Chapter XXXII: Front Matter (32)

Although I know the greater sort (I meane the Nobility and better part of the Gentrie of this Land) doe not intend to keepe a Nursery, to raise vp those trees that they meane to plant their wals or Orchards withall, but to buy them already grafted to their hands of them that make their liuing of it: yet because many Gentlemen and others are much delighted to bestowe their paines in grafting themselues, and esteeme their owne labours and handie worke farre aboue other mens: for their incouragement and satisfaction, I will here set downe some conuenient directions, to enable them to raise an Orchard of all sorts of fruits quickly, both by sowing the kernels or stones of fruit, and by making choise of the best sorts of stockes to graft on: First therefore to begin with Cherries; If you will make a Nursery, wherein you may bee stored with plenty of stockes in a little space, take what quantitie you thinke good of ordinarie wilde blacke Cherrie stones, cleansed from the berries, and sowe them, or pricke them in one by one on a peece of ground well turned vp, and large enough for the quantitie of stones you will bestowe thereon, from the midst of August vnto the end of September, which when they are two or three yeares old, according to their growth, you may remoue them, and set them anew in some orderly rowes, hauing pruned their tops and their rootes, which at the next yeares growth after the new planting in any good ground, or at the second, will be of sufficient bignesse to graft vpon in the bud what sorts of Cherries you thinke best: and it is fittest to graft them thus young, that pruning your stockes to raise them high, you may graft them at fiue or six foote high, or higher, or lower, as you shall see good, and being thus grafted in the bud, will both more speedily and safely bring forward your grafts, and with lesse danger of losing your stockes, then by grafting them in the stocke: for if the bud take not by inoculating the first yeare, yet your tree is not lost, nor put in any hazzard of losse; but may be grafted anew the yeare following, if you will, in an other place thereof, whereas if you graft in the stocke, and it doe not take, it is a great chance if the stocke dye not wholly, or at least be not so weakened both in strength and height, that it will not bee fit to bee grafted a yeare or two after. In the same manner as you doe with the blacke, you may deale with the ordinary English red Cherrie stones, or kernels, but they are not so apt to growe so straight and high, nor in so short a time as the blacke Cherrie stones are, and besides are subiect in time to bring out suckers from the rootes, to the hinderance of the stockes and grafts, or at the least to the deformitie of your Orchard, and more trouble to the Gardiner, to pull or digge them away. Plumme stones may bee ordered in this manner likewise, but you must make choise of your Plums; for although euery Plumme is not so fit for this purpose, as the white Peare Plumme, because it groweth the goalest and freest, the barke being smooth and aptest to be raised, that they may be grafted vpon; yet diuers other Plummes may be taken, if they be not at hand, or to be had, as the blacke and red Peare Plumme, the white and red Wheate Plumme, because they are nearest in goodnesse vnto it. Peach stones will be soone raised vp to graft other sorts of Peaches or Nectorins vpon, but the nature of the Peach roote being spongie, is not to abide long. As for Almonds, they will be raised from their stones to be trees of themselues; but they will hardly abide the remouing, and lesse to bee grafted vpon. Apricocke stones are the worst to deale withall of any sort of stone fruit; for although the Apricocke branches are the fittest stockes to graft Nectorins of the best sorts vpon, yet those that are raised from the kernels or stones will neuer thriue to be brought on for this purpose; but will starue and dye, or hardly grow in a long time to be a straight and fit stocke to be grafted, if it be once remoued. Your Cornellian Cherrie trees are wholly, or for the most part raised from the stones or kernels; yet I know diuers doe increase them, by laying in their lowest branches to take roote: and thus much for stone fruits. Now for Apples and Peares, to be dealt withall in the same manner as aforesaid. They vse to take the pressing of Crabs whereas Veriuyce is made, as also of Cidar and Perry where they are made, and sowing them, doe raise vp great store of stockes; for although the beating of the fruit doth spoile many kernels, yet there will bee enough left that were neuer toucht, and that will spring: the Crabbe stockes some preferre for the fittest, but I am sure, that the better Apple and Peare kernels will growe fairer, straighter, quicklier, and better to be grafted on. You must remember, that after two or three yeares you take vp these stockes, and when you haue pruned both toppe and roote, to set them againe in a thinner and fitter order, to be afterwards grafted in the bud while they are young, as I shall shew you by and by, or in the stocke if you will suffer them to growe greater. Now likewise to know which are the fittest stockes of all sorts to choose, thereon to graft euery of these sorts of fruits, is a point of some skill indeede; and therefore obserue them as I doe here set them downe: for bee you assured, that they are certaine rules, and knowne experiences, whereunto you may trust without being deceiued. Your blacke Cherrie stockes (as I said before) are the fittest and best for all sorts of Cherries long to abide and prosper, and euen May or early Cherry will abide or liue longer, being grafted thereon, either in the budde or in the stocke, then on the ordinary red Cherry stocke; but the red Cherry stocke is in a manner the onely tree that most Nursery men doe take to graft May Cherries on in the stocke (for it is but a late experience of many, to graft May Cherries in the bud) many also doe graft May Cherries on Gascoigne Cherry stockes, which doe not onely thriue well, but endure longer then vpon any ordinary Cherry stocke: For indeede the May Cherries that are grafted vpon ordinary red Cherrie stockes, will hardly hold aboue a dozen yeares bearing well, although they come forwarder at the first, that is, doe beare sooner then those that are grafted on Gascoigne or blacke Cherry stockes; but as they are earlier in bearing, so they are sooner spent, and the Gascoigne and blacked Cherry stockes that are longer in comming forward, will last twice or thrice their time; but many more grafts will misse in grafting of these, then of those red Cherry stockes, and besides, the natures of the Gascoigne and blacke Cherry stockes are to rise higher, and make a goodlier tree then the ordinary red stocke will, which for the most part spreadeth wide, but riseth not very high. The English red Cherry stocke will serue very well to graft any other sort of Cherry vpon, and is vsed in most places of this Land, and I know no other greater inconuenience in it, then that it shooteth out many suckers from the roote, which yet by looking vnto may soone bee remoued from doing any harme, and that it will not last so long as the Gascoigne or blacke Cherry stocke will. May Cherries thus grafted lowe doe most vsually serue to be planted against a wall, to bring on the fruit the earlier; yet some graft them high vpon standards, although not many, and it is, I thinke, rather curiosity (if they that doe it haue any wals) then anie other matter that causeth them thus to doe: for the fruit is naturally small, though early, and the standard Cherries are alwaies later then the wall Cherries, so that if they can spare any roome for them at their wals, they will not plant many in standards. Now concerning Plummes (as I said before) for the sowing or setting of the stones, so I say here for their choise in grafting of them, either in the budde or stocke. The white Peare Plumme stocke, and the other there mentioned, but especially the white Peare Plumme is the goodliest, freest and fittest of all the rest, as well to graft all sort of Plummes vpon, as also to graft Apricockes, which can be handsomely, and to any good purpose grafted vpon no other Plum stocke, to rise to bee worth the labour and paine. All sorts of Plums may be grafted in the stocke, and so may they also in the bud; for I know none of them that will refuse to be grafted in the bud, if a cunning hand performe it well, that is, to take off your bud cleanely and well, when you haue made choice of a fit cyon: for, as I shal shew you anon, it is no small peece of cunning to chuse your cyon that it may yeeld fit buds to graft withall, for euery plum is not of a like aptnes to yeeld them: But Apricocks cannot be grafted in the stock for any thing that euer I could heare or learne, but only in the bud, and therefore let your Plum stocke bee of a reasonable size for Apricockes especially, and not too small, that the graft ouergrow not the stocke, and that the stocke bee large enough to nourish the graft. As your Plum stockes serue to graft both Apricockes and Plummes, so doe they serue also very well to graft Peaches of all sorts; and although Peach stockes will serue to be grafted with Peaches againe, yet the Peach stocke (as I said before) will not endure so long as the Plumme stocke, and therefore serueth but for necessity if Plum stocks be not ready, or at hand, or for the present time, or that they afterwards may graft that sort of Peach on a Plumme stocke: for many might lose a good fruit, if when they meete with it, and haue not Plumme stockes ready to graft it on, they could not be assured that it would take vpon another Peach stocke or branch, or on the branch of an Apricocke eyther. Plumme stockes will serue likewise very well for some sorts of Nectorins; I say, for some sorts, and not for all: the greene and the yellow Nectorin will best thriue to be grafted immediately on a Plumme stocke; but the other two sorts of red Nectorins must not be immediately grafted on the Plumme stocke, but vpon a branch of an Apricocke that hath beene formerly grafted on a Plumme stocke, the nature of these Nectorins being found by experience to be so contrary to the Plum stocke, that it will sterue it, and both dye within a yeare, two or three at the most: Diuers haue tryed to graft these red Nectorins vpon Peach stockes, and they haue endured well a while; but seeing the Peach stocke will not last long it selfe, being ouerweake, how can it hold so strong a nature as these red Nectorins, which will (as I said before) sterue a Plum stocke that is sufficient durable for any other Plumme?

Apricocke stockes from the stones are hardly nursed vp, and worse to be remoued, and if a red Nectorin should be grafted on an Apricock raysed from the stone, and not remoued, I doubt it might happen with it as it doth with many other trees raised from stones or kernels, and not remoued, that they would hardly beare fruit: for the nature of most trees raised from stones or kernels, and not remoued, is to send great downe-right rootes, and not to spread many forwards; so that if they be not cut away that others may spreade abroad, I haue seldome seene or known any of them to beare in any reasonable time; and therefore in remouing, these great downe-right rootes are alwayes shred away, and thereby made fit to shoote others forwards. Hereby you may perceiue, that these red Nectorins will not abide to bee grafted vpon any other stocke well, then vpon an Apricocke branch, although the green and the yellow (as I said before) will well endure and thriue vpon Plums. The suckers or shootes both of Plums and Cherries that rise from their rootes, eyther neare their stockes, or farther off, so that they bee taken with some small rootes to them, will serue to bee stockes, and will come forward quickly; but if the suckers haue no small roots whereby they may comprehend in the ground, it is almost impossible it should hold or abide. There is another way to rayse vp eyther stockes to graft on, or trees without grafting, which is, by circumcising a faire and fit branch in this manner: About Midsomer, when the sappe is thoroughly risen (or before if the yeare be forward) they vse to binde a good quantity of clay round about a faire and straight branch, of a reasonable good size or bignesse, with some conuenient bands, whether it be ropes of hey, or of any other thing, about an handfull aboue the ioynt, where the branch spreadeth from the tree, and cutting the barke thereof round about vnder the place where the clay is bound, the sap is hereby hindered from rising, or descending further then that place so circumcised, whereby it will shoote out small knubs and rootes into the clay, which they suffer so to abide vntill the beginning of winter, whenas with a fine Sawe they cut off that branch where it was circumcised, and afterwardes place it in the ground where they would haue it to grow, and stake it, and binde it fast, which will shoote forth rootes, and will become eyther a faire tree to beare fruite without grafting, or else a fit stocke to graft on according to the kinde: but oftentimes this kinde of propagation misseth, in that it sendeth not forth rootes sufficient to cause it to abide any long time. Let me yet before I leaue this narration of Plummes, giue you one admonition more, that vpon whatsoeuer Plumme stocke you doe graft, yet vpon a Damson stocke that you neuer striue to graft, for it (aboue all other sorts of Plumme stockes) will neuer giue you a tree worth your labour. It remaineth only of stone fruit, that I speake of Cornelles, which as yet I neuer saw grafted vpon any stocke, being as it should seeme vtterly repugnant to the nature thereof, to abide grafting, but is wholly raysed vp (as I said before) eyther from the stones, or from the suckers or layers. For Peares and Apples your vsuall stockes to graft on are (as I said before, speaking of the nursing vp of trees from the kernels) your Crabbe stockes, and they bee accepted in euery Countrey of this Land as they may conueniently be had, yet many doe take the stockes of better fruit, whether they bee suckers, or stockes raysed from the kernels (and the most common and knowne way of grafting, is in the stocke for all sorts of them, although some doe vse whipping, packing on, or incising, as euery one list to call it: but now we doe in many places begin to deale with Peares and Apples as with other stone fruit, that is, graft them all in the bud, which is found the most compendious and safest way both to preserue your stocke from perishing, and to bring them the sooner to couer the stock, as also to make the goodlier and straighter tree, being grafted at what height you please:) for those stockes that are raysed from the kernels of good fruit (which are for the most part easily knowne from others, in that they want those thornes or prickles the wilde kindes are armed withall:) I say for the most part; for I know that the kernels of some good fruite hath giuen stockes with prickles on them (which, as I thinke, was because that good fruite was taken from a wilde stocke that had not beene long enough grafted to alter his wilde nature; for the longer a tree is grafted, the more strength the fruite taketh from the graft, and the lesse still from the stocke) being smoother and fairer then the wilde kinds, must needes make a goodlier tree, and will not alter any whit the taste of your fruit that is grafted thereon, but rather adde some better rellish thereunto; for the Crabbe stockes yeelding harsh fruite, must giue part of their nature to the grafts are set thereon, and therefore the taste or rellish, as well as some other naturall properties of most fruits, are somewhat altered by the stocke. Another thing I would willingly giue you to vnderstand concerning your fruits and stockes, that whereas diuers for curiosity and to try experiments haue grafted Cherries vpon Plumme stockes, or Plums on Cherry stockes, Apples vpon Peare stockes, and Peares vpon Apple stockes, some of these haue held the graft a yeare, two or three peraduenture, but I neuer knew that euer they held long, or to beare fruite, much lesse to abide or doe well: bestow not therefore your paines and time on such contrary natures, vnlesse it be for curiositie, as others haue done: Yet I know that they that graft peares on a white thorne stocke haue had their grafts seeme to thriue well, and continue long, but I haue seldome seene the fruite thereof answerable to the naturall wilde Peare stocke; yet the Medlar is knowne to thriue best on a white thorne. And lastly, whereas diuers doe affirme that they may haue not only good stockes to graft vpon, but also faire trees to bear store of fruit from the kernels of Peares or Apples being prickt into the ground, and suffered to grow without remouing, and then eyther grafted or suffered to grow into great trees vngrafted; and for their bearing of fruite, assigne a dozen or twenty yeares from the first setting of the kernels, and abiding vngrafted, I haue not seene or heard that experience to hold certaine, or if it should be so, yet it is too long time lost, and too much fruit also, to waite twenty yeares for that profit may be gained in a great deale of lesse time, and with more certainty. Vnto these instructions let mee adde also one more, which is not much known and vsed, and that is, to haue fruit within foure or fiue years from the first sowing of your stones or kernels in this manner: After your stockes raysed from stones or kernels are two or three yeares old, take the fairest toppe or branch, and graft it as you would doe any other cyon taken from a bearing tree, and looke what rare fruite, eyther Peare or Apple, the kernell was of that you sowed, or Peach or Plum &c. the stone was set, such fruite shall you haue within two or three yeares at the most after the grafting, if it take, and the stocke be good. And thus may you see fruit in farre lesse time then to stay vntill the tree from a kernell or stone beareth fruit of it selfe.

CHAP. IIII.

_The diuers manners of grafting all sorts of fruits vsed in our Land._

The most vsuall manner of grafting in the stocke is so common and well known in this Land to euery one that hath any thing to doe with trees or an Orchard, that I think I shall take vpon mee a needlesse worke to set downe that is so well knowne to most; yet how common soeuer it is, some directions may profit euery one, without which it is not easily learned. And I doe not so much spend my time and paines herein for their sakes that haue knowledge, but for such as not knowing would faine be taught priuately, I meane, to reade the rules of the arte set downe in priuate, when they would refuse to learne of a Gardiner, or other by sight: and yet I discommend not that way vnto them to learne by sight; for one may see more in an instant by sight, then he shall learn by his own practice in a great while, especially if he be a little practised before he see a cunning hand to doe it. There are many other kindes of grafting, which shall be spoken of hereafter, and peraduenture euen they that know it well, may learne something they knew not before.

1. The grafting in the stocke, is, to set the sprigge of a good fruit into the body or stocke of another tree, bee it wilde or other, bee it young or old, to cause that tree to bring forth such fruit as the tree bore from whence you took the sprigge, and not such as the stocke or tree would haue borne, if it had not beene grafted, and is performed in this manner: Looke what tree or stocke you will chuse to graft on, you must with a small fine sawe and very sharpe, whip off, or cut off the head or toppe thereof at what height you eyther thinke best for your purpose, or conuenient for the tree: for if you graft a great tree, you cannot without endangering the whole, cut it downe so low to the ground, as you may without danger doe a small tree, or one that is of a reasonable size; and yet the lower or neerer the ground you graft a young tree, the safer it is both for your stocke and graft, because the sappe shall not ascend high, but soone giue vigour to the graft to take and shoote quickly: After you haue cut off the toppe of your stocke, cut or smooth the head thereof with a sharpe knife, that it may be as plaine and smooth as you can, and then cleaue it with a hammer or mallet, and with a strong knife, cleauer or chessell, either in the middle of it if it be small, or of a reasonable size, or on the sides an inch or more within the barke, if it be great: into both sides of the cleft put your grafts, or into one if the stocke bee smaller; which grafts must bee made fit for the purpose on this fashion: Hauing made choise of your grafts from the toppe branches especially, or from the sides of that tree whereof you would haue the fruit, and that they be of a reasonable good size, not too small or too great for your stockes, and of one or the same yeares shoote; (and yet many doe cut an inch or more of the olde wood with the sprigge of the last yeares growth, and so graft the old and young together, but both are good, and the old wood no better then the young) cut your graft not too long, but with two, three or foure eyes or buds at the most, which at the lower or bigger end for an inch long or more (for the greater stockes, and an inch or lesse for the lesser sort) must be so cut, that it be very thin on the one side from the shoulders downward, and thicker on the other, and thin also at the end, that it may goe downe close into the cleft, and rest at the shoulders on the head of the stocke: but take heede that in cutting your grafts your knife bee very sharpe that you doe not rayse any of the barke, eyther at the sides or the end, for feare of losing both your paines and graft, and stocke too peraduenture; and let not your grafts bee made long before you set them, or else put the ends of them in water to keepe them fresh and cleane: when you set them you must open the cleft of your stocke with a wedge or chessell as most doe, that the graft may goe easily into it, and that the barke of both graft and stocke may ioyne close the one to the other, which without stirring or displacing must bee so left in the cleft, and the wedge or chessell gently pulled forth; but because in the doing hereof consisteth in a manner the whole losse or gaine of your paines, graft and stocke, to preuent which inconuenience I doe vse an iron Instrument, the forme whereof is showne in the following page, marked with the letter A, crooked at both ends, and broade like vnto a chessell, the one bigger, and the other lesser, to fit all sorts of stockes, and the iron handle somewhat long betweene them both, that being thrust or knocked downe into the cleft, you may with your left hand open it as wide as is fit to let in your graft, without strayning, which being placed, this iron may bee pulled or knocked vp againe without any mouing of your graft: when you haue thus done, you must lay a good handfull or more (according to the bignesse of your stocke) of soft and well moistned clay or loame, well tempered together with short cut hey or horse dung, vpon the head of your stocke, as lowe or somewhat lower then the cleft, to keepe out all winde, raine or ayre from your graft vntill Midsomer at the least, that the graft be shot forth somewhat strongly, which then if you please may be remoued, and the cleft at the head only filled with a little clay to keepe out earewigs, or other things that may hurt your graft.

A. The Iron Instrument with chessels at each end, the one bigger and
the other lesser, to keepe the cleft of the Tree open vntill the
graft bee placed in the stocke, which with a knock vpwards will be
easily taken away.

B. The small Penne-knife with a broad and thinne ended hafte, to raise
the sides both of the bud and the down-right slit in the body or arme
of a Tree to be grafted in the bud.

C. A pen or quil cut halfe round to take off a bud from the branch.

D. An Iuory Instrument made to the same fashion.

E. A shielde of brasse made hollow before to be put into the slit, to
keepe it open vntill the bud be put into its place.

F. The manner of grafting called incising or splicing.

G. A Ladder made with a stoole at the toppe, to serue both to graft
higher or lower, and also to gather fruit without spoyling or hurting
any buddes or branches of Trees.

1. The first slit in the body or arme of a Tree to be grafted in the
bud with the crosse cut at the head.

2. The same slit opened on both sides, ready to receiue the budde
should be put therein: these small peeces serue as well as trees to
shew the manner and order of the grafting.

3. The branch of a Tree with one budde cut ready to be taken off, and
another not yet touched.

4. The bud cleane taken off from the branch, both the foreside and
backside.

5. The graft or bud now put into the stocke or tree you intend to be grafted: but the binding thereof is omitted. ]

2. Inarching is another manner of grafting in the stocke, and is more troublesome, and more casuall also then the former, and is rather a curiosity then any way of good speede, certainety or profit, and therefore vsed but of a few. Yet to shew you, the manner thereof, it is thus: Hauing a tree well growne, bee it high or low, yet the lower the better, with young branches well spread, they vse to set stockes round about it, or on the one side as you please; into which stockes they ingraft the young branches of the well growne tree as they are growing (before they cut them from the tree) by bowing downe the branch they intend to graft, and putting it into the stocke, hauing first cut off the head thereof, and cut a notch in the middle of the head a little slope on both sides, wherein the branch must be fitted: let the branch be cut thinne on the vnderside, only of that length as may suffice to fit the notch in the stocke, leauing about halfe a yarde length of the branch, to rise aboue or beyond the stocke, which beeing bound on, and clayed ouer or couered with red or greene soft waxe, they let so abide, that if it take in the stocke they cut off the branch a little below the grafting place in Nouember following, and remouing the stocke, they haue thus gained a grafted and growne tree the first yeare: but it is vsually seene, that where one branch taketh, three doe misse: yet this manner of grafting was much in vse for May Cherries, when they were first known to vs, and the way thought to be a rare manner of grafting to encrease them, vntill a better way was found out, which now is so common and good also, that this is not now scarce thought vpon.

3. Another kinde of grafting in the stocke is called of some whipping, of some splicing, of others incising, and of others packing on (and as I heare, is much vsed in the West parts especially, and also in the North parts of this Land) and is performed in this manner: Take and slice the branch of a tree (so as the branch be not too bigge) or else a young tree of two, or three, or foure yeares growth at the most, quite off slope wise, about an inch and a halfe long or more, and cut a deep notch in the middle thereof, then fit into it a graft iust of that size or bignesse, cut on both sides with shoulders, and thin at the end, that it may ioyne close in the notch, and neyther bigger or lesser, but that the barke of the one may bee fitted iust to the barke of the other, the figure wherof is expressed at the letters E.F. which shew the one to be with a shoulder & the other without; binde them gently together with bast, and put clay or waxe ouer the place, vntill it be taken: this is much vsed of late dayes for such young trees as are risen of stones or kernels after the second or third yeares growth, and thriue very well in that it not only saueth much time, but diuers checks by remouing and grafting.

4. Inoculating or grafting in the budde is another manner of grafting, which is the taking of a budde from one tree, and putting it into the barke of another tree, to the end, that thereby you may haue of the same kinde of fruit the tree bare from whence the budde was taken; and although it bee sufficiently knowne in many places of this Land, yet as I vnderstand, good Gardiners in the North parts, and likewise in some other places, can scarce tell what it meaneth, or at the least how to doe it well. It is performed after a different fashion from the former, although they all tend vnto one end, which is the propagating of trees. You must for this purpose obserue, that for those trees you would graft, either with, or vpon, you choose a fit time in Summer, when the sappe is well risen, and your graft well shot, that the barke will rise easily and cleanly, both of stocke and graft, which time I cannot appoint, because both the years doe differ in earlinesse, and the seuerall parts or countries of this Land likewise one from another, but most vsually in these Southerne parts, from the beginning of Iune vnto the end of it, or to the middle of Iuly, or either somewhat before or after. First (as I said) hauing taken the fitted time of the yeare, you must take especiall care, that your grafts be well growne, and of the same yeares shoote, and also that the buds or eyes haue but single leaues at them, as neere as you can: for I would vtterly refuse those buds that haue aboue two leaues as vnprofitable, either in Peaches or any other fruit; and therefore see that your grafts or cyons bee taken from the chiefest place of the tree, that is, either from the toppe, or from a sunnie side thereof, and not from the contrarie side if you may otherwise, nor from any vnder-boughes; for seeing your graft is so small a thing, you had neede take the more care that it be the best and fairest. You must to take off this eye or budde from the sprigge, haue a small sharpe pen-knife, the end of the haft being made flat and thinne, like a chessell or wedge, the figure whereof is set forth at the letter B, and a pen or goose quill cut, to be lesse then halfe round, and to be broad at the end, but not sharpe pointed like a penne, or else such a peece of bone or Iuorie made in that fashion as the quill is, to bee thinne, hollow, or halfe round, the figures of both which are marked with the letters C, D, with your knife cut the barke of the bud (hauing first cut off the leafe, leauing onely the short foote-stalke thereof at the bud) about a strawes breadth aboue the eye thereof halfe round, and then from that round or ouerthwart cut, with your knife cut it downe on both sides of the eye, close to the bud slopewise about an inch long or thereabouts, that it bee broad at the head aboue the eye, and pointing at the end like a sheild or scutcheon; and then cutting away the rest of the barke from about it, with the thinne flat end of the haft of your knife raise vp both sides of your bud a little, and with your quill or bone put vnder the barke, raise your budde, and thrust it quite off, beginning at the toppe or head of your eye; but see that you thrust it off close to the wood of the branch or sprigge, and that you doe not leaue the eye of the budde behinde sticking vpon the branch; for if that eye be left or lost, your bud is worth nothing; you must cast it away, and cut another that may haue that eye abiding within the budde on the inside: you may perceiue if that eye be wanting, if you see an emptie hole in the place where the eye should be, to fill it vp on the inside thereof; thus hauing taken off your bud well and cleanly, which is set forth vnto you at the figures, 3 and 4. presently set it on the tree you would graft (for your small budde can abide no delay, lest by taking the ayre too long it become dry, and nothing worth) in this manner: Cut the barke of your tree you would graft in a smooth place, at what height you please, first aboue or ouerthwart, and then downe right in the middle thereof, more then an inch long, the figure whereof you shall haue at the figure 1. and then raise vp both sides of the barke, first one, and then another, with the flat and thinne haft end of your knife, a prettie way inwards (for if the barke will not rise easily, the stocke is not then fit to graft vpon) put in your budde into the cleft with the point downewards, holding the stalke of the leafe that is with the budde betweene your fingers of the one hand, and opening the cleft with the flat end of your knife with the other hand, that the head of your bud may be put close vnder the ouerthwart cut in the stocke or tree (which must not be raised or stirred as the sides are) & the eye of the bud stand iust in the middle of the slit that is downeright, and then closing the barke of the stocke or tree softly vnto the bud thus put in with your fingers, let it be bound gently with a small long peece of baste, or other such like soft thing, first aboue the eye, & then compassing it belowe as close as you can, but not too hard in any case, vntil you haue bound it all ouer the slit you made, especially the lower end, lest any winde get in to dry and spoile it; and hauing tyed both ends thereof fast, leaue it so for a fortnight or somewhat more, in which space it will take and hold, if it be well done, which you shall perceiue, if the bud abide green, and turne not blacke, when you haue vnloosed the tying; for if it hold fast to the tree, and be fresh and good, tye it vp gently againe, and so leaue it for a fortnight longer, or a moneth if you will, and then you may take away your binding cleane: this budde will (if no other mischance happen vnto it) spring and shoote forth the next yeare, (and sometimes the same yeare, but that is seldome) and therefore in the beginning of the yeare, cut off the head of the grafted tree about an handfull aboue the grafted place, vntill the graft be growne strong, and then cut it off close, that the head may be couered with the graft, and doe not suffer any buds to sprout besides the graft, either aboue or belowe it. If you graft diuers buds vpon one stocke (which is the best way) let that onely remaine and abide that shooteth best forth, and rubbe off, or take away the other: the seuerall parts of this grafting I haue caused to be expressed for your further information.

5. Grafting in the scutcheon is accounted another kinde of grafting, and differeth verie little from grafting in the budde: the difference chiefly consisteth in this, that in stead of the downe right slit, and that aboue ouerthwart, they take away iust so much barke of the great tree, as your budde is in bignesse, which vsually is a little larger then the former, and placing it therein, they binde it as formerly is said: some vse for this purpose a paire of compasses, to giue the true measure both of bud and stocke; this manner of grafting is most vsed vpon greater trees, whose young branches are too high to graft vpon in the former maner, and whose tops they cut off (for the most part) at the latter end of the next yeare after the bud is taken: both these waies were inuented to saue the losse of trees, which are more endangered by grafting in the stocke, then any of these waies; and besides, by these waies you may graft at a farre greater height without losse.

CHAP. V.

_Of the manner of grafting and propagating all sorts of Roses._

Hauing now spoken of the grafting of trees, let mee adioyne the properties of Roses, which although they better fit a Garden then an Orchard, yet I could not in a fitter place expresse them then here, both for the name and affinity of grafting, & because I do not expresse it in the first part. All sorts of Roses may be grafted (although all sorts are not, some seruing rather for stockes for others to be grafted on) as easily as any other tree, & is only performed, by inoculating in the same maner I haue set downe in the former Chapter of grafting trees in the bud; for both stocke and budde must bee dealt with after the same fashion. And although some haue boasted of grafting Roses by dicing or whipping, as they call it, or in the stocke, after the first manner, set downe in the former Chapter, yet I thinke it rather a bragge, not hauing seene or heard any true effect proceede from that relation. The sweete Briar or Eglantine, the white and the Damaske Roses, are the chiefest stockes to graft vpon. And if you graft lowe or neare the ground, you may by laying downe that graft within the ground, after it hath bin shot out well, and of a years growth, by pinning it fast downe with short stickes, a thwart or acrosse, cause that grafted branch, by taking roote, to become a naturall Rose, such as the graft was, which being separated and transplanted after it hath taken root wel, will prosper as well as any naturall sucker. And in this maner, by laying downe branches at length into the ground, if they be full of spreading small branches, you may increase all sorts of Roses quickly and plentifully; for they will shoote forth rootes at the ioynts of euery branch: But as for the manner of grafting white Roses or Damaske vpon Broome stalkes or Barbary bushes, to cause them to bring forth double yellow Roses, or vpon a Willowe, to beare greene Roses, they are all idle conceits, as impossible to be effected, as other things, whereof I haue spoken in the ninth Chapter of my first part, concerning a Garden of flowers, vnto which I referre you to be satisfied with the reasons there alledged. And it is the more needlesse, because we haue a naturall double yellow Rose of it owne growing. The sowing of the seedes of Roses (which are sometimes found vpon most sorts of Roses, although not euery yeare, and in euerie place) hath bin formerly much vsed; but now the laying downe of the young shootes is a way for increase so much vsed, being safe and verie speedie to take, especially for those Roses that are not so apt to giue suckers, that it hath almost taken quite away the vse of sowing of the seedes of Roses, which yet if anie one be disposed to make the triall, they must gather the seede out of the round heads, from amongst the doune, wherein they lye verie like vnto the berries of the Eglantine or sweete Briar bush, and especially of those Roses that bee of the more single kindes, which are more apt to giue berries for seed then the more double, although sometimes the double Roses yeeld the like heads or berries. Their time of sowing is in the end of September (yet some reserue them vntill February) and their manner of noursing is to bee transplanted, after the first or second yeares growth, and tended carefully, that while they are young they be not lost for want of moisture in the dry time of Summer.

CHAP. VI.

_Certaine rules and obseruations in and after grafting, not remembred in the former Chapter._

The time of some manners of grafting being not mentioned before, must here be spoken of. For the grafting of all sorts of trees in the stocke, the most vsuall time is from the middle of February vntill the middle of March, as the yeare and the countrie is more forward or backward, with vs about London wee neuer passe midde March: but because the May Cherrie is first ripe, and therefore of a very forward nature, it doth require to be grafted somewhat sooner then others. The time of gathering likewise, or cutting your grafts for grafting in the stocke, is to be obserued, that they bee not long gathered before they bee grafted, for feare of being too dry, which I commend, howsoeuer diuers say, if they be long kept they are not the worse; and therefore if you be forced to haue your grafts from farre, or by some other chance to keepe them long, be carefull to keepe them moist, by keeping their ends stucke in moist clay; but if neare hand, neglect no time I say after the cutting of them for their grafting, but either the same, or the next day, or verie speedily after, in the meane time being put into the ground to keepe them fresh. The grafts taken from old trees, because they are stronger, and shoote forth sooner, are to bee sooner grafted then those that are taken from younger trees: of a good branch may bee made two, and sometimes three grafts sufficient for anie reasonable stocke. For whipping, the time is somewhat later then grafting in the stocke, because it is performed on younger trees, which (as I said before) doe not so early bud or shoote forth as the elder. Inarching likewise is performed much about the later end of the grafting time in the stocke; for being both kindes thereof they require the same time of the yeare. The times of the other manners of graftings are before expressed, to bee when they haue shot forth young branches, from whence your buds must be taken; and therefore need not here againe to be repeated. If a graft in the stocke doth happen not to shoote forth when others do (so as it holdeth green) it may perchance shoot out a moneth or two after, & do well, or else after Midsummer, when a second time of shooting, or the after Spring appeareth: but haue an especiall care, that you take not such a graft that shal haue nothing but buds for flowers vpon it, and not an eye or bud for leaues (which you must be carefull to distinguish) for such a graft after it hath shot out the flowers must of necessitie dye, not hauing wherewith to maintaine it selfe. Also if your good graft doe misse, and not take, it doth hazzard your stocke at the first time, yet manie stockes doe recouer to be grafted the second time; but twice to faile is deadly, which is not so in the inoculating of buds in the greene tree: for if you faile there in three, or three times three, yet euerie wound being small, and the tree still growing greene, will quickly recouer it, and not be afterwards seen. Some vse to graft in the stocke the same yeare they remoue the stocke, to saue time, & a second checke by grafting; but I like better both in grafting in the stocke, and in the bud also, that your trees might be planted in the places where you would haue them growe, for a yeare or two at the least before you graft them, that after grafting there should be no remouall, I neede not be tedious, nor yet I hope verie sollicitous to remember many other triuiall, or at the least common knowne things in this matter. First, for the time to remoue trees, young or old, grafted or vngrafted, to be from a fortnight after Michaelmas vntill Candlemas, or if neede be, somewhat after, yet the sooner your remoue is, the better your trees will thriue, except it be in a very moist ground. For the manner or way to set them: _viz._ in the high and dry grounds set them deeper, both to haue the more moisture, and to be the better defended from windes; and in the lower and moister grounds Shallower, and that the earth be mellow, well turned vp, and that the finer earth bee put among the small rootes, wherein they may spread, and afterwards gently troden downe, that no hollownesse remaine among the rootes: as also that after setting (if the time be not ouermoist) there may be some water powred to the rootes, to moisten and fasten them the better; and in the dry time of Summer, after the setting, let them not want moisture, if you will haue them thriue and prosper; for the want thereof at that time, hath often killed manie a likely tree. To stake and fence them also if neede bee after they are new set, and so to continue for two or three yeares after, is verie expedient, lest windes or other casualties spoile your paines, and ouerthrow your hopes. And likewise to defend your grafts from birds lighting on them, to breake or displace them, to sticke some prickes or sharpe pointed stickes longer then your graft into your clay, that so they may be a sure defence of it: As also to tye some woollen cloathes about the lower end of your stockes, or thrust in some thornes into the ground about the rootes, to defend them from hauing their barkes eaten by Conies, or hurt by some other noisome vermine.

CHAP. VII.

_Obseruations for the dressing and well keeping of Trees and an Orchard in good order._