Chapter XXXIII: Front Matter (33)

There are two manner of waies to dresse and keepe trees in good order, that they may bee both gracefull and fruitfull; the one is for wall-trees, the other is for standards: for as their formes are different, so is their keeping or ordering. Wall trees, because they are grafted lowe, and that their branches must be plasht or tackt vnto the wall to fasten them, are to be so kept, that all their branches may be suffered to growe, that shoote forth on either side of the bodie, and led either along the wall, or vpright, and one to lappe ouer or vnder another as is conuenient, and still with peeces of lists, parings of felt, peeces of soft leather, or other such like soft thing compassing the armes or branches, fastened with small or great nailes, as neede requireth, to the wals, onely those buds or branches are to be nipped or cut off, that shoot forward, and will not so handsomely be brought into conformity, as is fitting; yet if the branches growe too thicke, to hinder the good of the rest, or too high for the wall, they may, nay they must be cut away or lopped off: and if anie dead branches also happen to be on the trees, they must be cut away, that the rest may haue the more libertie to thriue. Diuers also by carefully nipping away the waste and superfluous buds, doe keepe their trees in conformity, without much cutting. The time to pruine or plash, or tye vp wall trees, is vsually from the fall of the leafe, to the beginning of the yeare, when they begin to blossome, and most especially a little before or after Christmas: but in any case not too late, for feare of rubbing off their buds. Some I know doe plash and tye vp their wall trees after bearing time, while the leaues are greene, and their reason is, the buds are not so easie or apt to bee rubbed from the branches at that time, as at Christmas, when they are more growne: but the leaues must needes be very cumbersome, to hinder much both the orderly placing, and close fastening of them to the wall. This labour you must performe euery yeare in its due time; for if you shall neglect and ouerslip it, you shall haue much more trouble, to bring them into a fit order againe, then at the first. The standard trees in an Orchard must be kept in another order; for whereas the former are suffered to spread at large, these must be pruined both from superfluous branches that ouerload the trees, & make them lesse fruitfull, as well as lesse sightly, and the vnder or water boughes likewise, that drawe much nourishment from the trees and yet themselues little the better for it, I meane to giue fruit. If therefore your Orchard consist of young trees, with a little care and paines it may bee kept in that comely order and proportion it was first defined vnto; but if it consist of old growne trees, they will not without a great deale of care and paines be brought into such conformitie, as is befitting good, and comely trees: for the marke of those boughes or branches that are cut off from young trees, will quickly be healed againe, the barke growing quickly ouer them, whereby they are not worse for the cutting, but an old tree if you cut off a bough, you must cut it close and cleanly, and lay a searcloth of tallow, waxe, and a little pitch melted together vpon the place, to keepe off both the winde, sunne, and raine, untill the barke haue couered it ouer againe: and in this manner you must deale with all such short stumps of branches, as are either broken short off with the winde, or by carelesnesse or want of skill, or else such armes or branches as are broken off close, or sliued from the body of the tree: for the raine beating and falling into such a place, will in short time rotte your tree, or put it in danger, besides the deformity. Some vse to fill vp such an hole with well tempered clay, and tacke a cloth or a peece of leather ouer it vntill it be recouered, and this is also not amisse. Your young trees, if they stand in anie good ground, will bee plentifull enough in shooting forth branches; bee carefull therefore if they growe too thicke, that you pruine away such as growe too close (and will, if they be suffered, spoile one another) as they may be best spared, that so the sunne, ayre, and raine may haue free accesse to all your branches, which will make them beare the more plentifully, and ripen them the sooner and the more kindly. If anie boughes growe at the toppe too high, cut them also away, that your trees may rather spread then growe too high. And so likewise for the vnder boughes, or anie other that by the weight of fruit fall or hang downe, cut them off at the halfe, and they will afterwards rise and shoote vpwards. You shall obserue, that at all those places where anie branches haue been cut away, the sappe will euer bee readie to put forth: if therefore you would haue no more branches rise from that place, rubbe off or nippe off such buddes as are not to your minde when they are new shot: and thus you may keep your trees in good order with a little paines, after you haue thus pruined and dressed them. One other thing I would aduertise you of, and that is how to preserue a fainting or decaying tree which is readie to perish, if it be not gone too farre or past cure, take a good quantitie of oxe or horse bloud, mixe therewith a reasonable quantitie of sheepe or pigeons dung, which being laid to the roote, will by the often raines and much watering recouer it selfe, if there bee anie possibilitie; but this must bee done in Ianuarie or Februarie at the furthest.

CHAP. VIII.

_Diuers other obseruations to be remembred in the well keeping of an Orchard._

There be diuers other things to be mentioned, whereof care must be had, either to doe or auoide, which I thinke fit in this Chapter promiscuously to set down, that there may be nothing wanting to furnish you with sufficient knowledge of the care, paines, and casualties that befall an Orchard: for it hath many enemies, and euery one laboureth as much as in them lye, to spoile you of your pleasure, or profit, or both, which must bee both speedily and carefully preuented and helped; and they are these: Mosse, Caterpillars, Ants, Earwigs, Snailes, Moales, and Birds. If Mosse begin to ouergrowe your trees, looke to it betimes, lest it make your trees barren: Some vse to hacke, and crossehacke, or cut the barke of the bodies of their trees, to cause it fall away; but I feare it may endanger your trees. Others do either rubbe it off with a haire cloth, or with a long peece of wood formed like a knife, at the end of a long sticke or pole, which if it bee vsed cauteiously without hurting the buds, I like better. Caterpillars, some smoake them with burning wet strawe or hay, or such like stuffe vnder the trees; but I doe not greatly like of that way: others cut off the boughes whereon they breed, and tread them vnder their feete, but that will spoile too manie branches; and some kill them with their hands, but some doe vse a new deuised way, that is, a pompe made of lattin or tin, spout-fashion, which being set in a tubbe of water vnder or neare your trees, they will cause the water to rise through it with such a force, and through the branches, that it will wash them off quickly. To destroy Ants, that eate your fruit before and when it is ripe, some vse to annoint the bodies of their trees with tarre, that they may not creepe vp on the branches; but if that doe not helpe, or you will not vse it, you must be careful to finde out their hill, and turne it vp, pouring in scalding water, either in Summer, but especially if you can in Winter, and that will surely destroy them. I haue spoken of Earwigs in the first part of this worke, entreating of the annoyances of Gilloflowers, and therefore I referre you thereunto: yet one way more I will here relate which some doe vse, and that is with hollow canes of halfe a yard long or more, open at both ends for them to creepe in, and stucke or laid among the branches of your trees, will soone drawe into them many Earwigs, which you may soone kill, by knocking the cane a little vpon the ground, and treading on them with your foote. Snailes must be taken with your hands, and that euerie day, especially in the morning when they will be creeping abroad. Moales by running vnder your trees make them lesse fruitfull, and also put them in danger to be blowne downe, by leauing the ground hollow, that thereby the rootes haue not that strength in the ground, both to shoote and to hold, that otherwise they might haue. Some haue vsed to put Garlicke, and other such like things into their holes, thinking thereby to driue them away, but to no purpose: others haue tryed manie other waies; but no way doth auaile anie thing, but killing them either with a Moale spade, or a trappe made for the purpose as manie doe know: and they must bee watched at their principall hill, and trenched round, and so to be caught. Birds are another enemie both to your trees and fruit; for the Bullfinch will destroy all your stone fruit in the budde, before they flower, if you suffer them, and Crowes, &c. when your Cherries are ripe: for the smaller birds, Lime twigs set either neare your trees, or at the next water where they drinke, will helpe to catch them and destroy them. And for the greater birds, a stone bowe, a birding or fowling peece will helpe to lessen their number, and make the rest more quiet: or a mill with a clacke to scarre them away, vntill your fruit be gathered. Some other annoyances there are, as suckers that rise from the rootes of your trees, which must be taken away euerie yeare, and not suffered to growe anie thing great, for feare of robbing your trees of their liuelihood. Barke bound, is when a tree doth not shoote and increase, by reason the barke is as it were drie, and will not suffer the sappe to passe vnto the branches: take a knife therefore, and slit the barke downe almost all the length of the tree in two or three places, and it will remedy that euill, and the tree will thriue and come forward the better after. Barke pilled is another euill that happeneth to some trees, as well young as old, either by reason of casuall hurts, or by the gnawing of beasts, howsoeuer it bee, if it bee anie great hurt, lay a plaister thereon made of tallow, tarre, and a little pitch, and binde it thereto, letting it so abide vntill the wound bee healed: yet some doe only apply a little clay or loame bound on with ropes of hay. The Canker is a shrewd disease when it happeneth to a tree; for it will eate the barke round, and so kill the very heart in a little space. It must be looked vnto in time before it hath runne too farre; most men doe wholly cut away as much as is fretted with the Canker, and then dresse it, or wet it with vinegar or Cowes pisse, or Cowes dung and vrine, &c. vntill it be destroyed, and after healed againe with your salue before appointed. There are yet some other enemies to an Orchard: for if your fence be not of bricke or stone, but either a mudde wall, or a quicke set or dead hedge, then looke to it the more carefully, and preuent the comming in of either horse, or kine, sheepe, goates, or deere, hare, or conie; for some of them will breake through or ouer to barke your trees, and the least hole almost in the hedge will giue admittance to hares and conies to doe the like. To preuent all which, your care must be continuall to watch them or auoide them, and to stoppe vp their entrance. A dogge is a good seruant for many such purposes, and so is a stone bowe, and a peece to make vse of as occasion shall serue. But if you will take that medicine for a Canker spoken of before, which is Cowes dung and vrine mixed together, and with a brush wash your trees often to a reasonable height, will keepe hares and conies from eating or barking your trees. Great and cold windes doe often make a great spoile in an Orchard, but great trees planted without the compasse thereof, as Wall-nuts, Oakes, Elmes, Ashes, and the like, will stand it in great stead, to defend it both early and late. Thus haue I shewed you most of the euils that may happen to an Orchard, and the meanes to helpe them, and because the number is great and daily growing, the care and paines must be continuall, the more earnest and diligent, lest you lose that in a moment that hath been growing many yeares, or at the least the profit or beauty of some yeares fruit.

CHAP. IX.

_The manner and way how to plant, order, and keepe other trees that beare greene leaues continually._

The way to order those trees that beare their leaues greene continually, is differing from all others that doe not so: for neyther are they to bee planted or remoued at the time that all other trees are set, nor doe they require that manner of dressing, pruining and keeping, that others doe. And although many ignorant persons and Gardiners doe remoue Bay trees, and are so likewise perswaded that all other trees of that nature, that is, that carry their greene leaues continually, may bee remoued in Autumne or Winter, as well as all other trees may bee, yet it is certaine it is a great chance if they doe thriue and prosper that are set at that time, or rather it is found by experience, that scarce one of ten prospereth well that are so ordered. Now in regard that there be diuers trees and shrubs mentioned here in this booke that beare euer greene leaues, wherein there is very great beauty, and many take pleasure in them; as the ordinary Bay, the Rose Bay, and the Cherry Bay trees, the Indian Figge, the Cypresse, the Pine tree, the Mirtle and dwarfe Boxe, and many others; I will here shew you how to plant and order them, as is fittest for them. For in that they doe not shed their greene leaues in winter as other trees doe, you may in reason be perswaded that they are of another nature; and so they are indeede: for seeing they all grow naturally in warme Countries, and are from thence brought vnto vs, we must both plant them in a warmer place, and transplant them in a warmer time then other trees be, or else it is a great hazzard if they doe not perish and dye, the cold and frosts in the winter being able to pierce them through, if they should bee transplanted in winter, before they haue taken roote. You must obserue and take this therefore for a certaine rule, that you alwaies remoue such trees or shrubbes as are euer greene in the spring of the yeare, and at no time else if you will doe well, that is, from the end of March, or beginning of Aprill, vnto the middle or end of May, especially your more dainty and tender plants, shadowing them also for a while from the heate of the Sun, and giuing them a little water vpon their planting or transplanting; but such water as hath not perfectly been drawn from a Well or Pumpe, for that will go neer to kill any plant, but such water as hath stood in the open ayre for a day at the least, if not two or three. Yet for dwarfe Boxe I confesse it may endure one moneth to be earlier planted then the rest, because it is both a more hardy and lowe plant, and thereby not so much subiect to the extremitie of the colde: but if you should plant it before winter, the frosts would raise it out of the ground, because it cannot so soone at that time of the yeare take roote, and thereby put it in danger to be lost. Moreouer all of them will not abide the extremitie of our winter frosts, and therefore you must of necessity house some of them, as the Rose Bay, Mirtle, and some others, but the other sorts being set where they may bee somewhat defended from the cold windes, frostes, and snow in winter, with some couering or shelter for the time, will reasonably well endure and beare their fruit, or the most of them. If any be desirous to be furnished with store of these kinds of trees that will be noursed vp in our Country, he may by sowing the seed of them in square or long woodden boxes or chests made for that purpose, gaine plenty of them: but hee must be carefull to couer them in winter with some straw or fearne, or beane hame, or such like thing layd vpon crosse sticks to beare it vp from the plants, and after two or three yeares that they are growne somewhat great and strong, they may bee transplanted into such places you meane they shall abide: yet it is not amisse to defend them the first yeare after they are transplanted, for their more securitie: the seedes that are most vsually sowen with vs, are, the Cypresse tree, the Pine tree, the Baye, the Pyracantha or prickly Corall tree, and the Mirtle: the Rose Bay I haue had also risen from the seede that was fresh, and brought me from Spaine. But as for Orenge trees, because they are so hardly preserued in this our cold climate (vnlesse it bee with some that doe bestow the housing of them, besides a great deale more of care and respect vnto them) from the bitternesse of our cold long winter weather (although their kernels being put into the ground in the Spring or Summer, and if care bee had of them and conuenient keeping, will abide, and by grafting the good fruite on the crab stocke they may bee in time nursed vp) I doe not make any other especiall account of them, nor giue you any further relation of their ordering. Now for the ordering of these trees after they are eyther planted of young sets, or transplanted from the seede, it is thus: First for Bay trees, the most vsuall way is to let them grow vp high to bee trees, and many plant them on the North or East side of their houses that they may not bee scorched with the Sunne; but the bitter winters which we often haue, doe pinch them shrewdly, insomuch that it killeth euen well growne trees sometimes downe to the roote: but some doe make a hedge of them being planted in order, and keep them low by lopping of them continually, which will make them bush and spread. The Cypresse tree is neuer lopped, but suffered to grow with all the branches from a foote aboue the ground, if it may be, straight vpright; for that is his natiue grace and greatest beautie, and therefore the more branches doe dye that they must bee cut away, the more you deforme his propertie. The Pine tree may be vsed in the same manner, but yet it wil better endure to sustaine pruining then the Cypresse, without any such deformitie. The Laurocerasus or Cherry Bay may be diuersly formed, that is, it may be either made to grow into a tall tree by shredding still away the vnder branches, or else by suffering all the branches to grow to be a low or hedge bush, and both by the suckers and by laying downe the lower branches into the earth, you may soone haue much increase; but this way will cause it to bee the longer before it beare anie fruit. The Rose Baye will verie hardlie bee encreased either by suckers or by layers, but must bee suffered to grow without lopping, topping or cutting. The Pyracantha or Prickly Corall tree may bee made to grow into a reasonable tall tree by shredding away the lower branches, or it may be suffered to grow lowe into an hedge bush, by suffering all the branches to grow continually, you may also propagate it by the suckers, or by laying downe the lower branches. The Myrtle of all sorts abideth a low bush spreading his branches full of sweete leaues and flowers, without anie great encrease of it selfe, yet sometimes it giueth suckers or shootes from the rootes: but for the more speedie propagating of them, some doe put the cuttings of them into the earth, and thereby increase them. There are some other trees that are not of any great respect, as the Yew tree, and the Savine bush, both which may be encreased by the cuttings, and therefore I need not make any further relation or amplification of them, and to say thus much of them all, is (I thinke) sufficient for this Worke.

CHAP. X.

_The ordering, curing, and propagating Vines of all sorts._

In most places of this countrie there is small care or paines taken about the ordering of Vines: it sufficeth for the most part with them that haue anie, to make a frame for it to spread vpon aboue a mans height, or to tacke it to a wall or window, &c. and so to let it hang downe with the branches and fruit, vntill the weight thereof, and the force of windes doe teare it downe oftentimes, and spoile the grapes: and this way doth somewhat resemble that course that the Vineyard keepers obserue in the hot countries of Syria, Spaine, and Italy, and in the farthest parts of France as I hear likewise: for in most of these hot countries they vse to plant an Oliue betweene two Vines, and let them runne thereupon. But manie of the other parts of France, &c. doe not suffer anie trees to growe among their Vines; and therefore they plant them thicke, and pruine them much and often, and keepe them lowe in comparison of the other way, fastening them to pearches or poles to hold them vp. And according to that fashion may haue aduentured to make Vineyards in England, not onely in these later daies, but in ancient times, as may wel witnesse the sundrie places in this Land, entituled by the name of Vineyards; and I haue read that manie Monasteries in this Kingdome hauing Vineyards, had as much wine made therefrom, as sufficed their conuents yeare by yeare: but long since they haue been destroyed, and the knowledge how to order a Vineyard is also vtterly perished with them. For although diuers, both Nobles and Gentlemen, haue in these later times endeauoured to plant and make Vineyards, and to that purpose haue caused French men, being skilfull in keeping and dressing of Vines, to be brought ouer to performe it, yet either their skill failed them, or their Vines were not good, or (the most likely) the soile was not fitting, for they could neuer make anie wine that was worth the drinking, being so small and heartlesse, that they soone gaue ouer their practice. And indeede the soile is a maine matter to bee chiefly considered to seate a Vineyard vpon: for euen in France and other hot countries, according to the nature of the soile, so is the rellish, strength, and durabilitie of the wine. Now although I think it a fruitlesse labour for any man to striue in these daies to make a good Vineyard in England, in regard not only of the want of knowledge, to make choise of the fitted ground for such Vines as you would plant thereupon but also of the true maner of ordering them in our country; but most chiefly & aboue all others, that our years in these times do not fal out to be so kindly and hot, to ripen the grapes, to make anie good wine as formerly they haue done; yet I thinke it not amisse, to giue you instructions how to order such Vines as you may nourse vp for the pleasure of the fruit, to eate the grapes being ripe, or to preserue and keepe them to bee eaten almost all the winter following: And this may be done without any great or extraordinarie paines. Some doe make a lowe wall, and plant their Vines against it, and keepe them much about the height thereof, not suffering them to rise much higher: but if the high bricke or stone wals of your Garden or Orchard haue buttresses thereat, or if you cause such to bee made, that they bee somewhat broade forwards, you may the more conueniently plant Vines of diuers sorts at them, and by sticking down a couple of good stakes at euery buttresse, of eight or ten foot high aboue ground, tacking a few lathes acrosse vpon those stakes, you may thereunto tye your Vines, & carry them theron at your pleasure: but you must be carefull to cut them euery year, but not too late, and so keepe them downe, and from farre spreading, that they neuer runne much beyond the frame which you set at the buttresses: as also in your cutting you neuer leaue too many ioynts, nor yet too few, but at the third or fourth ioint at the most cut them off. I doe aduise you to these frames made with stakes and lathes, for the better ripening of your grapes: for in the blooming time, if the branches of your vines bee too neare the wall, the reflection of the Sunne in the day time, and the colde in the night, doe oftentimes spoile a great deale of fruit, by piercing and withering the tender footstalkes of the grapes, before they are formed, whereas when the blossomes are past, and the fruit growing of some bignesse, then all the heate and reflection you can giue them is fit, and therefore cut away some of the branches with the leaues, to admit the more Sunne to ripen the fruit. For the diuers sorts of grapes I haue set them downe in the Booke following, with briefe notes vpon euerie of them, whether white or blacke, small or great, early or late ripe; so that I neede not here make the same relation again. There doth happen some diseases to Vines sometimes, which that you may helpe, I thinke it conuenient to informe you what they are, and how to remedy them when you shall be troubled with any such. The first is a luxurious spreading of branches and but little or no fruit: for remedie whereof, cut the branches somewhat more neere then vsuall, and bare the roote, but take heed of wounding or hurting it, and in the hole put either some good old rotten stable dung of Horses, or else some Oxe blood new taken from the beasts, and that in the middle of Ianuarie or beginning of Februarie, which being well tempered and turned in with the earth, let it so abide, which no doubt, when the comfort of the blood or dung is well soaked to the bottome by the raines that fall thereon, will cause your Vine to fructifie againe. Another fault is, when a Vine doth not bring the fruit to ripenesse, but either it withereth before it be growne of any bignesse, or presently after the blooming: the place or the earth where such a Vine standeth, assuredly is too cold, and therefore if the fault bee not in the place, which cannot bee helped without remouing to a better, digge out a good quantity of that earth, and put into the place thereof some good fresh ground well heartned with dung, and some sand mixed therewith (but not salt or salt water, as some doe aduise, nor yet vrine as others would haue) and this will hearten and strengthen your Vine to beare out the fruit vnto maturitie. When the leaues of a Vine in the end of Summer or in Autumne, vntimely doe turne either yellow or red, it is a great signe the earth is too hot and drie; you must therefore in stead of dung and sand, as in the former defect is said, put in some fresh loame or short clay, well mixed together with some of the earth, and so let them abide, that the frosts may mellow them. And lastly, a Vine sometimes beareth some store of grapes, but they are too many for it to bring to ripenesse; you shall therefore helpe such a Vine (which no doubt is of some excellent kinde, for they are most vsually subiect to this fault) by nipping away the blossomes from the branches, and leauing but one or two bunches at the most vpon a branch, vntill the Vine be growne older, and thereby stronger, and by this meane inured to beare out all the grapes to ripenesse. These be all the diseases I know doe happen to Vines: for the bleeding of a Vine it seldome happeneth of it selfe, but commeth either by cutting it vntimely, that is, too late in the yeare, (for after Ianuarie, if you will be well aduised, cut not any Vine) or by some casuall or wilfull breaking of an arme or a branch. This bleeding in some is vnto death, in others it stayeth after a certaine space of it selfe: To helpe this inconuenience, some haue seared the place where it bleedeth with an hot iron, which in many haue done but a little good; others haue bound the barke close with packe-thred to stay it; and some haue tied ouer the place, being first dried as well as may bee, a plaister made with waxe rossen and turpentine while it is warme. Now for the propagating of them: You must take the fairest and goalest shot branches of one yeares growth, and cut them off with a peece of the old wood vnto it, and these being put into the ground before the end of Ianuarie at the furthest, will shoote forth, and take roote, and so become Vines of the same kinde from whence you tooke them. This is the most speedy way to haue increase: for the laying downe of branches to take roote, doth not yeelde such store so plentifully, nor doe suckers rise from the rootes so aboundantly; yet both these waies doe yeelde Vines that being taken from the old stockes will become young plants, fit to bee disposed of as any shall thinke meete.

CHAP. XI.

_The way to order and preserue grapes, fit to be eaten almost all the Winter long, and sometimes vnto the Spring._

Although it bee common and vsuall in the parts beyond the Sea to dry their grapes in the Sunne, thereby to preserue them all the year, as the Raisins of the Sunne are, which cannot bee done in our Countrie for the want of sufficient heate thereof at that time: or otherwise to scald them in hot water (as I heare) and afterwards to dry them, and so keepe them all the yeare, as our Malaga Raisins are prepared that are packed vp into Frayles: yet I doe intend to shew you some other waies to preserue the grapes of our Countrie fresh, that they may be eaten in the winter both before and after Christmas with as much delight and pleasure almost, as when they were new gathered. One way is, when you haue gathered your grapes you intend to keepe, which must be in a dry time, and that all the shrunke, dried, or euill grapes in euery bunch be picked away, and hauing prouided a vessell to hold them, be it of wood or stone which you will, and a sufficient quantitie of faire and cleane drie sand; make _stratum super stratum_ of your grapes and the sand, that is, a lay of sand in the bottome first, and a lay of grapes vpon them, and a lay or strowing againe of sand vpon those grapes, so that the sand may couer euery lay of grapes a fingers breadth in thicknesse, which being done one vpon another vntill the vessell be full, and a lay of sand vppermost, let the vessell be stopped close, and set by vntill you please to spend them, being kept in some drie place and in no sellar: let them bee washed cleane in faire water to take away the sand from so many you will spend at a time. Another way is (which Camerarius setteth downe he was informed the Turkes vse to keepe grapes all the winter vnto the next summer) to take so much meale of Mustard seede, as will serue to strow vpon grapes, vntill they haue filled their vessels, thereon afterwards they poure new wine before it hath boiled, to fill vp their vessels therwith, and being stopped vp close, they keepe them a certaine time, and selling them with their liquour to them that will vse them, they doe wash the seedes or meale from them when they vse them. Another way is, that hauing gathered the fairest ripe grapes, they are to be cast vpon threds or strings that are fastened at both ends to the side walls of a chamber, neere vnto the seeling thereof, that no one bunch touch another, which will bee so kept a great while, yet the chamber must be well defended from the frosts, and cold windes that pierce in at the windowes, lest they perish the sooner: and some will dippe the ends of the branches they hang vp first in molten pitch, thinking by searing vp the ends to keepe the bunches the better; but I doe not see any great likelihood therein. Your chamber or closet you appoint out for this purpose must also bee kept somewhat warme, but especially in the more cold and frostie time of the yeare, lest it spoile all your cost and paines, and frustrate you of all your hopes: but although the frosts should pierce and spoile some of the grapes on a bunch, yet if you be carefull to keepe the place warme, the fewer will be spoiled. And thus haue I shewed you the best directions to order this Orchard rightly, and all the waies I know are vsed in our Countrie to keep grapes good anie long time after the gathering, in regard wee haue not that comfort of a hotter Sun to preserue them by its heate.

The fruits themselues shall follow euerie one in their order; the lower shrubbes or bushes first, and the greater afterwards.

THE THIRD PART CALLED THE ORCHARD,

Containing all sorts of trees bearing fruit for mans vse to eate, proper and fit for to plant an Orchard in our climate and countrie: I bound it with this limitation, because both Dates, Oliues, and other fruits, are planted in the Orchards of Spaine, Italy, and other hot countries, which will not abide in ours. Yet herein I will declare whatsoeuer Art, striuing with Nature, can cause to prosper with vs, that whosoeuer will, may see what can bee effected in our countrie. And first to begin with the lower shrubbes or bushes, and after ascend to the higher trees.

CHAP. I.

_Rubus Idæus._ Raspis.

The Raspis berrie is of two sorts, white and red, not differing in the forme either of bush, leafe, or berry, but onely in the colour and taste of the fruit. The Raspis bush hath tender whitish stemmes, with reddish small prickes like haires set round about them, especially at the first when they are young; but when they grow old they become more wooddy and firme, without any shew of thornes or prickles vpon them, and hath onely a little hairinesse that couereth them: the leaues are somewhat rough or rugged, and wrinkled, standing three or fiue vpon a stalke, somewhat like vnto Roses, but greater, and of a grayer greene colour: the flowers are small, made of fine whitish round leaues, with a dash as it were of blush cast ouer them, many standing together, yet euery one vpon his owne stalke, at the tops of the branches; after which come vp small berries, somewhat bigger then Strawberries, and longer, either red or white, made of many graines, more eminent then in the Strawberry, with a kinde of douninesse cast ouer them, of a pleasant taste, yet somewhat sowre, and nothing so pleasant as the Strawberrie. The white Raspis is a little more pleasant then the red, wherein there is small seede inclosed: the rootes creepe vnder ground verie farre, and shoote vp againe in many places, much encreasing thereby.

There is another whose stemme and branches are wholly without prickles: the fruit is red, and somewhat longer, and a little more sharpe.

The Vse of Raspis.

The leaues of Raspis may be vsed for want of Bramble leaues
in gargles, and other decoctions that are cooling and drying,
although not fully to that effect.

The Conserue or Syrupe made of the berries, is effectuall to
coole an hot stomacke, helping to refresh and quicken vp those
that are ouercome with faintnesse.

The berries are eaten in the Summer time, as an afternoones
dish, to please the taste of the sicke as well as the sound.

The iuyce and the distilled water of the berries are verie
comfortable and cordiall.

It is generally held of many, but how true I know not, that the
red wine that is vsually sold at the Vintners, is made of the
berries of Raspis that grow in colder countries, which giueth
it a kinde of harshnesse: And also that of the same berries
growing in hotter climates, which giueth vnto the wine a more
pleasant sweetnesse, is made that wine which the Vintners call
Alligant: but we haue a Vine or Grape come to vs vnder the
name of the Alligant Grape, as you shall finde it set downe
hereafter among the Grapes; and therefore it is likely to be
but an opinion, and no truth in this, as it may be also in the
other.

CHAP. II.

_Ribes rubra, alba, nigra._ Currans red, white, and blacke.

The bushes that beare those berries, which are vsually called red Currans, are not those Currans either blew or red, that are sold at the Grocers, nor any kind thereof; for that they are the grapes of a certaine Vine, as shall be shewed by and by: but a farre differing kinde of berry, whereof there are three sorts, red, white, and blacke.

The red Curran bush is of two sorts, and groweth to the height of a man, hauing sometimes a stemme of two inches thicknesse, and diuers armes and branches, couered with a smooth, darke, brownish barke, without anie pricke or thorne at all vpon anie part thereof, whereon doe growe large cornered blackish greene leaues, cut in on the edges, seeming to be made of fiue parts, almost like a Vine leafe, the ends a little pointing out, and standing one aboue another on both sides of the branches: the flowers are little and hollow, comming forth at the ioynts of the leaues, growing many together on a long stalke, hanging downe aboue a fingers length, and of an herbie colour: after which come small round fruit or berries, greene at the first, and red as a Cherry when they are ripe, of a pleasant and tart taste: the other differeth not in anie other thing then in the berries, being twice as bigge as the former: the roote is wooddy, and spreadeth diuersly.

The white Curran bush riseth vsually both higher then the red, and straighter or more vpright, bigger also in the stemme, and couered with a whiter barke: the leaues are cornered, somewhat like the former, but not so large: the flowers are small and hollow like the other, hanging downe in the same manner on long stalkes, being of a whiter colour: the berries likewise growe on the long stalkes, somewhat thicker set together, and of a cleare white colour, with a little blacke head, so transparent that the seedes may be easily seene thorough them, and of a more pleasant winie taste then the red by much.

The blacke Curran bush riseth higher then the white, with more plentifull branches, and more pliant and twiggie: the stemme and the elder branches being couered with a brownish barke, and the younger with a paler: the flowers are also like vnto little bottles as the others be, of a greenish purple colour, which turne into blacke berries, of the bignesse of the smaller red Currans: the leaues are somewhat like vnto the leaues of the red Currans, but not so large: both branches, leaues, and fruit haue a kind of stinking sent with them, yet they are not vnwholsome, but the berries are eaten of many, without offending either taste or smell.

1 _Rubus Idæus._ The raspis.
2 _Ribes fructu rubro vel albo._ White or red Currans.
3 _Grossularia vulgaris._ The ordinary Gooseberry.
4 _Grossularia fructu rubro._ The great red Gooseberry.
5 _Grossularia aculeata._ The prickly Gooseberry.
6 _Oxyacantha seu Berberis._ The Barbary bush.
7 _Auellana Byzantina._ The Filberd of Constantinople.
8 _Auellana rubra nostras._ The best red Filberd.
]

The Vse of Currans.

The red Currans are vsually eaten when they are ripe, as a
refreshing to an hot stomacke in the heate of the yeare, which
by the tartnesse is much delighted. Some preserue them, and
conserue them also as other fruits, and spend them at neede.

The white Currans, by reason of the more pleasant winie taste,
are more accepted and desired, as also because they are more
daintie, and lesse common.

Some vse both the leaues and berries of the blacke Currans in
sawces, and other meates, and are well pleased both with the
sauour and taste thereof, although many mislike it.

CHAP. III.

_Vua Crispa siue Grossularia._ Gooseberries or Feaberries.

Wee haue diuers sorts of Gooseberries, besides the common kinde, which is of three sorts, small, great, and long. For wee haue three red Gooseberries, a blew and a greene.

The common Gooseberrie, or Feaberrie bush, as it is called in diuers Countries of England, hath oftentimes a great stemme, couered with a smooth darke coloured bark, without anie thorne thereon, but the elder branches haue here and there some on them, and the younger are whitish, armed with verie sharpe and cruell crooked thorns, which no mans hand can well auoide that doth handle them, whereon are set verie greene and small cornered leaues cut in, of the fashion almost of Smallage, or Hawthorne leaues, but broad at the stalke: the flowers come forth single, at euerie ioynt of the leafe one or two, of a purplish greene colour, hollow and turning vp the brims a little: the berries follow, bearing the flowers on the heads of them, which are of a pale greene at the first, and of a greenish yellow colour when they are ripe, striped in diuers places, and cleare, almost transparent, in which the seede lyeth. In some these berries are small and round; in others much greater; a third is great, but longer then the other: all of them haue a pleasant winie taste, acceptable to the stomacke of anie (but the long kinde hath both the thicker skin, and the worser taste of the other) and none haue been distempered by the eating of them, that euer I could heare of.

The first of the red Gooseberries is better knowne I thinke then the rest, and by reason of the small bearing not much regarded; the stemme is somewhat bigge, and couered with a smooth darke coloured barke, the younger branches are whiter, and without anie thorne or pricke at all, so long, weake, small, and slender, that they lye vpon the ground, and will there roote againe: the leaues are like vnto the former Gooseberries, but larger: the flowers and berries stand single, and not manie to bee found anie yeare vpon them, but are somewhat long, and are as great as the ordinarie Gooseberry, of a darke brownish red colour, almost blackish when they are ripe, and of a sweetish taste, but without any great delight.

The second red Gooseberry riseth vp with a more straight stemme, couered with a brownish barke; the young branches are straight likewise, and whitish, and grow not so thicke vpon it as the former red kinde, and without any thorne also vpon them: the leaues are like vnto the former red, but smaller: the berries stand singly at the leaues as Gooseberries doe, and are of a fine red colour when they are ripe, but change with standing to be of a darker red colour, of the bignesse of the small ordinary Gooseberry, of a pretty tart taste, and somewhat sweete withall.

The third red Gooseberry which is the greatest, and knowne but vnto few, is so like vnto the common great Gooseberry, that it is hardly distinguished: the fruit or berries grow as plentifully on the branches as the ordinary, and are as great & round as the great ordinary kinde, but reddish, and some of them paler, with red stripes.

The blew Gooseberry riseth vp to bee a bush like vnto the red Curran, and of the same bignesse and height, with broader and redder leaues at the first shooting out, then the second red Gooseberry: the berries are more sparingly set on the branches, then on the small red, and much about the same bignesse, or rather lesser, of the colour of a Damson, with an ouershadowing of a blewish colour vpon them, as the Damson hath, before it be handled or wiped away.

The greene prickly Gooseberry is very like vnto the ordinary Gooseberry in stemme and branches, but that they are not stored with so many sharpe prickles; but the young shootes are more plentifull in small prickles about, and the greene leafe is a little smaller: the flowers are alike, and so are the berries, being of a middle size, and not very great, greene when they are thorough ripe as well as before, but mellower, and hauing a few small short prickles, like small short haires vpon them, which are harmlesse, and without danger to anie the most dainty and tender palate that is, and of a verie good pleasant taste. The seede hereof hath produced bushes bearing berries, hauing few or no prickles vpon them.

The Vse of Gooseberries.

The berries of the ordinary Gooseberries, while they are small,
greene, and hard, are much vsed to bee boyled or scalded to
make sawce, both for fish and flesh of diuers sorts, for the
sicke sometimes as well as the sound, as also before they bee
neere ripe, to bake into tarts, or otherwise, after manie
fashions, as the cunning of the Cooke, or the pleasure of his
commanders will appoint. They are a fit dish for women with
childe to stay their longings, and to procure an appetite vnto
meate.

The other sorts are not vsed in Cookery that I know, but serue
to bee eaten at pleasure; but in regard they are not so tart
before maturity as the former, they are not put to those vses
they be.

CHAP. IIII.

_Oxyacantha, sed potius Berberis._ Barberries.

The Barberry bush groweth oftentimes with very high stemmes, almost two mens height, but vsually somewhat lower, with manie shootes from the roote, couered with a whitish rinde or barke, and yellow vnderneath, the wood being white and pithy in the middle: the leaues are small, long, and very greene, nicked or finely dented about the edges, with three small white sharpe thornes, for the most part set together at the setting on of the leaues: the flowers doe growe vpon long clustering stalkes, small, round, and yellow, sweete in smell while they are fresh, which turne into small, long, and round berries, white at the first, and very red when they are ripe, of a sharpe sowre taste, fit to set their teeth on edge that eate them: the roote is yellow, spreading far vnder the vpper part of the ground, but not very deepe.

There is (as it is thought) another kinde, whose berries are thrice as bigge as the former, which I confesse I haue not seene, and know not whether it be true or no: for it may peraduenture be but the same, the goodnesse of the ground and ayre where they growe, and the youngnesse of the bushes causing that largenesse, as I haue obserued in the same kinde, to yeeld greater berries.

There is said to be also another kinde, whose berries should be without stones or seede within them, not differing else in anie thing from the former: but because I haue long heard of it, and cannot vnderstand by all the inquirie I haue made, that any hath seene such a fruit, I rest doubtfull of it.

The Vse of Barberries.

Some doe vse the leaues of Barberries in the stead of Sorrell,
to make sawce for meate, and by reason of their sowrenesse are
of the same quality.

The berries are vsed to be pickled, to serue to trimme or
set out dishes of fish and flesh in broth, or otherwise, as
also sometime to bee boyled in the broth, to giue it a sharpe
rellish, and many other wayes, as a Master Cooke can better
tell then my selfe.

The berries are preserued and conserued to giue to sicke
bodies, to helpe to coole any heate in the stomacke or mouth,
and quicken the appetite.

The depurate iuyce is a fine menstrue to dissolue many things,
and to verie good purpose, if it be cunningly handled by an
Artist.

The yellow inner barke of the branches, or of the rootes, are
vsed to be boyled in Ale, or other drinkes, to be giuen to
those that haue the yellow iaundise: As also for them that haue
anie fluxes of choller, to helpe to stay and binde.

Clusius setteth downe a secret that hee had of a friend, of
a cleane differing propertie, which was, that if the yellow
barke were laid in steepe in white wine for the space of
three houres, and afterwards drunke, it would purge one very
wonderfully.

CHAP. V.

_Nux Auellana._ The Filberd.

The Filberd tree that is planted in Orchards, is very like vnto the Hasell nut tree that groweth wilde in the woods, growing vpright, parted into many boughes and tough plyable twigges, without knots, couered with a brownish, speckled, smooth, thinne rinde, and greene vnderneath: the leaues are broad, large, wrinkled, and full of veines, cut in on the edges into deepe dents, but not into any gashes, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and of a grayish ash colour vnderneath: it hath small and long catkins in stead of flowers, that come forth in the Winter, when as they are firme and close, and in the Spring open themselues somewhat more, growing longer, and of a brownish yellow colour: the nuts come not vpon those stalkes that bore those catkins, but by themselues, and are wholly inclosed in long, thicke, rough huskes, bearded as it were at the vpper ends, or cut into diuers long iagges, much more then the wood nut: the nut hath a thinne and somewhat hard shell, but not so thicke and hard as the wood nut, in some longer then in other, and in the long kinde, one hath the skinne white that couereth the kernels, and another red.

There is another sort of the round kinde that came from Constantinople, whose huske is more cut, torne, or iagged, both aboue and belowe, then any of our country; the barke also is whiter, and more rugged then ours, and the leaues somewhat larger.

We haue had from Virginia Hasell nuts, that haue beene smaller, rounder, browner, thinner sheld, and more pointed at the end then ours: I know not if any hath planted of them, or if they differ in leafe or any thing else.

The Vse of Filberds.

Filberds are eaten as the best kinde of Hasell nuts, at bankets
among other dainty fruits, according to the season of the
yeare, or otherwise, as euery one please: But Macer hath a
Verse, expressing prettily the nature of these nuts, which is,

_Ex minimis nucibus nulli datur esca salubris._

that is, There is no wholsome food or nourishment had from
these small kinde of nuts.