Part 4

_Skerrets_ are a delicate roote, white, tender, and pleasant, little differing in tast or excellencie from the _Eringo_. They delight in a rich mould, moyst and well broken, and must be set déepe in the earth: after they be a finger length aboue the ground they would be remoued, and planted in a fresh mould, which will preserue them from spéedie séeding, for when they runne to séede, they loose the vertue of their roote. The moneths fittest for the sowing of them is March, Aprill, and May, and if you desire to haue them all Winter, you may then sowe them in September and October. And thus much for Sallet-hearbs, and rootes of all natures, of which kindes though there be diuers other, yet you shall vnderstand, all are to be ordered in the manner of these before rehearsed, that is to say, such as haue their vertues in the stalke or leaues, like _Spynage_, _Sparagus_, _Purslayn_, and such like, those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps, like _Lettuce_, _Colworts_, and such like, and those whose goodnesse liues in their rootes, like _Raddish_, _Carrets_, _Skerrets_, and such like.

[Sidenote: A most necessary obseruation.]

Now for a most necessarie obseruation, euery Gardner ought to beare this rule in his memorie, that all Pot-hearbs must be sowne thicke, and but thinly couered, as namely not aboue thrée fingers: all hearbs which cabbadge must be sowne thicke, and déeper couered, as a full handfull at least, and in their remouing planted thinne, and well fixt into the earth: and all rootes must be sowen thinne and déepe, as almost a foote either let into the ground, or strewed in déepe furrowes, digged and laide vp for the purpose, in which the quantity of your séede must onely direct you: for if you haue occasion to sow hardly a handfull, then you may set them one by one into the ground at your leasure, but if you haue occasion to sowe many Pecks or halfe Pecks, then you shall turne vp your earth into déepe furrowes, and in the bottome thereof scatter your séeds, and after rake it into a leuell, and you shall not onely saue much labour, but gaine your purpose.

CHAP. VI.

_Of Flowers of all sorts both forraigne and home-bred, their sowing, planting, and preseruing._

Hauing written sufficiently of Pot-hearbs and Sallet-hearbs, which are the ornaments of the Husbandmans Kitchin or Table, I will here speake of flowers, which either for their smels, beauties, or both, are the graces of his Chamber. And first, because my maine ayme and scope is English Husbandrie, I will begin with those flowers which are most proper and naturall for our climate, of which because I holde _Roses_ both for their smell, beauties, and wholesomnesse to excéede all other, I thinke it not amisse to giue them the first place and precedencie before all other.

[Sidenote: Of Roses.]

You shall vnderstand then that _Roses_ are generally and aunciently but of thrée kindes, the Damaske, the red, and the white, and what are different from these are but deriuations from them, being by grafting, replanting, and phisicking, somewhat altered either in colour, smell, or doublenesse of leafe.

[Sidenote: Of the Damaske Rose.]

To speake then first of the Damaske _Rose_, it is fit that all husbandmen know, that _Roses_ may as well be sowne from the séede, as planted from the roote, Syen, or branch onely, they are the slower in comming vp, more tender to nourish, and much longer in yéelding forth their flowers, yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth, if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede, you shall chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged, and you shall cast vp your beds high and narrow: the moneth which is fit for their sowing is September, and they must be couered not aboue four fingers déepe, they must be defended well all the Winter from frosts and stormes, and then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next Spring following: yet this is to be noted, that all _Roses_ which rise from the séede simply, their flowers will be single like the _Eglantine_, or _Cyphanie_, therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde, you must graft one into another, as you doe other fruit, and that will make them double and thicke: also you must remember that those yellow small séedes which are in the midst of the _Rose_, are not true _Rose_ séedes, but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the _Rose_, which as soone as the leaues are fallen away, will open and shew the séede. And thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of _Roses_, which is for experience and knowledge sake onely, for indéede the true vse and property of the _Rose_ is to be planted in short slips about fourtéene inches long, and the small tassels of the roote cut away, they would be set halfe a foote into the ground, in the same manner as you set ordinary Quick-set, and of like thicknesse, rather a little slope-wise then vpright: and though some thinke March the best season, yet doubtlesse September is much better for hauing the roote confirmed all the Winter, they will beare the sooner and better all the Sommer following; you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather, and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls, and such like couert where the Sunne may reflect against them, and if they be planted on open beds or borders, then you must with Poales and other necessaries support them and hold them vp, least the winde shake their rootes and hinder their growing.

[Sidenote: Of the red Rose.]

The red _Rose_ is not fully so tender as the Damaske, neither is it so pleasant in smell, nor doubleth his leaues so often; yet it is much more Phisicall, and oftner vsed in medicine, it is likewise fitter to be planted then sowen, and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a little rough or grauelly, and the best compasse you can lay vnto it, is rubbish or the sweeping of houses, the moneths to sowe or plant it in is March or September, & the time to prune and cut away the superfluous branches is euer the midst of October.

[Sidenote: Of the white Rose.]

The white _Rose_ is of lesse smell then the red, and will grow in a harder ground, his vse is altogether in Phisicke as for sore eyes and such like: it will grow into a Trée of some bigge substance, and is seldome hurt with frosts, stormes, or blastings: it would likewise be planted from the roote against some high wall, either in the moneth of February or March, and the oftner you plant and replant it, the doubler and larger the flower will be: for the earth it much skilleth not, because it will grow almost in euery ground, onely it delights most in the shadow, and would be seldome pruned, except you finde many dead branches.

[Sidenote: Of the Cinamon Rose.]

The _Cinamon Rose_, is for the most part sowen, and not planted, whence it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little, the delicacie thereof being onely in the smell, which that you may haue most fragrant and strong, you shall take a vessell of earth, being full of small holes in the bottome and sides, and fill it with the richest earth you can get, being made fine and loose, then take Damaske _Rose_ séedes which are hard, and sound, and stéepe them foure and twenty houres in _Cinamon_ water, I doe not meane the distilled water, but faire Conduit water, in which good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin stéeped, or boyled, or milk, wherin good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin dissolued, and then sow those séedes into the Pot, and couer them almost thrée fingers déepe, then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the earth, water them with that water or milke in which the seedes were stéeped, then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the ground, you shall take them vp mould and all, and hauing drest a border or bed for the purpose, plant them so as they may grow vp against some warme wall or pale, and haue the Sunne most part of the day shining vpon them, and you shall be sure to haue _Roses_ growing on them, whose smell will be wonderfull pleasant, as if they had béene spiced with _Cinamon_, and the best season of sowing these is euer in March, at high noone day, the weather shining faire, and the winde most calme.

[Sidenote: To make the Cinamon Rose grow double.]

Now if you would haue these _Roses_ to grow double, which is an Art yet hid from most Gardners, you shall at Michaelmasse take the vppermost parts of the Plante from the first knot, and as you graft either Plumme or Apple, so graft one into another, and couer the heads with earth or clay tempered with _Cinamon_-water, and they will not onely grow double, but the smell will be much swéeter, and looke how oft you will graft and re-graft them, so much more double and double they will proue.

[Sidenote: Of the Prouince Rose.]

The _Prouince Rose_ is a delicate flower for the eye more then the nose, for his oft grafting abateth his smell, but doubleth his leafe so oft that it is wonderfull, therefore if you will haue them large and faire, you shall take the fairest Damaske _Roses_ you can get, and graft them into the red _Rose_, and when they haue shot out many branches, then you shall graft each seuerall branch againe with new grafts of another grafted Damaske _Rose_: and thus by grafting graft vpon graft, you shall haue as faire and well coloured _Prouince Roses_, as you can wish or desire: and thus you may doe either in the Spring or fall at your pleasure, but the fall of the leafe is euer helde the best season.

[Sidenote: To make Roses smell well.]

Now if your _Roses_ chaunce to loose their smels, as it oft happeneth through these double graftings: you shall then plant _Garlicke_ heads at the rootes of your _Roses_, and that will bring the pleasantnesse of their sent vnto them againe.

[Sidenote: Generall notes touching Roses.]

Now for your generall obseruations; you shall remember that it is good to water your _Roses_ morning and euening till they be gathered; you shall rather couet to plant your _Roses_ in a dry ground then a wette, you shall giue them much shelter, strong support, and fresh dung twise at the least euery yeare, when the leafe is fallen, you shall cutte and prune the branches, and when the buds appeare you, then begin your first watring.

[Sidenote: Of Lauender.]

_Lauender_ is a flower of a hot smell, and is more estéemed of the plaine Country housewife then the dainty Citizen: it is very wholesome amongst linnen cloathes, and would be sowen in a good rich mould, in the moneths of March or Aprill.

[Sidenote: Of the white Lilly.]

The white _Lilly_ would be sowen in a fat earth, in the moneths of October and Nouember, or in March or April, and the séedes must be sowen excéeding thinne, not one by any meanes touching another, and the mould which couereth them must be sifted gently vpon them.

[Sidenote: To make Lillyes of any colour.]

If you would haue your _Lillyes_ of a purple colour, you shall stéepe your séedes in the Lées of red wine, and that will change their complexion, and also you shall water the Plants with the same Lées likewise: if you will haue them scarlet red, you shall put _Vermillion_ or _Cynaber_ betwéene the rinde and the small heads growing about the roote: if you would haue them blew, you shall dissolue _Azure_ or _Byse_ betwéene the rinde and the heads, if yellow _Orpment_, if gréene _Verdigreace_, and thus of any other colour.

[Sidenote: To make Lillyes flourish all the yeere.]

Now to make them flourish euery moneth in the yéere, you shall sowe your séedes some a foote déepe, some halfe a foote, and some not two inches, so they will spring one after another, and flourish one after another.

[Sidenote: Of the wood Lilly.]

The wood _Lilly_ or _Lilly_ of the vale, delighteth most in a moyst ground, and may be sowen either in March or September, it is very faire to looke on, and not so suffocating in smell as the other _Lillyes_ are.

[Sidenote: Of the flower de Lice.]

The _flower de Lice_ is of excellent beauty, but not very pleasant to smell to, it loueth a dry ground & an easie mould, and is fittest to be sowen in the moneth of March.

[Sidenote: Of Pyonie.]

_Pyonie_ or the blessed _Rose_, loueth a good fat earth being somewhat loose, and may be sowen either in March or September, it asketh not much watring, onely some support because the stalkes be weake.

[Sidenote: Of Petillius.]

_Petillius_ or _Indian eye_, may be sowen in any ground, for it desireth neither much water, nor much dung, and the best season for sowing, it is Iune or September, for it will beare flowers commonly all the Winter.

[Sidenote: Of Veluet flower.]

_Veluet flower_ loueth a rich fertile ground, and must be much watred: the season best for the sowing is August, for commonly it will beare flowers all the Winter.

[Sidenote: Of Gylliflowers.]

[Sidenote: Of grafting of Gylliflowers.]

_Gilliflowers_ are of diuers kindes, as _Pynks_, _Wall-flowers_, _Carnations_, _Cloue Gilliflowers_, and a world of others, which are of all other flowers most swéet and delicate: all but the _Wall-gilliflower_ loue good fertile earths, and may be sowen either in March, Iuly, or August. They are better to be planted of Slips then sowen, yet both will prosper. They are very tender, and therfore the best planting of them is in earthen Pots, or halfe Tubs, which at your pleasure you may remoue from the shade to the Sunne, and from the roughnesse of stormes to places of shelter, they grow vp high on long slender stalkes, which you must defend and support with square cradles made of stickes, least the winde and the waight of the flowers breake them: these _Gilliflowers_ you may make of any colour you please, in such sort as is shewed you for the colouring of _Lillyes_, and if you please to haue them of mixt colours you may also, by grafting of contrary colours one into another: and you may with as great ease graft the _Gylliflower_ as any fruit whatsoeuer, by the ioyning of the knots one into another, and then wrapping them about with a little soft sleau’d silke, and couering the place close with soft red Waxe well tempered. And you shall vnderstand that the grafting of _Gylliflowers_ maketh them excéeding great, double, and most orient of colour.

[Sidenote: Of the smels of Gylliflowers.]

Now if you will haue your _Gylliflowers_ of diuers smels or odours, you may also with great ease, as thus for example: if you will take two or thrée great cloues, & stéepe them foure and twenty houres in Damaske _Rose_ water, then take them out and bruise them, and put them into a fine Cambricke ragge, and so binde them about the heart roote of the _Gylliflower_, néere to the setting on of the stalke, and so plant it in a fine, soft, and fertile mould, and the flower which springeth from the same, will haue so delicate a mixt smell of the Cloue and the Rose-water, that it will bréede both delight and wonder. If in the same manner you take a sticke of _Cinamon_, and stéepe it in _Rose_ water, and then bruise it, and binde it as afore-said, all the flowers will smell strongly of _Cinamon_: if you take two graines of fat Muske, and mixe it with two drops of Damaske _Rose_ water, and binde it as afore-said, the flowers will smell strongly of Muske, yet not too hot nor offensiue, by reason of the correction of the _Rose_ water: and in this sort you may doe either with _Amber-greece_, _Storax_, _Beniamin_, or any other swéet drugge whatsoeuer; and if in any of these confections before named, you stéepe the séedes of your _Gylliflowers_ foure and twenty houres before you sowe them, they will take the same smels in which you stéepe them, onely they will not be so large or double, as those which are replanted or grafted.

[Sidenote: Of the Wall Gylliflower.]

Now for your _Wall Gylliflower_, it delighteth in hard rubbish, limy, and stonie grounds, whence it commeth that they couet most to grow vpon walles, pauements, and such like barraine places. It may be sowen in any moneth or season, for it is a séede of that hardnesse, that it makes no difference betwixt Winter and Sommer, but will flourish in both equally, and beareth his flowers all the yéere, whence it comes that the Husbandman preserues it most in his Bée-garden; for it is wondrous swéet, and affordeth much honey. It would be sowen in very small quantity, for after it haue once taken roote, it will naturally of it selfe ouer-spread much ground, and hardly euer after be rooted out. It is of it selfe of so exéeding a strong and swéet smell, that it cannot be forced to take any other, and therefore is euer preserued in its owne nature.

[Sidenote: Of the Helytropian.]

The _Helytropian_ or flower of the Sunne, is in nature and colour like our English _Marigold_, onely it is excéeding huge in compasse, for many of them will be twenty, and foure and twenty inches in compasse, according to the fertilenesse of the soyle in which they grow, and the oft replanting of their rootes, they are excéeding goodly to looke on, and pleasant to smell, they open their flowers at the rising of the Sunne, and close them againe at the Sunne setting, it delighteth in any soyle which is fertile either by Art or Nature, and may be sowen in any moneth from February till September, the oft planting and replanting of the roote after it is sprung a handfull from the earth, maketh it grow to the vttermost bignesse, it would haue the East and West open vpon it, onely some small Pent-house to kéepe the sharpnesse of the winde from it.

[Sidenote: Of the Crowne Emperiall.]

The _Crowne-Emperiall_, is of all flowers both forraigne and home-bred, the delicatest and strangest: it hath the true shape of an Emperiall Crowne, and will be of diuers colours, according to the Art of the Gardner. In the middest of the flower you shall sée a round Pearle stand, in proportion, colour, and orientnesse, like a true naturall Pearle, onely it is of a soft liquid substance: This Pearle if you shake the flower neuer so violently will not fall off, neither if you let it continue neuer so long, will it either encrease or diminish in the bignesse, but remayneth all one: yet if with your finger you take and wipe it away, in lesse then an houre after you shall haue another arise in the same place, and of the same bignesse. This Pearle if you taste it vpon your tongue, is pleasant and swéet like honey: this flower when the Sunne ariseth, you shall sée it looke directly to the East, with the stalke bent lowe there-vnto, and as the Sunne ariseth higher and higher, so the flower will likewise ascend, and when the Sunne is come into the _Meridian_ or noone poynt, which is directly ouer it, then will it stand vpright vpon the stalke, and looke directly vpward, and as the Sunne declineth, so will it likewise decline, and at the Sunne setting looke directly to the West onely. The séedes of this flower are very tender, and therefore would be carefully sowen in a very rich and fertile earth well broken and manured. The seasons most méete for the same, is the latter end of March, Aprill, or May, for the flowers flourish most in May, Iune, and Iuly. As soone as it is sprung a handfull aboue the earth; you shall remoue it into a fresh mould, and that will make it flourish the brauer: the roote of this flower is like an Apple, or great flat Onion, and therefore in the replanting of it, you must be carefull to make a hole large and fitte for the same, and to fixe the mould gently and close about the same. In the Winter it shrinketh into the earth, and is hardly or not at all discerned, by meanes whereof I haue séene diuers supposing it to be dead, to digge vp the earth, and negligently spoyle the roote, but be not you of that opinion, and in the Spring you shall sée it arise and flourish brauely.

[Sidenote: Of the Dulippo.]

The _Dulippo_ is but a little short of the _Crowne Emperiall_ in pleasantnesse and rarenesse, for you may haue them of all colours whatsoeuer, in such sort as was shewed you for the _Lillyes_, _Gylliflowers_, and other rootes: they are tender at their first springing from the séede, and therefore must be sowen in a fine rich mould, in the warmth of the Sunne, either in March, Aprill, or May: but after they are once sprung aboue the ground, they are reasonable hard, and will defend themselues against most weathers: the roote of this flower is shaped like a Peare, with the biggest end downeward, and many small thréeds at the bottome; therefore you must be sure when you remoue or replant it, to couer all the roote in fresh mould, and let not any part of the white thereof be vncouered: this flower by monethly replanting, you may haue to flourish in all the Summer moneths of the yeare, for in the dead of Winter it shrinketh into the ground, and is hardly or not at all perceiued, the stalkes of these flowers are weake, therefore to support them, and defend them from the shakings of the windes with little square frames of stickes, will be very good and necessary, it must be oft watred.

[Sidenote: Of the Hyacinth.]

The _Hyacinth_ is a flower more delicate to the eye then nose, and is of a good strong nature, for it will endure any reasonable earth, and may be sowne in any moneth of the Spring, from the beginning of February till midde-Iune: it onely hateth tempests and stormes, and therefore is commonly sowen or planted néere vnto walls or other shelter. You may haue them of any colour you please, as is shewed before of other flowers, and in this alteration or mixture of colours their greatest glorie appeareth, they will flourish all the Summer long, and if they stand warme, appeare very early in the Spring.

[Sidenote: Of the Narcissus.]

The _Narcissus_ is a very curious and dainty flower, and through his much variety and alteration in growing, they are supposed to be of diuers kindes, but it is not so, for in as much as they are séene to be of diuers colours, that is but the Art of the Gardner, as is before exprest in other flowers, and whereas some of them grow single, some double, and some double vpon double, you shall vnderstand that such as grow single, grow simply from the séede onely, those which are double and no more, are such as haue béene planted and replanted, the small thréeds of the rootes being clipt away, and nothing left about it that is superfluous, and those which are double vpon double, are the double plants grafted one into another. This _Narcissus_ loueth a rich warme soyle, the mould being easie and light, it may be sowne in any moneth of the Spring, and will flourish all the Summer after. Before it appeare aboue ground it would be oft watred, but after it skils not how little, for it will defend it selfe sufficiently.

[Sidenote: Of the Daffadill, Colombine, and Chesbole.]

[Sidenote: An excellent Caution.]