruations.

CHAP. 9.

_Generall Rules in Gardening._

In the South parts Gardening may be more timely, and more safely done, then with vs in _Yorkeshire_, because our ayre is not so fauourable, nor our ground so good.

2 Secondly most seeds shakt, by turning the good earth, are renued, their mother the earth keeping them in her bowels, till the Sunne their Father can reach them with his heat.

3 In setting hearbs, leaue no top more then an handfull aboue the ground, nor more then a foot vnder the earth.

4 Twine the roots of those slips you set, if they will abide it. Gilly-flowers are too tender.

5 Set moist, and sowe dry.

6 Set slips without shankes any time, except at _Midsummer_, and in frosts.

7 Seeding spoiles the most roots, as drawing the heart and sap from the root.

8 Gather for the pot and medicines, hearbs tender and greene, the sap being in the top, but in Winter the root is best.

9 All the hearbs in the Garden for flowers, would once in seuen yeeres be renued, or soundly watered with puddle water, except Rosemary.

10 In all your Gardens and Orchards, bankes and seates of Camomile, Peny-royall, Daisies and Violets, are seemely and comfortable.

11 These require whole plots: Artichokes, Cabbages, Turneps, Parsneps, Onyons, Carrets, and (if you will) Saffron and Scerrits.

12 Gather all your seeds, dead, ripe, and dry.

13 Lay no dung to the roots of your hearbs, as vsually they doe: for dung not melted is too hot, euen for trees.

14 Thin setting and sewing (so the rootes stand not past a foot distance) is profitable, for the hearbs will like the better. Greater hearbs would haue more distance.

15 Set and sow hearbs in their time of growth (except at _Midsummer_, for then they are too too tender) but trees in their time of rest.

16 A good Housewife may, and will gather store of hearbs for the pot, about _Lammas_, and dry them, and pownd them, and in Winter they will make good seruice.

Thus haue I lined out a Garden to our Countrey Housewiues, and giuen them rules for common hearbs. If any of them (as sometimes they are) be knotty, I referre them to Chap. 3. The skill and paines of weeding the Garden with weeding kniues or fingers, I refer to themselues, and their maides, willing them to take the opportunitie after a showre of raine: withall I aduise the Mistresse, either be present her selfe, or to teach her maides to know hearbs from weeds.

CHAP. 10.

_The Husbandry of Bees._

There remaineth one necessary thing to be prescribed, which in mine opinion makes as much for ornament as either Flowers, or forme, or cleanlinesse, and I am sure as commodious as any of, or all the rest: which is Bees, well ordered. And I will not account her any of my good House-wiues, that wanteth either Bees or skilfulnesse about them. And though I knowe some haue written well and truely, and others more plentifully vpon this theame: yet somewhat haue I learned by experience (being a Bee-maister my selfe) which hitherto I cannot finde put into writing, for which I thinke our House-wiues will count themselues beholding vnto me.

{SN: Bee-house.} The first thing that a Gardiner about Bees must be carefull for, is an house not stakes and stones abroad, _Sub dio_: for stakes rot and reele, raine and weather eate your hiues, and couers, and cold most of all is hurtfull for your Bees. Therefore you must haue an house made along, a sure dry wall in your Garden, neere, or in your Orchard: for Bees loue flowers and wood with their hearts.

This is the forme, a Frame standing on posts with a Floore (if you would haue it hold more Hiues, two Floores boorded) layd on bearers, and backe posts, couered ouer with boords, slate-wise.

IC

Let the floores be without holes or clifts, least in casting time, the Bees lye out, and loyter.

And though your Hiues stand within an hand breadth the one of another: yet will Bees know their home.

In this Frame may your Bees stand drye and warme, especially if you make doores like doores of windows to shroud them in winter, as in an house: prouided you leaue the hiues mouths open. I my self haue deuised such an house, and I find that it keeps and strengthens my Bees much, and my hiues will last sixe to one.

{SN: Hiues.} M. _Markham_ commends Hiues of wood. I discommend them not: but straw Hiues are in vse with vs, and I thinke with all the world, which I commend for nimblenesse, closenesse, warmnesse and drinesse. Bees loue no externall motions of dawbing or such like. Sometimes occasion shall be offered to lift and turne Hiues, as shall appeare hereafter. One light entire hiue of straw in that case is better, then one that is dawbed, weighty and cumbersome. I wish euery hiue, for a keeping swarme, to hold three pecks at least in measure. For too little Hiues procure Bees, in casting time, either to lye out, and loyter, or else to cast before they be ripe and strong, and so make weake swarmes and vntimely: Whereas if they haue roome sufficient, they ripen timely, and casting seasonably, are strong, and fit for labour presently. Neither would the hiue be too too great, for then they loyter, and waste meate and time.

{SN: Hiuing of Bees.} Your Bees delight in wood, for feeding, especially for casting: therefore want not an Orchard. A _Mayes_ swarme is worth a Mares Foale: if they want wood, they be in danger of flying away. Any time before _Midsummer_ is good, for casting and timely before _Iuly_ is not euill. I much like M _Markhams_ opinion for hiuing a swarme in combes of a dead or forsaken hiue, so they be fresh & cleanly. To thinke that a swarme of your owne, or others, will of it selfe come into such an hiue, is a meere conceit. _Experto crede Roberto._ His smearing with honey, is to no purpose, for the other Bees will eate it vp. If your swarme knit in the top of a tree, as they will, if the winde beate them not to fall downe: let the stoole or ladder described in the Orchard, doe you seruice.

{SN: Spelkes.} The lesse your Spelkes are, the lesse is the waste of your honey, and the more easily will they draw, when you take your Bees. Foure Spelkes athwart, and one top Spelke are sufficient. The Bees will fasten their combes to the Hiue. A little honey is good: but if you want, Fennell will serue to rub your Hiue withall. The Hiue being drest and ready spelkt, rubd and the hole made for their passage (I vse no hole in the Hiue, but a piece of wood hoal'd to saue the hiue & keep out Mice) shake in your Bees, or the most of them (for all commonly you cannot get) the remainder will follow. Many vse smoke, Nettles, &c. which I vtterly dislike: for Bees loue not to be molested. Ringing in the time of casting is a meere fancie, violent handling of them is simply euill, because Bees of all other creatures, loue cleanlinesse and peace. Therefore handle them leasurely & quietly, and their Keeper whom they know, may do with them, what he will, without hurt: Being hiued at night, bring them to their seat. Set your hiues all of one yeere together.

Signes of breeding, if they be strong:

1 They will auoid dead young Bees and Droanes.

2 They will sweat in the morning, till it runne from them; alwaies when they be strong.

_Signes of casting._

1 They will fly Droanes, by reason of heat.

2 The young swarme will once or twice in some faire season, come forth mustering, as though they would cast, to proue themselues, and goe in againe.

3 The night before they cast, if you lay your eare to the Hiues mouth, yo shall heare two or three, but especially one aboue the rest, cry, Vp, vp, vp; or, Tout, tout, tout, like a trumpet, sounding the alarum to the battell.

{SN: Catching.} {SN: Clustering.} Much descanting there is, of, and about the Master-Bee, and their degrees, order and gouernment: but the truth in this point is rather imagined, then demonstrated. There are some coniectures of it, _viz._ we see in the combs diuers greater houses then the rest, & we heare commonly the night before they cast, sometimes one Bee, sometimes two, or more Bees, giue a lowd and seueral sound from the rest, and sometimes Bees of greater bodies then the common sort: but what of all this? I leane not on coniectures, but loue to set downe that I know to be true, and leaue these things to them that loue to diuine. Keepe none weake, for it is hazard, oftentimes with losse: Feeding will not helpe them: for being weake, they cannot come downe to meate, or if they come downe, they dye, because Bees weake cannot abide cold. If none of these, yet will the other Bees being strong, smell the honey, and come and spoile, and kill them. Some helpe is in casting time, to put two weake swarmes together, or as M. _Markham_ well saith: Let not them cast late, by raising them with wood or stone: but with impes (say I.) An impe is three or foure wreathes, wrought as the hiue, the same compasse, to rase the hiue withall: but by experience in tryall, I haue found out a better way by Clustering, for late or weake swarmes hitherto not found out of any that I know. That is this: After casting time, if I haue any stocke proud, and hindered from timely casting, with former Winters pouerty, or euill weather in casting time, with two handles and crookes, fitted for the purpose, I turne vp that stocke so pestred with Bees, and set it on the crowne, vpon which so turned with the mouth vpward, I place another empty hiue well drest, and spelkt, into which without any labour, the Swarme that would not depart, and cast, will presently ascend, because the old Bees haue this qualitie (as all other breeding creatures haue) to expell the young, when they haue brought them vp.

IC

There will the swarme build as kindely, as if they had of themselues beene cast. But bee sure you lay betwixt the Hiues some straight and cleanly sticke or stickes, or rather a boord with holes, to keepe them asunder: otherwise they will ioyne their workes together so fast, that they cannot be parted. If you so keepe them asunder at _Michael-tide_, if you like the weight of your swarme (for the goodnesse of swarmes is tryed by weight) so catched, you may set it by for a stocke to keepe. Take heed in any case the combes be not broken, for then the other Bees will smell the honey, and spoyle them. This haue I tryed to be very profitable for the sauing of Bees. The Instrument hath this forme. The great straight piece is wood, the rest are iron claspes and nailes, the claspes are loose in the Stapes: Two men with two of these fastened to the Hiue, will easily turne it vp.

They gather not till _Iuly_; for then they be discharged of their young, or else they are become now strong to labour, and now sap in flowers is strong and proud: by reason of time, and force of Sunne. And now also in the North (and not before) the hearbs of greatest vigour put their Flowers; As Beanes, Fennell, Burrage, Rape, &c.

The most sensible weather for them, is heat and drought, because the nesh Bee can neither abide cold or wet: and showres (which they well fore-see) doe interrupt their labours, vnlesse they fall on the night, and so they further them.

{SN: Droanes.} After casting time, you shall benefit your stockes much, if you helpe them to kill their Droanes, which by all probability and iudgement, are an idle kind of Bees, and wastefull. Some say they breed and haue seene young Droanes in taking their honey, which I know is true. But I am of opinion, that there are also Bees which haue lost their stings, and so being, as it were gelded, become idle and great. There is great vse of them: _Deus, et natura nihil fecit frustra_. They hate the Bees, and cause them cast the sooner. They neuer come foorth but when they be ouer heated. They neuer come home loaden. After casting time, and when the Bees want meate, you shall see the labouring Bees fasten on them, two, three, or foure at once, as if they were theeues to be led to the gallowes, and killing them, they cast out, and draw them farre from home, as hatefull enemies. Our Housewife, if she be the Keeper of her owne Bees (as she had need to be) may with her bare hand in the heate of the day, safely destroy them in the hiues mouth. Some vse towards night, in a hot day, to set before the mouth of the hiue a thin board, with little holes, in at which the lesser Bees may enter, but not the Droanes, so that you may kill them at your pleasure.

{SN: Annoyances.} Snayles spoile them by night like theeues: they come so quietly, and are so fast, that the Bees feare them not. Looke earely and late, especially in a rainie or dewey euening or morning.

Mice are no lesse hurtfull, and the rather to hiues of straw: and therefore couerings of straw draw them. They will in either at the mouth, or sheere themselues an hole. The remedy is good Cats, Rats-bane and watching.

The cleanly Bee hateth the smoake as poison, therefore let your Bees stand neerer your garden then your Brew-house or Kitchen.

They say Sparrowes and Swallowes are enemies to Bees, but I see it not.

More hiues perish by Winters cold, then by all other hurts: for the Bee is tender and nice, and onely liues in warme weather, and dyes in cold: And therefore let my Housewife be perswaded, that a warme dry house before described, is the chiefest helpe she can make her Bees against this, and many more mischiefes. Many vse against cold in Winter, to stop vp their hiue close, and some set them in houses, perswading themselues, that thereby they relieue their Bees. First, tossing and mouing is hurtfull. Secondly, in houses, going, knocking, and shaking is noysome. Thirdly, too much heate in an house is vnnaturall for them: but lastly, and especially, Bees cannot abide to be stopt close vp. For at euery warme season of the Sunne they reuiue, and liuing eate, and eating must needs purge abroad, (in her house) the cleanly Bee will not purge her selfe. Iudge you what it is for any liuing creature, not to disburden nature. Being shut vp in calme seasons, lay your care to the Hiue, and you shall heare them yarme and yell, as so many hungred prisoners. Therefore impound not your Bees, so profitable and free a creature.

{SN: Taking of Bees.} Let none stand aboue three yeares, else the combes will be blacke and knotty, your honey will be thinne and vncleanly: and if any cast after three yeares, it is such as haue swarmes, and old Bees kept all together, which is great losse. Smoaking with ragges, rozen, or brimstone, many vse: some vse drowning in a tub of cleane water, and the water well brewde, will be good botchet. Drawe out your spelkes immediatly with a paire of pinchars, lest the wood grow soft and swell, and so will not be drawne, then must you cut your Hiue.

{SN: Straining Honey.} Let no fire come neere your hony, for fire softeneth the waxe and drosse, and makes them runne with the hony. Fire softneth, weakeneth, and hindereth hony for purging. Breake your combes small (when the dead empty combes are parted from the loaden combes) into a siue, borne ouer a great bowle, or vessell, with two staues, and so let it runne two or three dayes. The sooner you tunne it vp, the better will it purge. Runne your swarme honey by it selfe, and that shall be your best. The elder your hiues are, the worse is your honey.

{SN: Vessels.} Vsuall vessels are of clay, but after wood be satiated with honey (for it will leake at first: for honey is maruellously searching, the thicke, and therefore vertuous.) I vse it rather because it will not breake so soone, with fals, frosts, or otherwise, and greater vessels of clay will hardly last.

When you vse your honey, with a spoone take off the skin which it hath put vp.

And it is worth the regard, that bees thus vsed, if you haue but forty stockes, shall yeeld you more commodity cleerely than forty acres of ground. And thus much may suffice, to make good Housewiues loue and haue good Gardens and Bees.

_Deo Laus._

_FINIS._

The Contents of the Countrey _House-wifes Garden._

Chap. 1. _The Soyle._ _Pag. 77_

Chap. 2. _Site._ _p. 78_

Chap. 3. _Forme._ _p. 79_

Chap. 4. _Quantity._ _p. 85_

Chap. 5. _Fences._ _p. ibid._

Chap. 6. _Two Gardens._ _p. 86_

Chap. 7. _Diuision of herbs._ _p. 88_

Chap. 8. _The Husbandry of herbes._ _p. ibid._

Chap. 9. _Generall rules._ _p. 96_

Chap. 10. _The Husbandry of Bees._ _p. 98_
_Bee-house._ _p. 98._
_Hiues._ _p. 100._
_Hiuing of Bees._ _p. ibid._
_Spelkes._ _p. 101._
_Catching._ _p. 102._
_Clustering._ _p. 103._
_Droanes._ _p. 104._
_Annoyances._ _p. 105._
_Taking of Bees._ _p. 106._
_Straining honey._ _p. ibid._
_Vessels._ _p. ibid._

A MOST PROFITABLE
NEWE TREATISE,
From approued experience of the art
_of propagating Plants: by_
Simon Harward.

CHAP. 1.

_The Art of propagating Plants._

{SN: 1.} There are foure sorts of Planting, or propagating, as in laying of shootes or little branches, whiles they are yet tender in some pit made at their foote, as shall be sayd hereafter, or vpon a little ladder or Basket of earth, tyed to the bottome of the branch, or in boaring a Willow thorow, and putting the branch of the tree into the hole, as shall be fully declared in the Chapter of Grafting.

{SN: 2.} There are likewise seasons to propagate in; but the best is in the Spring, and _March_, when the trees are in the Flower, and doe begin to grow lusty. The young planted Siens or little Grafts must be propagated in the beginning of Winter, a foot deepe in the earth, and good manure mingled amongst the earth, which you shall cast forth of the pit, wherein you meane to propagate it, to tumble it in vpon it againe. In like manner your superfluous Siens, or little Plants must be cut close by the earth, when as they grow about some small Impe, which we meane to propagate, for they would doe nothing but rot. For to propagate, you must digge the earth round about the tree, that so your rootes may be laid in a manner halfe bare. Afterward draw into length the pit on that side where you meane to propagate, and according as you perceiue that the roots will be best able to yeeld, and be gouerned in the same pit, to vie them, and that with all gentlenesse, and stop close your Siens, in such sort, as that the wreath which is in the place where it is grafted, may be a little lower then the Siens of the new Wood, growing out of the earth, euen so high as it possible may be. If the trees that you would propagate be somewhat thicke, and thereby the harder to ply, and somewhat stiffe to lay in the pit: then you may wet the stocke almost to the midst, betwixt the roote and the wreathing place, and so with gentle handling of it, bow downe into the pit the wood which the grafts haue put forth, and that in as round a compasse as you can, keeping you from breaking of it: afterward lay ouer the cut, with gummed Waxe, or with grauell and sand.

CHAP. 2.

_Grafting in the Barke._

Grafting in the Barke, is vsed from mid-_August_, to the beginning of Winter, and also when the Westerne winde beginneth to blow, being from the 7. of _February_, vnto 11. of _Iune_. But there must care be had, not to graffe in the barke in any rainy season, because it would wash away the matter of ioyning the one and the other together, and so hinder it.

{SN: 3.} Grafting in the budde, is vsed in the Summer time, from the end of _May_, vntill _August_, as being the time when the trees are strong and lusty, and full of sap and leaues. To wit, in a hot Countrey, from the midst of _Iune_, vnto the midst of _Iuly_: but cold Countries, to the midst of _August_, after some small showres of Raine.

If the Summer be so exceeding dry, as that some trees doe withhold their sap, you must waite the time till it doe returne.

Graft from the full of the Moone, vntill the end of the old.

You may graft in a Cleft, without hauing regard to the Raine, for the sap will keepe it off.

You may graft from mid-_August_, to the beginning of _Nouember_: Cowes dung with straw doth mightily preserue the graft.

It is better to graft in the euening, then the morning.

The furniture and tooles of a Grafter, are a Basket to lay his Grafts in, Clay, Grauell, Sand, or strong Earth, to draw ouer the plants clouen: Mosse, Woollen clothes, barkes of Willow to ioyne to the late things and earth before spoken, and to keepe them fast: Oziers to tye againe vpon the barke, to keepe them firme and fast: gummed Wax, to dresse and couer the ends and tops of the grafts newly cut, that so the raine and cold may not hurt them, neither yet the sap rising from belowe, be constrained to returne againe vnto the shootes. A little Sawe or hand Sawe, to sawe off the stocke of the plants, a little Knife or Pen-knife to graffe, and to cut and sharpen the grafts, that so the barke may not pill nor be broken; which often commeth to passe when the graft is full of sap. You shall cut the graffe so long, as that it may fill the cliffe of the plant, and therewithall it must be left thicker on the barke-side, that so it may fill vp both the cliffe and other incisions, as any need is to be made, which must be alwaies well ground, well burnished without all rust. Two wedges, the one broad for thicke trees, the other narrow for lesse and tender trees, both of them of box, or some other hard and smooth wood, or steele, or of very hard iron, that so they may need lesse labour in making them sharpe.

A little hand-Bill to set the plants at more liberty, by cutting off superfluous boughs, helu'd of Iuory, Box, or Brazell.

CHAP. 3.

_Grafting in the cleft._

The manner of grafting in a cleft, to wit, the stocke being clou'd, is proper not onely to trees, which are as great as a mans legs or armes, but also to greater. It is true that in as much as the trees cannot easily be clouen in their stocke, that therefore it is expedient to make incision in some one of their branches, and not in the maine body, as we see to be practised in great Apple trees, and great Peare-trees, and as we haue already declared heretofore.

To graft in the cleft, you must make choise of a graft that is full of sap and iuyce, but it must not bee, but till from after _Ianuary_ vntill _March_: And you must not thus graft in any tree that is already budded, because a great part of the iuyce and sap would be already mounted vp on high, and risen to the top, and there dispersed and scattered hither and thither, into euery sprigge and twigge, and vse nothing welcome to the graft.

You must likewise be resolued not to gather your graft the day you graft in, but ten or twelue dayes before: for otherwise, if you graft it new gathered, it will not be able easily to incorporate itselfe with the body and stocke, where it shall be grafted; because that some part of it will dry, and by this meanes will be a hinderance in the stocke to the rising vp of the sap, which it should communerate vnto the graft, for the making of it to put forth, and whereas this dried part will fall a crumbling, and breaking thorow his rottennesse, it will cause to remaine a concauity, or hollow place in the stock, which will be an occasion of a like inconuenience to befall the graft. Moreouer, the graft being new and tender, might easily be hurt of the bands, which are of necessity to be tyed about the Stocke, to keepe the graft firme and fast. And you must further see, that your Plant was not of late remoued, but that it haue already fully taken root.

When you are minded to graft many grafts into one cleft, you must see that they be cut in the end all alike.

{SN: 7.} See that the grafts be of one length, or not much differing, and it is enough, that they haue three or foure eylets without the wrench when the Plant is once sawed, and lopped of all his small Siens and shootes round about, as also implyed of all his branches, if it haue many: then you must leaue but two at the most, before you come to the cleauing of it: then put to your little Saw, or your knife, or other edged toole that is very sharpe, cleaue it quite thorow the middest, in gentle and soft sort: First, tying the Stocke very sure, that so it may not cleaue further then is need: and then put to your Wedges into the cleft vntill such time as you haue set in your grafts, and in cleauing of it, hold the knife with the one hand, and the tree with the other, to helpe to keepe it from cleauing too farre. Afterwards put in your wedge of Boxe or Brazill, or bone at the small end, that so you may the better take it out againe, when you haue set in your grafts.

{SN: 8.} If the Stocke be clouen, or the Barke loosed too much from the wood: then cleaue it downe lower, and set your grafts in, and looke that their incision bee fit, and very iustly answerable to the cleft, and that the two saps, first, of the Plant and graft, be right and euen set one against the other, and so handsomely fitted, as that there may not be the least appearance of any cut or cleft. For if they doe not thus lumpe one with another, they will neuer take one with another, because they cannot worke their seeming matter, and as it were cartilaguous glue in conuenient sort or manner, to the gluing of their ioynts together. You must likewise beware, not to make your cleft ouerthwart the pitch, but somewhat aside.

The barke of your Plant being thicker then that of your Graft, you must set the graft so much the more outwardly in the cleft, that so the two saps may in any case be ioyned, and set right the one with the other but the rinde of the Plant must be somewhat more out, then that of the grafts on the clouen side.

{SN: 9.} {SN: 10.} To the end that you may not faile of this worke of imping, you must principally take heed, not to ouer-cleaue the Stockes of your Trees. But before you widen the cleft of your wedges, binde, and goe about the Stocke with two or three turnes, and that with an Ozier, close drawne together, vnderneath the same place, where you would haue your cleft to end, that so your Stocke cleaue not too farre, which is a very vsuall cause of the miscarrying of grafts, in asmuch as hereby the cleft standeth so wide and open, as that it cannot be shut, and so not grow together againe; but in the meane time spendeth it selfe, and breatheth out all his life in that place, which is the cause that the Stocke and the Graft are both spilt. And this falleth out most often in Plum-trees, & branches of trees. You must be careful so to ioyne the rinds of your grafts, and Plants, that nothing may continue open, to the end that the wind, moisture of the clay or raine, running vpon the grafted place, do not get in: when the plant cloueth very straight, there is not any danger nor hardnesse in sloping downe the Graft. If you leaue it somewhat vneuen, or rough in some places, so that the saps both of the one and of the other may the better grow, and be glued together, when your grafts are once well ioyned to your Plants, draw out your wedges very softly, lest you displace them againe, you may leaue there within the cleft some small end of a wedge of greene wood, cutting it very close with the head of the Stocke: Some cast glue into the cleft, some Sugar, and some gummed Waxe.

{SN: 11.} If the Stocke of the Plant whereupon you intend to graft, be not so thicke as your graft, you shall graft it after the fashion of a Goates foot, make a cleft in the Stocke of the Plant, not direct, but byas, & that smooth and euen, not rough: then apply and make fast thereto, the graft withall his Barke on, and answering to the barke of the Plant. This being done, couer the place with the fat earth and mosse of the Woods tyed together with a strong band: sticke a pole of Wood by it, to keepe it stedfast.

CHAP. 4.

_Grafting like a Scutcheon._

In grafting after the manner of a Scutcheon, you shall not vary nor differ much from that of the Flute or Pipe, saue only that the Scutcheon-like graft, hauing one eyelet, as the other hath yet the wood of the tree whereupon the Scutcheon-like graft is grafted, hath not any knob, or budde, as the wood whereupon the graft is grafted, after the manner of a pipe.

{SN: 12.} In Summer when the trees are well replenished with sap, and that their new Siens begin to grow somewhat hard, you shall take a shoote at the end of the chiefe branches of some noble and reclaimed tree, whereof you would faine haue some fruit, and not many of his old store or wood, and from thence raise a good eylet, the tayle and all thereof to make your graft. But when you choose, take the thickest, and grossest, diuide the tayle in the middest, before you doe any thing else, casting away the leafe (if it be not a Peare plum-tree: for that would haue two or three leaues) without remouing any more of the said tayle: afterward with the point of a sharpe knife, cut off the Barke of the said shoote, the patterne of a shield, of the length of a nayle.

{SN: 13.} In which there is onely one eylet higher then the middest together, with the residue of the tayle which you left behinde: and for the lifting vp of the said graft in Scutcheon, after that you haue cut the barke of the shoote round about, without cutting of the wood within, you must take it gently with your thumbe, and in putting it away you must presse vpon the wood from which you pull it, that so you may bring the bud and all away together with the Scutcheon: for if you leaue it behinde with the wood, then were the Scutcheon nothing worth. You shall finde out if the Scutcheon be nothing worth, if looking within when it is pulled away from the wood of the same sute, you finde it to haue a hole within, but more manifestly, if the bud doe stay behind in the VVood, which ought to haue beene in the Scutcheon.

{SN: 14.} Thus your Scutcheon being well raised and taken off, hold it a little by the tayle betwixt your lips, without wetting of it, euen vntill you haue cut the Barke of the tree where you would graft it, and looke that it be cut without any wounding of the wood within, after the manner of a crutch, but somewhat longer then the Scutcheon that you haue to set in it, and in no place cutting the wood within; after you haue made incision, you must open it, and make it gape wide on both sides, but in all manner of gentle handling, and that with little Sizers of bone, and separating the wood and the barke a little within, euen so much as your Scutcheon is in length and breadth: you must take heed that in doing hereof, you do not hurt the bark.

{SN: 15.} {SN: 17.} This done take your Scutcheon by the end, and your tayle which you haue left remaining, and put into your incision made in your tree, lifting vp softly your two sides of the incision with your said Sizers of bone, and cause the said Scutcheon to ioyne, and lye as close as may be, with the wood of the tree, being cut, as aforesaid, in waying a little vpon the end of your rinde: so cut and let the vpper part of your Scutcheon lye close vnto the vpper end of your incision, or barke of your said tree: afterward binde your Scutcheon about with a band of Hempe, as thicke as a pen or a quill, more or lesse, according as your tree is small or great, taking the same Hempe in the middest, to the end that either part of it may performe a like seruice; and wreathing and binding of the said Scutcheon into the incision of a tree, and it must not be tyed too strait, for that would keepe it from taking the ioyning of the one sap to the other, being hindred thereby, and neither the Scutcheon, nor yet the Hempe must be moist or wet: and the more iustly to binde them together, begin at the backe side of the Tree, right ouer against the middest of the incision, and from thence come forward to ioyne them before, aboue the eylet and tayle of the Scutcheon, crossing your band of Hempe, so oft as the two ends meet, and from thence returning backe againe, come about and tye it likewise vnderneath the eylets: and thus cast about your band still backward and forward, vntill the whole cleft of the incision be couered aboue and below with the said Hempe, the eylet onely excepted, and his tayle which must not be couered at all; his tayle will fall away one part after another, and that shortly after the ingrafting, if so be the Scutcheon will take. Leaue your trees and Scutcheons thus bound, for the space of one moneth, and the thicker, a great deale longer time. Afterward looke them ouer, and if you perceiue them to grow together, vntye them, or at the leastwise cut the Hempe behinde them, and leaue them vncouered. Cut also your branch two or three fingers aboue that, so the impe may prosper the better: and thus let them remaine till after Winter, about the moneth of _March_, and _Aprill_.

{SN: 18.} If you perceiue that your budde of your Scutcheon doe swell and come forward: then cut off the tree three fingers or thereabouts, aboue the Scutcheon: for if it be cut off too neere the Scutcheon, at such time as it putteth forth his first blossome, it would be a meanes greatly to hinder the flowring of it, and cause also that it should not thriue and prosper so well after that one yeere is past, and that the shoote beginneth to be strong: beginning to put forth the second bud and blossome, you must goe forward to cut off in byas-wise the three fingers in the top of the tree, which you left there, when you cut it in the yeere going before, as hath beene said.

{SN: 19.} {SN: 20.} {SN: 21.} When your shoote shall haue put foorth a great deale of length, you must sticke down there, euen hard ioyned thereunto, little stakes, tying them together very gently and easily; and these shall stay your shootes and prop them vp, letting the winde from doing any harme vnto them. Thus you may graft white Roses in red, and red in white. Thus you may graft two or three Scutcheons: prouided that they be all of one side: for they will not be set equally together in height because then they would bee all staruelings, neither would they be directly one ouer another; for the lower would stay the rising vp of the sap of the tree, and so those aboue should consume in penury, and vndergoe the aforesaid inconuenience. You must note, that the Scutcheon which is gathered from the Sien of a tree whose fruite is sowre, must be cut in square forme, and not in the plaine fashion of a Scutcheon. It is ordinary to graffe the sweet Quince tree, bastard Peach-tree, Apricock-tree, Iuiube-tree, sowre Cherry tree, sweet Cherry-tree, and Chestnut tree, after this fashion, howbeit they might be grafted in the cleft more easily, and more profitably; although diuers be of contrary opinion, as thus best: Take the grafts of sweet Quince tree, and bastard Peach-tree, or the fairest wood, and best fed that you can finde, growing vpon the wood of two yeeres old, because the wood is not so firme nor solid as the others, and you shall graffe them vpon small Plum-tree stocks, being of the thicknes of ones thumbe; these you shall cut after the fashion of a Goats foot: you shall not goe about to make the cleft of any more sides then one, being about a foot high from the ground; you must open it with your small wedge: and being thus grafted, it will seeme to you that it is open but of one side; afterward you shall wrap it vp with a little Mosse, putting thereto some gummed Wax, or clay, and binde it vp with Oziers to keepe it surer, because the stocke is not strong enough it selfe to hold it, and you shall furnish it euery manner of way as others are dealt withall: this is most profitable.

_The time of grafting._

All moneths are good to graft in, (the moneth of _October_ and _Nouember_ onely excepted). But commonly, graft at that time of the Winter, when sap beginneth to arise.

In a cold Countrey graft later, and in a warme Countrey earlier.

The best time generall is from the first of _February_, vntill the first of _May_.

The grafts must alwaies be gathered, in the old of the Moone.

For grafts choose shootes of a yeere old, or at the furthermost two yeeres old.

If you must carry grafts farre, pricke them into a Turnep newly gathered, or lay earth about the ends.

If you set stones of Plummes, Almonds, Nuts, or Peaches: First let them lye a little in the Sunne, and then steepe them in Milke or Water, three or foure dayes before you put them into the earth.

Dry the kernels of Pippins, and sow them in the end of _Nouember_.

The stone of a Plum-tree must be set a foot deepe in _Nouember_, or _February_.

The Date-stone must be set the great end downwards, two cubits deepe in the earth, in a place enriched with dung.

The Peach-stone would be set presently after the Fruit is eaten, some quantity of the flesh of the Peach remaining about the stone.

If you will haue it to be excellent, graft it afterward vpon an Almond tree.

The little Siens of Cherry-trees, grown thicke with haire, rots, and those also which doe grow vp from the rootes of the great Cherry-trees, being remoued, doe grow better and sooner then they which come of stones: but they must be remoued and planted while they are but two or three yeeres old, the branches must be lopped.

The Contents of the Art of _Propagating Plants_.

_The Art of propagating Plants._ _page 109._

_Grafting in the Barke._ _p. 111._

_Grafting in the cleft._ _p. 113._

_Grafters Tooles._

_Time of planting & seting._

_Time of grafting._

_How to cut the stumps in grafting._

_Sprouts and imps: how gathered._

_Grafting like a Scutcheon._ _p. 116._

_Inoculation in the Barke._

_Emplaister-wise grafting._

_To pricke stickes to beare the first yeere._

_To haue Cherries or Plums without stones._

_To make Quinces great._

_To set stones of Plummes._

_Dates, Nut, and Peaches._

_To make fruit smell well._

_To plant Cherry-trees._

THE HVSBAND MANS FRVITEFVLL ORCHARD.

For the true ordering of all sorts of
_Fruits in their due seasons; and how double_
increase commeth by care in gathering
_yeere after yeare: as also the best way_
of carriage by land or by water:
_With their preseruation for_
longest continuance.

{SN: Cherries.} Of all stone Fruit, Cherries are the first to be gathered: of which, though we reckon foure sorts; _English_, _Flemish_, _Gascoyne_ and _Blacke_, yet are they reduced to two, the early, and the ordinary: the earely are those whose grafts came first from _France_ and _Flanders_, and are now ripe with vs in _May_: the ordinary is our owne naturall Cherry, and is not ripe before _Iune_; they must be carefully kept from Birds, either with nets, noise, or other industry.

{SN: Gathering of Cheries.} They are not all ripe at once, nor may be gathered at once, therefore with a light Ladder, made to stand of it selfe, without hurting the boughes, mount to the tree, and with a gathering hooke, gather those which be full ripe, and put them into your Cherry-pot, or Kybzey hanging by your side, or vpon any bough you please, and be sure to breake no stalke, but that the cherry hangs by; and pull them gently, lay them downe tenderly, and handle them as little as you can.

{SN: To carry Cherries.} For the conueyance or portage of Cherries, they are best to be carried in broad Baskets like siues, with smooth yeelding bottomes, onely two broad laths going along the bottome: and if you doe transport them by ship, or boate, let not the siues be fil'd to the top, lest setting one vpon another, you bruise and hurt the Cherries: if you carry by horse-backe, then panniers well lined with Fearne, and packt full and close is the best and safest way.

{SN: Other stone-fruit.} Now for the gathering of all other stone-fruite, as Nectarines, Apricockes, Peaches, Peare-plumbes, Damsons, Bullas, and such like, although in their seuerall kinds, they seeme not to be ripe at once on one tree: yet when any is ready to drop from the tree, though the other seeme hard, yet they may also be gathered, for they haue receiued the full substance the tree can giue them; and therefore the day being faire, and the dew drawne away; set vp your Ladder, and as you gathered your Cherries, so gather them: onely in the bottomes of your large siues, where you part them, you shall lay Nettles, and likewise in the top, for that will ripen those that are most vnready.

{SN: Gathering of Peares.} In gathering of Peares are three things obserued; to gather for expence, for transportation, or to sell to the Apothecary. If for expence, and your owne vse, then gather them as soone as they change, and are as it were halfe ripe, and no more but those which are changed, letting the rest hang till they change also: for thus they will ripen kindely, and not rot so soone, as if they were full ripe at the gathering. But if your Peares be to be transported farre either by Land or Water, then pull one from the tree, and cut it in the middest, and if you finde it hollow about the choare, and the kernell a large space to lye in: although no Peare be ready to drop from the tree, yet then they may be gathered, and then laying them on a heape one vpon another, as of necessity they must be for transportation, they will ripen of themselues, and eate kindly: but gathered before, they will wither, shrinke and eate rough, losing not onely their taste, but beauty.

Now for the manner of gathering; albeit some climb into the trees by the boughes, and some by Ladder, yet both is amisse: the best way is with the Ladder before spoken of, which standeth of it selfe, with a basket and a line, which being full, you must gently let downe, and keeping the string still in your hand, being emptied, draw it vp againe, and so finish your labour, without troubling your selfe, or hurting the tree.

{SN: Gathering of Apples.} Now touching the gathering of Apples, it is to be done according to the ripening of the fruite; your Summer apples first, and the Winter after.

For Summer fruit, when it is ripe, some will drop from the tree, and birds will be picking at them: But if you cut one of the greenest, and finde it as was shew'd you before of the Peare: then you may gather them, and in the house they will come to their ripenesse and perfection. For your Winter fruit, you shall know the ripenesse by the obseruation before shewed; but it must be gathered in a faire, Sunny, and dry day, in the waine of the Moone, and no Wind in the East, also after the deaw is gone away: for the least wet or moysture will make them subiect to rot and mildew: also you must haue an apron to gather in, and to empty into the great baskets, and a hooke to draw the boughes vnto you, which you cannot reach with your hands at ease: the apron is to be an Ell euery way, loopt vp to your girdle, so as it may serue for either hand without any trouble: and when it is full, vnloose one of your loopes, and empty it gently into the great basket, for in throwing them downe roughly, their owne stalkes may pricke them; and those which are prickt, will euer rot. Againe, you must gather your fruit cleane without leaues or brunts, because the one hurts the tree, for euery brunt would be a stalke for fruit to grow vpon: the other hurts the fruit by bruising, and pricking it as it is layd together, and there is nothing sooner rotteth fruit, then the greene and withered leaues lying amongst them; neither must you gather them without any stalke at all: for such fruit will begin to rot where the stalke stood.

{SN: To vse the fallings.} For such fruit as falleth from the trees, and are not gathered, they must not be layd with the gathered fruit: and of fallings there are two sorts, one that fals through ripenesse, and they are best, and may be kept to bake or roast; the other windfals, and before they are ripe, and they must be spent as they are gathered, or else they will wither and come to nothing: and therefore it is not good by any meanes to beate downe fruit with Poales, or to carrie them in Carts loose and iogging or in sacks where they may be bruised.