Part 5

Not vnlike vnto this is your _Daffadill_ of all kindes and colours, and in the same earths and seasons delighteth either to be sowen or planted, and will in the same manner as your _Narcissus_ double and redouble his leaues; so will your _Colombine_, your _Chesbole_, and almost any hollow flower whatsoeuer. Many other forraigne flowers there are which grow plentifully in our Kingdome: but the order of their planting and sowing differeth nothing from these which I haue already declared, being the most tender and curious of all other, therefore I will end this Chapter with this one _caution_ onely, that when you shall receiue any séede from any forraine Nation, you shall learne as néere as you can the nature of the soyle from whence it commeth, as hot, moyst, colde, or dry it is, and then comparing it with ours, sowe it as néere as you can in the earth, and in the seasons that are néerest to the soyle from whence it came, as thus for example: if it came from a clime much hotter then ours, then shall you sowe it in sandie mould or other mould made warme by strength of meanure, in the warmest time of the day, and in those moneths of the Spring, which are warmest, as Aprill or May, you shall let it haue the Sunne fréely all the day and at night, with Mats, Penthouse, or other defence shield it from sharpe windes, frosts, or colde dewes.

[Sidenote: A new manner of planting flowers and fruits.]

I haue séene diuers Noblemen and Gentlemen, which haue béene very curious in these dainty flowers, which haue made large frames of wood with boards of twenty inches déepe, standing vpon little round whéeles of wood, which being made square or round according to the Masters fancie, they haue filled with choyse earth, such as is most proper to the flower they would haue grow, and then in them sowe their séedes, or fixe their Plants in such sort, as hath béene before described, and so placing them in such open places of the Garden, where they may haue the strength and violence of the Sunnes heate all the day, and the comfort of such moderate showers, as fall without violence or extraordinarie beating, and at night draw them by mans strength into some low vaulted gallery ioyning vpon the Garden, where they may stand warme and safe from stormes, windes, frosts, dewes, blastings, and other mischiefes which euer happen in the Sunnes absence, and in this manner you may not onely haue all manner of dainty outlandish flowers, but also all sorts of the most delicatest fruits that may be, as the _Orenge_, _Limond_, _Pomgranate_, _Poncythron_, _Cynamon-tree_, _Oliue_, _Almond_, or any other, from what clime so euer it be deriued, obseruing onely but to make your frames of wood, which containes your earth, but déeper and larger, according to the fruit you plant in it, and that your Alleys through which you draw your Trées when you house them be smooth and leuell, least being rough and vneuen, you iogge and shake the rootes with the waight of the Trées, which is dangerous. And least any man may imagine this but an imaginary supposition, I can assure him that within seauen miles of London, the experiment is to be séene, where all these fruits and flowers with a world of others grow in two Gardens most abundantly. Now for such flowers or fruits as shall be brought from a colder or more barraine ground then our owne, there néedeth not much curiosity in the plantation of them, because a better euer bringeth forth a better encrease, onely I would wish you to obserue, to giue all such fruits or flowers the vttermost liberty of the weather, & rather to adde coolenes by shaddow, then encrease any warmth by reflection, as also to augment showers by artificiall watrings, rather then to let the roote dry for want of continuall moysture; many other notes and obseruations there are, which to discouer, would aske a volume larger then I intend, and yet not be more in true substance, then this which is already writ, if the Reader haue but so much mother-wit, as by comparing things together, to draw the vses from the true reasons, and to shunne contrary by contraries, which what Husbandman is so simple, but he can easily performe, and hauing the true grounds of experience, frame his descant according to his owne fancie, which is a Musicke best pleasing to all men, since it is not in any one mans power to giue a generall contentment. And thus much for flowers, and their generall and particular ordering.

CHAP. VII.

_How to preserue all manner of seedes, hearbs, flowers, and fruits, from all manner of noysome and pestilent things which deuoure and hurt them._

[Sidenote: Of Thunder and Lightning.]

It is not enough to bequeath and giue your séedes vnto the ground, and then immediatly to expect (without any further industrie) the fruit of your labours, no goodnesse seldome commeth with such ease: you must therefore know that when you lay your séedes in the ground, they are like so many good men amongst a world of wicked ones, and as it were inuironed and begirt with maine Armies of enemies, from which if your care and diligence doe not defend them the most, if not all, will doubtlesse perish, and of these enemies the worst and most violentest is _Thunder_ and _Lightning_, which in a moment killeth all sorts of flowers, plants, and trées, euen in the height and pride of their flourishing, which to preuent, it hath béene the practise of all the auncient Gardners, to plant against the walles of their Gardens, or in the middest of their quarters, where their choysest flowers grow, the _Lawrell_ or _Bay_ Trée, which is euer helde a defence against those strikings.

[Sidenote: Of Caterpillers.]

Next vnto _Thunder_ and _Lightning_ are _Caterpillers_, which are a kinde of filthy little wormes, which lye in Cobwebs about the leaues, deuouring them, and poysoning the sap, in such sort, that the Plant dieth spéedily after: the way to kill these, is to take strong Vrine and Ashes mixt together, and with it to dash and sprinkle all the Plants cleane ouer, and it will both preuent their bréeding, or being bred will kill them: the smoake of Brimstone will doe the like, yet if they be excéeding much abundant, the surest way to destroy them, is to take olde, rotten, mouldy Hay, and setting it on fire, with the blaze thereof burne the Cob-webs, and then with the smoake smother and kill the wormes, and they will hardly euer bréede in that place againe.

[Sidenote: Of Toades and Frogges.]

Next these are _Toades_ and _Frogges_, which are very poysonous and great destroyers of young Plants, chiefly in their first appearing aboue the ground, and the auncient Gardners haue vsed to destroy them by burning the fat of a Stagge in some part of the Garden beds, from which earth all creatures that haue poyson in them, will flye with all violence: other Gardners will watch where the Kite pearcheth on nights, and gathering vp her dung, scatter it vpon the beds either simply, or mixt with the shauings of an olde Harts horne, and no venemous thing will come néere it.

[Sidenote: Of the field Myce.]

Next these are field _Myce_, which will roote séedes out of the earth, and deuoure them aboundantly, which to kill you shall take _Henbane seede_, and beate it to pouder, and then mixing it with swéete Oyle, fresh Butter, or Grease, make thereof a bayte; and when you finde where they scratch or roote, lay some part of the bayte in that place, and they will gréedily eate it, and it will kill them: there be other Gardners which will take a Wéesell, and burning it to ashes, scatter the ashes on the beds, and then no field _Mouse_ will come néere them.

[Sidenote: Of Flyes.]

Next these are _Flyes_, as flesh-_Flyes_, _Scarabs_, _Hornets_, _Dores_, and such like, which are great destroyers of Séeds and Plants, when they appeare in their first leafe, and are soft and tender, which to destroy, you shall either take _Orpment_ mixt with milke, or the pouder of _Allome_, or the ashes of any of these _Flyes_ burnt, and with it sprinkle your beds and young plants all ouer, and it will kéepe _Flyes_ that they will not dare to come néere them.

[Sidenote: Of the greene Fly.]

If the gréene _Fly_, which of all other _Flyes_ is most gréedie to hurt Séedes and Plants, doe offend your Garden, you shall take _Henbane_ leaues, _Houseleeke_, and _Minte_, and beat them in a Morter, then straine forth the iuyce, and then adde thereto as much Vinegar as was of all the rest, and there-with sprinkle your beds all ouer, and the gréene _Fly_ will neuer come néere them. Some hold opinion, that if you plant the hearbe _Rocket_ in your Garden, that it is a safe preseruatiue against these gréene _Flyes_, for it is most certaine that the very smell thereof will kill these, and most sorts of all other _Flyes_ whatsoeuer, as hath béene found by approued experience, and the sylts of olde auncient Abby Gardens, which a man shall seldome finde without this hearbe planted in them.

[Sidenote: Of Gnats.]

Next these are _Gnats_, which although it be the smallest of all Flyes, yet it is the greatest, quickest, and sharpest deuourer of tender Plants of all other, for it biteth déeper and more venemously sharpe, then those which are of much bigger substance: the best way to destroy them is morning and euening, to smoake and perfume your beds either with wet Rosemary, or with mouldy Hay: some vse to burne _Calamint_, and some Oxe dung, and sure all are very good, for the smoakes are very sharpe, and styflle as soone as it is receiued.

[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]

Next these are _Pismyers_, which also are very noysome vnto Gardens, for they will digge vp, and carrie away the smaller séedes to their hills, and in short space spoyle and deface a bed of his encrease, and the best way to destroy them, is, if you finde their hill, to poure hot scalding water vpon them: or if vpon your Garden beds you strowe Ashes or Lyme, but especially that which is made of chalk, they will by no meanes come néere them, as you shall finde by experience.

[Sidenote: Of Moales.]

Next these are _Moales_, which digging and vndermining the earth, turneth vp Séedes and Plants in a confused fashion, to the vtter destruction and ruine of the Husband-mans labour, the cure whereof is to take them in such sort, as shall be shewed in this Booke, where I speake of Pasture grounds; but if you finde that their encrease and continuance multiply with your labour, it shall be then good for you to plant in diuers places of your Garden the hearbe called _Palma christi_, in other places _Garlickes_ and in other places _Onyons_, and it is an assured rule that no _Moale_ will come néere where they grow for the strength and violence of their smell, is poysonous and deadly to those blind vermines.

[Sidenote: Of Snailes.]

Next there are _Snailes_ of both kindes, blacke and white, which are as much offensiue to Gardens, as any other crawling thing, for they féed of the tender leaues of plants, and of the outmost rindes of the daintiest hearbs or flowers, the way to destroy them, is to sprinkle vpon the beds and other places of their aboad good store of chimney soote, which by no meanes they can endure, because it is mortall and poysonous.

[Sidenote: Of Moathes.]

Next there are _Moathes_ or _Moaghts_, which are very pernitious in a Garden, for they destroy both Séeds and Plants, and there is not better or more certaine way to kill them, then by taking olde horse hoofes, and burning them, with the smoake thereof to perfume all the places where they abide, and it will in an instant kill them; with this smoake onely you may kéepe Arras hanging, Tapistrie, Néedle-worke, Cushions, or Carpets, or any woollen cloath or garment whatsoeuer safe from _Moathes_ as long as you please, neither néede you to vse it aboue once or twice a yéere at the most, as shall be more at large in another place declared.

[Sidenote: Of Cankers.]

Next these are _Cankers_, which are a kinde of filthie wormes, which deuoure both the great and small leaues of all sorts of swéet Plants, especially _Lettuce_, _Cabbadge_, _Colaflours,_ and such like; and the way to destroy them, is to scatter amongst your Plants, Goose-dung, or to sprinkle the iuyce thereof with a wispe of _Rue_, or hearbe of _Grace_ ouer all the beds, and though some with a rustie knife vse to scrape them from the leaues, and so kill them on a Tyle-shread, yet for my part I hold this the néerer way, and both more certaine and more easie, as experience will approue.

[Sidenote: Of Garden Wormes.]

[Sidenote: An excellent experiment.]

Lastly, are your Garden _Wormes_ which liuing in the hollowes of the earth féede much vpon your tender Garden séedes, and the soft sprouts which first issue from them, especially from all sorts of kirnels, in which they delight more then in any other séede whatsoeuer, as you may finde by experience, if you please to obserue accidents as they happen, without which obseruation you shall hardly attaine to the perfection of an excellent Gardner: for if you please to make this triall, take the kirnels of a faire sound Pippin, and deuide them into two parts, then sowe the one halfe in a Garden bed well drest and trimmed for the purpose, where the worme hath liberty to come and goe at his pleasure, sowe the other halfe in some riuen boule, earthen pot, or halfe Tub, made for the purpose with the same earth or mould that the bed is, and then set the vessell so as no worme may come there-vnto, and you shall finde that all those Séedes will sprout and come forth, when hardly any one of those in the bed of earth will or can prosper, there being no other reason but the extreame gréedinesse of the deuouring worme, which to preuent, you shall take Oxe dung, and burn it to ashes, then mixe them with the earth where-with you couer your Séedes, and it will both kill the wormes, and make the Séedes sprout both sooner and safer. And thus much for the preseruation of Séeds and Plants, from all noysome and pestilent creatures, which being practised with care and diligence, will giue vnto euery honest minde the satisfaction he desireth.

[Sidenote: The conclusion of the Kitchen Garden.]

Now to conclude this small tract or Treatise of the Husbandmans _Kitchen Garden_, I would haue euery honest Reader vnderstand, that I haue not taken vpon me to modell out any curious shape or proportion, but onely figured out a perfect nourcerie, shewing you how to bréed and bring vp all things fit for health or recreation which being once brought to mature and ripe age, you may dispose into those proper places which may become their worthinesse, in which worke I would haue your owne fancy your owne directour, for I may giue preheminence to that you least like, and disestéeme that most which to you may séeme most worthy, therefore let your owne iudgement order your Garden, like your house, and your hearbs like your furniture, placing the best in the best places, & such as are most conspicuous, and the rest according to their dignities in more inferiour roomes, remembring that your galleries, great chambers, and lodgings of state doe deserue Arras, your Hall Wainscote, and your meanest offices some _Boscadge_, or cleanly painting: from this alligorie if you can draw any wit, you may finde without my further instruction how to frame Gardens of all sorts to your owne contentment.

THE SECOND PART OF THE SECOND BOOKE of the _English Husbandman_: Contayning the ordering of all sorts of VVoods, and the breeding of Cattell.

CHAP. I.

_Of the beginning of Woods, first sowing, and necessarie vse._

[Sidenote: Wood better then Gold.]

[Sidenote: The excellent vses of Wood.]

It is a Maxime held in Plantations, that no land is habitable, which hath not Wood & Water, they two being as it were the only nerues & strength of a mans safe and wholesome liuing, and I haue heard many wise Gentlemen, exercised, and ingaged, in the most noble and euer laudable workes of our new Plantations, both of _Virgina_ and the Summer-_Ilands_ affirme, that they had rather, for a generall profit, haue a fertile wholesome land, with much wood, then (wanting wood) with a Mine of gold: so infinite great is the vse of Timber (whose particulars I néede not rehearse) and so insufferable is the want, when we are any way pinched with the same. And hence it springeth that our olde auncestors (whose vertues would God we would in some small measure imitate) when they found any hard and barraine earth, such as was vnapt for grasse; or at least such as bare but grasse that would kéepe life, not comfort life, they presently plowed it vp, and sowed thereon Acornes, Ash-keyes, Maple knots, Béech apples, Hawes, Slowes, Nuts, Bullis, and all other séeds of trées in innumerable quantity, as may appeare by the Forrests of _Del la mere_, _Sherwood_, _Kings wood_, and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes and compasse, from whom when the wood is spoiled, the soyle serueth to little or no purpose, except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore shéepe, which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse. Thus euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer most carefull to preserue and encrease wood, and for mine owne part I haue euer obserued in all those places where I haue séene Woods decayed and destroyed, that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries allowed; those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit, for the greatest exhaustment that euer I saw of wood ground was to bring it to tenne shillings an Acre when it was conuerted to pasture, and being kept to wood, it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty pound. A simple Auditor may cast the account of this profit, but such is our gréedinesse, that for our instant vse we little respect the good of ours, or our neighbours. But it is no part of my Bookes method to call offences to question, but onely to right the Husbandman in his iourney to ordinarie profit. Know then that there is nothing more profitable to the Husbandman, then the encreasing and nourishing of wood; from whence (as our common lawes termes it) springs these thrée bootes or necessary commodities, to wit House-boote, Plowe-boote, and Fire-boote, without the first we haue neither health, couert, ease, nor safety from sauage beasts: without the second we cannot haue the fruits of the earth, nor sustenance for our bodies, nor without the last can we defend off the sharp Winters, or maintaine life against the numbing colds which would confound vs. The consideration of these thrée things only, might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most excellent commodity: but the other infinite necessities & vses which we make of wood, as shipping, by which we make our selues Lords of the Seas: fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours: solution & trial of Mines, from whence springs both our glory in peace, and our strength in warre, with a world of others sutable vnto them, should be motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most praise-worthy labour of planting wood, in euery place and corner, where it may any way conueniently be receiued.

[Sidenote: The plantation of Wood.]

If then the Husbandman shall liue in a high barraine Countrey (for low-valleyes, marshes, or such grounds as are subiect to inundations, seldome nourish wood well) or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine, yet of so hard and sower encrease, that the hearbage doth in the profit but in small quantity, I would wish him after a generall triall of his earth, to deuide it into thrée equall parts, the first and the fruitfullest I would haue him preserue for pasture for his Cattell of all kindes: the second and next in fertility for corne, being no more then those cattell may till, and the last & most barraine to imploy for wood: which though he stay long for the profit, yet will pay the interest double. And this ground thus chosen for wood, I would haue him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of Februarie, and if it be light earth, as either sand, grauell, or a mixt hazel earth, then immediatly to sow it with Acornes, Ash-keyes, Elme & Maple knots, Béech-apples, Chesnuts, Ceruisses, Crabs, Peares, Nuts of all kindes, Hawes, Hips, Bullice, Slowes, and all manner of other wood séeds whatsoeuer, and as soone as they are sowne with strong Oxe harrowes of iron, to harrow and breake the earth, in such sort, that they may be close and safely couered. And in the plowing of this earth, you must diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible, that the séede taking strong and déepe roote, may the better and with more safety encrease, and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests, whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed, the smallest blasts will shake the Trées, and make them crooked, wrythen, and for small vse but fire onely.

[Sidenote: The fencing of young woods.]

[Sidenote: When cattell may graze in Springs.]

After you haue harrowed your earth, and laide your séede safe, you shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence, and hedge, ditch, pale, or such like, which may kéepe out all manner of foure-footed beasts, for comming within the same, for the space of tenne yéeres after: for you shall vnderstand, that if any cattell shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth, or whilst it is young, tender, and soft, they will naturally crop and brouse vpon the same, and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten, will neuer prosper or spring vp to any height, but turne to bushie shrubs and ill-fauoured tufts, pestring the ground without any hope of profit, whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at the least, it will after defend it selfe, and prosper in despight of any iniurie: and then after that date you may safely turne your cattell into the same, and let them graze at pleasure, and surely you shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast, as your yearling Haiffers, Bullocks, Colts, Fillies, and such like: for I would not wish you to let any elder cattell come within the same, because the grasse though it be long, yet it is sower and scowring, and by that meanes will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie, whether it be Oxe or Horse, and for milch-Kine, it will instantly dry vp their milke, but for idle heilding beasts, whose profit is comming after, it will serue sufficiently.

[Sidenote: The vse of the clay ground for Wood.]

Now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood, be a stiffe clay ground, and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde, wet, or such like, as is séene in daily experience: you shall then plowe vp the ground at the end of Ianuarie in déepe furrowes, as is before rehearsed; and then let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good Frosts, then after those Frosts some wet, as either snow or raine, and then the next faire season after sowe it, as afore-said, and harrow it, and you shall sée the mould breake and couer most kindely, which without this baite, and order, it would not doe, then fence it as afore-said, and preserue it from cattell for tenne yéeres after.

[Sidenote: A speciall note.]

And here is to be noted that one Oake growing vpon a clay ground, is worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand, for it is more hard, more tough, and of much longer indurance, not so apt to teare, ryue, or consume, either with Lyme, Rubbish, or any casuall moysture, whence it comes that euer your Ship-wrights or Mill-wrights desire the clay Oake for their vse, and the Ioyner the sand Oake for smoothnesse and waynscote. And thus much for the sowing of Wood, and his generall vses.

* * * * *

CHAP. II.

_The deuision of vnder-Woods, their sale, and profit._

[Sidenote: The deuision of Woods.]

[Sidenote: The valew of vnder-wood.]