THE FRVITERERS' SECRETS: Containing directions, for the due time, and manner, of gathering all kinds of fruit, aswell stone-fruite as other: and how they are afterwards to be ordered in packing, carrying and conveying them by land or by water; then in separating or culling them into divers sorts; and lastly, in reserving or laying them up, so, as may be for their best lasting and continuance.  
Interlaced with diverse other secrets (and their natural causes) touching trees, and their fruit.  
No Treatise, to this purpose, being heretofore published.  
AT LONDON, Printed by R.B. and are to be sold by Roger jackson, at his shop in Fleetstreet, near the conduit. 1604.   

To the right honourable, Charles, Earl of Devonshire, Lo: Mountioye, Lo: Lieutenant of Ireland, and one of his majesties most honourable Privy Council; N. F. wisheth long life, with increase of honour.  
RIght Honourable, having (long since) often weighed and considered, with myself, the great care & pains that have been taken, in setting forth sundry necessary books for planting & grafting of fruit, & finding it (by much experience) no less needful, that the right order, in gatheting & keeping thereof, should be made known, & observed: I resolved, at length (for the general good of the whole kingdom) to lay down, in this small Treatise, the disorder and abuses of the unskilful in this kind; together with the true & due course to be taken therein. The work now finished, I have presumed (though far unworthy) to publish it, to the world (under the shadow of your honourable protection) as the first fruits of a willing mind, ready to make tender of his humble service, & acknowledgement of all duty, to your Lordship, to perform it, in what he may. Not doubting, but that, as your Ho: (next under his Majesty) hath been the protector & preserver of the whole realm of Ireland, you will also vouchsafe to patronize and protect one Irish-borne, who (by long experience) hath made trial of that which he delivereth to others. Wherefore, humbly craving, that your Honour will be pleased to accept hereof, & to give it countenance (that so the rather it may have free passage, in despite of malicious & scornful tongues, into the hands of all such as desire to eat the fruit of their own vineyards, in their due season): I conclude with my earnest and fervent prayers to Almighty God, for the protection and preservation of your good Lordship, in all true honour & happiness, in this life; & hereafter to make you partaker of that invaluable & incorruptible fruit of the life eternal, which groweth not in orchards of men's planting, but in the Paradise of God,  
November, the 7. Your Honours, in all humbleness, N. F.   

The Epistle to the Reader.  
GEntle Reader, as there have been divers books set forth for the good of this land, and the great increase of fruit; As of planting, setting, pruning and grafting, also of preserving them, after the order of the Apothecary: so amongst the rest, bestow the Reading of this little work; wherein you shall find the true order of gathering, carrying, and keeping of all sorts of fruits, in their season, and how you shall know what time your several fruits are ready to be gathered; especially all kind of pippins, and apples, all kind of pears, wardens, Quinces, and Meddlers, also cherries and other stone fruit whatsoever.  
I omit the nominating of all kind of fruits; for they be too many to be severally named. And commonly every fruit country hath their several names, although one kind of fruit. As, john-apples be, in some places, called Dewzing or long-lasters: and Gooddings' be called old Wives, etc. Yet although not severally named, you shall by this Treatise know the due course how to gather all kinds in their prime and season, and afterwards to carry or convey them, either by land or by water, and then how to reserve or keep them, to endure longest. And, afore I proceed to the Treatise itself, I think meet to acquaint thee from whence our great plenty of fruit, in England, came.  
One Richard Harris of London, borne in Ireland, Fruiterer to King Henry the eight, fetched out of France great store of grafies, especially pippins: before which time there was no right pippins in England. He fetched also, out of the Low Countries, Cherry grafts, & Pear grafts, of divers sorts: Then took a piece of ground belonging to the King, in the parish of Tenham in Kent, being about the quantity of seven score acres; whereof he made an Orchard, planting therein all those foreign grafts. Which Orchard is, and hath been from time to time, the chief Mother of all other orchards for those kinds of fruits in Kent, and of divers other places. And afore that these said grafts were fetched out of France, and the Low Countries, although that there was some store of fruit in England, yet there wanted both rare fruit, and lasting fine fruit. The Dutch & French, finding it to be so scarce, especially in these countries near London, commonly plied Billingsgate, & divers other places with such kind of fruit. But now (thanks be to God) divers Gentlemen & others, taking delight in grafting (being a matter so necessary and beneficial in a Commonwealth) have planted many Orchards; fetching their grafts out of that Orchard, which Harris planted called the Newgarden. And by reason of the great increase that now is growing in divers parts of this Land, of such fine & serviceable fruit, there is no need of any foreign fruit, but we are able to serve other places.  
Now therefore, since it hath pleased Almighty God, to give increase & plenty of fruit in this land, and that divers have taken pains in the maintenance thereof, of all degrees: (the better sort for their pleasure, & in that they do delight to see the work of their own hands prosper, as also to eat the fruit thereof; the common sort, for profit, and for the better relief of their family) In regard, I say, of the great pains that have been taken, in planting, setting, grafting, & pruning, whereby a great deal of ground hath been taken up, which might serve for other good purposes; I thought good to show what course might be taken, that men's Labours be not lost, nor such great quantity of ground, wherein fruit doth grow, lie in waste (as it were) and become unprofitable, through ignorance of well handling the fruit, after God hath given it.  
For if there be not as great care taken for the well gathering, and good usage of fruit, as hath been for the planting thereof, I account most of the labour in planting lost, and the grounds wherein they grow to lie partly waste, and better to be used for some other good purpose. But, the fruit being well handled & used, the ground can be turned to no better profit. And so (committing both thy endeavours, and these my labours, to the blessing of God) I hasten to the Directions themselves.  
Thy well-willer, N.F.   

THE FRVITERERS' SECRETS.  

Of Cherries.  
CHerries are the first fruit that are to be gathered, especially which here shallbe mentioned: Of which fruit there are four sorts here in England, (that is to say) Flemish cherries, English cherries, Gascoigne cherries, and black cherries, whereof two are chief to be mentioned, that is the Flemish and the English.  
The Flemish cherries are not so called, in respect that they grow in Flaunders, but that the first grafts and chief original of them came from Flaunders, and therefore they are called Flemish cherries: and in what place soever in England these grafts be, or any trees growing from them, from time to time since the first beginning of them, they are sooner ripe than they that are naturally of themselves English Cherries, in some places fourteen days sooner, in other some three weeks, according to the forwardness or backwardness of the grounds wherein they grow: But wheresoever they grow, although in one plot or acre of ground, you shall yet find that the one will be ripe before the other change their colour red. And as soon as you see your Cherries to change their colour, & be red (that is, when they beginto ripen) you must have a care that you set one to keep them from the birds, which will be very busy about them, & especially at the break of day, until eight of the clock in the forenoon: and so likewise when the heat of the day is past, beginning at four or five of the clock until nine at night: The keeper must with a piece shoot, or make some other noise, to fear the birds, or with a sling to throw at them, being careful to watch at those times. There are two kinds of birds especially, that hurt cherries most: the one is called a jay: which must be narrowly looked unto, or else she will pick the cherries as fast as they ripen. The other, which is called a Bulfinch, will eat stones and all: but you shall hear her chirp before she lights upon the tree.  

The order of gathering of Cherries.  
NOw for the gathering of your cherries (because all cherries upon a tree cannot be ripe and ready to be gathered at one time) provide a fine light ladder: & looking about your tree, where you see most store ripe, there set it up. Be careful for placing thereof, for fear of breaking any boughs. Also you must have a fine hook in your hand called a gathering hook, to pull the bough tenderly unto you, which you cannot reach with your hand.  
You must provide you also a cherry pot or kibzey to gather your cherries in: and to the same cherry pot there must be tied with a string a little hook, that when the gatherer sets to gather, he may hang his cherry pot upon and bough near, as occasion serves, and so to be removed at his pleasure: Always provided, that the gatherer have a great care that he pull no more but the very same stalk that the cherry hangs by: for the next knot, or brut to the stalk, is it commonly that yields fruit, the year next ensuing.  
At the gathering of your cherries there unist be great heed taken that they be not roughly handled: only pull them off by the stalk and lay them into your pot. For much handling of them (being a very tender fruit) will make them change their colour, and turn blackish.   

¶ How to carry and convey Cherries.  
IF there be any great store of cherries that must be carried any far way, from whence they be gathered, there must be provided either fine baskets or sives: into which (when the cherry pots be full, you must pour them out. Each of these sives should have two laths in the bottom on the outside, not crossed, but both one way: each lath must be about the breadth of two fingers: and about the breadth of the palm of a man's hand betwixt, or somewhat more asunder. The reason why I wish these laths to be used in the bottom, is, because that when they be carried upon one's head, the siue being weak bottomed of itself, the carriers head will make a dent therein, the breadth of his head, which would cause the cherries, in all that circle of his head, to break and to be bruised: but the two laths will keep his head from spoiling of the cherries, and so to be easily carried, having a wreath or some such thing betwixt him and the laths, for hurting of his head.  
The French men commonly use to carry their cherries in the very same pots that they gather them in, & never put them out until such times as they are to be spent. The Dutchmen do turn them out of their cherry pots, into deep rod-baskets. This latter way is not so good. For, lying so thick one upon another, it quickly bringeth them into a heat: and once being in a heat, they presently rot.  
But the Fruiterers of London (whose way I hold to be the best) do first gather them into kibseiss, or little open baskets: and by reason of their great quantity they pour them out gently into their sives, or broad baskets made siue fashion: so filling them that the sives or baskets may be three inches (or there about) empty at the top. For when they be put into a Ship, Hoy, or boat, they are often (for want of room) set one upon another: which would hurt the cherries, if the siue or basket were full.  
But otherwise, they that have no great store to carry or convey by land, may convey them on horseback in a pair of panniers, on each side one, lined thin both in the bottom and top with fresh fearn. Provided, that your panniers or baskets be full: or else the fruit will be spoiled with tossing.    

¶ The order of gathering all other stone-fruite.  
COncerning Apricocks, Peaches, Peare-plums, Damsons, bullase, etc. for the knowledge of gathering of them, they are all much of a nature or quality. For although, in each kind of them, some ripen sooner than other some, even upon one and the same tree, yet as soon as they are ready to be gathered, some will drop off, and the rest remain hard: yet then are those hard ones also in their full tune to be gathered. Then must you place your ladder as before is mentioned, having a special care that you hurt not the tree: also observing that it be dry weather, and the morning dew past. For, being gathered wet, they will both lose their perfect colour, and become mildewed. Then take your kibsey (such as hath been showed how to gather cherries withal) and taking also a hook in your hand to pull those boughs that you cannot reach, have ready by you a siue, basket or some such thing, that when your kibsey is full, you may pour them thereinto. In the bottom whereof, lay nettles newly gathered, and with the like cover them on the top: which will hasten the ripening of them, make them keep their colour, and cause them to eat as kindly as if they had been fully ripened upon the tree.  
But if you let them hang upon the tree until they be full ripe, they will drop off, for the most part: and the rest that hang, will quickly rot after that they be gathered, and do little service, except they be presently used.   

Three things to be considered, in gathering of Pears.  
THere are divers ways to be used in gathering of Pears: as followeth. First, it is to be noted whether they grow in a yard, garden, or back side, being no more than will serve for a man's own spending. secondly, whether there be any such that will be sold, and so to be conveyed any far way, either by land or water. Thirdly, whether they be Pears that will serve for the Apothecary to preserve, and so to be gathered accordingly.  

How to know whether Pears be ready to be gathered.  
NOw, for the gathering of such as be for a man's own use, no doubt but every man having seen the natural ripening of his own fruit, by long experience knoweth their time of gathering: but for the better instruction of those that newly come unto a place, being not acquainted with the natural ripening of the Pears therein growing, I will here after express how you shall know when their due time of gathering is.  
Some, or rather most men, use not to gather their Pears until they be all ready to drop off: and, hanging so long upon the tree, assoon as they be gathered, and laid one upon another, they will be in a great heat, and presently rot. But if you have Pears that you make any account of, that are summer Pears, and for your own use, assoon as you see them turn their colour, or any part of them ripe (which will not be all at one time, although growing upon one tree, & of one sort) still gather the ripest, & so by degrees at your pleasure.  
But, being gathered when they be almost ripe (that is, when only some of them begin to fall) they will naturally ripen of themselves. And whereas the Pears that are gathered, being through ripe, do soon rot one another, through their over great heat: on the other side, the temperate heat of those that be gathered before they be all full ripe, doth cause them to ripen one another.  
But for Pears that are to be carried any far way, they must be gathered by another observation: that is, pull one off the tree, and cut it in the middle, and if you find that it be hollow about the core, & the kernel to have room, as it were loosening within the core, although none of the Pears on that tree be so ripe as to drop off, than it hath his full growth, and (although not then full ripe, and ready to be eaten) may be gathered. And having laid then upon an heap, or one upon an other, as they must be in the carriage, they will in a very time ripen, & eat as kindly as if they had been gathered ripe off the tree: but being gathered before this time, that is, before the time that they begin to be hollow about the core, they will whither, shrink, & eat tough, more like in taste to a piece of the tree, than a Pear.   

¶ divers ways used in gathering of Pears.  
KNow also that all kind of Pears & Apples are by divers men, divers ways used to be handled, even in the very manner of gathering them. As, some use to climb up without a ladder, having a basket to gather in, with alyne tied to it, that thereby it may be let down when it is full, and another upon the ground to receive it, he in the tree still holding the one end of the cord or line, that when the basket is emptied, he may draw it up again: which way is not to be commended.  
Other some with a ladder do get up, having a basket in their hands, and every time that it is full they bring it down, pouring the fruit into some other bigger basket, not regarding either how they handle the fruit in the pouring, nor how rudely & boisterously they place their ladder, to the hurt of the tree. Other some beat them down with poles, breaking both the tree and fruit.  
These two last sort of gatherers have little respect what fruit may grow upon the trees for the time ensuing, in regard of their rough handling of the tree, in breaking the boughs, sprigs and bruts whereupon fruit might grow. Only for the time present is all their care: some being but tenants at will, or other careless and ignorant persons being put in trust to gather.  
But for the setting of your ladder to the tree, the best way is, to place it easily: For, laying of it hard on, will spoil & fell a great many of the fruit, as far as the ladder toucheth. Also being firmly placed, it is both good for the gatherers own safeguard, and for the safeguard of the tree. But, being careless and rash in placing thereof upon the weak boughs & branches, the weight of the gatherer to the treeward, will break the weak branches & endanger the gatherer.    

How to gather apples, and how to know when they are ready to be gathered.  
ANd touching the gathering of apples, beginning first with summer fruit, as jeniting apples, Margaret apples, so called in Kent, & others which are too tedious in this place to be nominated: yet by the rules hereafter, although the fruits not mentioned, shall you know their due several times of gathering. If they have their full growth, some of the ripest will be dropping off the tree, and commonly the birds will be picking of them. Or else, you may pull off one of the greenest, cut it, & if you find that it is hollow about the core, and the kernel beginning to be lose (as is showed before in the trial of Pears) then have they their full growth, and they are ready to be gathered. And being gathered either of these ways, they will in the house come to their perfect colour, and ripen kindly of themselves: but if they be gathered afore, they will shrink, whither, and eat tough, and do no service.   

Winter fruit, how to be gathered.  
WInter or lasting fruit, should be gathered in the wane of the Moon, the wind not being in the East: although indeed the Fruiterers of London by reason of their great quantity do not observe the same. For, when they do once begin to gather, they give not over, until they have gathered the last, except in foul or wet weather. For all fruit whatsoever being gathered in wet weather, or as long as the dew hangs upon the trees, be they ener so good lasting fruit, it will cause them in short time to rot. For, being wet or moist when they be gathered, soon after that they be housed and laid, it will bring them into a heat, causing them to rot, and be mildeawed.   


How to use your gathering hook.  
AS concerning the better handling of your fruit in the gathering, the placing of the ladder hath been before specified: you must also be provided of a hook and a gathering apron or bag. The hook, to pull the bough that you cannot reach with your hand: The bag or gathering apron, to put in your fruit, as you gather them.   

Of the gathering apron, and the manner how to fasten it about you.  
THe gathering apron is commonly every way an Ell: having, at the lower end thereof, in the midst of the hem, a strong loop. Set this apron about your back, knitting both the upper ends afore, then take up the loope-end (which hung down) putting your girdle through the loop: and so having fastened your girdle about you, tie the two corners of the loop end of your apron, the one of one side under your girdle, the other on the other side, doubling each of the corners under your girdle, for fear of slipping: then your apron will be necessary for both your hands, or either of them, to put in your fruit, as you gather it. And when your apron is full, lose but one of the ends fastened under your girdle: & so bowing somewhat down your body on that side, let fall your fruit very tenderly into your prickell or basket. For, in laying them down roughly, their own stalks will prick them. And, although than nothing seen or noted, yet they, that are stalke-prickt, will in time rot, beginning in the very same place. But if you have not such aprons ready, then take a bag of a bushel, half a bushel, or thereabout, with a  list or some such like thing so broad, both ends sowed to the bags mouth, in length as might serve to hang upon your shoulder & reach your girdle.   

Fruit to be gathered, without bruts or leaves: and why.  
GAther your fruit clean (as near as you can) without leaf or brut: only gather it with the stalk. For, pulling any more than the stalk, breeds two discommodities: the one to the tree, the other to the fruit. To the tree, because that the brut would, the next year, have been grown to be a stalk whereupon the fruit might grow. To the fruit, because the brut being gathered, and joined to the fruit with the stalk, will (in the pouring of them down) break the next unto it, although at that time not much seen: which will cause it to rot before his time. The leaves likewise, being amongst them, will in a short time rot the fruit. And as the fruit is not to be gathered, but with the stalk only, so is it not to be gathered without a stalk. For, as the brut, as far as it toucheth, doth hurt the fruit: so, without the stalk, it will not last long, it will rot in the very stalk room.   

How to use your fall.  
THey that fall off the tree, which be not gathered with hand, are not to be laid with the rest. For, commonly they are broken or bruised, with the fall: by reason whereof they will not last, and, being laid amongst the gathered fruit, will in time spoil them. Yet are those fall better, that fall when the fruit hath his full growth, than they which fall before the time of gathering, as wind-falles, & such other. For they that fall before their full growth will shrink, be withered, and never do service: but they that are taken up in gathering time, being laid by themselves, will serve to roast or bake, etc.   

Abuses, in gathering of fruit.  
IN some great fruit countries, as Worcester shire, and , they use to beat down their course fruit, where of they make their Perry & Cider, and likewise carry them in long carts, jogging one against another, by reason of their looseness in the cart, also in sacks: which kind of carriage, doth batter and bruise them: yet serve they for that purpose, or to spend or use out of the way: but the fruit, that is to be reserved for other purposes, is not so to be used.   

How to carry the fruit after the gathering, in what baskets, and how they shall be shot.  
IF your fruit be gathered near the place, where they are to be laid up, there must be provided certain baskets or prickles, (able to contain two bushels, or a bushel a piece) each of them having two ears or handles, that so (being full) they may be carried, between two, holding each of them one of the handles, in their hands, or betwixt them to be carried upon a coule-staffe, and so into the place appointed: by which means of carriage, the fruit will be neither bruised nor battered. Also have a care, that they be poured or shot down very gently, laying every sort by themselves. But if there be want of room, having so many sorts, that you cannot well lay them several (for some have divers sorts, although very small store of fruit) yet such of summer-fruite as are nearest, in taste, & colour, & of winter fruit, such as will taste alike, may (if need be) be laid together: and in time they may be separated, as hereafter shall be expressed. But if the fruit be gathered, far from whence they are to be laid, and that they must be carried or conveyed by cart or waggon (having any good store to carry) there must be provided great baskets, or (as some call them) Mands, of quarters or half quarters. And for the carriage, especially of summer Pears, green fern must be used to line them withal, on the inside of the Mands: And here be careful to pull the stubborn ends of the fern, clean through the basket, that so they may be on the outside. By this means, neither shall the fern slip to the bottom, when the fruit is poured out into the maund, neither shall those hard ends bruise the fruit. Also cover your maund close with fern: & with a great packe-needle, bigger than ordinary packe-needles, draw a line or small cord closing hard the fern, that the fruit fall not out, neither be jogged or tossed in carriage. The fern doth not only stand in the stead aforesaid, but it causeth the pears soon to ripen (remaining any time therein) and to eat as well as if they had been gathered ripe: but if they be once come to a heat, and not taken out of the fern in time, they will soon rot & become black.  
When you have brought your pears to the place appointed, if at the losing of them out of the mands you find them not ripe, if you will hasten the ripening of them, lay them thick upon fern, and with fern also cover them close: for, being kept warm, they will soon ripen and come to their perfect colour: always provided, that when they be near ripe, they be uncovered. For, when they begin to ripen, being kept close, they will ripen too fast: and being uncovered, at that time, the air will moderate their heat. But if otherwise, you mean not to hasten the ripening of them, lay them upon the bare boards, neither too thick nor too thin, and they will leisurely ripen.  
For winter or lasting pears, they may be carried and packed either in fern or straw: not to the intent that the fern should hasten the ripening of them: but that in the carriage they may not be battered. Also, at their journeys end, they must be laid upon fine sweet straw: provided that they be not laid in too warm a room, lest so you bring them into a heat: neither laid in a windy cold room, for fear of shrinking and riveling them: but in a room indifferent, where they shall have air, & not too much.   

How to gather Wardens.  
WArdens are to be carried, packed, and laid, as winter Pears.   

How to gather Meddlers, and how to keep them.  
Meddlers are to be gathered about Michaelmas, after that a frost hath touched them: at which time they are commonly in their full growth, & will be then dropping off the tree, but never ripe upon the tree. And after they be gathered, they are to be laid in a basket, siue, barrel, or any such like cask, and wrapped about with  clothes, under, over, and on the sides: also some weight laid upon them, having a board between. For, except that they be brought into a heat, they will never ripen kindly, nor eat well. And after they have lain so long as you think, or find, that any of them be ripe, (as they will not ripen all together) the ripest, still as they ripen, must be taken from the rest. Therefore pour them out into another siue, or basket, leisurely, that so you may well find them, that be ripest: letting the hard ones fall into this other basket, and those that be ripe laid aside, the other that be half ripe sever also in a third basket or siue. For, if they that be ripe, or half ripe, be not separated from the other, the one will be mouldy before the other be ripe, and so spoil the rest. And still after that the ripest are taken from the other, they are from time to time to be used as aforesaid, until that they be all ripe.   

How to order Quinces.  
QVinces are a fruit, which, if there be any store of them, be not to be laid in that room, where any other fruit is, by reason of their strong sent. For, being laid in any close room, near other fruit, it will cause the fruit to smell of them. The riper also that they be, the stronger their scent is: especially if they be in a close room: and they will not only be hurtful to the fruit near them, but noisome also to them that come into the room where they be. Therefore they are to be laid, in such a room several (upon fine straw) where they shall have air enough. Also, being to be carried any far way, they must be packed in straw: and so likewise Meddlers. Their time of gathering also is all one with Meddlers.  
As the order of packing, & usage of Pears, Meddlers, & Quinces is showed: so likewise shall be declared the manner of packing pippins, and all other sorts of apples, beginning with the summer fruit.   

How to pack or mand apples.  
ALL kind of summer or winter apples must be packed, laid, and carried in wheat or rather rye straw. And although, for the most part, they are laid in some room, near where they grow, until they be all gathered & ready to be carried away: yet the better way for those that are to convey their fruit, from whence they are gathered, is to have mands, straw, & all ready, lining them with straw, that when your baskets or prickels be full, you may presently pour them into the mands. For, being first laid in one place, and then taken up again, to be put into mands or other casks, doth hurt the fruit with too much tossing: but being presently put into the mands, well packed, and gently handled, will cause summer fruit to keep plump, & keep their colour the better.  
If you have not so many of one kind of fruit, or that there be a remnant (as of some sorts, there be but a few, in an orchard) so that the maund cannot be filled: first pour in one sort, and when they be all in, lay some fine sweet straw upon them, then pour in the other kind of fruit, and so fill your maunde: and being filled and well packed, the two sorts will not come together in the stirring or carriage of them.   

How to empty mands, and how to lay the fruit.  
AT the emptying of them, see that the fruit be not rashly poured out, lest that the several sorts come together. And although packed and carried in straw, yet at the emptying let the straw be picked out clean: and, as near as you can, let every sort be laid several. Now, if there be so many sorts, that, for want of room, some of them must be mixed, be sure that you mingle none, but those that will last alike: But if they be near in taste and colour, there needs no separation. But although some sorts do last alike, and be near of one taste, yet if they be not of a colour, they are not to be laid together. For, it is an unseemly sight to see one heap of apples of several colours. But if already they be mingled, let them be taken up with a Trey: and look how many sorts there be in the heap, you must have by you so many baskets, and so part every sort, several: when they be parted, the ripest to be first spent, & the rest by degrees in their time.  
And although they that be summer fruit, be called rather fruit, yet are they not ripe all at one time. Wherefore, no sorts must belayed together, but those that ripen alike: otherwise, being laid together in a heap, the one will be rotten before the other be ripe, and cause the hardest amongst them to rot, before they be kindly ripe.  
Also Pippins and other winter fruit, are to be carried and packed in mands, lined with wheat or rye straw: and at the emptying of them, the straw to be clean picked out. And when your pippins, or other winter fruit, come to be laid in the house or place appointed, whether they should be conveyed or carried, unlace your mands, take off the straw, at the top: when you have done, whelm down the mands, emptying them gently, into small baskets, picking out the straw as clean as you can. Have a great care also in shooting or pouring them out. For, in pouring of them hard, the one will hurt the other: especially the stalks of the one, will run into the other. And being once stalk-prickt, they will not last long, although not presently seen.  
Also, being battered or bruised, they cannot keep. Only the Pippin hath a quality by itself. For, if it be battered, the skin being not broken, it will dry up again: so that it be when it is green, and being laid amongst the rest: for than they will soak away the bruise, and make it plump again, if it be not too much bruised.   

Of the difference of fruit, growing in one ground, and on one tree.  
YOu must note that there be pippins and other winter fruit, although of one sort, and grow in one ground or orchard, that will last better than other some: and of some trees grow greater fruit than of other some of the same sort, & in the very same orchard. For, where the sun hath most power or shineth hottest, the fruit is harder grained, bigger, and of a better colour, than they that grow upon the very same tree, upon the lower boughs (which are called water boughs) or the inner boughs of the tree. For, the rain or moisture that lights upon the tree, falls to the lower parts: by reason whereof they never have any good colour, but are always green and soft, and eat very waterish: which causeth them, they can never last long, nor eat kindly. But the other (as I said) that have the warmth of the sun, do grow greater and better coloured: some being red sided, other some russet: also they last long and eat kindly.  
Therefore I wish them, that have fine lasting fruit, that they make great store of, for the service of their own house, to separate them at the gathering. But otherwise, if they be such fruit, that no such account is to be made of them, they may belayed altogether: and after that they have lain, take them up in a trey, and separate the ripest from the other, and so spend them as occasion serves.  
Also, the largeness, & goodness of the fruit, holds proportion with the age of the tree. For, while the tree is in growing to perfection, the fruit groweth every year bigger and bigger, better in taste, & colour, & more firm and hard: but when the tree gins to decay & wax old, the fruit (which it beareth) doth also decay in bigness, colour, taste & firmness: & consequently will not last so long.   

How to order fruit, in conveying them by water.  
IF there be any occasion of sending fruit any far way by water, especially such fine fruit, that will keep well, and worth sending (for summer fruit are not far to be sent) provide some dry hogsheads, barrels, or some such cask, and because they may lie the closer (to avoid jogging and tossing, in removing or stirring of the cask) they must be laid in, by hand, one by one: not poured in. For, being poured in, they will lie hollow, & so be spoiled with battering, and bruising one against another, in the removing of the cask: but, being laid in, one by one, and the cask filled up, they will not stir.  
line your casks at both ends, with the finest & sweetest straw, you can get: but not the sides of your cask: for too much warmth will hurt them. You must also pierce holes in both ends, about eight or ten at an end. For, fruit (let them be ever such good lasting fruit) if they have not air, they will quickly come in a great heat, and so suddenly rot. Have also a great care that they be kept dry in the carriage. For, as the want of air doth cause them to rot: so, being wet will rot them likewise.  
Also fruit, that are to be carried by sea, may be shot under hatches upon straw, if there be not cask enough to carry them in. Always provided, that they be shot in a dry place, and with great care that they be kept dry over head: now and then opening the hatches to air them.   

Unfit times to remove or carry fruit, by land or water: and the reason thereof.  
THe fruit that is stirred, packed, or carried in frosty weather, or in March (if the wind blow sharp) let them be ever so hard at the taking up, yet before they come to their journeys end, being carried by land or water, they will then be so tender (in frosty weather, by reason of the cold air: in March, by reason of the sharp and bitter wind: and in summer, by reason of heat) that the most part of them will change black, and a great many of them so shriveld as if they had been sodden: so that they will not abide to be tossed, nor carried at that time of the year, by reason of their tenderness. The hardest & the best lasting fruit, that is, after they have lain long, or especially if they have lain till March, or near the Spring, and so likewise until july, the weather growing hotter & hotter, although in the taking up of them they seem very hard, yet shall you find a great alteration in them, after their carriage.   

Small store of fruit, how to be conveyed by land.  
THey that have but small store to carry, or but now and then to carry some, of what sort soever, they do commonly carry them in dossers, panniers, or prickles, etc. one, on each side of the horse: always provided, that every or each one be full, the cherries & pears to be lined with green fern, all kind of apples to be lined with fine sweet straw, only in the bottom and top (not on the sides) of the panniers and dossers. But baskets or prickles (the rods whereof are not so near together) must be lined, sides and all.   

In what kind of rooms, winter-fruite are to be laid, and in what manner.  
FOr the better reserving or keeping of winter-fruite, first there must be great heed taken, what place or room they are laid in: for it must be neither too hot nor too cold, neither too close nor too open. For, as the closeness of the room brings them in a great heat, so doth too much air make them shrink, and be withered: beside, in time of year, the frost will sore nip them. You must also have a great care, that they be neither laid upon the ground, in any low room, or cellar: unless it be either paved or boarded. For, although they be underlayed well with straw, yet the moistness of the bare ground will cause the straw to be musty, & the mustiness ascend to the fruit: which will make them both musty and mouldy.  
The laying of fruit in a low room or cellar (so that the room be sweet, and either boarded or paved, being not very close) is good, from Christmas until the latter end of March: which will both keep them from the frost, and from the sharpness of the March wind. Between March and the latter end of May (being the chief of the spring) the cellars be hot: and, in that time, the fruit will run out, or rot, more in those rooms, then in other convenient places. Rooms, that be very open, are neither good for winter nor summer: and especially such as are near the tiles where no ceiling is over them. For, in winter, the sharp winds and frosts will have access through the chinks or crevices of the windows, although shut: and, betwixt the tiles, the heat of the sun, in hot weather will pierce likewise. As cellars be hot toward the spring, they be cold in summer: and are then good to keep fruit in.  
Rooms, that be seeled over head, are good for fruit, having air sufficient, where the windows may be shut and opened, as occasion serveth. For, being seeled it will keep away dust, that might have fallen down, and the heat of the sun. Always provided, in what room soever, that they be underlayed, with good, clean, and sweet straw, either wheat or rye. Take also the longest of the straw, and let it be laid to the walls, standing up as far as the fruit reacheth: not thick, but only sufficient to keep the fruit from the wall. Which, if it be a stone wall, will give, at every change of the weather. If any other wall, it will be full of dust. Therefore the straw is good, both to dry up the moistness before it comes to the fruit, and likewise to keep away the dust.  
But if the room be either wayne-scotted or boarded round, there needs no straw, between the walls and the fruit.   

How winter-fruites, of one sort and kind, are to be culled, and sorted diversly.  
AS it is showed how Summer-fruite (that is, such as be rather fruit, and to be spent in summer) are to be ordered: so now shall be showed, how winter or lasting fruit shall be used, and kept in their kind, for their best lasting. And as there be divers kinds of fruit that will not last, but must be used in summer, some at one time and some at another: so likewise there are divers sorts, which will naturally last, some but till Alhollantide, some till Christmas, some till Landlemas, & other some till Shrovetide, etc. But especially, Pippins, john apples, or as some call them Dewzins, Pear-maynes, winter-russettings, and such other lasting serviceable fruit, with good usage, will last till new fruit come in.  
It is the order in Kent, and in most fruit countries in England, when they have great heaps of fruit, lying in their houses, to take a long rod or staff, with a nail, or some such sharp pointed thing, in the end thereof, and with the same to take up those they see rotten, upon the top or side of the heaps: not regarding how they rot undermost, and in the heart of the heap: where, is more waste, then in the outward parts. And other some never stir them, but when they have occasion to use them, and then taking them up, and throwing out the rotten ones, do let the rest rot that will.  
But if you have any fruit, that you mean to keep or reserve, as long as they can, by their several natural kinds, they must be used in another sort. When there is seen any perished fruit, either upon the top or sides of your heap, than it showeth that some are rotten in the inner parts. Therefore, having a trey, with the same gently take them up, being careful, that you neither thrust the trey hard to the heap, nor with your nails touch them. And here know, that although the fruit of your heap be all of one kind, yet at the turning or taking up of them, they are to be parted into three sorts: for they will not keep alike, although they grew all upon one tree. Therefore your trey being filled set it before you, with your prickles or baskets round about you, & taking them out of the trey, peruse them well, and lay the hardest, or those that are without spots, which will last longest, in the basket next unto you, laying them down gently: the other sort that are broken skinned, stalke-pricked, or under-run (that is beginning to perish) will be as good for the present time to spend, and as sound as the other sort, so that they be taken in time. For, when they begin once to be spotted, or any way the skin broken, if it be but the breadth of a pin's head, they will not last long. This second sort you must put into the second prickle or basket. The third sort (for your third basket) are those that are already perished, or worm eaten: which must be laid by themselves several, and spent out of hand: and those that are found thoroughly rotten, to be cast out, which will be but a few, if they be carefully looked into, shutting or pouring every sort several: and always as they are turning, to be underlayed with fresh & sweet straw. But if they be not taken up, & looked to in time, you shall have them, that be but stalk-prickt, or any way broken skinned, soon rotten: and the other that be but a little perished, when these other begin to perish, will be all rotten, and so spoil them, that would last long.   

The times when long lasting fruit, should be stirred and turned.  
PIppins, john-apples, Peare-maines, and other such long lasting fruit, need not to be turned, until the week before Christmas, except that there be some riper kind of fruit mingled with them (which must be taken out) or that the fall have not been taken out at the gathering, or any straw left amongst them.  
The second time, that you should turn these lasting kinds of fruit, is about Shrovetide, or the latter end of March, or the beginning of April. For, towards the spring all kinds of fruit will rot, more than at other times. And so until Whitsuntide turn them once in the month, and afterwards once in a fortnight. Still, in the turning, lay your heap lower and lower, and your straw underneath them very thin. Always provided, that you do not touch your fruit, in any great frost, and especially if they be in an open room. In a cellar or close room, where the frost cannot come at them, they may be touched, if there be any occasion of haste (or else not,) so that you keep the room very close shut too, when they be in turning.  
At the thaw, the fruit is wet and moist: and as long as they be so, they must not be touched, nor any way stirred, until that they be dry again. And so likewise in rainy weather, they will be dank and moist, and give, according to the weather: at which times they may not be touched. For, being touched in any of those times aforesaid, they will turn black: and having once changed colour, they will not last. Therefore in what room soever you lay them, set open your windows, doors, or other entrances for air (that so the wind may come in upon them) in winter, betwixt nine in the forenoon, and four in the afternoon: and in summer you may open at six in the morning until eight at night. For, before and after these times, the air is too cold. In March open not your windows at all: for the March wind will cause the fruit to shrink.   

When Pippins, and other long lasting fruit, begin to be shrivelled: and the reason.  
LAsting fruit, after that the middle of May is past, begin to whither: by reason that then they wax drier. And then, the moisture being gone, which caused them to keep plump, they look withered and become smaller. Also when nature is decayed in them (do what you can) they will rot. For, in the Spring, as the tree yields fruit, springing and budding every day more and more: so, do the kernels of the old fruit, at that time, begin to swell & sprout within: and commonly it makes way at the stalk, and there gins for the most part to rot.    
FINIS.   

A fault escaped.  
Pag. 8. line 1. For, very time: Read, very short time.