| By Author | [ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Other Symbols ] |
| By Title | [ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Other Symbols ] |
| By Language |
|
Download this book: [ ASCII ] Look for this book on Amazon Tweet |
Title: The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) : $b Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell.
Author: M, G
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.
*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) : $b Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell." ***
SECOND BOOKE) ***
Transcriber’s Note
Spellings are inconsistent, especially the use of ée and ee. Words
remain as presented in the original, including the use of u/v and i/j.
Note that while the title page and contents reference a “Tretise, called
Goodmens Recreation” regarding angling and the fighting cocke [sic]
this content was not in the original scan and thus is not included here.
THE
Second Booke of the
English Husbandman.
* * * * *
CONTAYNING
the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden,
and the Planting of strange Flowers:
the breeding of all manner of CATTELL.
Together with the Cures, the feeding of
_Cattell, the Ordering both of Pastures and_
Meddow-ground: with the vse both
of high-wood and vnder-wood.
_WHEREVNTO IS ADDED_
a TREATISE, called _Goodmens Recreation_:
Contayning a Discourse of the generall Art
of Fishing, with the Angle, and otherwise;
and of all the hidden secrets belonging
thereunto.
_TOGETHER_
With the Choyce, Ordering, Breeding, and Dyeting
of the fighting Cocke.
A worke neuer written before by any Author.
* * * * *
By G. M.
* * * * *
LONDON:
Printed by _T.S._ for _Iohn Browne_, and are to be sould at his
shop in _S. Dunstanes_ Church-yard in Fleetstreet. 1614.
[Illustration]
A Table of all the principall matters contayned in this Booke.
* * * * *
CHAP. I.
How the Husbandman shall iudge and fore-know all kinde of weather, and
other seasons of the yeere.
_Of Raine._
_Signes from clouds._
_Signes from the Moone._
_Signes from the Sun._
_Signes from Lightning._
_Signes from Fowle._
_Signes from Beasts._
_Signes from things without Motion._
_Signes of much Raine._
_Signes of Snow or Hayle._
_Signes of Winde._
_Signes of Tempests._
_Signes of faire weather._
_Signes of Winter._
_Signes of the Spring._
_Signes of a hot summer._
_Signes of a long winter._
_Signes of a forward or backward yeere._
_Signes of a good or bad yeere._
_Signes from Christmas day._
_Signes from the sunne rising._
_Signes from the twelue dayes in Christmas._
_Signes from _S. Paules_ day._
_Signes from _Maudlin_ and _S. Switthens_ day,
if Corne shall be cheap or deere._
_Signes from Thunder._
_Signes of sickenesse or health._
_The preseruation of health._
* * * * *
CHAP. II.
The choyse of Grounds for the Kitchin-Garden, and the ordering thereof.
The Contents.
_The choyce of Ground._
_The bettering of Grounds._
_The trenching of Grounds._
_Of breaking the Garden-mould._
_Ordering of Garden-beds._
_Of the fruitfull soyle._
_The necessariest ornament in a Garden._
* * * * *
CHAP. III.
Of the Sowing and Ordering of all manner Pot Hearbes.
The Contents.
_Of all sorts of Pot-hearbs._
_Of Endiue and Succory._
_Of Beets._
_Of Land-Cresses._
_Of Parcely._
_Of Sauory._
_Of Time._
_Of French Mallowes, and Cheruil._
_Of Dill._
_Of Issop._
_Of Mints._
_Of Violets._
_Of Basill._
_Of Sweet Marioram and Marigolds._
_Of Strawburyes._
_Of Borrage and Buglosse._
_Of Rosemary._
_Of Pennyroyall._
_Of Leekes._
_Of Onyons._
_Of gathering Onyon-seeds, or the Onyon._
* * * * *
CHAP. IIII.
Of sowing of certaine Hearbes which are to be eaten, but especially are
medicinall, yet euer in the Husbandmans Garden.
The Contents.
_Of Arage._
_Of Lumbardy Louage._
_Of Fennell._
_Of Anyse._
_Of Comyn._
_Of Colyander._
_Of Rue._
_Of Organy._
_Of white Poppye._
_Of Germander._
_Of Cardus Benedictus._
_Of Angelica._
_Of Valerian._
_Of Elecampana._
_Of Pepper-wort._
_Of Phylipendula._
* * * * *
CHAP. V.
Of diuer sorts of Sallet-Hearbes, their manner of Sowing and Ordering.
The Contents.
_Of Lettuce._
_Of Spinage._
_Of Sparagus._
_Of Colworts._
_Of Sage._
_Of Purslaine._
_Of Artichocks._
_Of Garlicke._
_Of Raddish._
_Of Nauewe._
_Of Parsenips and Carrets._
_Of Pompions or Mellons._
_Of Cowcumbers._
_Of the Beanes of Ægipt._
_Of Skerrets._
_A most necessary obseruation._
* * * * *
CHAP. VI.
Of Flowers of all sorts, both forraine and home-bred, their sowing,
planting, and preseruing.
The Contents.
_Of Roses._
_Of the Damaske Rose._
_Of the redde Rose._
_Of the white Rose._
_Of the Cynamon Rose._
_To make the Cynamon Rose grow double._
_Of the Prouence Rose._
_To make Roses smell well._
_Generall notes touching Roses._
_Of Lauender._
_Of the white Lilly._
_To make Lillies of any colour._
_To make Lillies flourish all the yere._
_Of the wood Lilly._
_Of the Flowre de Lice._
_Of Pyonye._
_Of Petiluis._
_Of veluet Flowers._
_Of Gilly-Flowers._
_Of grafting of Gilly-Flowers._
_Of the smels of Gilly-Flowers._
_Of the wall Gilly-Flower._
_Of the Hellytropian._
_Of the Crowne Emperiall._
_Of the Dulippo._
_Of the Hyacinth._
_Of the Narcissus._
_Of the Daffadill, Columbine, and Chesbole._
_An excellent Caution._
_A new manner of planting Flowers and Fruits._
* * * * *
CHAP. VII.
How to preserue all manner of Seeds, Hearbs, Flowers, and Fruits, from
all manner of noysome and pestilent things, which deuoure and hurt them.
The Contents.
_Of Thunder and Lightning._
_Of Caterpillers._
_Of Toads and Frogs._
_Of the field Mice._
_Of Flies._
_Of the greene Flie._
_Of Gnats._
_Of Pissemires._
_Of Moales._
_Of Snayles._
_Of Moathes._
_Of Canckers._
_Of Garden wormes._
_An excellent experiment._
_The Conclusion of the Kitchin-Garden._
[Illustration]
The Table of the second part of the second Booke. Contayning the
Ordering of all sorts of VVoods, and the breeding of Cattell.
* * * * *
CHAP. I.
Of the beginning of VVoods, first sowing, and necessary vse.
The Contents.
_Wood better then Gold._
_The excellent vses of Wood._
_The plantation of Wood._
_The fencing of young Woods._
_When Cattel may graze in springs._
_The vse of the Clay-ground for Woods._
_A speciall note._
* * * * *
CHAP. II.
The deuision of vnder-Woods, their sale and profit.
The Contents.
_The deuision of Woods._
_The value of vnderwood._
_Of the sale of vnderwoods._
_How to cut vnderwoods._
_The fencing of sales._
_The Woodwards duty._
* * * * *
CHAP. III.
Of High woods, and their plantation.
The Contents.
_What High-woods are._
_The beginning of highwoods._
_The plantation of your highwoods._
_Of planting the Elme._
_Of planting the Ash._
_Obiection._
_Answere._
* * * * *
CHAP. IIII.
The preseruation and sale of High woods.
The Contents.
_Of Trees which take wet inwardly._
_Of Barke-bound._
_Of Hornets and Dores._
_Of the Canker._
_Of Pissemires._
_Of Iuye, Woodbine, and Mysselto._
_Of Thunder and Lightning._
_Of the sale of tall Woods._
_How to chuse Timbers._
_Of Mill Timber._
_Of Timber to beare burthen._
_Timber for Poales, Wainescot, &c._
_Timber for Piles or water workes._
_The vse of the Elme._
_The vse of the Ashe._
_The vse of the Walnut tree._
_The vse of the Peare-tree._
_The vse of the Maple, Beech, or Poplar._
_Of Char-coale._
_How to valew Tymber._
_How to measure Timber by guesse._
_Best seasons for the sale._
_The time for Chapmen._
_When to cut downe Tymber._
* * * * *
CHAP. V.
Of the breeding of Wood in rich Champaine Soyles.
The Contents.
_How to set all sorts of Quick-sets._
_Planting of greater Trees._
_Of the setting of Willowes, &c._
_The vse of Willowes, Sallowes, and Oziers._
_The ordering of Willowes._
_The ordering of the Ozier._
* * * * *
CHAP. VI.
Of plashing of Hedges, and lopping or heading of Timber.
The Contents.
_VVhat plashing is._
_How to plash._
_The time of yeere._
_The tooles to plash with._
_The profit of plashing._
_The lopping of Timber._
_What lopping is._
_The season for lopping._
_How you shall loppe Timber._
* * * * *
CHAP. VII.
Of Pasture grounds, their order, profit, and generall vse.
The Contents.
_Diuersitie and vse of Pastures._
_Of barraine Pastures._
_Signes of barrainnesse._
_Bettering of Soyles._
_Sowing of good seeds._
_For abundance of grasse._
_The imperfection of meanure._
_To helpe a slow Spring._
_To helpe naughty grasse._
_To helpe Sunne-burning._
_To helpe ling or braken._
_To helpe marrishes._
_To helpe mossinesse._
_The generall vse of barraine grounds._
_What Cattell to be bred._
_Of fertile grounds._
_Deuision of rich grounds._
_Vse of rich grounds._
_Ordering of Pastures._
_Feeding of Cattell._
_How to know a fat beast._
_Of Meddowes, and their ordering._
_Preseruation of Meddowes._
_VVhen to lay Meddowes._
_VVhen to mowe Meddowes._
_Inclination of weather._
_The manner to mow Meddowes._
_How to make Hay._
_To make fine Hay._
_To make course Hay._
_Vse of Hay for Cattell of all sorts._
* * * * *
CHAP. VIII.
A new method of the Husbandly curing of all manner of Cattell.
The Contents.
_The reason of this Chapter._
_All diseases to be cured with twelue medicines._
Of inward sicknesses.
_The first medicine._
_The second medicine._
Of outward diseases.
_The third medicine._
_The fourth medicine._
_The fift medicine._
_The sixt medicine._
_The seauenth medicine._
_The eyght medicine._
_The ninth medicine._
_The tenth medicine._
_The eleauenth medicine._
_The twelfth medicine._
_Diseases in the feet._
_Diseases in the priuie parts, or for stifling._
The end of the Table for Husbandry.
[Illustration]
Of Angling.
CHAP. I.
Of Angling: the Vertue, Vse, and Antiquitie.
The Contents.
_The Vse of Angling._
_The Antiquitie of Angling._
* * * * *
CHAP. II.
Of the Tooles, and Implements for Angling.
The Contents.
_Of the Angle-rodde._
_Of the toppe of the Angle-rodde._
_The Angle-rodde of one piece._
_The Angle-rodde of many pieces._
_Of Lines._
_Of colouring of Lines._
_Of the Corke._
_Of Angle Hookes._
_Of other Implements for Anglers._
* * * * *
CHAP. III.
Of the Anglers cloathes, and inward qualities.
The Contents.
_Of the ANGLERS Apparell._
_Anglers Vertues._
_Certaine Cautions._
CHAP. IIII.
Of the seasons to Angle in.
The Contents.
_The Anglers manner of standing._
_The best seasons to Angle in._
_Seasons ill to Angle in._
_Of Fishes haunts._
_Obiection._
_Answere._
* * * * *
CHAP. V.
Of Baits in generall, and of euery particular kinde, their seasons and
vse.
The Contents.
_Seasons for bayts._
_Of Flyes._
_The making of Flyes._
_Preseruation of Bayts._
_Of making Pastes._
* * * * *
CHAP. VI.
Of Angling for euery seuerall kinde of Fish, according to their natures.
The Contents.
_Of the Goodgin, Roche, and Dace._
_Of the Carpe._
_Of the Chub, Cheuin, or Trout._
_Of the Eele._
_Of the Flounder or Sewant._
_Of the Grayling or Barbell._
_Of the Breame._
_Of the Tench._
_Of the Bleke, Ruffe, or Perch._
_Of the Pyke._
_Of Snyckling of the Pyke._
_Of the Salmon._
CHAP. VII.
Of taking Fish without Angles, and of laying Hookes.
* * * * *
CHAP. VIII.
Of preseruing Fish from all sorts of deuourers.
* * * * *
CHAP. IX.
Of ordering of Ponds for the preseruation of Fish.
* * * * *
CHAP. X.
Of the best Water-Lime.
[Illustration]
Of the fighting Cocke.
* * * * *
CHAP. I.
Of the Choyce, Ordering, Breeding, and Dyeting of the fighting Cocke.
The Contents.
_The choyce of the Cocke for battell._
_The breeding of the battell Cocke._
_The dyeting of Cockes for battell._
_Of taking vp Cockes._
_Of the Cocke-penne._
_Of his dyet._
_Of sparring of Cockes._
_The stouing of Cockes._
_Of the best dyet-bread._
_Of the best scowring._
_The matching of Cockes._
_The preparing Cockes to the fight._
_The ordering of Cockes after the battell, and the curing them._
FINIS.
[Illustration]
THE FIRST PART of the second BOOKE of the English Husbandman:
Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-garden, and the planting of
strange FLOVVERS.
CHAP. I.
How the Husbandman shall iudge and fore-know all kinde of Weathers, and
other seasons of the yeere.
Although GOD out of his infinite prouidence, is the onely directer and
ruler of all things, gouerning the yéeres, dayes, minutes and seasons
of the yeere according to the power of his Will: yet for as much as hee
hath giuen vs his Creatures, and placed the Celestiall bodies to holde
their influences in vs, and all things else which haue increasement,
reuealing vnto vs from their motions, the alteration and qualities of
euery season, it shall be very behouefull for euery Husbandman to know
the signes and tokens of euery particular season, as when it is likely
to Raine, when Snow, when Thunder, when the Winds will rise, when the
Winter will rage, & when the Frosts will haue the longest continuance,
that fashioning his labours, according to the temperature or
distemperature of the weather, hee may with good iudgement and aduise,
eschew many euils which succéede rash and vnfore-looking actions.
[Sidenote: Of Rayne.]
To speake then first of the generall signes of Raine, you shall
vnderstand that the olde Husbandmen did obserue rules generall, and
rules speciall: the generall rules were such as concerned eyther all,
most, or a great part of the whole yéere: the rules speciall, those
which concerned dayes, houres, and times present: of which I will first
speake in this place.
[Sidenote: Signes from Clouds.]
If therefore you shall at any time perceiue a Cloud rising from the
lowest part of the Horizon, and that the maine body be blacke and
thicke, and his beames (as it were) Curtaine-wise, extending vpward,
and driuen before the windes: it is a certaine and infallible signe of
a present showre of Raine, yet but momentary and soone spent, or passed
ouer: but if the Cloud shall arise against the Winde, and as it were
spread it selfe against the violence of the same, then shall the Raine
be of much longer continuance.
[Sidenote: Signes from the Moone.]
If when you sée the new Moone appeare, you perceiue that some part
of her Hornes are obscured, or if it be black, or discoulored in the
middest: if it hang much to the West, if it be compast or girdled
about, eyther with thicke, or waterish transparent vapours: if it
looke more then ordinarily pale, or if it shall beginne to raine small
and mist-like on the fourth or fift day of her age, all these are
infallible signes of Raine, and the last an assured signe that the
Raine will continue all that quarter of the Moone following.
[Sidenote: Signes from the Sunne.]
If you shall sée the Sunne rise earely in the Morning, and spread forth
his Beames violently, yet with a very moyst and waterish complexion,
and there-withall in the West you doe sée a bedde of thicke vapours to
arise, increase and ascend vpward, then shall you bee assured that at
high noone, when those vapours and the Sunne shall méet, there will be
raine, and that raine of no short continuance: If you shall sée the
Sunne rise red, and turne sodainely blacke, if it haue many red clouds
about it mixt with blackenesse, if it haue a spacious Circle about it,
or if when it setteth you sée it fall behinde a banke of darke and
blacke Cloudes, they be all most certaine and infallible signes of
raine, which will presently follow.
[Sidenote: Signes from the Lightning.]
If it lighten at noone, or any time whilest the Sunne shineth, eyther
with Thunder or without thunder, or if it lighten in fayre weather, or
if it lighten more then it thundereth, all are most certaine signes of
raine which will follow.
[Sidenote: Signes from Fowle.]
If you shall perceiue water-Fowle to bathe much: if the Crow wet her
head at the water brimme, or if shée wade into the water, or if she
shall cry and call much: if the Rauen shall croake with a hollow or
sounding voyce: if the house-Cocke shall crow at all houres: if Pigions
shall come home late to the Doue-house: if Sparrowes shall chyrpe and
cry earely in the morning: if Bées flye not farre from their Hyues:
if Flies and small Gnats bite sharpe and sore, all are most certaine
signes of raine, which will presently follow.
[Sidenote: Signes from Beasts.]
If you shall perceiue your Oxen to eate more gréedily, and with a more
earnest stomacke then their vsuall custome: if your Kine gaze and looke
much vpward: if Swine shall play and gambole vp and downe: if Horses
being at grasse shall scope, course, and chase one another: or if the
Cat shall wash behinde her eare, all are certaine signes of raine to
follow.
[Sidenote: Signes from things without motion.]
If Salt turne moyst standing in dry places, if Channels, Vaults, and
common Sewers stincke more then vsuall: if Bels seeme to sound louder
then they were wont: if the Tazell at any time close vp his pricks: if
Soote fall much from the Chimney: If oyle shall sparkle much when it
burneth, or if Marble, Pauing-stone, or other wals shall sweat, or be
much moyst, all are most ineuitable signes of rayne which will follow.
[Sidenote: Signes of much Raine.]
If Raine, when it falleth, make great bubbles, or such a noyse as is
not ordinary: or if raine fall mildely, small, and mist-like: or if
rayne fall in a calme when no winde stirreth: or if when it rayneth you
cannot perceiue the Racke or Clouds to moue: if Pullen flye to their
roust assoone as the raine begins: if the Raine-bow stretch towards
the South, or if it doe reflect and shéedoole: if you shall sée one or
more Weather-gals which are like Raine-bowes, onely they arise from the
Horison but a small way vpward, all these are most certaine signes of
much raine that will follow.
[Sidenote: Signes of Snow or Haile.]
If blacke Clouds shall turne sodainely white: if about eyther the Sunne
or Moone be pale, and waterish Circles, or that they séeme to shine
as through a miste: if the Ayre be thicke and extreame cold without
frosts: if with the signes of raine be mixt signes of cold also, or if
windes be nipping and extreame sharp, all are most certaine tokens that
Snow or Hayle will follow presently after.
[Sidenote: Signes of winde.]
If when the Sunne setteth it looketh red and fiery, and that all that
part of the Horizon looke red also, or if it looke blewish, or séeme
greater then his ordinary proportion: If the Moone doe blush or looke
high colloured, if the Racke ride high, and the Firmament be much
vaulted: if Woods and Hils séeme to make a noyse: if the Stars séeme
to shine brighter then vsuall: if it shall thunder in Winter, or if it
thunder without lightning: if Bels be heard farre off with more ease
then accustomed, and presently in the same instant be not heard at all:
If Cobwebs flye much in the ayre: If Hernes or Heronshoes cry much in
their flying: If fire sparkle much, or if wood or Wainscot cracke much,
all these are most certaine signes of much winde that will follow after.
[Sidenote: Signes of tempests.]
If you shall perceiue the Morning or Euening Sunne, eyther in the
Sommer or in the Autumne, to shine hotter or to scortch more then
accustomed, when the ayre is prest with an extreame blacke cloude,
or with many clouds, if you perceiue whirlewindes to blow oft and
violently: if you sée the Raine-bow shall appeare in the West without
raine: if you sée flames and meteors flashing in the ayre, or if the
Porpus shall be séene in the fresh Riuer, all are most certaine signes
of thunder, lightnings and tempests, which will follow.
[Sidenote: Signes of faire weather.]
If the Sun rise gray and cléere in the morning, and likewise setteth
without darkenesse, not loosing a minute in the declination: if the
euening skye be ruddy and not fierie, more purple then skarlet: if the
Moone be cléere when it is foure or fiue dayes olde: if it lighten
after Sunne-set without thunder: if the dewe fall in great abundance
and in the rising ascend vp to the mountaines: if the North winde blow
strong: if the Owle doe whup much and not scrytch: if flyes at night
play much in the Suns beames: if Crowes flocke much together, and
cakell and talke: if Bats flye busily vp and downe after Sunne-set,
if you sée Cranes flye high, and water-Fowle make their haunts farre
off from the water, all these are most certaine signes of very faire
weather which will follow after.
[Sidenote: Signes of Winter.]
If water-Fowle forsake the Water: if the Nightingale sing more then
other Birds, if Cranes flocke together, if Géese fight for their
féeding place, or if Sparrowes call very earely in the Morning, any of
these are certaine signes that winter is néere at hand.
[Sidenote: Signes of the Spring.]
If the West winde blowe freshly Morning and Euening: if the colde abate
and loose much of his vigor, if Swallowes begin to come in and flye
busily about, if the brest-bone of the Mallard or Woodcocke looke white
and cléere, any of these are certaine signes that the Spring is at hand.
[Sidenote: Signes of a hot Sommer.]
If the Ramme ride in the Spring, and shew more then an vsuall lust: if
the Spring haue beene very extraordinarily colde, or if Mildewes fall
not in the Woodland-Countryes, any of these are certaine signes of a
hot Summer to follow after.
[Sidenote: Signes of a long Winter.]
If you shall sée the Oake leaden with Akornes: if the brest-bone of the
Mallard when he is kild looke red: if Hornets be séene after the end
October, or if Cattell doe trample and tread the earth much, making
it myrie, or like a new plowde field: any of these are most certaine
signes that the Winter will be sharpe, long, and cruell.
[Sidenote: Signes of a forward or backward yeer.]
If there fall much Raine before October, by meanes whereof many
inundations doe follow, and that such wet lye long aboue ground: it
is a most infallible token that the yéere will be very forward: but
if the wet doe fall after October then it is a signe that the yéere
will be indifferent, but and if the wet fall after Nouember, then it
is held for most certaine that the yéere will fall out very slacke and
backeward.
[Sidenote: Signes of a good or bad yeere.]
If the Oke Apples, when they are opened, bréed flyes, or if Haruest be
seasonable, and the Spring warme: if Snow fall in February: if Broome
put forth great store of Flowers: if the Walnut-trée haue more blossoms
then leaues: if the flower of the Sea-Onion wither not quickly, or if
the Spring be preserued from frosts and blasting, then any of these are
certaine signes that the yéere will proue passing good and fruitfull:
but if the Oake Apple bréede instéed of a Flye a Spyder: if Comets or
Meteors oppresse the Ayre: if the Sommer fall out vnnaturally moyst:
if the dewes when they fall at the rising of the Sunne descend to the
Riuers: if frosts come in vnseasonable times: if wood-Birds flye to the
plaines, and refuse couert: if the Sunne haue his whole body, or at
least thrée parts Ecclipsed: when Corne beginneth to bloome, and is not
fully Kirneld, then any of these be most certaine signes that the yéere
will proue bad, barrayne, & fruitlesse.
[Sidenote: Signes from Christmas day.]
Againe, if Christmas day shall fall vpon the Sunday, the yéere shall be
good, seasonable and abounding with all store and plenty: if it fall
vpon Munday the yéere shall be reasonable temperate and fruitfull,
onely something subiect to inundation of waters, losse by shipwracke,
and some mortality of people, especially women in childbearing: if it
fall vpon Tuesday, the yéere will proue very barraine and vnfruitfull,
much dearth will raigne, and amongst people great plague and
mortallitie: if it fall vpon Wednesday, the yéere shall be reasonably
seasonable, though a little inconstant: there shall be plenty of all
things, onely much sickenesse, and great likelyhood of warres: if it
fall vpon the Thursday, the yéere shall be generally very temperate
and wholesome, onely the Sommer subiect to moistnesse, much deuision
is like to fall amongst the Clergie, and women shall be giuen to more
laciuiousnesse then at other seasons: if it fall on the Friday, the
yéere shall be barraine and vnwholesome, for sickenesse shall rage with
great violence, much mortallitie shall fall amongst yong Children,
and both Corne and Cattell shall be scarce, and of a déere reckoning:
if it fall on the Saturday, the yéere shall be reasonably good and
plentifull, onely the people of the world shall be excéeding peruerse,
& much giuen to mutinie & dissention one against another.
[Sidenote: Signes from the Sunne rising.]
Againe, if the Sunne rise without impediment, and shine bright and
cléere vpon Christmas day, the yéere will be very plentifull: if it
rise likewise cléere the second day in Christmas, then Corne will fall
in price: if it rise cléere the third day in Christmas, there will
onely be dissention in the Church: if on the fourth day, it foreshewes
trouble vnto yong persons: if on the fift day, it shewes that many
good things will increase: if on the sixt, doubtlesse euery Garden
will bring forth great plenty: if on the seauenth, then is much dearth
and scarcitie to be feared: if it shine cléere on the eyght day in
Christmas, then there is likely to be great store of Fish: if on the
ninth, it will doubtles proue a good yéere for all manner of Cattell:
if on the tenth, the yéere is likely to yéeld much cause of mourning:
if on the eleauenth, there will fall much fogges, thicke mistes, and
great infection will follow after. Lastly, if the Sunne shine cléere
the twelfth day after Christmas, it fore-shewes much warre and troubles,
with great losse and bloudshed.
[Sidenote: Signes from the twelue dayes in Christmas.]
Againe, according to these former obseruations, you shall vnderstand,
that what weather shall fall or be on the sixe and twentieth day of
December, the like weather shall be all the moneth of Ianuary after,
what shall be on the seauen and twentieth of December, the like shall
be all the moneth of February following: what weather shall be on the
eight and twentieth day of December, the like weather shall be all
March following: what weather shall be the nine and twentieth day of
December, the same shall be all Aprill after: what on the thirtieth,
the same all May: what on the one and thirtieth the like all Iune
following: what weather shall fall on the first of Ianuary, the same
shall be all Iuly after: what on the second of Ianuary, the same all
August after: what on the third, the same all September after: what on
the fourth, the same all October following: what on the fift, the same
all Nouember after, and what weather shall fall on the sixt of Ianuary,
which is Twelft-day, the same weather shall fall all December following.
[Sidenote: Signes from Saint _Pauls_ day.]
Againe, if Saint _Pauls_ day proue fayre, dry and bright, it
foresheweth plenty of all things the yéere following: but if it be
misty then it shewes great dearth of Cattell. If there fall vpon that
day Snow or Raine, then it shewes Famine and Want of Corne, but if it
be windy, tempestuous, or if it thunder, then it sheweth that great
warres will follow.
[Sidenote: Signes from _Maudlin_, and Saint _Swythens_ day.]
Againe, looke what quantitie of raine falleth eyther on _Mary Maudlins_
day, or on Saint _Swithens_ day, be it more or lesse, the same
proportion will fall for the space of forty dayes after: but if these
two dayes be fayre and dry all the time of Haruest will be so also.
[Sidenote: If Corne shall be cheape or deare.]
Now if you will know whether Corne shall be cheape or déere, take
twelue principall graynes of Wheate out of the strength of the eare,
vpon the first day of Ianuary, and when the harth of your Chimney
is most hot, swéepe it cleane, then make a stranger lay one of those
Graynes on the hot hearth, then marke it well, and if it leape a
little, Corne shall be reasonably cheape, but if it leape much then
Corne shall be excéeding cheape, but if it lye still and moue not, then
the price of Corne shall stand, and continue still for that Moneth: and
thus you shall vse your twelue Graines, the first day of euery Moneth
one after another, that is to say, euery Moneth one Graine, and you
shall know the rising and falling of Corne in euery Moneth, all the
yéere following.
[Sidenote: Signes from Thunder.]
If it shall thunder much the first Sunday of the New-yéere, it shewes
great death and mortallitie amongst learned men: if it thunder the
first Munday, it shewes great death of women, and many Eclipses of the
Sunne: if it thunder on the first Tuesday, it shewes plenty of Corne,
but much Warre and dissention: if it thunder on the first Wednesday,
it shewes mortallitie and death amongst the worst sort of people, both
Male and Female, besides much Warre and bloudshed: if it thunder on the
first Thursday in the New-yéere, it sheweth much plenty of Corne that
will follow: if it thunder on the first Friday, it betokeneth the losse
of great personages, and men of authoritie, many affrayes and murthers,
with much perill and danger. Lastly, if it thunder vpon the first
Saturday in the New-yéere, it foresheweth onely a generall plague and
infection, which shall raigne with strong violence.
[Sidenote: Signes of sicknes or health.]
If you shall perceiue the Summer and Spring time to fall out very
moyst and rainy, without winde, yet in their owne natures very hot &
scortching, or if the Southerne or Southwest-winde blow much without
raine: if many fogs and mists fall in the Morning, and ouercome the
Sunnes beames at noone also: if the Sunne suffer any large Eclipse:
if Autumne and Winter be more foggy then moyst or cold: if the Dowe
or Leauen, of which you mould your bread, doe quickely mould and
cleaue together without labour: if Dogs runne madde, if Birds forsake
their nests: if Shéepe rot: if Fennes, Marrish-grounds, and muddy
places abound with Frogges: if Mud-wals bréede Swine lice or Sowes:
if Moales forsake the earth: if the small Pocks or Meazels be rife
and abound in the Spring time, or if women generally doe miscarry in
childe-bedde, any of these are most certaine signes of much sickenesse
and mortallitie that will follow the yéere after: and all such signes
as are directly contrarie to any of these, as if the Summer and Spring
doe fall out drye and windy: if the South or Southwest-winde bring with
it euer rayne: if no fogs or mists oppresse the ayre, and so forth of
all the rest which are before shewed, are most certaine and infallible
tokens of a very wholesome and healthfull yéere, which will euer follow
after.
[Sidenote: The preseruation of health.]
Now for the preseruation of your health, and to preuent all such
sickenesses as are incident to follow in these casuall and daungerous
yéeres: through euery seuerall moneth in the yéere you shall obserue
these few precepts.
First, in the month of Ianuary you shall forbeare to let bloud, vnlesse
vpon violent extreamitie, & that the signes be excéeding good for the
same, you shall drinke white wine in the morning fasting, & rub your
head with a course Towell very hard, but yet cleane, for it is a most
wholesom friction.
In the month of February, you shall not let bloud for wantonnesse, but
néede: you shall forbeare Hearbe-pottage, for at that time onely they
are least wholesome: you shall kéepe the soles of your féete from wet,
and vse euery morning your former friction.
In the moneth of March, the signe being good, you may let bloud
according to your youth, strength, and necessitie: you may take hot and
swéet meats and drinkes, especially Almonds, Figs & Reyzins, & vse also
your former friction.
In the month of Aprill, you may bléed as in the month of March: in it
also you may purge, by the order of a learned directer: let your dyet
be hot and fresh meats, and your drinke temperate: also in this moneth
your former friction is excéeding wholesome.
In the month of May be no sluggard, for the bed is vnwholesome,
cléerified Way is this moneth a most soueraigne drinke, and Sage
with swéet Butter is a most excellent breakefast: yong Lettuce is an
approued good Sallet, and the inthrals or offall of Beasts would by all
meanes be refused, it is also good to let bloud in this month onely for
necessitie, and not for pleasure, and beware by all means, not to go
wetshooed in the dew of the morning.
In the month of Iune obserue the dyet of May, or if you be of youthfull
bloud it is not amisse if it be a little cooler, and for bléeding let
it be for vrgent necessitie.
In the month of Iuly eschew all wanton bed-sport: and if each morning
you take of draught of clarified Butter-Milke it is very wholesome: vse
coole Iulyps, and meats that are fresh, and not stirring: now forbeare
Lettice, and bléede not, except it be in cause of great extreamitie.
In the month of August forbeare all manner of Worts, and Cabadges, and
generally all meats and Spices which are hot and inflaming: but by
any meanes bléed not at all, except by the direction of most approued
learning.
In the month of September you may eate any sort of ripe Fruits: you
may bathe in hot bathes, for colde causes, at your pleasure, and you
may let bloud according to your necessitie: those foods are best which
are of lightest disgestion, and those drinkes most wholesome which are
rather strong then scouring.
In the moneth of October, spare not any bloud, except great extreamitie
compell you, and for your dyet, let it be of such foods as are most
strong and nourishing, and your drinke Béere or Ale, of indifferent
strength, and now and then at the midst, and end of meales, a
draught or two of such Wines as are pleasant, strong, and wholesome:
Sallets of Flowers, preserued in Vinegar & Sugar, as either Violets,
Broome-flowers, or Gelly-flowers of all kindes, or Sampyre, Purslan, or
Beane-rods, preserued in pickell, are of excellent vse, both in this
moneth, and the other two which follow.
In the Moneth of Nouember open also no vaine, but for great néed,
because the blood is then gathered together into the principall
vessels: Bathing in this Moneth is vtterly to be refused, onely let
your body be kept warme, and euery colde humour or obstruction, rather
dissolued by moderate frictions, as is shewed in the moneth of Ianuary
and February, then by the violence of any other inward medicine.
Shell-Fish in this moneth is very wholesome, and so are all other sorts
of Fish, which are not too rawe or slymie.
In the Moneth of December blood-letting should be also forborne, except
vpon some especiall dayes, as after the fiue and twentieth day at the
soonest: and for your diet let it be meate which is hot and nourishing,
but by no meanes that which bréedeth melancholie bloud. Vse strong
Wine and sharpe Sauces: as for the warmth of your body, next vnto good
cloathing, let it euer procéed from exercise that is moderate, then
from toasting, or broiling your selfe against the fire, for in this
Month that body can hardly be sound whose shinnes are made pyde and
motley with the fiers scortching.
And thus much touching the experience of the English Husbandman in
these fore-knowledges, and ayming after the times to come, being
drawne from the obseruations and rules left vs by succession of times
of those learned Fathers, and other best knowne and approued in
these knowledges: yet I doe not binde euery Husbandman to make as it
were new Créeds of these Principles, but onely to giue them to his
memory, as things that will neither oppresse nor hurt it, and if in
any seldome-séene particularitie, any shall vary from the purpose of
the relation, to remember that there is aboue vs a God of all Truth
and Knowledge, who will dispose and gouerne all things, according to
his good Will and Pleasure: to which let euery Creature submit, in
as much as hee onely knoweth what is for mankinde most best and most
conuenient.
CHAP. II.
The choyce of ground for the Kitchin-garden, and the ordering thereof.
A Promise honest and profitable, being seriously made, I holde a sinne
capitall to neglect, especially where the goodnesse stretcheth it
selfe ouer a whole Kingdome: and hence I haue assumed to perfect both
my promise and my labour in building vp that weake foundation which
I formerly laid, of the English Husbandman: wherein, contrary to all
other Authors, I am neither beholden to _Pliny, Virgil, Columella,
Varo, Rutillius, Libault_, nor any other Forrainer, but onely to our
owne best experienst Countreymen, whose daily knowledge hath made
them most perfect in their professions: and what better instruction
can be had then that which we receiue from the professors, being men
of our owne neighbourhood, acquainted with our Climate and Soile, and
the necessary things agréeing with the bettering of the same: and not
resort, as our Translators haue done, to strangers helpe, who tels you
that you must meanure your ground with Asses dung, when our Kingdome
hath not so many foure-footed Asses as wil meanure one Acre, and many
such like things which our Kingdome affordeth not: therefore according
to the plaine true English fashion, thus I pursue my purpose.
[Sidenote: The choyce of Ground.]
Touching the choyse of Ground, I haue in the former part of this Booke
shewed you the true nature and goodnesse of euery seuerall Soyle: and
you are to vnderstand that the best Soyle is best for this purpose,
because it is least laborsome, and most profitable: yet notwithstanding
that some of our translated Authors doth vtterly disalow for Gardens
many Soyles, as namely, all Sands, all Chawkie earths, all Grauell, all
Earths like dust, and any Earth which chappeth or openeth in the heat
of Summer, by that meanes depriuing almost halfe our kingdome of the
benefit of Gardens, yet I assure you there is no Soyle whatsoeuer (if
it lye from the inundation of water, or be not absolutely boggy) but
with industry will beare any Fruit, Hearbe, or Flower, plentifully, and
without any casualtie procéeding from the barraines therof: witnes a
most worthy Garden in the barren Peake of _Darbyshire_, where there is
no curious Trée or Plant wanting, nor doe they flourish in any place
more brauely.
[Sidenote: The bettering of Grounds.]
[Sidenote: The trenching of Grounds.]
Now for mine owne part, I write generally to all Husbandmen, not to
those onely which liue in fertile and fat Soyles, and therefore I would
haue no man say, the Soyle where I liue is so barraine, that I cannot
haue a Garden: for if the Soyle wherein you liue, be barraine, then
shall you in the latter end of September breake vp your earth more then
a Spade-graft déepe, and be well assured that at euery Spade-graft you
breake the mould well, and leaue not the rootes of any wéeds within it,
then let it rest till the midst of October, at which time if any wéeds
appeare vpon it, by all meanes let them be pluckt vp by the roots,
which done, you shall trench your ground at least a yarde and a halfe
déepe, and then bury in those trenches, if it be a Sand or grauell
earth, great store of Oxe or Cow meanure, if it be a colde Chalkie
Clay, or a moyst ground, then great store of Horse meanure, of both
which meanures the oldest and rottenest is the best: but if you liue in
such a Soyle as there is neyther of these meanures bred therein, then
take straw of any kinde whatsoeuer, and spread it in the high-way where
there is much trauell, & when it is rotten with the beating of Horse
féet, then cause it to be shoueld vp, & with it fill your trenches,
but if Straw be wanting, then if you haue any muddy ditches or ponds,
scowre the mud out of them, & with it fill vp your trenches: & although
these are not so long lasting as the two first sorts of meanures,
yet they are sufficient to bring forth increase, & must supply where
necessity inforceth, alwayes hauing discretion when you sée your
ground abate in fruitfulnes, to replenish it with fresh meanure.
Now as you fill your trenches with meanure, let one mixe the earth
therewithall, and as it were blend and incorporate them together: thus
hauing gone ouer so much ground as you intend to plant or sowe vpon,
you shall let it rest till the midst of Ianuary, at which time you
shall breake it vp in trenches againe, but not aboue thrée quarters
of a yarde déepe, and then fill vp those trenches with meanure as
before, and lay your earth as leuell as is possible, & so let it rest
till the beginning of March (if the weather be seasonable for sowing
or planting) otherwise let it stay till mid-March, and as soone as the
Moone is changed you shall then dig it vp the fourth time, and make it
fit to receyue your séede, but in this fourth time of turning ouer your
earth, you shall dig it but a little better then a Spade-graft depth,
and euer as you dig it, mixe it with fresh meanure: if your ground be
subiect to much chapping or rining, then you shall at this last digging
mixe the earth with ashes and Horse meanure mixt together, which will
binde and holde the earth from chapping.
[Sidenote: Of breaking the Garden moulde.]
[Sidenote: Ordering of Garden-beds.]
After you haue digd your ground in this order, and made it leuell,
you shal with an Iron Rake breake the great clods of earth, and bring
it to as fine a mould as is possible, euer obseruing that if in the
breaking of the clods or otherwise, you perceiue the roots or stalks of
any wéeds to arise, you shall presently with your hand pull them out,
and cast them on heaps, that they may serue eyther for the fire or the
dunghill: which done, you shall tread out your beds in such orderly
sort, that you may passe from one to the other without eyther treading
vpon the beds, or striding ouer them: & thus much for the barraine &
sterrill ground, which although all ancient & late writers reiect, as
not worthy to be imployed to this vse, yet beléeue it, being husbanded
as is said before, it will equall in fruitfulnes the best ground.
[Sidenote: Of the fruitfull Soyle.]
Touching your rich and perfect grounds, which of themselues are apt
to put forth with little labour, you shall onely at the latter end
of September breake vp the Earth, and making greater Trenches, fill
them well with Oxe meanure, and then turning the Earth vpon the
meanure, leuell your ground very carefully, breake the clots and
rake it very painefully, and then treade out your beds, as is before
sayd, artificially; but if the ground which you breake vp, be eyther
gréene-swarth, or much ouergrowne with wéeds (as these rich soyles
must euer be the one or the other) (for they will not be idle, but
continually bringing forth) then at this first digging and dunging you
shall haue diuers which shall follow the Spade, who shall take away
all manner of roots, gréenes, grasse-tufts, stones, or whatsoeuer may
bréede anoyance to the ground: which worke being perfected, you shall
let the ground rest all winter till the beginning of March, that the
frost may mellow and ripen the mould, and also kill the roots of such
wéeds as the Spade hath turned vp, and haue béene omitted to be pulled
away.
Now so soone as March is come, vpon the first change of the Moone, you
shall digge vp this Earth againe, leuell it, and order it in all points
as was sayd of the barraine Earth, onely there will néede no more vse
of meanure, but as soone as it is digged, raked, leuelled, and brought
into a fine mould, you may then tread out your Beds, as aforesayd, euer
proportioning the quantitie of them according to the quantitie of your
séedes, hauing the most of that which is most in vse, and the least of
the contrary.
Now as touching the fencing and inclosing of your Garden, I haue in
the former Booke shewed you the same at large, and giuen seuerall
instructions, according to mens seuerall abilities, with this caution,
that whether your fence be wall, pale, dead-hedge, ditch, or quickset,
yet it must be so high that it may with assurance kéepe all manner of
Pullen from flying ouer the same, who are the greatest enemies to a
Garden that may be.
[Sidenote: The necessariest Ornament in a Garden.]
There would be also in this Kitchin-Garden, if with conueniency it may
be brought to passe, eyther a Pumpe, Well, or Cesterne, which might
flow continually with water all the Summer time, for the watering of
Hearbs, as shall be héereafter declared. And thus much touching the
choyce of ground for a Kitchin-garden, and the ordering of the same.
CHAP. III.
_Of the sowing and ordering of all manner of Pot-hearbs._
When you haue prepared your ground, and cast your beds in an orderly
fashion, as is before spoken, you shall then take your Séeds which
Séeds would by no meanes be aboue a yéere olde: and hauing sorted them
seuerally, euery one by it selfe, and appointed the beds which shall
seuerally receiue them: you shall in this manner sowe your Pot-hearbs,
which craue not much roote, because their onely benefit is in the
leafe: take your séeds and put them into a wooden Tray, then take your
Garden moulde, the finest that may be, being made almost as fine as
ashes, and mixe your Séeds, and that mould very well together, then goe
to the bedde where you meane to bestow them, and hauing newly rackt
it (to stirre vp the fresh mould) with your hand sprinkle and sowe
them all ouer the bed, so thicke as may be: which done, with a fine
Rake, rake the bed gently ouer, then taking spare fine mould, put it
into a ridling Siue, and sift it ouer the bed better then two fingers
thickenesse, and so let it rest: thus you shall doe seuerally with
euery séede one after another, bestowing euery one vpon a seuerall bed.
[Sidenote: Of all sorts of Pot-hearbs.]
[Sidenote: Of _Endiue_ and _Succorie_.]
Now for your Pot-hearbs, which are most generally in vse, they be
these: _Endiue_ and _Succorie_, which delight in moyst ground, and
will endure the winter. _Bleete_ of which there be two kindes, Red and
White: this Hearbe neuer néedeth wéeding, and if he be suffered to shed
his séed it will hardly euer to be got out of a Garden.
[Sidenote: Of Beets.]
Then _Beets_, which must be much wéeded, for they loue to liue by
themselues, and if they grow too thicke you may take them vp when they
are a finger long in their owne earth, and set them in another bed, and
they will prosper much better.
[Sidenote: Land-Cresses.]
Then land _Cresses_, which is both a good Pot-hearbe and a good
Sallet-Hearbe: it loueth shadowie places, where the Sunne shineth
least, and standeth in néed of little dung.
[Sidenote: Parcely.]
Then _Parcely_, which of all Hearbs is of most vse, it is longest in
appearing aboue ground, and the elder séed is the quicker in growth,
but not the surer; but eyther being once come vp increase naturally,
and doe hardly euer decay: it cannot grow too thicke, but as you vse it
you must cut off the toppes with your knife, and by no meanes pull vp
the rootes: if it be put into a little pursse, and beaten against the
ground, to bruise it a little before it be sowne, it will make it haue
a large crisped leafe.
[Sidenote: Of Sauory.]
Then _Sauory_, of which are two kindes, the Winter-_Sauory_, and
Summer, both delight in leane ground, and are quicke of growth, and
long lasting.
[Sidenote: Of Time.]
Then _Time_, of which are also two kindes, the running _Time_, and the
Garden _Time_: they delight in fertile ground, and from the séede are
very slow of growth, therefore it is best euer to set them from the
slip. The running _Time_ doth delight in the shadow, but the Garden
_Time_ in the Sunne.
[Sidenote: French Mallowes.]
Then French-_Mallowes_, which will ioy in any ground, and are quicke of
growth.
[Sidenote: Cheruill.]
Then _Cheruill_, which will not by any meanes grow with any other
Hearbe.
[Sidenote: Of Dill.]
Then _Dill_, which may be sowne almost in any moneth of the yéere as
well as March: it endureth all weathers, but loueth the warmth best.
[Sidenote: Of Isop.]
Then _Isop_, which in like manner as _Time_ is, slow of growth from
the séed, and therefore fitter to be set from the slips, after it
hath once taken roote it encreaseth wonderfully, and will hardly be
destroyed.
[Sidenote: Of Mints.]
Then _Mints_, which flourish onely in the Summer time, but dye in the
Winter, it delighteth most in the moyst ground.
[Sidenote: Violets.]
Then _Violets_, the leaues whereof are a good Pot-hearb, and the
Flowers preserued in close glasse pots, with strong Wine-vinegar and
Sugar, a most excellent Sallet: it doth delight to grow high, and will
grow spéedely eyther from the plant or from the séed.
[Sidenote: Of Basill.]
Then _Basill_, which would be sowne in the warme weather, as at the
beginning of May, for the séed is tender, and when you haue sowne it,
you shall presse the earth downe vpon it with your féet, for the séede
can endure no hollownesse: if you sowe it at the fall of the Leafe, you
shall sprinkle the séede with Vinegar, and when you water it let the
Sunne be at his height.
[Sidenote: Sweet Marioram.]
Then swéet _Marioram_, which would be sowne on rich ground, and farre
from Sunneshine, for it taketh no delight in his beames.
[Sidenote: Marigolds.]
Then _Marigolds_, which renew euery moneth, and endure the Winter as
well as the Summer: this Hearbe the oftner you remoue it, the bigger it
groweth.
[Sidenote: Of Strawberries.]
Then _Strawberries_, whose leaues are a good Pot-hearbe, and the fruit
the wholesommest berry: this Hearbe of all other, would be set of the
plant, and not sowne from the séed, for the oft changing and remouing
of it causeth it to grow bigger and bigger: it groweth best vnder the
shadowes of other Hearbes, but very sufficiently in beds, or else where.
[Sidenote: Of Borage and Buglosse.]
Then _Borage_ and _Buglosse_, both which are of one nature: they would
be sowne in small quantity, for where they take they will runne ouer
a whole Garden: the séed must be gathered when it is halfe ripe it is
so apt to shed, and when you gather it you must plucke vp the stalkes,
leaues & all, and so laying them one vpon another thrée or foure dayes,
their own heat will bring the séed to ripenes.
[Sidenote: Of Rosemary.]
Then _Rosemary_, which is an Hearbe tender and curious, yet of
singular vertue: it is soone slaine with frost or lightening: it
will grow plentifully from the séede, but much better from the slip,
it delighteth to be planted against some Wall where it may haue the
reflection of the Sunne, for to stand vnpropped of himselfe, the very
shaking of the winde will kill it.
[Sidenote: Of Penyroyal.]
Then _Penyroyall_, which most properly is vsed to be mixt with
Puddings, made of the bloud of Beasts, & Oatmeale: of it there be two
kindes, Male and Female: the Male beareth a white flower, and the
Female a purple: it must be sowne in small quantity, for it will runne
and spread ouer-much ground: it delighteth most in moyst earth.
[Sidenote: Of Leekes.]
Then _Leekes_, which would haue a fertile ground, and as soone as they
be shot vp a good length you shall cut the blades to the polt, and then
remoue the heads, and set them borderwise about your other beds: this
remouing after the cutting off the blades, wil make them grow bigger,
and prosper better, as for thrusting Oyster-shels or Tyle-shreads vnder
them, to make the heads bigger, it is a toy, for if the mould be loose
and good, the Léeke will come to his perfect growth: they may be sowne
both in March, Aprill, May, and Iune, and they may be remoued all Iuly,
August, September and October.
[Sidenote: Of Onions.]
Then _Onions_, which differ not much from the nature of Léekes, they
loue a fertile Soyle, and would be sowne with the séeds of Sauory: when
they come vp if they grow too thicke, as is often séene, you shall
plucke vp some and spend them in the Pot and in Sallets, to giue the
rest more roome, and some you shall take vp and replant in other beds,
which you may preserue for séede: those _Onions_ which you would not
haue to séede, you shall cut off the blades in the midst, that the
iuyce may descend downeward, and when you sée the heads of the _Onions_
appearing aboue the earth, you shall with your féet tread them into the
ground: there be some very well experienst Husbands, which will take
the fayrest, goodliest and soundest Onions they can get, and in this
moneth of March set them thrée fingers déepe in the earth, and these
of all other bring forth the purest and best séede, for which purpose
onely they are preserued: as soone as your séed-Onions are knotted, you
shall vnderproppe them with square cradles, made of stickes, least the
waight of the boules which carry the séede, should breake the blades.
[Sidenote: Of gathering Onion-seede, or the Onion.]
The time of gathering your séede is, when it is all turned purely
blacke, and the time of gathering the Onions is, when the heads doe
forsake the earth, after they be gathered you shall lay them on a dry
floore for a fortnight, or more, and then binde them vp in ropes, and
hang them where they may haue the ayre of the fire, onely note that
shall gather your Onions in the increase of the Moone, as they were
sowne, and not otherwise.
Many other Pot-hearbs there be, which for as much as they differ
nothing, eyther in sowing, planting, or ordering, from these which I
haue rehearsed, I will héere omit them, and thinke this sufficient,
touching the sowing and ordering of all manner of Pot-hearbs.
CHAP. IIII.
_Of the sowing of certaine Hearbs, which are to be eaten, but
especially are medicinall, yet euer in the Husbandmans Garden._
[Sidenote: Of Arage.]
Of Hearbes which are medicinall, I will begin with _Arage_ or _Orache_,
which being colde and moyst is very excellent against the hot Gout: it
is to be sowne in any moneth, from February till December: it loueth
much moisture, and therefore must be oft watered: it must be sowne
excéeding thinne, and quickly couered, for the ayre is offensiue.
[Sidenote: Of Lumbardy Loueage.]
Next it is _Lumbardy_, _Loueage_, which being hot and dry, is very
purgatiue, it desireth a very fruitfull ground, but if it be sowne
where it may haue much shadow and some shelter accompanied with
moysture, it will grow in any ground, the moneths for sowing thereof,
is, from the midst of February till Haruest.
[Sidenote: Of Fennell.]
_Fennell_ is also hot and dry, and it comforteth the stomacke, openeth
the inward vessels, and helpeth disgestion; it may be sowne in any
moneth, and vpon any indifferent ground, especially if it be a little
stony, the séede would not be very old, though of all other it be the
longest laster.
[Sidenote: Of Anise.]
_Anise_ is hot and dry, it dissolueth humors and obstructions, and is
very comfortable to weake stomacks, it delighteth in a good and loose
mould, and is to be sowne in the height of the Spring onely.
[Sidenote: Of Comin.]
_Comin_ is of the nature of _Anise_ and _Fennell_, and mixt with
either, is very soueraine against all inward sicknesses procéeding from
cold, it loueth a fruitfull rich earth & much warmth, and therfore the
later it is sowne in the Spring, it is so much the better, and aboue
all things it would be sowne in the hottest time of the day, & if it
be mixed with other séeds, it is so much the better, and appeareth the
sooner.
[Sidenote: Of Coliander.]
_Coliander_ is of the nature of the earth, cold & dry, it helps
disgestion, & suppresseth vapours which offend the braine, it may be
sowne vpon any indifferent ground, & in any month except December and
Ianuary, the elder the séedes are the better so they be sound, and they
desire much watering.
[Sidenote: Of Rue.]
_Rue_ or _Hearb-grace_ is hot and dry, & is very soueraigne against all
inward infection, putrifactions, and impostumations, it ioyeth in any
reasonable ground so it grow warme and dry, the moneths fittest for the
sowing thereof, is March, Aprill or May, and the mould would be firme
and not subiect to ryuing, whence it procéedes that no meanure is so
good for the encrease thereof as horse-dung and ashes mixt together:
the beds would be made high & discending, that no moysture may stay
thereon, they must be carefully wéeded, for in their first growth
otherwise they are soone choaked.
[Sidenote: Of Organie.]
_Organie_ is hot and dry, and excellent against any sicknesse of the
liuer, the ground in which it most ioyeth would be a little stonie, and
full of rubbish, yet by no meanes vndunged, the moneth fittest for the
sowing thereof is March and September, the Moone being in _Libra_ or
any other moist signe, it must be continually watred till it appears
aboue the earth, but after forborne, for being once well bred, it is
euer certaine.
[Sidenote: Of white Poppy.]
White _Poppy_ is cold and moyst, and much prouoketh sléepe: it delights
to be sowne in a rich, warme, dry ground, in the moneths of March,
September or Nouember.
[Sidenote: Of Germander.]
_Germander_ is hot and dry, and excellent against the Kings euill;
obstructions of the Spléene and hardnesse of Vrine; it is a hard
hearbe, and will prosper in any ground, it is to be sowne, either in
the spring or fall of the leafe, and is most comly for the setting
forth of knots in Gardens.
[Sidenote: Of Cardus Benedictus.]
_Cardus Benedictus_, or the blessed Thistell, is hot and dry, it is
very soueraine against most inward sicknesses, stancheth blood, and is
a great comforter of the braine, it delighteth in a rich ground and
a loose well tempered mould, it must be sowne very shallow, and not
couered aboue two inches déepe, the first quarter of the Moone is best
to sowe it in, and in the moneths of March, May or September, if you
sowe a little fine flaxen Wheat with it, no doubt but it will prosper
the better.
[Sidenote: Of Angellica.]
_Angellica_ is hot and dry, it openeth and dissolueth obstructions, is
an excellent cordiall against poyson, and all infections, it helpeth
the collicke, and cureth the biting of madde dogges or venemous beasts,
it loueth a fruitfull dry mould, but may not indure the trouble of
wéedes, it is to be sowne in March or Aprill, & it flourisheth in Iuly
& August, it hath a swéet odour, and helpeth all euill & infected ayres.
[Sidenote: Of Valerian.]
_Valerian_ is hot & dry and preuenteth infection, it helpeth stitches
and other griefes procéeding from windy causes, it loueth to grow in
moist and low places, the ground being well meanured, and till it
be shot at least a handfull high, it must be kept with continuall
watring, the moystest time of the yéere is the best to sowe it in.
[Sidenote: Of Elecampana.]
_Elecampana_, is hot and moyst, and good for offences in the lungs, or
any outward ioynt, being troubled with paine procéeding from colde: it
is better much to be set then sowne, yet notwithstanding it may safely
enough be sowne at any time after mid-March, the ground being rich,
soft, and loose, and the séede strowed very thinne, and at least two
fingers distance one from another.
[Sidenote: Of Pepperwort.]
_Pepperwort_ is hot and drye, yet of the two much more hot, it is good
against all kinde of aches, and other paine in the ioynts, or sinewes:
it delighteth in a rich blacke Soyle, fat and loose: it would be sowne
in February, and remoued in September.
[Sidenote: Of Philipendula.]
_Philipendula_ is very hot and dry, and is good against abortiue
births, Stone, Strangury, or any griefe procéeding from colde causes:
it may be sowne in any barraine, stony, or grauelly Soyle, in the
months of May, Aprill, or September: it neither desireth much wéeding,
nor much watering, but being once committed to the ground appeareth
sodainely: and thus much of those Hearbes which are fit for Medicine,
of which though there be many others, yet they differ not in their
ordering from these already declared.
CHAP. V.
_Of diuers sorts of Sallet-Hearbes, their manner of sowing and
ordering._
[Sidenote: Of Lettuce.]
Amongst the many numbers of Sallet-Hearbes I thinke it not amisse
to beginne first with _Lettuce_, which of all other whose vertue is
helde in the leafe, is most delicate, tender, and pleasant: the ground
then in which it most delighteth, is that which is most fertile,
best laboured, and of the finest mould, being soft, loose, and more
enclining to moysture then drinesse: it may be sowne in any moneth of
the yeare, from February to Nouember; it is very quick of growth, and
will appeare aboue the earth in foure dayes after the sowing: it would
at first be sowne thicke, and carefully kept with morning and euening
watrings, if the season be dry, but not otherwise: after it is growne
and faire spread aboue the earth, which will be in a moneths space or
there-abouts, you shall chuse out the fairest and goodliest plants,
and taking them vp with the earth and all, about their rootes, replant
or remoue them to a new bed of fresh mould, and there set them a foote
distance one from another, and fixe their rootes fast and hard into the
ground: then couer or presse them downe with Tyle or Slate stones, to
make them spread and not spring vpward, by which meanes the leaues will
gather together, and cabbadge, in a thicke and good order, for it is to
be vnderstood, that the oftner you remoue your _Lettuce_, the fairer
and closer they wil cabbage. There be diuers which obserue to remoue
_Lettuce_ as soone as sixe leaues are sprung aboue the ground; but I
like better to remoue them when they begin to spindle: they are most
estéemed in the moneths of Aprill, May, and Iune, for in Iuly they are
supposed to carrie in them a poysonous substance.
[Sidenote: Of Spynage.]
Next the _Lettuce_ I preferre the hearbe _Spynage_, which delighteth in
a well-dunged earth, and may be sowne in Aprill, March, September, or
October: it would not be mixed with other séedes, because it prospereth
best alone.
[Sidenote: Of Sparagus.]
_Sparagus_ ioyeth in a fertill moist ground, the mould being made light
which couers it, and the ground well dunged, the Spring is the best
time to sowe it, and it must be sowne in long furrowes or trenches made
with your finger, and not vniuersally spread ouer the bed as other
séeds are: it loueth moysture, but may not endure the wet to lye long
vpon it, and therefore the beds would a little descend it: must not be
remoued till the rootes be so feltred together, that they hinder the
new branches from springing vp, which commonly is two yeares.
[Sidenote: Of Colworts.]
_Colworts_ or _Cabbadge_ séede delighteth in any well husbanded ground,
and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons as _Lettuce_ is, and must
also in the like manner be remoued, after the principall leaues are
come forth, which will make them to gather together, and cabbadge
the better: and as they may be sowen in any season of the yeare, so
likewise they may be remoued at all seasons likewise, except the frost
or other vnseasonable weather hinder you: and although some men will
not allow it to be sowen in clay grounds, grauell, chalke, or sand,
yet they are deceiued; for if the earth be well ordred, they will grow
plentifully, onely you must obserue when you remoue them to let them
haue earth roome enough.
[Sidenote: Of Sage.]
_Sage_ is in Gardens most common, because it is most wholesome, and
though it may be better set from the slip then sowen in the séede,
yet both will prosper, it loueth any well drest ground, and may be
sowen either in February, March, September, or October: it loueth also
to grow thick and close together, and will of it selfe ouercome most
wéedes: it asketh not much dung, neither too great care in watring,
onely it would be oft searched, for Toades and other venemous things
will delight to lye vnder it, the more Sunne and ayre it hath, the
better it is.
[Sidenote: Of Purslane.]
_Purslane_ is a most excellent Sallet-hearbe, and loueth a fertile
soile, and though it may be sowen almost in any moneth, yet the warmest
is the best, as Aprill, May, Iune, or Septemb. Buck ashes are an
excellent meanure for them, and for most Sallet-hearbs else, but aboue
all they loue dry dust and house-swéepings, they are apt to shed their
séede, whence it comes that a ground once possest of them will seldome
want them, they may also be remoued, and will prosper much the better.
[Sidenote: Of Artichokes.]
_Artychokes_ loue a fat earth, and may be sowen in February or March,
the Moone encreasing, the séedes must not be sowen together, but set
one by one a good distance asunder; they must lye somewhat déepe, and
be firmely couered; yet if you can procure them, I rather wish you
rather to set them from Slips or young Plants, then sowe them from the
séedes, for they doe so naturally loue the earth, that you can hardly
slip so wast a leafe from an _Artychoke_ as will not take roote; if you
sowe the séede, you must be carefull to wéede and water them well, for
the first leaues are very tender: also if you remoue them after their
first springing, the fruit will be bigger and better.
[Sidenote: Of Garlicke.]
_Garlicke_ is best in September and Nouember, to be set from the cloue,
in & about the borders of beds, or other séedes, halfe a foote one
from another, and in February, March, and Aprill, to be sowen from the
séede: it must be ordered as you order _Onyon_ séede, it loues not much
wet nor extreame drought, onely it desires a good mould which is rich
and firme, yet not too much dunged.
[Sidenote: Of Raddish.]
_Raddish_ loueth a fertile ground, that is well dunged, chiefly with
mans ordure, that is déepe trencht, and hath an easie and light mould,
and the séedes would be placed either in rowes, or about the borders of
beds, as you doe _Garlicke_: the manner of sowing it is with a dibble
or round sticke, to make a hole into the ground almost a foote déepe,
and then into that hole to put not aboue two séedes at the most, and
then close the hole vp againe, and let the holes be foure fingers one
from another, it may be sowen in most months of the yéere if the frost
hinder not, and to make the roote large & tender, and to kéepe the
branch from séeding; you shall as it springs crop off the principall
leaues which grow against the heart of the root: to tread them downe
into the earth after they haue fast roote is good also.
[Sidenote: Of Nauew.]
_Nauew_, if the earth haue any small goodnesse in it will grow
plentifully, neither is offended with any ayre, onely the mould would
be loose and rough, for otherwise it many times turneth to Rape: the
séede naturally commeth vp very thicke, therefore it is expedient to
remoue them and plant them thinner, for that best preserueth their
natures, they may be sowne in February, March, Aprill, September, or
October.
[Sidenote: Of Parsneps and Carrets.]
_Parsneps_ or _Carrets_ are of one and the selfe nature, they delight
in a good fat earth, and would be sowne reasonably thicke, in long
déepe trenches like furrowes, hauing a gentle and easie mould either in
the moneth of Ianuary, February, or March, or in September, October, or
December, they must be carefully well wéeded, and if the earth be fat,
they néede not much watring or other attendance.
[Sidenote: Of Pompyons.]
_Pompyons_, _Gourds_, or _Mellons_, desire a very good ground, or by
Nature or Art, the séedes must be sowne very thinne, as at least halfe
a foote one from another, they would lye reasonably déepe, yet the
mould very gentle which couers them, they are subiect to spread and
runne ouer much ground, therefore as they grow you must direct their
stemmes so as they may not annoy one another, and when they flower you
shall lay broad Tiles or Slate stones vnder them, that the fruit nor
flower may not touch the earth; if you plash them vp against trées
or walles where they may haue the reflection of the Sunne, the fruit
will be larger, pleasanter, and sooner ripe: they néede no wéeding
nor watring after you sée them appeare aboue the earth, and the best
seasons to sowe them in, is February, March, or Aprill, those are the
best _Pompyons_ which haue the smallest séedes, and are of the most
yellowest complexion.
[Sidenote: Of the Cowcumber.]
_Cowcumber_, is a delicate, pleasant, yet very tender fruit, and
delighteth in an extraordinarie fat earth, especially during the
opening or sprouting of the séede, therefore the best and most
vndoubted safest way for sowing them is, first in some corner of your
Kitchin garden to make a bed of two or thrée yards square of olde Oxe
dung, and Horse dung mixt together, and at least a yard or better high
from the earth, then couer this bed of dung with the richest garden
mould you haue, better then halfe a foote thicke: then thereon place
your séedes halfe a foote likewise one from another, and be most
sure that your séedes be hard and sound (for any softnesse in them
sheweth rottennesse) then couer them foure fingers thicke with the
like mould: then within seauen or eight dayes, after you shall sée
them appeare aboue the earth, but in any wise let them continue still
till the principall leaues be come forth, and they begin to créepe out
in length, then with your hand griping the whole plant, take it vp by
the rootes with the earth and all, and plant it in a bed new digged &
trimmed for the purpose with a rich loose mould, and so replant and
remoue each roote seuerally one after another, and they will grow and
bring forth in great plenty. Now by the way you must obserue, that as
soone as you haue sowne your séedes you shall prouide a Mat, Canuasse,
or other couering, which being placed vpon stakes ouer the dung bed,
shall euery night after Sunne-set be spread ouer the same, and not
taken away till the Sunne be risen in the morning, for this will defend
the séedes from frosts and other cold dewes which are very dangerous.
Now if any demand why these séedes are thus sowne first on the bed
of dung, they shall vnderstand that besides the warmth and fertility
thereof, that the séedes are so pleasant and tender, that wormes and
other créeping things in the earth will destroy them before they can
sprout, which this bed of dung preuenteth. The months most fit for
sowing these séedes, are Aprill, May and Iune onely, for other are much
too colde, and in this manner you may sowe any tender séede whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote: Of the Beane of Egipt.]
_Beanes_ of _Egipt_ delight in a moyst watrish ground, rather fertile
then any way giuen to barrainnesse, yet will plentifully enough prosper
in any indifferent earth: they are rather to set then sowe, because
they must take strong roote, and be fixed somewhat déepe into the
earth, and the moneth which is most proper for them, is the latter end
of Ianuary, all February and the beginning of March onely.
[Sidenote: Of Skerrets.]
_Skerrets_ are a delicate roote, white, tender, and pleasant, little
differing in tast or excellencie from the _Eringo_. They delight in a
rich mould, moyst and well broken, and must be set déepe in the earth:
after they be a finger length aboue the ground they would be remoued,
and planted in a fresh mould, which will preserue them from spéedie
séeding, for when they runne to séede, they loose the vertue of their
roote. The moneths fittest for the sowing of them is March, Aprill, and
May, and if you desire to haue them all Winter, you may then sowe them
in September and October. And thus much for Sallet-hearbs, and rootes
of all natures, of which kindes though there be diuers other, yet you
shall vnderstand, all are to be ordered in the manner of these before
rehearsed, that is to say, such as haue their vertues in the stalke
or leaues, like _Spynage_, _Sparagus_, _Purslayn_, and such like,
those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps, like _Lettuce_,
_Colworts_, and such like, and those whose goodnesse liues in their
rootes, like _Raddish_, _Carrets_, _Skerrets_, and such like.
[Sidenote: A most necessary obseruation.]
Now for a most necessarie obseruation, euery Gardner ought to beare
this rule in his memorie, that all Pot-hearbs must be sowne thicke, and
but thinly couered, as namely not aboue thrée fingers: all hearbs which
cabbadge must be sowne thicke, and déeper couered, as a full handfull
at least, and in their remouing planted thinne, and well fixt into
the earth: and all rootes must be sowen thinne and déepe, as almost a
foote either let into the ground, or strewed in déepe furrowes, digged
and laide vp for the purpose, in which the quantity of your séede must
onely direct you: for if you haue occasion to sow hardly a handfull,
then you may set them one by one into the ground at your leasure, but
if you haue occasion to sowe many Pecks or halfe Pecks, then you shall
turne vp your earth into déepe furrowes, and in the bottome thereof
scatter your séeds, and after rake it into a leuell, and you shall not
onely saue much labour, but gaine your purpose.
CHAP. VI.
_Of Flowers of all sorts both forraigne and home-bred, their sowing,
planting, and preseruing._
Hauing written sufficiently of Pot-hearbs and Sallet-hearbs, which are
the ornaments of the Husbandmans Kitchin or Table, I will here speake
of flowers, which either for their smels, beauties, or both, are the
graces of his Chamber. And first, because my maine ayme and scope is
English Husbandrie, I will begin with those flowers which are most
proper and naturall for our climate, of which because I holde _Roses_
both for their smell, beauties, and wholesomnesse to excéede all other,
I thinke it not amisse to giue them the first place and precedencie
before all other.
[Sidenote: Of Roses.]
You shall vnderstand then that _Roses_ are generally and aunciently
but of thrée kindes, the Damaske, the red, and the white, and what are
different from these are but deriuations from them, being by grafting,
replanting, and phisicking, somewhat altered either in colour, smell,
or doublenesse of leafe.
[Sidenote: Of the Damaske Rose.]
To speake then first of the Damaske _Rose_, it is fit that all
husbandmen know, that _Roses_ may as well be sowne from the séede, as
planted from the roote, Syen, or branch onely, they are the slower in
comming vp, more tender to nourish, and much longer in yéelding forth
their flowers, yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth,
if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede, you shall
chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged, and you shall cast vp
your beds high and narrow: the moneth which is fit for their sowing
is September, and they must be couered not aboue four fingers déepe,
they must be defended well all the Winter from frosts and stormes, and
then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next Spring
following: yet this is to be noted, that all _Roses_ which rise from
the séede simply, their flowers will be single like the _Eglantine_,
or _Cyphanie_, therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde, you
must graft one into another, as you doe other fruit, and that will
make them double and thicke: also you must remember that those yellow
small séedes which are in the midst of the _Rose_, are not true _Rose_
séedes, but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the
_Rose_, which as soone as the leaues are fallen away, will open and
shew the séede. And thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of
_Roses_, which is for experience and knowledge sake onely, for indéede
the true vse and property of the _Rose_ is to be planted in short slips
about fourtéene inches long, and the small tassels of the roote cut
away, they would be set halfe a foote into the ground, in the same
manner as you set ordinary Quick-set, and of like thicknesse, rather a
little slope-wise then vpright: and though some thinke March the best
season, yet doubtlesse September is much better for hauing the roote
confirmed all the Winter, they will beare the sooner and better all the
Sommer following; you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather,
and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls, and
such like couert where the Sunne may reflect against them, and if they
be planted on open beds or borders, then you must with Poales and other
necessaries support them and hold them vp, least the winde shake their
rootes and hinder their growing.
[Sidenote: Of the red Rose.]
The red _Rose_ is not fully so tender as the Damaske, neither is it so
pleasant in smell, nor doubleth his leaues so often; yet it is much
more Phisicall, and oftner vsed in medicine, it is likewise fitter to
be planted then sowen, and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a
little rough or grauelly, and the best compasse you can lay vnto it, is
rubbish or the sweeping of houses, the moneths to sowe or plant it in
is March or September, & the time to prune and cut away the superfluous
branches is euer the midst of October.
[Sidenote: Of the white Rose.]
The white _Rose_ is of lesse smell then the red, and will grow in a
harder ground, his vse is altogether in Phisicke as for sore eyes and
such like: it will grow into a Trée of some bigge substance, and is
seldome hurt with frosts, stormes, or blastings: it would likewise be
planted from the roote against some high wall, either in the moneth of
February or March, and the oftner you plant and replant it, the doubler
and larger the flower will be: for the earth it much skilleth not,
because it will grow almost in euery ground, onely it delights most in
the shadow, and would be seldome pruned, except you finde many dead
branches.
[Sidenote: Of the Cinamon Rose.]
The _Cinamon Rose_, is for the most part sowen, and not planted, whence
it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little, the
delicacie thereof being onely in the smell, which that you may haue
most fragrant and strong, you shall take a vessell of earth, being full
of small holes in the bottome and sides, and fill it with the richest
earth you can get, being made fine and loose, then take Damaske _Rose_
séedes which are hard, and sound, and stéepe them foure and twenty
houres in _Cinamon_ water, I doe not meane the distilled water, but
faire Conduit water, in which good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin stéeped,
or boyled, or milk, wherin good store of _Cinamon_ hath bin dissolued,
and then sow those séedes into the Pot, and couer them almost thrée
fingers déepe, then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the
earth, water them with that water or milke in which the seedes were
stéeped, then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the
ground, you shall take them vp mould and all, and hauing drest a border
or bed for the purpose, plant them so as they may grow vp against some
warme wall or pale, and haue the Sunne most part of the day shining
vpon them, and you shall be sure to haue _Roses_ growing on them, whose
smell will be wonderfull pleasant, as if they had béene spiced with
_Cinamon_, and the best season of sowing these is euer in March, at
high noone day, the weather shining faire, and the winde most calme.
[Sidenote: To make the Cinamon Rose grow double.]
Now if you would haue these _Roses_ to grow double, which is an Art yet
hid from most Gardners, you shall at Michaelmasse take the vppermost
parts of the Plante from the first knot, and as you graft either Plumme
or Apple, so graft one into another, and couer the heads with earth
or clay tempered with _Cinamon_-water, and they will not onely grow
double, but the smell will be much swéeter, and looke how oft you will
graft and re-graft them, so much more double and double they will proue.
[Sidenote: Of the Prouince Rose.]
The _Prouince Rose_ is a delicate flower for the eye more then the
nose, for his oft grafting abateth his smell, but doubleth his leafe
so oft that it is wonderfull, therefore if you will haue them large
and faire, you shall take the fairest Damaske _Roses_ you can get,
and graft them into the red _Rose_, and when they haue shot out many
branches, then you shall graft each seuerall branch againe with new
grafts of another grafted Damaske _Rose_: and thus by grafting graft
vpon graft, you shall haue as faire and well coloured _Prouince Roses_,
as you can wish or desire: and thus you may doe either in the Spring or
fall at your pleasure, but the fall of the leafe is euer helde the best
season.
[Sidenote: To make Roses smell well.]
Now if your _Roses_ chaunce to loose their smels, as it oft happeneth
through these double graftings: you shall then plant _Garlicke_ heads
at the rootes of your _Roses_, and that will bring the pleasantnesse of
their sent vnto them againe.
[Sidenote: Generall notes touching Roses.]
Now for your generall obseruations; you shall remember that it is good
to water your _Roses_ morning and euening till they be gathered; you
shall rather couet to plant your _Roses_ in a dry ground then a wette,
you shall giue them much shelter, strong support, and fresh dung twise
at the least euery yeare, when the leafe is fallen, you shall cutte
and prune the branches, and when the buds appeare you, then begin your
first watring.
[Sidenote: Of Lauender.]
_Lauender_ is a flower of a hot smell, and is more estéemed of the
plaine Country housewife then the dainty Citizen: it is very wholesome
amongst linnen cloathes, and would be sowen in a good rich mould, in
the moneths of March or Aprill.
[Sidenote: Of the white Lilly.]
The white _Lilly_ would be sowen in a fat earth, in the moneths of
October and Nouember, or in March or April, and the séedes must be
sowen excéeding thinne, not one by any meanes touching another, and the
mould which couereth them must be sifted gently vpon them.
[Sidenote: To make Lillyes of any colour.]
If you would haue your _Lillyes_ of a purple colour, you shall stéepe
your séedes in the Lées of red wine, and that will change their
complexion, and also you shall water the Plants with the same Lées
likewise: if you will haue them scarlet red, you shall put _Vermillion_
or _Cynaber_ betwéene the rinde and the small heads growing about the
roote: if you would haue them blew, you shall dissolue _Azure_ or
_Byse_ betwéene the rinde and the heads, if yellow _Orpment_, if gréene
_Verdigreace_, and thus of any other colour.
[Sidenote: To make Lillyes flourish all the yeere.]
Now to make them flourish euery moneth in the yéere, you shall sowe
your séedes some a foote déepe, some halfe a foote, and some not two
inches, so they will spring one after another, and flourish one after
another.
[Sidenote: Of the wood Lilly.]
The wood _Lilly_ or _Lilly_ of the vale, delighteth most in a moyst
ground, and may be sowen either in March or September, it is very faire
to looke on, and not so suffocating in smell as the other _Lillyes_ are.
[Sidenote: Of the flower de Lice.]
The _flower de Lice_ is of excellent beauty, but not very pleasant to
smell to, it loueth a dry ground & an easie mould, and is fittest to be
sowen in the moneth of March.
[Sidenote: Of Pyonie.]
_Pyonie_ or the blessed _Rose_, loueth a good fat earth being somewhat
loose, and may be sowen either in March or September, it asketh not
much watring, onely some support because the stalkes be weake.
[Sidenote: Of Petillius.]
_Petillius_ or _Indian eye_, may be sowen in any ground, for it
desireth neither much water, nor much dung, and the best season for
sowing, it is Iune or September, for it will beare flowers commonly all
the Winter.
[Sidenote: Of Veluet flower.]
_Veluet flower_ loueth a rich fertile ground, and must be much watred:
the season best for the sowing is August, for commonly it will beare
flowers all the Winter.
[Sidenote: Of Gylliflowers.]
[Sidenote: Of grafting of Gylliflowers.]
_Gilliflowers_ are of diuers kindes, as _Pynks_, _Wall-flowers_,
_Carnations_, _Cloue Gilliflowers_, and a world of others, which
are of all other flowers most swéet and delicate: all but the
_Wall-gilliflower_ loue good fertile earths, and may be sowen either
in March, Iuly, or August. They are better to be planted of Slips
then sowen, yet both will prosper. They are very tender, and therfore
the best planting of them is in earthen Pots, or halfe Tubs, which at
your pleasure you may remoue from the shade to the Sunne, and from the
roughnesse of stormes to places of shelter, they grow vp high on long
slender stalkes, which you must defend and support with square cradles
made of stickes, least the winde and the waight of the flowers breake
them: these _Gilliflowers_ you may make of any colour you please, in
such sort as is shewed you for the colouring of _Lillyes_, and if
you please to haue them of mixt colours you may also, by grafting of
contrary colours one into another: and you may with as great ease graft
the _Gylliflower_ as any fruit whatsoeuer, by the ioyning of the knots
one into another, and then wrapping them about with a little soft
sleau’d silke, and couering the place close with soft red Waxe well
tempered. And you shall vnderstand that the grafting of _Gylliflowers_
maketh them excéeding great, double, and most orient of colour.
[Sidenote: Of the smels of Gylliflowers.]
Now if you will haue your _Gylliflowers_ of diuers smels or odours,
you may also with great ease, as thus for example: if you will take
two or thrée great cloues, & stéepe them foure and twenty houres in
Damaske _Rose_ water, then take them out and bruise them, and put them
into a fine Cambricke ragge, and so binde them about the heart roote
of the _Gylliflower_, néere to the setting on of the stalke, and so
plant it in a fine, soft, and fertile mould, and the flower which
springeth from the same, will haue so delicate a mixt smell of the
Cloue and the Rose-water, that it will bréede both delight and wonder.
If in the same manner you take a sticke of _Cinamon_, and stéepe it
in _Rose_ water, and then bruise it, and binde it as afore-said, all
the flowers will smell strongly of _Cinamon_: if you take two graines
of fat Muske, and mixe it with two drops of Damaske _Rose_ water, and
binde it as afore-said, the flowers will smell strongly of Muske,
yet not too hot nor offensiue, by reason of the correction of the
_Rose_ water: and in this sort you may doe either with _Amber-greece_,
_Storax_, _Beniamin_, or any other swéet drugge whatsoeuer; and if in
any of these confections before named, you stéepe the séedes of your
_Gylliflowers_ foure and twenty houres before you sowe them, they will
take the same smels in which you stéepe them, onely they will not be so
large or double, as those which are replanted or grafted.
[Sidenote: Of the Wall Gylliflower.]
Now for your _Wall Gylliflower_, it delighteth in hard rubbish, limy,
and stonie grounds, whence it commeth that they couet most to grow
vpon walles, pauements, and such like barraine places. It may be sowen
in any moneth or season, for it is a séede of that hardnesse, that it
makes no difference betwixt Winter and Sommer, but will flourish in
both equally, and beareth his flowers all the yéere, whence it comes
that the Husbandman preserues it most in his Bée-garden; for it is
wondrous swéet, and affordeth much honey. It would be sowen in very
small quantity, for after it haue once taken roote, it will naturally
of it selfe ouer-spread much ground, and hardly euer after be rooted
out. It is of it selfe of so exéeding a strong and swéet smell, that it
cannot be forced to take any other, and therefore is euer preserued in
its owne nature.
[Sidenote: Of the Helytropian.]
The _Helytropian_ or flower of the Sunne, is in nature and colour like
our English _Marigold_, onely it is excéeding huge in compasse, for
many of them will be twenty, and foure and twenty inches in compasse,
according to the fertilenesse of the soyle in which they grow, and the
oft replanting of their rootes, they are excéeding goodly to looke on,
and pleasant to smell, they open their flowers at the rising of the
Sunne, and close them againe at the Sunne setting, it delighteth in any
soyle which is fertile either by Art or Nature, and may be sowen in any
moneth from February till September, the oft planting and replanting of
the roote after it is sprung a handfull from the earth, maketh it grow
to the vttermost bignesse, it would haue the East and West open vpon
it, onely some small Pent-house to kéepe the sharpnesse of the winde
from it.
[Sidenote: Of the Crowne Emperiall.]
The _Crowne-Emperiall_, is of all flowers both forraigne and home-bred,
the delicatest and strangest: it hath the true shape of an Emperiall
Crowne, and will be of diuers colours, according to the Art of the
Gardner. In the middest of the flower you shall sée a round Pearle
stand, in proportion, colour, and orientnesse, like a true naturall
Pearle, onely it is of a soft liquid substance: This Pearle if you
shake the flower neuer so violently will not fall off, neither if you
let it continue neuer so long, will it either encrease or diminish in
the bignesse, but remayneth all one: yet if with your finger you take
and wipe it away, in lesse then an houre after you shall haue another
arise in the same place, and of the same bignesse. This Pearle if you
taste it vpon your tongue, is pleasant and swéet like honey: this
flower when the Sunne ariseth, you shall sée it looke directly to the
East, with the stalke bent lowe there-vnto, and as the Sunne ariseth
higher and higher, so the flower will likewise ascend, and when the
Sunne is come into the _Meridian_ or noone poynt, which is directly
ouer it, then will it stand vpright vpon the stalke, and looke directly
vpward, and as the Sunne declineth, so will it likewise decline, and at
the Sunne setting looke directly to the West onely. The séedes of this
flower are very tender, and therefore would be carefully sowen in a
very rich and fertile earth well broken and manured. The seasons most
méete for the same, is the latter end of March, Aprill, or May, for the
flowers flourish most in May, Iune, and Iuly. As soone as it is sprung
a handfull aboue the earth; you shall remoue it into a fresh mould,
and that will make it flourish the brauer: the roote of this flower is
like an Apple, or great flat Onion, and therefore in the replanting of
it, you must be carefull to make a hole large and fitte for the same,
and to fixe the mould gently and close about the same. In the Winter
it shrinketh into the earth, and is hardly or not at all discerned, by
meanes whereof I haue séene diuers supposing it to be dead, to digge
vp the earth, and negligently spoyle the roote, but be not you of that
opinion, and in the Spring you shall sée it arise and flourish brauely.
[Sidenote: Of the Dulippo.]
The _Dulippo_ is but a little short of the _Crowne Emperiall_ in
pleasantnesse and rarenesse, for you may haue them of all colours
whatsoeuer, in such sort as was shewed you for the _Lillyes_,
_Gylliflowers_, and other rootes: they are tender at their first
springing from the séede, and therefore must be sowen in a fine rich
mould, in the warmth of the Sunne, either in March, Aprill, or May:
but after they are once sprung aboue the ground, they are reasonable
hard, and will defend themselues against most weathers: the roote of
this flower is shaped like a Peare, with the biggest end downeward, and
many small thréeds at the bottome; therefore you must be sure when you
remoue or replant it, to couer all the roote in fresh mould, and let
not any part of the white thereof be vncouered: this flower by monethly
replanting, you may haue to flourish in all the Summer moneths of the
yeare, for in the dead of Winter it shrinketh into the ground, and is
hardly or not at all perceiued, the stalkes of these flowers are weake,
therefore to support them, and defend them from the shakings of the
windes with little square frames of stickes, will be very good and
necessary, it must be oft watred.
[Sidenote: Of the Hyacinth.]
The _Hyacinth_ is a flower more delicate to the eye then nose, and
is of a good strong nature, for it will endure any reasonable earth,
and may be sowne in any moneth of the Spring, from the beginning of
February till midde-Iune: it onely hateth tempests and stormes, and
therefore is commonly sowen or planted néere vnto walls or other
shelter. You may haue them of any colour you please, as is shewed
before of other flowers, and in this alteration or mixture of colours
their greatest glorie appeareth, they will flourish all the Summer
long, and if they stand warme, appeare very early in the Spring.
[Sidenote: Of the Narcissus.]
The _Narcissus_ is a very curious and dainty flower, and through his
much variety and alteration in growing, they are supposed to be of
diuers kindes, but it is not so, for in as much as they are séene to
be of diuers colours, that is but the Art of the Gardner, as is before
exprest in other flowers, and whereas some of them grow single, some
double, and some double vpon double, you shall vnderstand that such as
grow single, grow simply from the séede onely, those which are double
and no more, are such as haue béene planted and replanted, the small
thréeds of the rootes being clipt away, and nothing left about it
that is superfluous, and those which are double vpon double, are the
double plants grafted one into another. This _Narcissus_ loueth a rich
warme soyle, the mould being easie and light, it may be sowne in any
moneth of the Spring, and will flourish all the Summer after. Before it
appeare aboue ground it would be oft watred, but after it skils not how
little, for it will defend it selfe sufficiently.
[Sidenote: Of the Daffadill, Colombine, and Chesbole.]
[Sidenote: An excellent Caution.]
Not vnlike vnto this is your _Daffadill_ of all kindes and colours,
and in the same earths and seasons delighteth either to be sowen or
planted, and will in the same manner as your _Narcissus_ double and
redouble his leaues; so will your _Colombine_, your _Chesbole_, and
almost any hollow flower whatsoeuer. Many other forraigne flowers
there are which grow plentifully in our Kingdome: but the order of
their planting and sowing differeth nothing from these which I haue
already declared, being the most tender and curious of all other,
therefore I will end this Chapter with this one _caution_ onely, that
when you shall receiue any séede from any forraine Nation, you shall
learne as néere as you can the nature of the soyle from whence it
commeth, as hot, moyst, colde, or dry it is, and then comparing it with
ours, sowe it as néere as you can in the earth, and in the seasons that
are néerest to the soyle from whence it came, as thus for example: if
it came from a clime much hotter then ours, then shall you sowe it in
sandie mould or other mould made warme by strength of meanure, in the
warmest time of the day, and in those moneths of the Spring, which are
warmest, as Aprill or May, you shall let it haue the Sunne fréely all
the day and at night, with Mats, Penthouse, or other defence shield it
from sharpe windes, frosts, or colde dewes.
[Sidenote: A new manner of planting flowers and fruits.]
I haue séene diuers Noblemen and Gentlemen, which haue béene very
curious in these dainty flowers, which haue made large frames of wood
with boards of twenty inches déepe, standing vpon little round whéeles
of wood, which being made square or round according to the Masters
fancie, they haue filled with choyse earth, such as is most proper to
the flower they would haue grow, and then in them sowe their séedes, or
fixe their Plants in such sort, as hath béene before described, and so
placing them in such open places of the Garden, where they may haue the
strength and violence of the Sunnes heate all the day, and the comfort
of such moderate showers, as fall without violence or extraordinarie
beating, and at night draw them by mans strength into some low vaulted
gallery ioyning vpon the Garden, where they may stand warme and safe
from stormes, windes, frosts, dewes, blastings, and other mischiefes
which euer happen in the Sunnes absence, and in this manner you may not
onely haue all manner of dainty outlandish flowers, but also all sorts
of the most delicatest fruits that may be, as the _Orenge_, _Limond_,
_Pomgranate_, _Poncythron_, _Cynamon-tree_, _Oliue_, _Almond_, or any
other, from what clime so euer it be deriued, obseruing onely but to
make your frames of wood, which containes your earth, but déeper and
larger, according to the fruit you plant in it, and that your Alleys
through which you draw your Trées when you house them be smooth and
leuell, least being rough and vneuen, you iogge and shake the rootes
with the waight of the Trées, which is dangerous. And least any man may
imagine this but an imaginary supposition, I can assure him that within
seauen miles of London, the experiment is to be séene, where all these
fruits and flowers with a world of others grow in two Gardens most
abundantly. Now for such flowers or fruits as shall be brought from a
colder or more barraine ground then our owne, there néedeth not much
curiosity in the plantation of them, because a better euer bringeth
forth a better encrease, onely I would wish you to obserue, to giue all
such fruits or flowers the vttermost liberty of the weather, & rather
to adde coolenes by shaddow, then encrease any warmth by reflection,
as also to augment showers by artificiall watrings, rather then to let
the roote dry for want of continuall moysture; many other notes and
obseruations there are, which to discouer, would aske a volume larger
then I intend, and yet not be more in true substance, then this which
is already writ, if the Reader haue but so much mother-wit, as by
comparing things together, to draw the vses from the true reasons, and
to shunne contrary by contraries, which what Husbandman is so simple,
but he can easily performe, and hauing the true grounds of experience,
frame his descant according to his owne fancie, which is a Musicke best
pleasing to all men, since it is not in any one mans power to giue a
generall contentment. And thus much for flowers, and their generall and
particular ordering.
CHAP. VII.
_How to preserue all manner of seedes, hearbs, flowers, and fruits,
from all manner of noysome and pestilent things which deuoure and hurt
them._
[Sidenote: Of Thunder and Lightning.]
It is not enough to bequeath and giue your séedes vnto the ground, and
then immediatly to expect (without any further industrie) the fruit of
your labours, no goodnesse seldome commeth with such ease: you must
therefore know that when you lay your séedes in the ground, they are
like so many good men amongst a world of wicked ones, and as it were
inuironed and begirt with maine Armies of enemies, from which if your
care and diligence doe not defend them the most, if not all, will
doubtlesse perish, and of these enemies the worst and most violentest
is _Thunder_ and _Lightning_, which in a moment killeth all sorts of
flowers, plants, and trées, euen in the height and pride of their
flourishing, which to preuent, it hath béene the practise of all the
auncient Gardners, to plant against the walles of their Gardens, or in
the middest of their quarters, where their choysest flowers grow, the
_Lawrell_ or _Bay_ Trée, which is euer helde a defence against those
strikings.
[Sidenote: Of Caterpillers.]
Next vnto _Thunder_ and _Lightning_ are _Caterpillers_, which are a
kinde of filthy little wormes, which lye in Cobwebs about the leaues,
deuouring them, and poysoning the sap, in such sort, that the Plant
dieth spéedily after: the way to kill these, is to take strong Vrine
and Ashes mixt together, and with it to dash and sprinkle all the
Plants cleane ouer, and it will both preuent their bréeding, or being
bred will kill them: the smoake of Brimstone will doe the like, yet if
they be excéeding much abundant, the surest way to destroy them, is to
take olde, rotten, mouldy Hay, and setting it on fire, with the blaze
thereof burne the Cob-webs, and then with the smoake smother and kill
the wormes, and they will hardly euer bréede in that place againe.
[Sidenote: Of Toades and Frogges.]
Next these are _Toades_ and _Frogges_, which are very poysonous and
great destroyers of young Plants, chiefly in their first appearing
aboue the ground, and the auncient Gardners haue vsed to destroy them
by burning the fat of a Stagge in some part of the Garden beds, from
which earth all creatures that haue poyson in them, will flye with all
violence: other Gardners will watch where the Kite pearcheth on nights,
and gathering vp her dung, scatter it vpon the beds either simply, or
mixt with the shauings of an olde Harts horne, and no venemous thing
will come néere it.
[Sidenote: Of the field Myce.]
Next these are field _Myce_, which will roote séedes out of the earth,
and deuoure them aboundantly, which to kill you shall take _Henbane
seede_, and beate it to pouder, and then mixing it with swéete Oyle,
fresh Butter, or Grease, make thereof a bayte; and when you finde
where they scratch or roote, lay some part of the bayte in that place,
and they will gréedily eate it, and it will kill them: there be other
Gardners which will take a Wéesell, and burning it to ashes, scatter
the ashes on the beds, and then no field _Mouse_ will come néere them.
[Sidenote: Of Flyes.]
Next these are _Flyes_, as flesh-_Flyes_, _Scarabs_, _Hornets_,
_Dores_, and such like, which are great destroyers of Séeds and Plants,
when they appeare in their first leafe, and are soft and tender, which
to destroy, you shall either take _Orpment_ mixt with milke, or the
pouder of _Allome_, or the ashes of any of these _Flyes_ burnt, and
with it sprinkle your beds and young plants all ouer, and it will kéepe
_Flyes_ that they will not dare to come néere them.
[Sidenote: Of the greene Fly.]
If the gréene _Fly_, which of all other _Flyes_ is most gréedie to hurt
Séedes and Plants, doe offend your Garden, you shall take _Henbane_
leaues, _Houseleeke_, and _Minte_, and beat them in a Morter, then
straine forth the iuyce, and then adde thereto as much Vinegar as
was of all the rest, and there-with sprinkle your beds all ouer, and
the gréene _Fly_ will neuer come néere them. Some hold opinion, that
if you plant the hearbe _Rocket_ in your Garden, that it is a safe
preseruatiue against these gréene _Flyes_, for it is most certaine that
the very smell thereof will kill these, and most sorts of all other
_Flyes_ whatsoeuer, as hath béene found by approued experience, and the
sylts of olde auncient Abby Gardens, which a man shall seldome finde
without this hearbe planted in them.
[Sidenote: Of Gnats.]
Next these are _Gnats_, which although it be the smallest of all Flyes,
yet it is the greatest, quickest, and sharpest deuourer of tender
Plants of all other, for it biteth déeper and more venemously sharpe,
then those which are of much bigger substance: the best way to destroy
them is morning and euening, to smoake and perfume your beds either
with wet Rosemary, or with mouldy Hay: some vse to burne _Calamint_,
and some Oxe dung, and sure all are very good, for the smoakes are very
sharpe, and styflle as soone as it is receiued.
[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]
Next these are _Pismyers_, which also are very noysome vnto Gardens,
for they will digge vp, and carrie away the smaller séedes to their
hills, and in short space spoyle and deface a bed of his encrease, and
the best way to destroy them, is, if you finde their hill, to poure hot
scalding water vpon them: or if vpon your Garden beds you strowe Ashes
or Lyme, but especially that which is made of chalk, they will by no
meanes come néere them, as you shall finde by experience.
[Sidenote: Of Moales.]
Next these are _Moales_, which digging and vndermining the earth,
turneth vp Séedes and Plants in a confused fashion, to the vtter
destruction and ruine of the Husband-mans labour, the cure whereof is
to take them in such sort, as shall be shewed in this Booke, where I
speake of Pasture grounds; but if you finde that their encrease and
continuance multiply with your labour, it shall be then good for you
to plant in diuers places of your Garden the hearbe called _Palma
christi_, in other places _Garlickes_ and in other places _Onyons_, and
it is an assured rule that no _Moale_ will come néere where they grow
for the strength and violence of their smell, is poysonous and deadly
to those blind vermines.
[Sidenote: Of Snailes.]
Next there are _Snailes_ of both kindes, blacke and white, which are
as much offensiue to Gardens, as any other crawling thing, for they
féed of the tender leaues of plants, and of the outmost rindes of the
daintiest hearbs or flowers, the way to destroy them, is to sprinkle
vpon the beds and other places of their aboad good store of chimney
soote, which by no meanes they can endure, because it is mortall and
poysonous.
[Sidenote: Of Moathes.]
Next there are _Moathes_ or _Moaghts_, which are very pernitious in
a Garden, for they destroy both Séeds and Plants, and there is not
better or more certaine way to kill them, then by taking olde horse
hoofes, and burning them, with the smoake thereof to perfume all the
places where they abide, and it will in an instant kill them; with this
smoake onely you may kéepe Arras hanging, Tapistrie, Néedle-worke,
Cushions, or Carpets, or any woollen cloath or garment whatsoeuer safe
from _Moathes_ as long as you please, neither néede you to vse it aboue
once or twice a yéere at the most, as shall be more at large in another
place declared.
[Sidenote: Of Cankers.]
Next these are _Cankers_, which are a kinde of filthie wormes, which
deuoure both the great and small leaues of all sorts of swéet Plants,
especially _Lettuce_, _Cabbadge_, _Colaflours,_ and such like; and the
way to destroy them, is to scatter amongst your Plants, Goose-dung,
or to sprinkle the iuyce thereof with a wispe of _Rue_, or hearbe of
_Grace_ ouer all the beds, and though some with a rustie knife vse to
scrape them from the leaues, and so kill them on a Tyle-shread, yet for
my part I hold this the néerer way, and both more certaine and more
easie, as experience will approue.
[Sidenote: Of Garden Wormes.]
[Sidenote: An excellent experiment.]
Lastly, are your Garden _Wormes_ which liuing in the hollowes of the
earth féede much vpon your tender Garden séedes, and the soft sprouts
which first issue from them, especially from all sorts of kirnels, in
which they delight more then in any other séede whatsoeuer, as you may
finde by experience, if you please to obserue accidents as they happen,
without which obseruation you shall hardly attaine to the perfection
of an excellent Gardner: for if you please to make this triall, take
the kirnels of a faire sound Pippin, and deuide them into two parts,
then sowe the one halfe in a Garden bed well drest and trimmed for the
purpose, where the worme hath liberty to come and goe at his pleasure,
sowe the other halfe in some riuen boule, earthen pot, or halfe Tub,
made for the purpose with the same earth or mould that the bed is, and
then set the vessell so as no worme may come there-vnto, and you shall
finde that all those Séedes will sprout and come forth, when hardly any
one of those in the bed of earth will or can prosper, there being no
other reason but the extreame gréedinesse of the deuouring worme, which
to preuent, you shall take Oxe dung, and burn it to ashes, then mixe
them with the earth where-with you couer your Séedes, and it will both
kill the wormes, and make the Séedes sprout both sooner and safer. And
thus much for the preseruation of Séeds and Plants, from all noysome
and pestilent creatures, which being practised with care and diligence,
will giue vnto euery honest minde the satisfaction he desireth.
[Sidenote: The conclusion of the Kitchen Garden.]
Now to conclude this small tract or Treatise of the Husbandmans
_Kitchen Garden_, I would haue euery honest Reader vnderstand, that I
haue not taken vpon me to modell out any curious shape or proportion,
but onely figured out a perfect nourcerie, shewing you how to bréed
and bring vp all things fit for health or recreation which being once
brought to mature and ripe age, you may dispose into those proper
places which may become their worthinesse, in which worke I would haue
your owne fancy your owne directour, for I may giue preheminence to
that you least like, and disestéeme that most which to you may séeme
most worthy, therefore let your owne iudgement order your Garden, like
your house, and your hearbs like your furniture, placing the best in
the best places, & such as are most conspicuous, and the rest according
to their dignities in more inferiour roomes, remembring that your
galleries, great chambers, and lodgings of state doe deserue Arras,
your Hall Wainscote, and your meanest offices some _Boscadge_, or
cleanly painting: from this alligorie if you can draw any wit, you may
finde without my further instruction how to frame Gardens of all sorts
to your owne contentment.
THE SECOND PART
OF THE SECOND BOOKE
of the _English Husbandman_: Contayning
the ordering of all sorts of VVoods, and
the breeding of Cattell.
CHAP. I.
_Of the beginning of Woods, first sowing, and necessarie vse._
[Sidenote: Wood better then Gold.]
[Sidenote: The excellent vses of Wood.]
It is a Maxime held in Plantations, that no land is habitable, which
hath not Wood & Water, they two being as it were the only nerues &
strength of a mans safe and wholesome liuing, and I haue heard many
wise Gentlemen, exercised, and ingaged, in the most noble and euer
laudable workes of our new Plantations, both of _Virgina_ and the
Summer-_Ilands_ affirme, that they had rather, for a generall profit,
haue a fertile wholesome land, with much wood, then (wanting wood)
with a Mine of gold: so infinite great is the vse of Timber (whose
particulars I néede not rehearse) and so insufferable is the want,
when we are any way pinched with the same. And hence it springeth that
our olde auncestors (whose vertues would God we would in some small
measure imitate) when they found any hard and barraine earth, such as
was vnapt for grasse; or at least such as bare but grasse that would
kéepe life, not comfort life, they presently plowed it vp, and sowed
thereon Acornes, Ash-keyes, Maple knots, Béech apples, Hawes, Slowes,
Nuts, Bullis, and all other séeds of trées in innumerable quantity,
as may appeare by the Forrests of _Del la mere_, _Sherwood_, _Kings
wood_, and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes
and compasse, from whom when the wood is spoiled, the soyle serueth to
little or no purpose, except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore
shéepe, which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse. Thus
euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer
most carefull to preserue and encrease wood, and for mine owne part I
haue euer obserued in all those places where I haue séene Woods decayed
and destroyed, that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries
allowed; those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit, for
the greatest exhaustment that euer I saw of wood ground was to bring it
to tenne shillings an Acre when it was conuerted to pasture, and being
kept to wood, it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty
pound. A simple Auditor may cast the account of this profit, but such
is our gréedinesse, that for our instant vse we little respect the
good of ours, or our neighbours. But it is no part of my Bookes method
to call offences to question, but onely to right the Husbandman in
his iourney to ordinarie profit. Know then that there is nothing more
profitable to the Husbandman, then the encreasing and nourishing of
wood; from whence (as our common lawes termes it) springs these thrée
bootes or necessary commodities, to wit House-boote, Plowe-boote, and
Fire-boote, without the first we haue neither health, couert, ease,
nor safety from sauage beasts: without the second we cannot haue the
fruits of the earth, nor sustenance for our bodies, nor without the
last can we defend off the sharp Winters, or maintaine life against
the numbing colds which would confound vs. The consideration of these
thrée things only, might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most
excellent commodity: but the other infinite necessities & vses which
we make of wood, as shipping, by which we make our selues Lords of the
Seas: fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours: solution
& trial of Mines, from whence springs both our glory in peace, and our
strength in warre, with a world of others sutable vnto them, should be
motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most
praise-worthy labour of planting wood, in euery place and corner, where
it may any way conueniently be receiued.
[Sidenote: The plantation of Wood.]
If then the Husbandman shall liue in a high barraine Countrey (for
low-valleyes, marshes, or such grounds as are subiect to inundations,
seldome nourish wood well) or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine,
yet of so hard and sower encrease, that the hearbage doth in the profit
but in small quantity, I would wish him after a generall triall of
his earth, to deuide it into thrée equall parts, the first and the
fruitfullest I would haue him preserue for pasture for his Cattell of
all kindes: the second and next in fertility for corne, being no more
then those cattell may till, and the last & most barraine to imploy
for wood: which though he stay long for the profit, yet will pay the
interest double. And this ground thus chosen for wood, I would haue
him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of Februarie, and
if it be light earth, as either sand, grauell, or a mixt hazel earth,
then immediatly to sow it with Acornes, Ash-keyes, Elme & Maple knots,
Béech-apples, Chesnuts, Ceruisses, Crabs, Peares, Nuts of all kindes,
Hawes, Hips, Bullice, Slowes, and all manner of other wood séeds
whatsoeuer, and as soone as they are sowne with strong Oxe harrowes of
iron, to harrow and breake the earth, in such sort, that they may be
close and safely couered. And in the plowing of this earth, you must
diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible,
that the séede taking strong and déepe roote, may the better and with
more safety encrease, and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests,
whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed, the smallest blasts will
shake the Trées, and make them crooked, wrythen, and for small vse but
fire onely.
[Sidenote: The fencing of young woods.]
[Sidenote: When cattell may graze in Springs.]
After you haue harrowed your earth, and laide your séede safe, you
shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence, and
hedge, ditch, pale, or such like, which may kéepe out all manner of
foure-footed beasts, for comming within the same, for the space of
tenne yéeres after: for you shall vnderstand, that if any cattell
shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth, or whilst it
is young, tender, and soft, they will naturally crop and brouse vpon
the same, and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten, will neuer
prosper or spring vp to any height, but turne to bushie shrubs and
ill-fauoured tufts, pestring the ground without any hope of profit,
whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at
the least, it will after defend it selfe, and prosper in despight
of any iniurie: and then after that date you may safely turne your
cattell into the same, and let them graze at pleasure, and surely you
shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast, as your yearling
Haiffers, Bullocks, Colts, Fillies, and such like: for I would not wish
you to let any elder cattell come within the same, because the grasse
though it be long, yet it is sower and scowring, and by that meanes
will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie, whether it be
Oxe or Horse, and for milch-Kine, it will instantly dry vp their milke,
but for idle heilding beasts, whose profit is comming after, it will
serue sufficiently.
[Sidenote: The vse of the clay ground for Wood.]
Now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood, be a stiffe clay ground,
and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde, wet, or such like,
as is séene in daily experience: you shall then plowe vp the ground at
the end of Ianuarie in déepe furrowes, as is before rehearsed; and then
let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good Frosts, then after
those Frosts some wet, as either snow or raine, and then the next
faire season after sowe it, as afore-said, and harrow it, and you shall
sée the mould breake and couer most kindely, which without this baite,
and order, it would not doe, then fence it as afore-said, and preserue
it from cattell for tenne yéeres after.
[Sidenote: A speciall note.]
And here is to be noted that one Oake growing vpon a clay ground, is
worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand, for it is more hard, more
tough, and of much longer indurance, not so apt to teare, ryue, or
consume, either with Lyme, Rubbish, or any casuall moysture, whence
it comes that euer your Ship-wrights or Mill-wrights desire the clay
Oake for their vse, and the Ioyner the sand Oake for smoothnesse and
waynscote. And thus much for the sowing of Wood, and his generall vses.
* * * * *
CHAP. II.
_The deuision of vnder-Woods, their sale, and profit._
[Sidenote: The deuision of Woods.]
[Sidenote: The valew of vnder-wood.]
Whosoeuer be a Lord or Master of much vnder-wood, which is indéede
young spring-wood of all kindes, growing thicke and close together,
either from the séede, as is declared in the former Chapter, or from
the rootes of former salles, the first being a profit begotten by him
selfe, the other a right left by purchase or inheritance, and desire,
as it is the dutie of euery vertuous husband, to make his best and
most lawfullest profit thereof, hauing not left vnto him any president
of former commodity. In this case you shall suruay the whole circuit
of your wood, with euery corner and angle there vnto belonging, and
then as your abilitie and the quantity of your ground shall afford,
you shall deuide your whole wood either into twelue, seauentéene, or
one and twenty parts of equall Acres, Roodes, or Rods, and euery yeare
you shall sell or take to your owne vse one of those parts, so that
one following yearely after another, our sales may continue time out
of minde, and you shall imploy as you please so much wood euery yeare
of either twelue, seauentéene, or one and twenty yeares growth. And in
this you shal note that the sale of one and twenty, doth farre excéede
that of seauentéene, and that of seauentéene as farre that of twelue:
but in this it is quantity, and your necessity that must direct you,
and not my demonstration: for there be fewe Husbands but know that an
Acre of one and twenty yéeres growth, may be worth twenty, nay thirty
pounds, that of seauentéene worth eight or ten pounds, and that of
twelue, fiue and sixe pounds, according to the goodnesse of the wood,
insomuch that the longer a man is able to stay, the greater sure is
his profit: but fewell and fence must of necessity be had, and if a
man haue but twelue acres of wood, I sée not but he must be forced to
take euery yéere one acre for his owne reliefe, and if hée take more,
hée must either necessarily spoyle all, or driue himselfe into extreame
want in fewe yeares following: and therefore it is méete that euery
good husband shape his garment according to his cloath, and onely take
plenty where plenty is; yet with this husbandly caution that euer the
elder your sale is, the richer it is, as you may perceiue by the well
husbanded Woods of many Bishoprickes in this land, which are not cut
but at thirtie yeares growth.
[Sidenote: Of the sale of vnder-woods.]
When you haue made your deuisions according to your quantity, you
shall begin your sale at an out-side where cariages may enter without
impeachment to the springs you intend not to cut, and a pole or halfe
pole according to the quantity of ground, you shall preserue (being
next of all to the outmost fence) to repaire the ring fences of your
Wood, and to seperate the new sale from the standing Wood: and this
amongst Woodwards is called Plash-pole. Then at the latter end of
Ianuarie you may begin to cut downe your vnder-wood, and sell it either
by acres, roodes, perches, poles, roddes, or dozens, according to the
quantitie of your earth, or the abilitie of your buyers. And in this
sale I cannot set you downe any certaine price, because true iudgement,
and the goodnesse of your wood must onely giue you direction, things
being euer valewed according to their worth and substance, and this
sale or the cutting downe of vnder-wood, you may continue from the
latter end of Ianuarie, till midde Aprill, at which time the leafe
begins to bud forth, or somewhat longer if necessitie vrge you: the
like you may also doe from the beginning of September, at which time
the leafe beginnes to shed till the middest of Nouember.
[Sidenote: How to cut vnder-woods.]
Now for the manner of cutting downe your vnder-woods, although the
lawes of the Kingdome shew you what dutie you shall performe therein,
what Timber you shall preserue, and how néere each Weauer shall stand
one to another, yet I would wish you both for your owne and the
Common-wealths sake, to performe somewhat more then that to which you
are by law compelled, & therefore you shall giue direction to your
wood fallers, that when they shall méete with any faire and straight
well growne sapling, Oake, Elme, Ash, or such like, to preserue them,
and let them stand still, being of such fit distance one from another,
that they may not hinder or trouble each other in their growing, and
when you shall finde vpon a cluster many faire Plants or Saplings; you
shall view which is the fairest of them all, and it preserue onely, and
the rest cut away, that it may prosper the better: also if you finde
any faire and well growne fruit Trées, as Peares, Chesnuts, Seruisses,
and such like, you shall let them stand and cleare them from the
droppings of the taller trées, and you shall finde the profit make you
recompence. Now for the generall cutting vp of the wood, you shall cut
it about sixe inches aboue the ground, and drawing your strokes vpward,
cut the wood slope-wise, for that is best to hasten on the new Spring;
and those Weauers or young which you preserue and suffer to growe
still, you shall prune and trimme as you passe by them, cutting away
all superfluous branches, twigges, and young spyers, which shall grow
either néere vnto the roote, or vpon any part of the boale, which is
fit to be preserued for Timber, and if you shall finde that the earth
haue by any casualty forsaken the root, and left it bare, which is
hurtfull to the growth of the Trée, you shall lay fresh earth vnto it,
and ram the same hard and fast about it.
[Sidenote: The fencing of salles.]
[Sidenote: The Woodwards duty.]
Thus when you haue made an end of cutting downe your sale, and that
the wood is cleansed and carried away, and all the loose and scattered
stickes raked vp into seuerall heapes, and caried away also; for it is
the part of euerie good husband and Woodward, not to sée any wood lye
and rot vpon the ground; you shall then with the vnder-wood preserued
in the Plash-pole, deuide by a strong hedge this new cut downe sale
from the other elder growne wood, and for tenne yéeres, as before is
spoken, not suffer any foure-footed beast to come within the same; from
which rule you shall learne this lesson, that it is the Woodwards duty
euery day to looke ouer all his young Springs, and if by any mischance
or negligence cattell shall happen to breake into them (as many times
they doe) then shall he not onely driue forth or impound such Cattell,
but also suruay how farre and which Plants they haue cropt, and hauing
spied them, with his wood Bill, presently cut the Plants so brouzed
close by the bottomes of the last shuts, and then they will newly put
forth againe, as well as if they had neuer béene hindred: which done,
he shall finde out where the cattell brake in; and then mend the same,
so well and sufficiently, that it may preuent the like mischiefe.
Also if these young springs shall stand néere vnto Forrests or elder
Woods, which are full of wilde Deare, and be no purlewes belonging vnto
the same, the Woodward then shall neuer walke without a little dogge
following him, with which he shall chase such Deare out of his young
springs, because it is to be vnderstood, that the brouzing of Deare is
as hurtfull to young wood, as that of any other cattell whatsoeuer.
And thus much touching the ordering and gouernment of vnder-woods, with
their sales, and the nourishing vp of greater Timber.
* * * * *
CHAP. III.
_Of High Woods, and their Plantation._
[Sidenote: What high Woods are.]
[Sidenote: The beginning of high Woods.]
High Woods are those which containe onely Trées for Timber, and are not
pestred or imbraced with the vnder growth of small brush wood, such
as Hazels, White-thorne, Sallowes and Poplar are; these for the most
part consist of Oakes, Ash, Elme, Béech, Maple, and such like, growing
so remote and seperate one from another, that although their tops and
branches méete, and as it were infolde one within another, yet at
the rootes a man may walke or ride about them without trouble. These
high Woods had their first beginnings from the séeds, as was before
declared, and nourisht from age to age amongst the vnder-woods, which,
when men began to want foode for their bréede-Cattell, and that from
the super-abundance of young Woods, they found some might conueniently
be spared, they forth-with in stead of cutting downe their young wood
aboue the earth, began to digge it vp by the rootes, and with stubbe
Axes to teare the meane sinewes from the ground, so that it might not
renew or encrease againe, and then leuelling the earth, and laying it
smooth and plaine, to leaue nothing standing but the tall Timber trées,
betwéene which the grasse had more libertie to growe, and Cattell more
abundance to féede on, and all be not so long and well able to fill the
mouth, as that which growes in the thicke springs, yet much more swéet
and better able to nourish any thing that shall graze vpon the same, by
reason that the Sunne and Frosts hauing more frée power to enter into
the ground, the earth is so much the better seasoned, and bringeth
forth her encrease with more swéetnesse.
[Sidenote: The Plantation of high Woods.]
Some are of opinion, that these high Woods may as well be planted as
sowne, and that many of them from the first beginning haue béene so, to
which opinion I consent in part: for doubtlesse I am perswaded, that
many small Groues of Ash, Elme, Béech and Poplar haue béene planted,
for we sée in our daily experience, and the new walkes in _More-fields_
by _London_, are a perfect testimonie, that such Plantations may
be without trouble or danger: but for the Oake to be taken vp and
replanted, is very hard, and very seldome in vse, neither shall a man
in an whole Age sée any Oake remoued come to perfection or goodnesse,
but growe crooked, knottie, and at the best, but for the vse of fewell
onely: but for the other before rehearsed, you may remoue them when
they are a dozen yeares of age, and plant them where you please: and if
the earth haue in it any goodnesse at all, they will take root and grow
both spéedily, and plentifully. And since I am thus farre entred into
the plantation of Woods, I will shew you how you shall plant and remoue
euery Trée in his due manner and season.
[Sidenote: Of Planting the Elme.]
And first for the planting of the Elme, which is an excellent Trée for
shadow, and the adorning of walkes or dwelling houses, you shall make
choise of those Plants which are straightest, soundest, the barke euen
and vntwound, and at least eightéene or twenty inches in compasse:
these you shall digge out of the ground, roote and all, then at the
top of the head, about thrée fingers vnder the knot, where the maine
armes seuerally issue forth, you shall a little slope-wise cut the head
cleane off them, and mixing clay and a little horse-dung, or fine ashes
together, couer the head round about there-with, then ouer the same
wrap Mosse, or fine Hay, and binde it about with soft clouen Oziers,
or some such like bands, then with a sharpe pruning Bill cut euery
seuerall branch of the roote within a finger or two of the stocke;
which done, and the roote pickt cleane, you shall make a hole to be
digged in the place, where you meane to plant the Elme iust of that
depth, the hole was from whence you digged out the Elme, that so much
and no more of the Elme may be hidden in the earth, then was formerly
at his remouing; and this hole you shall make spacious and easie; and
that the mould be soft and loose both vnderneath and round about the
roote of the Elme, which done, you shall place your Elme in the same,
straight and vpright, without either swaruing one way or other, which
for your better certaintie, you may proue either with plumbe, leuell,
or other instrument, which being perfected, you shall with rich fresh
mould well mixt with olde meanure, couer and ram the same fast in the
earth, in such sort, that no reasonable strength may moue or shake it:
and all this worke must be done in the encrease of the Moone, either in
the moneth of October, or at the latter end of Ianuary: but the latter
end of Ianuarie is euer helde the best and safest, for there is no
question but you shall sée flourishing Trées the next Summer after: and
in this sort you may likewise remoue either Béech, Witcher, or Popler,
bestowing them either in Groues, Walkes, Hedge-rowes, or other places
of shadow, as shall séeme best to your contentment: for their natures
being alike, their growthes and flourishings haue little difference.
[Sidenote: Of Planting the Ash.]
[Sidenote: Obiection.]
[Sidenote: Answere.]
Now for the replanting or remouing the Ash, though not much, yet there
is some difference, for it is not at the first so spéedie a putter
forth, and flourisher, as the others be: but for the first yeare
laboureth more to bestow and fixe his roote in the earth, then to
spread forth his vpper branches, and although some Woodwards are of
opinion, that so much as the Ash is aboue the ground, so much hée will
be vnder before he begin to flourish outwardly, yet experience doth
find it erronious, for though it be for the first yéere a little slower
then other Trées, yet when it beginneth to flourish, it will ouer-take
the spéediest grower. Therefore when you do intend to plant Ashes for a
spéedy profit, you shall not according to the olde custome chuse the
smooth, small, long Plants, which are hardly thrée inches in compasse,
and haue put out hardly any branches, and are such as grow from the
rootes of elder Ashes cut downe before, which our auncient Woodwards
haue vsed to slip or cleaue from those rootes, no, these are the
worst sorts of Plants: but you shall take the true ground-Ash, which
springeth from his owne proper roote, being smooth, euen, sound, and
straight without bruise, canker, or other impediment. This you shall
digge vp by the root, being as is before said almost twenty inches in
compasse, and hauing cleansed the roote, you shall leaue each spray
not aboue halfe a foote, or eight inches in length; but for the small
thréeds or tassels of the roote, those you shall cut cleane away close
by the wood, and so plant it in euery point, as was shewed you for the
planting of the Elme, onely the top thereof you shall by no meanes cut
off, because it is a trée of pith, which to deuide or lay bare, were
very dangerous; and the best season for the planting of this Trée, is
euer in the encrease of the Moone, at the fall of the leafe, which is
from the beginning of October till midde Nouember, and at no other
time, for it would euer haue a whole Winter to fasten his roote, and to
gather strength, that it may bud forth his leafe the Summer following.
Thus you sée how you may plant Groues or Copses at your pleasure, and
make vnto your selfe high Woods according to your owne pleasure. But
you will obiect vnto me, that you liue in such a champaine Countrey,
that albe these Plantations might bréede vnto you infinite pleasure,
yet the pouerty thereof in wood is such that these Plants are not
there to be found for any money. To which I thus answere, That in this
Kingdome there is not any Country so barraine, or farre off remote from
wood, being a soyle fit to receiue wood: But his next neighbour-Country
is able to furnish him, especially with these Plants at an easie
reckoning: as for example, I hold _Northampton_ shire one of the
barrennest for Wood, yet best able to beare wood, and hath not he his
neighbour _Huntington_ shire and _Leicester_ shire about him, where
nurceries of these Plants are bred and preserued for the sale onely:
Nay, euen in _Holland_, in _Lincolne_ shire, which is the lowest of all
Countries, and most vnlikely to holde such a commodity, I haue séene
as goodly Timber as in any Forrest or Chase of this Kingdome: and thus
much for the planting of high Woods.
* * * * *
CHAP. IIII.
_Of the preseruation, and sale of high Woods._
[Sidenote: Of Trees which take wet inwardly.]
It is not sufficient for the Husbandman to sowe, plant, and encrease
wood about his grounds, conuerting his earth to the vttermost and
extreamest profit that may spring from the same: but he must also
be diligent to preserue and nourish his timber trées from all
inconueniences that may any way annoy or afflict them: and to this
end hée shall daily walke into his Woods, and with a searching eye
suruay euery Trée which is of any account, and sée if he can finde any
fault or annoyance about the same, and if casting his eye vp to the
top, where the maine armes shoote forth themselues, he perceiue that
by the breaking off of some arme or other riuen boughes, the wet and
droppings of the leaues is sunke and fretted into the Timber, which in
time will corrupt the heart, and make the Trée hollow. In this case he
shall presently mount the Trée, and with his Bill, either cut the place
so smooth that the wet may not rest thereon, or else hauing smoothed
it so much as he may with conuenience, mixe stiffe clay and fine hay
together, and with the same couer the place, in such manner, that it
may put off the wet till it haue recouered new barke.
[Sidenote: Of Barke-bound.]
If hée shall perceiue any of his younger Trées to be Barke-bound, that
is, so stiffe and straitly tied within their owne ryndes, that they
cannot encrease or prosper: in this case he shall with a sharpe drawing
knife, made in the proportion of a narrow _C_ draw and open the barke
euen from the top of the bole of the Trée downe to the roote, and then
clap Oxe dung into those slits, let the Trée rest, and in short space
you shall sée it mightily encrease.
[Sidenote: Of Hornets and Dores.]
If he shall perceiue that _Hornets_, and _Dores_, or such like, haue
found some little hollownesse in one of his Trées, and séeketh there
to shelter and hide themselues, which in little space they will soone
make larger, he shall forth-with besmeare all the place with Tarre and
Goose-dung, and it will driue them thence.
[Sidenote: Of the Canker.]
If he shall finde that by the droppings of other Trées, some of his
Trées shall grow cankerous, and loose their barke, which is an accident
very vsuall, and the Trées whose barkes are so lost, will with great
difficulty after prosper. In this case he shall annoynt the place with
Tarre and Oyle mixt together, and then couer the place with clay, where
the barke is wanting.
[Sidenote: Of Pismyers.]
If he shall perceiue any _Pismyer_ hilles or beds to be made against
any of his Trées, which is very noysome, for they are great destroyers
of the barks of Trées: he shall then with hot scalding water kill them,
and throw the hill downe leuell and plaine with the earth.
[Sidenote: Of Iuy, Woodbine, and Misseltoe.]
If he shall find any _Iuy_, _Woodbine_, or _Mysteltoe_ to grow in or
about any of his principall Trées, which doe strangle, suffocate, and
kéepe them from encreasing, he shall forth-with digge vp the roots
thereof, and then cut it away or loosen it from about the barks of the
Trées.
[Sidenote: Of Thunder and Lightning.]
Lastly, if he shall perceiue that by _Thunder_, _Lightning_, or other
plantarie stroakes, any of the armes of his well growne Trées be
blasted or slaine, he shall forth-with cut them away, euen close to the
quicke Wood, and make the place smooth and euen where they were ioyned:
thus shall the carefull Husbandman with a vigilant eye, regard euery
enormous and hurtfull thing that may offend his Timber, and by that
meanes possesse more benefit from a fewe Roodes, then others doe from
many Acres.
[Sidenote: Of the sale of tall Woods.]
Now when either necessity or the vrgent occasions of any néedfull vse,
enforceth the Husbandman to make sale of any part of his tall Wood,
in which Marchandise there is many prety and obscure secrets, such as
are hard to be shewed by any Verball demonstration, for truly there
is not any trucking or marting whatsoeuer, in which a man may sooner
deceiue, or be deceiued, men buying and selling in a manner hood-winkt:
for it is most certaine that no man can certainely tell either what
peny-woorth hée selleth, or the other buyeth, so long as the Trée is
standing, there be in Trées so many secret faults, and likewise when
they are downe, and come to the breaking or burkning (as the Wood-man
tearmes it) so many vnexpected vertues, as for mine owne part I haue
often séene a Trée whose out-side hath promised all good hope, the
barke being smooth and euen, the body large and great, and the armes
high set on, and spaciously extended; yet when this Trée hath béene
felled, and came to burkning, there hath béene found a hole in the
top, which hath runne cleane though the heart, and vtterly spoyled the
whole Timber: so likewise on the contrary part I haue séene a Trée very
foule at the top, which is suspitious for rottennesse, whose armes haue
growne so close and narrow together, that they haue promised little
burthen, yet being cut downe, I haue séene that Trée passing sound, the
armes double the loades in valuation, and the price being lesse then
any, the proofe and goodnesse to excéede all; so that I must conclude
it all together impossible to set downe any fixed or certaine rules
either for the buyer or seller: but for as much as there are diuers
worthie obseruances for both parts, and that it is as necessary to buy
well as sell well, I will runne through euery particular obseruation,
which doth belong both to the one and the other partie, with which
when a mans minde is perfectly acquainted, he may with much bolder
confidence aduenture to buy or sell in the open Market.
[Sidenote: How to chuse Timbers.]
[Sidenote: Of Mill Timber.]
[Sidenote: Timber to beare burthen.]
The first thing therefore that either buyer or seller should be
skilfull in, is the choyse of all sorts of Timbers, and to know which
is fit for euery seuerall purpose, the crooked and vneyely being for
some vses of much higher price and reckoning then that which is plaine,
straight, and euen growne, as thus for example. If you would buy Timber
for Mill-whéeles, the heads of round Turrets, or any kinde of any worke
whatsoeuer, you shall chuse that which is crooked and some-what bent,
being sound, firme, and vnshaken. If you will chuse Timber for Summer
Trées, Baulks, Iawnies, or Tracens, you shall chuse that which is most
hartie, sound, and much twound, or as it were wrythen about, which you
shall with great ease perceiue by the twinding or crooked going about
of the barke, the graine whereof will as it were circle and lay round
about the Trée. This Timber which is thus twound or wrythen, will by no
meanes ryue or cleaue asunder, and therefore is estéemed the best to
support and beare burthen, and the heart thereof will endure and last
the longest.
[Sidenote: Timber for Pales, Wainscote, &c.]
If you will chuse Timber for Pales, Singles, Coopers-ware, Wainscote,
or such like, then you shall euer chuse that which is smooth, euen, and
straight growne, without any manner of twynding or shaking, which you
shall perceiue by the straight and euen growing vp of the barke, whose
crests will ascend straight and vpright, euen from the roote to the
bottome, which is an assured token that all such Timber will shiuer and
ryue into as thinne parts as a man would desire.
[Sidenote: Timber for Pyles or Water-workes.]
Lastly, if you would chuse Timber to make Pyles of, to driue into the
earth, for the framing of Weares within the water, the heads of Ponds,
or any other worke within the water then you shall chuse that which is
most knottie (so it be sound) for that will driue without splitting,
and continue in the earth the longest: and of all Timbers the Elme
is accounted the best for this purpose, for it will continue almost
euerlastingly in the earth without rotting; yet notwithstanding, the
Oake is excellent good also: and thus much for the generall choise of
Oakes.
[Sidenote: Vse of the Elme.]
Now if you would chuse Timber for weather-boards, or to be vsed in
water-workes, or to make Planks for low moyst Vaults, then you shall
chuse the biggest, soundest and smoothest growne _Elme_, it is also
excellent good to make Kitchen tables of, or for boards, for the vse
of Butchers. If you will chuse the most principallest Timber, for
Cart or Waine Axel trées, for the naues of whéeles, or for any other
vse of toughnesse, you shall chuse the _Elme_ onely, for it excéedeth
all other Timbers, and though some Husbandmen are of opinion, that
the _Elme_ Axel-trée when it is throughly heated, is then most apt to
breake, they are much deceiued, for it will endure farre beyond Ash or
any other Timber, except Yewgh, which for the scarsity is now of little
vse in such a purpose. And herein you must obserue, that the _Elme_
which you chuse for Axel-trées must be straite, smooth, and without
knots, but that which you chuse for naues, must be most knotty, twound,
and the hardest to be broken or hewed asunder.
[Sidenote: Vse of the Ash.]
If you will chuse Timber for Ploughes, ordinary Axel-trées (for
those of _Elme_ are speciall) the rings of whéeles harrow bulls, and
such like, then you shall chuse the fairest, straightest, biggest,
and smoothest growne Ash that you can finde, and from the roote end
vpward, you shall cut out a length of Axel-trées, aboue it a length of
shelbordes, and aboue it (if the Trée be so large) a length for heads
and Skeathes, the largest armes which are somewhat bending, you shall
elect for rings for whéeles, and so according to the bignesse of the
Ash, and as your eye can proportion out what will be made of the same,
you shall make valuation thereof.
[Sidenote: Vse of the Wall-nut tree.]
If you would chuse Timber for ioyned Tables, Cupbords, or Bedsteds,
you shall then make choise of the fairest Walnut-trée you can finde,
being olde, straight, vnknotted, and of a high boale: and although
either Oake, or Ash will reasonably well serue for this purpose, yet
the Walnut-trée is by many degrées the best of all other, for it is
of smoothest graine, and to the eye most beautifull, prouided that by
no meanes you put it into any worke, before it be excéedingly well
seasoned.
[Sidenote: Vse of the Peare-tree.]
If you would chuse Timber for Ioynt-stooles, Chaires, or Chests, you
shall then chuse the oldest Peare-trée so it be sound, for it is both
smooth, swéet, and delicate, and though it be a very soft Wood, yet
in any of these frames it is an excéeding long laster, and the heart
thereof will neuer bréede worme, nor will it in any time loose the
colour.
[Sidenote: Vse of the Maple, Beech, and Poplar.]
If you would chuse Timber for Trenchers, Dishes, or any Tourners ware,
or for any in-laying worke, you shall then make choise of the fairest
and soundest Maple, being smooth and vnknotted, for it is the plainest
graine, and the whitest Wood of all other: and although either the
Béech or Poplar will reasonably well serue for these purposes, yet is
neither the colours so good, nor the Timber so long lasting. Many other
Trées there are which may serue for many other purposes: but these are
of most vse for our English Husbandman, and will sufficiently serue to
passe through all his businesses.
[Sidenote: Of Char-coale.]
Touching Char-coale, you shall vnderstand, that Oake, Elme, and Ash,
make your longest and best enduring Coale: the Birtch the finest and
brightest Coale, and the Béech or Sallow the swiftest Coale. Now for
your small Coale, the twigges of the Birtch makes that which kindles
the soonest, and the White-thorne that which endures the longest.
[Sidenote: How to value Timber.]
Thus when you know how to chuse euery seuerall Trée, and the true vse
and profit which can any way be made of the same, and by a practised
experience can cast by the suruay and view of a standing Wood, the
almost entire profit that may arise from the same, deuiding in your
memory how many are for euery seuerall purpose, and to what reckoning
they may amount one with the other, and blemishing (if you buy) the
good with the bad, or making good (if you sell) the bad with those
good ones which grow néere them, you may then boldly venture into any
sale either as a buyer or seller at your pleasure, and sure if you
know (as it is fit you should doe) the Market-able prices of all sorts
of Timbers in those places, where you are either to buy or sell, as
what a Mill-post is worth, what so many inches of well squared Timber,
contayning so many foote in length, what a dozen of boards of such a
size, what so many naues, spoakes, rings, sparres, or tracens, or what
so much sound and good Plough-timber is worth, and then looking vpon a
Trée, and computing what may euery way be made of the same, allowing
the wast which will hardly sometimes defray the charge of breaking vp
the Trée, you cannot but with great ease draw into your minde the true
value of euery Trée, and the vttermost profit or losse may any way rise
from the same.
[Sidenote: How to measure Timber by gesse.]
And in this worke I would haue you to obserue this rule very carefully,
that is, when you come to any great Timber-trée, to fathome or embrace
it about with both your armes, and then knowing what quantity your
fathome is, and how many fathome girdleth the Trée round about, you may
from former experience giue a certaine gesse what inches of squared
Timber that Trée will beare, for if you haue found in former trials
that twice your fathome in the rough barke hath borne twenty, or two
and twenty inches squared, and now finde that the present Trée on which
you looke, is no lesse, but rather with the bigger, you may boldly
presume, that being sound, this trée can carrie no lesse square of good
Timber: and thus much for the knowledge and choise of tall Woods.
[Sidenote: Best seasons for the sale.]
[Sidenote: The time for Chap-men.]
Now to come to the seasons & fittest times for sale of these high
Woods: you shall vnderstand that it is méete for euery good husband
which intendeth to sell any of his high Woods, to walke into the same
immediately after Christmas, & whether they be in woods, Groues,
hedge-rowes, or other places, to marke with a special marke all those
Trées which he intendeth to sell, as well for the wéeding and cleansing
out of all such as are decayed and wasted, as also to know the true
number of both the good and bad, and thereby in some measure to compute
the profit which will arise from the same, for to make sale of them
otherwise confusedly, might bring much losse to a man happily, selling
away those that would encrease their valewes, and kéepeing them which
daily would decrease their goodnesse, or so vnorderly vnmixing his
Wood, that where one faire and good Trée would draw a mans eye from
beholding diuers which are doated, now that onely taken away, the rest
will remaine, and neuer be sale-able, and therefore euer as néere as
you can so suite and match your Trées together, that in your sales
you may neuer passe away an absolute worthie Trée: but you may euer
couple some which haue defects to goe with it, as in these dayes we sée
Warriners and Poulters sell Rabbets, a fat and a leane euer coupled
together. When you haue thus marked out what you meane to sell, and
disposed your sale according to your best profit, after notice giuen
vnto the Country in the Market Townes néere adioyning, you shall begin
your sale the Candlemasse following, which sale you may continue all
the Spring, according to the greatnesse thereof, or the quicknesse of
buyers. Now for any rules or orders to be obserued in these sales, I
can prescribe you none certaine, because it is méete that euery one
binde himselfe to the customes of the Country in which he liueth,
whose variations are diuers, for almost euery one is seuerall, onely
in the maine they holde together, which is that they seldome make
publike sales for money downe vpon the head, but for a certaine payment
some fewe moneths after, which makes the Marchandise more lookt to,
and the sales goe away the faster; and in this the Sales-man must be
circumspect in the choise of his Chap-men, and where hée findeth any
doubt there to make one neighbour stand bound for another, as for
the earnest penny it is euer ouer and aboue the price, and must be
laide downe at the binding vp of the bargaine, which earnest is in
some Countries foure pence in the pound, in some eight pence, and in
some twelue pence, according to the goodnesse of the Timber, and hath
euer béene taken for a fée due to the Sales-man for his paines and
attendance: and sure if he be carefully honest, it is a merrit well
bestowed: if otherwise, it is much too much for falshood, for in him
consists the owners losse or profit, and therefore it may become any
man, of what place so euer, to take a strickt account from such an
officer: or if he haue any doubt euer to ioyne with him in commission,
another of contrary faction.
[Sidenote: When to cut downe Timber.]
When you haue made sale of your Timber, you shall by no meanes let it
be cut downe till the end of Aprill, at which time the sap ascending
vpward, will loosen the bark, and make it come from the body of the
Trée easily. You shall cut your Timber downe close by the earth, not
digge it vp by the rootes, vnlesse you meane vtterly to destroy it, for
from the spurnes of the roote will arise new Spiers, which in processe
of time, will come to another Trée. As soone as you haue felled your
Oakes, you shall with your Axe immediatly whilst the sap is wet, take
all the barke from the body and the armes, and setting it end-wayes
as vp one by another, so place it, that the winde may passe through
it, and dry it, and then sell it to the Tanners, which will giue you a
good price therefore, according to the worth and scarsity thereof. When
your Trées are barkt, you shall then sawe the body into such lengthes
of Timber, as shall be méete for the purpose for which it is bought,
or in such sort as it may be best portable: the armes also you shall
hewe from the body, and so burken or breake them vp, as they may be fit
to be loaded: all which done, and the Timber caried away, you shall,
if you intend to haue the Wood renew, fence in the sale, and kéepe it
safe from Cattell: and thus much for the preseruation and sale of high
Woods.
CHAP. V.
_Of the breeding of Wood in rich champaine soyles._
Nature which is the most perfect worke-mistresse of all things (as all
the Philosophers say) but I say our good God out of his most diuine
wisedome, hath allotted to euery soyle, if we will note it, through
the whole course of this Kingdome, particular profit to sustaine and
maintaine it, as to some Mines, to some Timber, and to some fertility
of grasse and corne, and where any one of these are, there commonly
some of the other is euer wanting, as we sée daily in our experience;
and for as much as in the fruitfull and fertill soyles of this
land, of which wée estéeme the wealthie vales, as that of _Essam_,
_White-horse_, _Beluoire_, and many others the best, there is euer
great scarsitie of Wood, the very wealthinesse of the soyle it selfe
almost denying to beare such burden, because for the most part the
stifnesse of those clayes is contrary to their growth, yet for as much
as the necessitie and vse of Wood is so great and valuable, I would
perswade euery good and worthy Husbandman, to endeauour himselfe with
all his vtmost power and strength, to plant wood in euery conuenient
place round about him, and not to take the rules of the ignorant for
his lesson, that sith neuer any did grow there, therefore neuer any
will grow there: for it is absurd and foolish: nor to say because my
auncestors haue neuer done it why should I attempt it? These arguments
are made from a false figure, and the Husbandman must remember that
his dutie is industrie, and encrease not altogether imitation and
president, and he must as seriously finde out new and néerer profits,
as hold those he hath learned: and therefore he shall endeauour by all
commendable labour to haue euer about him whatsoeuer is necessarie for
his vse: but you will peraduenture aunswere me, that to plant Woods
in these rich soyles, were very much losse, because the fertilitie
thereof will yéeld a much better profit. To this I reply, that I
would not haue you plant any spacious piece of ground with wood, but
onely your ditches, hedges, and such wast earthes, as almost denie
any other profit, and that the want of wood in those places may not
discourage you, to imagine that wood will not grow there. Doe but
view the cytes of euery Towne in those rich Countries, the seates
of Noblemen & Gentlemens houses, and the Parks which commonly are
adioyning there-vnto, and you shall hardly sée any of them without the
fellowship & acquaintance of some wood, which in times past hath béene
planted either for defence or pleasure, and from thence collect that if
wood will grow with my next neighbour, then why not with me, so long
as the soyle doth not alter. But _Labor vincit omnia improbus_, True
industrie was neuer fruitlesse. Then for the generall good both of your
selfe & your neighbours, looke that you replenish all your ditches &
ring fences, with good store of Quick-set, that is to say, all that lye
high, & out of the danger of water, with White-thorne, Black-thorne,
and Bryer, and those which are low & subiect to washing, with Willowes,
Sallowes, and Ozyers.
[Sidenote: How to set all sorts of Quick-set.]
Now for as much as it is not enough to say vnto the Husbandman do
this, but that I must also shew the manner of doing thereof: I will
shew you briefly how to set all manner of Quick-sets, and first
for the white-thorne, black-thorne, bryer or such like, which must
stand frée from inundation, you shal when you enclose any piece of
ground, after you haue markt out the true breadth of your dyke vpon
the in-side thereof, and close by the verdge of the dyke, cut with
your spade a little trough, halfe a foote or there-abouts in breadth
& depth, in which trough or small gutter, you shall lay the rootes
of the first rowe of your Quick-sets, so as the top ends may looke
vpward, & a little bend in towards the ditch, & these quick-sets you
shall place within lesse then a foot one of another: then with your
spade beginning to make your ditch, you shall with the first cleane
mould, couer all the rootes close and fast, so as they will not shake
nor stirre with your hand, then hauing raised the banke of your Dyke,
and couered the lowest rowe of Quick-set more then halfe a foote, and
broken the earth so, as it may lye close and handsome together & you
shall then after the same manner lay another rowe of Quick-set ouer the
first, I meane not one Quick-set directly ouer another, but the second
rowe placed as it were in the midst betwéene two of the first, though
at least halfe a foote higher: then you shall couer that row like the
former, and ouer it place a third, which shall stand directly opposite,
and ouer the first, so that in their growth the middle rowe shall as
it were grow betwéene two of the lowest, and two of the highest: and
then vpon this vppermost rowe lay the remainder of your earth, and
make your banke perfect, and in this sort finishing one yard of the
Ditch after another, you shall at length bring your labour to the end
of your desire. Now in this labour you are to obserue some speciall
things, as first to looke well vpon your Sets before you put them into
the ground, and be sure that they be gréene, young and vntainted, then
that the rootes be cleane, and no small thréeds or iagges hanging about
them. And lastly, that they stand vpright, and not aboue foure or fiue
inches without the earth at the most, then shall you looke well to the
making of your banke, and lay the earth so as it may not slip or fall
backe into the Dyke, so as the raine may wash away the mould, and leaue
the rootes bare: but let all things be done strongly and artificially.
The best seasons for this worke is the moneths of February, March,
and Aprill, or September, October, and some part of Nouember: if the
weather be dry aboue head, when you haue set your Quick-set, you
shall make a dead hedge vpon the top of the new banke, to kéepe those
Cattell which are within your ground, from breaking forth or hurting
the Quick-set: and another small fence on the lowe verdge of the Dyke
which is outward, to kéepe those cattell which graze without from
running into the dyke, and hurting the quick-set. Now after a spring
and fall is past, you shall suruay all your quick-set and wéede it
cleane from all manner of filthinesse that doth choake or stifle it,
and scratching the fresh mould about it giue comfort to the roote: then
if you perceiue that any of your Sets be dead, you shall plucke them
vp, and place new in the roome, and if any be blasted in part, and not
clean killed, you shall cut away so much as is blasted, and let the
rest remaine, you shall looke well to the Caterpiller and other wormes,
which mightily deuoure Quick-sets, especially in these fat Countries,
and if you finde any taint of them, destroy them as is shewed you in a
former Chapter.
[Sidenote: Planting of greater Trees.]
After your Quick-set is come to the age of thrée yéeres, and that the
banke is setled and swarth growne thereon, you shall then within the
body of your hedges plant all manner of great Trées, as Ash, Béech,
Maple, and such like, and also all manner of fruit Trées, as Aples,
Peares, Plums, Wardens, and such like, and in the first thrée yéeres
be very carefull to preserue each in his true proper nature, and doe
to them all the rights which is due to their growth, and in that time
obserue which kinde of Trées in the generality prospereth best, and
agréeth most naturally with the soyle. And of those Trées sée that
you flourish your grounds most plentifully, the particular manner of
planting whereof is already formerly declared. And hence doth _Kent_
and _Worcester_ shire boast of their fruit, _Windsor_, _Sherwood_
and _Hollam_ shire their Oakes, and other particular Countries their
particular commodities.
[Sidenote: Of the setting of Willowes, &c.]
Now for the setting of Willow, Sallow and Oziers, it is a thing so
vsuall and common, that it néedeth no great Art in the relation,
yet because I would be loath that any omission should be taken for
negligence, you shall vnderstand that in setting them you must first
respect the place, which would euer be lowe and moyst, the water
sometimes washing them, sometimes cooling them, and euer giuing them
comfort. Now to speake first of the Willow it would be euer planted
vpon bankes, where it may stand more dry then wet, for such prosper
best, and endure longest, as for proofe some will continue, twelue,
fiftéene nay one and twentie yéeres, where as those which are set close
by the water, will hardly endure seueral, but not aboue nine yéeres at
the most. Touching their planting, they be set two manner of wayes,
but which is the best, is not yet agréed on amongst Husbandmen. The
first is to take an Augure full as large in compasse (although much
shorter) as that where-with you boare Pumps and with it boare a hole
in the earth two-foote, and a halfe déepe, then hauing headed some of
the choysest Willowes you haue, take the fairest and straightest of
those lops, and then cutting the sloape-wise at both ends and leauing
no superfluous twigs cleauing there-vnto, put the bigger end downe very
hard into the earth, and then with the mould which came forth, with the
Augure ram the earth close and hard about the Set, so as no reasonable
strength may shake it. Now there be other Husbandmen which in stéed
of the Augure take onely an Oaken or Ash stake, of the bignesse of an
vsuall set, and with a Béetell driue it into the ground two foot and a
halfe, and then by shaking and opening the earth, pull it out againe &
then put in the Set as is before shewed, and beate and tread the earth
close there-vnto, and there is no doubt of the well prospering thereof.
Now for the defects which Husbandmen finde in these two seuerall
plantings. Some say, that the Augure taketh out so much earth, that the
Set cannot but stand loose at the roote, and so wanting full hold of
the earth, either takes not at all, or continues but a little space.
Others say that the driuing in of the stake beates the earth so hard
together, that it withstandeth the passage of the tender sprouts, & so
killeth the set, but both are deceiued: for these are but suppositions,
and experience daily shewes vs, that these are the best and spéediest
wayes of setting of all sorts of Willowes that euer any time brought
forth, and I haue knowne one man set this way two hundreth Sets in a
day, of which not one hath failed, but all prospered. Now for your
Sallowes, you shall set them, and chuse the Sets in all poynts as you
doe the Willow, onely they would be placed a little néerer the water,
for they delight some-what more in moysture, as for the Ozier it would
be set like other Quick-set in the side of bankes, so as it may almost
touch the water, and as your Willowes or Sallowes would be set a little
remote one from another, as namely tenne foote asunder: so these must
be set close together, and in thicke rowes one against another: and
these Ozier Plants you must cut from their head, being the principall
spiers which grow thereon, and then cut off their tops, leauing them
not aboue two foote long at the most, and of all other they are the
quickest in growing.
[Sidenote: The vse of Willowes, Sallowes, and Oziers.]
And although Willow, Sallow, and Ozyer, are in our lawes estéemed but
as wéedes and no Woods, yet they be so profitable, that the Husbandman
can hardly misse them, the Willow and Sallow seruing for fence and
fewell, to make Harrowes, Cart-saddles, & horse Hames, and the Ozyers,
for fish Leapes, or Wéeles for Baskets, Scuttels, Fans to winnow with,
and many other things full as necessary: therefore if you haue any
marish grounds that are vselesse, bogge-myers, or Ilands in great
riuers, let them be imployed to the nourishing of these profitable
wéedes, and by making draynes through them to giue the water passage,
you shall in small time bring them to earthes of great profit, which
consideration were it rightly wayed, there would not be halfe so much
wast ground as is in this Kingdome.
[Sidenote: Ordering of the Willow.]
But to my purpose, when you haue planted these Willowes, you shall
after euery floud, sée if the water haue driuen any of them away, or
displease them, and immediately mend them, and set them vp straight
againe. If any Cattell shall pyll or barke them, you shall pull vp
such Settes, and place new in their roome. Your Willow set would by
no meanes be too long at the first setting, for then will neuer beare
a good head, and too short is likewise as vnprofitable, therefore it
is held to be fiue foote aboue the earth, is a length sufficient: you
may head your Willowes once in thrée yéeres, or fiue at the furthest,
and when you sée the bodies waxe hollow, you may cut them downe for the
fire, and fixe new Sets in their places.
[Sidenote: Ordering of Ozier.]
The Ozier to come to his true profit and season asketh much pruning
and trimming, as namely you must kéepe the stocke lowe, and neuer
aboue halfe a foote aboue the earth, you must picke them cleane from
Mosse, and from the slime and filth, which the ouer-flow of the water
will leaue vpon them: you shall prune the small spiers, and make them
grow single one by another, and if any shoote out a double stalke, you
shall cut it away, you may head them euery second yéere at the fall
onely, and though some head them once a yéere, yet it is not so good
husbandry, nor will the Ozier be so tough or long lasting. The best
seasons for the setting of the Willow, Sallow, or Ozier is, either
any part of the Spring or Fall, and the best time to loppe the Willow
or Sallow, is in the Spring for fence, and in the Fall for timber or
fewell; but the Ozier would be cut at the fall of the leafe onely. And
thus much for the bréeding of Wood in the rich champaine Countries.
CHAP. VI.
_Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber._
[Sidenote: What plashing is.]
Hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former Chapter spoken of the
planting of all sorts of quick-sets, it is méete now that I shew you
how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection. Know then
that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age, you
shall let it grow on without cutting or pruning, that then although it
grow thicke at the top, yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the
bottome, that not onely beasts but men may runne through it, and in
the end it will dye and come to nothing, which to preuent, it shall
be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your
Quick-set hedges, in which there is much fine Art and cunning to be
vsed. For this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke
growth, almost to the outward barke, and then laying it orderly in a
sloape manner, as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge, and then
with the smaller and more plyant branches, to wreathe and binde in
the tops, making a fence as strong as a wall, for the roote which is
more then halfe cut in sunder, putting forth new branches, which runne
and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes, doe so thicken and
fortifie the hedge, that it is against the force of beasts impregnable.
[Sidenote: How to plash:]
[Sidenote: The time of yeare.]
Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge, though diuers
Countries differ diuersly in these workes, yet as néere as I can I will
shew you that which of the best Husbandmen is the best estéemed. First,
for the time of yéere either February or October, is passing good, and
the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued.
[Sidenote: The Tooles.]
For the tooles which you shall imploy, they would be a very sharpe
nimble Hatchet, a good Bill, and a fine pruning knife. Now for the
worke you shall enter into it, first with your Bill you shall cut
away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse, or
hinder your worke, and then finding the principall stemmes which issue
from the maine roote, you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground
with your Hatchet, cut the same more then thrée quarters through, so
as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke, and some
part of the outward sap, and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and
downeward: then take those mayne bodies of the quick-set, so cut, and
lay them sloape-wise from you, as you would lay a dead hedge, and
all the branches which extend from those bodies, and would spread
outwardly, you shall likewise cut as before said, and fould them
artificially into your head, and euer within a yard or two distance,
where a pretie Plant growes straight vp, you shall onely cut off the
top equall with the height of your hedge, and so let it stand as a
stake, about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches.
Now when you come to the top of the hedge, which would commonly not be
aboue fiue foote high, you shall take the longest, youngest, and most
plyant boughes, and cutting them as afore-said, gently binde in the
tops of all the rest, and so make your hedge strong and perfect: and
herein is to be noted, that the closer and thicker you lay your hedge
(so there be nothing in it superfluous) the stronger and better lasting
it will be. Many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedges,
but onely to lay the Quick-set and no more: but it is not so husbandly,
neither is the hedge of any indurance: many other curiosities there be
in the plashing of hedges, but this which I haue alreadie shewed, is
sufficient both for the Husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding.
[Sidenote: The profit of Plashing.]
The profit which ariseth from this labour, is the maintenance and
defence of fencing, the preseruing and encrease of Quick-set, and a
continuance of amitie amongst neighbours, when one liues frée from
offending another. It yéeldeth a good Mast for Swine, and with the
ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings, repaireth all a mans
dead hedges, and brings good store of fewell both to the Brewhouse,
Kitchin, and Backhouse.
[Sidenote: The lopping of Timber.]
Next to the plashing, is the lopping of Timber-Trées, which in those
Countries which are bare and naked of wood, is of much vse, and though
I cannot much commend it, because it oft marreth the bodies of Trées,
yet I must allow it for necessary, because it is a néedfull rate, which
the Trées pay to their Planters.
[Sidenote: What Lopping is.]
[Sidenote: The season for Lopping.]
This lopping or heading of Trées, is the cutting off of the armes and
vppermost branches of Trées, and suffering the body to grow still, and
it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres, either at the
beginning of the Spring, or at the end of the Fall, as you shall haue
occasion to vse the wood, and immediately after the Moone hath new
changed.
[Sidenote: How you shall lop Timber.]
Now for the manner of the worke, there is small curiositie to be vsed
therein, if your Axe be good and sharpe, for you shall but cut off the
armes and boughes, smooth and cleane without nickes, rifts, or gutters,
or any thing which may receiue wet, whereby the Trée may be cankred
and spoyled. Also in cutting away of the armes, you shall haue a great
care rather to cut them away (if it be possible) vpward then downeward,
least when you cut them downeward, the waight of the arme sodainly
falling downe, riue and teare the barke of the body of the Trée, which
is dangerous, and hath béene the spoyle of much Timber: which to
preuent, you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue, make a good
large nicke vnderneath, and then after cut it downe from aboue, and so
the Trée shall receiue no hurt. Also you shall obserue to cut the armes
close by the body of the Trée, and neuer to desist till you haue made
the place as playne and smooth as may be, for to doe the contrarie,
is neyther workmanly, nor the part of any good husband. And thus much
touching the plashing of Hedges, and lopping of Trées.
CHAP. VII.
_Of Pasture grounds, their order, profit, and generall vse._
[Sidenote: Diuersities and vse of Pastures.]
Hauing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable Grounds, Gardens,
Orchards, and Woods of all kindes, I thinke it most méete (as falling
in his due place) here to write of Pasture grounds, which are of two
kindes: the first, such Pastures as lye in wood land, mountainous,
or colde climes, and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse, and
therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of Cattell:
the other such as lye in lowe, warme, and fruitfull soyles, and are
most fertile and aboundant in encrease, onely imployed to the fatting
and féeding of Cattell.
[Sidenote: Of barraine Pastures.]
[Sidenote: Signes of barrainnesse.]
And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture, which being somewhat
barraine, is preserued for bréeding, you shall vnderstand that it is
generally dispierced ouer all this Kingdome, and particularly into
euery Countrey, for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth,
such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same, and of those
seuerall mixtures I haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of
this Booke, which entreateth of errable ground. Then to procéede to
my purpose, it is the first office of the Husbandman when he séeth
and knoweth the true nature of his earth, and perceiueth from perfect
iudgement that it is of very hard encrease, which as the temper and
mixture of the soyle assures him, so also he shall better confirme by
these fewe signes and Charracters, which I will deliuer: as first, if
he sée grasse slow of growth, and that no Spring will appeare before
May. If in stead of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, and Honisuckle, you sée
your ground furnished with Penigrasse, Bents, and Burnet. If you sée
much Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, or if you perceiue the scorching of
the Sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it
forth: or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of
grasse; or if your ground bring forth Lyng, Bracken, Gorse, Whynnes,
Broome, Bilburie, or Strawburie: or if your ground be morish, full of
quick-myers, mossie or full of blacke Flint, any of these signes make
it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease.
[Sidenote: Bettering of soyles.]
[Sidenote: Sowing of good seedes.]
[Sidenote: For abundance of grasse.]
And then as before I said it is the Husbandmans first office to prouide
for the bettering and perfecting of his earth, which he shall doe in
this sort. First, if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground
procéedes from want of good Plants, as from want of Clouer-grasse,
Dandylion, Honisuckle, Cowslop, and other swéet flowers, then he shall
repaire into the fruitfull Countries, and there buy the hay séedes
and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers, which he shall euery Spring and
fall of the leafe sowe, as thin as may be, vpon such Pastures, as he
shall either lay for meddow, or preserue for the latter Spring after
Michaelmas. But if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse, but the
abundance of grasse, as those husbands doe which liue in or about
great Cities, then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for
meddow at Candlemasse; or those which he will graze or eate in the
first beginning of the Spring, at Michaelmasse before, with the oldest
and rottennest meanure he can get, of which the best is the rotten
staddell or bottomes of Hay-stackes, or for want of it the meanure of
horse-stables, swéepings, and scowrings of yards and barnes, the mudde
of olde ditches, or else good Oxe or Cow meanure, any of which will
bring forth abundance of grasse.
[Sidenote: The imperfection of meanure.]
Yet thus much I must aduertise the Husbandman, that this meanuring of
Pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections, for though it
occasion abundance of grasse to growe, yet the meddow or hay which
comes thereof, is so ranke, loggie, and fulsome in tast, that a beast
taketh no ioy to eate thereof, more then to holde very life and soule
together. Also the grasse thus meanured which you intend to graze or
eate with your Cattell, is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the
roote, that Cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse, roote, and
all, which being of strong & ranke sent in the mouth of a beast, maketh
him loathe and cast it out againe, and so not striue to eate to be fat,
but onely to maintaine life.
[Sidenote: To helpe a slow Spring.]
Now if your Spring be slow, and late in the yéere before your grasse
will appeare aboue ground, it is méete then that you enclose your
ground, and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke
Quick-sets, but also with tall Timber-trées, whose shade and strength
may defend many colde blasts from the earth, and adde vnto it a more
naturall warmenesse then it had before, for it is onely the coldnesse
of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow. Also in this
case it is méete that you lay (as the husbandman tearmes it) all such
Pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following, in Nouember
before, & so not being bitten from that time till Aprill following, no
doubt but your spring will be both good and forward. There be others
which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter
end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe, who although they bite
néere to the ground, and leaue little grasse behinde them, yet they
so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure, that it will spring
after it commeth to rest, much more early and faster then it was wont.
So that to conclude in a word, to make a barren ground spring earely,
is to kéepe it warme, let it haue long rest, and meanure it well with
Shéepe.
[Sidenote: To help Knot-grasse and Speare-grasse.]
If your ground be troubled with Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, it is a
signe of too much colde moysture in the earth, and in this case you
shall with a great common Plough, made for such a purpose, turne vp
great furrowes through your ground, and make them so descend and fall
one into another, that not onely the moysture bred in the earth, but
that which falls vpon the earth, may haue a swift passage from the
same, and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry, all those wéedy
kindes of grasse will soone perish.
[Sidenote: To helpe Sun-burning.]
[Sidenote: To helpe quarries of stone.]
If your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the Sunne,
then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last
soyle we spake of: for as that by too much moysture is made barraine
by colde, so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with
heate: wherefore the Husbandman shall in this case draw all his
draynes, to bring moysture into his ground, which sometimes watring
and sometimes ouer-flowing the same, will in the end bring it to a
reasonable fertility, for it is a rule, that where there may be
ouerflowes, there can seldome be any hurt by Sunne-burning, vnlesse
that such soyles be vpon Limestone ground, or néere vnto other
quarries of hard stone, which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of
the grasse, doth so burne the roote, that the vpper branches cannot
prosper. In this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then
good, wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry, and
partly by the labours of others, who are traded in such commodities,
to let forth your ground to Stone-diggers or Lime-makers, who digging
the quarries out of the earth, and then filling vp the emptie places
with rubbish and other earth, the soyle will in short space become as
fruitfull as any other, for it is onely the want of taking roote; or
the burning vp of the roote, which makes this kinde of earth barraine.
[Sidenote: To help Ling, Braken, &c.]
Now if your ground bring forth Ling, Braken, Gorse, Whinnes, or such
like: you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth, and lay it in
the Sunne to dry, in the height or heate of Sommer, and being throughly
dried, you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another,
then putting fire vnto them, burne them into ashes, which done, spread
the ashes, like a meanure, ouer all the ground, and you shall sée those
wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground.
[Sidenote: To helpe morishnesse or quick-myers.]
If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers, you shall then by
small draynes or trenches draw away the water, and turne it into some
lower ditch or current, and so bringing the ground to a stability or
firmenesse, there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse, will presently follow
after.
[Sidenote: To helpe mossinesse.]
Lastly, if your ground be mossie, and bring forth in stead of grasse
onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse, your onely best way to cure
the fault, is in the Winter time to tread it much with the féete of
Cattell, as by making of Hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground, and
so fodring your Cattell about the same, and so yéerely altering the
places of your Stackes or Réekes to goe ouer all your ground, & without
doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse, and the meanuring
of the Cattell, and the expence of Hay-séeds vpon the ground, will
soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse.
[Sidenote: The generall vse of barraine grounds.]
Now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds, it is to be
vnderstood, that albe by the meanes before shewed, they may be helpt
or bettered, yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of Cattell.
Whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed, or vniuersall and
common: whether they be Woods, Parkes, or Pastures, or Heathes, Mores,
Downes, or other wilde and vnlimitted places, and these grounds shall
be deuided into thrée parts, the first and most fruitfullest lying
lowest, lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame, you shall
preserue for meddow, and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same
from Candlemasse, vntill the hay be taken from the ground. The second
part, you shall graze or eate from Candlemasse till Lammas, which would
be that which lieth most plaine and bleake, and most subiect to all
weathers. And the third part, which is the warmest and safest, you
shall graze from all-Hollantide till Candlemasse, and betwixt Lammas
and all-Hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after-crop of your
meddowes.
[Sidenote: What Cattell are to be bred.]
Now whereas I speake generally, that these barraine grounds are for
the bréede of Cattell, yet you shall vnderstand me particularly, as
namely, what Cattell for what soyle, for euery barraine earth will not
bring forth Cattell alike, as some will beare a faire Cowe or Oxe, yet
but a little Horse: and some will bring forth a very goodly Horse, yet
but a very little horned beast, therefore you shall obserue that if
your ground lye any thing lowe, or be subiect to much moysture, and so
not extreamely barraine, but although the Spring be late, yet after
it springeth, it yéeldeth a reasonable bit, this ground is fittest to
bréede Cattell vpon, as Cowe, Oxe, and such like: but if it lye high
and dry, if it be stonie or mountainous, haue much reflection of the
Sunne: or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth,
and in the best part of the Spring yéeld but a short, yet swéet bit,
this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon: but if
it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst, stonie or mossie, so it
be replenished with any good store of Vnderwood, then it is fit to
bréede small hard Nags vpon, or Geldings of a meaner size, Goates,
wilde-Swine, or such like. And lastly, if it be extreame barraine,
colde, and dry, and altogether without any kinde of shelter, but
subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer, this ground is fit onely to bréede
Shéepe vpon, as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of
this Kingdome: so that to conclude, you shall beare in your memorie,
that where you bréede your beast, would be reasonable bit: where you
bréede your Horse good ayre and warmth, and where you bréede your
Shéepe, there much spaciousnesse of ground. And thus much briefly for
the nature and vse of your barraine grounds.
[Sidenote: Of fertill grounds.]
Now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds, whose very encrease
and abundance of grasse, without any other curious relation shewes
their fertility, there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering
& disposing of them, for being naturally good of themselues, there
néedeth little Art to the maintainance of the same, onely to haue an
especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them, to the due time
of eating them with your Cattell, and to obserue a fit proportion
of rest for them, in which they may grow and gather head for the
maintainance of such beasts as shall féede vpon them. And to these, as
an especiall rule aboue the rest, must be added a carefull diligence
not to ouer-stocke or loade your ground with more Cattell then it may
conueniently beare, for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull, if it be
ouer-prest with multitudes of Cattell, it cannot by any meanes yéeld
you the profit of your expectation, but returne you losse and dammage.
[Sidenote: The deuision of rich grounds.]
These fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts,
the one pastures, or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of
Cattell all the yéere, the other meddowes, from whence you shall gather
your Winters prouision of Hay, for the preseruation of your Cattell,
which are either for labour or sale in the Market, and of these two
parts I will speake seuerally.
[Sidenote: The generall vse of rich grounds.]
Yet before I begin to speake largely of them, it is méete you know the
generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds, which is indéede
the féeding or fatting vp of Cattell, either for foode in your owne
house, or for sale in the Market, to the Butcher, Drouer, or men
of such like place or profession. For indéede to bréede much vpon
these rich grounds, is neither profitable to the Husbandman, nor is
the beaste so bred, either so comely or Market-able, as those bred
in the harder soyles, as wée may note in our experience, if we will
suruay the bréedes of Cattell in _Gloster_-shire, _Sommerset_-shire,
and _Lincoln_-shire, which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding
rich and fertile ground: yet if we take view of them, we shall finde
that albe they are tall and large, yet they are of slender shape,
leane-thighed, crumple-horned, and oft tender and dry skinned, which
is a fault very note-worthie amongst Graziers, and indéede are nothing
so eyely and Market-able, as those beasts are which are bred in
_Yorke_-shire, _Darby_-shire, _Lancashire_, and such like, all which
are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds, yet haue goodly, large, and
round bodies, close trust, thicke, and well coupled together, faire
heads, veluet skinnes, and as the Prouerbe is, are so beautifull in
horne and haire, that they are euery mans money, in euery Market. So
that I conclude, that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good
Cattell, and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of
stocke, yet the generall vse, and that which is the greatest profit to
the English husbandman, is to graze and féede the same.
[Sidenote: Of Pastures and ordering them.]
Now to procéede to my former purpose, touching that part of rich ground
which I call Pasture, because it is onely for féeding, you shall first
prouide that they be very well fenced, according to the nature of the
Country, either with ditch, pale, rayle, dead hedge, or quicke-growth:
you shall also sée that they be well stored with water, that is swéet
and wholesome, for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious
diseases amongst Cattell. These Pastures must euer be your highest
ground, and such as lye safest from inundations. Those Pastures which
you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of Nouember, you may féede
at Candlemasse following with heilding beasts, or such as are but
beginning to féede, but with your fat beasts not till our Ladies day
after: those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to at Candlemasse, you
may very well féede at May following: those which you giue rest to at
May-day, you may féede at Midsommer, for then the spring is swift and
plentifull: those you lay at Midsommer, you may féede at Lammas, those
you lay at Lammas, you may féede in October, and generally all the
Winter following: onely you shall obserue, that those Pastures which
lye most in danger of water, or any other casualtie, be first eaten,
least by too long delaying an vnseasonable time come, and so you be
both preuented of your hope and profit.
[Sidenote: Manner of feeding of cattell.]
In the eating of your Pasture grounds, are many things to be obserued,
as first for the féeding of your fat Cattell, you must by all meanes
be sure that they haue full bite, which is to say, length of grasse:
for cattell, whose tongues are the principall gatherers vp of their
foode, neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground, except it be
extreame hunger which compels them, and then they take little ioy in
their foode. Next you shall oft (as any fit occasion will giue you
leaue) remoue and shift them into fresh grounds, and not expect that
they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome, but onely as it were
scumme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof, and so they
will féede both swiftly and throughly: and for that grasse which they
shall leaue behinde them, you shall eate it vp after them with your
labouring or worke-cattell, and lastly with your shéepe. It is very
good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two:
for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them, and sometimes
to bite after them, there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or
liking of each others tastes. After your grasse is fully knit, and
hath receiued his whole strength, which wil be at Midsommer, then you
may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground
till after Lammas, because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse
therein, springing from the heate of the Sunnes beames onely. These few
obseruations well kept, there is no doubt but your Cattell will féede
well to your contentment, then when you sée that they are sufficiently
fed, according to the ayme of your purpose, whether it be for the vse
of your houshold, or the vse of the Market, you shall forth-with imploy
them accordingly, for it is both the losse of time and money, not to
put them off by sale or otherwise, so soone as they are come to the
end of your desire. For those rich grounds will sometimes make two
returnes in the yéere, sometimes thrée, which is a great profit. And I
haue heard sometimes of foure, but it is very rare, and the Cattell so
returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto
féeding, but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through
the yéere, it is commodity sufficient.
[Sidenote: How to know a fat Beast.]
Now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill your Cattell
when they are fat, except you haue the Art and skill to know the
same, you shall obserue these few rules following, and they will
sufficiently instruct you in the same. First, when you sée your beast
in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and
beautifull, each member being comely, and each bone couered, in such
sort as a perfect shape requireth, as no eye is so stupid as cannot
tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly, you shall then guesse
the beast to be well fed, especially when you sée his huckle-bones
round and not sharpe, his ribs smooth, not rough, his flankes full, his
natch thick, and his cod round. This when you shall perceiue, you shall
handle him, and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs, if you féele
the skinne loose, and the substance soft vnder your hand, you may be
well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly, that is vpon
the bones. You shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones,
and if that féele, vnder your hand, soft, round and plumpe, you shall
be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly,
that is, both in flesh and tallow: then you shall handle him at the
setting on of his taile, and if that handle bigge, thicke, full, and
soft, it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly:
then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of
his taile, and if they féele soft and loose, it is a signe that he is
well fed, both outwardly and inwardly. Lastly, you shall handle his cod
and nauell, if it be of an Oxe, and the nauell onely if it be a Cowe,
and if they handle thicke, round, soft, great, and plumpe, it is a most
assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within. And thus
when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner,
you shall iudge of the contrary effects. And thus much touching the
knowledge of a fat beast.
[Sidenote: Of Meddowes and their ordering.]
Now for the second part of these rich grounds, which are meddowes,
they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other, lying
low and leuell, and being now and then in the Winter season washt with
inundations, yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same: for
as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle,
to the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth,
& bringeth it to barrainnesse, neither is it altogether necessary that
euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed, for there
be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare
meddow in very sufficient manner, & although the lower meddowes doe
abound in the plenty of grasse, yet the higher grounds euer beareth
the swéeter grasse, and it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that the low
meddowes do fill, but the high meddowes do féede, the low are for the
Stable, but the high are for the Cratch, and that which is long will
maintaine life, but that which is short will bréede milke.
[Sidenote: Preseruation of Meddowes.]
The chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes, is to defend and
preserue them from Moales, and such like vermine, which roote vp the
earth, and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse. Next, that
you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest, &
from thence, by small furrowes or draynes, to giue it a frée passage,
so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant.
Lastly, you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other
fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner, both
for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow, as also for
kéeping Cattell from eating them in the night or other times, which is
a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from
them: for you shall vnderstand, that if any ouerflow shall come vnto
your meddowes after May, it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the
grasse, that except very moderate showers fall swiftly, and sodainly,
to wash it out againe, the Hay which shall be got of that crop, will
both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome, and bréed in your Cattell many
dangerous and mortall sicknesses.
[Sidenote: When to lay Meddowes.]
The best times for laying of meddowes to rest, is, if the meddow
lye high, as in vp-land Countries, or if the soyle be cold, or the
springing thereof slow, at Candlemasse: but if the ground be more
warme, temperate, & of some more fertility, then you may lay it at
our Ladies day in March: but if the ground be most fruitfull, then if
you lay it at May-day, it will be early enough. Also in the laying of
your meddowes to rest, you shall consider the state of the ground, as
whether it be eaten néere and bare, and with what Cattell, as Horse,
Oxen, or Shéepe: if it haue béene eaten bare with Oxen or Horse, then
you shall lay it earlier in the yéere, for it will aske a longer time
to grow againe: but if it haue béene eaten with Shéepe (although they
bite néerest to the ground) yet you may lay it so much later, because
the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground, will quickly
hasten on the Spring: but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare,
but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still, then you may lay them the
latest. Also in the laying of meddowes, you shall consider whether
they be common or priuate, if they be common meddowes, and that no
olde custome binde you to the contrary, you shall lay them to rest
earely in the yéere, that recouering a forward Spring, you may cut
them so much the sooner, and so haue the better after-crop, and the
longer time to eate it: but if your meddow be priuate, and at your owne
particular disposing, then you shall lay it according to your owne
necessitie, and the goodnes of the soyle, obseruing euer to giue it
full time of growth, and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe,
for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long (so the weather be
seasonable for the withering of it) then to cut it two dayes too soone,
because when it is too earely cut, it not onely looseth the strength
and goodnesse, but also the substance and waight, and in the drying
shrinketh and wasteth to nothing.
[Sidenote: When to mow Meddowes.]
Touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes: If they be
laid in a due season, it is held of all the best English husbandmen
generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after Midsommer day, as namely
about the translation of Thomas, which is euer the seauentéenth day of
Iuly, and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin
that labour, if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth: but
in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth, some being
much more hastie then other some: and for as much as some meddow may
as well grow too long as too little a time, as in high land Countries,
where the heate and reflection of the Sunne will burne and consume away
the grasse, if it be not gathered in a due season, I would therefore
wish euery good Husbandman about a wéeke before Midsommer, and a wéeke
after, to view his meddowes well, and if he sée them turne browne, if
the Cock-heads turne downeward and stand not vpright, if the Bels and
other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes, if your Honisuckles
haue lost their flowers, and the Penigrasse be hard, dry, and withered,
then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready
to be mowne, and the longer it standeth, the more it will loose of
the substance, and when any of the contrary signes appeare, as when
the meddow lookes gréene and fresh, the Cock-heads looke vpright, the
Bels are close and hard, the Honisuckles flowing and purple, and the
Penigrasse soft and moyst, then is your meddow not readie to cut, nor
will the Hay that is so gotten be other then soft, fuzzie, and most
vnwholsome, no beast taking delight to eate of the same.
[Sidenote: The inclination of the weather.]
Now to these considerations, you shall adde a carefull obseruation
of the state and inclination of the weather, and if you finde that
the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie, then you shall
forbeare to mowe, because that moysture will still maintaine and hold
the grasse in his perfect strength so long as it groweth: but if it be
once cut downe, then the wet will soone rot and spoile it: but if you
find the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall
with all spéede cut downe your Hay, for one loade got and brought into
the barne without raine, is worth two that hath béene washt, though
but with the smallest shower. There be some Husbandmen that in the
mowing of their meddowes, will obserue the state of the Moone, and
other planetarie coniectures, but they are fitter for those which
séeke curiosities more then profit, for mine owne part I would wish
euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe, and then
to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons, which the rules
already set downe will most amply shew him.
[Sidenote: The manner how to mowe Meddowes.]
Now for the manner of mowing your meddowes, although the generall act
resteth in the hands of the mower, and that it is hard and impossible,
in words, to expresse the Art of the action, nor is it néedfull that
euery Husbandman be a mower, yet for those rules which the English
Husbandman should know and obserue, I will in no sort omit them. You
shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them
smooth, plaine, and leuell, and as the Husbandman tearmes it, with such
an euen board, that a man may no more but discerne the going in and
comming forth of the Sythe: and this shall be done so close and néere
vnto the ground, as is possible for the worke-man to get, especially if
it be in publique and common meddowes, because the swap and first crop
is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne: nay, you shall
doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes: for although
an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our Husbandmen, to say and
beléeue that there is no losse in the sleight and insufficient mowing
of priuate meddowes, because say they, what I loose in the Barne,
my Cattell findes on the ground, yet they are much deceiued in that
opinion, for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut, is
no good foode, neither pleasant nor sauorie, but dry, hard, and bitter,
and indéede no better then sower fogge, which may fill, but cannot
nourish, and who then will be so simple, as not to preferre swéet Hay
before such vnsauorie grasse? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse
euen, and close by the ground, for it will make the fresh grasse spring
vp with more ease, and be much pleasanter in taste.
[Sidenote: How to make Hay.]
Next after the mowing of your meddowes, followeth the making of your
Hay, which is a labour that must be followed with great care and
diligence, for it is an old saying, that dearth beginneth at the
Hay-barne dore, and he that is negligent in that, can hardly be good
husband in any thing else, then to shew you how you shall make your
hay, you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand
for a generall rule, because Hay must be made according to the nature
of the grasse, and the soyle where it groweth, some being apt to wither
and make soone, as that grasse which is finest, and hath in it least
wéedes, others will be long in making, as that which is full of thicke,
strong, and sower grasses, many wéedes, bunnes, and such like hard
stalkes, which are not easily dried, therefore it is the part of euery
good Husbandman, either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature
of his grasse, or else to follow the customes of the Country and soyle
wherein he liueth, but the first, Knowledge, is the better Science.
But to procéede to my purpose, I will in the natures of two sorts of
grasse, the one fine, the other course, shew you the generall making of
all sorts of Hay.
[Sidenote: To make fine Hay.]
First, then for the making of your fine rich grass into Hay, if it grow
in great abundance, thicke and close, and so lieth in the swathe, you
shall haue one with a Pitch-forke to follow the Mowers, and to spread
and throw the grasse thinne abroad, that the ayre and sunne-beames may
passe through it: and this is called in most Countries tedding of Hay.
The next day, after the Sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground, you
shall turne that which the day before you tedded, and then if you haue
any more new mowen, you shall ted it also. The next day following,
as before, when the dewe is from the earth, you shall turne your Hay
againe, and so letting it lye till the Sunne be at his height, begin
to stir it againe, at which time if you finde it is reasonably well
withered, you shal then draw it into windrowes, that is, you shall
marke which way the winde standeth, and the same way that it bloweth,
the same way with Forks & Rakes one after another, gather in the Hay
into long, great, thicke rowes: then you shall make those windrowes
into large Cockes, of which the biggest is euer the best, for they will
defend themselues from raine, if happily any shall fall, whereas the
little small Cocke lying light together, taketh in the raine like a
spunge, and so makes the Hay a great deale much worse then otherwise
it would be; when your Hay is thus set in safe Cocke, you shall let
it rest a day or two, that it may take a little sweat therein, which
will make the Hay wondrous pleasant and swéet, then when the Sunne is
got vp to a pretie height, you shall open those Cockes, and after the
sunne and winde hath passed through them, you may if the grasse be
clean & fine of it selfe, without ranke grasse, load it, and carrie
it either into the Barne, or such other place, as you haue appointed
for the receit thereof: but if it haue any ranke grasse, which you
sée vnwithered amongst it, then you shall make it vp againe into safe
cockes, and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away.
And thus much for the making vp of fine Hay.
[Sidenote: To make course Hay.]
Now for the making of course grasse into Hay, which you must suppose to
be grasse growing, in colde, moyst, woodie, and barraine grounds, full
of wéedie, rough, and stumpie hearbage, long in growing, late ere it
can be gathered, and therefore depriued of much of the Sunnes strength,
to swéeten and wither it. This grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne
and tedded, as is before said: the next day you shall make it into
little grasse Cockes, as bigge as little Moale-hilles, and so hauing
layne a day or better, then breake them open, and let them receiue the
sunne and winde, for they will heat and sweat a little in the grasse,
which make it Hay the sooner & better: then after the Sunne hath spent
all his power vpon it, you shall make it vp into little Cockes againe,
putting two of the first Cockes into one, then hauing so layne another
day, breake them open againe, and giue them the Sunne: then make them
vp againe, and put thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so let
them lye another day, then breake them open as before, if the Sunne
shine faire, and at euening make them vp againe, putting thrée or foure
of those Cockes into one, and so euery morning after the Sunne is vp
breake them open, and at euening make them vp againe, till you finde
that the Hay is sufficiently well dried, and sweateth no more in the
Cocke: but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry, without
stemme, smoake, or vapour arising from it, which both your hand and
eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing, and then you may at
your pleasure leade it home, and house or stacke it as you shall haue
occasion.
[Sidenote: Vse of Hay for cattell to breed or labour with.]
Now for the vse of Hay, it is two-folde, that is, either for the
maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or Cattell for labour, or else for
the féeding of Cattell for the Market, or for slaughter: for the
maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or the Cattell which are imployed in
your Plough or other labours, whether it be draught or trauell, you
shall make choise of the swéet, and well-dried Hay, which is of fresh
and gréene colour, well withered, sound, and perfect Hay, though it be
long, loggie, and not excéeding much swéet, it matters not; for being
well Inned and dried, it will serue sufficiently for those purposes:
and with this Hay to mingle sometimes Wheat-straw, Rye-straw, Barly,
or Oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding, or bréede Cattell: but
for worke-beasts, except necessitie constraine, let them haue Hay
simple of it selfe, during the busie time of their worke, but when
they rest, you may vse your discretion. For the times of giuing Hay
or foddering to such Cattell as are in the house, the best is in the
morning before they goe to labour, in the euening when they come from
labour, presently after their drinke, and at night when you goe to bed.
But for those Cattell which goe abroad, as Shéepe, heilding Beasts, and
such like, to fodder them morning and euening, is out and out fully
sufficient.
Now for the vse of Hay for fat cattell, you shall make choyse of the
fruitfullest, swéetest, finest, and shortest Hay you haue, being full
of flowers, pleasant and odoriferous to smell on: and although this
Hay be mixt with some roughnesse, yet it is not the worse, for though
your fat beast make thereof great orts, yet is the losse not great,
for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell,
which will eate them with great eagernesse. This Hay would in the first
gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little
hartie gréennesse that it may a little mow-burne, and alter the colour
to a Redish brounnesse, but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould,
rot, or putrifie, for that is fulsome and bade, but onely alter the
colour, and therby make the smell swéeter and stronger. This Hay will
entice a beast to eate, and will strengthen and inable his stomacke,
and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst, that hardly any
water will quench him, and the Grazier takes it euer for an infallible
signe, that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallow
wonderfully increaseth. For the ordinarie times of foddring your fat
cattell, if they be in the stall, and as we say, tyed vp by the head,
the best is in the morning before and after water, at noone; in the
euening before & after water, and late in the night, when you goe
to bed, but if they féede abroad, and take the benefit of Fogge and
after-grasse, then to fodder them Morning, Euening, and high-noone is
fully sufficient.
Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel,
eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall
manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules
appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined,
and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to
spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly
spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.
CHAP. VIII.
_A new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of Cattels
diseases._
[Sidenote: The reason for this Chapter.]
Of this Theame I haue written a whole (or as some will suppose many)
Histories, yet doubtlesse nothing too much, the cause is so necessary
and commodious: yet this I must let euery Reader vnderstand, that what
I haue herein formerly done, I did for a general and vncontrollable
satisfaction to the whole Kingdome, both the learned and vnlearned, and
as well to satisfie the nicest and most curious opinion, as the simple
and playne dealing creature: whence it came that I waded Artfully
and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge, leauing
nothing vnsearcht, or vnset downe, that might any way tend to the
satisfaction of any iudiciall Reader, and therefore tooke liberty to
make a large progresse, without sparing any paynes, to make my worke
absolutely most perfect. But now, hauing onely to doe with our honest
playne English Husbandman, who eyther cannot much read, or else hath
little leasure to read, at most but a little memorie to bestow vpon
his readings; I haue here for his ease both of memory, readings, and
other verations, drawne him such a method for the curing of all the
diseases in cattell, as was neuer yet found out by any man or Authour
whatsoeuer: and is worthy to be preserued to all posterities for euer
and euer.
[Sidenote: Horses diseases to be cured with twelue Medicines.]
To beginne then first with the Horse, which is the Husbandmans
principallest creature, you shal vnderstand that he hath, of my
knowledge, one hundred and odde diseases or infirmities, besides other
hurts and blemishes, for all which, I haue seuerally shewed seuerall
cures, as may appeare by the volumes which are much too great for any
Husbandman to carry in his braynes, and therefore for his ease I haue
drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances, into twelue,
and will assure euery Husbandman that with these twelue medicines
following, hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a Horse,
whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote: Of inward sicknesse.]
[Sidenote: The first Medicine.]
To procéede then in an orderly manner to the cures: Euery husbandman
must know that all diseases in a horse are inward or outward: inward
as offending the vitall parts, or outward as troubling the members:
to speake then first of inward sicknesse, I will diuide so into two
branches, that is, eyther it offends the heart, or the brayne: If
it offend the heart, we call them, Feauers, Yellowes, _Anticor_,
consumption of lungs, Liuer, Splene, Gall or other intrals, Wormes,
Fluxes, Belly-bound, and diuers other of like nature: For any or all
which, you shall first let your Horse bloud in the neck-veine, and
then giue him, during his sicknesse, to drinke, eyther in swéete Wine
or strong Ale or Béere, if Wine a pinte, if Ale or Béere a quart, two
spoonefull of the powder called _Diapente_, made of _Aristolochia_
root, _Gentiana_, _Myrrhe_, _Eboni_ and _Bachi lauri_, of each equall
quantitie, and let it be well brewed together, and doe thus euery
Morning fasting, and let the Horse fast two houres after it.
[Sidenote: The second Medicine.]
If it offend the brayne we call them Appoplexies, Palsies, Staggers,
Colds, Glaunder, Coughes, mourning of the chyne, Migrims, dizzinesse,
and a world of such like: and the cure is to take _Assafeteda_, and
dissoluing it in Vinegar dip hurds therein, and stop it hard into his
eares for two Mornings together after you haue taken from him great
store of bloud at his necke-veine, and then giue him to drinke, during
his sicknesse, euery Morning a quart of Milke, wherein the white and
rough cankerrous Mosse of an old Oake pale hath béene sodden till
the Milke grow thicke, then strayned & so giuen luke warme, and if
you finde that no heauinesse or dizzinesse appeare in his head, then
you may forbeare the bloud-letting, and the _Assafeteda_, but not
otherwise, in any case; and thus assuredly these two medicines alreadie
declared will cure all the inward diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote: Of outward diseases.]
[Sidenote: The third medicine.]
Now for outward diseases, they are eyther naturall or accidentall: If
they be naturall, they eyther grow from the generation, or bréede, from
whence a Horse is descended, or else from corruption of foode, or other
vnwholesome kéeping; If they grow from the bréede and generation of
the Horse, we call them the Viues, Wens, Knots, or Swellings about the
throat: and for the cure thereof, take a peny-worth of Pepper, beaten
into powder; a spoonefull of swines-grease, the iuyce of one handfull
of Rew, two spoonefuls of Vineger, and mixe them together, and put this
equally into both the Horses eares, and so tye them vp and shake the
eares, that the medicine may sinke downe, and take good store of bloud
from the Horses neck-veine, and temple veines, and vse this medicine
two or thrée mornings together.
[Sidenote: The fourth Medicine.]
If they procéede from corruption of foode, or any other vnwholesome
kéeping which corrupteth the bloud, then we call them Impostumations,
Byles, Botches, Fistulaes, Polemill, and such like: and the cure is, to
take the loame of an old mudde wall, strawes and all, but let there be
no Lime amongst it, and boyle this loame with strong Vineger, till it
be like a Pultus, and as hot as the Horse can abide it, apply it to the
sore place, and it will not onely draw it to a head, and breake it, but
also draw it, search it, and heale it.
[Sidenote: The fift Medicine.]
There be also other diseases which procéed from naughtie foode, and
the corruption of blood, and we call them Farcies, Scabs, Mangie,
Scratches, Paynes, Mallanders, Sellanders, and all of such like nature,
and the cure is first to slit the hard knots, or rubbe off the scurfe,
and make the sore places raw: then take yellow _Arsnicke_ beaten to
powder, and mixe it well with fresh grease, and then therewith annoynt
the sore places all ouer, which done, tye vp the Horses head, so as he
may not knappe or bite himselfe, and so let him stand an houre or two:
then take strong old Pisse warmde, and therewith bathe and wash the
Horse all ouer, and so put him to his meat: and in this manner dresse
the Horse or beast thrée or foure mornings, and it will be sufficient;
onely you must not fayle to take from him good store of bloud at his
necke vaine.
[Sidenote: The sixt Medicine.]
Now if his diseases procéed from accidentall causes, as from wounds,
Bruises, Straynes, Galles, hurts in the Eyes, excretions, or broken
bones, then you shall to euery one of these take these seueral
medicines which follow: as first, if they be wounds, in what sort
soeuer taken or receiued, you shall take _Turpentine_, Waxe, and
hogs-grease, of each a like quantity, and melting them together into a
salue, dresse the wound therewith, and it will heale it, how great or
little soeuer.
[Sidenote: The seuenth Medicine.]
If they be bruises, whether gotten by stroake, naughtie Saddles, or
other rushes, from whence procéedeth many times old, putrified & most
ranckorous vlcers, you shall first if the tumor be onely swelled and
not broken, apply vnto it the fourth medicine of Loame and Vingar, but
if it be an open old ranckorous vlcer, you shall take Hogs-grease,
Turpentine, Waxe, and Verdigrease, of each a like quantitie, and being
well mixt, and incorporated together, dresse the sore therewith, till
it be whole, for this medicine will abate and kéepe downe any spungie
or naughtie dead flesh which arises and kéepes the sore from healing,
and may therefore alwayes be vsed in such like cases, whether the sore
be new or old.
[Sidenote: The eight Medicines.]
If they be straynes eyther of ioynts or sinewes in what part or member
soeuer it be, old or new, take strong Vinegar, Patch-grease, and
Wheat-branne, and boyle them together till they be thick like a Pultus,
and then apply it very hot to the strayne, Morning and Euening, and it
is a most certayne cure, and will kéepe the member from growing foule,
knotted, or gourded, and will also take away all swellings or paynes of
the limbes whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote: The ninth Medicine.]
If they be Galles, of what kinde or nature soeuer, whether on the
backe, limbes, or any other outward part of the bodie, you shal take
first fresh Butter scalding hot, and with it first bathe and wash the
sore, then take thicke Creame, & mixing it with the Soote of a Chimney
till it be thicke, like a salue, with the same annoynt the sore place
Morning and Euening, and it will cure it without any feare of dead
flesh: if you doe strow vpon the sore the powder of Rossen it will be
good also.
[Sidenote: The tenth Medicine.]
If they be any hurts in the eyes, as strokes, inflamations,
Pinne-webbe, Canker, or any other mischiefe whatsoeuer, you shall then
take true ground-Iuie, which otherwise is called of some Ale-hoofe, and
beating a good handfull thereof in a morter, with a spoonefull or two
of white Rosewater, or the water of Eye-bright, then strain it through
a cleane wet cloath, and with that water dresse the sore eye Morning
and Euening: or if you can conueniently thrée or foure times a day,
for the oftner is the better, and it will without all fayle cure any
sore eye in the world whatsoeuer, eyther of man or beast, or any other
creature.
[Sidenote: The eleuenth Medicine.]
If they be excretions of bones, as Splents, Spauens, Curbs, Ringbones,
or such like, in what part or member soeuer they be, you shall then
take white _Arsnicke_, beaten or ground to fine powder, and making
a little slit vpon the head of the excretion, the length of a Barly
corne, or very little more, yet in any waies downe déepe to the
excretion, & then with the poynt of your knife put the _Arsnicke_ vpon
the excretion, and so let the Horse stand with his head tied vp for two
houres at least, for in that time the greatest anguish will be gone,
and then put him vnto his meate, and in thrée or foure dayes after the
excretion will fall away of it selfe; and then with a little swéet
Butter you may cure the sore, which will not be great.
[Sidenote: The twelfth Medicine.]
If they be broken bones, or bones out of ioynt, you shall after you
haue placed them in their due place, first annoynt them with the Oyle
of Mallowes, or for want of it with warme Patch-grease, and then clap
about them a plaster made of Pitch, Rossen, and Masticke, and so with
soft and flat splents, so splent the member, as it may not moue, and
so let it rest nine dayes ere you dresse it againe, and in any case
so sling the Horse or Beast that he may not during that time, put his
member to the ground, which a little diligence and payne will easily
doe.
[Sidenote: Diseases in the feete.]
If your Horse haue any infirmitie in his hooues as quitter-bone,
ouer-reach, pricke, crowne scabbe, rotten frush, or any such vlcerous
disease, you shall first lay it open, and then heale it with the
seuenth Medicine. But if it be foundring, fretteshing, or such like,
then you shall first pare all his hooues cleane ouer, so thinne that
you may discerne the quicke all ouer, then let him bloud at the toes,
and take great store of bloud from him, but in any case cut not the
veine in sunder: then take the sixt medicine and, being boyling hot
(after hollow shoes haue béene tackt on his féete) with Flaxe hurds
dipt therein, stoppe all the soales of his féete vp hard, and thus
doe twice in sixe dayes, and it will bring his féete to their full
perfection againe, without any great losse or trouble.
[Sidenote: Diseases in the priuie parts, or for stifling.]
As for the common infirmities in a Horses priuy parts, which are
swellings, inflammations, incording, & such like, you shall but only
swimme your horse in cold water Morning and Euening, and it is a
present helpe, both for them, or the stifling of a horse in his hinder
ioynt: Thus you sée these twelue medicines will sufficiently cure all
the diseases in Horse or Beast whatsoeuer, which who so will not carry
in his memory, he is worthy now and then to be punisht for his sloath,
and sometimes to suffer losse, which may make him more industrious to
studie for his owne good and profit. And thus much for the cure of
diseases.
_FINIS._
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) : $b Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell." ***
Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.