THE ENGLISH VINEYARD VINDICATED BY JOHN ROSE Gardener to His MAJESTY, at his Royal GARDEN in St. James'.  
Formerly Gardener to her Grace the Duchess of Somerset.  
With an Address, Where the best Plants may be had at easy Rates.  
LONDON, Printed by J. Grismond for John Crook, at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1666.   

TO THE KING'S Most Sacred MAJESTY.  
May it please Your Majesty,  
BEING by Your MAJESTY'S Grace and Favour advanced to the Supremest Glory of our Profession, which is to be qualified Your Majesty's Gardener; I thought it most agreeable to my Duty, to render Your Majesty this account of my Labour, and do supplicate as well Your gracious Acceptance of what I Offer, as Your Pardon for my Presumption; if at least the shortness of the Discourse, or the meanness of the Author may bring it any prejudice; when the great Augustus was pleased that Caius Valgius' book of a few Herbs, and Moecenae, that a Pamphlet concerning the nature of Onions only should be inscribed to them: Sir, dedicate the Prince of Plants to the Prince of Planters, Your Majesty: This Royal Title, as Your Majesty's great affection and encouragement to all that is truly Magnificent and Emolumental in the Culture of Trees and Fruit, has worthily acquird; so has it given instance to thousands of Your Majesty's Subjects, whose glory it is to transcribe after your great Example for the good of the Ages to come.  
I know Your Majesty can have no great opinion of our English Wines, as hitherto they have been ordered; but as I persuade myself it is not altogether from the defect of the Climate, at least not in all places alike; nor, I am sure, of the Industry of Your Majesty's Subjects; but in somewhat else, which I endeavour to encounter in these few Papers; so if by Your Majesty's gracious Acceptance of the Essay, Gentlemen shall be encouraged to Plant those sorts of Vines which I here recommend, and to Cultivate them by my direction; that precious Liquor may haply once again recover its just estimation, be the product of Your Majesty's Dominions, and answer the ambition of  
May it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most obedient Subject and Servant, JOHN ROSE.   

THE ENGLISH VINEYARD VINDICATED. THE PREFACE OR Occasion of this Discourse.  
BEing one day refreshing myself in the Garden at Essex-house, and amongst other things falling into discourse with Mr. Rose, (than Gardener to her Grace the Duchess of Somerset) about Vines, and particularly the Cause of the neglect of Vineyards of late in England; he reasoned so pertinently upon that Subject (as indeed he does upon all things, which concern his hortulan Profession) that conceiving how greatly it might oblige many worthy and ingenious Persons, lovers of Plantations, and of the noblest parts of it; I was easily persuaded to gratify his modest and charitable inclinations, to have them communicated to the world. The Matter therefore of the ensuing Discourse being totally his, receives from me only its form, and the putting of his Conceptions together; which I have dressed up in as rural a garb as I thought might best become, and recommend them for Practice. I have turned over many both late, and ancient Books (far exceeding this in bulk) pretending to direct us in our choice of the Fruit, and the Planting of Vineyards: But I do ingenuously profess, that none of them have appeared to me more rational, and worthy our imitation, than these short Observations of Mr. Roses, and which I so much the more value, as I consider them the native production of his own Experience, without obtruding any thing upon the reputation of others, which is now become the most pernicious Imposture that flatters us into so many mistakes and errors; whilst men follow such Directions as they meet withal in Print, or from some Monsieurs new come over, who think we are as much obliged to follow their mode of gardening, as we do that of their Garments, till we become in both ridiculous. I might here add something of ostentation, by deduceing the Pedigree of Vineyards from the great Oriental Patriarch of them to this day; But it will be of more encouragement to us, when we shall consider how frequently they were heretofore planted in this Country of ours, as they still continue to be in Places of the very same Latitude abroad; so as the strange decay of them amongst us for these latter Ages, must needs proceed from no other cause then that of our own neglect, and the common vicissitude of things. We behold it in that of Timber to our grief, and the several (almost lost) species of some: Why have we not as goodly Masts for our Ships as our neighbour Countries? Why is the Elm, the Walnut, and the Chestnut so decayed and rare amongst us, more than formerly they were? ' But of this I have elsewhere given an 
* Sylva.  account more at large. The Vineyard is now before you.  
Philocepos.   

 depiction of trees   

THE ENGLISH VINEYARD VINDICATED.  

CHAP. I. Of the several sorts of Vines, and what Grapes do best accommodate with our Climate in England.  
UPon long, and diligent observation of the Species; I do chief recommend these following, to be the most proper and natural for the Curious in our Country to exercise their Industries upon, as from whence they may promise themselves a recompense worthy of their expectations.  
1. The small Black grape, by some called the Cluster-grape, a precoce and early ripe fruit.  
2. The white Muscadine early ripe also, and a well known grape.  
3. The Parsly-grape, so denominated from the shape and indentures of the leaf; it bears somewhat a smaller raisin or berry, but it is of a brisk and delicious taste, mature betimes.  
4. The Muscadella a white grape, not so big as the Muscadine though as soon ripe.  
5. The Frontiniaq, both white and red.  
6. A new white Grape, ripe before the Muscadins, which I found in His Majesty's Garden in St. James', with a red wood and a dark green leaf: it ripens as soon in standard as against some Walls, and is a closer bunch than the Muscadine. These are the kinds which I prefer before any other for the storing of a Vineyard, although there are several other sorts, which I pass by, as not so applicable to our design, though very worthy of the Curious, and those who affect variety, because they will require the artificial reflection and assistance of walls to bring them to maturity.   

CHAP. II. Of the Soil, and Situation of a Vineyard in England.  
LEt election be made of a light sandy ground, if it be a little strong upon the surface it is not to be rejected: and for its situation, I would choose that side or declivity of an hill lying to the South, or South-west, which if favoured with other hills somewhat higher, or woods on the North and East, would be so much the better for the breaking the severity of those pinching quarters: This light soil having a bottom of Chalk or gravel, under a surface of two foot in depth, and free from Springs, cannot be too hot, or dry; provided it be not addicted to health; for commonly nothing grows kindly where that is apt to o'er spread; but if given to brambles, it is a promising sign● and infinitely to be preferred before the other; for most confident I am, (nor do I speak it upon conjecture only) that there is no Plant whatsoever so connatural to the Vine for soil and situation as this repent, and humble shrub: Those who shall please to take notice of the places in which brambles most flourish; which are for the most part in the driest banks, hilly, stony and hot places; will easily infer how much they resemble the Vine in this particular: True it is, they will also come up in wettish and moist places also; but it is in the other where they grow large and strong, bear goodly berries and in most plenty; Not that I would hereby advise any to plant their Vines amongst the brambles; but those places well grubbed and trenched, are not to be rejected, because they commonly thrive in such grounds as are apt for Vines, and where I would make choice of a spot to plant a Vineyard in.  
That I have insisted on this remark, and of having a Chalky or Gravelly bottom, is from much experience, having never found, but that in such hard Stony or Chalky ground (provided it were not loamy) Vines do exceedingly flourish; especially if the land have laid a good while in repose, and not of many years exhausted hausted by the plough, where the green swarth covers those gentle rise amongst the downs, not too much exposed to the rudeness of the weather. Nor are Gentlemen to be therefore deterred, because this late age has neglected the Planting of Vineyards, that therefore it is to no purpose now to begin; since the discouragement has only proceeded from their misinformation on this material article of the choice of soil and situation, whilst giving ear to our foreign Gardeners coming here into England, they took up those rules which they saw to be most practised in Countries of so little affinity with ours, and without having that due consideration of the Climate, which is so necessary and behoveful to Plantations of this nature: Hence they for the most part, made continual choice of our best and richest land, without regard of other circumstances; not considering that the deepness and fatness of the Earth, contributes more to the luxury of the branches, amplitude of leaves and precipitation of the roots than to the just and natural stature of the stem, plenty, and excellency of the fruit, for which alone these Plantations are desirable. In sandy or loamy land Vines indeed grow more abundantly, than where the sand, gravel, or chalk are ingredients, whose surface of mould is not so profound, a foot and half being sufficient; but this rock of chalk and gravel, does in the interim hinder the root from going too deep, forcing it to spread the more towards the top, by which means the tender and fiberous roots receive the natural, sweet and benign showers, dews, and influences, which impart both life and pregnancy to these noble Plantations: By this they receive the cherishing warmeth of the Sun, impregnated with a certain volatile salt, which produced near the surface of the Earth only, is drunk in by the  pores and apertures of the latent roots whilst the deeper buried, deprived of these prolifical advantages, grow only fertile it watery and insipid leaves o● branches without fruit; th● mould or matrix in which they lie, being altogether flugish and unactive for want of heat and the prolific embraces of the Sun. Hence it is we find so many Vines, though plentiful of branches, so thin of joints, and those even of the same kind, planted in better ground, as thick of knots as a man's finger is of joints, from whence those shoots are produced which our English Vigneron should preserve at pruning time to set his fruit, and expect his Vintage from.  
But to return to the situation again. Though Land should be so qualified as we have described it for the soil; yet if it have not also that declivity and aspect we mentioned, it cannot be so fit for our purpose: for first, hills are not so subject to the morning fogs and infectious mists as lower grounds are; besides, flat lands do not so soon enjoy the benefit of the rising Sun, nor does it stay so long upon them in the evening by some hours in the day; for since this solar and generous Plant does above all things affect to be dry, especially, after the fruit gins to be form and approach to its maturity there is nothing more noxious to it, then at that season, to be infested with the cold and heavy damps of these fogs; and it is in that, as much as in any other thing, wherein other more Southern tracts have the advantage of us, that these enemies are dispersed and scattered sooner than with us; and which therefore we must strive to encounter by the advantages we have hitherto neglected; but which we may surmount by making choice of a more lofty situation.   

CHAP. III. How to prepare the ground for the Plantation.  
I Have already wished for a turfy surface, and which has not been broken up, or sowed of a long time, and have alleged my reasons for it: But now in July, when the Earth is very dry and combustible, blow up the swarth, and when 'tis very crusty, dispose the turfs in small heaps, burn, and spread the ashes over the land, to be trenched in December or the January following. I advise you to lay your dried materials but in little heaps, from an observation which I have made in Wilt-shire, and particularly the Downs of Salisbury-plaine, that where they congest too much together, the excessive fire and heat (which they require to reduce them to ashes) over burns the earth, to the great prejudice of those salts and spirits which a more moderate fire would preserve from evolition and flying away; an Instance of this we have in the Charring of Wood for Coal, the small dust whereof is a powerful ingredient to the improving of the roots of Trees, moderately made use of.  
The ground thus prepared; when you begin to trench, contrive your ranges so, as they may run thwart your hill, that is, let the ridges pass from East to West; my reason is, because the Vines standing thus in ranks; the rising and setting of the Sun will by this means pass through the intervals, which it would not do in the common posture of North and South; for the Sun being low at its first and last appearance above the Horizon (and at which time by reason of our fogs and mists, we chief stand in need of his assistance) those rows which pass from North and South will shade one the other, and so hinder this material effect. If it be objected that Vines being so planted, lose that at Noon, which they gain in the Morning and Evening; I reply, that the Sun at the season of ripening, is high enough for rows of Vines of three foot distance, to shine with, and dart its beams even over the very Plants without the least interception: whereas upon its rising or setting, it would be almost totally Eclipsed by the Collateral posture of the opposite ranges.   

CHAP. IU. How to Plant the Sets.  
THe Ground in this order, prepare a measure of three-foot, and by a line strained, dig the Earth a foot deep or the single spit, cleansing the Trench, and shouling up the crumbs that the bottom be clean, and the edges sharp, which you must guide by your measure, that so all the trenches may be of an equal size. This done, fit your Plants, Layers, or Roots so pruned both roots and branches, that you leave not a-above two or three eyes of the young wood upon them. Then Plant them in the bottom of your Trenches, so as the roots may lie Cross them, and somewhat sloping on a straight line as near as may be guessed. In this posture, cover them three or four inches with the mould; and order it so, as the upper part of your plant be two or three inches lower than the ground, that when the ridges come to be levelled, the top of your sets may be even with the area. Thus proceed to plant them at the distance of two foot one from the other, that so the ranges may have a yard interval between. This done, take long dung or litter, and strew it in the Trenches, of a reasonable thickness to cover the Earth, and preserve the roots from those dry and piercing winds which would otherwise infinitely prejudice them; this will likewise maintain them cold and fresh in Summer, till they have struck and taken hold of their Stations: After this they will need no more for the present, but that you diligently haw, and cleanse them from weeds, before they come to seed; and in this labour of hawing, work a little of the sides of your ridges with your instrument towards the roots of your newly planted Vines, to comfort and establish them. This Diagram refers to the order and distance of planting the sets.   

CHAP. V How to dress, Prune, and Govern the Plantation.  
THe first pruning of the new set Vineyard shall not begin before the January after, and then cut, off all the shoots as near as you can possibly, sparing only the strongest and most vigorous to each root, which you should leave with two eyes of young wood; and so let them rest till May the second year after planting, and then be sure to clear the roots of all collateral suckers which do but rob, and exhaust your sets; and leave none but what break out of those two or three eyes of the young wood above mentioned, continuing your care to suppress the weeds, and in your hawing to cherish the roots of your plants with some of your ridgearth as you were taught in the former Chapter. And thus you shall also govern your Vineyard the third year, cutting off all the shoots very close in the same Month, and sparing only the stoutest which is next the ground; yet so, as you leave him not above three or four eyes. This done dig all your Vineyard and lay it very level; but with great care that in the work you do not cut or wound any of the main roots with your spade; as for the younger roots, it is not so material, for they will grow but the thicker. It is in this third year that you may peradventure enjoy some fruit of your labour, which if answerable to your hopes, will admonish you to provide for props, which must be made of Hazel, Ash, or Oak, about four foot in length, of the thickness of a broom-stick, which being conveniently applied to the North side of your plant, you shall in May (rubbing off all the theives which spring from the Roots of the plant, and leaving only such as come from the stem and like to bear fruit) bind up the shoots of those three Eyes which you were ordered to leave, as the most probable to be bearers that year, as in June you will discover. When the fruit is of the size of birding shot, break off the branches with your hand at the second joint above the fruit; and tie the rest to the prop: I say, you must break, not cut your Vines, because wounds made now with a knife or sharper instrument, are not so apt to heal; and therefore the season for this work is in the very heat of the day when they are apt for consolidation, without prejudice to the fruit. But it is not regularly till the fourth year that you can expect any store of fruit; when governing your Vineyard as before you are directed, fail not of a due provision of props sufficient for your whole plantation.   

CHAP. VI How to order, and cultivate the Vineyard after the first four years till it needs renewing.  
THe following years after the first bearing, you will likely have three or four shoots to every Plant. In January therefore, or December, prune all away save the strongest, which you may leave for a standard about four or five foot high, cutting the rest very close to the body of the Mother-plant; (I mean such as are small and trifling shoots) reserving such as you find about the bigness of an handsome reed, to which you shall leave two or three eyes next the ground. Then apply a prop to every of your Vines, and tie to them the Master shoots which you were ordered to leave four foot high, with some tender Oziers' about one foot from the Earth, bending the top of these shoots to the next prop, about two foot from the ground, that so your ranks may stand in form of Arches, whilst the eyes that you spared now in dressing, shall the May following, be bound to the props for the next years bearing, to the great increase of your fruit: Then in May, or the beginning of June (when the little raisins are of the bigness before mentioned) stop their second joint above the fruit as you were there taught, but be careful to leave the strongest shoot to be the standard plant of the year ensuing.  
In August, when the fruit gins to turn and ripen, break off such shoots as you shall find too thick upon those you pruned in May; but this work you must do with discretion, and only so as to le● in the Sun for the ripening of the over shadowed Clusters, which you ought to leave screened with some of the foliage, as well to preserve your fruit from the scorching of the Sun, by day, as the dews which fall in the night, to both whose invasions it is obnoxious.  
And now observe, that the standards you last tied to the props at a foothigh, and whose tops were bend to be next, will the following year be grown Old wood: In the first Pruning season therefore, or January after, remember to cut them close to the ground, supplying the places with the strongest shoot of your young wood, which you left four foot high for the purpose, and which you must order as you have been taught the year before; pruning the restat the very Earth, and leaving two eyes to each of the strongest shoots as is there rehearsed: And now give your Vineyard an ordinary digging with the same care of the master-roots, and till the season of this work, you may permit your props to stand.  
We the more insist upon an early pruning, to hinder their bleeding; though some are of opinion, that this superfluity of Vines, preserving the young and forward shoots the backwarder in April, prevents the blasts of May; for this cause many will not cut their plants till March, but they spend too much of their Vigour in these late amputations, and are as much in danger of blasting for want of competent strength to support the tender shoots; whereas pruned in November or the following month, they never bleed, but being cut before the rising of the sap, their wounds become hard and dry; and the spirits of the Plant kept in, makes them break out the more vigorously at the eyes, furnishing the branches with proud and turgid buds.   

CHAP. VII. How, and when to manure your Vineyard with Compost.  
WHen through often stirring, you find your Vineyard poor, (which the weakness of your crop will soon discover) Prune your Vines as you are instructed; and spread good rotten dung mixed with lime, over the whole ground; let this lie a full winter, that the virtue of it may be washed into the Earth, and this way of Stercoration is infinitely to be preferred before the digging, and mingling it with your mould: But if you will have it in prefection, lay your materials in a large heap, in some convenient place near your Vineyard: A layer of fresh and natural Earth taken from the Surface, and another of dung a pretty deal thicker; then a layer of Earth again, and so successively, mingling a load of lime to every ten loads of dung, will make an admirable Compost for the purpose; but your Magazine will require the maturity of two or three years, and to b● covered with the former qualified Earth, and somewhat shaded, so as neither the Sun too much draw from it, nor the violent reins too much dilute it.  
With this Composition, after you have (as we advised) pruned your Vines (for which the months of January and February may be allowed) dung your whole Vineyard; About thirty Loads I suppose may well dress an Acre; but lay, and spread it equally, and then you may turn it in, with a slight digging, but not too deep; and shall in a short time find it as light and tractable as the freshest Forth, which property we ascribe to the Lime. When this is done, re-establish your props, and with your foot tread the Earth close to the roots, to defend their fibers from the dry winds of March, which will even penetrate the loser mould; but this work should be performed in a dry, not in a wet season; lest the Earth bind too fast, and for other obvious reasons.  
And thus I have showed how Vineyards in England may be Planted, governed, and perpetuated with undoubted success, omitting theless material curiosities to the larger Volumes, and those who have more leisure (I fear) than skill.    

TO THE READER.  
LEt the Reader be pleased to take notice, that I have not only endeavoured to furnish all lovers of these Plantations with the best Instructions I am able concerning the choice and propagation of Vines; but myself also with so plentiful a Stock of Sets and Plants of all those Sorts which I chief recommend, that those who have a desire to Store their Grounds, may receive them of me at very reasonable Rates.  
FINIS.