PROFITABLE INSRUCTIONS FOR THE MANURING, Sowing and Planting of Kitchen Gardens.  
Very profitable for the common wealth and greatly for the help and comfort of poor people.  
Gathered by Richard Gardiner of Shrewsberie.  
Imprinted at London by Edward Allde for Edward White dwelling at the little North door of Paul's at the sign of the Gun. 1603.   

The Author his Preface, to his loving neighbours and friends, within the town of Shrewsburie in the County of Salop. R. G. wisheth all happiness and felicity in Christ jesus.  
RIght well-beloved in Christ jesus, neighbours and friends of this my native soil of Shrewsburie, I wish you all felicity and happiness in the true knowledge of our redemption in the merits of our only Saviour jesus Christ, to whom with the Father, & the holy ghost, be all honour, praise and thanks for evermore. Beloved it is generally known unto all men in this town, that I have ever in good mind, desired the prosperity of the same, and in all good actions to my power and knowledge have preferred the same, without desire of lucre or gain thereby, and did always desire to do the uttermost of my skill, as well to the common causes, as also to private men's works, and now in my old age, or last days, I would willingly take my last farewell with some good instructions to pleasure the general number: as for spiritual instructions and good advertisements therein, I leave you to the good admonitions of the godly Clergy, and to your good proceedings in the same, which God grant for his mercy's sake, Amen. Amongst all the practices, knowledges and experiences which ever I received from God's mercies in temporal blessings, I do undoubtedly persuade myself, that my practice and experience in Garden stuff, or the good benefits therein, doth best benefit, help and pleasure the general number of people, better than any other practice that ever I took in hand in temporal causes whatsoever. And therefore good neighbours and friends (of this my native soil) accept this my short and simple penning of this my practice and experience in Gardening causes herein mentioned. And if any other man, now or hereafter find occasion to better in writing any thing which I have omitted for want of full perfection by experience therein, I do most heartily desire him, (that so shall find cause to better any thing omitted by me or amend any thing by me penned) so to do, that God may be glorified in his good gifts, the general number the better comforted, and the poor the better relieved with Garden stuff: whereas yet in this County of Salop, Gardening stuff: is to small purpose, but I hope in God as time shall serve, my good beginning will be an occasion of good proceedings therein, and no doubt (b●loued) if any man will heartily desire to do good in these actions, then vain, fruitless and superfluous things may be taken out of good Gardens and sundry good commodities, to pleasure the poor planted therein: then no doubt the Almighty God will the better bless your increase, and bless your walking in your Garden in that mind: and then no doubt but your good conscience will delight you as well as the great blessings that God will bless the Garden withall● Then shall you no doubt visibly behold in your Garden, the blessed favour and mercy of ou● most merciful God to your everlasting comfort, not only in the great increase there to behold, but also other ways to your great comfort, which I omit at this present. And when you make sale to the poor, consider you are the Lords Stewards to sell with consciences● and to lend and give: also do it willingly, for we have the unfallable promise of God for double recompense, if we so favourably will perform to all, and specially to the poor and needy: which God grant for his mercy's sake, we may have grace to do, and also to have ● special care to satisfy, content or pay the tithes thereof to the ministers of the holy word, and not to suffer a bad custom to corrupt the conscience therein, which God forbid. And also I desire thee good reader to bear with my gross and simple penning in so good a cause, and willingly to accept my good will therein. And in so doing I shall think my travail herein to be well bestowed, and my good purpose the better performed, which God grant for his mercy's sake. Amen.   

Edward thorn Gent. in commendation of the work, and the Author thereof.  
HE that desires with skilful hand,  
to frame a Garden plot,  
And to manure and make it apt  
For Herbs that serve the pot,  
Or choice to make of seeds and Plants,  
and best of both to know:  
And them in seasonable time,  
to plant, to set, and sow,  
Let him peruse this little Book,  
which undertakes the charge,  
Of all the fore recite● points,  
to show the course at large,  
Of Carrots first, and Cabbage close,  
and how to keep them sound:  
And Parsnips also to preserve,  
and Turnips fair and round.  
Of Lettuce next, and garden beans,  
and Onions of the best:  
Of Cucumbers and Artichockes,  
and Radish with the rest,  
These and such other herbs and seeds,  
hath Gardner, in good will:  
Unto Sallopi●n neighbours his,  
entreate● of with skill.  
His talon lent h● doth not hide,  
if all were understood,  
But sets it forth with willing mind,  
to do his neighbours good.  
The poor which late were like to pine,  
and could not buy them bread:  
In greatest time of penury,  
were by his labours fed.  
And that in reasonable rate,  
when Corn and coin was scant,  
With Parsnep and with Carrot rootes●  
he did supply their want.  
The rich likewise and better sort,  
his labours could not miss  
Which makes them many times to think,  
that Salop London is.  
Then rich and poor in friendly sort,  
give Gardner all his due,  
Who shows himself in all his acts,  
so kind a friend to you.  
And wish as he doth well deserve,  
his welfare and his health,  
That hath so greatly profited,  
Salopians common wealth.   

How to make choice of the best Carrots, to plant for good seeds, and how and when to plant them.  
AFter the Sun his entering into Libra about the twelfth of September, then prepare your ground ready to set your Carrots, for seed, make choice of the fairest Carrots and best, yellow colours, to the number as you will set your beds, being made ready before you take up the Carrots, every bed being a yard and a quarter broad: then set your carrots in two rows, one row on either side the bed, six or seven inches from the edge of the bed, and full three quarters of a yard one from another.  
Then have you nothing to do with them until about the last of April, at which time they will be grown about a yard in height: than you have need to take care of them, for the wind will easily break them by the ground: then must you prepare some kind of packthread or linen thread to ●et about them as a girdle, about two foot high from the earth as need shall require by the growing of the branches: gird some higher than other some. Then shortly after you must have stakes in a readiness, and as the Carrots must stand one against the other in the bed: so likewise the stakes must stand one against the other, to every four Carrots two stakes. The stakes must be a yard and a half above the ground, and a sure hold within the earth for danger of wind: then must you prepare packthread or other thread to go from stake to stake all the length of the bed, one course of lines must be about two foot high, and another course of lines must be n●ere the top of the stakes, so that there must be two courses of lines on the utter side of the stakes on both sides the bed. Then must you have cross lines, to every two Carrots a cross line made fast to the side lines, the cross lines must be both above and beneath, as the side lines do go, and a cross rod to every two stakes tied fast with somelynnen thread or thrumbs: then both the upper course and neither course of the rods and the short lines must have a line going amidst of the bed, so that by that means every Carrots branches will stand in a square both in the upper and neither coarse of rods and lines, in sure manner for the wind. If this be not done perfectly, the loss of Carrot seeds will be more in value then the Charges of stakes, rods and lines. The stakes must be set in this manner: First two stakes at the end of the bed, then over pass four Carrots, and in the midst between two Carrots set a stake on either side the bed, and the lines & rods as aforesaid, then as the Carrot branches do grow, they must be somewhat tended to keep them in good order within the lines: this being done about the last of August, the Carrot seeds will begin to be ripe, and as they do change to some brown colour, so to be cut from time to time, until the last be sufficiently ripe about the first of October: Then place the Carrot seeds as you do cut them on a Chamber floor to dry, & when they be dry, beat the seeds out with small staves, or beast with the edge of a lath, and cleanse them from the composte or refuse (as you find best by experience) with riddle and siue. There are three kinds of Carrots, two of them are profitable and the third is not: The great long yellow Carrot, and the great short Carrot are principal good, but the common or wild Carrot, which is pale yellow coloured and small and long, is to be refused, for they yield small profit, neither are they so good meat as the other two kinds by much. The seeds of the two best kinds of Carrots do change into diverse colours: and if you choose a root of any colour that doth best like you, than set the same for seed, and so shall you have store of roots of that colour that so is set for seed when time serveth: if you do make choice of the best Carrots and set them for seeds as aforesaid, than your seeds are very bad and not profitable to be used by any, but deceiveth the sour and yieldeth not so good roots as the set root seeds do by much.   

How to have principal good Cabadge seeds to sow, whereby you may have good store of good Cabadges as time serveth.  
WHen you have Cabadges in your garden that be ripe to cut, make your choice of the best and fairest Cabadges for seed in this manner, that you may have the benefit of the best Cabadges and good seed of the same stocks or roots. Also when your Cabadges be ripe, take a hand saw and cut the Cabadge off, as near to the Cabadge as you can, and have so much of the stock as you may: but take heed lest you rend the stock in cutting it with the saw, you must cut those Cabadges which you would so preserve for seeds in the new of the Moon, of the first ripe Cabadges, and so let them grow to bear seeds the year following, and that seed will be as good as may be (whatsoever is said to the contrary) And if you desire to have much Cabadge seeds to sow and to sell: then your best way is to provide some place in the Garden where the shadow of them may do least harm to other seeds or fruits. Then prepare the ground in narrow beds and take up the Cabadge roots with as much earth at the root as you can in the new of the Moon in October: and place them one row in a bed almost a yard a sunder, and then another row in an other bed likewise: so that every row or every root be almost a yard one from another, and then let them stand until they be grown almost a yard high, then beset the branches with rises and gird the branches & rises, with a string of pack thread or such like, or else the weight of the branches and the wind will break them to the loss of the seeds: and when the seeds do begin to be ripe, then take heed to them, for the birds called the Bull Finch will destroy them suddenly, unless you do provide to save the seeds with nets to be set thereon sundry ways as seemeth you best to do: and when your Cabadge Seeds be ripe, cut them and dry them, cleanse them and keep them until the best times to sow them: of which times I will make mention at large, as he●●eafter followeth in order. If you take heed to choose the principal Cabadges for seeds as aforesaid, you shall both the better pleasure yourself, and do●e good to the common wealth: Also let not gain nor deceit alter, nor corrupt a good conscience herein to the hurt of any.   

How to make your best choice for Parsnep seeds.  
PRepare such place in your Garden as is most convenient for the setting of parsnip for seeds: first dig and make your ground ready in beds, like as you would sow any other seeds, then make choice of the fairest Parsnep roots, and plant them in the beds a row of roots on either side the bed, about six inches from the edge of the bed, and a row of roots along the midst of the bed or beds, and set every root so near as you can, to be xv. inches one from another: and when the first seeds do begin to be ripe, then cut them daily as cause requireth: for the seeds of parsnip are very apt to fall when they be ripe, to the loss of the best seed (if they be not heedfully looked unto.) Thus done, you shall have good Parsnep seeds to pleasure any person in that behalf, otherwise it is not so good nor so profitable.   

The best way to have principal seeds of Turnips to sow.  
THere be sundry kinds of Turnips, and to write thereof particularly would be somewhat tedious: but the best kind for the common wealth, is the large round Turnip, which are but of late come to this County of Salop: The best way to have excellent seeds of those Turnips, is thus: Make the beds a yard and quarter broad, then choose the only round and fair roots, and set them three quarters of a yard one from another, two rows in a bed.  
These seeds will not abide or brook any binding or supporting of them: but your best way is to let them grow in their own kind, and let them fall to the earth (as they will by nature) and when the seeds do begin to be ripe, take heed, for sundry kinds of birds will devour it, keep it with nets or otherwise, which I omit to your be●t consideration therein: and when the seeds be fully ripe, cut them and dry them to your purpose: your best time to set them for seeds, is in the new of the Moon, in October or November.   

The best means to have principal Lettuce seeds, which will be both great, hard and white Cabadge Lettuce.  
THere be sundry kinds of Lettuce, the one is principal, the other two are indifferent, and the fourth is the wild Lettuce. The best are very white seeds: the second are russet white seeds, and are callad Lombard Lettuce: the third are black seeds, some of all these three sorts will close, but the perfect white is the best. This sort is to be chosen and the seeds thereof to be sowed, and when the Lettuce are young and small, than you must take the weeds clean from them, and also you must weed so many of the Lettuce away until they be two or three inches a sunder, and when those remaining, do touch almost one another, then draw away more of them until they be 6. or viii. inches a sunder, than they must grow until they be closed, and if there be any which seem that they will not close, take them away, and let those which are best closed remain for Seeds, and so from year to year ever choose the best closed for seed: and you shall have such Cabadge or closed Lettuce, by these means in two or three years, the best that may be had. This being mine own order for close Lettuce seed, I commonly have such Lettuce, that many do say there are not the like to be had in London, or so good. The manner of sowing or times when to sowe● I omit until in order in this my treatise it shall more at large appear.   

The best way to obtain seed beans for Gardens.  
THere be three kinds of Beans, whereof there is but one perfect good for Gardens, that is the great and large white Bean: and when your Beans are fully ripe, choose yearly the greatest of them for seed, and you shall find great profit in so doing, if you have cause to sow many of them, and your Beans will prove very profitable in the common wealth.   

For to have good Onion seeds.  
ABout the first of February when you perceive the extremity of winter to be past, and the weather somewhat fair, then take your Onions & set them ●or seeds in the new of the Moon, where the Sun is always to shine in his course both Winter and Summer: and when they grow high, dress them with riseth or rods ●or breaking with wind: and when the seed is ripe, dry it well in the heat of the Sun, then let it remain with the pulse or refuse till after the first of February: I desire that all which would sow Onion or others aforesaid in Gardens, to provide seeds of their own growing & not to be deceived yearly as commonly they be, to no small loss in general to all this Land, by those which be common sellers of Garden seeds. I cannot omit nor spare to deliver my mind, concerning the great and abominable falsehood of those sorts of people which sell Garden seeds: consider thus much, admit that all those which be deceived in this land yearly, in buying of old and dead seeds for their gardens, had made their accounts of their losses: First their money paid for false and counterfeit seeds, their great losses in manuring and trimming their Gardens, and the rends paid for Gardens throughout this land: then consider how many thousands are yearly deceived in this manner by them, and also consider how many thousand pounds are robbed yearly from the common wealth by those Caterpillars: I do undoubtedly persuade myself if a true account might be had thereof, those that do willingly deceive others by false seeds, do rob the common wealth of a greater sum than all other the robbing thieves of this whole land do by much, and more worthy in conscience to be executed as the most notorious thieves in this land, (one other profession of people excepted.) And although the laws of this realm as yet take no hold whereby to punish them, the almighty God doth behold their monstrous deceit, and except those do repent with speed, both God and man will abhor them as outrageous thieves: The Almighty God turn their hearts or confound such false proceed against the common wealth: And also I would wish all those that are seed sellers would have a care to sell good s●edes for Gardens, and would also have a care to sell in reason's and conscience, for the dearth of Seeds for Gardens is a great hindrance to the profit of Gardens, and a great loss to the common wealth. Also my good will shall not be wanting to do good therein, whiles it shall please God that I do remain here in this life, his holy will be done at his good pleasure. There be many other seeds do belong to gardens of less account & so common in use: that I purpose to omit leaving them to the practice of others which use Gardens, because I desire not to be tedious, but to proceed to my special purpose in those causes which best do concern and benefit the common wealth, which God grant for his mercy sake.  
And before good seeds (provided as aforesaid) be used or sowed in any garden, I wish you to prepare to muck or make your garden sufficient rank to receive such seeds as is convenient, or else you make spoil of good seeds to your own loss, and then shall you miss greatly the profit of your garden in your house keeping: you must have a special care to muck well your garden once in two years, or else you shall lose more in the profit of the Garden, than the muck is worth by much: if your Garden be pared, and made clean from weeds about the first of November, than it is good to lay your muck thereon all November, and till the midst of December, and if you can so prepare your garden in this time as aforesaid, than it is best for to fallow or dig it so far as you have so mucked, and in so doing, your Gardens will be most excellent to receive good seeds in the last end of February or in March, according to the nature of the seeds therein to be sowed: and if you omit the dunging and fallowing the Garden till after the feast of Christ jess, I● take it best (as I find by experience) thus to do. When you purpose to sow your garden, some few days before, let it be clean pared and the weeds carried to some convenient place in the Garden to rot, than muck well if there be cause that year, then dig the garden very small, and as you dig it, pick out the roots of the weeds as clean as you can, and rake it well, then will it be in good order to sow: but the first manner of fallowing and dunging is best, if you do not omit the time: and when all the parings and wéeding all the whole year is well rotten, than it will be very fine and good earth to make level or plain any part of the Garden and is very good to rancken the Garden in want of other muck.   

A declaration of divers manners of seeds to be sowed in Gardens, and a reason by experience which is the best manner and most profitable.  
THere be two manner of sowing of Gardens here in this County of Salop, and as I find by experience those two manners usual & common, are very unprofitable. The one manner is to open the bed and set the earth on both sides, then to sow the seeds on the bed, then to draw with a Rake the earth from both sides to cover the seeds, but when the seeds do grow in sight, there is nothing growing within a quarter of a yard to the edge of the bed, whereby much ground is lost on both sides of the bed, and very unprofitable to the owner.  
The second manner of usual and common sowing of Gardens, is when the bed is made, the seeds are sowed thereon, and then earth is sifted thereupon, to cover the seeds, and when the seeds be sprung and begin to grow, they be so ebb under the earth, that every small frost or cold rain which cometh doth destroy the new spring of the seeds, and sometimes all is lost thereby.  
A third way there is, but not usual or common, which is when the bed is ready made● the seeds are sowed thereon, than one taketh the Rake & choppeth the teeth of the Rake very thick over all the bed, than the seeds do fall into the holes which the teeth of the Rake did make, and thereby many seeds do fall in one hole, and do destroy one another, except you do remedy that by pulling some of them away the first wéeding● The only best way to sow beds in gardens, as I did ever find by experience, is when the bed is made● to take a staff of the greatness of a man's thumb or somewhat greater, of a yard and a half long, making the end thereof somewhat sharp, and then with the sharp end thereof strike a small Regal or Gutter on either side of the bed, within two or three Inches of the edge of the bed, and about an Inch deep, then sow your seeds in those two gutters somewhat thin, them strike other two rigals or gutters in like manner, and so by two and by two till you come to the midst of the bed, & those gutters must be made four or five inches a sunder according to the nature of the seeds which you do sow: so that the bed ready made being a yard and quarter broad will take for Onion seeds seven gutters or rows, and for Carrots and parsnip likewise seven, and for Turnips five gutters is sufficient on either side the bed, one in the midst, and then two other, as you may well see the places where: but for expedition in sowing time, the best way is, as one person doth strike the gutters or rows, with the staff, so let another follow in sowing the rows, and you shall find great expedition therein, for two persons in this manner will sow● more in two or three hours, than two persons will or can sow otherwise, in a whole day, and this kind of sowing doth save the one half of the seeds, and defendeth the seeds best from weather, because it is reasonable deep in the ground: you must have a special care that the rows be stricken strait, and you must take heed to sow the row or gutter, first stricken, before you strike another row or gutter, for the striking of the second row will fill the first with earth, that it will be too ebb to be sowed after, than it is both comely and profitable. I do assuredly prove by experience there is no manner of sowing so perfectly good as this manner is, for all kind of seeds, but only pompions, Cucumbers, Beans & Radish seeds, they must be otherwise set further a sunder as reason and experience do agree therein, and in manner hereafter more at large is expressed: and when your seeds be sowed in rigols' or rows in manner aforesaid, than they are to be covered thus: ●ake the Rake and with the head thereof draw it very light over the Rigols along the bed, until the bed be plain and the Rigols' filled, with the back side of the head of the Rake, and if you then do beat them plain with the head of the shovel, the beds will be the more comely, and breed less weeds by much.   

The manner how and when to sow Carrot seeds, and what ground is best to their liking, and the manner to use them in their growing.  
FIrst see that your ground be sufficient rank as aforesaid: then sow your Carrot seeds very thin in the rigols' or rows as aforesaid, the best time is about the last of February, or beginning of March, when the weather is seasonable and fair, than you need not to care for the age of the Moon, so that it be not within three days of the change, for I do perfectly know by experience, that any time else is not amiss, so that the weather be dry and fair. Carrots do best like in a dry ground: and if the Garden be in shadow or somewhat wet at sowing time, than it is not perfect good for Carrots. Such ground is better to sow parsnip and Cabadges in, than Carrots, for the Carrots will mislike in the Spring time, and also be eaten with worms that breed in themselves, by their own kind and nature: and when your Carrots be fair and young above the ground, than you must prepare people to weed: when the weeds are able to be taken up, then must you have special care to the Carrots that grow in the rows or other ways, for you must weed or take out of them, till there be two inches between every one of them, and throw those drawn Carrots away with the weeds, if you do take pity to pull them out, or detract the time too long before you do weed them as aforesaid, your Carrots will be very small, and yield you small profit: you must weed them well from weeds as need doth require, and so soon as they be of any bigness, about Midsummer you must draw away so many of the Carrots till those that remain be at the least three or four inches a sunder, and also if any of the Carrots do happen to shoot to bear séed, pull them up likewise, for the best seeds of Carrots, some of them will shoot, & must be taken out lest they hinder the rest that grow, throw them away: if you miss so to do, your Carrots will be small to your purpose. The good Carrots which are to be drawn from the rest, will easily be drawn into a good ground with hand, and the easier to be drawn in the fore noon and best after a shower of rain. And you may have good profit by those Carrots so drawn and sowed, for they are novelties and desired of many so timely in the year. Then about the twentieth of july, your Carrots in a good ground will be somewhat fair to sell: and if you sell them then or shortly after, so that you take them up before the fourteenth of August: you may as you rid the ground of Carrots, sow Turnips seed or Radish seed in their place, so that you have the best kind of Turnip seed to sow, and in so doing you may have two crops every year and both with good profit. And if it happen that the Carrot seeds do fail in the spring time by hardness of weather, or by worms of the earth: Then about the midst of May or the end of May you may set Cabadge plants in those places, where the Carrots do want, and in want of Cabadge plants you may sow good Turnips seeds, or Radish seeds thereon. And thereby have good profit: Also the short kind of Carrots will grow in worse and colder ground than the long Carrots will, and do well agree with the clay Land also.   

How and when is best to sow and plant to have good Cabadges, both timely about Midsummer and late in the year.  
IF you will have timely Cabadges, then sow your Cabadge seeds in Rigols as afore said about the last of August three or four days before the full of the Moon, where they may have the warmness of the Sun in winter. so near as you can, and keep them clean from weeds, then let them grow, till three or four days before the full Moon in March or April next after, than set your Cabadge plants a yard a sunder, and as you choose plants to set, choose the fairest and lykelyest of them for your purpose, for the small and refuse plants will grow to be small Cabadges, and as many as do seem either wild or very small throw them away, for the loss is not great, and in this manner you may have timely close and hard Cabadges: Also it is a principal time to sow Cabadges in February or March, three or four days before the full of the Moon as aforesaid, then sow the seeds very thin in rows, and keep them clean from weeds, and when they be fair and large to plant, in May or about the first of june, is best to plant them three or four days before the full of the Moon, and if necessity do compel you, it will serve the whole quarter after the full of the Moon: And also as they grow, from time to time take care to kill the worms which eat the leaves: and take heed that no leaves be broken of those which you would have to be Cabadges, for it is hurtful to the closing of the Cabadges. And when the first planted Cabadges be ripe, sell or spend them shortly, for within fourteen days after they be hard they will grow so fast within that they will rend and cleave a sunder, and so perish and rot: And when your Cabadges do ripe and be hard sell them or spend them, for there is small profit to keep them, because the snails and other worms do pierce them daily, but those which do close far in the year in September and October may be better kept in Winter for your purpose: but of all worms or caterpillars Knaves, which are the greatest devourers of Cabadges and do consume many of them at one time: those caterpillars do never repent, until they come to Tyburn or the gallows. Therefore take good care to your enclosures for your better safety.   

For sowing of Parseneps, and best using of them.  
SOme will sow Parsenep seeds at Michael's tide, to have timely parsnip, and doth serve their purpose, to have them about twenty days sooner than those which do sow in February or March, but it is not best to sow many in that order, but a few for novelties: but to sow to have best profit, as when the weather is fair in February or in March, sow your Parseneps, not respecting the age of the Moon, but the goodness of the weather, and when they be ready to weed, have care to weed them clean in time: if they be too thick sowed, pull them out also with the weeds, till every Parsenep be two inches a sunder at the least, them weed them as cause is, and let them grow till they be to serve your turn. Parseneps will grow well in worse ground than Carrots, and reasonably well in cold Gardens: and if you do sow your parsnip in rigols' as my accustomed manner is, it is best for your purpose and profit: and this kind of sowing in Rigols doth save the better half of the seeds, of any kind whatsoever, as by experience is proved.   

For sowing of Turnips, and the best time when.  
IF you desire to have timely Turnips, you may do thus: a week before the full Moon, or a week after the full Moon, in the end of April or in May, sow your Turnip seeds, and when they are ready to weed, then pull out with the weeds, so many of the Turnips, till the rest of the Turnips be a hand breadth a sunder: and as they do grow ripe about Midsummer, draw the greatest first, to make them thinner all over, & when they be of any greatness, sell or spend them away, for those timely sowed Turnips will not tarry good but a few days: for they will be hard roots, & be eaten with worms, and grow to seeds, and so will many Turnips, which be sowed before Midsummer. But those which are sowed in july, and to the 14. of August, will remain good all winter. And when they be to serve your turn, take the greatest first, and let the rest remain, and they will increase much, when they have some liberty, and at all times it is to be chosen, to sow and weed as aforesaid: & look from what ground you take your first fruits away before the 14. day of August, you may thereon sow good Turnip seed to good profit. But if you sow after the 14. of August, it is to no good purpose, but to have small Turnips little worth, and impair your ground for no profit: you may in this manner have two crops of Turnips in one place of land in one year, and both perfect good.   

The best means to have principal close Lettuce, and to have them as timely as is possible.  
THe first of September or within fourteen days then next after, is best to take your Lettuce seeds and sow them in a dry bank, or dryest place in the garden reasonable thin, weed them clean when there is cause, and let them grow as they do prove, till three or four days before the full of the moon in March, then take them up and plant them in new digged ground, six or eight inches asunder, and keep them clean from weeds, and you shall have timely Lettuce. And by this means I have yearly such close or cabbage Lettuce, better cannot be had, and they will be ready some years in April, and the beginning of May: I do also sow Lettuce seeds in February and March, in manner aforesaid, and plant them again as aforesaid. And thereby I have principal close Lettuce: till Midsummer you may have very good Lettuce, and not remove them: so that they be well asunder, but the other manner is best. And keep some of the best of them for seeds: my Lettuce be yearly sold for two a penny, for one of them is a reasonable dish for a table, and as white as is possible, and many do say, the like Lettuce are not to be had in London. And I do suppose, that this kind of Lettuce is not common to be had in London as yet, or else the Gardiner's there no doubt do not carefully provide for principal Lettuce. But if any request me for principal Lettuce seeds: I have ready to perform his desire, whiles they do endure unsolde, yearly if it please God, whiles I remain living.   

The nature and quality of Garden beans, and how you may have best profit by them.  
IF you desire to have timely beans to serve your purpose, as a few for novelties, set them about the midst of December, where the sun hath some power in the Garden. And if you desire to have profit by beans, this may be your best course, in any shadow Garden, or under the shadow of fruit trees, where nothing will grow but nettles and other weeds, pair clean that ground about the midst of januarie, or all February, and then dig the said ground, and in digging thereof, let the roots of weeds or nettles be clean picked out, then set your beans therein, and as there is cause weed them clean, and when the beans be fair blowed five or six joints of them, than you were best to pinch off about a handful, or a span of the tops of them with your hand, or cut them away, but they will more easier and sooner be pinched then cut. Then by this means the beans so pinched or cut, will stand stiff of themselves, that there needeth no rises nor boughs to be sticked amongst them, to keep them for breaking with the wind, And they will also bear the more beans, and the sooner will be ripe, because there be no riseth or boughs to shadow them. But if it happen that great tempests of wind or rain do throw some of them down. Then take a few rises or sprigs to support them which so do fall, and in this manner, of one peck of beans so set, I have received sixteen pecks of seasonable dry beans in gain, In shadow ground where nothing else will grow but nettles, and other weeds under trees, those beans so set in shadow places or under trees, must be somewhat thin, about seven or eight inches a sunder. And in this manner they will bear beans sufficient good store either to be eaten green, or kept dry for seeds to be set again.   

Of Onion seeds to be sown.  
THe best time and season to sow any one seeds in the marches of Wales, is about the first of March, when the weather is somewhat fair & seasonable, then prepare to sow your Onion seeds. And if your Garden be dunged or fallowed in December as aforesaid, then is it most principal for sowing of Onion seeds. And the drier the garden is, the sooner you may sow it. And if it be somewhat wet and cold, than the longer you can tarry, the better it is. So that you do sow before the last of March, according as your garden doth prove in dryness, for cold and wet earth is altogether bad for Onion seed. And when your Onion or jubballes do begin to wax somewhat ready to be used or spent, then make them reasonable thin, for if they grow to thick, they will be very small, but if you draw them reasonably, you shall have fair Onions and best for your profit. The best time to sow Onion seed, is a week before the full of the moon, and the week after. And best when the weather is very dry and fair.   

The means to have fair large Cucumbers, & the best order for them within the County of Salop, or in the marches of Wales.  
ABout the last of April, or the beginning of May when the weather proveth to be somewhat fair & warm, then take the seeds of Cucumbers and put them in new milk over night. And if the next day after prove a fair Sun shine day, take the seeds and put the milk and all in a pewter platter in the heat of the Sun three or four hours, than put them into the earth where you would have them to grow, and they will spring and appear above the ground within four or five days. And if you do not so place them in the heat of the sun, than the next day after their wetting in milk, set them in the earth likewise, and when they be sprung above the ground, the snails and worms will devour them, except you find means to prevent them. The ground upon which you sow cucumbers seed must be very rank and fair, where the sun giveth best heat in the garden, or most principal in a fair bank, that showeth itself to the noon Sun. If your cucumber seeds do happen to grow too thick, then take out the worst till they be a yard a sunder, for the more room they have, the better they will bear the fairer fruits, you may remove the plants of Cucumbers when they be young, and plant them in another place, convenient as aforesaid: there are sundry other means used with horsedung to set and plant cucumbers: which is not to my liking, and which I omit, as not so good as aforesaid. And to have milons, gourds, or pompions, do the like as is expressed herein by cucumbers, if the spring season do serve your purpose thereunto.   

The means to have principal fair Artichokes, and how to have them in all Summer time.  
IF you desire to have timely Artichokes, then take up your old roots, in the latter half of September, or the first half of October, then choose the fairest plants and pull them from the old roots, then plant them in a very rank earth, trenched about three quarters of a yard deep, with dung mixed with some earth, and set your plants therein, and you shall have timely Artichokes in the spring next following. And also in the beginning of March take up the old roots which have borne fruits three times, then take the greate● plants and set them as aforesaid. Take also the middle ●ort of plants, and set them by themselves, likewise as aforesaid well dunge●. So by this means I have had fair and la●ge artichokes all the Summer. And many of those ●hich be set in Se●tember and October, as aforesaid, will be●re fair Artichokes both betimes in the spring, and also in August and September the same year: best time o● the age of the moon to plant them, is three or four days before the full of the Moon. The old roots of Artichokes, and the small slips growing on them, are not to be set for Artichokes, except you plant or set the small slips for increase, or to sell or give for increase to others, for commonly they will not bear fruits the first year that you do set them: there be sundry kinds of Artichokes, the largest kind is best to be chosen for your purpose, there be but two kinds principal good here in this land to my knowledge, if you desire to have great store of Artichokes to sell, than your best way is to make (as it were a nursery for plants) in this manner, make certain banks the greatness of a bushel, round like a loaf of bread, so that you may go betwixt them, and set one plant in the top of every hillock, and from thence yearly choose the fairest plants to set.   

The means to provide Radish roots best for your profit.  
IN March or April where you have sowed either Carrots, or parsnip, or both, when your carats or parsnip are above ground, than you may perceive where the ground is bare, than set the seed of Radish a few, five or six in a bed, and so over all your beds, if you so please, & when this radish roots be ready, then take them away, for those timely radish roots will tarry but a few days good, for they will shoot for seed, and they will also hinder the growing of the other fruits, if you sow Radish only without mixing of any other herbs or fruits, you may set them from March, till the first of August, at which time it is too far in the year for that purpose. And if you do sow radish by themselves, set them six inches a sunder, and let them be kept clean from weeds, and when they be ready to be spent, away with them as you may, for they will perish both by growing to seed, and also by worms: if you do desire to provide radish seeds for another year, your best way is to sow a bed, and when the roots be ready to spend, leave the best and fairest for seeds, and let them so left for seeds, be half a yard a sunder, and when the seed doth begin to be ripe, than the birds will decoure it, except you do provide in time for safeguard thereof: and your radish for seeds must be sowed in beds in the Month of March.   

The best use for Porret and Leeks.  
BEcause Porrets and Leeks is a necessary and profitable herb for housekeeping, I cannot omit to write therein: if you desire to have Porret for your purpose, than you must first have good seeds thereof, and to obtain good seeds: In August or about the first of September, prepare your ground well mucked and well digged, in place where the sun hath reasonable power in the garden. Then take up your Porret and set them before the twelfth of September, or else the Porret will not take sufficient root to bear fruit the Summer following: if you fail this to do, you shall not have profitable seeds, for they will be light and deaf, without perfect substance to grow when you sow them. And also you do loose half the weight of seeds, which otherwise is to be had by timely setting of Porret, and the buyers are deceived by those seeds of porret which is set so late in the year. Porret seeds will grow in some shadow place reasonable well and large, so that you do not sow them to thicke● And the Porret for Leeks to be spent, will also prove well in a shadow place, and you may set or plant them to be eaten or spent in Leeks when you please, in August, September, or October, do very well, for seeds as aforesaid.   

How to preserve and keep Carrot roots, and to have them ready to serve all the winter, and till the last of March next after with very small charge.  
IN the two months of October and November, when you have leisure in dry weather, then provide a vessel or wine cask, or some other: then lay one course of sand on the bottom of the vessel two inches thick, than a course of the carrot roots, so that the roots do not touch one another: then another course of sand to cover those roots, and then another course of roots, and in this manner until the vessel be● full to the top, and if you have a ground seller, you may pack them in some corner in this manner, you must cut away all the branches of the carrots close by the root, and somewhat of the small ends of the Carrots, and they must be so packed in sand unwashed and about the last of December: sometime when the●e is no frost, you must then unpacke them again, and then the carrot roots will begin to spring in the top of the root, then if you desire to keep them until a longer time, than you must pair off the upper end of the root, that they cannot spring any more in the top, and then pack them again in sand as aforesaid, so may you keep them well till Lent or Easter. And in this manner you may preserve and keep the roots of parsnip and the Turnips, for I have proved it to be true and profitable. I could yet herein take occasion to write of divers roots and herbs, for salads, to be planted and sowed in gardens, which do not serve my purpose, for I rather desire to provide sufficient victuals ●or the poor and greatest number of people, to relieve their hungry stomachs, then to pick dainty salads, to provoke appetite to those that do live in excess, the which God amend.  
Beloved in Christ jesus, I desire you to accept of this my good enterprise, in respect I desire the benefit of the common wealth herein, and is a special mean to help and relieve the poor, as by experience was manifest in the great dearth and scarcity last passed in the County of Salop and else where, for with less garden ground then four ackers planted with Carrots, and above seven hundredth close cabbedges, there were many hundreds of people well refreshed thereby, for the space of twenty days, when bread was wanting amongst the poor in the pinch or few days before harvest. And many of the poor said to me, they had nothing to eat but only carrots and Cabedges, which they had of me for many days, and but only water to drink. They had commonly six wax pounds of small close Cabedges for a penny to the poor. And in this manner I did serve them, and they were wonderful glad to have them, most humbly praising God for them. And because I did manifestly see and knew, that so littl● garden ground, as less than four ackers, did this great effect in the common wealth, and especially in helping th● poor thereby: Therefore I desire all good and godly people to accept of my good will therein, and to put in practise this my experience and knowledge herein mentioned. And then I have my wished desire. That the Almighty GOD may be glorified in his own works, and the poor the better relieved thereby, and thus for God's love and your own profit also. And if any person desire to know of one further than I have herein expressed, if you come to me, I hope you shall not want your desire, for as I was willing to write, so am I willing to instruct as many as will request my good will therein, most willingly while it please God I remain in this mortal life to the end. And thus the Almighty GOD bless your good proceedings therein.  
It is not unknown to the City of London, and many other towns and cities on the sea coast, what great abundance of carrots are brought by foreign nations to this land, whereby they have received yearly great sums of money and commodities out of this land, and all by carelessness of the people of this realm of England, which do not endeavour themselves for their own profits therein, but that this last dearth and scarcity hath somewhat urged the people to prove many ways for their better reliefs whereby I hope the benefit of Carrot roots are profitable, I will reveal my knowledge herein: and first the use of them amongst the better sort by the Cooks. The Cooks will take Carrots divided in pieces, and boil them to season their stewed broth, and doth wonderful well therein as daily is known in service to the better sort. Also Carrot roots are boiled with powdered beef, and eaten therewith: and as some do report, a few Carrots do save one quarter of beef in the eating of a whole beef: and to be boiled and eaten with Pork, and all other boiled meat of flesh amongst the common sort of people, & amongst the poorer sort also: Carrots of red colours are desired of many to make dainty salads, for roast Mutton or Lamb with Vinegar and Pepper. Also Carrots shred or cut small one or two of them, and boiled in pottage of any kind, doth effectually make those pottage good, for the use of the common sort. Carrots well boiled and buttered is a good dish for hungry or good stomachs. Carrots in necessity and dearth, are eaten of the poor people, after they be well boiled, instead of bread and meat. Many people will eat Carrots raw, and do digest well in hungry stomachs: they give good nourishment to all people, and not hurtful to any, whatsoever infirmities they be diseased of, as by experience doth prove by many to be true. Carrots are good to be eaten with salt fish. Therefore sow Carrots in your Gardens, and humbly praise God for them, as for a singular and great blessing: so thus much for the use and benefit had in the commonwealth by Carrots. Admit if it should please God, that any City or town should be besieged with the enemy, what better provision for the greatest number of people can be, than every garden to be sufficiently planted w●th Carrots?  
I do desire all people, which have cause to sell Garden fruits or seeds to the use of others, that they would sell in reason and conscience, and for their better instructions, I have herein mentioned a brief rate, how they may well be offorded and sold, and how I do make sale of fruits and seeds to others as herein is expressed. And so long as it shall please God I do remain in this mortal life, I will be ready to perform the same to the uttermost of my power in good will, to the benefit of the common wealth, and especially to the poor inhabitants of t●is town of Shrewesburie.  
The price of Carrot seeds of both the be●t kinds: that is to say, the large yellow Carrot and the great short yellow Carrot, the best and fairest roots chosen to set to bear seeds as before is expressed: my price of those principal Carrot seeds, is after the rate of two shillings the wax pound, without deceit.  
Large yellow Carrots of those two best kinds after the rate of two pence the stone, ten wax weights to every stone, and also the like large Carrots which I 〈◊〉 ●●epe and preserve in sand as aforesaid, till januarie, Fe●ru●●y, and March, my price is three pence the sto●e.  
The small roots of yellow Carrots, of both the best kinds all the rate o● si●e wax pounds for a penny.  
Principal close Cabadge seeds, after the rate of iiii. d. the ounce, the which seeds are hardly saved in this c●un●●e of Salop, for being devoured with birds.  
Fair and large close Cabadges, after the rate of two wax pounds for a penny: and the small close cabadges better cheap ●o the poor, as occasion shall serve.  
Turnip seeds of the best and largest kind, after the rate of xii. pence the pound.  
Fair and large Turnips, at the rate of two. pennce the stone.  
Principal garden Beans of the best kind, good and dry to s●t, after the rate of two. pence the quart.  
Like garden beans green to eat, at the rate of i d. the quart.  
Fair Harticho●ks● of the greatest sort, at i d. a péec●e, and the other, two or three for i, d. as they prove in greatness.  
These aforesaid, & all other garden fruits, roots and seeds whatsoever, which I have to sell, are at a reasonable price, and perfect good without deceit, and so many as will be content to buy with reason, come and welcome.  
And if any other person desire to buy any store of principal carrot seeds, as before is expressed, to sell for reason to others, to benefit the common wealth, I am willing to serve his turn better cheap than before is declared, because I am willing to procure the use of carrots, known aswell to all people in this part of England as Wales, which God grant for the better help and comfort of the poor, and although I do not know in all this land where to buy the like ●arret seeds for v, s. a pound, yet my price is i●j s the wax pound, or less, as cause is to my liking, till the peole may have store of their own growing for their gardens, which is my desire, if it may so please God.   

An exhortation to love, whereby all good works do effectually proceed either to the glory of God, or benefit of the comm●n-wealth.  
Beloved, the holy word saith: That if we have faith to remove mountains, if we have not love, it doth not prevail us any thing. This love required of us, doth consist in few words, that is. Love God above all things, & thy neighbour as thyself. To love God above all things, is humbly to give him most hearty thanks for our creation & our redemption, in the merits of our only saviour jesus Christ, and also to love him in a hearty desire, to obey him in the precepts contained in his most holy word, and also to love him for all his benefits both spiritual & temporal, to love him for his wonderful providence of heaven & earth, and all that is therein, for the help & comfort of mankind, and to love thy neighbour as thyself, is to cherish him, and courteously to admonish and entreat him, to avoid sin, and to comfort him with those blessings which the Lord hath made thee steward of for that purpose: and when the Lord calleth th●e to make account of thy Stewardship, if thou willingly do endeavour thyself to perform the love aforesaid, then true faith, and true repentance, will bring thee (as it were) hand in hand, to the presence of the Lord, where thou shalt make a joyful account, only accepted in the merrites of Christ jesus.  
This is the total sum of thy Stewardship, whatsoever thou be, and if thou carlessly omit to do thy office herein, thou makest a hard account for thyself, which God forbid, if it be his good pleasure therein. And therefore love God above all things, and thy neighbour as thyself. And then I shall surely and effectually have my desire herein, and greatly for the profit of the common wealth. And thus I desire thee good Reader, to take in good part this my last farewell to my native soil of Shrewsburie, except I be urged in conscience further to proceed, as cause and time doth require therein, and for the better expelling of sin, which is the only hindrance of all good works: let us humbly end with hearty prayer to our heavenly Father as followeth.   

O Heavenly Father, have mercy upon this commonwealth and congregation, & grant that we do not resist nor quench thy holy spirit any longer, but that we may utterly abolish and cont●ntiō ambition, ●aine glory, and all manner of cruelty, periverie & smooth dissembling hypocrisy, & all other grievous sins daylyen committed against ●ay divine Majesty: Grant also O heavenly Father, that the P●ea●●er● & distributers of thy holy word & gospel, have not cause any longer to mourn, lament, and gree●e, in that they cannot prevail against these notorious sins aforesaid, & many other● daily committed, not in the space of ●ortie years passed, to any good purpose, whereby sin is grown to be rotten ripe, daily urging the presence of thy judgements against vs● and grant likewise if it be thy good pleasure● that our own great number of books, wherein thy hol● word is contained, & by thy great mercy we do possess th●m in peace many years past, that they be notwitnes against us in the day of thy fearful visit●●ion. Grant also for thy mercy's sake that all th●se which do seem to profess thy holy word and Gospel, may also truly & effectually practise t●e same in their lives and conversation without shameless ipo●●sie or blind self lou●. O Lord behold and reform the gr●at multitude of seditious persons, that have presumed into the place of ancient peacemakers, whereby thy holy word and Gospel hath taken s●all effect in ●his comm●● wealth, for ma●y years past, by reason thereof O Lord reform their abuses, & shorten thei● contentious proceedi●gs, for th●ne elect sake, Grant also O heavenly father, that unfeigned love & charity, may possess the hearts of all men: & that sedition and blind self love may be v●terlye vanquished unto Satan, from whence it doth proceed into the hearts of t●e ungodly, against the true peace of thy holy word and Gospel. Grace mercy and peace from God our heavenly Father, be with v● all, now and evermore. Amen.  
FINIS.