A NEW ORCHARD AND GARDEN OR The best way for planting, grafting, and to make any ground good, for a rich Orchard: Particularly in the Nor●● and generally for the whole kingdom of England, as in nature, reason, situation, and all probability, may and doth appear.  
With the Country Housewifes' Garden for herbs of common use their virtues, seasons, profits, ornaments, variety of knots, models for trees, and plots for the best ordering of Grounds and Walks.  
AS ALSO The Husbandry of Bees, with their several uses and annoyances 〈◊〉 being the experience of 48. years' labour, and now the second time corrected and much enlarged, by William Lawson.  
Whereunto is newly added the Art of propagating Plants, with the tr●● ordering of all manner of Fruits, in their gathering, carring home, & preservation.  
Skill and pains bring fruitful gains.  
Nemo sibi 〈◊〉.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes for JOHN HARISON, at the golden Unicorn in Pater-noster-row. 1631.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR HENRY BELOSSES. Knight and Baronet.  
Worthy Sir,  
WHen in many years by long experience I had furnished this my Northern Orchard and Country Garden with needful plants and useful herbs, I did impart the view thereof to my friends, who resorted to me to confer in matters of that nature, they did see it, and seeing it desired, and I must not deny now the publishing of it (which then I allotted to my private delight) for the public profit of others. Wherefore, though I could plead custom the ordinary excuse of all Writers, to choose a Patron and Protector of their Works, and so shroud myself from scandal under your honourable favour, yet have I certain reasons to excuse this my presumption: First, the many courtesies you have vouchsafed me. Secondly, your delightful skill in matters of this nature. Thirdly, the profit which I received from your learned discourse of Fruit-trees.  
Fourthly, your animating and assisting of others to such endeavours. Last of all, the rare work of your own in this kind all which to publish under your protection, I have adventured (as you see) Vouchsafe it therefore entertainment, I pray you, and I hope you shal● find it not ●he vnp●ofitablest servant of your retinue: for when your serious employments are overpassed, it may interpose some commodity, and raise your contentment out of variety.  
Your Worship's most bounden, WILLIAM LAWSON.   

THE PREFACE to all well minded.  
ARt hath her first original out of experience, which therefore is called the Schoolmistress of fools, because she teacheth infallibly, and plainely● as drawing her knowledge out of the course of Nature, (which never fails in the general) by the senses, feelingly apprehending, and comparing (with the help of the mind) the works of nature; and as in all other things natural, so especially in Trees: for what is Art more than a provident and skilful Collectrix of the faults of Nature in particular works, apprehended by the senses? As when good ground naturally brings forth thistles, trees stand too thick, or too thin, or a ●●●derly, or (without dressing) put forth unprofitable suckers, and such like All which and a thousand more, Art reformeth, being taught by experience and therefore must we count that Art the surest, that stands upon experimental rules, gathered by the rule of reason (not conceit) of all other rules the surest.  
Whereupon have I of my mere and sole experience, without respect to any former written Treatise gathered these rules, and set them down in writing, not daring to hide the least talon given me of my Lord and Master in Heaven: neither is this in●urious to any, though it differ from the common opinion in diverse points, to make it known to others, what good I have found out in this faculty by long trial and experience. I confess freely my want of curious skill in the Art of planting. And I admire and praise Pliny, Aristotle, Virgil, Cicero, and many others for wit and judgement in this kind, and leave them to their times, manner, and several Countries.  
I am not determined (neither can I worthily) to set forth the praises of this Art: how some, and not a few, even of the best, have accounted it a chief part of earthly happiness, to have fair and pleasant Orchards, as in Hesperia and Thessaly, how all with one consent agree, that it is a chief part of Husbandry (as Tully de senectute) and Husbandry maintains the world; how ancient, how, profitable, how pleasant it is, how many secrets of nature it doth contain, how loved, how much practised in the best places, and of the best: This hath already been done by many. I only aim at the common good. I delight not in curious conceits, as planting and graffing with the root upwards, inoculating Roses on Thorns. and such like, although I have heard of diverse proved some, and read of more.  
The Stationer hath (as being most desirous with me, to further the common good) bestowed much cost and care in having the Knots and Models by the best Artisan cut in great variety, that nothing might be any way wanting to satisfy the curious desire of those that would make use of this Book.  
And I show a plain and sure way of planting, which I have found good by 48. years (and more) experience in the North part of England: I prejudicate and envy none, wishing yet all to abstain from maligning that good (to them unknown) which is well intended. Farewell.  
Thine, for thy good, W. L.   

A Table of the things Contained in this Book  


CHAP. 1.  OF the Gardner his labour and wages. 
pag. 1    


CHAP. 2.  Of the Soil. 
pag. 3  The kinds of trees. 
p. 3  Of barren earth. 
p. 4  Of Grass. 
p. 5  Of the Crust of the earth. 
p. 6    


CHAP. 3.  Low & near the River. 
p. 6  Of Winds. 
p. 8  Of the Sun. 
p. 8  Trees against a wall. 
p. 8    


CHAP. 4.  Of the quantity. 
p. 10  Orchards as good as a Cornfield. 
pag. 10  Good as the Vineyard. 
p. 11  What quantity of ground. 
11  Want no hindrance. 
p. 12  How Landlords by their Tenants may make flourishing Orchards. 
p. 12    


CHAP. 5.  The form of the Orchard. 
12    


CHAP. 6.  Of Fences. 
pag. 14  Effects of evil Fencing. 
p. 14  The kinds of Fencinge●. 
p. 15  Of Pales and Rails. 
p. 15  Of Stonewalles. 
p. 15  Of Quicksets and Moats. 
p. 16    


CHAP. 7.  Of Sets. 
p. 17  Of Slips. 
p. 17  Of Burknots. 
p. 17  Of Small Sets. 
p. 18  Tying of Trees. 
p. 19  Signs of diseases. 
p. 19  Of Suckers. 
p. 20  A Running plant. 
p. 20  Of bough Sets. 
p. 21  The best Sett. 
p. 22  Times of removing. 
p. 23  The manner of setting. 
p. 26    


CHAP. 8.  Of the distance of trees. 
p. 28  The hurts of too near planting. 
p. 28  All touches hurtful. 
p 29  The best distance. 
p. 29  Of waste ground in an Orchard. 
p. 30    


CHAP. 9  Of the placing of trees. 
p. 31    


CHAP. 10.  Of Grafting. 
p. 33  ●he kinds of Grafting. 
p. 34  〈◊〉 to Gra●t. 
p. 34  What a Graft is. 
p. 34  ●he ●ies of a Graft. 
p. 34  〈◊〉 of Grafting. 
p. 35  〈◊〉 of Grafts. 
p 36  〈…〉 sing. 
p. 37  . 
p. 38  . 
p. 39  ●●aft●ng in the Scutcheon 
p 39    


CHAP. 11.  The right dressing of trees. 
p. 40  Timber-wood evil dress 
41  The cause of hurts in wood. 
pag. 42  How to dress Timber. 
p. 43  The profit of dressing. 
p 43.45  Trees will take any form●. 
44  How to dress all Fruit-trees. 
p. 44  The best times for pruning. 
p. 47  Faults of evil dressing and the remedies. 
p. 48  Of water-boughes. 
p. 49  Barke-pyld. 
p. 49 56  Instruments for dressing. 
50    


CHAP. 12.  Of foiling. 
p 53  Time fit for foiling. 
p. 53    


CHAP. 13.  Of Annoyances. 
p 54  Two evil in an Orchard. 
p. 54  Of galls cankers moss etc. 
55  Of wilful annoyances. 
p. 60    


CHAP. 14.  Of the age of trees. 
p. 60  The parts of a trees age. 
p 61  Of Man's age. 
p. 62  The age of timber-trees. 
64  To discern the age of trees. 
p. 65    


CHAP. 15:  Of gathering and keeping Fruit. 
p. 65    


CHAP. 16.  The profit of Orchards. 
p. 67  Of Cydar and Perry. 
p. 67  Of Fruit, Waters and Conserve. 
p. 68    


CHAP. 17.  Of Ornaments. 
p. 68  Of the delights. 
p. 69  The causes of delights. 
p. 70  Of Flowers, Borders, Mounts etc. 
p. 71  Of Bees. 
p. 72     

THE BEST, SURE AND READIEST WAY to make a good Orchard and Garden.  

CHAPTER. 1. Of the Gardener, and his Wages.  
Whosoever desireth & endeavoureth to have a pleasant, and profitable Orchard, must (if he be able) provide himself of a Fruiterer, religious, 
Religious.  honest, skilful in that faculty, & therewithal painful: By religious, I mean (because many think religion but a fashion or custom to go to Church) maintaining, & cherishing things religious: as Schools of learning, Churches, Tithes, church-good, & rights; and above all things, God's word, & the Preachers thereof, so much as he is able, practising prayers, comfortable conference, mutual instruction to edify, alms, and other works of Charity, and all out of a good conscience.  
Honesty in a Gardener, 
Honest.  will grace your Garden, and all your house, and help to stay unbridled Servingmen, giving offence to none, not calling your name into question by dishonest acts, nor infecting your family by evil counsel or example. For there is no plague so infectious as Popery and knavery, he will not purloin your profit, nor hinder your pleasures.  
Concerning his skill, 
Skilful.  he must not be a Scolist, to make show or take in hand that, which he cannot perform, especially in so weighty a thing as an Orchard: than the which, there can be no humane thing more excellent, either for pleasure or profit, as shall (God willing) be proved in the treatise following. And what an hindrance shall it be, not only to the owner, but to the common good, that the unspeakeble benefit of many hundred years shall be lost, by the audacious attempt of an unskilful Arborist.  
The Gardener had not need be an idle, or lazy Lubber, for so your Orchard being a matter of such moment, 
Painful.  will not prosper. There will ever be some thing to do. Weeds are always growing. The great mother of all living Creatures, the Earth, is full of seed in her bowels, and any stirring glues them heat of Sun, and being laid near day, they grow: Moles work daily, though not always alike. Winter herbs at all times will grow (except in extreme frost.) In Winter your young trees and herbs would be lightened of snow, and your Allies cleansed: drifts of snow will set Dear, Hares, and Coneys, and other noisome beasts over your walls & hedges, into your Orchard. When Summer clothes your borders with green and peckled colours, your Gardener must dress his hedges, and antic works: watch his Bees, and hive them: distil his Roses and other herbs. Now begins Summer Fruit to ripe, and crave your hand to pull them. If he have a Garden (as he must need) to keep, you must needs allow him good help, to end his labours which are endless, for no one man is sufficient for these things.  
Such a Gardener as will conscionably, quietly and patiently, travel in your Orchard, 
Wages.  God shall crown the labours of his hands with joyfulness, and make the clouds drop fatness upon your trees, he will provoke your love, and earn his wages, and fees belonging to his place: The house being served, fallen fruit, superfluity of herbs, and flowers, seeds, grasses, sets, and besides other offal, that fruit which your bountiful hand shall reward him withal, will much augment his wages, and the profit of your bees will pay you back again.  
I● you be not able, nor willing to hire a gardener, keep your profits to yourself, but than you must take all the pains: And for that purpose (if you want this faculty) to instruct you, have I undertaken these labours, and gathered these rules, but chiefly respecting my Country's good.   

CHAP. 2. Of the soil.  
FRuit-trees most common, and meetest for our Northern Countries: (as Apples, Pears, 
Kind's of trees.  Cherries, filberts, red and white Plums, Damsons, and Bulls,) for we meddle not with Apricockes' nor Peaches, nor searcely with Quinces, which will not like in our cold parts, unless they be helped with some reflex of Sun, or other like means, nor with bushes, bearing berries, as Barberies, Goose-berries, or Grocers, Raspe-berries, and such like, though the Barbery be wholesome, and the tree may be made great: do require (as all other trees do) a black, fat, mellow, clean and well tempered soil, wherein they may gather plenty of good sap. Some think the Hasell would have a chanily rock, and the sallow, and eller a waterish marish. The soil is made better by delving, 
Soil.  and other means, being well melted, and the wildness of the earth and weeds (for every thing subject to man, and serving his use (not well ordered, is by nature subject to the curse,) is killed by frosts and drought, by fallowing and laying on heaps, and if it be wild earth, with burning.  

Barren earth.  If your ground be barren (for some are forced to make an Orchard of barren ground) make a pit three quarters deep, and two yards wide, and round in such places, where you would set your trees, and fill the same with fat, pure, and mellow earth, one whole foot higher than your Soil, and therein set your Plant. For who is able to manure an whole Orchard plot, if it be barren? But if you determine to manure the whole site, this is your way: dig a trench half a yard deep, all along the lower (if there be a lower) side of your Orchard plot, casting up all the earth on the inner side, and fill the same with good short, hot● & tender muck, and make such another Trench, and fill the same as the first, and so the third, and so through out your ground. And by this means your plot shall be fertile for your life. But be sure you set your trees, neither in dung nor barren earth.  

Plain.  Your ground must be plain, that it may receive, and keep moisture, not only the rain falling thereon, but also water cast upon it, or descending from higher ground by sluices, Conduits, etc. For I account moisture in Summer very needful in the soil of trees, 
Moist.  & drought in Winter. Provided, that the ground neither be boggy, nor the inundation be past 24. hours at any time, and but twice in the whole Summer, and so oft in the Winter. Therefore if your plot be in a Bank, or have a descent, make Trenches by degrees, Allies, Walks, and such like, so as the Water may be stayed from passage. And if too much water be any hindrance to your walks (for dry walks do well become an Orchard, and an Orchard them:) raise your walks with earth first, and then with stones, as big as Walnuts: and lastly, with gravel. In Summer you need not doubt too much water from heaven, either to hurt the health of your body, or of your trees. And if overflowing molest you after one day, avoid it then by deep trenching.  
Some for this purpose dig the soil of their Orchard to receive moisture, which I cannot approve: for the roots with digging are oftentimes hurt, and especially being digged by some unskilful servant: For the Gardener cannot do all himself. And moreover, the roots of Apples & Pea●es being laid near day, with the heat of the Sun, will pu● forth suckers, which are a great hindrance, and sometimes wi●h evil guiding, the destruction of trees, unless the delving be very shallow, and the ground laid very level again. Cherries and Plums without delving, will hardly or never (after twenty years) be kept from such suckers, nor asps.  
Grass al●o is thought needful ●or moisture, 
Grass.  so you let it not touch the roots of your trees: for it will breed moss, and the boall of your tree near the earth would have the comfort of the Sun and Air.  
Some take their ground to be too moist when it is not so, by re●son of waters standing thereon, for except in sour marshes, springs, and continual overflowings, no earth can be too moist. Sandy & fat earth will avoid all water falling by receipt. Indeed a stifle clay will not receive the water, and therefore if it be grassy or plain, especially hollow, the water will abide, and it will seem waterish, when the fault is in the want of manuring, and other good dressing.  
This plainness which we require, had reed be natural, because to force an uneven ground will destroy the fatness. For every soil hath his crust next day wherein trees and herbs put their roots, and whence they draw their sap, which is the best of the soil, and made fertile with heat and cold, moisture and drought, and under which by reason of the want of the said temperature, 
Naturally plain.  by the said four qualities, no tree nor herb (in a manner) will or can put root. As may be seen if in digging your ground, you take the weeds of most growth: as grass or docks, (which will grow though they lie upon the earth bore) yet bury them under the crust, and they will surely dye and perish, & become manure to your ground This crust is not past 15. or 18 inches deep in good ground, in other grounds less. Hereby appears the fault of forced plains, viz. your crust in the lower parts, is covered with the crust of the higher parts, 
Crust of the earth.  and both with worse earth: your heights having the crust taken away, are become merely barren: so that either you must force a new crust, or have an evil soil. And be sure you level, before you plant, lest you be forced to remove, or hurt your plants by digging, and casting amongst their roots. Your ground must be cleared as much as you may of stones, and gravel, walls, hedges, bushes, & other weeds.   

CHAP. 3. Of the Site.  
THere is no difference, that I find betwixt the necessity of a good soil, and a good site of an Orchard. For a good soil (as is before described, cannot want a good site, and if it do, the fruit cannot be good, and a good site will much mend an evil soil. The best site is in low grounds, 
Low and near a River.  (and if you can) near unto a River. High grounds are not naturally fat.  
And if they have any fatness by man's hand, the very descent in time doth wash it away. It is with grounds in this case as it is with men in a common wealth. Much will have more: and once poor, seldom or never rich. The rain will scind, and wash, and the wind will blow fatness from the heights to the hollows, where it will abide, and fatten the earth though it were barren before.  
Hence it is, that we have seldom any plain grounds, and low, barren: and as seldom any heights naturally fertile. It is unspeakable, what fatness is brought to low grounds by inundations of waters. Neither did I ever know any barren ground in a low plain by a River side. The goodness of the soil in Howle or Hollowdernes, in York●sh●re, is well known to all that know the River Humber, and the huge bulks of their cattle there. By estimation of them that have seen the low grounds in Holland and Zealand, they far surpass the most Countries in Europe for fruitfulness, and only because they lie so low. 
Psal 1.3.  The world cannot compare with Egypt, 
Ez●. ●7. 8.  for fertility, so far as Nilus doth over flow his banks. 
〈◊〉 39.17.  So that a fitter place cannot be chosen for an Orchard, than a low plain by a river side. For besides the fatness which the water brings, if any cloudy mist or rain be stirring, it commonly falls down to, and follows the course of the River. And where see we greater trees of bu●ke and bough, then standing on or near the waters side? If you ask why the plains in Holderns, and such countries are destitute of woods? I answer that men and cattle (that have put trees thence, from out of Plains to void corners) are better than trees. Neither are those places without trees. 
Mr. Markham.  Our old fathers can tell us, how woods are decayed, & people in the roomth of trees multiplied. I have stood somewhat long in this point, because some do condemn a moist soil for fruit-trees.  
A low ground is good to avoid the danger of winds, both for shaking down your unripe fruit. 
Winds. Chap. 13.  Trees the most (that I know) being loaden with wood, for want of pruning, and growing high, by the unskilfulness of the Arborist, must needs be in continual danger of the South-west, West, and North west winds, especially in September and March, when the air is most temperate from extreme heat, and cold, which are deadly enemies to great winds. Wherefore choose your ground low Or if you be forced to plant in a higher ground, let high and strong walls, houses, and trees, as walnuts, plane trees, Okes, and Ashes, placed in good order, be your fence for winds.  
The sucken of your dwelling house, descending into your orchard, if it be cleanly conveyed, is good.  

Sun.  The Sun, in some sort, is the life of the world. It maketh proud growth, and ripens kindly, and speedily, according to the golden term: Annus fructificat, non tellus. Therefore in the countries, nearer approaching the Zodiac, the Sun's habitation, they have better, and sooner ripe fruit, than we that dwell in these frozen parts.  
This provoketh most of our great Arborists, to plant Apricockes, Cherries and Peaches, by a wall, 
Trees against a wall.  and with tacks, and other means to spread them upon, and fasten them to a wall, to have the benefit of the immoderate reflex of the Sun, which is commendable, for the having of fair, good & soon ripe fruit. But let them know it is more hurtful to their trees then the benefit they reap thereby: as not suffering a tree to live the tenth part of his age. It helps Gardeners to work, for first the wall hinders the roots, because into a dry and hard wall of earth or stone a tree will not, no● cannot put any root to profit, but especially it stops the passage of sap, whereby the bark is wounded● & the wood, & diseases grow, so that the tree becomes short of life For as in the body of a man, the leaning or lying on some member, whereby the course of blood is stopped, makes that member as it were dead for the time, till the blood return to his course, and I think, if that stopping should continue any time, the member would perish for want of blood (for the life is in the blood) and so endanger the body: so the sap is the life of the tree, as the blood is to man's body: neither doth the tree in winter (as is supposed) want his sap, no more than man's body his blood, which in winter, and time of sleep draws inward. So that the dead time of winter, to a tree, is but a night of rest: for the tree at all times, even in winter is nourished with sap, & groweth as well as man's body. The chilling cold may well some little time stay, or hinder the proud course of the sap, but so little & so short a time, that in calm & mild season, even in the depth of winter, if you mark it, you may easily perceive, the sap to put out, and your trees to increase their buds, which were form in the summer before, & may easily be discerned: for leaves fall not off, till they be thrust off, with the knots or buds, whereupon it comes to pass that trees cannot bear fruit plentifully two years together, and make themselves ready to blossom against the seasonableness of the next Spring.  
And if any frost be so extreme, that it stay the sap too much, or too long, than it kills the forward fruit in the bud, and sometimes the tender leaves and twigs, but not the tree. Wherefore, to return, it is perilous to stop the sap. And where, or when, did you ever see a great tree packed on a wall? Nay, who did ever know a tree so unkindly splat, come to age? I have heard of some, that out of their imaginary cunning, have planted such trees, on the North side of the wall● to avoid drought, but the heat of the Sun is as comfortable (which they should have regarded) as the drought is hurtful. And although water is a sovereign remedy against drought, ye want of Sun is no way to be helped. Wherefore ●o conclude this Chapter, let your ground lie ●o, that it may have the benefit of the South, and West Sun, and so ●ow and close, that it may have moisture, and increase his fatness (for trees are the greatest ●uckers & pillars of earth, and (as much as may be) f●ee from great winds.   

CHAP. 4. Of the quantity.  
IT would be remembered what a benefit riseth, not only to every particular owner of an Orchard, but also to the common wealth, by fruit, as shall be showed in the 16. Chapter (God willing) whereupon must needs follow: the greater the Orchard is (being good and well kept) the better it is, for of good things, being equally good, the biggest is the best. And if it shall appear, that ●o ground a man occupieth (no, not the corn field) yieldeth more gain to the purse, and house keeping (not to speak of the unspeakable pleasure) quantity for quantity, than a good Orchard (besides the cost in planting, 
Orchard as good as a cornfield.  and dressing an orchard, is not so much by far, as the labour and seeding of your corn fields, nor for durance of time, comparable, besides the certainty of the on before the other) I see not how any labour, or cost in this kind, can be idly or wastefully bestowed, or thought too much. And what other things is a vineyard, 
Compared with a vineyard.  in those countries where vines do thrive, than a large Orchard of trees bearing fruit? Or what difference is there in the juice of the Grape, and our Cider & Perry, but the goodness of the soil & clime where they grow? which maketh the one more ripe, & so more pleasant than the other. What soever can be said for the benefit rising from an orchard, that makes for the largeness of the Orchards bounds. And (me thinks) they do preposterously, 
Compared with a garden.  that bestow more cost and labours, and more ground in and upon a garden than upon an orchard, whence they reap and may reap both more pleasure and more profit, by infinite degrees. And further, that a Garden never so fresh, and fair, and well kept, cannot continue without both renewing of the earth● and the herbs often, in the short and ordinary age of a man: whereas your Orchard well kept shall dure diverse hundred years, as shall be showed chap. 14. In a large orchard there is much labour saved, in fencing, and otherwise: for three little orchards, or few trees, being, in a manner, all outsides, are so blasted and dangered, and commonly in keeping neglected, and require a great fence; whereas in a great Orchard, trees are a mutual fence one to another, and the keeping is regarded, and less fencing serves six acres together, than three in several enclosures.  
Now what quantity of ground is meetest for an Orchard can no man prescribe, 
What quantity of ground●  but that must be left to every man's several judgement, to be measured according to his ability and will, for other necessaries besides fruit must be had, and some are more delighted with orchard than others.  

Want is no hindrance.  Let no man having a fit plot plead poverty in this case, for an orchard once planted will maintain itself, and yield infinite profit beside. And I am persuaded, that if men did know the right and best way of planting, dressing, and keeping trees, and felt the profit and pleasure thereof, both they that have no orchards would have them, & they that have orchards, would have them larger, yea fruit-trees in their hedges, as in Worcester-shire, etc. 
How Landlords. by their Te●an●s may mak● flourishing Orchards in England.  And I think, that the want of plunting, is a great loss to our commonwealth, & in particular, to the owners of Lordships, which Land lords themselves might easily amend, by granting longer term, and better assurance to their tenants, who have taken up this Proverb Botch and sit, Build and flit: ●or who will build or plant for an other man's profit? Or the Parliament might join every occupier of grounds to plant and maintain for so many acres of fruitful ground, so many several trees or kinds of trees for fruit. Thus much for quantity.   

CHAP. 5. Of the form.  
THe goodness of the soil, and site, are necessary to the well being of an orchard simply, but the fo●me is so far necessary, as the owner shall think meet, for that kind of form wherewith every particular man is delighted, 
The usual form is a square.  we leave it to himself, Suum cuique pulchrum. The form that men like in general is a square, for although roundness be forma perfectissima, yet that principle is good where necessi●● by art doth not force some other form. If within one large square the Gardener shall make one round Labyrinth or Maze with some kind of Berries, it will grace your form, so there be 

A. All these squares must be set with trees, the Gardens and other ornaments must stand on spaces betwixt the trees, & in the borders & fences.   

B. Trees 20. yards asunder.   

C. Garden Knots.   

D. Kitchen garden.   

E. Bridge.   

F. Conduit.   

G. Stairs.   

H. Walks set with great wood thick.   

I. Walks set with great wood round about your Orchard.   

K. The out fence.   

L. The out fence set with stone-fruite.   

M. Mount To force earth for a mount, or such like set it round with quick, and lay boughs of trees strangely intermingled tops inward, with the cart●● in the middle.   

N. Still-house.   

O. Good standing for Bees, if you have an house.   

P. If the river run by your door, & under your mount, it will be pleasant.   sufficient roomth left for walks, so will four or more round knots do. For it is to be noted, that the eye must be pleased with the form. I have seen squares rising by degrees with stays from your house-ward, according to this form which I have, Crassa quod aiunt Minerva, with an unsteady hand, ●ough hewn, for in forming the country gardens, the better sort may use better forms, and more costly work. What is needful more to be said, I refer that all (concerning the Form,) to the Chapter 17 of the ornaments of an Orchard.   

CHAP. 6. Of Fences.  

Effects of evil fencing.  ALL your labour past and to come about an Orchard is lost unless you fence well. It shall grieve you much to see your young sets rubbed loose at the roots, the bark piled, the boughs and twigs cropped, your fruit stolen, your trees broken, and your many years labours and hopes destroyed, for want of fences. A chief care must be had in this point. You must therefore plant in such a soil, where you may provide a convenient, strong and seemly fence. For you can possess no goods, that have so many enemies as an orchard, look Chapter 13. Fruits are so delightsome, and desired of so many (nay, in a manner of all) and yet few will be at cost and take pains to provide them. Fence well therefore, let your plot be wholly in your own power, that you make all your fence yourself: for neighbours fencing is none at all, or very careless. Take heed of a door or window, (yea of a wall) of any other man's into your orchard: 
Let the fence be your own.  yea, though it be nailed up, or the wall be high, for perhaps they will prove thieves.  
All Fences commonly are made of Earth, 
Kind's of fences, earthen walls.  Stone, Brick, Wood, or both earth and wood. Dry wall of earth, and dry Ditches, are the worst fences save pales or rails, and do waste the soon, unless they be well copt with glooe and mortar, whereon at Mighill-tide it will be good to sow Wall-flowers, commonly called Bee-flowers, or winter Gillyflowers, because they will grow (though amongst stones) and abide the strongest frost and drought, continually green and flowering even in Winter, and have a pleasant smell, and are timely, (that is, they will flower the first and last of flowers) and are good for Bees. And your earthen wall is good for Bees dry and warm. But these fences are both unseemly, evil to repair, and only for need, where stone or wood cannot be had. Whosoever makes such Walls, must not pill the ground in the Orchard, for getting earth, nor make any pits or hallows, which are both unseemly and unprofitable. Old dry earth mixed with sand is best for these. This kind of wall will soon decay, by reason of the trees which grow near it, for the roots and bowls of great trees, will increase, undermine, and overturn such walls, though they were of stone, as is apparent by Ashes, Rountrees, Burt-trees, and such like, carried in the chat, or berry, by birds into stonewalles.  
Fences of dead-wood, as pales, 
Pale and Rail.  will not last, neither will rails either last or make good fence  
Stone walls (where stone may be had) are the best of this sort, 
Stone walls.  both for fencing, lasting, and shrouding of your young trees. But about this must you bestow much pains and more cost, to have them handsome, high and durable.  
But of all other (in mine own opinion) Quickwood, and Moats or Ditches of water, 
Quick wood and Moats.  where the ground is level, is the best fence. In unequal grounds, which will not keep water, there a double ditch may be cast, made straight and level on the top, two yards broad for a fair walk, five or six foot higher than the soil, with a gutter on either side, two yards wide, and four foot deep set with out, with three or four chess of Thorns, and within with Cherry, Plum, Damson, Bullys, Filbirds, (for I love these trees better for their fruit, and as well for their form, as privit) for you may make them take any form. And in every corner (and middle if you will) a mount would be raised, whereabout the wood may clasp, powdered with woodbine: which will make with dressing a fair, pleasant, profitable, & sure fence. But you must be sure that your quick thorns either grow wholly, or that there be a supply betime, either with planting new, or plashing the old where need is. And assure yourself, that neither wood, stone, earth, nor water, can make so strong a fence, as this after seven years' growth.  

Moats.  Moats, Fishponds, and (especially at one side a River) within and without your fence, will afford you fish, fence, and moisture to your trees, and pleasure also, if they be so great and deep that you may have Swans, & other water birds, good for devouring of vermin, and boat for many good uses.  
It shall hardly avail you to make any fence for your Orchard, if you be a niggard of your fruit. For as liberality will save it best from noisome neighbours, liberality I say is the best fence, so justice must restrain rioters. Thus when your ground is tempered, squared, and fenced, it is time to provide for planting.   

CHAP. 7. Of Sets.  
THere is not one point (in my opinion) about an Orchard more to be regarded, than the choice getting and setting of good plants, either for readiness or having good fruit, or for continual lasting. For whosoever shall fail in the choice of good Sets, or in getting, or gathering, or setting his plants, shall never have a good or l●sti●g Orchard. An●●●ake want of skill in this faculty to be a chief hindrance to the most Orchards, and ●o many for having of Orchards at all.  
Some for readiness use slips, 
Slip●.  which seldom take root: and if they do take, they cannot last, bo●h because their root having a main wound will in short time decay the body of the tree: and besides that roots being so weakly put, are soon nipped with drought or frost. I could never see (lightly) any slip but of apples only set for trees.  
A Bur-knot kindly taken from an Apple tree, 
Bur-knot.  is much better and surer. You must cu● him c●ose at the root end, an handful under the knot. (Some use in Summer about Lammas to circumcise him, and put earth to the knots with hay roaps, and in winter cu● him off and set him, but this is curiosity, re●dlesse, and danger with removing, and drought,) and cut away all his twigs save one, the most principal, which in setting you must leave above the earth, burying his ●●unk in the ●●●st of the earth for his root. I● matters not much what part of the bough the twig grows out of. If it grow out of or ●eere the root end, some s●y such an Apple will have no c●are nor kernel. Or if ●t appease the Plantor, he may let h●s bough be crooked, and leave out his top end, one foot or somewhat more, wherein will be good grafting● if either you like not, or doubt the fruit of the bou●h o● commonly your burknots are summer fruit) or ●fy●●●hinke he will not cover his wound safely.  
The most usual kind of sets, is plants with roots growing of kernel, 
Usual Sets.  of Apples, Pears, and Crabs, or stones of Cherries, Plums, etc. Removed out of a Nursery, Wood or other Orchard, into, and set in your Orchard in their due places I g●ant this kind to be better than either of the former, by much, as more sure and more durable Herein you must no●e that in sets so removed, you get all the roots you can, and without bruising of any; 
Main roots cut.  I utterly dislike the opinion of those great Gardeners, that following their Books would have the main roots cut away, for tops cannot grow without roots. And because none can get all the roots, and removal is an hindrance, 
Stow sets removed.  you may not leave on al● tops, when you set them: For there is a proportion betwixt the top and root of a tree, even in the number (at least) in the growth. If the roots be many, they will bring you many tops, if they be not hindered And if you use to stow or top you tree too much or too low, and leave no issue, or little for sap, (as is to be seen in you● hedges) it will hinde● the growth of roots and beale, because such a kind of stowing is a kind of smothering, or choking the sap. Great wood, as Oak, E●me, Ash, etc. being continually kept down with shears, knife, axe. etc. neither boale nor root will thrive, but as an hedge or bush. If you intent to gr●ff● in your Set, you may cut him closer with a greater wound, and ne●rer the earth, within a foot or two, because the graft or grafts will cover his wound. If you like his fruit, and would have him to be a tree of himself, be not so b●ld: th●s I can tell you, that though you do cut his top close, and leave nothing but his bulk, because his boots are ●ew, if he be (but little) bigger than your thumb (as I wish all plants removed to be) he will safely recover wound within seven years; by good guidance that is● I● the next time of dressing immediately above his uppermost sprig, you cut him off aslope cleanly, ●o that the sprig sta●d on the back side, (and if you can Northward, that the wound may ha●e the benefit of Sun) at the upper end of the wound: and let that sprig only be the boale. And take this for a general rule; 
General rule.  Every young plant, if he thrive, will recover any wound above the earth, by good dressing, although it be to the one half, and to his very heart. This short cutting at the remove, saves your plants from Wind, 
●ying of trees.  and need the les●e or no staking. I commend not Lying or Leaning of trees against holds or stairss; for it breeds obstruction of ●ap and wounds incurable. 
General rule.  All removing of trees as great as you● arm, or above, is dangerous: though sometime some such will grow but not continue long: Because they be tainted with deadly wounds, e●ther in the root or top. (And a tree once throughly tainted is never good) And though they ge● some hold in the earth with some lesser taw, or taws, which give some nourishment to the body of the tree: yet the heart being tainted, 
Signs of diseases, Chap 13.  he will hardly ever ●hri●e; which you may easily discern by the blackness of the boughs at the heart, when you dress your trees. Also, when he is set with more tops than the roots can nourish, the tops decaying, blacken the boughs, and the boughs the arms, and so they bo●le at the very heart. Or th●s ta●n● in the removal, if it ki●l not presently, but after some short time, it may be discerned by blackness or ye●lownesse in the bark, and a small hungered leaf. Or if your removed plant put forth leaves the next and second summer, and little or few sprays, it is a great sign of a taint, and next years d●ath. I have known a tree tainted in setting, yet grow, & bear blossoms for diverse years: and yet for want of strength could never shape his fruit.  
Next unto this or rather equal with these plants, are suckers growing out of the roots of great trees, 
Suckers good sets.  which cherries and plums do seldom or never want: and being taken kindly with their roots, will make very good sets. And you may help them much by enlarging their roots wi●h the taws of the tree, whence you take them. They are of two sorts: Either growing from the very root of the tree: and here you must be careful, not to hurt your tree when you gather them, by ripping amongst the roots; and that you take them clean away: for these are a great and continual annoyance to the growth of your tree: and they will hardly be cleansed. Secondly, or they do ar●e f●om some taw: and these may be taken without danger, with long and good roots, and will soon become trees of strength.  
There is another way, which I have not throughly proved, 
A running Plant.  to get not only plants for gr●ffing, but sets to remain for trees, which I call a Running Plant: the manner of it is this: Take a root or kernel, and put it into the middle of your plot, and the second year in the spring, g●●d his top, if he have one principal (as commonly by nature they have) and let him put forth only four Cyo●s toward the four corners of the orchard, as near the earth as you can. If he put not four, (which is rare) stay his top till he have put so many. When you have such four, cut the stock aslope, as is aforesaid in this chapter, hard above the uttermost sprig, & keep those four without Cyons clean and strait, till you have them a yard and a half, at least, or two yards long. Then the next spring in graffing time, lay down those four sprays, towards the four corners of your Orchard, with their tops in an heap of pure and good earth, and raised as high as the root of your Cyon (for sap will not descend) and a sod to keep them down, leaving nine or twelve inches of the top to look upward. In that hill he will put roots, and his top new Cyons, which you must spread as before, and so from hill to hill till he spread the compass of your ground, or as far as you list. If in bending, the Cyons crack, the matter is small, cleanse the ground and he will recover. Every bended bough will put forth branches, and become trees. If this plant be of a bury knot, there is not doubt. I have proved it in on● branch myself: and I know at Wilton in Cleeve-land a Peartree of a great bulk and age, blown close to the earth, hath put at every knot roots into the earth, and from root to top, a great number of mighty arms or trees, filling a great roomth, like many trees, or a little Orchard. Much better may it be done by Art in a less tree● And I could not mis●ke this kind, save that the time will be long before it come to perfection.  
Many use to buy sets already grafted, 
Sets bought.  which is not the best way: for first, All removes are dangerous: Again, there is danger in the carriage: Thirdly, it is a costly course of planting: Fourthly, every Gardener is not trusty to sell you good fruit: Fiftly, you know not which is best, which is worst, and so may take most care about your worst trees. Lastly, this way keeps you from practice, and so from experience● in so good, Gentlemanly, Scholarlike, and profitable a faculty.  

The best sets.  The only best way (in my opinion) to have sure and lasting sets, is never to remove: for every remove is an hindrance, if not a dangerous hurt or deadly taint. This is the way. The plot-form being laid, and the plot appointed where you will plant every set in your orchard, 
Vnremoved how.  dig the roomth, where you● sets shall stand, a yard compass, and make the earth mellow and clean, and mingle it with a few coale-ashes, to avoid worms: and immediately after the first change of the Moon, in the latter end of February, the earth being a fresh turned over, put in every such roomth three or four kirnels of Apples or Pears, of the best: every kernel in an hole made with your finger, finger deep, a foot distant one from another: and that day month following, as many more, (lest some of the former miss) in the same compass; but not in the same holes. Hence (God willing) shall you have roots enough. If they all, or diverse of them come up, you may draw (but not dig) up (nor put down) at your pleasure, the next November. How many soever you take away, to give or bestow elsewhere, be sure to leave two of the proudest. And when in your 2. and 3. year you Graft, if you graft then at all, leave the one of those two ungraffed, lest in graffing the other you fail: For I find by trial, that after first or second graffing in the same stock, being missed (for who hits all) the third miss puts your stock in deadly danger, for want of issue of sap. Yea, though you hit in graffing, yet may your grasses with wind or otherwise be broken down. If your grasses or graft prosper, you have your desire, in a plant unremoved, without taint, and the fruit at your own choice, and so you may (some little earth being removed) pull, but not dig up the other Plant or Plants in that roomth. If your g●●ffe or stock, or both perish, you have another in the same place, of better strength to work upon. For thriving without snub he will over-lay your grafted stock much. And it is hardly possible to miss in grafting so often, if your Gardener be worth his name.  
It shall not be amiss (as I judge it) if your Kirnels be of choice fru●te, 
Sets ungrafted best of all.  and that you see them come forward proudly in their body, and bear a fair and broad leaf in colour, tending to a greenish yellow (which argue● pleasant and great fruit) to try some of them ungraffed: for although it be a long time ere this come to bear fruit, ten or twelve years, or more; and at their first bea●ing, the fruit will not seem to be like his own kind: yet am I assured, upon trial, before twenty years' growth, such trees will increase the bigness and goodness of their fruit, and come perfectly to their own kind. Trees (like other breeding creatures) as they grow in years' bigness and strength, so they mend their fruit. Husbands and Housewives find this true by experience, in the rearing of their young store. More than this, th●e is no tree like this for soundness and durable last, if his keeping and dressing be answerable. I grant, the readiest way to come soon to fruit is graffing: because in a manner, all your grasses are taken of fruit bea●●ng trees.  
Now when you have made choice of your sets to remove, 
Time of removing.  the ground being ready, the best time is, immediately after the fall of the leaf, in, or about the change of the Moon, when the sap is most quiet: for then the sap is in turning: for it makes no stay, but in the extremity of drought or cold. At any time in winter, 
General rule.  may you transplant trees so you put no ice nor snow to the root of your plant in the setting: and therefore open, calm and moist weather is best. To remove, the leaf being ready to fall and not fallen, or buds apparently put forth in a moist warm season, for need, sometime may do well: but the safest is ●o walk in the plain trodden path.  
Some hold opinion that it is best removing before the fall of the leaf, and I hear it commonly practised in the South by our best a●borists, the leaf not fallen: and they give the reason to be, that the descending of the sap will make speedy roots. But mark the reasons following and I think you shall find no soundness, either in that position or practice, at least in the reason.  

1. I say, it is dangerous to remove when the sap is not quiet, for every remove gives a main check to the stirring sap, by staying the course thereof in ●he body of your plant, as may appear in trees removed any time in summer, they commonly dye, nay hardly shall you save the life of the most young and tender plant of any kind of wood (scarcely herbs) if you remove them in the pride of sap. For proud sap universally stayed by removal, ever hinders; often taints and so presently, or in very short time ki●s. Sap is like blood in man's body, in which is the life, Cap. 3. p. 9 If the blood universally be cold, life is excluded; so is sap tainted by untimely removal. A stay by drought, or cold, is not so dangerous (though dangerous if it be ex●reme) because more natural.  
2. The sap never descends, as men suppose, but is consollidated & transubstantiated into the substance of the tree, and passeth (always above the earth) upward, not only betwixt the bark and the wood, but also into and in both body & bark, though not so plentifully, as may appear by a tree budding, nay fructifying two or three ye●es, after he be circumcised at the very root, ●i●e a river that enlargeth his channel by a continual descent.  
3 I cannot perceive what time they would h●●● the sap to descend. A● M●●sommer in a biting drought it stays, but descends not, for immediately upon moisture it makes second shoots, at (or before rathe●) Michaeltide, when it shapens his buds for next years f●uit. If a● the f●l of leaf, I grant, about that time is the greatest stand, but no descent, of sap, which begins somewhat before the leaf fall, but not long, therefore at that time must be the best removing, not by reason of descent, but stay of sap.  
4. The sap in this course hath his profitable apparent effects, as the growth of the tree, covering of wounds, putting of ●uds, etc. Whereupon it follows, if the sap descend, it must needs have some effect to show it.  
5. Lastly, boughs plashed and laid lower than the root, die for want of sap descending, except where it is forced by the main stream of the sap, as in top boughs hanging like water in pipes, or except the plashed bough lying on the ground put roots of his own, yea under boughs which we commonly call water boughs, can scarcely get sap to live, yea in time dye, because the sap doth press so violently upward, and therefore the fairest shoots and fruits are always in the top.   
Object. 
Remove soon.  If you say that many so removed thrive, I say that somewhat before the fall of the leaf (but not much) is the stand, for the fall & the stand are not at one instant, before the stand is dangerous. But to return.  
The sooner in winter ●ou remove your sets, the better; the latter the worse: For it is very perilous if a strong drought take your Sets before they have made good their rooting. A Plant set at the fall, shall gain (in a a manner) a whole years' growth of that watch is set in the Spring after.  

The manner of setting.  I use in the setting to be sure, that the earth be mouldy, (and somewhat moist) that it may run among the small tangles without straining or bruising: and as I f●●l in earth to his root, I shake the Set easily to and fro, to make the earth settle the better to his roo●s: and withal easily with my foot I put in the earth close; for air is noisome, and w●ll follow concavities. Some prescribe Oats to be put in w●●h the earth. I could like it, if I could know any reason thereof: and they use to set their Plant with the same side toward the Sun: but this conceit is like the o●her. For first I would have every tree to stand so free from shade, that not only the root (which therefore you mus● ke●p● bare from grass) but body, boughs, and branches, and every spray, may have the benefit of Sun. And what hurt, if that part of the tree, that before was shadowed, be now made partaker of the heat of the Su●n? In ●urning of Be●s, I know it is hurtful, because it changeth their entrance, passage, and whose work: But not so in Trees.  

Set in the crust.  Set as deep as you can, so that in any wise you go no● beneath the crust. Look Chap. 2.  

Moisture good.  We speak in the second Chapter of moisture in general: but now especial●y having put your removed plant into the earth, power on water (of a puddle were good) by distilling presently, and so every week twice in strong drought, so long as the earth will drink, and refuse by overflowing. For moisture m●llifies, and both gives leave to the roots to spread, and makes the earth yield sap and nourishment with plenty & facility. Nurses (they say) give most & best milk after warm drinks.  
If your ground be such that it will keep no moisture at the root of your plant, such plant shall never like, or but for a time. There is nothing more hurtfall for young trees then piercing drought. I have known trees of good stature after they have been of diverse years' growth, & thrive well for a good time, perish for want of water, and very many by reason or taints in setting.  
It is meet your sets and grafts be fenced, till they be as big as your arm for fear of annoyances. 
Grants must be fenced.  Many ways may sets receive damages, after they be set, whether grafted or ungrafted. For although we suppose, that no noisome beast, or other thing must have access among your trees: yet by casualty, a Dog, Cat, or such like, or yourself, or negligent friend bearing you company, or a shrewd boy, may tread or fall upon a young and tender plant or graft. To avoid these and many such chances, you must stake them round a pretty distance from the set, neither so near, nor so thick, but that it may have the benefit of Sun, rain, and air. Your stakes (small or great) would be so surely put, or driven into the earth, that they break not, if any thing happen to lean upon them, else may the fall be more hurtful, than the want of the fence. Let not you stakes shelter any weeds about your sets, for want of Sun is a great hindrance. Let them stand so far off, that your grafts spreading receive no hurt, either by rubbing on them, or of a●y other thing passing by. If your stock be long, and high grafted (which I must discommend (except in need) because there the sap is weak, and they are subject to strong wind, and the lighting of birds) tie easily with a soft list three or four pricks under the clay, and let their tops stand above the grafts, to avoid the lighting of Crows, Pies, etc. upon your grafts. If you stick some sharp thorns at the roots of your stakes, they will make hurtful things keep off the better. Other better fences for your grafts I know none. And thus much for sets and setting.   

CHAP. 8. Of the distance of Trees.  
I Know not to what end you should provide good ground, well fenced, & plant good sets; and when your trees should come to profit, have all your labours lost, for want of due regard, to the distance of placing your trees. I have s●ene many trees stand so thick, that one could not thrive for the throng of his neighbours. If you do mark it, you shall see the tops of trees rubbed off, 
Hurts of too near planting.  their sides galled like a galled horses back, and many trees have more stumps than boughs, and most trees no well thriving, but short, stumpish, and evil thriving boughs: like a Corn field over-seeded, or a town over peopled, or a pasture overlaid, which the Gardener must either let grow, or leave the tree very few boughs to bear fruit. Hence small thrift, galls, wounds, diseases, and short life to the trees: and while they live green, little, hard, worm-eaten, and evil thriving fruit arise, to the discomfort of the owners.  

Remedy.  To prevent which discommodity, one of the best remedies is the sufficient and fit distance of trees. Therefore at the se●ing of your plants you must have such respect, that the distance of them be such, that every tree be not annoyance, but an help to his fellows: for trees (as all other things of th●●● m● k●nd) should shroud, and not hurt one another. 
General rule.  And assure yourself that every touch of trees (as well under as above the earth) is hurtful. Therefore this must be a general rule in this Art● That no tree in an Orchard well ordered, 
All touches hartfull.  nor bough, nor Cyon, drop upon, or touch his fellows Let no man think this impossible, but look in the eleventh Chapter of dressing of trees If they touch, the wind will cause a forcible 〈◊〉 Young twigs are tender, if boughs or arms touch 〈◊〉, if they are strong, they make great galls. No kind of touch therefore in trees can be good.  
Now it is to be considered what distance amongst sets is requisite, 
The best distance of trees.  and that must be gathered from the compass and roomth, that each tree by probability will take and fill. And herein I am of a contrary opinion to all them, which practice or teach the planting of trees, that ever yet I knew, read, or heard of. For the common space between tree and tree is ten foot: if twenty foot, it is thought very much. But I suppose twenty yard's distance is small enough betwixt tree and tree, or rather too too little. For the distance must needs be as far as two trees are well able to over spread● and fill, so they touch not by one yard at least. Now I am assured, and I know one Appletree, set of slip finger-great, in the space of 20 years, (which I account a very small part of a trees age, as is showed Chapter 14.) hath spread his boughs eleven or twelve yard's compass, that is, five or six yards on e●ery side. Hence I gather, that in forty or fity years (which yet is but a small time of his age) a tree in good soil, well liking, by good dressing (for that is much available to this purpose) will spread double at the least, viz. twelve yards on a side, which being added to twelve allotted to his felllow, make twenty and four yards, a●d so far distant must every tree stand from another And look how far a tree spreads his boughs above, so far doth he put his roots under the earth, or rather further, if there be no stop, nor let by walls, trees, rocks, barren earth, 
The part● of a tree.  and such like: for an huge bulk, and strong arms, massy boughs, many branches, and infinite twigs, require wide spreading roots. The top hath the vast air to spread his boughs in, high and low, this way and that way: but the roots are kept in the crust of the earth, they may not go downward, nor upward ou● of he earth, which is their element, no more than the Fish out of the water, Camelion out of the Air, nor Salamander out the fire. Therefore they must needs spread far under the earth. And I dare well say, if nature would give leave to man by Art, to dress the roots of trees, to take away the taws and tangles, that lap and fi●t and grow superfluously and disorderly, (for every thing sublunary is cursed for man's sake) the tops above being answerably dressed, we should have trees of wouderfull greatness, and infinite durance. And I persuade myself that this might be done sometimes in Winter, to trees standing in fair plains and kindly earth, with small or no danger at all. So that I conclude, that twenty four yards are the least space that Art can allot for trees to stand distant one from another.  

Waste ground in an Orchard.  If you ask me what use shall be made of that waste ground betwixt tree and tree? I answer: If you please to plant some tree or trees in that middle space, you may, and as your trees grow contigious, gr●a● and thick, you may at your pleasure take up those last trees. And this I take to be the chief cause, why the most trees stand so thick. For men not knowing (or not regarding) this secret of needful distance, and loving fruit of trees planted to their hands, think much to pull up an●, though they pine one another. If you or your heirs or successors would take up some great tre●s (past setting) where they stand too thick, be sure ●ou do it about Miasummer, and leave no main roo●● I destinate this sp●ce of four and twenty yards, for trees of age & stature. More than thi●, yo● h●ue borders to be made for walkest with Roses● Berries, etc.  
A●d chiefly consider: that your Orchard, for the first twenty or thirty years, will serve you ●or many Gardens, for Safron, Liquorice, roots, and other herb● for profi●, and flowers for pleasure: so that no ground need be wasted if the Gardener be skilful and diligent. But be sure● you come not near with such deep delving the roots of your trees, who●e compas●e you may partly discern, by the compass of the tops, if your top be well spread. And under the droppings and shadow of your trees, be sure no herbs will like. Let this be said for the distance of Trees.   

CHAP. 9 Of the placing of Trees.  
THe placing of trees in an Orchard is well worth the regard: For although it must be granted, that any of our foresaid trees (Chap. 2.) will like well in any part of your Orchard, being good and well dressed earth: yet are not ●ll Trees alike worthy of a good place And therefore I wish that your Filbird, Plums, Dimsons, Bules●●, and such like, be utterly removed from the plain soil of your Orchard into your fence: for there is not such fertility and easeful growth, as within: and there also they are more sub●ect, and an abide the blasts of Aeolus. The cherries and plums being ripe in the hot time of Summer, and th● rest standing ●onger, are not so soon shaken as your better fr●i●: neither if they suffer loss, is your loss so grea●. beside that, your fences and ditches w●ll de●ou●e ●ome of your fruit growing in or near your hedges And seeing the continuance of all these (except Nu●s) is small, the care of them ought to be the less. And make no doubt● but the fences of a large Orchard will contain a suffi●ien●●umber of such kind of Fruit-trees in the wh●le compass. It is not material, but at your pleasure, in the s●d fences, you may either intermingle your several kind's of fruit-trees, or set every kind by himself, which order doth very well become your bet●er and greater fruit. Let therefore your Apples P●●res, an● Quinches, possess the soil of you Orchard, unless you be especially affected to some of your other kinds: and of them let your greatest ●rees of growth stand furthest from Sun, and your Quinches at the S●u●h side or end, and your● Apples in th● middle, so shall none be any hindrance to his fellows. The Warden-tree, and Winter-Peare will challenge the pre●emine●ce for stature. Of your Appletrees you shall find difference in growth. A good Pippin will g●ow large, and a Costard-tree: stead them on the North side of your other Apples, thus being placed, the least will give Sun to the rest, and the greatest will shroud their fellows. The fences and out-trees will guard all.   

CHAP. 10 Of G●af●ing.  
Of this there be diverse kinds, but three or four now especially in use: 
Kind's of gra●●ing.  to wit, Grafting, incising, packing on, grafting in the scutcheon, or inoculating: whereof the chief and most usual, is called grafting (by the general name, Catahexocen:) for it is the most known, surest, readiest, and plainest way to have store of good fruit.  
It is thus wrought: You must with a fine, thin, strong and sharp Saw, 
Graft how.  made and armed for that purpose, cut off a foot above the ground, or thereabouts, in a plain without a knot, or as near as you can without a knot (for some Stocks will be knotty) your Stock, set, or plant, being surely stayed with your foot and leg, or otherwise strait overthwart (for the Stock may be crooked) and then plain his wound smoothly with a sharp knife: that done, cleave him cleanly in the middle with a cleaver, and a knock or maul, and with a wedge of wood, Iron or Bone, two handful long at least, put into the middle of that cleft, with the same knock, make the wound gape a straw breadth wide, into which you must put your grasses.  

A Graft what.  The graft is a top twig taken from some other Tree (for it is folly to put a graft into his own Stock) beneath the uppermost (and sometime in need the second) knot, and with a sharp knife fitted in the knot (and some time out of the knot when need is) with shoulders an inch downward, and so put into the stock with some thrusting (but not straining) bark to bark inward.  

Eyes.  Let your graft have three or four eyes, for readiness to put forth, and give issue to the sap. It is not amiss to cut off the top of your graft, and leave it but five or six inches long, because commonly you shall see the tops of long grasses die. The reason is this. The sap in graffing receives a rebuke, and cannot work so strongly presently, and your grasses receive not sap so readily, as the natural branches. When your grasses are cleanly and closely put in, and your wedge pulled out nimbly, for fear of putting your grasses out of frime, take well tempered mortar, ●oundly wrought with chaff or horse dung (for the dung of cattle will grow hard, and strain your grasses) the quantity of a Goose's egg, and divide it just, and therewithal, cover your stock, laying the one half on the one side, and the other half on the other side of your grasses (for thrusting against your grasses) you move them, and let both your hands thrust at once, and alike, and let your clay be tender, to yield easily; and all, lest you move your grasses. Some use to cover the cleft of the Stocke● under the clay with a piece of bark or leaf, some with a cerecloth of wax and butter, which as they be not much needful, so they hurt not, unless that by being busy about them, you move your grasses from their places. They use also moss tied on above the clay with some briar, wicker, or other bands. These profit nothing. They all put the grasses in danger, with pulling and thrusting: 
General rule.  for I hold this general rule in graffing and planting: if your stock and grasses take, and thrive (for some will take and not thrive, being tainted by some means in the planting or graffing) they will (without doubt) recover their wounds safely and shortly.  
The best time of graffing from the time of removing your stock is the next Spring, 
Time of graffing.  for that saves a second wound, and a second repulse of sap, if your stock be of sufficient bigness to take a graft from as big as your thumb, to as big as an arm of a man. You may graft l●sle (which I like) and bigger, which I like not so w●ll. The best time of the y●ere is in the ●ast part of February, or in March, or beginning of Apr●ll, when the Su●ne with his h●a● begins to make the s●p stir more rankely, about the change of Moon before you see any great apparancy of lease or flowers but only knots and bad's, and before they be proud, though it be sooner. Cherries, Pea●es, Apricocks, Q●●nces, and Plums would be gathered and graf●ed sooner.  
The graff●s may be gathered sooner in February, or any time within a month, 
Gathering grasses.  or two before you graft or upon the same day (which I commend) If you get them any time before, ●or I have known graf●es gathered in December, and do well, take heed of drought. I have myself ●aken a bu●knot of a tree, & the same day when he was laid in the earth about mid Februory, gathered graf●s and put in him, and one of those grasses bore the th●rd year after, and the fourth plentifully. grasses of old trees would be gathered sooner than of young trees, 
grasses of old ●●ees.  for they sooner break and bud● If you keep grasses in the earth, moisture with the heat of the Sun will make them sprout as fast, as if they were growing on the tree. And therefore seeing keeping is dangerous, the surest way (as I judge) is to take them within a week of the time of your graf●ing.  
The gr●fts would be taken not of the proudest twigs, for it may be your stock is not answerable in strength. And therefore (say I, the graf●s brought from South to us in the North although they take and thrive (which is somewhat doubtful, 
Where taken.  by reason of the difference of the Clime and carriage) yet shall they in time fashion themselves to our cold Northern soil, in growth, taste etc.  
Nor of the poorest, for want of strength may make them unready to receive sap (and who can tell but a poor graft is tainted) nor on the outside of your tree, for there should your tree spread but in the middest● for there you may be sure your Tree is no whit hindered in his growth or form. He will still recover inward, more than you would wish. If your clay cleft in Summer with drought, look well in the Chinkes for Emm●●s and Earwigs, 
Emmet's.  for they are cunning and close theeues● about grafts you shall find them stirring in the morning and evening, and the rather in the moist weather. I have had many young buds of Graffes, even in the flourishing, eaten with Ants. Let this suffice for graffing, which is in the faculty counted the chief secret, and because it is most usual it is best known.  
grasses are not to be disliked for growth, till they whither, pine, and die. Usually before Midsummer they break, if they l●ue. Some (but few) keeping proud and green, will not put till the second year, so is it to be thought of sets.  
The first show of putting is no sure sign of growth, it is but the sap the graft brought with him from his tree.  
So soon as you see the graft put for growth, take away the clay, for than doth neither the stock no● the graft need it (put a little fresh well tempered clay in the hole of the stock) for the clay is now tender, and rather keeps moisture then drought.  
The other ways of changing the natural fruit of Trees, are more curious than profitable, and therefore I mind not to bestow much labour or time about them, only I shall make known what I have proved, and what I do think.  
And first of incising, 
Incising.  which is the cutting of the back of the boale, a rind or branch of a tree of some bending or knee, shoulderwise with two gashes, only with a sharp knife to the wood: then take a wedge, the bigness of your graft sharp ended, flat on the one side, agreeing with the tree, and round on the other side, and with t●●● being thrust in, raise your bark, then p●t in your gr●ffe, fashioned like your wedge just: and lastly cover your wound, and fast it up, and take heed of straining. This will grow but to small purpose, 
A great stock.  for it is weak hold, and lightly it will be under growth. Thus may you graft betwixt the bark and the tree of a great stock that will not easily be clifted: But I have tried a better way for great trees, vice First, cut him off strait, and cleanse him with your knife, then cleave him into four quarter's, equally with a strong cleaver: then take for every Clift two or three small (but hard) wedges just of the bigness of your graf●s, and with those Wedges driven in with an hammer open the four cliffs so wide (but no wider) that they may take your four griffes, with thrusting not with straining: and lastly cover and clay i● closely, and this is a sure and good way of grafting: or thus, cleft your stock by his edges twice or thrice with your cleaver, and open him with your wedge in every cleft one by one, and put in your grafts, and then cover them. This may do well.  
Packing on is, when you cut aslope a twig of the same bigness with your graft, 
Packing thus.  either in or beside the knot, two inches long, and make your graft agree ●umpe with the Cyon● and gash your graft and your Cyon in the midst of the wound, length-way, a straw breadth deep, and thrust the one into the other, wound to wound, sap to s●p, bark to bark, then tie them close and clay them. This may do well. The fairest graft I have in my little Orchard, which I have planted, is thus packed on, and the branch whereon I put him, is in his plentiful root.  
The sprig. The graft. The twig. The graft.  
Inoculating is an eye or bud, taken bark and all from one tree, 
Inoculating.  and placed in the room of another eye or bud of another, cut both of one compass, and there bound. This must be done in Summer, when the sap is proud.   

CHAP. 11. Of the right dressing of Trees.  

Necessity 〈…〉 sling trees.  IF all these things aforesaid were indeed performed, as we have showed them in words, you should have a perfect Orchard in nature a●d substance, beguine to your hand: And yet are all these things nothing, if you want that skill to keep and dress your trees. Such is the condition of all earthly things, whereby a man receiveth profit or pleasure, that they degenerate presently without good ordering. Man himself left to himself, grows from ●i heavenly and spiritual generation, and becometh beastly, yea devilish to his own kind, unless he be regenerate No manuel then, if Trees make ●heir shoots, and put their sprays disorderly. And truly (if I were worthy to judge) there is not a mischief ●h●t breeds greater and more general harm to all the Orchard (especially if they be of any continuance) that ever I saw, (I will not except three) then the want of the ski●full dressing of trees. It is a common and unskilful opinion, and saying. Let all grow, and they will bea●e more fruit: and if ●oulop away superfluous boughts, they say, what a pity is this? 
General rule.  How many apples would there have borne? not considering there may arise hurt to your Orchard, aswell (nay rather) by abundance, as by want of wood. sound and thriving plan● in a good soil, will ever yield too much wood, and disorderly, but never too little. So that a skilful and painful Arborist, need never want matter to ●ffect a plentiful and well dressed Orchard: for it is an easy matter to take away superfluous boughs if your Gardener have skill to know them) whereof you● plants will yield abundance, and skill will leave sufficient well ordered. A●lages both by rule and experience do consent to a pruining and lopping of trees: yet have not any that I know described unto us (except in dark and general words) what or which are those superfluous boughs, which we must take away, and that is the chief and most needful point to be known in lopping. And we may well assure ourselves, (as in all other Arts, so in this) there is a vantage and dexterity, by skill, and an habit by practice out of experience, in the performance hereof for the profit of mankind; yet do I not know (let me speak it with the patience of ou● cunning Arborists) any thing within the compass of humane affairs so necessary, and so little regarded, not only in Orchards, but also in all other timber trees, where or whatsoever.  
Imagine the root to be spread far wider.  
If all timber trees were such (will some say) how should we have crooked wood for wheels, co●r●s, etc.  
Answ. Dress all you can, and there will be enough crooked for those uses.  
More than this, in most places, they grow so thick, that neither themselves, nor earth, nor any thing under or near them can thrive, nor Sun, nor rain, nor ●ire can do them, nor any thing near or under them any profit or comfort.  
I see a number of H●gs, where out of one root you shall see three or four (nay more) such as men's unskilful greediness, who desiring many have ●ore good) pretty Okes or Ashes, strait and tall, because the root at the first shoot gives sap amain: but if one only of them might be suffered to grow, and that well and cleanly pruned, all to his very top, what a tree should we have in time? And we see by those roots continually and plentifully springing, notwithstanding so deadly wounded. What a commodity should arise to the owner, and the Commonwealth, if wood were cherished, and orderly dressed.  
The waste boughs closely and skilfully taken away, 
Profit of trees dressed.  would give us store of fences and fuel, and the bulk of the tree in time would grow of huge length and bigness. But here (me thinks) I hear an unskilful Arborist say, that trees have their several forms, even by nature, the Pear, the Holly, the Asp, etc. grow long in bulk with few and little arms, the Oak by nature broad, and such like. All this I grant: but grant me also, that there is a profitable end, and use of every tree, from which i● it decline (though by nature) yet man by art may (nay must) correct it. 
The end of Trees.  Now other end of trees I never could learn, than good timber, fruit much and good, and pleasure. Uses physical hinder nothing a good form.  
Neither let any man ever so much as think, that it unprobable, 
Trees will take any form.  much less impossible, to reform any tree of what kind soever. For (believe me) I have tried it, I can bring any tree (beginning by time) to any form. The pear and holly may be made to spread, and the Oak to close.  
But why do I wander out of the compass of mine Orchard, into the Forests and Woods? Neither yet am I from my purpose, if bowls of timber trees stand in need of all the sap, to make them great and strait (for strong growth and dressing makes strong trees) than it must needs be profitable for fruit (a thing more immediately serving a man's need) to have all the sap his root can yield: 
The end of Trees.  for as timber sound, great and long, is the good of timber trees, and therefore they bear no fruit of worth: so fruit, good, sound, pleasant, great and much, is the end of fruit-trees. That gardener therefore shall perform his duty skilfully and faithfully, which sha●l so dress his trees, that they may bear such and such store of fruit, which he shall never do (dare undertake) unless he keep this order in dressing his trees.  

How to dress a fruit-tree.  A fruit-tree so standing, that there need none other end of dressing b●t fruit (not ornaments for walks, nor delight to such as would please their eye only, and yet the b●st form ca●not but both adorn an● delight) must be parted from within two foot, or thereabouts, of the earth, so high to give liberty to dress his root, and no higher, for drinking up the sap that should f●ede his fruit, for the boale will be first, and best served and fed, because he is next the root, and of greatest wax and substance, and that makes him longest of life, into two, three, or four arms, as your stock or graff●s yield twigs, and every arm into two or more branches, and every branch into his several Cyons, still spreading by equal degrees, so that his lowest spray be hardly without the reach of a man's hand, and his highest be not past two yards higher, rarely (especially in the midst) that no one twig touch his fellow. Let him spread as far as he list without his maister-bough, or ●op ●qually. And when any bough doth grow sadder and fall lower, than his fellows (as they will with weight of fruit) ease him the next spring of his superfluous twigs, and he will ri●e: when any bough or spray shall amount above the rest; either snub his top with a nip betwixt your finger and your thumb, or with a sharp knife, and take him clean away, and so you may use any Cyon you would reform, and as your tree shall grow in stature and strength, so let him rise with his tops, but flowly, and early, especially in the midst, and equally, and in breadth also, and follow him upward with lopping hi● under growth and water boughs, keeping the s●me distance of two yards, but not above three in any wise, betwixt the lowest and the highest twigs.  

1. Thus you shall have well liking, 
Benefits of good ●ressing.  clean skinned, healthful great, and long-lasting trees.  
2. Thus shall your tree grow low, and safe from winds, for his top will be great, broad and weighty.  
3. Thus growing broad, shall your trees bear much fruit (I dare say) one as much as six of your common trees, and good without shadowing, dropping and fretting: for his boughs, branches, and twigs shallbe many, and those are they (not the boale) which bear the fruit.  
4. Thus shall your boale being little (not small but low) by reason of his shortness, take little, and yield much sap to the fruit.  
5. Thus your trees by reason of strength in time of setting shall put forth more blossoms, and more fruit, being free from taints; for strength is a great help to bring forth much and safely, whereas weakness fails in setting though the season be calm.   
Some use to bare trees roots in Winter, to stay the setting till hotter seasons, which I discommend, because, 

1. They hurt the roots.  
2. It stays it nothing at all  
3. Though it did, being small, with us in the North, they have their part of our April and May's frosts.  
4. Hindrance cannot profit weak trees in setting.  
5. They wast much labour.  
6. Thus shall your tree be easy to dress, and without danger, either to the tree or the dresser.  
7. Thus may you safely and easily gather your fruit without falling, bruising or breaking of Cyons.    
This is the best form of a fruit tree, which I have here only shadowed out for the better capacity of them that are led more with the eye, than the mind, craving pardon for the deformity, because I am nothing skilful either in painting or carving.  
Imagine that the paper makes but one side of the tree to appear, the whole round compass will give leave for many more arms, boughs, branches, and Cyons.  
The perfect form of a Fruit-tree.  
If any think a tree cannot well be brought to this form: Experto crede Roberto, I can show diverse of them under twenty years of age.  
The fittest time of the Moon for pruning is as of grafting, 
Time best for proining,  when the sap is ready to stir (not proudly stirring) and so to cover the wound, and of the year, a month before (or at least when) you graft. Dress Pears, Apricocks, Peaches, Cherries, and Bullys sooner. And old trees before young plants, you may dress at any time betwixt Leaf and leaf. And note, where you take any thing away, the sap the next Summer will be putting: be sure therefore when he puts a bud in any place where you would not have him, rub it off with your finger.  
And here you must remember the common homely Proverb: 
Dressing betime.  
Soon crooks the Tree,  
That good Camrell must be.  Begin betime with trees, and do what you list: but if you let them grow great and stubborn, you must do as the trees list. They will not bend but break, nor be wound without danger. A small branch will become a bough, and a bough an arm in bigness. Then if you cut him, his wound will fester, and hardly, without good skill, 
Faults of evil dressed trees, and the remedy.  recover: therefore, Obsta principijs. Of such wounds, and lesser, or any bough cut off a handful or more from the body, comes hollowness, and untimely death. And therefore when you cut, strike close, and clean, and upward, and leave no bunch.  
This form in some cases sometimes may be altered: If your tree, 
The form altered.  or trees, stand near your Walks, if it please your fancy more, let him not break, till his boale be above you h●●ad: so may you walk under your trees at your pleasure. Or if you set your fruit-trees for your shades in your Groves, than I ●espect not the form of the tree, but the comeliness of the walk.  
All this hitherto spoken of dressing, must be understood of young plants, 
Dressing of old trees.  to be form: it is meet somewhat be said for the instruction of them that have old trees already form, or rather deformed: for, Malum non vitatur nisi cognitum. The faults therefore of a disordered tree, I find to be five: 


Faults are five, and their remedies.  1. An unprofitable bo●l●.  
2. Water-boughes.  
3. Fretters.  
4. Suckers: And,  
5. One principal top.    
A long boale asketh much ●eeding, and the more he hath the more he desires, 
1 Long boale.  and gets (as a drunken man drink, or a covetous man wealth) and the less remains for the fruit, he puts his boughs into the air, and makes them, the fruit, and itself more dangered with winds: 
No remedy.  for this I know no remedy, after that the tree is come to growth, once evil, never good.  
Water boughs, 
2 Water boughs.  or undergrowth, are such boughs as grow low under others and are by them overgrown, overshadowed, dropped on, and pined for want of plenty of sap, and by that means in time die: For the sap presseth upward; and it is like water in her course, where it findeth most issue, thither it floweth, leaving the other lesser sluices dry: even as wealth to wealth, and much to more. These so long as they bear, they bear less, worse, and fewer fruit, and waterish.  
The remedy is easy, 
Remedy.  if they be not grown greater than your arm. Lop them close and clean, and cover the mid●l of the wound, the next Summer when he is dry, 
Barke-pild, and the remedy.  with a salve made of tallow, tar, and a very little pitch, good for the covering of any such wound of a great tree: vnl●sse it be barke-pild, and then sear-cloath of fresh Butter, Hony, and Wax, presently (while the wound is green) applied, is a sovereign remedy in Summer especially. Some bind such wounds with a thumb rope of Hay, mo●st, and rub it with dung.  
Fretters are, when as by the negligence of the Gardener, two or more parts of the tree, 
Fretters.  or of diverse trees, as arms, boughs, branches, or twigs, grow so near and close together, that one of them by rubbing, doth wound another. This fault of all other shows the want of skill or care (at least) in the Arborist: 
Touching.  for here the hurt is apparent, and the remedy easy, 
Remedy.  seen to betime: galls and wounds incurable, but by taking away those members: for let them grow, and they will be worse and worse, & so kill themselves with civil strife for roomth, and danger the whole tree Avoid them betime therefore, as a common wealth doth bosom enemies.  
A Sucker is a long, proud, and disorderly Cyon, growing strait up (for pride of sap makes proud, 
Suckers.  long, and str●ight growth) out of any lower parts of the tree, receiving a great part of the sap, and bearing no fruit, till it have tyrannised over the whole tree. These are like idle and great Dro●es amongst Bees; and proud and idle members in a common wealth.  

Remedy.  The remedy of this is, as of water-boughes, unless he be grown greater than all the rest of the boughs, and then your Gardener (at your discretion) may leave him for his boale, and take away all, or the most of the rest. If he be little, slip him, and set him, perhaps he will take: my fairest Appletree was such a Slip.  
One or two principal top boughs are as evil, in a manner, 
One principal top or bough, and remedy.  as Suckers, they rise of the same cause, and receive the same remedy: yet these are more tolerable, because these bear fruit, yea the best: but Suckers of long do not bear.  
I know not how your tree should be faulty, if you reform all your vices timely, and orderly. As these rules serve for dressing young trees and sets in the first planting: 
Instruments for dressing.  so may they well serve to help old trees, though not exactly to recover them.   

CHAP. 12. Of foiling.  
THere is one thing yet very necessary for make your Orchard both better, 
Necessity effoiling.  and more lasting: Yea, so necessary, that without it your Orchard cannot last, nor prosper long, which is neglected generally both in precepts and in practice, viz. manuring with Foil: whereby it happeneth that when trees (amongst other evils) through want of fatness to feed them, become mossy, and in their growth are evil (or not) thriving, it is either attributed to some wrong cause, as age (when indeed they are but young) or evil standing (stand they never so well) or such like, or else the cause is altogether unknown, and so not amended.  
Can there be devised any way by nature, 
Trees great suckers.  or art, sooner or soundlier to seek out, and take away the heart and strength of earth, then by great trees? Such great bodies cannot be sustained without great store of sap. What living body have you greater than of trees? The great Sea monsters (whereof one came a land at Teesmouth in Yorkshire, hard by us, 18. yards in length, and near as much in compass) seem hideous, 
Great bodies.  huge, strange, and monstrous, because they be indeed great: but especially, because they are seldom seen: But a tree li●ing, come to his growth and age, twice that length, and of a bulk never so great, besides his other parts, is not admired, because he is so commonly seen. And I doubt not, but if he were well regarded from his kernel, by succeeding ages, to his full strength, the most of them would double their measure. About fifty years ago I heard by credible and constant report, That in Brooham Park in West more-land, near unto Penrith, there lay a blown Oak, whose trunk was so big, that two Horse men being the one on the one side, and the other on the other side, they could not one see another: to which if you add his arms, boughs, and roots, and consider of his bigness, what would he have been, if preserved to the vantage. Also I read in the History of the West-Indians, out of Peter Martyr, that sixteen men taking hands one with another, were not able to fathom one of those trees about. Now Nature having given to such a faculty by large and infinite roots● taws and tang●es, to draw immediately his sustenance from our common mother the Earth (which is like in this point to all other mothers that bear) hath also ordained that the tree over laden with fruit, and wanting sap to feed all she hath brought forth, will wain all she cannot feed, like a woman bringing forth more children at once then she hath teats. See you not how trees especially, by kind being great, standing so thick and close, that they cannot get plenty of sap, pine away all the grass, weeds, lesser shrubs, and trees, yea and themselves also for want of vigour of sap? So that trees growing large, sucking the soil whereon they stand, continually, and amain, and the foyzon of the earth that feeds them decaying (for what is there that wastes cotinually, that sha●l not have end?) must either have supply of sucker, or else leave thriving and growing. Some grounds will bear Corn while they be new, and no longer, because their crust is shollow, and not very good, and lying they s●ind and wash, and become barren. The ordinary Corn soils continue not fertile, with following and foiling, and the best requires supply, even for the little body of Corne. How then can we think that any ground (how good soever) can sustain bodies of such greatness, and such great feeding, without great plenty of Sap arising from good earth? This is one of the chief causes, why so many of our Orchards in England are so evil thriving when they come to growth, and our fruit so bad. Men are loath to bestow much ground, and desire much fruit, and will neither set their trees in sufficient compass, nor yet feed them with manure. Therefore of necessity Orchards must be foiled.  
The fittest time is, 
Time fit for foiling.  when your trees are grown great, and have near hand spread your earth, wanting new earth to sustain them, which if they do, they will seek abroad for better earth, and shun that, which is barren (if they find better) as cattle evil pasturing. For nature hath taught every creature to desire and seek his own good, and to avoid hurt. The best time of the year is at the Fall, that the Frost may b●●e and make it tender, and the Rain wash it into the roots. The Summer time is perilous if ye dig, because the sap 〈◊〉 amain. The best kind of Foil is such as is fat, 
Kind of foil.  hot, and tender. Your earth must be but lightly opened, that the d●ng may go in, and wash away; and but shallow, lest you hurt the roots: and in the Spring closely and equally made plain again for flare of Suckers. I could wish, that after my trees have fully possessed the soil of mine Orchard, that every seven years at least, the soil were bespread with dung half a foot thick at least. Puddle water out of the dunghill poured on plentifully, will not only moisten but fatten especially in june and july. If it be thick and fat, and applied every year, your Orchard shall need none other foiling. Your ground may lie so low at the River side, that the flood standing some days and nights thereon, shall save you all this labour of foiling.   

CHAP. 13. Of Annoyances.  
A Chief help to make every thing good, is to avoid the evils thereof: you shall never attain to that good of your Orchard you look for, unless you have a Gardener, that can discern the diseases of your trees, and other annoyances of your Orchard, and find out the causes thereof, and know & apply fit remedies for the same. For be your ground, site, plants, and trees as you would wish, if they be wasted with hurtful things, what have you gained but your labour for your travel? It is with an Orchard and every tree, as with man's body. The best part of physic for preservation of health, is to foresee and cure diseases.  
All the diseases of an Orchard are of two sorts, either internal or external. 
Two kinds of evils in an Orchard.  I call those inward hurts which breed on and in particular trees.  

1 Galls.  
2 Canker.  
3 Moss.  
4 Weakness in setting.  
5 Bark bound.  
6 Bark piled.  
7 Worm.  
8 Deadly wounds.   
Galls, 
Galls.  Canker, Moss, weakness, though they be diverse diseases: yet (howsover Authors think otherwise) they rise all out of the same cause.  
Galls we have described with their cause and remedy, in the 11. Chapter under the name of fretters.  
Canker is the consumption of any part of the tree, bark and wood, 
Canker.  which also in the same place is deceiphered under the title of water-boughes.  
Moss is sensibly seen and known of all, the cause is pointed out in the same Chapter, 
Moss.  in the discourse of timber-wood, and partly also the remedy: but for Moss add this, that at any time in summer (the Spring is best) when the cause is removed, with an Harecloth, immediately after a shower of rain, rub off your Moss, or with a piece of weed (if the Moss abound) form like a great knife.  
Weakness in the setting of your fruit shall you find there also in the same Chapter, 
Weakness in setting.  and his remedy. All these flow from the want of roomth in good soil, wrong planting, Chap. 7. and evil or no dressing.  
Bark-bound (as I think) riseth of the same cause, and the best, 
Barke-bound.  & present remedy (the causes being taken away) is with your sharp knife in the Spring, length-way to launch his bark throughout, on 3. or 4. sides of his boale.  
The disease called the Worm is thus discerned: The bark will be hoald in diverse places like gall, 
Worm.  the wood will die & dry, and you shall see easily the bark swell. It is verily to be thought, that therein is bred some worm I have not yet thoroughly sought it out, because I was never troubled therewithal: but only have seen such trees in diverse places. I think it a worm rather, because I see this disease in trees, bringing fruit of sweet taste, and the swelling shows as much. 
Remedy.  The remedy (as I con●ecture) is so soon as you perceive the wound, the next Spring cut it out bark and all, and apply Cows p●●le and vinegar presently, and so twice or thrice a week for a month's space: For I well perceive, if you suffer it any time, it eats the tree or bough round, and so kills.  
Since I first wrote this Treatise, I have changed my mind concerning the disease called the worm, because I read in the History of the West-Indians, that their trees are not troubled with the disease called the worm or canker. which ariseth of a raw and evil concocted humour or sap, Witness Pliny, by reason their Country is more ho● than ours, whereof I think the best remedy is (not disallowing the former, considering that the worm may breed by such an humour) warm standing, sound lopping and good dressing.  

Bark piled.  Barke-pild you shall find with his remedy in the 11. Chapter.  
Deadly wounds are when a man's Arborist wanting skill, 
Wounds.  cut off arms, boughs or branches an inch, or (as I see sometimes) an handful, or half a foot or more from the body: These so cut cannot cover in any time with sap, and therefore they die, and dying they perish the heart, and so the tree becomes hollow, and with such a deadly wound cannot live long.  
The remedy is, if you find him before he be perished, cut him close● 
Remedy.  as in the 11. Chapter: if he be hoald, cut him close, fill his wound, though never so deep, with mortar well tempered & so close at the top his wound with a Seare cloth doubled and nailed on, that no air nor rain approach his wound. If he be not very old, and detaining, he will recover, and the hole being closed, his wound within shall not hurt him for many years.  
Hurts on your trees are chiefly Ants, 
Hurts on trees Ants, Earwigs, Caterpillars, and such like worms.  Earwigs, and Caterpillars, Of Ants and Earwigs is said Chap. 10. Let there be no swarm of Pismires near your tree-root, no not in your Orchard, turn them over in a frost, and power in water, and you kill them.  
For Caterpillars, the vigilant Fruterer shall soon espy their lodging by their web, or the decay of leaves eaten round about them. And being seen, they are easily destroyed with your hand, or rather (if your tree may spare it) take sprig and all (for the red peckled butter fly doth ever put them, being her sparm, among the tender sprays for better feeding, especially in drought, and tread them under your feet. I like nothing of smoke among my trees. Unnatural heats are nothing good for natural trees. This for diseases of particular trees.  
external hurts are either things natural or artificial. 
external evils.  Natural things, externally hurting Orchards.  
1 Beasts. 1 Deer. 2 Birds. 1 Bulfinch.  2 Goats.  2 Thrush.  3 Sheep.  3 Blackbird.  4 Hare.  4 Crow.  5 Coney.  5 Pye.  6 cattle.    7 Horse.  etc.  

The other things are,  
1 Winds.  
2 Cold.  
3 Trees.  
4 Weeds.  
5 Worms.  
6 Moles.  
7 Filth.  
8 Poisonful smoke.   

external wilful evils are these.  
1 Walls.  
2 Trenches.  
3 Other works noisome done in or near your Orchard.  
4 Evil Neighbours.  
5 A careless Master.  
6 An undiscreet, negligent or no keeper.   
See you here an whole Army of mischiefs banded in troops against the most fruitful trees the earth bears? assailing your good labours. Good things have most enemies.  

Remedy.  A skilful Fructerer must put to his helping hand, and disband and put them to flight.  

Decree, etc.  For the first rank of beasts, besides your out strong fence, you must have a fair and swift Greyhound, a stone-bow, gun, and if need require, an Apple with an hook for a Deer, and an Hare-pipe for an Hare.  

Birds.  Your Cherries and other Berris when they be ripe, will draw all the Blackbirds, Thrushes, and Maw Pies to your Orchard. The Bul-finch is a devourer of your Fruit in the bud, I have had whole trees shald out with them in Wintertime.  

Remedy.  The best remedy here is a Stone bow, a Piece, especially if you have a Musket or Spar-hawke in Winter to make the Blackbird stoop into a bush or hedge.  

Other trees.  The Gardener must cleanse his foil of all other trees: but fruit-trees aforesaid Chapter 2 for which it is ordained, and I would espeecially name Oaks, Elmes, Ashes, and such other great wood, but that I doubt it should be taken as an admission of lesser trees: for I admit of nothing to grow in mine Orchard but fruit and flowers. If sap can hardly be good to feed our fruit-trees, why should we allow of any other, especially those, that will become their Masters, & wrong them in their livelihood.  
And although w●●dmit without the fence of walnuts in most plain places, Trees middlemost, and ashes or Oaks, or Elms v●most, set in comely rows equally distant with fair Allies betwixt row and row to avoid the boisterous blasts of winds, 
Winds.  and within them also others for Bees; yet we admit none of these into your Orchard-plat: other remedy then this have we none against the nipping frosts. 
Frosts.   
Weeds in a fertile soil (because the general curse is so) till your Trees grow great, 
Weeds.  will be noisome, and deform your allies, walks, beds, and squares, your under Gardeners must labour to keep all cleanly & handsome from them and all other filth with a Spade, weeding knives, rake with iron teeth: a skrapple of Iron thus form.  
For Nettles and ground-ivy after a shower.  
When weeds, 
Remedy.  straw, sticks, and all other scrape are gathered together, burn them not, but bury them under your crust in any place of your Orchard, and they will dye and fatten your ground.  
Worms and Moales open the earth, 
Worm's Moales.  and let in air to the roots of your trees, and deform your squares and walks, and feeding in the earth, being in number infinite, draw on barrennesse●  
Worms may easily be destroyed. 
Remedy.  Any Summer evening when it is dark, after a shower with a candle, you may fill bushels, but you must tread nimbly● & where you cannot come to catch them so; sift the earth with coal ashes an inch or two thickness, and that is a plague to them, so is sharp gravel.  
Moales will anger you, if your Gardener or some skilful Moale-catcher ease you not, especially having made their fortresses among the roots of your trees: you must watch her well with a Moal spare, at morn, noon, and night, when you see her utmost hill, cast a Trench betwixt her and her home (for she hath a principal mansion to dwell and br●ed in about April, which you may discern by a principal hill, wherein you may catch her, if you trench it round and sure, and watch well) or wheresoever you can discern a single passage (for such she hath) there trench, and watch, and have her.  
Wilful annoyances must be prevented and avoided by the love of the Master and Fruterer, 
Wilful annoyances.  which they bear to their Orchard.  

Remedy.  justice and liberality will put away evil neighbours or evil neighbourhood. And then if (God bless and give success to your labours) I see not what hurt your Orchard can sustain.   

CHAP. 14. Of the age of Trees.  
IT is to be considered: All this Treatise of trees tends to this end, that men may love and plant Orchards, whereunto there cannot be a better inducement then that they know (or at least be persuaded) that all that benefit they shall reap thereby, whether of pleasure or profit, shall not be for a day or a month, or one, or many (but many hundreth) years. Of good things the greatest, and most durable is always the best. If therefore out of reason grounded upon experience, it be made (I think) manifest, but I am sure probable, that a fruit tree in such a soil and site, as is described so planted and trimmed and kept, 
The age o● trees.  as is afore appointed and duly foiled, shall dure 1000 years, why should we not take pains, and be at two or three years' charges (for under seven years' w●ll an Orchard be perfected for the first planting, and in that time be brought to fruit) to reap such a commodity and so long lasting  
Let no man think this to be strange, 
Gathered by reason out of experience.  but peruse and consider the reason. I have Apple trees standing in my little Orchard, which I have known these forty years, whose age before my time I cannot learn, it is beyond memory, though I have enquired of diverse aged men of 80. years and upwards: these trees although come into my possession very evil ordered, misshapen, and one of them wounded to his heart, and that deadly (for I know it will be his death) with a wound, wherein I might have put my foot in the heart of his bulk (now it is less) notwithstanding, with that small regard they have had since, they so like, that I assure myself they are not come to their growth by more than 2. parts of 3. which I discern not only by their own growth, but also by comparing them with the bulk of other trees. And I find them short (at least) by so many parts in bigness, although I know those other fruit-trees to have been much hindered in their stature by evil guiding. Herehence I gather thus.  
If my trees be a hundred years old, and yet want two hundred of their growth before they leave increasing, 
Parts of a trees age.  which make three hundred, than we must needs resolve, that this three hundred year are but the third part of a Trees life, because (as all things living beside) so trees must have allowed them for their increase one third, another third for their stand, and a third part of time also for their decay. All which time of a Tree amounts to nine hundred years, three hundred for increase, three hundred for his stand, whereof we have the term stature, and three hundred for his decay, and yet I think (for we must conjecture by comparing, because no one man liveth to see the full age of trees) I am within the compass of his age, supposing always the foresaid means of preserving his life. Consider the age of other living creatures. The Horse and moiled Ox wrought to an untimely death, yet double the time of their increase. A Dog likewise increaseth three, stanns three at least, and in as many (or rather more) decays.  

Man's age.  Every living thing bestows the least part of his age in his growth, and so must it needs be with trees. A man comes not to his full growth and strength (by common estimation) before thirty years, and some slender and clean bodies, not till forty, so long also stands his strength, & so long also must he have allowed by course of nature to decay. Ever supposing that he be well kept with necessaries, and from and without strains, bruises, and all other dominyring diseases. I will not say upon true report, that Physic holds it possible, that a clean body kept by these 3. Doctors, Doctor Diet, Doctor Quiet, and Doctor Merriman, may live near a hundred years. Neither will I here urge the long years of Methushalah, and those men of that time, because you will say, Man's days are shortened since the flood. But what hath shortened them? God for man's sins: but by means, as want of knowledge, evil government, riot, gluttony, drunkenness, and (to be short) the increase of the curse, our sins increasing in an iron and wicked age.  
Now if a man, whose body is nothing (in a manner) but tender rottenness, whose course of life cannot by any means, by counsel, restraint of Laws, or punishment, nor hope of praise, profet, or eturnall glory, be kept within any bounds, who is degenerate clean from his natural feeding, to effeminate niceness, and cloying his body with excess of meat, drink, sleep etc. and to whom nothing is so pleasant and so much desired as the causes of his own death, as idleness, lust, etc. may li●e to that age: I see not but a tree of a solid substance, not damnified by heat or cold, capable of, and subject to any kind of ordering or dressing that a man shall apply unto him, feeding naturally, as from the beginning disburdened of all superfluities, eased of, and of his own accord avoiding the causes that may annoy him, should double the life of a man, more than twice told; and yet natural philosophy, and the universal consent of all Histories tell us, that many other living creatures far exceed man in the length of years: As the Hart and the Raven. Thus reporteth that famous Roterodam out of Hesiodus, and many other Historiographers. The testimony of Cicero in his book De Sen●ctute, is weighty to this purpose: that we must in posteras aetates ferere arbores, which can have none other sense: but that our fruit-trees whereof he speaks, can endure for many ages.  
What else are trees in comparison with the earth: but as hairs to the body of a man? And it is certain, without poisoning, evil and distemperate diet, and usage, or other such forcible cause, the hairs dure with the body. That they be called excrements, it is by reason of their superfluous growth: for cut them as often as you list, and they will still come to their natural length) Not in respect of their substance, and nature. H●ires endure long, and are an ornament and use also to the body, as trees to the earth.  
So that I resolve upon good reason, that fruit-trees well ordered, may live and like a thousand years, and bear fruit, and the longer, the more, the greater, and the better, because his vigour is p●oud and stronger, when his years are many: You shall see old trees put their buds and blossoms both sooner and more plentifully then young trees by much. And I sensibly perceive my young trees to enlarge their ●rust, as they grow greater, both for number, and greatness. Young Heifers bring not fo●th Calves so fair, neither are they so plentiful to milk, as when they become to be old Ki●e. No good Housewife will b●e●d of a young but of an old bird-mother: It is so in all things naturally, therefore in trees.  

The age of timber tree●.  And if fruit-trees l●st to this age, how many ages is it to be supposed, strong and huge timber-trees will last? whose huge bodies require the years of diverse Methushalaes, before they end their days, whose sap is strong and bitter, whose bark is hard and thick, and their substance solid and stiff: all which are defences of health and long life. Their strength withstands all forcible winds, their sap of that quality is not subject to worms and tainting. Their bark receives seldom or never by casualty any wound. And not only so, but he is free from removalls, which are the death of millions of trees, where as the fruit-tree in comparison is little, and often blown down, his sap sweet, easily, and soon tainted, his bark tender, and soon wounded, and himself used by man, as man useth himself, that is either unskilfully, or carelessly.  
It is good for some purposes to regard the age of your fruit trees, 
Age of trees disc●rne●.  which you may easily know, till they come to accomplish twenty years, by his knots: Reckon from his root up an arm, and so to his top-twig, and every years growth is distinguished from other by a knot, except lopping or removing do hinder   

CHAP. 15. Of gathering and keeping Fruit.  
ALthough it be an easy matter, 
General Rule  when God shall sen● it, together and keep fruit, yet are they certain things worthy your regard. You must gather your fruit when it is ripe, and not before, else will it wither and be tough and sour. All fruit generally are ripe, when they begin to fall. For Trees do as all other bearers do, when their young ones are ripe, they will wain them. The Dove her Pigeons● the Coney her Rabbits, and women their children. Some fruit tree sometimes getting a taint in the setting with a frost or evil wind, will cast his fruit untimely, but not before he leave giving them sap, or they leave growing. Except from this foresaid rule, Cherries, 
Cherries. etc.  Damsons, and Bullies. The Cherry is ripe when he is swelled wholly red, and sweet: Damsons and Bulies' not before the first frost.  
Apples are known to be ripe, 
Apples.  partly by their colour, growing towards a yellow, except the Leather-coat and some Pears and Greening.  
Timely Summer fruit will be ready, some at Midsummer, most at Lammus for present use; 
When.  but general●y no keeping fruit before Michal-tide. Hard Winter fruit and Wardens longer.  

Dry stalks.  Gather at the full of the Moon for keeping, gather dry for fear of rotting.  
Gather the stalks with all: for a little wound in fruit, is deadly: but not the stump, that must bear the next fruit, nor leaves, for moisture putrifies.  

Severally.  Gather every kind severally by itself, for all will not keep alike, and it is hard to discern them, when they are mingled.  
If your trees be over-laden (as they will be, being ordered, 
Overladen ●●ees.  as is before taught you) I like better of pulling some off (though they be not ripe) near the top end of the bough, then of propping by much, the rest shall be better fed. Propping puts the bough in danger, and frets it at least.  

Instruments.  Instruments: A long ladder of light Fir: A stoole-ladder as in the 11. Chapter. A gathering apron like a poke before you, made of purpose, or a Wallet hung on a bough, or a basket with a five bottom, or skin bottom, with Laths or splinters under, hung in a rope to pull up and down: bruise none, 
Bruises.  every bruise is to fruit death: if you do, use them presently. An hook to pull boughs to you is necessary, break no boughs.  
For keeping, lay them in a dry Loft, the longest keeping Apples first and furthest on dry straw, 
Keeping.  on heaps ten or fourteen days, thick, that they may sweat. Then dry them with a soft and clean cloth, and lay them thin abroad. Long keeping fruit would be turned once in a month softly: but not in nor immediately after frost. In a loft cover well with straw, but rather with chaff or bra●●e: For frost doth cause tender rottenness.   

CHAP. 16. Of Profits.  
NOw pause with yourself, and view the end of all your labours in an Orchard: unspeakable pleasure, and infinite commodity. The pleasure of an Orchard I refer to the last Chapter for the conclusion: and in this Chapter, a word or two of the profit, which thoroughly to declare is past my skill: and I count it as if a man should attempt to add light to the Sun with a Candle, or number the Stars. No man that hath but a mean Orchard or judgement but knows, that the commodity of an Orchard is great: Neither would I speak of this, being a thing so manifest to all; but that I see, that through the careless laziness of men, it is a thing generally neglected. But let them know, that they lose hereby the chiefest good which belongs to housekeeping.  
Compare the commodity that cometh of half an acre of ground, set with fruit-trees and herbs, so as is prescribed, and an whole acre (say it be two) with Corn, or the best commodity you can wish, and the Orchrad shall exceed by diverse degrees.  
In France and some other Countries, 
Cydar and Perry.  and in England, they make great use of Cydar and Perry, thus made: Dress every Apple, the stalk, upper end, and all galls away, stamp them, and strain them, and within 24. hours' tun them up into clean, sweet, and sound vessels, for fear of evil air, which they will readily take: and if you hang a poakefull of Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Ginger, and pills of Lemons in the midst of the vessel, it will make it as wholesome and pleasant as wine. The like usage doth Perry require.  
These drinks are very wholesome, they cool, purge, and prevent hot Agues. But I leave this skill to Physicians.  

Fruit.  The benefit of your Fruit, Roots and Herbs, though it were but to ear and sell, is much.  

Waters.  Waters distilled of Roses, Woodbine, Angelica, are both profitable and wondrous pleasant, and comfortable.  

Conserve.  Saffron and Liquorice will yield you much Conserves and Preserves, are ornaments to your Feasts, health in your sickness, and a good help to your friend, and to your purse.  
He that will not be moved with such unspeakable profits, is well worthy to want, when others abound in plenty of good things.   

CHAP. 17. Ornaments.  
ME thinks hitherto we have but a bare Orchard for fruit, and but half good, so long as it wants those comely Ornaments, that should give beauty to all our labours, and make much for the honest delight of the owner and his friends.  

Delight the chief end o● Orchards.  For it is not to be doubted: but as God hath given man things profitable, so hath he allowed him honest comfort, delight, and recreation in all the works of his hands. Nay, all his labours under the Sun without this are troubles, and vexation of mind: For what is greedy gain, without delight, but moiling, and turmoylidg in sl●u●ry? But comfortable delight, with content, is the good of every thing, and the pattern of heaven. A morsel of bread with comfort, is better by much than a fat Ox● with unquietness. And who can deny, but the principal end of an Orchard, is the honest delight of one wearied with the works of his lawful calling? 
An Orchard delightsome.  The very works of, and in an Orchard and Garden, are better than the ease and rest of and from other labours. When God had made man after his own Image, in a perfect state, and would have him to represent himself in authority, tranquillity, and pleasure upon the earth, he placed him in Paradise. What was Paradise? 
An Orchard is Paradise.  but a Garden and Orchard of trees and herbs, full of pleasure? and nothing there but delights. The gods of the earth, resembling the great God of heaven in authority, Majesty, and abundance of all things, wherein is their most delight? and whither do they withdraw themselves from the troublesome affairs of their estate, 
Causes of wearisomeness.  being tired with the hearing and judging of litigious Controversies? choked (as it were) with the close airs of their sumptuous buildings, their stomaches cloyed with variety of Banquets, their cares filled and overburthened with tedious discourse? 
Orchard is the remedy.  whither? but into their Orchards? made and prepared, dressed and destinated for that purpose, to renew and refresh their senses, and to call home their overwearied spirits. Nay, it is (no doubt) a comfort to them, to set open their Cazements into a most delicate Garden and Orchard, whereby they may not only see that, wherein they are so much delighted, but also to give fresh, sweet, and pleasant air to their Galleries and Chambers.  
And look, what these men do by reason of their greatness and ability, provoked with delight, 
All delight in Orchards.  the same doubtless would every of us do, if power were answerable to our desires, whereby we show manifestly, that of all other delights on earth, they that are taken by Orchards, are most excellent, and most agreeing with nature.  
For whereas every other pleasure commonly fills some one of our senses, 
This delights all the senses.  and that only, with delight, this makes all our senses swim in pleasure, and that w●th infinite variety, joined with no less● commodity.  

Delighteth old age.  That famous Philosopher, and matchless Orator, M. T. C. prescribeth nothing more fit, to take away the tediousness and heavy load of three or four score years, than the pleasure of an Orchard.  

Causes of delight in an Orchard.  What can your eye desire to see, your ears to hear, your mouth to taste, or your nose to smell, that is not to be had in an Orchard, with abundance and variety? What more delightsome than an infinite variety of sweet smelling flowers? decking with sundry colours, the green mantle of the Earth, the universal Mother of us all, so by them bespotted, so died, that all the world cannot sample them, and wherein it is more fit to admire the Dyer, then imitate his workmanship. Colouring not only the earth, but decking the air, and sweetening every breath and spirit.  

Flowers.  The Rose red, damask, velvet, and double double province Rose, the sweet musk Rose double and single, the double and single white Rose. The fair and sweet scenting woodbind, double and single, and double double. Purple Cowslips, and double Cowslips, and double double Cowslips. Primrose double and single. The Violet nothing behind the best, for smelling sweetly. A thousand more will provoke your content.  

Borders and squares.  And all these, by the skill of your Gardener, so comely, and orderly placed in your Borders and Squares, and ●o intermingled, that none looking thereon, cannot but wonder, to see, what Nature corrected by Art can do.  
When you behold in diverse corners of your Orchard Mounts of stone, 
Mounts.  or wood curiously wrought within and without, 
Whence you may shoot a Buck.  or of earth covered with fruit-trees: Kentish Cherry, Damsons, Plums, etc. with stairs of precious workmanship. And in some corner (or more) a true Dial or Clock, 
Dial.  and some Anticke-workes, and especially silver-sounding Music, 
Music.  mixed Instruments and voices, gracing all the rest: How will you be rapt with delight?  
Large Walks, 
Walks.  broad and long, close and open, like the Tempe groves in Thessaly, 
Seats.  raised with gravel and sand, having seats and banks of Cammomile, all this delights the mind, and brings health to the body.  
View now with delight the works of your own hands, your fruit-trees of all sorts, 
Order of trees.  loaden with sweet blossoms, and fruit of all tastes, operations, and colours: your trees standing in comely order which way soever you look.  
Your borders on every side hanging and drooping with Feberries, Raspberries, Barberries', Currens, and the roots of your trees powdered with Strawberries, red, white, and green, what a pleasure is this? Your Gardener can frame your lesser wood to the shape of men armed in the field, 
Shape of men and beasts.  ready to give battle: or swift running Greyhounds: or of well scented and true running Hounds, to chase the Deer, or hunt the Hare. This kind of hunting shall not waste your corn, nor much your coin.  
Mazes well framed a man's height, 
Mazes.  may perhaps make your friend wander in gathering of berries, till he cannot recover himself without your help.  
To have occasion to exercise within your Orchard: it shall be a pleasure to have a Bowling Alley, 
Bowle● Alley.  or rather (which is more manly, and more healthful) a pair of Butts, 
Butts.  to stretch your arms.  

Herbs.  Rosemary and sweet Eglantine are seemly ornaments about a Door or Window, and so is woodbind.  

Conduit.  Look Chapter 5, and you shall see the form of a Conduit. If there were two or more, it were not amiss.  
And in mine opinion, I could highly commend your Orchard, if either through it, or hard by it there should run a pleasant River with silver streams: 
River.  you might sit in your Mount, and angle a peckled Trout, or slighty Eel, or some other dainty Fish. Or moats, 
Moats.  whereon you might row with a Boat, and fish with Nets.  

Bees.  Store of Bees in a dry and warm Bee-house, comely made of Fir-boords, to sing, and sit, and feed upon your flowers and sprouts, make a pleasant noise and sight. For cleanly and innocent Bees, of all other things, lone and become, and thrive in an Orchard. If they thrive (as they must needs, if your Gardener be skilful, and love them: for they love their friends, and hate none but their enemies) they will, besides the pleasure, yield great profit, to p●y him his wages Yea, the increase of twenty Stocks of Stools, with other feeze will keep your Orchard.  
You need not doubt their stings, for they h●rt not whom they know, and they know their keeper and acquaintance. If you like not to come amongst them, you need not doubt them: for but near the●r store, and in their own defence, they will not fight, and in that case only (and who can blame them?) they are m●nly, and fight desperately. Some (as that Honourable Lady at Hacknes, whose name doth much● grace mine Orchard) use to make seats for them in the stone wall of their Orchard, or Garden, which is good, but wood is better.  
A Vine over-shadowing a seat, 
Vine.  ●●is very comely, though her Grapes with us ripe slowly.  
One chief grace that adorns an Orchard, 
Birds.  I cannot let slip: A brood of Nightingales, 
Nightingale.  who with their several notes and tunes, with a strong delightsome voice, out of a weak body, will bear you company night and day. She loves (and lives in) hots of woods in her hart. She will help you to cleanse your trees of Caterpillars, and all noisome worms and flies. 
Robin-redbreast.  The gentle Robin-redbreast will help her, and in winter in the coldest storms will keep a part. 
Wren.  Neither will the silly Wren be behind in Summer, with her distinct whistle (like a sweet Recorder) to cheer your spirits.  
The Blackbird and Th●estle (for I take it the Thrush sings not, 
Blackbird. Thrush.  but devours) sing loudly in a May morn●●●● and delights the ear much (and you need not 〈◊〉 their company, if you have ripe Cherries or Berries, and would ●s gladly as the rest do you pleasure:) But I had rather want their company than my fruit.  
What shall I say? A thousand of pleasant delights are attendant in an Orchard: and sooner shall I be weary, than I can reckon the least part of that pleasure, which one that hath and loves an Orchard, may find therein.  
What is there of all these few that I have reckoned, which doth not please the eye, the ear, the smell, and taste? And by these senses as Organs, Pipes, and windows, these delights are carried to refresh the gentle, generous, and noble mind.  

Your own labour.  To conclude, what joy may you have, that you living to such an age, shall see the blessings of God on your labours while you live, and leave behind you to heirs or successors (for God will make heirs) such a work, that many ages after your death, shall record your love to their Country? And the rather, when you consider (Chap. 14.) to what length of time your work is like to last.   
FINIS.   

THE COUNTRY HOUSEWIFES GARDEN. Containing Rules for Herbs and Seeds of common use, with their times and seasons, when to set and sow them.  
TOGETHER, With the Husbandry of Bees, published with secrets very necessary for every Housewife. As also divers new Knots for Gardens.  
The Contents see at large in the last Page.  Genes. 2.29. 
I have given unto you every Herb, and every tree, that shall be to you for meat.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes for JOHN HARISON, at the golden Unicorn in Pater-noster-row. 1631.   

THE COUNTRY HOUS WIFE'S GARDEN.  

CHAP. 1. The Soil.  
THe soil of an Orchard and Garden, differ only in these three points: First, the Gardens soil would be somewhat drier, 
Dry.  because herbs being more tender than trees, can neither abide moisture nor drought, in such excessive measure, as trees; and therefore having a drier soil, the remedy is easy against drought, if need be: water sound, which may be done with small labour, the compass of a Garden being nothing so great, as of an Orchard, and this is the cause (if they know it) that Gardeners raise their squares: but if moisture trouble you, I see no remedy without a general danger, 
Hops.  except in Hops, which delight much in a low and sappy earth.  
Secondly, the soil of a Garden would be plain and level, at least every square (for we purpose the square to be the fittest form) the reason: 
Plain.  the earth of a garden wanting such helps, as should stay the water, which an orchard hath, and the roots of herbs being short, and not able to fetch their liquor from the bottom, are more annoyed by drought, and the soil being mellow and loose, is soon either washed away, or sends out his heart by too much drenching and washing.  
Thirdly, if a garden soil be not clear of weeds, and namely, of grass, the herbs shall never thrive: for how should good herbs prosper, when evil weeds wax so fast: considering good herbs are tender in respect of evil weeds: these being strengthened by nature, and the other by art? Gardens have small place in comparison, and therefore may be more easily be fallowed, at the least one half year before, and the better dressed after it is framed. And you shall find that clean keeping doth not only avoid danger of gathering weeds, but also is a special ornament, and leaves more plentiful sap for your tender herbs.   

CHAP. 2. Of the Sites.  
I Cannot see in any sort, how the site of the one should not be good, and fit for the other: The ends of both being one, good, wholesome, and much fruit joined with delight, unless trees be more able to abide the nipping frosts than tender herbs: but I am sure, the flowers of trees are as soo● perished with cold, as any herb except Pumpions, and Melons.   

CHAP. 3. Of the Form.  
LEt that which is said in the Orchards form, suffice for a garden in general: but for special forms in squares, they are as many, as there are divices in Gardener's brains. Neither is the wit and art of a skilful Gardner in this point not to be commended, that can work more variety for breeding of more delightsome choice, and of all those things, where the owner is able and desirous to be satisfied. The number of forms, Mazes and Knots is so great, and men are so diversely delighted, that I leave every Housewife to herself, especially seeing to set down many, had been but to fill much paper; yet lest I deprive her of all delight and direction, let her view these few, choice, new forms, and note this generally, that all plots are square, and all are bordered about with Privit, Raisins, Fea-berries, Roses, thorn, Rosemary, Bee-flowers, Isop, Sage, or such like.  

The ground plot for Knots.  
Cinkfoyle.  
Flowerdeluce.  
The Trefoyle.  
The ●ret.  
Lozenge●●.  
Crossbow.  
Diamond.  
Ouall.  
Maze.    

CHAP. 4. Of the Quantity.  
A Garden requireth not so large a scope of ground as an Orchard, both in regard of the much weeding, dressing and removing, and also the pains in a Garden is not so well repaied home, as in an Orchard. It is to be granted, that the Kitchen garden doth yield rich gains by berries, roots, cabbages, etc. yet these are no way comparable to the fruits of a rich Orchard: but notwithstanding I am of opinion, that it were better for England, that we had more Orchards and Gardens, and more large. And therefore we leave the quantity to every man's ability and will.   

CHAP. 5. Of Fence.  
SEeing we allow Gardens in Orchard plots, and the benefit of a Garden is much, they both require a strong and shrouding fence. Therefore leaving this, let us come to the herbs themselves, which must be the fruit of all these labours.   

CHAP. 6. Of two Gardens.  
Herbs are of two sorts, and therefore it is meet (they requiring diverse manners of Husbandry) that we have two Gardens: A garden for flowers, and a Kitchen garden: or a Summer garden: not that we mean so perfect a distinction, that the Garden for flowers should or can be without herbs good for the Kitchen, or the Kitchen garde● should want flowers, nor on the contrary: but for the most part they would be severed: first, because your Garden flowers shall suffer some disgrace, if among them you intermingle Onions, Parsnips, etc. Secondly, your Garden that is durable, must be of one form: but that, which is for your Kitchens use, must yield daily roots, or other herbs, and suffer deformity. Thirdly, the herbs of both will not be both alike ready, at one time, either for gathering, or removing. First therefore  

Of the Summer Garden.  
THese herbs and flowers are comely and durable for squ●●es and knots, and all to be set at Michael-tide, or somewhat before, that they may be settled in, and taken with the ground● before winter, though they may be set, especially sown in the spring.  
Roses of all sorts (spoken of in the Orchard) must be ● be●t. Some vie to ●et sl●ps and twine them, which sometimes, but seldom thrive all.  
Rosemary, Lavender, Be flowers, Isop, Sage, Time, Cowslips, Pyony, D●●ies, Clove Gilnflowers, Pinks, Sothernwood, Lilies, of all which hereafter.   

Of the Kitchen Garden.  
THough your Garden for flowers doth in a sort peculiarly challenge to it self a profit, and exquisite form to the eyes, yet you may not altogether neglect this, where your herbs for the pot do grow. And therefore, some here make comely borders with the herbs aforesaid. The ra●her because abundance of Roses and Lavender yield much profit, and comfort to the senses: Rose-water and Lavender, the one cordial (as also the Violets, Borage, and Buglas) the other reviving the spirits by the sense of smelling: both most ●urable for smell, both in flowers and water: you need not here ●aise your beds, as in the other garden, because Summer towards, will not let too much wet annoy you.  
And these herbs require more moisture: yet must you have your beds divided, that you may go betwixt to weed, and somewhat form would be expected: To which it availeth, that you place your herbs of biggest growth, by walls, or in borders, as Fenell, etc. and the lowest in the midst, as Saffron, Strawberries, Onions, etc.    

CHAP. 7. Division of herbs.  
GArden herbs are innumerable, yet these are common and sufficient for our country Housewifes'.  

Herbs of greatest growth.  
Fenell, Anglica, tansy, Hollihock, Lovage, Elly Campane, French mallows, Lilies, French poppy, Endive, Succory and Clary.   

Herbs of middle growth.  
Borage, Buglas, Pa●sley, sweet Sicily, Floure-de-luce, Stock Gil●flowers, Wall-flowers, Anniseedes, Coriander, Feather fuel, Marigolds, Oculus Christi, Langdibeefe, Alexander's, Carduus Benedictus.   

Herbs of smallest growth.  
Pansy, or Hearts-ease, Coast Margeram, Savery, Strawberries, Saffron, Lycoras, Daff●downdillies, Leeks, Chives, Chibals, Skerots', Onions, Bachelor's buttons, D●sies, Peniroyall.  
Hitherto I have only reckoned up, and put in this rank, some herbs. Their Husbandry follow each in an Alphabetical order, the better to be found.    

CHAP. 8. Husbandry of Herbs.  
Alexanders' are to be renewed as Angelica. It is a timely Pot-hearbe.  
Anglica is renewed with his seed, whereof he beareth plenty the second year, and so dieth. You may remove the roots the first year. The leaves distilled, yield water sovereign to expel pain from the stomach. The root dried taken in the fall, stoppeth the poares against infections.  
Annyseedes make their growth, and beareth seeds the first year, and dieth as Coriander: it is good for opening the pipes, and it is used in Comfits.  
Artichokes are renewed by dividing the roots into sets, in March, every third or fourth year. They require a several usage, and therefore a several whole plot by themselves, especially considering they are plentiful of fruit much desired.  
Borage and Buglas, two Cordials, renew themselves by seed yearly, which is hard to be gathered: they are exceeding good Potherbs, good for Bees, and most comfortable for the heart and stomach, as Quinces and Wardens.  
Camomile, set roots in banks and walks. It is sweet smelling, qualifying headache.  
Cabbages require great room, they seed the second year: sow them in February, remove them when the plants are an handful long, set deep and wet. Look well in drought for the white Caterpillars worm, the spaunes under the leaf closely: for every living Creature doth seek food and quiet shelter, and growing quick, they draw to, and eat the heart: you may find them in a rainy dewy morning.  
It is a good Pothearbe, and of this herb called Cole, our Country Housewives give their pottage their name, and call them Caell.  
Carduus Benedictus, or blessed thistle, seeds and dies the first year, the excellent virtue thereof I refer to Herbals, for we are gardiner's, not Physicians.  
Carrots are sown late in April or May, as Turnips, else they seed the first year, and then their roots are naught: the second year they die, thei● roots grow great, and require large room.  
Chibals or Chives have their roots parted, as Garlic, Lilies, etc. and so are they set every third or fourth year: a good pot-hearb opening, but evil for the eyes.  
Clarie is sown, it seeds the second year, and dies. It is somewhat harsh in taste, a little in pottage is good, it strengtheneth the reins.  
Coast, Roo●es parted make sets in March: it bears the second year: it is used in A e in May.  
Cor●ander is for usage and uses, much like Anniseeds.  
Daffadownd●llies have their roots parted, and set once in three or four year, or ●onger time. The● flower timely, and after Midsammer, are scarcely se●ne. They are mo●e for ornament, then for use, so are Daisies.  
Da●sie-rootes parted and set, as Flower-de-luce and Camomile, when you see them grow too thick or decay. They be good to keep up, and strengthen the edges of your borders, as Pinks, they be red, white, mixed.  
Ellycampane root is long lasting, as is the Lounge, it se●ds yearly, you may divide the root, and set the root, taken in Winter it is good (being dried, powdered and drunk to kill i●ches.  
Endive and Succory are much like in nature, shape, and use, they renew themselves by seed, a● Fennell, and other herbs. You may remove them before they put forth shanks, a good Pot-hearbe.  
Fennell is renewed, either by the seeds (which it beareth the second year, and so yearly in great abundance) sown in the fall or Spring, or by dividing one root into many Sets, as A●tichoke, it is long of growth and life. You may remove the root unshankt. It is exceeding good for the eyes, distilled, or any otherwise taken: it is used in dressing Hives for swarms, a very good Pot-hearbe, or for Salads.  
Fetherfewle shakes seed. Good against a shaking Fever, taken in a posset drink fasting.  
Flowerdeluce, long lasting. Divide his roots, and set: the roots dried have a sweet smell.  
Garlic may be set an handful distance, two inches deep, in the edge of your beds. Part the heads into several cloves, and every clove set in the latter end of February, will increase to a great head before September: good for opening, evil for eyes: when the blade is long, fast two & two together, the heads will be bigger.  
Hollyhocke riseth high, seedeth and dyeth: the chief use I know is ornament.  
Isop is reasonable long lasting: young roots are good set, slips better. A good pot-hearbe.  
july-flowers, commonly called Gillyflowers, or Clove-iuly-flowers (I call them so, because they flower in july) they have the name of Cloves, of their scent. I may well call them the King of flowers (except the Rose) and the best sort of them are called Queene-Iuly flowers. I have of them ●ine or ten several colours, and diverse of them as big as Roses: of all flowers (save the Damask Rose) they are the most pleasant to sight and smell: they last not past three or four years unremoved. Take the sl●ps (without shanks) and set any time, save in extreme frost, but especially at Michael tide. Their use is much in ornament, and comforting the spirits, by the sense of smelling.  
july flowers of the wall, or wall- Iuly-flowers ● wall-flowers, o● Bee-flowers, or Winter- july-flowers, because growing in the walls, even in Winter, and good for Bees, will grow even in stone walls, they will seem dead in Summer, and yet revive in Winter. They yield seed plentifully, which you may sow at any time, or in any broken earth, especially on the top of a mudwall, but moist, you may set the root before it be branched, every slip that is not flowered will take root, or crop him in Summer, and he will flower in Winter: but his Winter-seed is untimely. This and Palms are exceeding good, and timely for Bees.  
Leeks yield seed the second year, unremoved and die, unless you remove them, usual to eat with salt and bread, as Onions always green, good pot-hearb, evil for the eyes.  
Lavendar Spike would be removed within 7 years, or eight at the most. Slips twined as Isop and Sage, would take best at Michael-tide. This flower is good for Bees, most comfortable for smelling, except Roses: and kept dry, is as strong after a year, and when it is gathered. The water of this is comfortable.  
White Lavendar would be removed sooner.  
Lettuce yields seed the first year, and dies: sow betime, and if you would have them Cabbage for Salads, remove them as you do Cabbage. They are usual in Salads, and the pot.  
Lilies white and red, removed once in three or four years their roots yield many Sets, like the Garlic, Michael-tide is the best: they grow high, after they get root: these roots are good to break a Boil, as are Mallows and Sorrel.  
Mallows, French or gagged, the first or second year, seed plentifully: sow in March, or before, they are good for the housewifes' pot, or to break a bunch.  
Marigolds most commonly come of seed, you may remove the Plants, when they be two inches long. The double Marigold, being as big as a little Rose, is good for show. They are a good Pot-hearbe.  
Oculus Christi, or Christ's eye, seeds and dies the first or second year: you may remove the young Plants, but seed is better: one of these seeds put into the eye, within three or four hours will gather a thick skin, clear the eye, and bolt itself forth without hurt to the eye. A good Pot-hea●be.  
Onions are sown in February, they are gathered at Michael-tide, and all the Summer long, for Salads; as also young Parsley, Sage, Chibals, Lettuce, sweet Sicily, Fennell, etc. good alone, or with meat as Mutton, etc. for sauce, especially for the pot.  
Parsly sow the first year, and use the next year: it seeds plentifully, an herb of much use, as sweet Sicily is. The seed and roots are good against the Stone.  
Parsneps require and whole plot, they be plentiful and common: sow them in February, the Kings (that is in the middle) seed broadest and reddest. Parsneps are sustenance for a strong stomach, not good for evil eyes: When they cover the earth in a drought, to tread the tops, make the roots bigger.  
Pennyroyal, or Pudding Grasse, creeps along the ground, like ground ivy. It lasts long, like Daisies, because it puts and spreads daily new roots. Divide, and remove the roots, it hath a pleasant taste and smell, good for the pot, or hacked meat, or Haggis Pudding.  
Pumpions: Set seeds with your finger, a finger deep, l●te in March, and so soon as they appear, every night if you doubt frost, cover them, and water them continually out of a waterpot: they be very tender, their fruit is great and waterish.  
French Poppy beareth a fair flower, and the Seed will make you sleep.  
Radish is sauce for cloyed stomaches, as Caper's, Olives, and Cucumbers, cast the seeds all Summer long here and there, and you shall have them always young and fresh.  
Rosemary, the grace of herbs here in England, in other Country's common. To set sl●ps immediately after Lammas, is the surest way. Seed swoon may prove well, so they be ●owne in hot weather, somewhat moist, and good earth: for the herb, though great, is nesh and tender (as I take it) brought from hot Countries to us in the cold North: set thin. It becomes a Window well. The use is much in meats, more in Physic, most for Bees.  
Rue, or Herb of Grace, continually green, the sl●ps are set. It lasts long as Rosemary, Sothernwood, etc. too strong for mine Housewifes' pot, unless she will brew Ale therewith, against the Plague: let him not seed, if you will have him last.  
Saffron every third year his roots would be removed at Midsummer: for when all other herbs grow most, it dyeth. It floweth at Michael-tide, and groweth all Winter: keep his flowers from birds in the morning, & gather the yellow (or they shape much like Lilies) dry, and after dry them: they be precious, expelling diseases from the heart and stomach.  
Savery seeds and dies the first year, good for my Housewifes' pot and pie.  
Sage: set slips in May, and they grow aye: Let it not seed it will last the longer. The use is much and common. The Monkish Proverb is tritum: Cur moritur homo, cum saluia crescit in horto?  
Skerots', the roots are set when they be parted, as Pyonie, and Flowerdeluce at Michael-tide: the root is but small and very sweet. I know none other special use but the Table.  
Sweet Sicily, long lasting, pleasantly tasting, either the seed sown, or the root parted, and removed, makes increase, it is of like use with Parsley.  
Strawberries long lasting, set roots at Michael-tide or the Spring, they be red, white and green, and ripe, when they be great and soft, some by Midsummer with us. The use is: they will cool my Housewife well, if they be put in Wine or Cream with Sugar.  
Time, both seeds, slips and roots are good. If it seed not, it will last three or four years or more, it smelleth comfortably. It hath much use: namely, in all cold meats, it is good for Bees.  
Turnip is sown. In the second year they bear plenty of seed: they require the same time of sowing that Carrots do: they are sick of the same disease that Cabbages be. The root increaseth much, it is most wholesome, if it be sown in a good and well tempered earth: Sovereign for eyes and Bees.  
I reckon these herbs only, because I teach my Country Housewife, not skilful Artists, and it should be an endless labour, and would make the matter tedious to reckon up, Land● beef, Stocke-Iuly-flowers, Char●all, Valerian, Go-to bed at no●ne, Peony, Liconas, tansy, Garden mints, Germander, Centaurie, and a thousand such physic Herbs. Let her first grow cunning in this, and then she may enlarge her Garden as her skill and ability increaseth. And to help her the more, I have set her down these observations.   

CHAP. 9 General Rules in Gardening.  
IN the South parts Gardening may be more timely, and more safely done, then with us in Yorkshire, because our air is not so favourable, nor our ground so good.  
2 Secondly most seeds shaked, by turning the good earth, are renewed, their mother the earth keeping them in her bowels, till the Sun their Father can reach them with his heat.  
3 In setting herbs, leave no top more than an handful above the ground, nor more than a foot under the earth.  
4 Twine the roots of those slips you set, if they will abide it. Gillyflowers are too tender.  
5 Set moist, and sow dry.  
6 Set slips without shanks any time, except at Midsummer, and in frosts.  
7 Seeding spoils the most roots, as drawing the heart and sap from the root.  
8 Gather for the pot and medicines, herbs tender and green, the sap being in the top, but in Winter the root is best.  
9 All the herbs in the Garden for flowers, would once in seven years be renewed, or sound watered with puddle water, except Rosemary.  
10 In all your Gardens and Orchards, banks and seats of Camomile, Pennyroyal, Daisies and Violets, are seemly and comfortable.  
11 These require whose plots: Artichokes, Cabbages, Turnips, Parsneps, Onions, Car●e●s, and (if you will) Saffron and Scerrits.  
12 Gather all your seeds, dead, ripe● and dry.  
13 Lay no dung to the roots of your herbs, as usually they do: for dung not melted is too hot, even for trees.  
14 Thin setting and sewing (so the roots stand not past a foot distance) is profitable, for the herbs will like the better. Greater herbs would have more distance.  
15 Set and sow herbs in their time of growth (except at Midsummer, for than they are too too tender) but trees in their time of rest.  
16 A good Housewife may, and will gather store of herbs for the pot, about Lammas, and dry them, and pound them, and in Winter they will make good service.  
Thus have I lined out a● Garden to our Country Housewives, and given them rules for common herbs. If any of them (as sometimes they are) be knotty, I refer them to Chap. 3. The skill and pain●s of weeding the Garden with weeding knives of fingers, I refer to themselves, and their maids, willing them to take the opportunity after a shower of rain: withal I advice the Mistress, either be present herself, or to teach her maids to know herbs from weeds.   

CHAP. 10. The Husbandry of Bees.  
THere remaineth one necessary thing to be prescribed, which in mine opinion makes as much for ornament as either Flowers, or form, or cleanliness, and I am sure as commodious as any of, or all the rest: which is Bees, well ordered. And I will not account her any of my good Housewives, that wanteth either Bees or skilfulness about them. And though I know some have written well and truly, and others more plentifully upon this theme: yet somewhat have I learned by experience (being a Bee-maister myself) which hitherto I cannot find put into writing, for which I think our Housewives will count themselves beholding unto me.  

Bee-house.  The first thing that a Gardener about Bees must be careful for, is an house not stakes and stones abroad, Sub●dio: for stakes rot and reel, rain and weather eat your hives, and covers, and cold most of all is hurtful for your Bees. Therefore you must have an house made along, a sure dry wall in your Garden, near, or in your Orchard: for Bees loveflowers and wood with their hearts.  
Let the floors be without holes or cliffs, lest in casting time, the Beees lie out, and loiter.  
And though your Hives stand within an hand breadth the one of another: yet will Bees know their home.  
In this Frame may your Bees stand dry and warm, especially if you make doors like doors of windows to shroud them in winter, as in an house: provided you leave the hives mouths open. I myself have devised such an house, and I find that it keeps and strengthens my Bees much, and my hives will last six to one.  
M. Markham commends Hives of wood I discommend them not: 
Hives.  but straw Hives are in use with us, and I think with all the world, which I commend for nimbleness, closeness, warmness and dryness. Bees love no external motions of daubing or such like. Sometimes occasion shall be offered to lift and turn Hives, as shall appear hereafter. One light entire hive of straw in that case is better, than one that is daubed, weighty and cumbersome. I wish every hive, for a keeping swarm, to hold three pecks at least in measure. For too little Hives procure Bees, in casting time, either to lie out, and loiter, or else to cast before they be ripe and strong, and so make weak swarms and untimely: Whereas if they have room sufficient, they ripen timely, and casting seasonably, are strong, and fit for labour presently. Neither would the hive be too too great, for than they loiter, and waste meat and time.  
Your Bees delight in wood, for feeding, especially for casting: 
Hiving of Bees.  therefore want not an Orchard. A May's swarm is worth a Maies Foal: if they want wood, they be in danger of flying away. Any time before Midsummer is good, for casting and timely before july is not evil. I much like M Markham's opinion for hiving a swarm in combs of a dead or forsaken hive, so they be fresh & cleanly. To think that a swarm of your own, or others, will of itself come into such an hive, is a mere conceit Experto crede Roberto. His smearing with honey, is to no purpose, for the other Bees will eat it up. If your swarm knit in the top of a tree, as they will, if the wind beat them not to fall down: let the stool or ladder described in the Orchard, do you service.  
The less your Spelkes are, 
Spelkes.  the less is the waste of your honey, and the more easily will they draw, when you take your Bees. Four Spelkes athwart, and one top Spelke are sufficient. The Bees will fasten their combs to the Hive. A little honey is good: but if you want, Fennell will serve to rub your Hive withal. The Hive being dressed and ready spelkt, rubbed and the hole made for their passage (I use no hole in the Hive, but a piece of wood hoaled to save the hive & keep out Mice) shake in your Bees, or the most of them (for all commonly you cannot get) the remainder will follow. Many use smoke, Nettles, etc. which I utterly dislike: for Bees love not to be molested. Ringing in the time of casting is a mere fancy, violent handling of them is simply evil, because Bees of all other creatures, love cleanliness and peace. Therefore handle them leisurely & quietly, and their Keeper whom they know, may do with them, what he will, without hurt: Being hived at night, bring them to their seat. Set your hives all of one year together.  
Signs of breeding, if they be strong.  

1 They will avoid dead young Bees and Drones.  
2 They will sweat in the morning, till it run from them; always when they be strong.   

Signs of casting.  
1 They will fly Drones, by reason of heat.  
2 The young swarm will once or twice in some fair season, come forth mustering, as though they would cast, to prove themselves, and go in again.  
3 The night before they cast, if you lay your eat to the Hives mouth, you shall hear two or three, but especially one above the rest, cry, Up, up, up; or, Tout, tout, tout, like a trumpet, sounding the alarm to the battle.   
Much descanting there is, of, and about the Master-Bee, and their degrees, order and government: but the truth in this point is rather imagined, then demonstrated There are some conjectures of it, viz. we see in the combs diverse greater houses than the rest, & we hear commonly the night before they cast, sometimes one Bee, sometimes two, or more Bees, give a loud and several found from the rest, and sometimes Bees of greater bodies than the common sort: but what of all this? I lean not on conjectures, but love to set down that I know to be true, and leave these things to them that love to divine. Keep none weak, for it is hazard, oftentimes with loss: Feeding will not help them: for being weak, hey cannot come down to meat, or if they come down, they die, because Bees weak cannot abide cold. If none of these, yet will the other Bees being strong, smell the honey, and come and spoil, and kill them. Some help is in casting time, to put two weak swarms together, or as M. Markham well saith: Let not them cast late, by raising them with wood or stone: but with imps (say 1) An imp is three or four wreathes, wrought as the hive, the same compass, to raze the hive withal: but by experience in trial, 
Catching.  I have found out a better way by Clustering, for late or weak swarms hitherto not found out of any that I know. 
Clustering.  That is this: After casting time, if I have any stock proud, and hindered from timely casting, with former Winter's poverty, or evil weather in casting time, with two handles and crooks, fitted for the purpose, I turn up that stock so pestered with Bees, and set it on the crown, upon which so turned with the mouth upward, I place another empty hive well dr●st, and spelkt, into which without any labour, the Swarm that would not depart, and cast, will presently ascend, because the old Bees have this quality (as all other breeding creatures have) to expel the young, when they have brought them up.  
They gather not till july; for than they be discharged of their young, or else they are become now strong to labour, and now sap in flowers is strong and proud: by reason of time, and force of Sun. And now also in the North (and not before) the herbs of greatest vigour put their Flowers; As Beans, Fennell, Borage, Rape● etc.  
The most sensible weather for them, is heat and drought, because the nesh Bee can neither abide cold or wet: and showers (which they well foresee) do interrupt their labours, unless they fall on the night, and so they further them.  

Drones.  After casting time, you shall benefit your stocks much, if you help them to kill their Drones, which by all probability and judgement, are an idle kind of Bees, and wasteful. Some say they breed and have seen young Drones in taking their honey, which I know is true. But I am of opinion, that there are also Bees which have lost their stings, and so being, as it were gelded, become idle and great. There is great use of them: Deus, et natura nihil fecit frustra. They hate the Bees, and cause them cast the sooner. They never come forth but when they be over heated. They never come home loaden. After casting time, and when the Bees want meat, you shall see the labouring Bees fasten on them, two, three, or four at once, as if they were thieves to be led to the gallows, and killing them, they cast out, and draw them far from home, as hateful enemies. Our Housewife, if she be the Keeper of her owns Bees (as she had need to be) may with her bare hand in the heat of the day, safely destroy them in the hives mouth. Some use towards night, in a hot day, to set before the mouth of the hive a thin board, with little holes, in at which the lesser Bees may enter, but not the Drones, so that you may kill them at your pleasure.  
Snails spoil them by night like thieves: they come so quietly, 
Annoyances.  and are so fast, that the Bees fear them not. Look early and late, especially in a rain or dewey evening or morning.  
Mice are no less hurtful, and the rather to hives of straw: and therefore coverings of straw draw them. They will in either at the mouth, or shear themselves an hole. The remedy is good Cats, Ratsbane and watching.  
The cleanly Bee hateth the smoke as poison, therefore let your Bees stand nearer your garden then your Brewhouse or Kitchen.  
They say Sparrows and Swallows are enemies to Bees, but I see it not.  
More hives perish by Winter's cold, then by all other hurts: for the Bee is tendered and nice, and only lives in warm weather, and dies in cold: And therefore let my Housewife be persuaded, that a warm dry house before described, is the chiefest help she can make her Bees against this, and many more mischiefs. Many use against cold in Winter, to stop up their hive close, and some set them in houses, persuading themselves, that thereby they relieve their Bees. First, tossing and moving is hurtful. Secondly, in houses, going, knocking, and shaking is noisome. Thirdly, too much heat in an house is unnatural for them: but lastly, and especially, Bees cannot abide to be stopped close up. For at every warm season of the Sun they revive, and living eat, and eating must needs purge abroad, (in her house) the cleanly Bee will not purge herself. judge you what it is for any living creature, not to disburden nature. Being shut up in calm seasons, lay your ear to the Hive, and you shall hear them yarme and yell, as so many hungered prisoners. Therefore impound not your Bees, so profitable and free a creature.  

Taking of Bees.  Let none stand above three years, else the combs will be black and knotty, your honey will be thin and uncleanly: and if any cast after three years, it is such as have swarms, and old Bees kept all together, which is great loss. Smoking with rags, resin, or brimstone, many use: some use drowning in a tub of clean water, and the water well brewed, will be good botchet. Draw out your spelkes immediately with a pair of pinchars, lest the wood grow soft and swell, and so will not be drawn, then must you cut your Hive.  

Straining Honey.  Let no fire come near your honey, for fire softeneth the wax and dross, and makes them run with the honey. Fire softeneth, weakeneth, and hindereth honey for purging. Break your combs small (when the dead empty combs are parted from the loaden combs into a siue, borne over a great bowl, or vessel●, with two staffs, and so let it run two or three days. The sooner you ton it up, the better will it purge. Run your swarm honey by itself, and that shall be your best. The elder your hives are, the worse is your honey.  

Vessels.  Usual vessels are of clay, but after wood be satiated with honey (for it will leak at first: for honey is marvellously searching, the thick, and therefore virtuous.) I use it rather because it will not break so soon, with false, frosts, or otherwise, and greater vessels of clay will hardly last.  
When you use your honey, with a spoon take off the skin which it hath put up.  
And it is worth the regard, that bees thus used, if you have but forty stocks, shall yield you more commodity clearly than forty acres of ground. And thus much may suffice, to make good Housewives love and have good Gardens and Bees.  
Deo Laus.   
FINIS.   

The Contents of the Country Housewifes' Garden.  
Chap. 1. The Soil. 
Pag. 77  Chap. 2. Site. 
p. 78  Chap. 3. Form. 
p. 79  Chap. 4. Quantity. 
p. 85  Chap. 5. Fences. 
p. ibid.  Chap. 6 Two Gardens. 
86  Chap. 7. Division of herbs. 
p. 88  Chap. 8. The Husbandry of herbs. 
p. ibid.  Chap. 9 General rules. 
p. 96  Chap. 10. The Husbandry of Bees. 
p. 98  Bee-house. 
p. 98.  Hives. 
p. 100  Hiving of Bees. 
p. ibid.  Spelkes. 
p. 101.  Catching. 
p. 102.  Clustering. 
p. 103.  Drones. 
p. 104.  Annoyances. 
p. 105.  Taking of Bees. 
p. 106.  Straining honey. 
p. ibid.  Vessels. 
p. ibid.    

A MOST PROFITABLE NEW TREATISE, From approved experience of the art of propagating Plants; by Simon Harward.  

CHAP. 1. The Art of propagating Plants.  
THere are four sorts of Planting, or propagating, as in laying of shoots or little branches, whiles they are yet tender in some pit made at their foot, as shall be said hereafter, or upon a little ladder or Basket of earth, tied to the bottom of the branch, or in boaring a Willow thorough, and putting the branch of the tree into the hole, as shall be fully declared in the Chapter of Grafting.  
There are likewise seasons to propagate in; but the best is in the Spring, and March, when the trees are in the Flower, and do begin to grow lusty. The young planted Scions or little Grafts must be propagated in the beginning of Winter, a foot deep in the earth, and good manure mingled amongst the earth, which you shall cast forth of the pit, wherein you mean to propagate it, to tumble it in upon it again. In like manner your superfluous Scions, or little Plants must be cut close by the earth, when as they grow about some small Imp, which we mean to propagate, for they would do nothing but rot. For to propagate, you must dig the earth round about the tree, that so your roots may be laid in a manner half bate. Afterward draw into length the pit on that side where you mean to propagate, and according as you perceive that the roots will be best able to yield, and be governed in the same pit, to use them, and that with all gentleness, and stop close your Scions, in such sort, as that the wreath which is in the place where it is grafted, may be a little lower than the S●ens of the new Wood, growing out of the earth, even so high as it possible may be. If the trees that you would propagate be somewhat thick, and thereby the harder to ply, and somewhat stiff to lay in the pit: than you may wet the stock almost to the midst, betwixt the root and the wreathing place, and so with gentle handling of it, bow down into the pit the wood which the grafts have put forth, and that in as round a compass as you can, keeping you from breaking of it: afterward lay over the cut, with gummed Wax, or with gravel and sand.   

CHAP. 2. Grafting in the Bark.  
GRafting in the Bark, is used from mid- August, to the beginning of Winter, and also when the Western wind beginneth to blow, being from the 7. of February, unto 11. of june. But there must care be had, not to graft in the bark in any rainy season, because it would wash away the matter of joining the one and the other together, and so hinder it.  
Grafting in the bud, is used in the Summer time, from the end of May, until August, as bring the time when the trees are strong and lusty, and full of sap and leaves. To wit, in a hot Country, from the midst of june, unto the midst of july: but cold Countries, to the midst of August, after some small showies of Rain.  
If the Summer be so exceeding dry, as that some trees do withhold their sap, you must wait the time till it do return.  
Graft from the full of the Moon, until the end of the old.  
You may graft in a Cleft, without having regard to the Rain, for the sap will keep it off.  
You may graft from mid- August, to the beginning of November: Cowes dung with straw doth mightily preserve the graft.  
It is better to graft in the evening, than the morning.  
The furniture and tools of a Grafter, are a Basket to lay his Grafts in, Clay, Gravel, Sand, or strong Earth, to draw over the plants cloven: Most, Woollen clothes, barks of Wilow to join to the late things and earth before spoken, and to keep them fast: Oziers' to tie again upon the bark, to keep them firm and fast: gummed Wax, to dress and cover the ends and tops of the grafts newly cut, that so the rain and cold may not hurt them, neither yet the sap rising from below, be constrained to return again unto the shoots. A little Sawe or hand Sawe, to saw off the stock of the plants, a little Knife or Penknife to graft, and to cut and sharpen the grafts, that so the bark may not pill nor be broken; which often cometh to pass when the graft is full of sap. You shall cut the graft so long, as that it may fill the cliff of the plant, and therewithal it must be left thicker on the bark side, that so it may fill up both the cliff and other incisions, as any need is to be made, which must be always well ground, well burnished without all r●●t. Two wedges, the one broad for thick trees, the other narrow for less and tender trees, both of them of box, or some other hard and smooth wood, or steel, or of very hard iron, that so they may need less labour in making them sharp.  
A little hand-Bill to set the plants at more liberty, by cutting off superfluous boughs, helued of ivory, Box, or Brazell.   

CHAP. 3. Grafting in the cleft.  
THe manner of grafting in a cleft, to wit, the stock being cloued, is proper not only to trees, which are as great as a man's legs or arms, but also to greater. It is true that in as much as the trees cannot easily be cloven in their stock, that therefore it is expedient to make incision in some one of their branches, and not in the main body, as we see to be practised in great Apple trees, and great Peartrees, and as we have already declared heretofore.  
To graft in the cleft, you must make choice of a graft that is full of sap and i●yce, but it must not be, but till from after january until March: And you must not thus grafted in any tree that is already budded, because a great part of the juice and sap would be already mounted up on high, and risen to the top, and there dispersed and scattered hither and thither, into every sprig and twig, and use nothing welcome to the graft.  
You must likewise be resolved not to gather your graft the day you graft in, but ten or twelve days before: for otherwise, if you graft it new gathered, it will not be able easily to incorporate itself with the body and stock, where it shall be grafted; because that some part of it will dry, and by this means will be a hindrance in the stock to the rising up of the sap, which it should communerate unto the graft, for the making of it to put forth. and whereas this dried part will fall a crumbling, and breaking thorough his rottenness, it will cause to remain a concavity, or hollow place in the stock, which will be an occasion of a like inconvenience to befall the graft. Moreover, the graft being new and tender, might easily be hurt of the bands, which are of necessity to be tied about the Stock, to keep the graft firm and fast. And you must further see, that your Plant was not of late removed, but that it have already fully taken root.  
When you are minded to graft many grafts into one cleft, you must see that they be cut in the end all alike.  
See that the grafts be of one length, or not much differing, and it is enough, that they have three or four eylets without the wrench when the Plant is once sawed, and lopped of all his small Scions and shoots round about, as also employed of all his branches, if it have many: than you must leave but two at the most, before you come to the cleaving of it: then put to your little Saw, or your knife, or other edged tool that is very sharp, cleave it quite thorough the midst, in gentle and soft sort: First, tying the Stock very sure, that so it may not cleave further than is need: and then put to your Wedges into the cleft until such time as you have set in your grafts, and in cleaving of it, hold the knife with the one hand, and the tree with the other, to help to keep it from cleaving too far. Afterwards put in your wedge of Box or Brazill, or bone at the small end, that so you may the better take it out again, when you have set in your grafts.  
If the Stock be cloven, or the Bark loosed too much from the wood: then cleave it down lower, and set your grafts in, and look that their incision be fit, and very justly answerable to the cleft, and that the two saps, first, of the Plant and graft, be right and even set one against the other, and so handsomely fitted, as that there may not be the least appearance of any cut or cleft. For if they do not thus ●●mpe one with another, they will never take one with another, because they cannot work their seeming matter, and as it were cartilaguous glue in convenient sort or manner, to the gluing of their joints together. You must likewise beware, not to make your cleft overthwart the pitch, but somewhat aside.  
The bark of your Plant being thicker than that of your Graft, you must set the graft so much the more outwardly in the cleft, that so the two saps may in any case be joined, and set right the one with the other but the rind of the Plant must be somewhat more out, then that of the grafts on the cloven side.  
To the end that you may not fail of this work of imping, you must principally take heed, not to over-cleve the Stocks of your Trees. But before you widen the cleft of your wedges, bind, and go about the Stock with two or three turns, and that with an Osier, close drawn together, underneath the same place, where you would have your cleft to end, that so your Stock cleave not too far, which is a very usual cause of the miscarrying of grafts, in as much as hereby the cleft standeth so wide and open, as that it cannot be shut, and so not grow together again; but in the mean time spendeth itself, and breatheth out all his life in that place, which is the cause that the Stock and the Graft are both spilt. And this falleth out most often in Plum-trees, & branches of trees. You must be careful so to join the rinds of your grafts, and Plants, that nothing may continue open, to the end that the wind, moisture of the clay or rain, running upon the grafted place, do not get in: when the plant cleaveth very strait, there is not any danger nor hardness in sloping down the Graft. If you leave it somewhat uneven, or rough in some places, so that the saps both of the one and of the other may the better grow, and be gived together, when your grafts are once well joined to your Plants, draw out your wedges very softly, lest you displace them again, you may leave there within the cloven some small end of a wedge of green wood, cutting it very close with the head of the Stock: Some cast give into the cleft, some Sugar, and some gummed Wax.  
If the Stock of the Plant whereupon you intent to graft, be not so thick as your graft, you shall graft it after the fashion of a Goat's foot, make a cleft in the Stock of the Plant, not direct, but bias & that smooth and even, not rough: then apply and make fast thereto, the graft withal his Bark on, and answering to the bark of the Plant. This being done, cover the place with the fat earth and ●oste of the Woods tied together with a strong band: stick a pole of Wood by it, to keep it steadfast.   

CHAP. 4. Grasting like a Scutcheon.  
IN grafting after the manner of a Scutcheon, you shall not vary nor differ much from that of the Flute or Pipe, save only that the Scutcheon-like graft, having one eyelet, as the other hath yet the wood of the tree whereupon the Scutcheon-like graft is grafted, hath not any knob, or bud, as the wood whereupon the graft is grafted, after the manner of a pipe.  
In Summer when the trees are well replenished with sap, and that their new Scions begin to grow somewhat hard, you shall take a shoot at the end of the chief branches of some noble and reclaimed tree, whereof you would fain have some fruit, and not many of his old store or wood, and from thence ruise a good eylet, the tail and all thereof to make your graft. But when you choose, take the thickest, and grossest, divide the tail in the midst, before you do avy thing else, casting away the leaf (if it be not a Pear plum-tree: for that would have two or three leaves) without removing any more of the said tail: afterward with the point of a sharp knife, cut off the Bark of the said shoot, the pattern of a shield, of the length of a nail.  
In which there is only one eylet higher than the midst together, with the residue of the tail which you left behind: and for the lifting up of the said grafted in Scutcheon, after that you have cut the bark of the shoot round about, without cutting of the wood within, you must take it gently with your thumb, and in putting it away you must press upon the wood from which you pull it, that so you may bring the bud and all away together with the Scutcheon: for if you leave it behind with the wood, then were the Scutcheon nothing worth. You shall find out if the Scutcheon be nothing worth, if looking within when it is pulled away from the wood of the same suit, you find it to have a hole within, but more manifestly, if the bud do stay behind in the Wood, which ought to have been in the Scutcheon.  
Thus your Scutcheon being well raised and taken off, hold it a little by the tail betwixt your lips, without wetting of it, even until you have cut the Bark of the tree where you would graft it, and look that it be cut without any wounding of the wood within, after the manner of a c●utch, but somewhat longer than the Scu●cheon that you have to set in it, and in no place cutting the wood within; after you have made incision, you must open it, and make it gape wide on both sides, but in all manner of gentle handling, and that with little Scissors of bone, and separating the wood and the bark a little within, even so much as your Scutcheon is in length and breadth: you must take heed that in d●ing hereof, you do not hart the bark.  
This done take your Scutcheon by the end, and your tail which you have left remaining, and put into your incision made in your tree, lifting up softly your two sides of the incision with your said Scissors of bone, and cause the said Scutcheon to join, and lie as close as may be, with the wood of the tree, being cut, as aforesaid, in weighing a little upon the end of your rind: so cut and let the upper part of your Scutcheon lie close unto the upper end of your incision, or bark of your said tree: afterward bind your Scutcheon about with a band of Hemp, as thick as a pen of a quill, more or less, according as your tree is small or great, taking the same Hemp in the midst, to the end that either part of it may perform a like service; and wreathing and binding of the said Scutcheon into the incision of a tree, and it must not be tied too straight, for that would keep it from taking the joining of the one sap to the other, being hindered thereby, and neither the Scutcheon, nor yet the Hemp must be moist or wet: and the more justly to bind them together, begin at the back● side of the Tree, right over against the midst of the incision, and from thence come forward to join them before, above the eylet and tail of the Scutcheon, crossing your band of Hemp, so oft as the two ends meet, and from thence returning back again, come about and tie it likewise underneath the eylets: and thus cast about your band still backward and forward, until the whole cleft of the incision be covered above and below with the said Hemp, the eylet only excepted, and his tail which must not be covered at all; his tail will fall away one part after another, and that shortly after the engrafting, if so be the Scutcheon will take. Leave your trees and Scutcheons thus bound, for the space of one month, and the thicker, a great deal longer time. Afterward look them over, and if you perceive them to grow together, untie them, or at the leastwise cut the Hemp behind them, and leave them uncovered. Cut also your branch two or three fingers above that, so the imp may prosper the better: and thus let them remain till after Winter, about the month of March, and April.  
If you perceive that your bud of your Scutcheon do swell and come forward: then cut off the tree three fingers or thereabouts, above the Scutcheon: for if it be cut off too near the Scutcheon, at such time as it putteth forth his first blossom, it would be a means greatly to hinder the flowering of it, and cause also that it should not thrive and prosper so well after that one year is past, and that the shoot beginneth to be strong: beginning to put forth the second bud and blossom, you must go forward to cut off in byas-wise the three fingers in the top of the tree, which you left there, when you cut it in the year going before, as hath been said.  
When your shoot shall have put forth a great deal of length, you must stick down there, even hard joined thereunto, little stakes, tying them together very gently and easily; and these shall stay your shoots and prop them up, letting the wind from doing any harm unto them. Thus you may graft white Roses in red, and red in white. Thus you may graft two or three Scutcheons: provided that they be all of one side: for they will not be set equally together in height because then they would be all starvelings, ne●ther would they be directly one over another; for the lower would stay the rising up of the sap of the tree, and so those above should consume in penury, and undergo the aforesaid inconvenience. You must note, that the Scutcheon which is gathered from the Sien of a tree whose fruit is sour, must be cut in square form, and not in the plain fashion of a Scutcheon. It is ordinary to graft the sweet Quince tree, bastard Peach-tree, Apricock-tree, juiube-tree, sour Cherry tree, sweet Cherrytree, and Chestnut tree, after this fashion, howbeit they might be grafted in the cleft more easily, and more profitably; although diverse be of contrary opinion, as thus best: Take the grafts of sweet Quince tree, and bastard Peach-tree, of the fairest wood, and best fed that you can find, growing upon the wood of two years old, because the wood is not so firm nor solid as the others: and you shall graft them upon small Plum-tree stocks, being of the thickness of ones thumb; these you shall cut after the fashion of a Goat's foot: you shall not go about to make the cleft of any more sides than one, being about a foot high from the ground; you must open it with your small wedge: and being thus grafted, it will seem to you that it is open but of one side; afterward you shall wrap it up with a little Moss, putting thereto some gummed Wax, or clay, and bind it up with Oziers' to keep it surer, because the stock is not strong enough itself to hold it, and you shall furnish it every manner of way as others are dealt withal: this is most profitable.  

The time of grafting.  
All months are good to graft in, (the month of October and November only excepted) But commonly, grafted at that time of the Winter, when sap beginneth to arise.  
In a cold Country graft later, and in a warm Country earlier.  
The best time general is from the first of February, until the first of May.  
The grafts must always be gathered, in the old of the Moon.  
For grafts choose shoots of a year old, or at the furthermost two years old.  
If you must carry grafts far, prick them into a Turnip newly gathered, or say earth about the ends.  
If you set stones of Plums, Almonds, Nuts, or Peaches: First let them lie a little in the Sun, and then steep them in Milk or Water, three or four daye● before you put them into the earth.  
Dry the kernels of Pippins, and sow them in the end of November.  
The stone of a Plum-tree must be set a foot deep in November, or February.  
The Date-stone must be set the great end downwards, two cubits deep in the earth, in a place enriched with dung.  
The Peach-stone would be set presently after the Fruit is eaten, some quantity of the flesh of the Peach remaining about the stone.  
If you will have it to be excellent, graft is afterward upon an Almond tree.  
The little Sie●s of Cherry-trees, grown thick with hair, rots, and those also which do grow up from the roots of the great Cherry-trees, being removed, do grow better and sooner than they which come of stones: but they must be removed and planted while they are but two or three years old, the branches must be lopped.     

The Contents of the Art of Propagating Plants.  
THe Art of propagating Plants. 
page 109.  Grafting in the Bark. 
p. 111.  Grafting in the cleft. 
p. 113.  Grafters Tools. 
 Time of planting & setting. 
 Time of grafting. 
 How to cut the stumps in grafting. 
 Sprouts and imps: how gathered. 
 Grafting like a Scutcheon. 
p. 116.  Inoculation in the Bark. 
 Empla●ster-w●se grafting. 
 To prick sticks to bear the first year. 
 To have Cherries or Plums without stones. 
 To make Quinces great. 
 To set stones of Plums. 
 Dates, Nut, and Peaches. 
 To make fruit smell well. 
 To plant Cherry-trees. 
   

THE HUSBAND MAN'S FRVITEFULL ORCHARD.  
For the true ordering of all sorts of Fruits in their due seasons; and how double increase cometh by care in gathering year after year: as also the best way of carriage by land or by water: With their preservation for longest continuance.  
OF all stone Fruit, 
Cherries.  Cherries are the first to be gathered: of which, though we reckon four sorts; Engl●sh, Flemish, Gascoigne and Black, yet are they reduced to two, the early, and the ordinary: the early are those whose grafts came first from France and Flanders, and are now ripe with us in May: the ordinary is our own natural Cherry, and is not ripe before june; they must be carefully kept from Birds, either with nets, noise, or other industry.  
They are not all ripe at once, nor may be gathered at once, 
Gathering of Cherries.  therefore with a light Ladder, made to stand of itself, without hurting the boughs, mount to the tree, and with a gathering hook, gather those which be full ripe, and put them into your Cherry-pot, or Kybzey hanging by your side, or upon any bough you please, and be sure to break no stalk, but that the cherry hangs by; and pull them gently, lay them down tenderly, and handle them as little as you can.  

To carry Che●rie●.  For the conveyance or portage of Cherries, they are best to be carried in broad Baskets like sives, with smooth yielding bottoms, only two broad laths going along the bottom: and if you do trasport them by ship, or boat, let not the sives be filled to the top, lest setting one upon another, you bruise and hurt the Cherries: if you carry by horseback, than panniers well lined with Fearne, and packed full and close is the best and safest way.  
Now for the gathering of all other stone-fruite, as N●rtarines, 
Other stone-fruit.  Apricockes, Peaches, Peare-plumbes, Damsons, Bullas, and such like, although in their several kinds, they seem not to be ripe at once on one tree: yet when any is ready to drop from the tree, though the other seem hard, yet they may also be gathered, for they have received the full substance the tree can give them; and therefore the day being fair, and the dew drawn away; set up your Ladder, and as you gathered your Cherries, so gather them: only in the bottoms of your large sives, where you part them, you shall lay Nettles, and likewise in the top, for that will ripen those that are most unready.  
In gathering of Pears are three things observed; to gather for expense, 
Gathering of Pears.  for transportation, or to sell to the Apothecary. If for expense, and your own use, then gather them as soon as they change, and are as it were half ripe, and no more but those which are changed, letting the rest hang till they change also: for thus they will ripen kindly, and not rot so soon, as if they were full ripe at the gathering. But if you● Pears be to be transported far either by Land or Water, then pull one from the tree, and cut it in the midst, and if you find it hollow about the choare, and the kernel a large space to lie in: although no Pear be ready to drop from the tree, yet than they may be gathered, and then laying them on a heap one upon another, as of necessity they must be for transportation, they will ripen of themselves, and eat kindly: but gathered before, they will wither, shrink and eat rough, losing not only their taste, but beauty.  
Now for the manner of gathering; albeit some climb into the trees by the boughs, and some by Ladder, yet both is amiss: the best way is with the Ladder before spoken of, which standeth of itself, with a basket and a line, which being full, you must gently let down, and keeping the string still in your hand, being emptied, draw it up again, and so finish your labour, without troubling yourself, or hurting the tree.  
Now touching the gathering of Apples, 
Gathering of Apples.  it is to be done according to the ripening of the fruit; your Summer apples first, and the Winter after.  
For Summer fruit, when it is ripe, some will drop from the tree, and birds will be picking at them: But if you cut one of the greenest, and find it as was showed you before of the Pear: than you may gather them, and in the house they will come to their ripeness and perfection. For your Winter fruit, you shall know the ripeness by the observation before showed; but it must be gathered in a fair, Sunny, and dry day, in the wain of the Moon, and no Wind in the ●●st, also after the dew is gone away: for the least wet or moisture will make them subject to rot and mi● dew: also you must have an apron to gather in, and to empty into the great baskets, and a hook to draw the boughs unto you, which you cannot reach with your hands at ease: the apron is to be an Ell every way, looped up to your girdle, so as it may serve for either hand without any trouble: and when it is full, unloose one of your loops, and empty it gently into the great basket, for in throwing them down roughly, their own stalks may prick them; and those which are pricked, will ever rot. Again, you must gather your fruit clean without leaves or brunts, because the one hurts the tree, for every brunt would be a stalk for fruit to grow upon: the other hurts the fruit by bruising, and pricking it as it is laid together, and there is nothing sooner rotteth fruit, than the gre●ne and withered leaves lying amongst them; neither must you gather them without any stalk at all: for such fruit will begin to rot where the stalk stood.  

To use the fall  For such fruit as falleth from the trees, and are not gathered, they must not be laid with the gathered fruit: and of fall there are two sorts; one that falls through ripeness, and they are ●est, and may be kept to ba●e or roast: the other windfalls, and before they are ripe; and they must be spent as they are gathered, or else they will wither and come to nothing: and t●●●e●o●e it is not good by any meane● to beat down fruit with Poles, or to carry them in Carts loose and jogging, or in sacks where they may be bruised.  
When your fruit is gathered, you shall lay them in deep Baskets of Wicker, 
Carriage of fruit.  which shall contain four or six bushels, and so between two men, carry them to your Appleloft, and in shooting or laying them down, be very careful that it be done with all gentleness, and leisure, laying every sort of fruit several by itself: but if there be want of room having so many sorts that you cannot lay them severally, than such some fruit as is nearest in taste and colour, and of Winter fruit, such as will taste alike, may if need require, be laid together, and in time you may separate them, as shall be showed hereafter. But if your fruit be gathered fair from your Appleloft, then must the bottoms of your Baskets be lined with green Ferne, and draw the stubborn ends of the same through the Basket, that none but the soft leaf may touch the fruit, and likewise cover the tops of the Baskets with Ferne also, and draw small cord over it, that the Ferne may not fall away, nor the fruit scatter out, oriogge up and down: and thus you may carry fruit by Land or by Water, by Boat, or Cart, as far as you please: and the Ferne doth not only keep them from bruising, but also ripens them, especially Pears. When your fruit is brought to your Appleloft or store● house, if you find them not ripened enough, then lay them in thicker heaps upon Fearne, and cover them with Ferne also: and when they are near ripe, then uncover them, and make the heaps thinner, so as the air may pass thorough them: and if you will not hasten the ripening of them, then lay them on the boards without any Fern at all. Now for Winter, or long lasting Pears, they may be packed either in Ferne or Straw, and carried whither you please; and being come to the journey's end, must be laid upon sweet straw; but beware the room be not too warm, not windy, and too cold, for both are hurtful: but in a temperate place, where they may have air, but not too much.  

Of Wardens.  Wardens are to be gathered, carried, packed, and laid as Winter Pears are.  

Of Meddlers.  Meddlers are to be gathered about Michaelmas, after a frost hath touched them; at which time they are in their full growth, and will then be dropping from the tree, but never ripe upon the tree. When they are gathered, they must be laid in a basket, siue, barrel, or any such cask, and wrapped about with woollen clothes, under, over, and on all sides, and also some weight laid upon them, with a board between: for except they be brought into a heat, they will never ripen kindly or taste well.  
Now when they have lain till you think some of them be ripe, 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 one fall into the other basket, and those which be ripe laid aside: the other that be half ripe, sever also into a third siue or basket: for if the ripe and half ripe be kept together, the one will be mouldy, before the other be ripe: And thus do, till all be throughly ripe.  
Qu●nces should not be laid with other fruit; for the scent is offensive both to other fruit, 
Of ●uince●.  and to those that keep the fruit or come amongst them: therefore lay them by themselves upon sweet straw, where they may have air enough: they must be packed like Meddlers, and gathered with Meddlers.  
Apples must be packed in Wheat or Rye-straw, and in mands or baskets lined with the same, 
To pack Apples.  and being gently handled, will ripen with such packing and lying together. If several sorts of apples be packed in one maund or basket, then between every sort, lay sweet straw of a pretty thickness.  
Apples must not be poured out, 
Emptying and laying Apples.  but with care and leisure: first, the straw picked clean from them, and then gently take out every several sort, and place them by themselves: but if for want of room you mix the sorts together, then lay those together that are of equal lasting; but if they have all one taste, than they need no separation. Apples that are not of like colours should not be laid together, and if any such be mingled, let it be amended, and those which are first ripe, let them be first spent; and to that end, lay those apples together, that are of one time of ripening: and thus you must use Pippins also, yet will they endure bruises better than other fruit, and whilst they are green will heal one another.  
Pippins though they grow of one tree, and in one ground, 
Difference in Fruit.  yet some will last better than other some, and some will be bigger than others of the same kind, according as they have more or less of the Sun, or more or less of the droppings of the trees or upper branches: therefore let every one make most of that fruit which is fairest, and longest lasting. Again, the largeness and goodness of fruit consists in the age of the tree: for as the t●ee increaseth, so the fruit increaseth in bigness, beauty, taste, and firmness: and otherwise, as it decreaseth.  
If you be to transport your fruit far by water, then provide some dry hogsheads or barrels, 
Transporting fruit by water.  and pack in your apples, one by one with your hand, that no empty place may be left, to occasion sogging; and you must line your vessel at both ends with fine sweet straw; but not the sides, to avoid heat: and you must boar a dozen holes at either end, to receive air so much the better; and by no means let them take wet. Some use, that transport beyond seas, to shut the fruit under hatches upon straw: but it is not so good, if cask may be gotten. 
When not to transport fruit.   
It is not good to transport fruit in March, when the wind blows bitterly, nor in frosty weather, neither in the extreme heat of Summer.  
If the quantity be small you would carry, than you may carry them in Dossers or Panniers, 
To convey small store of fruit.  provided they be ever filled close, and that Cherries and Pears be lined with green Fearne, and Apples with sweet straw; and that, but at the bottoms and tops, not on the sides.  

Rooms for fruit.  Winter fruit must lie neither too hot, nor too cold; too close, nor too open: for all are offensive. A low room or Cellar that is sweet, and either boarded or paved, and not too close, is good, from Christmas till March: and rooms that are seeled over head, and from the ground, are good from March till May: then the Cellar again, from May till Michaelmas. The apple loft would be seeled or boarded, which if it want, take the longest Rye-straw, and raise it against the walls, to make a fence as high as the fruit lieth; and let it be no thicker than to keep the fruit from the wall, which being moist, may do hurt, or if not moist, than the dust is offensive.  
There are some fruit which will last but until Allhallontide: they must be laid by themselves; 
Sorting of Fruit.  then those which will last till Christmas, by themselves: then those which will last till it be ●andlemas, by themselves: those that will last till Shrovetide, by themselves: and Pippins, Apple-iohns', Peare-maines, and Winter-Russettings, which will last all the year by themselves.  
Now if you spy any rotten fruit in your heaps, pick them out, and with a Trey for the purpose, see you turn the heaps over, and leave not a tainted Apple in them, dividing the hardest by themselves, and the broken skinned by themselves to be first spent, and the rotten ones to be cast away; and ever as you turn them, and pick them, under-lay them with fresh straw: thus shall you keep them safe for your use, which otherwise would rot suddenly.  
Pippins, john Apples, Pear manes, and such like long lasting fruit, 
Times of stirring fruit.  need not to be turned till the week before Christmas, unless they be mixed with other of a riper kind, or that the fall be also with them, or much of the first straw left amongst them: the next time of turning is at Shrovetide; and after that, once a month till Whitsuntide; and after that, once a fortnight; and ever in the turning, lay your heaps lower and lower, and your straw very thin: provided you do none of this labour in any great frost, except it be in a close Cellar. At every thaw, all fruit is moist, and then they must not be touched: neither in rainy weather, for than they will be dank also: and therefore at such seasons it is good to set open your windows, and doors, that the air may have free passage to dry them, as at nine of the clock in the forenoon in Winter; and at six in the forenoon, and at eight at night in Summer: only in March, open not your windows at all.  
All lasting fruit, after the midst of May, begin to wither, because than they wax dry, and the moisture gone, which made them look plump: they must needs wither, and be smaller; and nature decaying, they must needs rot. And thus much touching the ordering of fruits.  
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes for JOHN HARISON, at the golden Unicorn in Pater-noster-row. 1631.