{Conclusion}
Thus haue I shewed you not only the herbes, rootes and fruites, noursed vp in this Garden, but such herbes as are of most necessary vses for the Country Gentlewomens houses: And now I will shew you the Orchard also.
THE
ORDERING OF THE
ORCHARD.
The third part, or Orchard.
Chap. I.
The situation of an Orchard for fruit-bearing trees, and how to amend the defects of many grounds.
As I haue done in the two former parts of this Treatise, so I meane to proceede in this; first to set downe the situation of an Orchard, and then other things in order: And first, I hold that an Orchard which is, or should bee of some reasonable large extent, should be so placed, that the house should haue the Garden of flowers iust before it open vpon the South, and the Kitchen Garden on the one side thereof, should also haue the Orchard on the other side of the Garden of Pleasure, for many good reasons: First, for that the fruit trees being grown great and tall, will be a great shelter from the North and East windes, which may offend your chiefest Garden, and although that your Orchard stand a little bleake vpon the windes, yet trees rather endure these strong bitter blasts, then other smaller and more tender shrubs and herbes can doe. Secondly, if your Orchard should stand behinde your Garden of flowers more Southward, it would shadow too much of the Garden, and besides, would so binde in the North and East, and North and West windes vpon the Garden, that it would spoile many tender things therein, and so much abate the edge of your pleasure thereof, that you would willingly wish to haue no Orchard, rather then that it should so much annoy you by the so ill standing thereof. Thirdly, the falling leaues being still blowne with the winde so aboundantly into the garden, would either spoile many things, or haue one daily and continuall attending thereon, to cleanse and sweepe them away. Or else to auoide these great inconueniences, appoint out an Orchard the farther off, and set a greater distance of ground betweene. For the ground or soile of the Orchard, what I haue spoken concerning the former Garden for the bettering of the seuerall grounds, may very well serue and be applyed to this purpose. But obserue this, that, whereas your Gardens before spoken of may be turned vp, manured, and bettered with soile if they growe out of heart, your Orchard is not so easily done, but must abide many yeares without altering; and therefore if the ground be barren, or not good, it had the more neede to bee amended, or wholly made good, before you make an Orchard of it; yet some there be that doe appoint, that where euery tree should bee set, you onely digge that place to make it good: but you must know, that the rootes of trees runne further after a little times standing, then the first compasse they are set in; and therefore a little compasse of ground can maintaine them but a little while, and that when the rootes are runne beyond that small compasse wherein they were first set, and that they are come to the barren or bad ground, they can thriue no better then if they had beene set in that ground at the first, and if you should afterwards digge beyond that compasse, intending to make the ground better further off, you should much hurt the spreading rootes, and put your trees in danger: the situation of hils in many places is grauelly or chalky, which is not good for trees, because they are both too stonie, and lacke mellow earth, wherein a tree doth most ioy and prosper, and want moisture also (which is the life of all trees) because of the quicke descent of raine to the lower grounds: and besides all these inconueniences there is one more; your trees planted either on hils or hill sides, are more subiect to the fury and force of windes to be ouerturned, then those that growe in the lower grounds; for the strongest and most forcible windes come not vsually out of the North East parts, where you prouide best defence, but from the South and West, whence you looke for the best comfort of the Sunne. To helpe therefore manie of the inconueniences of the hils sides, it were fit to cause manie leauels to bee made thereon, by raising the lower grounds with good earth, and sustaining them with bricke or stone wals, which although chargeable, will counteruaile your cost, beside the pleasure of the walkes, and prospect of so worthy a worke. The plaine or leuell grounds as they are the most frequent, so they are the most commendable for an Orchard, because the moulds or earths are more rich, or may better and sooner be made so; and therefore the profits are the more may be raised from them. A stiffe clay doth nourish trees well, by reason it containeth moisture; but in regard of the coldnesse thereof, it killeth for the most part all tender and early things therein: sea-cole ashes therefore, bucke ashes, streete soyle, chaulke after it hath lyen abroad and been broken with many yeares frosts and raine, and sheepes dung, are the most proper and fittest manure to helpe this kinde of soyle. The dry sandy soile, and grauelly ground are on the contrary side as bad, by reason of too much heate and lacke of moisture: the dung of kine or cattell in good quantity bestowed thereon, will much helpe them. The amending or bettering of other sorts of grounds is set down toward the end of the [first Chapter of the first part] of this worke, wherevnto I will referre you, not willing to repeate againe the same things there set downe. The best way to auoide and amend the inconueniences of high, boisterous, and cold windes, is to plant Walnut trees, Elmes, Oakes or Ashes, a good distance without the compasse of your Orchard, which after they are growne great, will bee a great safeguard thereunto, by breaking the violence of the windes from it. And if the soyle of your Orchard want moisture, the conueying of the sinke of the house, as also any other draine of water thereinto, if it may be, will much helpe it.
Chap. II.
The forme of an Orchard, both ordinary, and of more grace and rarity.
According to the situation of mens grounds, so must the plantation of them of necessitie be also; and if the ground be in forme, you shall haue a formall Orchard: if otherwise, it can haue little grace or forme. And indeed in the elder ages there was small care or heede taken for the formality; for euery tree for the most part was planted without order, euen where the master or keeper found a vacant place to plant them in, so that oftentimes the ill placing of trees without sufficient space betweene them, and negligence in not looking to vphold them, procured more waste and spoile of fruit, then any accident of winde or weather could doe. Orchards in most places haue not bricke or stone wals to secure them, because the extent thereof being larger then of a Garden, would require more cost, which euery one cannot vndergoe; and therefore mud wals, or at the best a quicke set hedge, is the ordinary and most vsuall defence it findeth almost in all places: but with those that are of ability to compasse it with bricke or stone wals, the gaining of ground, and profit of the fruit trees planted there against, will in short time recompense that charge. If you make a doubt how to be sure that your Orchard wall shall haue sufficient comfort of the Sunne to ripen the fruits, in regard the trees in the Orchard being so nigh thereunto, and so high withall, will so much shadow the wall, that nothing will ripen well, because it will want the comfort of the Sunne: you may follow this rule and aduice, to remedy those inconueniences. Hauing an Orchard containing one acre of ground, two, three, or more, or lesse, walled about, you may so order it, by leauing a broad and large walke betweene the wall and it, containing twenty or twenty foure foote (or yards if you will) that the wall shall not be hindered of the Sun, but haue sufficient comfort for your trees, notwithstanding the height of them, the distance betweene them and the wall being a sufficient space for their shadow to fall into: and by compassing your Orchard on the inside with a hedge (wherein may bee planted all sorts of low shrubs or bushes, as Roses, Cornellian, Cherry trees plashed lowe, Gooseberries, Curran trees, or the like) you may enclose your walke, and keepe both it and your Orchard in better forme and manner, then if it lay open. For the placing of your trees in this Orchard, first for the wals: Those sides that lye open to the South & Southwest Sunne, are fittest to bee planted with your tenderest and earliest fruits, as Apricockes, Peaches, Nectarius, and May or early Cherries: the East, North and West, for Plums and Quinces, as you shall like best to place them. And for the Orchard it selfe, the ordinary manner is to place them without regard of measure or difference, as Peares among Apples, and Plums among Cherries promiscuously; but some keepe both a distance and a diuision for euery sort, without intermingling: yet the most gracefull Orchard containeth them all, with some others, so as they be placed that one doe not hinder or spoile another; and therefore to describe you the modell of an Orchard, both rare for comelinesse in the proportion, and pleasing for the profitablenesse in the vse, and also durable for continuance, regard this figure is here placed for your direction, where you must obserue, that your trees are here set in such an equall distance one from another euery way, & as is fittest for them, that when they are grown great, the greater branches shall not gall or rubbe one against another; for which purpose twenty or sixteene foot is the least to be allowed for the distance euery way of your trees, & being set in rowes euery one in the middle distance, will be the most gracefull for the plantation, and besides, giue you way sufficient to passe through them, to pruine, loppe, or dresse them, as need shall require, and may also bee brought (if you please) to that gracefull delight, that euery alley or distance may be formed like an arch, the branches of either side meeting to be enterlaced together. Now for the seuerall sorts of fruit trees that you shall place in this modell, your best direction is to set Damsons, Bulleis, and your taler growing Plums on the outside, and your lower Plums, Cherries, and Apples on the inside, hauing regard, that you place no Peare tree to the Sunward, or any other tree, lest it ouershadow them: Let your Peare trees therefore be placed behinde, or on the one side of your lower trees, that they may be as it were a shelter or defence on the North & East side. Thus may you also plant Apples among Plums and Cherries, so as you suffer not one to ouer-growe or ouer-toppe another; for by pruning, lopping, and shredding those that growe too fast for their fellowes, you may still keepe your trees in such a conformity, as may be both most comely for the sight, and most profitable for the yeelding of greater and better store of fruit. Other sorts of fruit trees you may mixe among these, if you please, as Filberds, Cornellian Cherries in standerds, and Medlers: but Seruice trees, Baye trees, and others of that high sort, must be set to guard the rest. Thus haue I giuen you the fairest forme could as yet be deuised; and from this patterne, if you doe not follow it precisely, yet by it you may proportion your Orchard, be it large or little, be it walled or hedged.
Chap. III.
Of a noursery for trees, both from sowing the kernels, and planting fit stockes to graft vpon.
Although I know the greater sort (I meane the Nobility and better part of the Gentrie of this Land) doe not intend to keepe a Nursery, to raise vp those trees that they meane to plant their wals or Orchards withall, but to buy them already grafted to their hands of them that make their liuing of it: yet because many Gentlemen and others are much delighted to bestowe their paines in grafting themselues, and esteeme their owne labours and handie worke farre aboue other mens: for their incouragement and satisfaction, I will here set downe some conuenient directions, to enable them to raise an Orchard of all sorts of fruits quickly, both by sowing the kernels or stones of fruit, and by making choise of the best sorts of stockes to graft on: First therefore to begin with Cherries; If you will make a Nursery, wherein you may bee stored with plenty of stockes in a little space, take what quantitie you thinke good of ordinarie wilde blacke Cherrie stones, cleansed from the berries, and sowe them, or pricke them in one by one on a peece of ground well turned vp, and large enough for the quantitie of stones you will bestowe thereon, from the midst of August vnto the end of September, which when they are two or three yeares old, according to their growth, you may remoue them, and set them anew in some orderly rowes, hauing pruned their tops and their rootes, which at the next yeares growth after the new planting in any good ground, or at the second, will be of sufficient bignesse to graft vpon in the bud what sorts of Cherries you thinke best: and it is fittest to graft them thus young, that pruning your stockes to raise them high, you may graft them at fiue or six foote high, or higher, or lower, as you shall see good, and being thus grafted in the bud, will both more speedily and safely bring forward your grafts, and with lesse danger of losing your stockes, then by grafting them in the stocke: for if the bud take not by inoculating the first yeare, yet your tree is not lost, nor put in any hazzard of losse; but may be grafted anew the yeare following, if you will, in an other place thereof, whereas if you graft in the stocke, and it doe not take, it is a great chance if the stocke dye not wholly, or at least be not so weakened both in strength and height, that it will not bee fit to bee grafted a yeare or two after. In the same manner as you doe with the blacke, you may deale with the ordinary English red Cherrie stones, or kernels, but they are not so apt to growe so straight and high, nor in so short a time as the blacke Cherrie stones are, and besides are subiect in time to bring out suckers from the rootes, to the hinderance of the stockes and grafts, or at the least to the deformitie of your Orchard, and more trouble to the Gardiner, to pull or digge them away. Plumme stones may bee ordered in this manner likewise, but you must make choise of your Plums; for although euery Plumme is not so fit for this purpose, as the white Peare Plumme, because it groweth the goalest and freest, the barke being smooth and aptest to be raised, that they may be grafted vpon; yet diuers other Plummes may be taken, if they be not at hand, or to be had, as the blacke and red Peare Plumme, the white and red Wheate Plumme, because they are nearest in goodnesse vnto it. Peach stones will be soone raised vp to graft other sorts of Peaches or Nectorins vpon, but the nature of the Peach roote being spongie, is not to abide long. As for Almonds, they will be raised from their stones to be trees of themselues; but they will hardly abide the remouing, and lesse to bee grafted vpon. Apricocke stones are the worst to deale withall of any sort of stone fruit; for although the Apricocke branches are the fittest stockes to graft Nectorins of the best sorts vpon, yet those that are raised from the kernels or stones will neuer thriue to be brought on for this purpose; but will starue and dye, or hardly grow in a long time to be a straight and fit stocke to be grafted, if it be once remoued. Your Cornellian Cherrie trees are wholly, or for the most part raised from the stones or kernels; yet I know diuers doe increase them, by laying in their lowest branches to take roote: and thus much for stone fruits. Now for Apples and Peares, to be dealt withall in the same manner as aforesaid. They vse to take the pressing of Crabs whereas Veriuyce is made, as also of Cidar and Perry where they are made, and sowing them, doe raise vp great store of stockes; for although the beating of the fruit doth spoile many kernels, yet there will bee enough left that were neuer toucht, and that will spring: the Crabbe stockes some preferre for the fittest, but I am sure, that the better Apple and Peare kernels will growe fairer, straighter, quicklier, and better to be grafted on. You must remember, that after two or three yeares you take vp these stockes, and when you haue pruned both toppe and roote, to set them againe in a thinner and fitter order, to be afterwards grafted in the bud while they are young, as I shall shew you by and by, or in the stocke if you will suffer them to growe greater. Now likewise to know which are the fittest stockes of all sorts to choose, thereon to graft euery of these sorts of fruits, is a point of some skill indeede; and therefore obserue them as I doe here set them downe: for bee you assured, that they are certaine rules, and knowne experiences, whereunto you may trust without being deceiued. Your blacke Cherrie stockes (as I said before) are the fittest and best for all sorts of Cherries long to abide and prosper, and euen May or early Cherry will abide or liue longer, being grafted thereon, either in the budde or in the stocke, then on the ordinary red Cherry stocke; but the red Cherry stocke is in a manner the onely tree that most Nursery men doe take to graft May Cherries on in the stocke (for it is but a late experience of many, to graft May Cherries in the bud) many also doe graft May Cherries on Gascoigne Cherry stockes, which doe not onely thriue well, but endure longer then vpon any ordinary Cherry stocke: For indeede the May Cherries that are grafted vpon ordinary red Cherrie stockes, will hardly hold aboue a dozen yeares bearing well, although they come forwarder at the first, that is, doe beare sooner then those that are grafted on Gascoigne or blacke Cherry stockes; but as they are earlier in bearing, so they are sooner spent, and the Gascoigne and blacked Cherry stockes that are longer in comming forward, will last twice or thrice their time; but many more grafts will misse in grafting of these, then of those red Cherry stockes, and besides, the natures of the Gascoigne and blacke Cherry stockes are to rise higher, and make a goodlier tree then the ordinary red stocke will, which for the most part spreadeth wide, but riseth not very high. The English red Cherry stocke will serue very well to graft any other sort of Cherry vpon, and is vsed in most places of this Land, and I know no other greater inconuenience in it, then that it shooteth out many suckers from the roote, which yet by looking vnto may soone bee remoued from doing any harme, and that it will not last so long as the Gascoigne or blacke Cherry stocke will. May Cherries thus grafted lowe doe most vsually serue to be planted against a wall, to bring on the fruit the earlier; yet some graft them high vpon standards, although not many, and it is, I thinke, rather curiosity (if they that doe it haue any wals) then anie other matter that causeth them thus to doe: for the fruit is naturally small, though early, and the standard Cherries are alwaies later then the wall Cherries, so that if they can spare any roome for them at their wals, they will not plant many in standards. Now concerning Plummes (as I said before) for the sowing or setting of the stones, so I say here for their choise in grafting of them, either in the budde or stocke. The white Peare Plumme stocke, and the other there mentioned, but especially the white Peare Plumme is the goodliest, freest and fittest of all the rest, as well to graft all sort of Plummes vpon, as also to graft Apricockes, which can be handsomely, and to any good purpose grafted vpon no other Plum stocke, to rise to bee worth the labour and paine. All sorts of Plums may be grafted in the stocke, and so may they also in the bud; for I know none of them that will refuse to be grafted in the bud, if a cunning hand performe it well, that is, to take off your bud cleanely and well, when you haue made choice of a fit cyon: for, as I shal shew you anon, it is no small peece of cunning to chuse your cyon that it may yeeld fit buds to graft withall, for euery plum is not of a like aptnes to yeeld them: But Apricocks cannot be grafted in the stock for any thing that euer I could heare or learne, but only in the bud, and therefore let your Plum stocke bee of a reasonable size for Apricockes especially, and not too small, that the graft ouergrow not the stocke, and that the stocke bee large enough to nourish the graft. As your Plum stockes serue to graft both Apricockes and Plummes, so doe they serue also very well to graft Peaches of all sorts; and although Peach stockes will serue to be grafted with Peaches againe, yet the Peach stocke (as I said before) will not endure so long as the Plumme stocke, and therefore serueth but for necessity if Plum stocks be not ready, or at hand, or for the present time, or that they afterwards may graft that sort of Peach on a Plumme stocke: for many might lose a good fruit, if when they meete with it, and haue not Plumme stockes ready to graft it on, they could not be assured that it would take vpon another Peach stocke or branch, or on the branch of an Apricocke eyther. Plumme stockes will serue likewise very well for some sorts of Nectorins; I say, for some sorts, and not for all: the greene and the yellow Nectorin will best thriue to be grafted immediately on a Plumme stocke; but the other two sorts of red Nectorins must not be immediately grafted on the Plumme stocke, but vpon a branch of an Apricocke that hath beene formerly grafted on a Plumme stocke, the nature of these Nectorins being found by experience to be so contrary to the Plum stocke, that it will sterue it, and both dye within a yeare, two or three at the most: Diuers haue tryed to graft these red Nectorins vpon Peach stockes, and they haue endured well a while; but seeing the Peach stocke will not last long it selfe, being ouerweake, how can it hold so strong a nature as these red Nectorins, which will (as I said before) sterue a Plum stocke that is sufficient durable for any other Plumme?
Apricocke stockes from the stones are hardly nursed vp, and worse to be remoued, and if a red Nectorin should be grafted on an Apricock raysed from the stone, and not remoued, I doubt it might happen with it as it doth with many other trees raised from stones or kernels, and not remoued, that they would hardly beare fruit: for the nature of most trees raised from stones or kernels, and not remoued, is to send great downe-right rootes, and not to spread many forwards; so that if they be not cut away that others may spreade abroad, I haue seldome seene or known any of them to beare in any reasonable time; and therefore in remouing, these great downe-right rootes are alwayes shred away, and thereby made fit to shoote others forwards. Hereby you may perceiue, that these red Nectorins will not abide to bee grafted vpon any other stocke well, then vpon an Apricocke branch, although the green and the yellow (as I said before) will well endure and thriue vpon Plums. The suckers or shootes both of Plums and Cherries that rise from their rootes, eyther neare their stockes, or farther off, so that they bee taken with some small rootes to them, will serue to bee stockes, and will come forward quickly; but if the suckers haue no small roots whereby they may comprehend in the ground, it is almost impossible it should hold or abide. There is another way to rayse vp eyther stockes to graft on, or trees without grafting, which is, by circumcising a faire and fit branch in this manner: About Midsomer, when the sappe is thoroughly risen (or before if the yeare be forward) they vse to binde a good quantity of clay round about a faire and straight branch, of a reasonable good size or bignesse, with some conuenient bands, whether it be ropes of hey, or of any other thing, about an handfull aboue the ioynt, where the branch spreadeth from the tree, and cutting the barke thereof round about vnder the place where the clay is bound, the sap is hereby hindered from rising, or descending further then that place so circumcised, whereby it will shoote out small knubs and rootes into the clay, which they suffer so to abide vntill the beginning of winter, whenas with a fine Sawe they cut off that branch where it was circumcised, and afterwardes place it in the ground where they would haue it to grow, and stake it, and binde it fast, which will shoote forth rootes, and will become eyther a faire tree to beare fruite without grafting, or else a fit stocke to graft on according to the kinde: but oftentimes this kinde of propagation misseth, in that it sendeth not forth rootes sufficient to cause it to abide any long time. Let me yet before I leaue this narration of Plummes, giue you one admonition more, that vpon whatsoeuer Plumme stocke you doe graft, yet vpon a Damson stocke that you neuer striue to graft, for it (aboue all other sorts of Plumme stockes) will neuer giue you a tree worth your labour. It remaineth only of stone fruit, that I speake of Cornelles, which as yet I neuer saw grafted vpon any stocke, being as it should seeme vtterly repugnant to the nature thereof, to abide grafting, but is wholly raysed vp (as I said before) eyther from the stones, or from the suckers or layers. For Peares and Apples your vsuall stockes to graft on are (as I said before, speaking of the nursing vp of trees from the kernels) your Crabbe stockes, and they bee accepted in euery Countrey of this Land as they may conueniently be had, yet many doe take the stockes of better fruit, whether they bee suckers, or stockes raysed from the kernels (and the most common and knowne way of grafting, is in the stocke for all sorts of them, although some doe vse whipping, packing on, or incising, as euery one list to call it: but now we doe in many places begin to deale with Peares and Apples as with other stone fruit, that is, graft them all in the bud, which is found the most compendious and safest way both to preserue your stocke from perishing, and to bring them the sooner to couer the stock, as also to make the goodlier and straighter tree, being grafted at what height you please:) for those stockes that are raysed from the kernels of good fruit (which are for the most part easily knowne from others, in that they want those thornes or prickles the wilde kindes are armed withall:) I say for the most part; for I know that the kernels of some good fruite hath giuen stockes with prickles on them (which, as I thinke, was because that good fruite was taken from a wilde stocke that had not beene long enough grafted to alter his wilde nature; for the longer a tree is grafted, the more strength the fruite taketh from the graft, and the lesse still from the stocke) being smoother and fairer then the wilde kinds, must needes make a goodlier tree, and will not alter any whit the taste of your fruit that is grafted thereon, but rather adde some better rellish thereunto; for the Crabbe stockes yeelding harsh fruite, must giue part of their nature to the grafts are set thereon, and therefore the taste or rellish, as well as some other naturall properties of most fruits, are somewhat altered by the stocke. Another thing I would willingly giue you to vnderstand concerning your fruits and stockes, that whereas diuers for curiosity and to try experiments haue grafted Cherries vpon Plumme stockes, or Plums on Cherry stockes, Apples vpon Peare stockes, and Peares vpon Apple stockes, some of these haue held the graft a yeare, two or three peraduenture, but I neuer knew that euer they held long, or to beare fruite, much lesse to abide or doe well: bestow not therefore your paines and time on such contrary natures, vnlesse it be for curiositie, as others haue done: Yet I know that they that graft peares on a white thorne stocke haue had their grafts seeme to thriue well, and continue long, but I haue seldome seene the fruite thereof answerable to the naturall wilde Peare stocke; yet the Medlar is knowne to thriue best on a white thorne. And lastly, whereas diuers doe affirme that they may haue not only good stockes to graft vpon, but also faire trees to bear store of fruit from the kernels of Peares or Apples being prickt into the ground, and suffered to grow without remouing, and then eyther grafted or suffered to grow into great trees vngrafted; and for their bearing of fruite, assigne a dozen or twenty yeares from the first setting of the kernels, and abiding vngrafted, I haue not seene or heard that experience to hold certaine, or if it should be so, yet it is too long time lost, and too much fruit also, to waite twenty yeares for that profit may be gained in a great deale of lesse time, and with more certainty. Vnto these instructions let mee adde also one more, which is not much known and vsed, and that is, to haue fruit within foure or fiue years from the first sowing of your stones or kernels in this manner: After your stockes raysed from stones or kernels are two or three yeares old, take the fairest toppe or branch, and graft it as you would doe any other cyon taken from a bearing tree, and looke what rare fruite, eyther Peare or Apple, the kernell was of that you sowed, or Peach or Plum &c. the stone was set, such fruite shall you haue within two or three yeares at the most after the grafting, if it take, and the stocke be good. And thus may you see fruit in farre lesse time then to stay vntill the tree from a kernell or stone beareth fruit of it selfe.
Chap. IIII.
The diuers manners of grafting all sorts of fruits vsed in our Land.
The most vsuall manner of grafting in the stocke is so common and well known in this Land to euery one that hath any thing to doe with trees or an Orchard, that I think I shall take vpon mee a needlesse worke to set downe that is so well knowne to most; yet how common soeuer it is, some directions may profit euery one, without which it is not easily learned. And I doe not so much spend my time and paines herein for their sakes that haue knowledge, but for such as not knowing would faine be taught priuately, I meane, to reade the rules of the arte set downe in priuate, when they would refuse to learne of a Gardiner, or other by sight: and yet I discommend not that way vnto them to learne by sight; for one may see more in an instant by sight, then he shall learn by his own practice in a great while, especially if he be a little practised before he see a cunning hand to doe it. There are many other kindes of grafting, which shall be spoken of hereafter, and peraduenture euen they that know it well, may learne something they knew not before.
1. The grafting in the stocke, is, to set the sprigge of a good fruit into the body or stocke of another tree, bee it wilde or other, bee it young or old, to cause that tree to bring forth such fruit as the tree bore from whence you took the sprigge, and not such as the stocke or tree would haue borne, if it had not beene grafted, and is performed in this manner: Looke what tree or stocke you will chuse to graft on, you must with a small fine sawe and very sharpe, whip off, or cut off the head or toppe thereof at what height you eyther thinke best for your purpose, or conuenient for the tree: for if you graft a great tree, you cannot without endangering the whole, cut it downe so low to the ground, as you may without danger doe a small tree, or one that is of a reasonable size; and yet the lower or neerer the ground you graft a young tree, the safer it is both for your stocke and graft, because the sappe shall not ascend high, but soone giue vigour to the graft to take and shoote quickly: After you haue cut off the toppe of your stocke, cut or smooth the head thereof with a sharpe knife, that it may be as plaine and smooth as you can, and then cleaue it with a hammer or mallet, and with a strong knife, cleauer or chessell, either in the middle of it if it be small, or of a reasonable size, or on the sides an inch or more within the barke, if it be great: into both sides of the cleft put your grafts, or into one if the stocke bee smaller; which grafts must bee made fit for the purpose on this fashion: Hauing made choise of your grafts from the toppe branches especially, or from the sides of that tree whereof you would haue the fruit, and that they be of a reasonable good size, not too small or too great for your stockes, and of one or the same yeares shoote; (and yet many doe cut an inch or more of the olde wood with the sprigge of the last yeares growth, and so graft the old and young together, but both are good, and the old wood no better then the young) cut your graft not too long, but with two, three or foure eyes or buds at the most, which at the lower or bigger end for an inch long or more (for the greater stockes, and an inch or lesse for the lesser sort) must be so cut, that it be very thin on the one side from the shoulders downward, and thicker on the other, and thin also at the end, that it may goe downe close into the cleft, and rest at the shoulders on the head of the stocke: but take heede that in cutting your grafts your knife bee very sharpe that you doe not rayse any of the barke, eyther at the sides or the end, for feare of losing both your paines and graft, and stocke too peraduenture; and let not your grafts bee made long before you set them, or else put the ends of them in water to keepe them fresh and cleane: when you set them you must open the cleft of your stocke with a wedge or chessell as most doe, that the graft may goe easily into it, and that the barke of both graft and stocke may ioyne close the one to the other, which without stirring or displacing must bee so left in the cleft, and the wedge or chessell gently pulled forth; but because in the doing hereof consisteth in a manner the whole losse or gaine of your paines, graft and stocke, to preuent which inconuenience I doe vse an iron Instrument, the forme whereof is showne in the following page, marked with the letter A, crooked at both ends, and broade like vnto a chessell, the one bigger, and the other lesser, to fit all sorts of stockes, and the iron handle somewhat long betweene them both, that being thrust or knocked downe into the cleft, you may with your left hand open it as wide as is fit to let in your graft, without strayning, which being placed, this iron may bee pulled or knocked vp againe without any mouing of your graft: when you haue thus done, you must lay a good handfull or more (according to the bignesse of your stocke) of soft and well moistned clay or loame, well tempered together with short cut hey or horse dung, vpon the head of your stocke, as lowe or somewhat lower then the cleft, to keepe out all winde, raine or ayre from your graft vntill Midsomer at the least, that the graft be shot forth somewhat strongly, which then if you please may be remoued, and the cleft at the head only filled with a little clay to keepe out earewigs, or other things that may hurt your graft.
A. The Iron Instrument with chessels at each end, the one bigger and the other lesser, to keepe the cleft of the Tree open vntill the graft bee placed in the stocke, which with a knock vpwards will be easily taken away.
B. The small Penne-knife with a broad and thinne ended hafte, to raise the sides both of the bud and the down-right slit in the body or arme of a Tree to be grafted in the bud.
C. A pen or quil cut halfe round to take off a bud from the branch.
D. An Iuory Instrument made to the same fashion.
E. A shielde of brasse made hollow before to be put into the slit, to keepe it open vntill the bud be put into its place.
F. The manner of grafting called incising or splicing.
G. A Ladder made with a stoole at the toppe, to serue both to graft higher or lower, and also to gather fruit without spoyling or hurting any buddes or branches of Trees.
1. The first slit in the body or arme of a Tree to be grafted in the bud with the crosse cut at the head.
2. The same slit opened on both sides, ready to receiue the budde should be put therein: these small peeces serue as well as trees to shew the manner and order of the grafting.
3. The branch of a Tree with one budde cut ready to be taken off, and another not yet touched.
4. The bud cleane taken off from the branch, both the foreside and backside.
5. The graft or bud now put into the stocke or tree you intend to be grafted: but the binding thereof is omitted.
2. Inarching is another manner of grafting in the stocke, and is more troublesome, and more casuall also then the former, and is rather a curiosity then any way of good speede, certainety or profit, and therefore vsed but of a few. Yet to shew you, the manner thereof, it is thus: Hauing a tree well growne, bee it high or low, yet the lower the better, with young branches well spread, they vse to set stockes round about it, or on the one side as you please; into which stockes they ingraft the young branches of the well growne tree as they are growing (before they cut them from the tree) by bowing downe the branch they intend to graft, and putting it into the stocke, hauing first cut off the head thereof, and cut a notch in the middle of the head a little slope on both sides, wherein the branch must be fitted: let the branch be cut thinne on the vnderside, only of that length as may suffice to fit the notch in the stocke, leauing about halfe a yarde length of the branch, to rise aboue or beyond the stocke, which beeing bound on, and clayed ouer or couered with red or greene soft waxe, they let so abide, that if it take in the stocke they cut off the branch a little below the grafting place in Nouember following, and remouing the stocke, they haue thus gained a grafted and growne tree the first yeare: but it is vsually seene, that where one branch taketh, three doe misse: yet this manner of grafting was much in vse for May Cherries, when they were first known to vs, and the way thought to be a rare manner of grafting to encrease them, vntill a better way was found out, which now is so common and good also, that this is not now scarce thought vpon.
3. Another kinde of grafting in the stocke is called of some whipping, of some splicing, of others incising, and of others packing on (and as I heare, is much vsed in the West parts especially, and also in the North parts of this Land) and is performed in this manner: Take and slice the branch of a tree (so as the branch be not too bigge) or else a young tree of two, or three, or foure yeares growth at the most, quite off slope wise, about an inch and a halfe long or more, and cut a deep notch in the middle thereof, then fit into it a graft iust of that size or bignesse, cut on both sides with shoulders, and thin at the end, that it may ioyne close in the notch, and neyther bigger or lesser, but that the barke of the one may bee fitted iust to the barke of the other, the figure wherof is expressed at the letters E.F. which shew the one to be with a shoulder & the other without; binde them gently together with bast, and put clay or waxe ouer the place, vntill it be taken: this is much vsed of late dayes for such young trees as are risen of stones or kernels after the second or third yeares growth, and thriue very well in that it not only saueth much time, but diuers checks by remouing and grafting.
4. Inoculating or grafting in the budde is another manner of grafting, which is the taking of a budde from one tree, and putting it into the barke of another tree, to the end, that thereby you may haue of the same kinde of fruit the tree bare from whence the budde was taken; and although it bee sufficiently knowne in many places of this Land, yet as I vnderstand, good Gardiners in the North parts, and likewise in some other places, can scarce tell what it meaneth, or at the least how to doe it well. It is performed after a different fashion from the former, although they all tend vnto one end, which is the propagating of trees. You must for this purpose obserue, that for those trees you would graft, either with, or vpon, you choose a fit time in Summer, when the sappe is well risen, and your graft well shot, that the barke will rise easily and cleanly, both of stocke and graft, which time I cannot appoint, because both the years doe differ in earlinesse, and the seuerall parts or countries of this Land likewise one from another, but most vsually in these Southerne parts, from the beginning of Iune vnto the end of it, or to the middle of Iuly, or either somewhat before or after. First (as I said) hauing taken the fitted time of the yeare, you must take especiall care, that your grafts be well growne, and of the same yeares shoote, and also that the buds or eyes haue but single leaues at them, as neere as you can: for I would vtterly refuse those buds that haue aboue two leaues as vnprofitable, either in Peaches or any other fruit; and therefore see that your grafts or cyons bee taken from the chiefest place of the tree, that is, either from the toppe, or from a sunnie side thereof, and not from the contrarie side if you may otherwise, nor from any vnder-boughes; for seeing your graft is so small a thing, you had neede take the more care that it be the best and fairest. You must to take off this eye or budde from the sprigge, haue a small sharpe pen-knife, the end of the haft being made flat and thinne, like a chessell or wedge, the figure whereof is set forth at the letter B, and a pen or goose quill cut, to be lesse then halfe round, and to be broad at the end, but not sharpe pointed like a penne, or else such a peece of bone or Iuorie made in that fashion as the quill is, to bee thinne, hollow, or halfe round, the figures of both which are marked with the letters C, D, with your knife cut the barke of the bud (hauing first cut off the leafe, leauing onely the short foote-stalke thereof at the bud) about a strawes breadth aboue the eye thereof halfe round, and then from that round or ouerthwart cut, with your knife cut it downe on both sides of the eye, close to the bud slopewise about an inch long or thereabouts, that it bee broad at the head aboue the eye, and pointing at the end like a sheild or scutcheon; and then cutting away the rest of the barke from about it, with the thinne flat end of the haft of your knife raise vp both sides of your bud a little, and with your quill or bone put vnder the barke, raise your budde, and thrust it quite off, beginning at the toppe or head of your eye; but see that you thrust it off close to the wood of the branch or sprigge, and that you doe not leaue the eye of the budde behinde sticking vpon the branch; for if that eye be left or lost, your bud is worth nothing; you must cast it away, and cut another that may haue that eye abiding within the budde on the inside: you may perceiue if that eye be wanting, if you see an emptie hole in the place where the eye should be, to fill it vp on the inside thereof; thus hauing taken off your bud well and cleanly, which is set forth vnto you at the figures, 3 and 4. presently set it on the tree you would graft (for your small budde can abide no delay, lest by taking the ayre too long it become dry, and nothing worth) in this manner: Cut the barke of your tree you would graft in a smooth place, at what height you please, first aboue or ouerthwart, and then downe right in the middle thereof, more then an inch long, the figure whereof you shall haue at the figure 1. and then raise vp both sides of the barke, first one, and then another, with the flat and thinne haft end of your knife, a prettie way inwards (for if the barke will not rise easily, the stocke is not then fit to graft vpon) put in your budde into the cleft with the point downewards, holding the stalke of the leafe that is with the budde betweene your fingers of the one hand, and opening the cleft with the flat end of your knife with the other hand, that the head of your bud may be put close vnder the ouerthwart cut in the stocke or tree (which must not be raised or stirred as the sides are) & the eye of the bud stand iust in the middle of the slit that is downeright, and then closing the barke of the stocke or tree softly vnto the bud thus put in with your fingers, let it be bound gently with a small long peece of baste, or other such like soft thing, first aboue the eye, & then compassing it belowe as close as you can, but not too hard in any case, vntil you haue bound it all ouer the slit you made, especially the lower end, lest any winde get in to dry and spoile it; and hauing tyed both ends thereof fast, leaue it so for a fortnight or somewhat more, in which space it will take and hold, if it be well done, which you shall perceiue, if the bud abide green, and turne not blacke, when you haue vnloosed the tying; for if it hold fast to the tree, and be fresh and good, tye it vp gently againe, and so leaue it for a fortnight longer, or a moneth if you will, and then you may take away your binding cleane: this budde will (if no other mischance happen vnto it) spring and shoote forth the next yeare, (and sometimes the same yeare, but that is seldome) and therefore in the beginning of the yeare, cut off the head of the grafted tree about an handfull aboue the grafted place, vntill the graft be growne strong, and then cut it off close, that the head may be couered with the graft, and doe not suffer any buds to sprout besides the graft, either aboue or belowe it. If you graft diuers buds vpon one stocke (which is the best way) let that onely remaine and abide that shooteth best forth, and rubbe off, or take away the other: the seuerall parts of this grafting I haue caused to be expressed for your further information.
5. Grafting in the scutcheon is accounted another kinde of grafting, and differeth verie little from grafting in the budde: the difference chiefly consisteth in this, that in stead of the downe right slit, and that aboue ouerthwart, they take away iust so much barke of the great tree, as your budde is in bignesse, which vsually is a little larger then the former, and placing it therein, they binde it as formerly is said: some vse for this purpose a paire of compasses, to giue the true measure both of bud and stocke; this manner of grafting is most vsed vpon greater trees, whose young branches are too high to graft vpon in the former maner, and whose tops they cut off (for the most part) at the latter end of the next yeare after the bud is taken: both these waies were inuented to saue the losse of trees, which are more endangered by grafting in the stocke, then any of these waies; and besides, by these waies you may graft at a farre greater height without losse.
Chap. V.
Of the manner of grafting and propagating all sorts of Roses.
Hauing now spoken of the grafting of trees, let mee adioyne the properties of Roses, which although they better fit a Garden then an Orchard, yet I could not in a fitter place expresse them then here, both for the name and affinity of grafting, & because I do not expresse it in the first part. All sorts of Roses may be grafted (although all sorts are not, some seruing rather for stockes for others to be grafted on) as easily as any other tree, & is only performed, by inoculating in the same maner I haue set downe in the [former Chapter] of grafting trees in the bud; for both stocke and budde must bee dealt with after the same fashion. And although some haue boasted of grafting Roses by dicing or whipping, as they call it, or in the stocke, after the first manner, set downe in the former Chapter, yet I thinke it rather a bragge, not hauing seene or heard any true effect proceede from that relation. The sweete Briar or Eglantine, the white and the Damaske Roses, are the chiefest stockes to graft vpon. And if you graft lowe or neare the ground, you may by laying downe that graft within the ground, after it hath bin shot out well, and of a years growth, by pinning it fast downe with short stickes, a thwart or acrosse, cause that grafted branch, by taking roote, to become a naturall Rose, such as the graft was, which being separated and transplanted after it hath taken root wel, will prosper as well as any naturall sucker. And in this maner, by laying downe branches at length into the ground, if they be full of spreading small branches, you may increase all sorts of Roses quickly and plentifully; for they will shoote forth rootes at the ioynts of euery branch: But as for the manner of grafting white Roses or Damaske vpon Broome stalkes or Barbary bushes, to cause them to bring forth double yellow Roses, or vpon a Willowe, to beare greene Roses, they are all idle conceits, as impossible to be effected, as other things, whereof I haue spoken in the [ninth Chapter of my first part], concerning a Garden of flowers, vnto which I referre you to be satisfied with the reasons there alledged. And it is the more needlesse, because we haue a naturall double yellow Rose of it owne growing. The sowing of the seedes of Roses (which are sometimes found vpon most sorts of Roses, although not euery yeare, and in euerie place) hath bin formerly much vsed; but now the laying downe of the young shootes is a way for increase so much vsed, being safe and verie speedie to take, especially for those Roses that are not so apt to giue suckers, that it hath almost taken quite away the vse of sowing of the seedes of Roses, which yet if anie one be disposed to make the triall, they must gather the seede out of the round heads, from amongst the doune, wherein they lye verie like vnto the berries of the Eglantine or sweete Briar bush, and especially of those Roses that bee of the more single kindes, which are more apt to giue berries for seed then the more double, although sometimes the double Roses yeeld the like heads or berries. Their time of sowing is in the end of September (yet some reserue them vntill February) and their manner of noursing is to bee transplanted, after the first or second yeares growth, and tended carefully, that while they are young they be not lost for want of moisture in the dry time of Summer.
Chap. VI.
Certaine rules and obseruations in and after grafting, not remembred in the former Chapter.
The time of some manners of grafting being not mentioned before, must here be spoken of. For the grafting of all sorts of trees in the stocke, the most vsuall time is from the middle of February vntill the middle of March, as the yeare and the countrie is more forward or backward, with vs about London wee neuer passe midde March: but because the May Cherrie is first ripe, and therefore of a very forward nature, it doth require to be grafted somewhat sooner then others. The time of gathering likewise, or cutting your grafts for grafting in the stocke, is to be obserued, that they bee not long gathered before they bee grafted, for feare of being too dry, which I commend, howsoeuer diuers say, if they be long kept they are not the worse; and therefore if you be forced to haue your grafts from farre, or by some other chance to keepe them long, be carefull to keepe them moist, by keeping their ends stucke in moist clay; but if neare hand, neglect no time I say after the cutting of them for their grafting, but either the same, or the next day, or verie speedily after, in the meane time being put into the ground to keepe them fresh. The grafts taken from old trees, because they are stronger, and shoote forth sooner, are to bee sooner grafted then those that are taken from younger trees: of a good branch may bee made two, and sometimes three grafts sufficient for anie reasonable stocke. For whipping, the time is somewhat later then grafting in the stocke, because it is performed on younger trees, which (as I said before) doe not so early bud or shoote forth as the elder. Inarching likewise is performed much about the later end of the grafting time in the stocke; for being both kindes thereof they require the same time of the yeare. The times of the other manners of graftings are before expressed, to bee when they haue shot forth young branches, from whence your buds must be taken; and therefore need not here againe to be repeated. If a graft in the stocke doth happen not to shoote forth when others do (so as it holdeth green) it may perchance shoot out a moneth or two after, & do well, or else after Midsummer, when a second time of shooting, or the after Spring appeareth: but haue an especiall care, that you take not such a graft that shal haue nothing but buds for flowers vpon it, and not an eye or bud for leaues (which you must be carefull to distinguish) for such a graft after it hath shot out the flowers must of necessitie dye, not hauing wherewith to maintaine it selfe. Also if your good graft doe misse, and not take, it doth hazzard your stocke at the first time, yet manie stockes doe recouer to be grafted the second time; but twice to faile is deadly, which is not so in the inoculating of buds in the greene tree: for if you faile there in three, or three times three, yet euerie wound being small, and the tree still growing greene, will quickly recouer it, and not be afterwards seen. Some vse to graft in the stocke the same yeare they remoue the stocke, to saue time, & a second checke by grafting; but I like better both in grafting in the stocke, and in the bud also, that your trees might be planted in the places where you would haue them growe, for a yeare or two at the least before you graft them, that after grafting there should be no remouall, I neede not be tedious, nor yet I hope verie sollicitous to remember many other triuiall, or at the least common knowne things in this matter. First, for the time to remoue trees, young or old, grafted or vngrafted, to be from a fortnight after Michaelmas vntill Candlemas, or if neede be, somewhat after, yet the sooner your remoue is, the better your trees will thriue, except it be in a very moist ground. For the manner or way to set them: viz. in the high and dry grounds set them deeper, both to haue the more moisture, and to be the better defended from windes; and in the lower and moister grounds Shallower, and that the earth be mellow, well turned vp, and that the finer earth bee put among the small rootes, wherein they may spread, and afterwards gently troden downe, that no hollownesse remaine among the rootes: as also that after setting (if the time be not ouermoist) there may be some water powred to the rootes, to moisten and fasten them the better; and in the dry time of Summer, after the setting, let them not want moisture, if you will haue them thriue and prosper; for the want thereof at that time, hath often killed manie a likely tree. To stake and fence them also if neede bee after they are new set, and so to continue for two or three yeares after, is verie expedient, lest windes or other casualties spoile your paines, and ouerthrow your hopes. And likewise to defend your grafts from birds lighting on them, to breake or displace them, to sticke some prickes or sharpe pointed stickes longer then your graft into your clay, that so they may be a sure defence of it: As also to tye some woollen cloathes about the lower end of your stockes, or thrust in some thornes into the ground about the rootes, to defend them from hauing their barkes eaten by Conies, or hurt by some other noisome vermine.
Chap. VII.
Obseruations for the dressing and well keeping of Trees and an Orchard in good order.
There are two manner of waies to dresse and keepe trees in good order, that they may bee both gracefull and fruitfull; the one is for wall-trees, the other is for standards: for as their formes are different, so is their keeping or ordering. Wall trees, because they are grafted lowe, and that their branches must be plasht or tackt vnto the wall to fasten them, are to be so kept, that all their branches may be suffered to growe, that shoote forth on either side of the bodie, and led either along the wall, or vpright, and one to lappe ouer or vnder another as is conuenient, and still with peeces of lists, parings of felt, peeces of soft leather, or other such like soft thing compassing the armes or branches, fastened with small or great nailes, as neede requireth, to the wals, onely those buds or branches are to be nipped or cut off, that shoot forward, and will not so handsomely be brought into conformity, as is fitting; yet if the branches growe too thicke, to hinder the good of the rest, or too high for the wall, they may, nay they must be cut away or lopped off: and if anie dead branches also happen to be on the trees, they must be cut away, that the rest may haue the more libertie to thriue. Diuers also by carefully nipping away the waste and superfluous buds, doe keepe their trees in conformity, without much cutting. The time to pruine or plash, or tye vp wall trees, is vsually from the fall of the leafe, to the beginning of the yeare, when they begin to blossome, and most especially a little before or after Christmas: but in any case not too late, for feare of rubbing off their buds. Some I know doe plash and tye vp their wall trees after bearing time, while the leaues are greene, and their reason is, the buds are not so easie or apt to bee rubbed from the branches at that time, as at Christmas, when they are more growne: but the leaues must needes be very cumbersome, to hinder much both the orderly placing, and close fastening of them to the wall. This labour you must performe euery yeare in its due time; for if you shall neglect and ouerslip it, you shall haue much more trouble, to bring them into a fit order againe, then at the first. The standard trees in an Orchard must be kept in another order; for whereas the former are suffered to spread at large, these must be pruined both from superfluous branches that ouerload the trees, & make them lesse fruitfull, as well as lesse sightly, and the vnder or water boughes likewise, that drawe much nourishment from the trees and yet themselues little the better for it, I meane to giue fruit. If therefore your Orchard consist of young trees, with a little care and paines it may bee kept in that comely order and proportion it was first defined vnto; but if it consist of old growne trees, they will not without a great deale of care and paines be brought into such conformitie, as is befitting good, and comely trees: for the marke of those boughes or branches that are cut off from young trees, will quickly be healed againe, the barke growing quickly ouer them, whereby they are not worse for the cutting, but an old tree if you cut off a bough, you must cut it close and cleanly, and lay a searcloth of tallow, waxe, and a little pitch melted together vpon the place, to keepe off both the winde, sunne, and raine, untill the barke haue couered it ouer againe: and in this manner you must deale with all such short stumps of branches, as are either broken short off with the winde, or by carelesnesse or want of skill, or else such armes or branches as are broken off close, or sliued from the body of the tree: for the raine beating and falling into such a place, will in short time rotte your tree, or put it in danger, besides the deformity. Some vse to fill vp such an hole with well tempered clay, and tacke a cloth or a peece of leather ouer it vntill it be recouered, and this is also not amisse. Your young trees, if they stand in anie good ground, will bee plentifull enough in shooting forth branches; bee carefull therefore if they growe too thicke, that you pruine away such as growe too close (and will, if they be suffered, spoile one another) as they may be best spared, that so the sunne, ayre, and raine may haue free accesse to all your branches, which will make them beare the more plentifully, and ripen them the sooner and the more kindly. If anie boughes growe at the toppe too high, cut them also away, that your trees may rather spread then growe too high. And so likewise for the vnder boughes, or anie other that by the weight of fruit fall or hang downe, cut them off at the halfe, and they will afterwards rise and shoote vpwards. You shall obserue, that at all those places where anie branches haue been cut away, the sappe will euer bee readie to put forth: if therefore you would haue no more branches rise from that place, rubbe off or nippe off such buddes as are not to your minde when they are new shot: and thus you may keep your trees in good order with a little paines, after you haue thus pruined and dressed them. One other thing I would aduertise you of, and that is how to preserue a fainting or decaying tree which is readie to perish, if it be not gone too farre or past cure, take a good quantitie of oxe or horse bloud, mixe therewith a reasonable quantitie of sheepe or pigeons dung, which being laid to the roote, will by the often raines and much watering recouer it selfe, if there bee anie possibilitie; but this must bee done in Ianuarie or Februarie at the furthest.
Chap. VIII.
Diuers other obseruations to be remembred in the well keeping of an Orchard.
There be diuers other things to be mentioned, whereof care must be had, either to doe or auoide, which I thinke fit in this Chapter promiscuously to set down, that there may be nothing wanting to furnish you with sufficient knowledge of the care, paines, and casualties that befall an Orchard: for it hath many enemies, and euery one laboureth as much as in them lye, to spoile you of your pleasure, or profit, or both, which must bee both speedily and carefully preuented and helped; and they are these: Mosse, Caterpillars, Ants, Earwigs, Snailes, Moales, and Birds. If Mosse begin to ouergrowe your trees, looke to it betimes, lest it make your trees barren: Some vse to hacke, and crossehacke, or cut the barke of the bodies of their trees, to cause it fall away; but I feare it may endanger your trees. Others do either rubbe it off with a haire cloth, or with a long peece of wood formed like a knife, at the end of a long sticke or pole, which if it bee vsed cauteiously without hurting the buds, I like better. Caterpillars, some smoake them with burning wet strawe or hay, or such like stuffe vnder the trees; but I doe not greatly like of that way: others cut off the boughes whereon they breed, and tread them vnder their feete, but that will spoile too manie branches; and some kill them with their hands, but some doe vse a new deuised way, that is, a pompe made of lattin or tin, spout-fashion, which being set in a tubbe of water vnder or neare your trees, they will cause the water to rise through it with such a force, and through the branches, that it will wash them off quickly. To destroy Ants, that eate your fruit before and when it is ripe, some vse to annoint the bodies of their trees with tarre, that they may not creepe vp on the branches; but if that doe not helpe, or you will not vse it, you must be careful to finde out their hill, and turne it vp, pouring in scalding water, either in Summer, but especially if you can in Winter, and that will surely destroy them. I haue spoken of Earwigs in the first part of this worke, entreating of the annoyances of Gilloflowers, and therefore I referre you thereunto: yet one way more I will here relate which some doe vse, and that is with hollow canes of halfe a yard long or more, open at both ends for them to creepe in, and stucke or laid among the branches of your trees, will soone drawe into them many Earwigs, which you may soone kill, by knocking the cane a little vpon the ground, and treading on them with your foote. Snailes must be taken with your hands, and that euerie day, especially in the morning when they will be creeping abroad. Moales by running vnder your trees make them lesse fruitfull, and also put them in danger to be blowne downe, by leauing the ground hollow, that thereby the rootes haue not that strength in the ground, both to shoote and to hold, that otherwise they might haue. Some haue vsed to put Garlicke, and other such like things into their holes, thinking thereby to driue them away, but to no purpose: others haue tryed manie other waies; but no way doth auaile anie thing, but killing them either with a Moale spade, or a trappe made for the purpose as manie doe know: and they must bee watched at their principall hill, and trenched round, and so to be caught. Birds are another enemie both to your trees and fruit; for the Bullfinch will destroy all your stone fruit in the budde, before they flower, if you suffer them, and Crowes, &c. when your Cherries are ripe: for the smaller birds, Lime twigs set either neare your trees, or at the next water where they drinke, will helpe to catch them and destroy them. And for the greater birds, a stone bowe, a birding or fowling peece will helpe to lessen their number, and make the rest more quiet: or a mill with a clacke to scarre them away, vntill your fruit be gathered. Some other annoyances there are, as suckers that rise from the rootes of your trees, which must be taken away euerie yeare, and not suffered to growe anie thing great, for feare of robbing your trees of their liuelihood. Barke bound, is when a tree doth not shoote and increase, by reason the barke is as it were drie, and will not suffer the sappe to passe vnto the branches: take a knife therefore, and slit the barke downe almost all the length of the tree in two or three places, and it will remedy that euill, and the tree will thriue and come forward the better after. Barke pilled is another euill that happeneth to some trees, as well young as old, either by reason of casuall hurts, or by the gnawing of beasts, howsoeuer it bee, if it bee anie great hurt, lay a plaister thereon made of tallow, tarre, and a little pitch, and binde it thereto, letting it so abide vntill the wound bee healed: yet some doe only apply a little clay or loame bound on with ropes of hay. The Canker is a shrewd disease when it happeneth to a tree; for it will eate the barke round, and so kill the very heart in a little space. It must be looked vnto in time before it hath runne too farre; most men doe wholly cut away as much as is fretted with the Canker, and then dresse it, or wet it with vinegar or Cowes pisse, or Cowes dung and vrine, &c. vntill it be destroyed, and after healed againe with your salue before appointed. There are yet some other enemies to an Orchard: for if your fence be not of bricke or stone, but either a mudde wall, or a quicke set or dead hedge, then looke to it the more carefully, and preuent the comming in of either horse, or kine, sheepe, goates, or deere, hare, or conie; for some of them will breake through or ouer to barke your trees, and the least hole almost in the hedge will giue admittance to hares and conies to doe the like. To preuent all which, your care must be continuall to watch them or auoide them, and to stoppe vp their entrance. A dogge is a good seruant for many such purposes, and so is a stone bowe, and a peece to make vse of as occasion shall serue. But if you will take that medicine for a Canker spoken of before, which is Cowes dung and vrine mixed together, and with a brush wash your trees often to a reasonable height, will keepe hares and conies from eating or barking your trees. Great and cold windes doe often make a great spoile in an Orchard, but great trees planted without the compasse thereof, as Wall-nuts, Oakes, Elmes, Ashes, and the like, will stand it in great stead, to defend it both early and late. Thus haue I shewed you most of the euils that may happen to an Orchard, and the meanes to helpe them, and because the number is great and daily growing, the care and paines must be continuall, the more earnest and diligent, lest you lose that in a moment that hath been growing many yeares, or at the least the profit or beauty of some yeares fruit.
Chap. IX.
The manner and way how to plant, order, and keepe other trees that beare greene leaues continually.
The way to order those trees that beare their leaues greene continually, is differing from all others that doe not so: for neyther are they to bee planted or remoued at the time that all other trees are set, nor doe they require that manner of dressing, pruining and keeping, that others doe. And although many ignorant persons and Gardiners doe remoue Bay trees, and are so likewise perswaded that all other trees of that nature, that is, that carry their greene leaues continually, may bee remoued in Autumne or Winter, as well as all other trees may bee, yet it is certaine it is a great chance if they doe thriue and prosper that are set at that time, or rather it is found by experience, that scarce one of ten prospereth well that are so ordered. Now in regard that there be diuers trees and shrubs mentioned here in this booke that beare euer greene leaues, wherein there is very great beauty, and many take pleasure in them; as the ordinary Bay, the Rose Bay, and the Cherry Bay trees, the Indian Figge, the Cypresse, the Pine tree, the Mirtle and dwarfe Boxe, and many others; I will here shew you how to plant and order them, as is fittest for them. For in that they doe not shed their greene leaues in winter as other trees doe, you may in reason be perswaded that they are of another nature; and so they are indeede: for seeing they all grow naturally in warme Countries, and are from thence brought vnto vs, we must both plant them in a warmer place, and transplant them in a warmer time then other trees be, or else it is a great hazzard if they doe not perish and dye, the cold and frosts in the winter being able to pierce them through, if they should bee transplanted in winter, before they haue taken roote. You must obserue and take this therefore for a certaine rule, that you alwaies remoue such trees or shrubbes as are euer greene in the spring of the yeare, and at no time else if you will doe well, that is, from the end of March, or beginning of Aprill, vnto the middle or end of May, especially your more dainty and tender plants, shadowing them also for a while from the heate of the Sun, and giuing them a little water vpon their planting or transplanting; but such water as hath not perfectly been drawn from a Well or Pumpe, for that will go neer to kill any plant, but such water as hath stood in the open ayre for a day at the least, if not two or three. Yet for dwarfe Boxe I confesse it may endure one moneth to be earlier planted then the rest, because it is both a more hardy and lowe plant, and thereby not so much subiect to the extremitie of the colde: but if you should plant it before winter, the frosts would raise it out of the ground, because it cannot so soone at that time of the yeare take roote, and thereby put it in danger to be lost. Moreouer all of them will not abide the extremitie of our winter frosts, and therefore you must of necessity house some of them, as the Rose Bay, Mirtle, and some others, but the other sorts being set where they may bee somewhat defended from the cold windes, frostes, and snow in winter, with some couering or shelter for the time, will reasonably well endure and beare their fruit, or the most of them. If any be desirous to be furnished with store of these kinds of trees that will be noursed vp in our Country, he may by sowing the seed of them in square or long woodden boxes or chests made for that purpose, gaine plenty of them: but hee must be carefull to couer them in winter with some straw or fearne, or beane hame, or such like thing layd vpon crosse sticks to beare it vp from the plants, and after two or three yeares that they are growne somewhat great and strong, they may bee transplanted into such places you meane they shall abide: yet it is not amisse to defend them the first yeare after they are transplanted, for their more securitie: the seedes that are most vsually sowen with vs, are, the Cypresse tree, the Pine tree, the Baye, the Pyracantha or prickly Corall tree, and the Mirtle: the Rose Bay I haue had also risen from the seede that was fresh, and brought me from Spaine. But as for Orenge trees, because they are so hardly preserued in this our cold climate (vnlesse it bee with some that doe bestow the housing of them, besides a great deale more of care and respect vnto them) from the bitternesse of our cold long winter weather (although their kernels being put into the ground in the Spring or Summer, and if care bee had of them and conuenient keeping, will abide, and by grafting the good fruite on the crab stocke they may bee in time nursed vp) I doe not make any other especiall account of them, nor giue you any further relation of their ordering. Now for the ordering of these trees after they are eyther planted of young sets, or transplanted from the seede, it is thus: First for Bay trees, the most vsuall way is to let them grow vp high to bee trees, and many plant them on the North or East side of their houses that they may not bee scorched with the Sunne; but the bitter winters which we often haue, doe pinch them shrewdly, insomuch that it killeth euen well growne trees sometimes downe to the roote: but some doe make a hedge of them being planted in order, and keep them low by lopping of them continually, which will make them bush and spread. The Cypresse tree is neuer lopped, but suffered to grow with all the branches from a foote aboue the ground, if it may be, straight vpright; for that is his natiue grace and greatest beautie, and therefore the more branches doe dye that they must bee cut away, the more you deforme his propertie. The Pine tree may be vsed in the same manner, but yet it wil better endure to sustaine pruining then the Cypresse, without any such deformitie. The Laurocerasus or Cherry Bay may be diuersly formed, that is, it may be either made to grow into a tall tree by shredding still away the vnder branches, or else by suffering all the branches to grow to be a low or hedge bush, and both by the suckers and by laying downe the lower branches into the earth, you may soone haue much increase; but this way will cause it to bee the longer before it beare anie fruit. The Rose Baye will verie hardlie bee encreased either by suckers or by layers, but must bee suffered to grow without lopping, topping or cutting. The Pyracantha or Prickly Corall tree may bee made to grow into a reasonable tall tree by shredding away the lower branches, or it may be suffered to grow lowe into an hedge bush, by suffering all the branches to grow continually, you may also propagate it by the suckers, or by laying downe the lower branches. The Myrtle of all sorts abideth a low bush spreading his branches full of sweete leaues and flowers, without anie great encrease of it selfe, yet sometimes it giueth suckers or shootes from the rootes: but for the more speedie propagating of them, some doe put the cuttings of them into the earth, and thereby increase them. There are some other trees that are not of any great respect, as the Yew tree, and the Savine bush, both which may be encreased by the cuttings, and therefore I need not make any further relation or amplification of them, and to say thus much of them all, is (I thinke) sufficient for this Worke.
Chap. X.
The ordering, curing, and propagating Vines of all sorts.
In most places of this countrie there is small care or paines taken about the ordering of Vines: it sufficeth for the most part with them that haue anie, to make a frame for it to spread vpon aboue a mans height, or to tacke it to a wall or window, &c. and so to let it hang downe with the branches and fruit, vntill the weight thereof, and the force of windes doe teare it downe oftentimes, and spoile the grapes: and this way doth somewhat resemble that course that the Vineyard keepers obserue in the hot countries of Syria, Spaine, and Italy, and in the farthest parts of France as I hear likewise: for in most of these hot countries they vse to plant an Oliue betweene two Vines, and let them runne thereupon. But manie of the other parts of France, &c. doe not suffer anie trees to growe among their Vines; and therefore they plant them thicke, and pruine them much and often, and keepe them lowe in comparison of the other way, fastening them to pearches or poles to hold them vp. And according to that fashion may haue aduentured to make Vineyards in England, not onely in these later daies, but in ancient times, as may wel witnesse the sundrie places in this Land, entituled by the name of Vineyards; and I haue read that manie Monasteries in this Kingdome hauing Vineyards, had as much wine made therefrom, as sufficed their conuents yeare by yeare: but long since they haue been destroyed, and the knowledge how to order a Vineyard is also vtterly perished with them. For although diuers, both Nobles and Gentlemen, haue in these later times endeauoured to plant and make Vineyards, and to that purpose haue caused French men, being skilfull in keeping and dressing of Vines, to be brought ouer to performe it, yet either their skill failed them, or their Vines were not good, or (the most likely) the soile was not fitting, for they could neuer make anie wine that was worth the drinking, being so small and heartlesse, that they soone gaue ouer their practice. And indeede the soile is a maine matter to bee chiefly considered to seate a Vineyard vpon: for euen in France and other hot countries, according to the nature of the soile, so is the rellish, strength, and durabilitie of the wine. Now although I think it a fruitlesse labour for any man to striue in these daies to make a good Vineyard in England, in regard not only of the want of knowledge, to make choise of the fitted ground for such Vines as you would plant thereupon but also of the true maner of ordering them in our country; but most chiefly & aboue all others, that our years in these times do not fal out to be so kindly and hot, to ripen the grapes, to make anie good wine as formerly they haue done; yet I thinke it not amisse, to giue you instructions how to order such Vines as you may nourse vp for the pleasure of the fruit, to eate the grapes being ripe, or to preserue and keepe them to bee eaten almost all the winter following: And this may be done without any great or extraordinarie paines. Some doe make a lowe wall, and plant their Vines against it, and keepe them much about the height thereof, not suffering them to rise much higher: but if the high bricke or stone wals of your Garden or Orchard haue buttresses thereat, or if you cause such to bee made, that they bee somewhat broade forwards, you may the more conueniently plant Vines of diuers sorts at them, and by sticking down a couple of good stakes at euery buttresse, of eight or ten foot high aboue ground, tacking a few lathes acrosse vpon those stakes, you may thereunto tye your Vines, & carry them theron at your pleasure: but you must be carefull to cut them euery year, but not too late, and so keepe them downe, and from farre spreading, that they neuer runne much beyond the frame which you set at the buttresses: as also in your cutting you neuer leaue too many ioynts, nor yet too few, but at the third or fourth ioint at the most cut them off. I doe aduise you to these frames made with stakes and lathes, for the better ripening of your grapes: for in the blooming time, if the branches of your vines bee too neare the wall, the reflection of the Sunne in the day time, and the colde in the night, doe oftentimes spoile a great deale of fruit, by piercing and withering the tender footstalkes of the grapes, before they are formed, whereas when the blossomes are past, and the fruit growing of some bignesse, then all the heate and reflection you can giue them is fit, and therefore cut away some of the branches with the leaues, to admit the more Sunne to ripen the fruit. For the diuers sorts of grapes I haue set them downe in the [Booke following], with briefe notes vpon euerie of them, whether white or blacke, small or great, early or late ripe; so that I neede not here make the same relation again. There doth happen some diseases to Vines sometimes, which that you may helpe, I thinke it conuenient to informe you what they are, and how to remedy them when you shall be troubled with any such. The first is a luxurious spreading of branches and but little or no fruit: for remedie whereof, cut the branches somewhat more neere then vsuall, and bare the roote, but take heed of wounding or hurting it, and in the hole put either some good old rotten stable dung of Horses, or else some Oxe blood new taken from the beasts, and that in the middle of Ianuarie or beginning of Februarie, which being well tempered and turned in with the earth, let it so abide, which no doubt, when the comfort of the blood or dung is well soaked to the bottome by the raines that fall thereon, will cause your Vine to fructifie againe. Another fault is, when a Vine doth not bring the fruit to ripenesse, but either it withereth before it be growne of any bignesse, or presently after the blooming: the place or the earth where such a Vine standeth, assuredly is too cold, and therefore if the fault bee not in the place, which cannot bee helped without remouing to a better, digge out a good quantity of that earth, and put into the place thereof some good fresh ground well heartned with dung, and some sand mixed therewith (but not salt or salt water, as some doe aduise, nor yet vrine as others would haue) and this will hearten and strengthen your Vine to beare out the fruit vnto maturitie. When the leaues of a Vine in the end of Summer or in Autumne, vntimely doe turne either yellow or red, it is a great signe the earth is too hot and drie; you must therefore in stead of dung and sand, as in the former defect is said, put in some fresh loame or short clay, well mixed together with some of the earth, and so let them abide, that the frosts may mellow them. And lastly, a Vine sometimes beareth some store of grapes, but they are too many for it to bring to ripenesse; you shall therefore helpe such a Vine (which no doubt is of some excellent kinde, for they are most vsually subiect to this fault) by nipping away the blossomes from the branches, and leauing but one or two bunches at the most vpon a branch, vntill the Vine be growne older, and thereby stronger, and by this meane inured to beare out all the grapes to ripenesse. These be all the diseases I know doe happen to Vines: for the bleeding of a Vine it seldome happeneth of it selfe, but commeth either by cutting it vntimely, that is, too late in the yeare, (for after Ianuarie, if you will be well aduised, cut not any Vine) or by some casuall or wilfull breaking of an arme or a branch. This bleeding in some is vnto death, in others it stayeth after a certaine space of it selfe: To helpe this inconuenience, some haue seared the place where it bleedeth with an hot iron, which in many haue done but a little good; others haue bound the barke close with packe-thred to stay it; and some haue tied ouer the place, being first dried as well as may bee, a plaister made with waxe rossen and turpentine while it is warme. Now for the propagating of them: You must take the fairest and goalest shot branches of one yeares growth, and cut them off with a peece of the old wood vnto it, and these being put into the ground before the end of Ianuarie at the furthest, will shoote forth, and take roote, and so become Vines of the same kinde from whence you tooke them. This is the most speedy way to haue increase: for the laying downe of branches to take roote, doth not yeelde such store so plentifully, nor doe suckers rise from the rootes so aboundantly; yet both these waies doe yeelde Vines that being taken from the old stockes will become young plants, fit to bee disposed of as any shall thinke meete.
Chap. XI.
The way to order and preserue grapes, fit to be eaten almost all the Winter long, and sometimes vnto the Spring.
Although it bee common and vsuall in the parts beyond the Sea to dry their grapes in the Sunne, thereby to preserue them all the year, as the Raisins of the Sunne are, which cannot bee done in our Countrie for the want of sufficient heate thereof at that time: or otherwise to scald them in hot water (as I heare) and afterwards to dry them, and so keepe them all the yeare, as our Malaga Raisins are prepared that are packed vp into Frayles: yet I doe intend to shew you some other waies to preserue the grapes of our Countrie fresh, that they may be eaten in the winter both before and after Christmas with as much delight and pleasure almost, as when they were new gathered. One way is, when you haue gathered your grapes you intend to keepe, which must be in a dry time, and that all the shrunke, dried, or euill grapes in euery bunch be picked away, and hauing prouided a vessell to hold them, be it of wood or stone which you will, and a sufficient quantitie of faire and cleane drie sand; make stratum super stratum of your grapes and the sand, that is, a lay of sand in the bottome first, and a lay of grapes vpon them, and a lay or strowing againe of sand vpon those grapes, so that the sand may couer euery lay of grapes a fingers breadth in thicknesse, which being done one vpon another vntill the vessell be full, and a lay of sand vppermost, let the vessell be stopped close, and set by vntill you please to spend them, being kept in some drie place and in no sellar: let them bee washed cleane in faire water to take away the sand from so many you will spend at a time. Another way is (which Camerarius setteth downe he was informed the Turkes vse to keepe grapes all the winter vnto the next summer) to take so much meale of Mustard seede, as will serue to strow vpon grapes, vntill they haue filled their vessels, thereon afterwards they poure new wine before it hath boiled, to fill vp their vessels therwith, and being stopped vp close, they keepe them a certaine time, and selling them with their liquour to them that will vse them, they doe wash the seedes or meale from them when they vse them. Another way is, that hauing gathered the fairest ripe grapes, they are to be cast vpon threds or strings that are fastened at both ends to the side walls of a chamber, neere vnto the seeling thereof, that no one bunch touch another, which will bee so kept a great while, yet the chamber must be well defended from the frosts, and cold windes that pierce in at the windowes, lest they perish the sooner: and some will dippe the ends of the branches they hang vp first in molten pitch, thinking by searing vp the ends to keepe the bunches the better; but I doe not see any great likelihood therein. Your chamber or closet you appoint out for this purpose must also bee kept somewhat warme, but especially in the more cold and frostie time of the yeare, lest it spoile all your cost and paines, and frustrate you of all your hopes: but although the frosts should pierce and spoile some of the grapes on a bunch, yet if you be carefull to keepe the place warme, the fewer will be spoiled. And thus haue I shewed you the best directions to order this Orchard rightly, and all the waies I know are vsed in our Countrie to keep grapes good anie long time after the gathering, in regard wee haue not that comfort of a hotter Sun to preserue them by its heate.
The fruits themselues shall follow euerie one in their order; the lower shrubbes or bushes first, and the greater afterwards.
THE THIRD PART
CALLED
THE ORCHARD,
Containing all sorts of trees bearing fruit for mans vse to eate, proper and fit for to plant an Orchard in our climate and countrie: I bound it with this limitation, because both Dates, Oliues, and other fruits, are planted in the Orchards of Spaine, Italy, and other hot countries, which will not abide in ours. Yet herein I will declare whatsoeuer Art, striuing with Nature, can cause to prosper with vs, that whosoeuer will, may see what can bee effected in our countrie. And first to begin with the lower shrubbes or bushes, and after ascend to the higher trees.
Chap. I.
Rubus Idæus. Raspis.
The Raspis berrie is of two sorts, white and red, not differing in the forme either of bush, leafe, or berry, but onely in the colour and taste of the fruit. The Raspis bush hath tender whitish stemmes, with reddish small prickes like haires set round about them, especially at the first when they are young; but when they grow old they become more wooddy and firme, without any shew of thornes or prickles vpon them, and hath onely a little hairinesse that couereth them: the leaues are somewhat rough or rugged, and wrinkled, standing three or fiue vpon a stalke, somewhat like vnto Roses, but greater, and of a grayer greene colour: the flowers are small, made of fine whitish round leaues, with a dash as it were of blush cast ouer them, many standing together, yet euery one vpon his owne stalke, at the tops of the branches; after which come vp small berries, somewhat bigger then Strawberries, and longer, either red or white, made of many graines, more eminent then in the Strawberry, with a kinde of douninesse cast ouer them, of a pleasant taste, yet somewhat sowre, and nothing so pleasant as the Strawberrie. The white Raspis is a little more pleasant then the red, wherein there is small seede inclosed: the rootes creepe vnder ground verie farre, and shoote vp againe in many places, much encreasing thereby.
There is another whose stemme and branches are wholly without prickles: the fruit is red, and somewhat longer, and a little more sharpe.
The Vse of Raspis.
The leaues of Raspis may be vsed for want of Bramble leaues in gargles, and other decoctions that are cooling and drying, although not fully to that effect.
The Conserue or Syrupe made of the berries, is effectuall to coole an hot stomacke, helping to refresh and quicken vp those that are ouercome with faintnesse.
The berries are eaten in the Summer time, as an afternoones dish, to please the taste of the sicke as well as the sound.
The iuyce and the distilled water of the berries are verie comfortable and cordiall.
It is generally held of many, but how true I know not, that the red wine that is vsually sold at the Vintners, is made of the berries of Raspis that grow in colder countries, which giueth it a kinde of harshnesse: And also that of the same berries growing in hotter climates, which giueth vnto the wine a more pleasant sweetnesse, is made that wine which the Vintners call Alligant: but we haue a Vine or Grape come to vs vnder the name of the Alligant Grape, as you shall finde it set downe hereafter among the Grapes; and therefore it is likely to be but an opinion, and no truth in this, as it may be also in the other.
Chap. II.
Ribes rubra, alba, nigra. Currans red, white, and blacke.
The bushes that beare those berries, which are vsually called red Currans, are not those Currans either blew or red, that are sold at the Grocers, nor any kind thereof; for that they are the grapes of a certaine Vine, as shall be shewed by and by: but a farre differing kinde of berry, whereof there are three sorts, red, white, and blacke.
The red Curran bush is of two sorts, and groweth to the height of a man, hauing sometimes a stemme of two inches thicknesse, and diuers armes and branches, couered with a smooth, darke, brownish barke, without anie pricke or thorne at all vpon anie part thereof, whereon doe growe large cornered blackish greene leaues, cut in on the edges, seeming to be made of fiue parts, almost like a Vine leafe, the ends a little pointing out, and standing one aboue another on both sides of the branches: the flowers are little and hollow, comming forth at the ioynts of the leaues, growing many together on a long stalke, hanging downe aboue a fingers length, and of an herbie colour: after which come small round fruit or berries, greene at the first, and red as a Cherry when they are ripe, of a pleasant and tart taste: the other differeth not in anie other thing then in the berries, being twice as bigge as the former: the roote is wooddy, and spreadeth diuersly.
The white Curran bush riseth vsually both higher then the red, and straighter or more vpright, bigger also in the stemme, and couered with a whiter barke: the leaues are cornered, somewhat like the former, but not so large: the flowers are small and hollow like the other, hanging downe in the same manner on long stalkes, being of a whiter colour: the berries likewise growe on the long stalkes, somewhat thicker set together, and of a cleare white colour, with a little blacke head, so transparent that the seedes may be easily seene thorough them, and of a more pleasant winie taste then the red by much.
The blacke Curran bush riseth higher then the white, with more plentifull branches, and more pliant and twiggie: the stemme and the elder branches being couered with a brownish barke, and the younger with a paler: the flowers are also like vnto little bottles as the others be, of a greenish purple colour, which turne into blacke berries, of the bignesse of the smaller red Currans: the leaues are somewhat like vnto the leaues of the red Currans, but not so large: both branches, leaues, and fruit haue a kind of stinking sent with them, yet they are not vnwholsome, but the berries are eaten of many, without offending either taste or smell.
| 1 | Rubus Idæus. The raspis. |
| 2 | Ribes fructu rubro vel albo. White or red Currans. |
| 3 | Grossularia vulgaris. The ordinary Gooseberry. |
| 4 | Grossularia fructu rubro. The great red Gooseberry. |
| 5 | Grossularia aculeata. The prickly Gooseberry. |
| 6 | Oxyacantha seu Berberis. The Barbary bush. |
| 7 | Auellana Byzantina. The Filberd of Constantinople. |
| 8 | Auellana rubra nostras. The best red Filberd. |
The Vse of Currans.
The red Currans are vsually eaten when they are ripe, as a refreshing to an hot stomacke in the heate of the yeare, which by the tartnesse is much delighted. Some preserue them, and conserue them also as other fruits, and spend them at neede.
The white Currans, by reason of the more pleasant winie taste, are more accepted and desired, as also because they are more daintie, and lesse common.
Some vse both the leaues and berries of the blacke Currans in sawces, and other meates, and are well pleased both with the sauour and taste thereof, although many mislike it.
Chap. III.
Vua Crispa siue Grossularia. Gooseberries or Feaberries.
Wee haue diuers sorts of Gooseberries, besides the common kinde, which is of three sorts, small, great, and long. For wee haue three red Gooseberries, a blew and a greene.
The common Gooseberrie, or Feaberrie bush, as it is called in diuers Countries of England, hath oftentimes a great stemme, couered with a smooth darke coloured bark, without anie thorne thereon, but the elder branches haue here and there some on them, and the younger are whitish, armed with verie sharpe and cruell crooked thorns, which no mans hand can well auoide that doth handle them, whereon are set verie greene and small cornered leaues cut in, of the fashion almost of Smallage, or Hawthorne leaues, but broad at the stalke: the flowers come forth single, at euerie ioynt of the leafe one or two, of a purplish greene colour, hollow and turning vp the brims a little: the berries follow, bearing the flowers on the heads of them, which are of a pale greene at the first, and of a greenish yellow colour when they are ripe, striped in diuers places, and cleare, almost transparent, in which the seede lyeth. In some these berries are small and round; in others much greater; a third is great, but longer then the other: all of them haue a pleasant winie taste, acceptable to the stomacke of anie (but the long kinde hath both the thicker skin, and the worser taste of the other) and none haue been distempered by the eating of them, that euer I could heare of.
The first of the red Gooseberries is better knowne I thinke then the rest, and by reason of the small bearing not much regarded; the stemme is somewhat bigge, and couered with a smooth darke coloured barke, the younger branches are whiter, and without anie thorne or pricke at all, so long, weake, small, and slender, that they lye vpon the ground, and will there roote againe: the leaues are like vnto the former Gooseberries, but larger: the flowers and berries stand single, and not manie to bee found anie yeare vpon them, but are somewhat long, and are as great as the ordinarie Gooseberry, of a darke brownish red colour, almost blackish when they are ripe, and of a sweetish taste, but without any great delight.
The second red Gooseberry riseth vp with a more straight stemme, couered with a brownish barke; the young branches are straight likewise, and whitish, and grow not so thicke vpon it as the former red kinde, and without any thorne also vpon them: the leaues are like vnto the former red, but smaller: the berries stand singly at the leaues as Gooseberries doe, and are of a fine red colour when they are ripe, but change with standing to be of a darker red colour, of the bignesse of the small ordinary Gooseberry, of a pretty tart taste, and somewhat sweete withall.
The third red Gooseberry which is the greatest, and knowne but vnto few, is so like vnto the common great Gooseberry, that it is hardly distinguished: the fruit or berries grow as plentifully on the branches as the ordinary, and are as great & round as the great ordinary kinde, but reddish, and some of them paler, with red stripes.
The blew Gooseberry riseth vp to bee a bush like vnto the red Curran, and of the same bignesse and height, with broader and redder leaues at the first shooting out, then the second red Gooseberry: the berries are more sparingly set on the branches, then on the small red, and much about the same bignesse, or rather lesser, of the colour of a Damson, with an ouershadowing of a blewish colour vpon them, as the Damson hath, before it be handled or wiped away.
The greene prickly Gooseberry is very like vnto the ordinary Gooseberry in stemme and branches, but that they are not stored with so many sharpe prickles; but the young shootes are more plentifull in small prickles about, and the greene leafe is a little smaller: the flowers are alike, and so are the berries, being of a middle size, and not very great, greene when they are thorough ripe as well as before, but mellower, and hauing a few small short prickles, like small short haires vpon them, which are harmlesse, and without danger to anie the most dainty and tender palate that is, and of a verie good pleasant taste. The seede hereof hath produced bushes bearing berries, hauing few or no prickles vpon them.
The Vse of Gooseberries.
The berries of the ordinary Gooseberries, while they are small, greene, and hard, are much vsed to bee boyled or scalded to make sawce, both for fish and flesh of diuers sorts, for the sicke sometimes as well as the sound, as also before they bee neere ripe, to bake into tarts, or otherwise, after manie fashions, as the cunning of the Cooke, or the pleasure of his commanders will appoint. They are a fit dish for women with childe to stay their longings, and to procure an appetite vnto meate.
The other sorts are not vsed in Cookery that I know, but serue to bee eaten at pleasure; but in regard they are not so tart before maturity as the former, they are not put to those vses they be.
Chap. IIII.
Oxyacantha, sed potius Berberis. Barberries.
The Barberry bush groweth oftentimes with very high stemmes, almost two mens height, but vsually somewhat lower, with manie shootes from the roote, couered with a whitish rinde or barke, and yellow vnderneath, the wood being white and pithy in the middle: the leaues are small, long, and very greene, nicked or finely dented about the edges, with three small white sharpe thornes, for the most part set together at the setting on of the leaues: the flowers doe growe vpon long clustering stalkes, small, round, and yellow, sweete in smell while they are fresh, which turne into small, long, and round berries, white at the first, and very red when they are ripe, of a sharpe sowre taste, fit to set their teeth on edge that eate them: the roote is yellow, spreading far vnder the vpper part of the ground, but not very deepe.
There is (as it is thought) another kinde, whose berries are thrice as bigge as the former, which I confesse I haue not seene, and know not whether it be true or no: for it may peraduenture be but the same, the goodnesse of the ground and ayre where they growe, and the youngnesse of the bushes causing that largenesse, as I haue obserued in the same kinde, to yeeld greater berries.
There is said to be also another kinde, whose berries should be without stones or seede within them, not differing else in anie thing from the former: but because I haue long heard of it, and cannot vnderstand by all the inquirie I haue made, that any hath seene such a fruit, I rest doubtfull of it.
The Vse of Barberries.
Some doe vse the leaues of Barberries in the stead of Sorrell, to make sawce for meate, and by reason of their sowrenesse are of the same quality.
The berries are vsed to be pickled, to serue to trimme or set out dishes of fish and flesh in broth, or otherwise, as also sometime to bee boyled in the broth, to giue it a sharpe rellish, and many other wayes, as a Master Cooke can better tell then my selfe.
The berries are preserued and conserued to giue to sicke bodies, to helpe to coole any heate in the stomacke or mouth, and quicken the appetite.
The depurate iuyce is a fine menstrue to dissolue many things, and to verie good purpose, if it be cunningly handled by an Artist.
The yellow inner barke of the branches, or of the rootes, are vsed to be boyled in Ale, or other drinkes, to be giuen to those that haue the yellow iaundise: As also for them that haue anie fluxes of choller, to helpe to stay and binde.
Clusius setteth downe a secret that hee had of a friend, of a cleane differing propertie, which was, that if the yellow barke were laid in steepe in white wine for the space of three houres, and afterwards drunke, it would purge one very wonderfully.
Chap. V.
Nux Auellana. The Filberd.
The Filberd tree that is planted in Orchards, is very like vnto the Hasell nut tree that groweth wilde in the woods, growing vpright, parted into many boughes and tough plyable twigges, without knots, couered with a brownish, speckled, smooth, thinne rinde, and greene vnderneath: the leaues are broad, large, wrinkled, and full of veines, cut in on the edges into deepe dents, but not into any gashes, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and of a grayish ash colour vnderneath: it hath small and long catkins in stead of flowers, that come forth in the Winter, when as they are firme and close, and in the Spring open themselues somewhat more, growing longer, and of a brownish yellow colour: the nuts come not vpon those stalkes that bore those catkins, but by themselues, and are wholly inclosed in long, thicke, rough huskes, bearded as it were at the vpper ends, or cut into diuers long iagges, much more then the wood nut: the nut hath a thinne and somewhat hard shell, but not so thicke and hard as the wood nut, in some longer then in other, and in the long kinde, one hath the skinne white that couereth the kernels, and another red.
There is another sort of the round kinde that came from Constantinople, whose huske is more cut, torne, or iagged, both aboue and belowe, then any of our country; the barke also is whiter, and more rugged then ours, and the leaues somewhat larger.
We haue had from Virginia Hasell nuts, that haue beene smaller, rounder, browner, thinner sheld, and more pointed at the end then ours: I know not if any hath planted of them, or if they differ in leafe or any thing else.
The Vse of Filberds.
Filberds are eaten as the best kinde of Hasell nuts, at bankets among other dainty fruits, according to the season of the yeare, or otherwise, as euery one please: But Macer hath a Verse, expressing prettily the nature of these nuts, which is,
Ex minimis nucibus nulli datur esca salubris.
that is, There is no wholsome food or nourishment had from these small kinde of nuts.
Yet they are vsed sometime physically to be rosted, and made into a Lohoc or Electuary, that is vsed for the cough or cold. And it is thought of some, that Mithridates meant the kernels of these nuts, to be vsed with Figs and Rue for his Antidote, and not of Walnuts.
Chap. VI.
Vitis. The Vine.
There is so great diuersities of Grapes, and so consequently of Vines that bear them, that I cannot giue you names to all that here grow with vs: for Iohn Tradescante my verie good friend, so often before remembred, hath assured me, that he hath twentie sorts growing with him, that hee neuer knew how or by what name to call them. One description therefore shall serue (as I vse to doe in such varieties) for all the rest, with the names afterwards, of as many as we can giue, and the seuerall formes, colours and proportions of the grapes.
The manured Vine, in the places where it hath abiden long time, groweth to haue a great bodie, stemme or trunke, sometimes of the bignesse of a mans arme, sleeue and all, spreading branches if it bee suffered without end or measure, but vsually stored with many armes or branches, both old and new, but weake, and therefore must bee sustained; whereof the old are couered with a thin scaly rinde, which will often chap and peele off of it selfe; the youngest being of a reddish colour, smooth and firme, with a hollownesse or pith in the middle: from the ioints of the young branches, and sometimes from the bodie of the elder, breake out on euerie side broade greene leaues, cut on the edges into fiue diuisions for the most part, and besides notched or dented about: right against the leafe, and likewise at other ioynts of the branches, come forth long twining or clasping tendrels, winding themselues about any thing standeth next vnto them: at the bottome of these leaues come forth clusters of small greenish yellow bloomes or flowers, and after them the berries, growing in the same manner in clusters, but of diuers formes, colours, tastes and greatnesse. For some grapes are great, others lesse, some very small (as the Currans that the Grocers sell) some white, some red, blew, blacke, or partie-coloured, some are as it were square, others round: some the clusters are close, others open, some are sweete, others sower or harsh, or of some other mixed taste; euerie one differing from others, verie notably either in taste, colour or forme; within euerie one of which grapes, (and yet there is a grape without stones) are contained one, two, or more kernels or stones, some of them being smal, others greater: the rootes spread far and deepe. They that keepe their Vines in the best order, doe cut them low, not suffering them to grow high, or with too many branches, whereby they grow the better, take vp the lesser roome, and bring their grapes fairer and sweeter.
The kindes of Vines and Grapes.
Our ordinarie Grape both white and red, which excelleth Crabs for veriuice, and is not fit for wine with vs.
The white Muscadine Grape is a verie great Grape, sweete and firme, some of the bunches haue weighed sixe pound, and some of the grapes halfe an ounce.
The redde Muscadine is as great as the white, and chiefly differeth in colour.
The Burlet is a very great white Grape, but fitter for veriuice; then wine for the most part; yet when a hot yeare happeneth fit for it, the Grape is pleasant.
The little blacke Grape that is ripe very early.
The Raisin of the Sunne Grape is a very great Grape, and very great clusters, of a reddish colour when it is ripe with vs, yet in an extraordinarie hot yeare, it hath got a little blewnesse cast ouer by the best: but naturally verie blew.
The Curran Grape (or the Grape of Corinth) is the least Grape of all, and beareth both few, and verie seldome with vs, but in reasonable great clusters, and of a blackish blew colour, when they are ripe with vs, and very sweete. There is another sort of them that are red or browne, and of a sower taste, nothing so sweete.
The Greeke wine Grape is a blackish Grape, and very sweete.
The Frontignack is a white Grape, of a verie sweete and delicate taste, as the wine declareth, that smelleth as it were of Muske.
The square Grape is reported to bear a Grape not fully round, but sided, or as it were square, whereby it became so called.
The Damasco Grape is a great white grape, very sweete, and is the true Vva Zibeba, that the Apothecaries should vse in the Trochisci Ciphi: and such wee haue had in former times come ouer vnto vs in great, long and round white boxes, containing halfe an hundred weight a peece.
The Russet Grape is a reasonable faire grape, exceeding sweet and whitish, with a thicke skinne, crusted ouer with a shew of ash colour.
The white long Grape is like vnto a Pigeons egge, or as it were pointed pendent like a Pearle.
The partie-coloured Grape is a reasonable great Grape, and discoloured when it is ripe, sometimes the whole bunches, and sometimes but some of the grapes being parted whitish, and blacke halfe through, verie variably.
The Rhenish wine Grape is a white Grape, and endureth the cold of winter when it commeth earely, more then the Muscadine before set downe, and is nothing so sweete.
The White wine Grape is verie like vnto the Rhine Grape, the soile only and climate adding more sweetnesse vnto the one then to the other.
The Claret wine Grape is altogether like the white Grape, but that it is not white, but of a reddish colour, which lying bruised vpon the skins before they are pressed, giue that Claret tincture to the wine.
The Teint is a Grape of a deeper or darker colour, whose iuice is of so deepe a colour, that it serueth to colour other wine.
The Bursarobe is a faire sweete white Grape of much esteeme about Paris.
The Alligant is a verie sweete Grape, giuing so deep and liuely a coloured red wine, that no other whatsoeuer is comparable to it, and therefore vsually called Spaniards blood.
The blew or blacke Grape of Orleans is another blacke Grape, giuing a darke coloured sweete wine much commended in those parts.
The Grape without stones is also a kinde by it selfe, and groweth naturally neere Ascalon, as Brochard affirmeth, the wine whereof is redde, and of a good taste.
The Virginia Vine, whereof I must needes make mention among other Vines, beareth small Grapes without any great store of iuice therein, and the stone within it bigger then in any other Grape: naturally it runneth on the ground, and beareth little.
| 1 | Vuæ nigræ minores. The small blacke Grape. |
| 2 | Vuæ cæruleæ maiores. The great blew Grape. |
| 3 | Vuæ Moschatellinæ. The Muscadine Grape. |
| 4 | Vuæ Burletenses. The Burlet Grape. |
| 5 | Vuæ insolatæ. The Ray sins of the sunne Grape. |
| 6 | Ficus. The Figge Tree. |
The Vse of Vines, Grapes, and other parts that come of them.
The greene leaues of the Vine are cooling and binding, and therefore good to put among other herbes that make gargles and lotions for sore mouthes.
And also to put into the broths and drinke of those that haue hot burning feauers, or any other inflammation.
They stay (as it is held for true) womens longings, if they be either taken inwardly, or applyed outwardly.
Wine is vsually taken both for drinke and medicine, and is often put into sawces, broths, cawdles, and gellies that are giuen to the sicke. As also into diuers Physicall drinkes, to be as a vehiculum for the properties of the ingredients.
It is distilled likewise after diuers manners, with diuers things, for diuers & sundry waters to drinke, & for diuers purposes both inward and outward.
Also distilled of it selfe, is called Spirit of wine, which serueth to dissolue, and to draw out the tincture of diuers things, and for many other purposes.
The iuice or veriuice that is made of greene hard grapes, before they be ripe, is vsed of the Apothecaries to be made into a Syrupe, that is very good to coole and refresh a faint stomacke.
And being made of the riper grapes is the best veriuice, farre exceeding that which is made of crabs, to be kept all the yeare, to be put both into meates and medicines.
The grapes of the best sorts of Vines are pressed into wine by some in these dayes with vs, and much more as I verily beleeue in times past, as by the name of Vineyard giuen to many places in this Kingdome, especially where Abbies and Monasteries stood, may bee coniectured: but the wine of late made hath beene but small, and not durable, like that which commeth from beyond Sea, whether our vnkindly yeares, or the want of skill, or a conuenient place for a Vineyard be the cause, I cannot well tell you.
Grapes of all sorts are familiarly eaten when they are ripe, of the sicke sometimes as well as the sound.
The dryed grapes which we call great Raysins, and the Currans which we call small Raysins, are much vsed both for meates, broths, and sawces, in diuers manners, and this Countrey in generall aboue any other, wherein many thousands of Frailes full, Pipes, Hogs-heads, and Buts full are spent yearly, that it breedeth a wonder in them of those parts where they growe and prouide them, how we could spend so many.
The Raysins of the Sunne are the best dryed grapes, next vnto the Damasco, and are very wholsome to eate fasting, both to nourish, and to helpe to loosen the belly.
The dryed Lees of wine called Argoll or Tartar, is put to the vse of the Goldsmith, Dyer, and Apothecary, who doe all vse it in seuerall manners, euery one in his art.
Of it the Apothecaries make Cremor Tartari, a fine medicine to bee vsed, as the Physitian can best appoint, and doth helpe to purge humours by the stoole.
Thereof likewise they make a kinde of water or oyle, fit to bee vsed, to take away freckles, spots, or any such deformities of the face or skinne, and to make it smooth. It causeth likewise haire to growe more aboundantly in those places where it naturally should growe.
The liquor of the Vine that runneth forth when it is cut, is commended to be good against the stone wheresoeuer it be; but that liquor that is taken from the end of the branches when they are burnt, is most effectuall to take away spots and markes, ring-wormes and tetters in any place.
Chap. VII.
Ficus. The Figge tree.
The Figge trees that are noursed vp in our country are of three sorts, whereof two are high; the one bearing against a wall goodly sweete and delicate Figs, called Figs of Algarua, and is blewish when it is ripe: the other tall kinde is nothing so good, neither doth beare ripe Figges so kindly and well, and peraduenture may be the white ordinary kinde that commeth from Spaine. The third is a dwarfe kinde of Figge tree, not growing much higher then to a mans body or shoulders, bearing excellent good Figges and blew, but not so large as the first kinde.
The Figge trees of all these three kindes are in leaues and growing one like vnto another, sauing for their height, colour, and sweetnesse of the fruit, hauing many armes or branches, hollow or pithy in the middle, bearing large leaues, and somewhat thicke, diuided sometimes into three, but vsually into fiue sections, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and whitish vnderneath, yeelding a milkie iuyce when it is broken, as the branches also or the figges when they are greene: the fruit breaketh out from the branches without anie blossome, contrary to all other trees of our Orchard, being round and long, fashioned very like vnto a small Peare, full of small white grains or kernels within it, of a very sweete taste when it is ripe, and very mellow or soft, that it can hardly be carried farre without bruising.
The other two sorts you may easily know and vnderstand, by so much as hath been said of them. Take only this more of the Figge tree, That if you plant it not against a bricke wall, or the wall of an house, &c. it will not ripen so kindly. The dwarfe Figge tree is more tender, and is therefore planted in great square tubs, to be remoued into the sunne in the Summer time, and into the house in Winter.
The Vse of Figges.
Figges are serued to the table with Raysins of the Sunne, and blanched Almonds, for a Lenten dish.
The Figs that growe with vs when they are ripe, and fresh gathered, are eaten of diuers with a little salt and pepper, as a dainty banquet to entertaine a friend, which seldome passeth without a cup of wine to wash them downe.
In Italy (as I haue beene enformed by diuers Gentlemen that haue liued there to study physicke) they eate them in the same manner, but dare not eate many for feare of a feuer to follow, they doe account them to be such breeders of bloud, and heaters of it likewise.
The Figges that are brought vs from Spaine, are vsed to make Ptisan drinkes, and diuers other things, that are giuen them that haue coughes or colds.
It is one of the ingredients also with Nuts and Rue, into Mithridates counterpoison.
The small Figges that growe with vs, and will not ripen, are preserued by the Comfitmakers, and candid also, to serue as other moist or candid banquetting stuffe.
Chap. VIII.
Sorbus. The Seruice tree.
There are two kindes of Seruice trees that are planted in Orchards with vs, and there is also a wilde kinde like vnto the later of them, with Ashen leaues, found in the woods growing of it selfe, whose fruit is not gathered, nor vsed to bee eaten of any but birds. And there is another kinde also growing wilde abroad in many places, taken by the Country people where it groweth, to be a Seruice tree, and is called in Latine, Aria Theophrasti, whose leaues are large, somewhat like Nut tree leaues, but greene aboue, and grayish vnderneath: some doe vse the fruit as Seruices, and for the same purposes to good effect, yet both of these wilde kindes wee leaue for another worke, and here declare vnto you onely those two sorts are noursed vp in our Orchards.
The more common or ordinary Seruice tree with vs, is a reasonable great tree, couered with a smooth barke, spread into many great armes, whereon are set large leaues, very much cut in on the edges, almost like vnto a Vine leafe, or rather like vnto that kinde of Maple, that is vsually called the Sycomore tree with vs: the flowers are white, and growe many clustering together, which after bring forth small browne berries when they are ripe, of the bignesse almost of Hasell nuts, with a small tuft, as if it were a crowne on the head, wherein are small blacke kernels.
The other kinde, which is more rare with vs, and brought into this Land by Iohn Tradescante, heretofore often remembered, hath diuers winged leaues, many set together like vnto an Ashen leafe, but smaller, and euery one endented about the edges: the flowers growe in long clusters, but nothing so many, or so close set as the wilde kinde: the fruit of this tree is in some round like an Apple, and in others a little longer like a Peare, but of a more pleasant taste then the ordinarie kinde, when they are ripe and mellowed, as they vse to doe with both these kindes, and with Medlars.
The Vse of Seruices.
They are gathered when they growe to be neare ripe (and that is neuer before they haue felt some frosts) and being tyed together, are either hung vp in some warme roome, to ripen them thoroughly, that they may bee eaten, or (as some vse to doe) lay them in strawe, chaffe, or branne, to ripen them.
They are binding, fit to be taken of them that haue any scouring or laske, to helpe to stay the fluxe; but take heed, lest if you binde too much, more paine and danger may come thereof then of the scouring.
Chap. IX.
Mespilus. The Medlar tree.
There are three sorts of Medlars: The greater and the lesser English, and the Neapolitan.
The great and the small English Medlar differ not one from the other in any thing, but in the size of the fruit, except that the small kinde hath some prickes or thornes vpon it, which the great one hath not, bearing diuers boughes or armes, from whence breake forth diuers branches, whereon are set long and somewhat narrow leaues, many standing together; in the middle whereof, at the end of the branch, commeth the flower, which is great and white, made of fiue leaues, broad at the ends, with a nicke in the middle of euery one; after which commeth the fruit, being round, and of a pale brownish colour, bearing a crowne of those small leaues at the toppe, which were the huske of the flower before, the middle thereof being somewhat hollow, and is harsh, able to choake any that shall eate it before it be made mellow, wherein there are certaine flat and hard kernels.
The Medlar of Naples groweth likewise to bee a reasonable great tree, spreading forth armes and branches, whereon are set many gashed leaues, somewhat like vnto Hawthorne leaues, but greater, and likewise diuers thornes in many places: the flowers are of an herbie greene colour, and small, which turne into smaller fruit then the former, and rounder also, but with a small head or crowne at the toppe like vnto it, and is of a more sweete and pleasant taste then the other, with three seeds only therein ordinarily.
The Vse of Medlars.
Medlars are vsed in the same manner that Seruices are, that is, to be eaten when they are mellowed, and are for the same purposes to binde the body when there is a cause: yet they as well as the Seruices, are often eaten by them that haue no neede of binding, and but onely for the pleasant sweetnesse of them when they are made mellow, and sometimes come as a dish of ripe fruit at their fit season, to be serued with other sorts to the table.
Chap. X.
Lotus. The Lote or Nettle tree.
| 1 | Sorbus legitima. The true Seruice tree. |
| 2 | Sorbus vulgaris siue Terminalis. The ordinary Seruice tree. |
| 3 | Mespilus vulgaris. The common Medlar tree. |
| 4 | Mespilus Aronia. The Medlar of Naples. |
| 5 | Lotus arbor. The Nettle tree. |
| 6 | Lotus Virginiana. The Pishamin or Virginia Plumme. |
| 7 | Cornus mas. The Cornell Cherry tree. |
The first kinde of Lote tree, whereof Dioscorides maketh mention, is but of one kinde; but there are some other trees spoken of by Theophrastus, that may be referred thereunto, which may bee accounted as bastard kindes thereof, of which I meane to entreate in this Chapter, hauing giuen you before the description of another kinde hereof (by the opinion of good Authors) vnder the name of Laurocerasus.
The first or true Lote tree groweth to be a tree of a great height, whose bodie and elder branches are couered with a smooth darke greene barke, the leaues are somewhat rough in handling, of a darke greene colour, long pointed, and somewhat deepe dented about the edges, somewhat like vnto a Nettle leafe, and oftentimes growe yellow toward Autumne: the flowers stand here and there scattered vpon the branches, after which come round berries like vnto Cherries, hanging downewards vpon long footstalkes, greene at the first, and whitish afterwards; but when they are ripe they become reddish, and if they be suffered to hang too long on the branches, they grow blackish, of a pleasant austere taste, not to be misliked, wherein is a hard round stone.
The second, which is a bastard kinde, and called Guaiacum Patauinum, groweth to bee a faire tree, with a smooth darke greene barke, shooting out many faire great boughes, and also slender greene branches, beset with faire broad greene leaues, almost like vnto the leaues of the Cornell tree, but larger: the flowers growe along the branches close vnto them, without any or with a very short foote-stalke consisting of foure greene leaues, which are as the huske, containing within it a purplish flower, made of foure leaues somewhat reddish: the fruit standeth in the middle of the green huske, greene at the first, and very harsh, but red and round when it is ripe, and somewhat like a Plumme, with a small point or pricke at the head thereof, and of a reasonable pleasant taste or rellish, wherein are contained flat and thicke browne seeds or kernels, like vnto the kernels of Cassia Fistula, somewhat hard, and not so stonie, but that it may somewhat easily be cut with a knife.
The third is called in Virginia Pishamin, The Virginia Plumme (if it be not all one with the former Guaiacana, whereof I am more then halfe perswaded) hath growne with vs of the kernels that were sent out of Virginia, into great trees, whose wood is very hard and brittle, and somewhat white withall: the branches are many, and grow slender to the end, couered with a very thinne greenish bark, whereon doe grow many faire broad greene leaues, without dent or notch on the edges, and so like vnto the former Guaiacum, that I verily thinke it (as I before said) to bee the same. It hath not yet borne flower or fruit in our Countrey that I can vnderstand: but the fruit, as it was sent to vs, is in forme and bignesse like vnto a Date, couered with a blackish skinne, set in a huske of foure hard leaues, very firme like vnto a Date, and almost as sweete, with great flat and thicke kernels within them, very like vnto the former, but larger.
The Vse of these Lote trees.
The first sort is eaten as an helper to coole and binde the body: the last, as Captaine Smith relateth in the discouery of Virginia, if the fruit be eaten while it is greene, and not ripe, is able by the harsh and binding taste and quality to draw ones mouth awry (euen as it is said of the former Guaiacana) but when it is thorough ripe it is pleasant, as I said before.
Chap. XI.
Cornus mas. The Cornell tree.
The Cornell tree that is planted in Orchards, being the male (for the female is an hedge bush) is of two sorts, the one bearing red, the other whiter berries, which is very rare yet in our country, and not differing else.
It groweth to a reasonable bignesse and height, yet neuer to any great tree, the wood whereof is very hard, like vnto horne, and thereof it obtained the name: the body and branches are couered with a rugged barke, and spreadeth reasonable well, hauing somewhat smooth leaues, full of veines, plaine, and not dented on the edges: the flowers are many small yellow tufts, as it were of short haires or threads set together, which come forth before any leafe, and fall away likewise before any leafe bee much open: the fruit are long and round berries, of the bignesse of small Oliues, with an hard round stone within them, like vnto an Oliue stone, and are of a yellowish red when they are ripe, of a reasonable pleasant taste, yet somewhat austere withall.
The white (as I said) is like vnto the red, but onely that his fruit is more white when it is ripe.
The Vse of the Cornelles.
They helpe to binde the body, and to stay laskes, and by reason of the pleasantnesse in them when they are ripe, they are much desired.
They are also preserued and eaten, both for rarity and delight, and for the purpose aforesaid.
Chap. XII.
Cerasus. The Cherry tree.
There are so many varieties and differences of Cherries, that I know not well how to expresse them vnto you, without a large relation of their seuerall formes. I will therefore endeauour after one generall description (as my custome is in many other the like variable fruits) to giue as briefe and short notes vpon all the rest, as I can both for leafe and fruit, that so you may the better know what the fruit is, when you haue the name.
The English Cherrie tree groweth in time to be of a reasonable bignesse and height, spreading great armes, and also small twiggy branches plentifully; the leaues whereof are not verie large or long, but nicked or dented about the edges: the flowers come forth two or three or foure at the most together, at a knot or ioynt, euerie one by it selfe, vpon his owne small and long footestalke, consisting of fiue white leaues, with some threds in the middle; after which come round berries, greene at the first, and red when they are through ripe, of a meane bignesse, and of a pleasant sweete taste, somewhat tart withall, with a hard white stone within it, whose kernell is somewhat bitter, but not vnpleasant.
The Flanders Cherrie differeth not from the English, but that it is somewhat larger, and the Cherry somewhat greater and sweeter, and not so sower.
The early Flanders Cherry is more rathe or early ripe, almost as soone as the May Cherry, especially planted against a wall, and of many false knaues or Gardiners are sold for May Cherrie trees.
The May Cherrie in a standard beareth ripe fruite later then planted against a wall, where the berries will be red in the verie beginning of May sometimes.
The Arch-Dukes Cherrie is one of the fairest and best cherries wee haue, being of a very red colour when it is ripe, and a little long more then round, and somewhat pointed at the end, of the best rellish of any Cherrie whatsoeuer, and of a firme substance; scarce one of twentie of our Nurserie men doe sell the right, but giue one for another: for it is an inherent qualitie almost hereditarie with most of them, to sell any man an ordinary fruit for whatsoeuer rare fruit he shall aske for: so little they are to be trusted.
The ounce Cherrie hath the greatest and broadest leafe of any other cherrie, but beareth the smallest store of cherries euerie yeare that any doth, and yet blossometh well: the fruit also is nothing answerable to the name being not verie great, of a pale yellowish red, neere the colour of Amber, and therefore some haue called it, the Amber Cherrie.
The great leafed Cherrie is thought of diuers to bee the Ounce Cherrie, because it hath almost as great a leafe as the former: but the fruit of this also doth not answer the expectation of so great a leafe, being but of a meane bignesse, and a small bearer, yet of a pale reddish colour.
The true Gascoign Cherry is known but to a few; for our Nursery men do so change the names of most fruits they sell, that they deliuer but very few true names to any: In former times before our wilde blacke Cherrie was found to grow plentifully in our owne woods in many places of this Land, the French continually stored vs with wilde stockes to graft vpon, which then were called Gascoigne stocks, but since they haue so termed another red Cherrie, and obtruded it vpon their customers: but the true is one of our late ripe white Cherries, euen as Gerard saith, it is a great cherrie and spotted: and this is that Cherrie I so commend to be a fit stocke to graft May cherries vpon.
The Morello Cherrie is of a reasonable bignesse, of a darke red colour when they are full ripe, and hang long on, of a sweetish sower taste, the pulpe or substance is red, and somewhat firme: if they be dryed they will haue a fine sharpe or sower taste very delectable.
The Hartlippe Cherrie is so called of the place where the best of this kinde is noursed vp, being betweene Sittingbourne and Chattam in Kent, and is the biggest of our English kindes.
The smaller Lacure or Hart Cherrie is a reasonable faire Cherrie, full aboue, and a little pointing downward, after the fashion of an heart, as it is vsually painted, blackish when it is full ripe, and lesser then the next.
The great Lacure or Hart Cherrie differeth not in forme, but in greatnesse, being vsually twice as great as the former, and of a reddish blacke colour also: both of them are of a firme substance, and reasonable sweete. Some doe call the white cherrie, the White hart cherrie.
The Luke Wardes Cherrie hath a reasonable large leafe, and a larger flower then many other: the cherries grow with long stalkes, and a stone of a meane size within them, of a darke reddish colour when they are full ripe, of a reasonable good rellish, and beareth well.
The Corone Cherrie hath a leafe little differing from the Luke Wardes cherrie; the fruit when it is ripe, is of a faire deepe red colour, of a good bignesse, and of a verie good taste, neither verie sweete or sower: the pulpe or iuice will staine the hands.
The Vrinall Cherrie in a most fruitfull yeare is a small bearer, hauing many yeares none, and the best but a few; yet doth blossome plentifully euery yeare for the most part: the cherrie is long and round, like vnto an Vrinall, from whence it tooke his name; reddish when it is full ripe, and of an indifferent sweete rellish.
The Agriot Cherrie is but a small Cherrie, of a deepe redde colour when it is ripe, which is late; of a fine sharpe taste, most pleasant and wholsome to the stomacke of all other cherries, as well while they are fresh as being dryed, which manner they much vse in France, and keepe them for the vse both of the sicke and sound at all times.
The Biguarre Cherrie is a fair cherrie, much spotted with white spots vpon the pale red berry, and sometimes discoloured halfe white and halfe reddish, of a reasonable good rellish.
The Morocco Cherrie hath a large white blossome, and an indifferent big berrie, long and round, with a long stalke of a darke reddish purple colour, a little tending to a blew when it is full ripe, of a firme substance: the iuice is of a blackish red, discolouring the hands or lips, and of a pleasant taste: Some doe thinke that this and the Morello be both one.
The Naples Cherrie is also thought to bee all one with the Morello or Morocco.
The white Spanish Cherrie is an indifferent good bearer, the leafe and blossome somewhat large, and like the Luke Wardes cherrie: the cherries are reasonable faire berries, with long stalkes and great stones, white on the outside, with some rednesse, on the one side of a firme substance, and reasonable sweet, but with a little aciditie, and is one of the late ripe ones: But there is another late ripe white Cherry, which some call the Gascoigne, before remembred.
The Flanders cluster Cherrie is of two sorts, one greater then another: the greater kinde hath an indifferent large leafe; the blossomes haue many threds within them, shewing as it were many parts, which after turne into clusters of berries, foure, fiue or sixe together, and but with one stalke vnder them, as if they grew one out of another, and sometimes they will beare but two or three, and most of them but one cherry on a stalke, which are red when they are ripe, very tender, and waterish sweete in eating.
The lesser is in all things like the greater, but smaller, which maketh the difference.
The wilde cluster or birds cluster Cherry beareth many blossomes set all along the stalkes, and cherries after them in the same maner, like a long thinne bunch of grapes, and therefore called of some the Grape cherry: there are of them both red and blacke.
| 1 | Cerasus præcox. The May Cherry. |
| 2 | Cerasus Batauica. The Flanders Cherry. |
| 3 | Cerasus Hispanica siue alba. The white Cherry. |
| 4 | Cerasus platophyllos. The great leafed Cherry. |
| 5 | Cerasus Luca Wardi. Luke Wards Cherry. |
| 6 | Cerasus Neapolitana. The Naples Cherry. |
| 7 | Cerasus Cordata. The Heart Cherry. |
| 8 | Cerasus maculata. The bignarre or spotted Cherry. |
| 9 | Cerasus auium racemosa. The wilde cluster Cherry. |
| 10 | Cerasus Corymbisera. The Flanders cluster Cherry. |
| 11 | Cerasus Archiducis. The Archdukes Cherry. |
| 12 | Chamacerasus. The dwarfe Cherry. |
The soft sheld Cherrie is a small red cherrie when it is ripe, hauing the stone within it so soft and tender, that it may easily be broken in the eating of the cherrie.
Iohn Tradescantes Cherrie is most vsually sold by our Nursery Gardiners, for the Archdukes cherrie, because they haue more plenty thereof, and will better be increased, and because it is so faire and good a cherrie that it may be obtruded without much discontent: it is a reasonable good bearer, a faire great berrie, deepe coloured, and a little pointed.
The Baccalaos or New-found-land Cherrie hath a shining long leafe, most like vnto a Peach leafe, the blossomes come very many together as it were in an vmbell, which is such a cluster as is neither like the Flanders cluster, nor the wilde cluster cherrie blossome: it bringeth forth berries standing in the same manner euerie one vpon his own footestalke, being no bigger then the largest berrie of the red Curran tree or bush, of a pale or waterish red colour when it is ripe.
The strange long cluster Cherrie, or Padus Theophrasti Dalechampio is reckoned by the Author of that great Herball that goeth vnder his name, among the sorts of cherries; and so must I vntill a fitter place be found for it. It groweth in time to be a great tree, with a sad coloured barke both on the bodie and branches, whereon doe grow many leaues, somewhat broade, shorter, harder, and a little more crumpled then any cherrie leafe: the blossomes are very small, and of a pale or whitish colour, smelling very sweete and strong, or rather heady, like Orenge flowers, growing on small long branches, very like the toppe of flowers vpon the Laburnum or Beane trefoile trees: after which come small blacke berries, growing together all along the long stalke, like vnto the wilde cluster or birds cherrie mentioned before, but not much bigger then tares, with small stones within them, and little or no sustance vpon them: the French call the tree Putier, because the wood thereof stinketh, and make it to be wonderfull that the blossomes of the tree mould be so sweete, and the wood so stinking.
The Cullen Cherrie is a darke red cherrie like the Agriot, which they of those parts neere Cullen and Vtrecht &c. vse to put into their drinke, to giue it the deeper colour.
The great Hungarian Cherrie of Zwerts is like both in leafe and fruite vnto the Morello cherrie, but much greater and fairer, and a far better bearer: for from a small branch hath beene gathered a pound of cherries, and this is vsuall continually, and not accidentally, most of them foure inches in compasse about, and very many of them more of a faire deepe red colour, and very sweete, excelling the Arch-Dukes cherry, or any other whatsoeuer.
The Cameleon or strange changeable Cherry deseruedly hath this name, although of mine owne imposition, not only because it beareth vsually both blossomes, greene and ripe fruit at one time thereupon, but that the fruit will be of many formes; some round, some as it were square, and some bunched forth on one side or another, abiding constant in no fashion, but for the most part shewing forth all these diuersities euerie yeare growing vpon it: the fruit is of a very red colour, and good taste.
The great Rose Cherry, or double blossomd Cherry differeth not in any thing from the English Cherrie, but only in the blossomes, which are very thicke of white leaues, as great and double as the double white Crowfoote, before remembred, and sometimes out of the middle of them will spring another smaller flower, but double also; this seldome beareth fruit, but when it doth I suppose it commeth from those blossomes are the least double, and is red, no bigger then our ordinary English cherrie.
The lesser Rose or double blossomd Cherrie beareth double flowers also, but not so thicke and double as the former; but beareth fruit more plentifully, of the same colour and bignesse with the former.
The Dwarfe Cherrie is of two sorts; one whose branches fall downe low, round about the body of it, with small greene leaues, and fruit as small, of a deep red colour.
The other, whose branches, although small, grow more vpright, hauing greener shining leaues: the fruit is little bigger then the former, red also when it is ripe, with a litle point at the end: both of them of a sweetish rellish, but more sower.
The great bearing Cherry of Master Millen is a reasonable great red cherry, bearing very plentifully, although it bee planted against a North wall, yet it will bee late ripe, but of an indifferent sweet and good rellish.
The long finger Cherry is another small long red one, being long & round like a finger, wherof it took the name: this is not the Vrinall cherry before, but differing from it.
The Vse of Cherries.
All these sorts of Cherries serue wholly to please the palate, and are eaten at all times, both before and after meales.
All Cherries are cold, yet the sower more then the sweete; and although the sweete doe most please, yet the sower are more wholsome, if there bee regard taken in the vsing.
The Agriot or sower Cherries are in France much vsed to bee dryed (as is said before) as Pruines are, and so serue to be ministred to the sicke in all hot diseases, as feuers &c. being both boyled in their drinkes, and taken now and then of themselues, which by reason of their tartnesse, doe please the stomacke passing well.
The Gum of the Cherrie tree is commended to bee good for those are troubled with the grauell or stone. It is also good for the cough being dissolued in liquour, and stirreth vp an appetite. The distilled water of the blacke Cherries, the stones being broken among them, is vsed for the same purpose, for the grauell, stone, and winde.
Chap. XIII.
Prunus. The Plumme tree.
There are many more varieties of Plummes then of Cherries, so that I must follow the same order with these that I did with them, euen giue you their names apart, with briefe notes vpon them, and one description to serue for all the rest. And in this recitall I shall leaue out the Apricockes which are certainly a kind of Plum, of an especiall difference, and not of a Peach, as Galen and some others haue thought, and set them in a [chapter] by themselues, and only in this set down those fruits are vsually called Plums.
The Plum tree (especially diuers of them) riseth in time to bee a reasonable tall and great tree, whose bodie and greater armes are couered with a more rugged barke, yet in some more or lesse, the younger branches being smooth in all, the leaues are somewhat rounder then those of the Cherrie tree, and much differing among themselues, some being longer, or larger, or rounder then others, and many that are exercised herein, can tell by the leafe what Plum the tree beareth (I speake this of many, not of all) as in many Cherries they can doe the like: the flowers are white, consisting of fiue leaues: the fruit is as variable in forme, as in taste or colour, some being ovall or Peare fashion or Almond like, or sphericall or round, some firme, some soft and waterish, some sweete, some sower or harsh, or differing from all these tastes: and some white, others blacke, some red, others yellow, some purple, others blew, as they shall bee briefly set downe vnto you in the following lines, where I meane not to insert any the wilde or hedge fruit, but those only are fit for an Orchard, to be stored with good fruit: and of all which sorts, the choysest for goodnesse, and rarest for knowledge, are to be had of my very good friend Master Iohn Tradescante, who hath wonderfully laboured to obtaine all the rarest fruits hee can heare off in any place of Christendome, Turky, yea or the whole world; as also with Master Iohn Millen, dwelling in Olde streete, who from Iohn Tradescante and all others that haue had good fruit, hath stored himselfe with the best only, and he can sufficiently furnish any.
The Amber Primordian Plumme is an indifferent faire Plumme, early ripe, of a pale yellowish colour, and of a waterish taste, not pleasing.
The red Primordian Plumme is of a reasonable size, long and round, reddish on the outside, of a more dry taste, and ripe with the first sorts in the beginning of August.
The blew Primordian is a small plumme, almost like the Damascene, and is subiect to drop off from the tree before it be ripe.
The white Date Plum is no very good plum.
The red Date plumme is a great long red pointed plumme, and late ripe, little better then the white.
The blacke Mussell plumme is a good plumme, reasonable drye, and tasteth well.
The red Mussell Plumme is somewhat flat as well as round, of a very good taste, and is ripe about the middle of August.
The white Mussell plumme is like the redde, but somewhat smaller, and of a whitish greene colour, but not so well tasted.
The Imperiall plum is a great long reddish plum, very waterish, and ripeneth somewhat late.
The Gaunt plum is a great round reddish plum, ripe somewhat late, and eateth waterish.
The red Pescod plum is a reasonable good plum.
The white Pescod plum is a reasonable good rellished plumme, but somewhat waterish.
The greene Pescod plum is a reasonable big and long pointed plum, and ripe in the beginning of September.
The Orenge plum is a yellowish plum, moist, and somewhat sweetish.
The Morocco plumme is blacke like a Damson, well tasted, and somewhat drye in eating.
The Dine plum is a late ripe plum, great and whitish, speckled all ouer.
The Turkie plum is a large long blackish plum, and somewhat flat like the Mussell plum, a well rellished dry plum.
The Nutmeg plumme is no bigger then a Damson, and is of a greenish yellow colour when it is ripe, which is with vs about Bartholmew tide, and is a good plum.
The Perdigon plumme is a dainty good plumme, early blackish, and well rellished.
The Verdoch plum is a great fine greene shining plum fit to preserue.
The Ienua plum is the white Date plum, before remembred.
The Barberry plum is a great early blacke plum, and well tasted.
The Pruneola plum is a small white plum, of a fine tart taste: it was wont to bee vsually brought ouer in small round boxes, and sold most commonly at the Comfitmakers, (cut in twaine, the stone cast away) at a very deere rate: the tree groweth and beareth well with vs.
The Shepway Bulleis is of a darke blewish brown colour, of a larger size then the ordinary, and of a sharpe taste, but not so good as the common.
The white and the blacke Bulleis are common in most Countries, being small round plums, lesser then Damsons, sharper in taste, and later ripe.
The Flushing Bulleis groweth with his fruite thicke clustring together like grapes.
The Winter Creke is the latest ripe plum of all sorts, it groweth plentifully about Bishops Hatfield.
The white Peare plum early ripe, is of a pale yellowish greene colour.
The late ripe white Peare plum is a greater and longer plum, greenish white, and is not ripe vntill it be neere the end of September, both waterish plums.
The blacke Peare plum is like vnto the white Peare plumme, but that the colour is blackish when it is ripe, and is of a very good relish, more firme and drye then the other.
The red Peare plumme is of the same fashion and goodnesse, but is the worst of the three.
The white Wheate plum is a waterish fulsome plum.
The red Wheate plum is like the other for taste.
The Bowie plum is flat and round, yet flatter on the one side then on the other, which caused the name, and is a very good rellished blacke plum.
The Friars plumme is a very good plum, well tasted, and comming cleane from the stone, being blacke when it is ripe, and some whitish spots vpon it.
The Catalonia plum is a very good plum.
The Don Alteza is also a very good plum.
The Muscadine plum, some call the Queene mother plumme, and some the Cherry plum, is a faire red plum, of a reasonable bignesse, and ripe about Bartholmew tide.
| 1 | Prunum Imperiale. The Imperiall Plum. |
| 2 | Prunum Turcicum. The Turkey Plum. |
| 3 | Prunum præcox rubrum. The red Primordian Plum. |
| 4 | Prunum Mytellinum. The Mussell Plum. |
| 5 | Prunum Ambariuum. The Amber Plum. |
| 6 | Prunum Regineum. The Queen mother Plum. |
| 7 | Prunum viride. The green Oysterly Plum. |
| 8 | Prunum Arantiacum. The Orenge Plum. |
| 9 | Prunum Myristicum. The Nutmeg Plum. |
| 10 | Prunum Siliquosum. The Pescod Plum. |
| 11 | Prunum Gandauense. The Gaunt Plum. |
| 12 | Prunum Dactylites. The Date Plum. |
| 13 | Prunum Pyrinum præcox. The early Peare Plum. |
The Christian plum, called also the Nutmeg plum; the tree groweth very shrubby, and will abide good for six weekes at the least after it is gathered, and after all other plums are spent.
The Cherry plum remembred before, speaking of the Muscadine plum, is a very good plum, but small.
The Amber plum is a round plum, as yellow on the outside almost as yellow waxe, of a sowre vnpleasant taste that which I tasted, but I thinke it was not the right; for I haue seene and tasted another of the same bignesse, of a paler colour, farre better rellished, and a firmer substance, comming cleane from the stone like an Apricocke.
The Apricocke plum is a good plum when it is in its perfection, but that is seldome; for it doth most vsually cracke, thereby diminishing much of its goodnesse, and besides yeeldeth gumme at the crackes.
The Eason plum is a little red plum, but very good in taste.
The Violet plum is a small and long blackish blew plum, ripe about Bartholmew tide, a very good dry eating fruit.
The Grape plum is the Flushing Bulleis before remembred.
The Dennie plum is called also the Cheston, or the Friars plum before remembred.
The Damaske Violet plum, or Queen mother plum spoken of before.
The blacke Damascene plum is a very good dry plum, and of a darke blew colour when it is ripe.
The white Damson is nothing so well rellished as the other.
The great Damson or Damaske plum is greater then the ordinary Damson, and sweeter in taste.
The blew Damson well knowne, a good fruit.
The Coserers plum is flat, like vnto a Peare plum, it is early ripe and blacke, of a very good rellish.
The Margate plum the worst of an hundred.
The green Oysterly plum is a reasonable great plum, of a whitish green colour when it is ripe, of a moist and sweete taste, reasonable good.
The red Mirobalane plum groweth to be a great tree quickly, spreading very thicke and farre, very like the blacke Thorne or Sloe bush: the fruit is red, earlier ripe, and of a better taste then the white.
The white Mirobalane plum is in most things like the former red, but the fruit is of a whitish yellow colour, and very pleasant, especially if it be not ouer ripe: both these had need to be plashed against a wall, or else they will hardly beare ripe fruit.
The Oliue plum is very like a greene Oliue, but for colour and bignesse, and groweth lowe on a small bushing tree, and ripeneth late, but is the best of all the sorts of greene plums.
The white diapred plum of Malta, scarce knowne to any in our Land but Iohn Tradescante, is a very good plum, and striped all ouer like diaper, and thereby so called.
The blacke diapred plum is like the Damascene plum, being blacke with spots, as small as pins points vpon it, of a very good rellish.
The Peake plum is a long whitish plum, and very good.
The Pishamin or Virginia plum is called a plum, but vtterly differeth from all sorts of plums, the description whereof may truely enforme you, as it is set downe in the [tenth Chapter going before], whereunto I referre you.
The Vse of Plums.
The great Damaske or Damson Plummes are dryed in France in great quantities, and brought ouer vnto vs in Hogs-heads, and other great vessels, and are those Prunes that are vsually sold at the Grocers, vnder the name of Damaske Prunes: the blacke Bulleis also are those (being dryed in the same manner) that they call French Prunes, and by their tartnesse are thought to binde, as the other, being sweet, to loosen the body.
The Bruneola Plumme, by reason of his pleasant tartnesse, is much accounted of, and being dryed, the stones taken from them, are brought ouer to vs in small boxes, and sold deere at the Comfitmakers, where they very often accompany all sorts of banquetting stuffes.
Some of these Plums, because of their firmnesse, are vndoubtedly more wholsome then others that are sweete and waterish, and cause lesse offence in their stomackes that eate them; and therefore are preserued with Sugar, to be kept all the yeare. None of them all is vsed in medicines so much as the great Damson or Damaske Prune, although all of them for the most part doe coole, lenifie, and draw forth choller, and thereby are fittest to be vsed of such as haue chollericke Agues.
Chap. XIIII.
Mala Armeniaca siue Præcocia. Apricockes.
The Apricocke (as I said) is without question a kinde of Plumme, rather then a Peach, both the flower being white, and the stone of the fruit smooth also, like a Plumme, and yet because of the excellencie of the fruit, and the difference therein from all other Plummes, I haue thought it meete to entreate thereof by it selfe, and shew you the varieties haue been obserued in these times.
The Apricocke tree riseth vp to a very great height, either standing by it selfe (where it beareth not so kindly, and very little in our country) or planted against a wall, as it is most vsuall, hauing a great stemme or body, and likewise many great armes or branches, couered with a smooth barke: the leaues are large, broad, and almost round, but pointed at the ends, and finely dented about the edges: the flowers are white, as the Plumme tree blossomes, but somewhat larger, and rounder set: the fruit is round, with a cleft on the one side, somewhat like vnto a Peach, being of a yellowish colour as well on the inside as outside, of a firme or fast substance, and dry, not ouermoist in the eating, and very pleasant in taste, containing within it a broad and flat stone, somewhat round and smooth, not rugged as the Peach stone, with a pleasant sweete kernell (yet some haue reported, that there is such as haue their kernels bitter, which I did neuer see or know) and is ripe almost with our first or earliest Plummes, and thereof it tooke the name of Præcox; and it may bee was the earliest of all others was then knowne, when that name was giuen.
The great Apricocke, which some call the long Apricocke, is the greatest and fairest of all the rest.
The smaller Apricocke, which some call the small round Apricocke, is thought to be small, because it first sprang from a stone: but that is not so; for the kinde it selfe being inoculated, will bee alwaies small, and neuer halfe so faire and great as the former.
The white Apricocke hath his leaues more folded together, as if it were halfe double: it beareth but seldome, and very few, which differ not from the ordinary, but in being more white, without any red when it is ripe.
The Mascoline Apricocke hath a finer greene leafe, and thinner then the former, and beareth very seldome any store of fruit, which differeth in nothing from the first, but that it is a little more delicate.
The long Mascoline Apricocke hath his fruit growing a little longer then the former, and differeth in nothing else.
The Argier Apricocke is a smaller fruit then any of the other, and yellow, but as sweete and delicate as any of them, hauing a blackish stone within it, little bigger then a Lacure Cherry stone: this with many other sorts Iohn Tradescante brought with him returning from the Argier voyage, whither hee went voluntary with the Fleete, that went against the Pyrates in the yeare 1620.
The Vse of Apricockes.
Apricockes are eaten oftentimes in the same manner that other dainty Plummes are, betweene meales of themselues, or among other fruit at banquets.
They are also preserued and candid, as it pleaseth Gentlewomen to bestowe their time and charge, or the Comfitmaker to sort among other candid fruits.
Some likewise dry them, like vnto Peares, Apples, Damsons, and other Plummes.
Matthiolus doth wonderfully commend the oyle drawne from the kernels of the stones, to annoint the inflamed hæmorrhoides or piles, the swellings of vlcers, the roughnesse of the tongue and throate, and likewise the paines of the eares.
Chap. XV.
Mala Persica. Peaches.
As I ordered the Cherries and Plummes, so I intend to deale with Peaches, because their varieties are many, and more knowne in these dayes then in former times: but because the Nectorin is a differing kinde of Peach, I must deale with it as I did with the Apricocke among the Plummes, that is, place it in a [Chapter by it selfe].
The Peach tree of it selfe groweth not vsually altogether so great, or high as the Apricocke, because it is lesse durable, but yet spreadeth with faire great branches, from whence spring smaller and slenderer reddish twigges, whereon are set long narrow greene leaues, dented about the edges: the blossomes are greater then of any Plumme, of a deepe blush or light purple colour: after which commeth the fruit, which is round, and sometimes as great as a reasonable Apple or Pippin (I speake of some sorts; for there be some kindes that are much smaller) with a furrow or cleft on the one side, and couered with a freese or cotton on the outside, of colour either russet, or red, or yellow, or of a blackish red colour; of differing substances and tastes also, some being firme, others waterish, some cleauing fast to the stone on the inside, others parting from it more or lesse easily, one excelling another very farre, wherein is contained a rugged stone, with many chinkes or clefts in it, the kernell whereof is bitter: the roots growe neither deepe nor farre; and therefore are subiect to the winds, standing alone, and not against a wall. It sooner waxeth old and decayeth, being sprung of a stone, then being inoculated on a Plumme stocke, whereby it is more durable.
The great white Peach is white on the outside as the meate is also, and is a good well rellished fruit.
The small white Peach is all one with the greater, but differeth in size.
The Carnation Peach is of three sorts, two are round, and the third long; they are all of a whitish colour, shadowed ouer with red, and more red on the side is next the sunne: the lesser round is the more common, and the later ripe.
The grand Carnation Peach is like the former round Peach, but greater, and is as late ripe, that is, in the beginning of September.
The red Peach is an exceeding well rellished fruit.
The russet Peach is one of the most ordinary Peaches in the Kingdome, being of a russet colour on the outside, and but of a reasonable rellish, farre meaner then many other.
The Island Peach is a faire Peach, and of a very good rellish.
The Newington Peach is a very good Peach, and of an excellent good rellish, being of a whitish greene colour on the outside, yet halfe reddish, and is ripe about Bartholmew tide.
The yellow Peach is of a deepe yellow colour; there be hereof diuers sorts, some good and some bad.
The St. Iames Peach is the same with the Queenes Peach, here belowe set downe, although some would make them differing.
The Melocotone Peach is a yellow faire Peach, but differing from the former yellow both in forme and taste, in that this hath a small crooked end or point for the most part, it is ripe before them, and better rellished then any of them.
| 1 | Malus Armeniaca siue Præcocia. The Apricocke. |
| 2 | Malus Persica Melocotonea. The Melocotone Peach. |
| 3 | Persica Moschatellina. The Nutmeg Peach. |
| 4 | Persica nigra. The blacke Peach. |
| 5 | Persica Carnea longa. The long Carnation Peach. |
| 6 | Persica Reginea. The Queenes Peach. |
| 7 | Amygdalus. The Almond. |
| 8 | Persica du Troas. The Peach du Troas. |
| 9 | Nucipersica rubra optima. The best Romane red Nectorin. |
| 10 | Nucipersica rubra altera. The bastard red Nectorin with a pincking blossome. |
The Peach du Troas is a long and great whitish yellow Peach, red on the outside, early ripe, and is another kinde of Nutmeg Peach.
The Queenes Peach is a faire great yellowish browne Peach, shadowed as it were ouer with deepe red, and is ripe at Bartholmew tide, of a very pleasant good taste.
The Romane Peach is a very good Peach, and well rellished.
The Durasme or Spanish Peach is of a darke yellowish red colour on the outside, and white within.
The blacke Peach is a great large Peach, of a very darke browne colour on the outside, it is of a waterish taste, and late ripe.
The Alberza Peach is late ripe, and of a reasonable good taste.
The Almond Peach, so called, because the kernell of the stone is sweete, like the Almond, and the fruit also somewhat pointed like the Almond in the huske; it is early ripe, and like the Newington Peach, but lesser.
The Man Peach is of two sorts, the one longer then the other, both of them are good Peaches, but the shorter is the better rellished.
The Cherry Peach is a small Peach, but well tasted.
The Nutmeg Peach is of two sorts, one that will be hard when it is ripe, and eateth not so pleasantly as the other, which will bee soft and mellow; they are both small Peaches, hauing very little or no resemblance at all to a Nutmeg, except in being a little longer then round, and are early ripe.
Many other sorts of Peaches there are, whereunto wee can giue no especiall name; and therefore I passe them ouer in silence.
The Vse of Peaches.
Those Peaches that are very moist and waterish (as many of them are) and not firme, doe soone putrefie in the stomacke, causing surfeits oftentimes; and therefore euery one had neede bee carefull, what and in what manner they eate them: yet they are much and often well accepted with all the Gentry of the Kingdome.
The leaues, because of their bitternesse, serue well being boyled in Ale or Milke, to be giuen vnto children that haue wormes, to help to kill them, and doe gently open the belly, if there be a sufficient quantity vsed.
The flowers haue the like operation, that is, to purge the body somewhat more forceably then Damaske Roses; a Syrupe therefore made of the flowers is very good.
The kernels of the Peach stones are oftentimes vsed to be giuen to them that cannot well make water, or are troubled with the stone; for it openeth the stoppings of the vritory passages, whereby much ease ensueth.
Chap. XVI.
Nucipersica. Nectorins.
I presume that the name Nucipersica doth most rightly belong vnto that kinde of Peach, which we call Nectorins, and although they haue beene with vs not many yeares, yet haue they beene knowne both in Italy to Matthiolus, and others before him, who it seemeth knew no other then the yellow Nectorin, as Dalechampius also: But we at this day doe know fiue seuerall sorts of Nectorins, as they shall be presently set downe; and as in the former fruits, so in this, I will giue you the description of one, and briefe notes of the rest.
The Nectorin is a tree of no great bignesse, most vsually lesser then the Peach tree, his body and elder boughes being whitish, the younger branches very red, whereon grow narrow long greene leaues, so like vnto Peach leaues, that none can well distinguish them, vnlesse it be in this, that they are somewhat lesser; the blossomes are all reddish, as the Peach, but one of a differing fashion from all the other, as I shall shew you by and by: the fruit that followeth is smaller, rounder, and smoother then Peaches, without any cleft on the side, and without any douny cotton or freeze at all; and herein is like vnto the outer greene rinde of the Wallnut, whereof as I am perswaded it tooke the name, of a fast and firme meate, and very delicate in taste, especially the best kindes, with a rugged stone within it, and a bitter kernell.
The Muske Nectorin, so called, because it being a kinde of the best red Nectorins, both smelleth and eateth as if the fruit were steeped in Muske: some thinke that this and the next Romane Nectorin are all one.
The Romane red Nectorin, or cluster Nectorin, hath a large or great purplish blossome, like vnto a Peach, reddish at the bottome on the outside, and greenish within: the fruit is of a fine red colour on the outside, and groweth in clusters, two or three at a ioynt together, of an excellent good taste.
The bastard red Nectorin hath a smaller or pincking blossome, more like threads then leaues, neither so large nor open as the former, and yellowish within at the bottome: the fruit is red on the outside, and groweth neuer but one at a ioynt; it is a good fruit, but eateth a little more rawish then the other, euen when it is full ripe.
The yellow Nectorin is of two sorts, the one an excellent fruit, mellow, and of a very good rellish; the other hard, and no way comparable to it.
The greene Nectorin, great and small; for such I haue seene abiding constant, although both planted in one ground: they are both of one goodnesse, and accounted with most to be the best rellished Nectorin of all others.
The white Nectorin is said to bee differing from the other, in that it will bee more white on the outside when it is ripe, then either the yellow or greene: but I haue not yet seene it.
The Vse of Nectorins.
The fruit is more firme then the Peach, and more delectable in taste; and is therefore of more esteeme, and that worthily.
Chap. XVII.
Amygdala. Almonds.
The Almond also may be reckoned vnto the stock or kindred of the Peaches, it is so like both in leafe and blossome, and somewhat also in the fruit, for the outward forme, although it hath onely a dry skinne, and no pulpe or meate to bee eaten: but the kernell of the stone or shell, which is called the Almond, maketh recompense of that defect, whereof some are sweete, some bitter, some great, some small, some long, and some short.
The Almond tree groweth vpright, higher and greater then any Peach; and is therefore vsually planted by it selfe, and not against a wall, whose body sometime exceedeth any mans fadome, whereby it sheweth to be of longer continuance, bearing large armes, and smaller branches also, but brittle, whereon are set long and narrow leaues, like vnto the Peach tree: the blossomes are purplish, like vnto Peach blossoms, but paler: the fruit is somewhat like a Peach for the forme of the skinne or outside, which is rough, but not with any such cleft therein, or with any pulpe or meate fit to bee eaten, but is a thicke dry skinne when it is ripe, couering the stone or shell, which is smooth and not rugged, and is either long and great, or small, or thicke and short, according as the nut or kernell within it is, which is sweete both in the greater and smaller, and onely one smaller kinde which is bitter: yet this I haue obserued, that all the Almond trees that I haue seene growe in England, both of the sweete and bitter kindes, beare Almonds thicke and short, and not long, as that sort which is called the Iorden Almond.
The Vse of Almonds.
They are vsed many ways, and for many purposes, either eaten alone with Figges, or Raysins of the Sunne, or made into paste with Sugar and Rosewater for Marchpanes, or put among Floure, Egges, and Sugar, to make Mackerons, or crusted ouer with Sugar, to make Comfits, or mixed with Rosewater and Sugar, to make Butter, or with Barley water, to make Milke, and many other waies, as euery one list, that hath skill in such things.
The oyle also of Almonds is vsed many waies, both inwardly and outwardly, for many purposes; as the oyle of sweete Almonds mixt with poudered white Sugar Candy, for coughes and hoarsenesse, and to be drunk alone, or with some other thing (as the Syrupe of Marsh Mallowes) for the stone, to open and lenifie the passages, and make them slipperie, that the stone may passe the easier. And also for women in Child bed after their sore trauell. And outwardly either by it selfe, or with oyle of Tartar to make a creame, to lenifie the skin, parched with the winde or otherwise, or to annoint the stomacke either alone, or with other things to helpe a cold.
The oyle of bitter Almonds is much vsed to be dropped into their eares that are hard of hearing, to helpe to open them. And as it is thought, doth more scoure and cleanse the skin then the sweet oyle doth, and is therefore more vsed of many for that purpose, as the Almonds themselues are.
Chap. XVIII.
Mala Arantia. Orenges.
I bring here to your consideration, as you see, the Orenge tree alone, without mentioning the Citron or Lemmon trees, in regard of the experience we haue seen made of them in diuers places: For the Orenge tree hath abiden with some extraordinary looking and tending of it, when as neither of the other would by any meanes be preserued any long time. If therefore any be desirous to keepe this tree, he must so prouide for it, that it be preserued from any cold, either in the winter or spring, and exposed to the comfort of the sunne in summer. And for that purpose some keepe them in great square boxes, and lift them to and fro by iron hooks on the sides, or cause them to be rowled by trundels, or small wheels vnder them, to place them in an house, or close gallerie for the winter time: others plant them against a bricke wall in the ground, and defend them by a shed of boardes, couered ouer with seare-cloth in the winter, and by the warmth of a stoue, or other such thing, giue them some comfort in the colder times: but no tent or meane prouision will preserue them.
The Orenge tree in the warme Countries groweth very high, but with vs (or else it is a dwarfe kinde thereof) riseth not very high: the barke of the elder stemmes being of a darke colour, and the young branches very greene, whereon grow here and there some few thornes: the leaues are faire, large, and very greene, in forme almost like a Bay leafe, but that it hath a small eare, or peece of a leafe, fashioned like vnto an heart vnder euery one of them, with many small holes to be seene in them, if you hold them vp betweene you and the light, of a sweet but strong smell, naturally not falling away, but alwaies abiding on, or vntill new be come vp, bearing greene leaues continually: the flowers are whitish, of a very strong and heady sent; after which come small round fruit, greene at the first, while they are small, and not neere maturitie, but being grown and ripe, are (as all men know) red on the out side, some more pale then others, and some kindes of a deeper yellowish red, according to the climate, and as it receiueth the heate of the sunne, wherein is contained sower or sweete iuice, and thicke white kernels among it: it beareth in the warme Countries both blossomes and greene fruit continually vpon it, and ripe fruit also with them for the best part of the yeare, but especially in Autumne and Winter.
| 1 | Malus Arantia. The Orenge tree. |
| 2 | Malus. The Apple tree. |
| 3 | Malum Carbonarium. The Pomewater. |
| 4 | Malum Curtipendulum. The golden Pippin. |
| 5 | Melapium. The Pearmaine. |
| 6 | Malum Regineum. The Queene Apple. |
| 7 | Malum primis maturum. The Genneting. |
| 8 | Malum Regale. The pound Royall. |
| 9 | Malum Kentij ad seruescendum. The Kentish Codlin. |
| 10 | Malum Regineum spurium. The Bardfield Quining. |
The Vse of Orenges.
Orenges are vsed as sawce for many sorts of meates, in respect of their sweete sowernesse, giuing a rellish of delight, whereinsoeuer they are vsed.
The inner pulpe or iuice doth serue in agues and hot diseases, and in Summer to coole the heate of deiected stomackes, or fainting spirits.
The dryed rinde, by reason of the sweete and strong sent, serueth to bee put among other things to make sweet pouthers.
The outer rindes, when they are clensed from all the inner pulpe and skins, are preserued in Sugar, after the bitternesse by often steepings hath been taken away, & do serue either as Succots, and banquetting stuffes, or as ornaments to set out dishes for the table, or to giue a rellish vnto meats, whether baked or boyled: Physically they helpe to warme a cold stomack, and to digest or breake winde therein: or they are candid with Sugar, and serue with other dryed Iunquets.
The water of Orange flowers is oftentimes vsed as a great perfume for gloues, to washe them, or in stead of Rose-water to mixe with other things.
It is vsed to bee drunke by some, to preuent or to helpe any pestilentiall feuer.
The oyntment that is made of the flowers, is very comfortable both for the stomache, against the could or cough, or for the head, for paines and disinesse.
The kernels or seede beeing cast into the ground in the spring time, will quickely grow vp, (but will not abide the winter with vs, to bee kept for growing trees) and when they are of a finger length high, being pluckt vp, and put among sallets, will giue them a maruellous fine aromaticke or spicy taste, very acceptable.
The seed or kernels are a little cordiall, although nothing so much as the kernels of the Pomecitron.
Chap. XIX.
Poma. Apples.
The sorts of Apples are so many, and infinite almost as I may say, that I cannot giue you the names of all, though I haue endeauoured to giue a great many, and I thinke it almost impossible for any one, to attaine to the full perfection of knowledge herein, not onely in regard of the multiplicitie of fashions, colours and tastes, but in that some are more familiar to one Countrey then to another, being of a better or worse taste in one place then in another, and therefore diuersly called: I will therefore as I haue done before, giue you the description of the Tree in generall, as also of the Paradise or dwarfe Apple, because of some especiall difference, and afterwards the names of as many, with their fashions, as haue come to my knowledge, either by sight or relation: for I doe confesse I haue not seene all that I here set downe, but vse the helpe of some friends, and therefore if it happen that the seuerall names doe not answer vnto seuerall sorts, but that the same fruit may bee called by one name in one Country, that is called by another elsewhere, excuse it I pray you; for in such a number, such a fault may escape vnknowne.
The Apple tree for the most part is neyther very high, great or straight, but rather vsually boweth and spreadeth (although in some places it groweth fairer and straighter then in others) hauing long and great armes or boughes, and from them smaller branches, whereon doe grow somewhat broade, and long greene leaues, nicked about the edges: the flowers are large and white, with blush coloured sides, consisting of fiue leaues: the fruit (as I said) is of diuers formes, colours and tastes, and likewise of a very variable durabilitie; for some must be eaten presently after they are gathered, and they are for the most part the earliest ripe; others will abide longer vpon the trees, before they bee fit to be gathered; some also will be so hard when others are gathered, that they will not be fit to be eaten, for one, two or three months after they bee gathered; and some will abide good but one, two or three moneths, and no more; and some will be best, after a quarter or halfe a yeares lying, vnto the end of that yeare or the next.
The Paradise or dwarfe Apple tree groweth nothing so high as the former, and many times not much higher then a man may reach, hauing leaues and flowers altogether like the other, the fruit is a faire yellow Apple, and reasonable great, but very light and spongy or loose, and of a bitterish sweet taste, nothing pleasant. And these faults also are incident vnto this tree, that both bodie and branches are much subiect vnto cancker, which will quickely eate it round, and kill it; besides it will haue many bunches, or tuberous swellings in many places, which grow as it were scabby or rough, and will soone cause it to perish: the roote sendeth forth many shootes and suckers, whereby it may be much increased. But this benefit may be had of it, to recompence the former faults, That being a dwarfe Tree, whatsoeuer fruit shall be grafted on it, will keepe the graft low like vnto it selfe, and yet beare fruit reasonable well. And this is a pretty way to haue Pippins, Pomewaters, or any other sort of Apples (as I haue, had my selfe, and also seene with others) growing low, that if any will, they may make a hedge rowe of these low fruits, planted in an Orchard all along by a walke side: but take this Caueat, if you will auoide the danger of the cancker and knots, which spoile the tree, to graft it hard vnto the ground, that therby you may giue as little of the nature of the stock thereunto as possibly you can, which wil vndoubtedly help it very much.
The kindes or sorts of Apples.
The Summer pippin is a very good apple first ripe, and therefore to bee first spent, because it will not abide so long as the other.
The French pippin is also a good fruit and yellow.
The Golding pippin is the greatest and best of all sorts of pippins.
The Russet pippin is as good an apple as most of the other sorts of pippins.
The spotted pippin is the most durable pippin of all the other sorts.
The ordinary yellow pippin is like the other, and as good; for indeed I know no sort of pippins but are excellent good well rellished fruites.
The great pearemaine differeth little either in taste or durabilitie from the pippin, and therefore next vnto it is accounted the best of all apples.
The summer pearemaine is of equall goodnesse with the former, or rather a little more pleasing, especially for the time of its eating, which will not bee so long lasting, but is spent and gone when the other beginneth to be good to eate.
The Russetting is also a firme and a very good apple, not so waterish as the pippin or pearemaine, and will last the best part of the year, but will be very mellow at the last, or rather halfe dryed.
The Broading is a very good apple.
The Pomewater is an excellent good and great whitish apple, full of sap or moisture, somewhat pleasant sharpe, but a little bitter withall: it will not last long, the winter frosts soone causing it to rot, and perish.
The Flower of Kent is a faire yellowish greene apple both good and great.
The Gilloflower apple is a fine apple, and finely spotted.
The Marligo is the same, that is called the Marigold apple, it is a middle sized apple, very yellow on the outside, shadowed ouer as it were with red, and more red on one side, a reasonable well rellished fruit.
The Blandrill is a good apple.
The Dauie Gentle is a very good apple.
The Gruntlin is somewhat a long apple, smaller at the crowne then at the stalke, and is a reasonable good apple.
The gray Costerd is a good great apple, somewhat whitish on the outside, and abideth the winter.
The greene Costerd is like the other, but greener on the outside continually.
The Haruy apple is a faire great goodly apple, and very well rellished.
The Dowse apple is a sweetish apple not much accounted of.
The Pome-paris is a very good apple.
The Belle boon of two sorts winter and summer, both of them good apples, and fair fruit to look on, being yellow and of a meane bignesse.
The pound Royall is a very great apple, of a very good and sharpe taste.
The Doues Bill a small apple.
The Deusan or apple Iohn is a delicate fine fruit, well rellished when it beginneth to be fit to be eaten, and endureth good longer then any other apple.
The Master William is greater then a pippin, but of no very good rellish.
The Master Iohn is a better tasted apple then the other by much.
The Spicing is a well tasted fruite.
Pome de Rambures ⎧all faire and
âŽgood apples
⎫brought
⎩from France.
Pome de Capandu
Pome de Calual
The Queene apple is of two sorts, both of them great faire red apples, and well rellished, but the greater is the best.
The Bastard Queene apple is like the other for forme and colour, but not so good in taste: some call this the bardfield Queening.
The Boughton or greening is a very good and well tasted apple.
The Leather coate apple is a good winter apple, of no great bignesse, but of a very good and sharpe taste.
The Pot apple is a plaine Country apple.
The Cowsnout is no very good fruit.
The Gildiling apple is a yellow one, not much accounted.
The Cats head apple tooke the name of the likenesse, and is a reasonable good apple and great.
The Kentish Codlin is a faire great greenish apple, very good to eate when it is ripe; but the best to coddle of all other apples.
The Stoken apple is a reasonable good apple.
The Geneting apple is a very pleasant and good apple.
The Worcester apple is a very good apple, as bigge as a Pomewater.
Donime Couadis is a French apple, and of a good rellish.
The French Goodwin is a very good apple.
The old wife is a very good, and well rellished apple.
The towne Crab is an hard apple, not so good to be eaten rawe as roasted, but excellent to make Cider.
The Virgilling apple is a reasonable good apple.
The Crowes egge is no good rellished fruit, but noursed vp in some places of the common people.
The Sugar apple is so called of the sweetnesse.
Sops in wine is so named both of the pleasantnesse of the fruit, and beautie of the apple.
The womans breast apple is a great apple.
The blacke apple or pippin is a very good eating apple, and very like a Pearemaine, both for forme and bignesse, but of a blacke sooty colour.
Tweenty sorts of Sweetings and none good.
The Peare apple is a small fruit, but well rellished being ripe, and is for shape very like vnto a small short Peare, and greene.
The Paradise apple is a faire goodly yellow apple, but light and spongy, and of a bitterish sweet taste, not to be commended.
The apple without blossome, so called because although it haue a small shew of a blossome, yet they are but small threds rather then leaues, neuer shewing to bee like a flower, and therefore termed without blossome: the apple is neyther good eating nor baking fruit.
Wildings and Crabs are without number or vse in our Orchard, being to be had out of the woods, fields and hedges rather then any where else.
The Vse of Apples.
The best sorts of Apples serue at the last course for the table, in most mens houses of account, where, if there grow any rare or excellent fruit, it is then set forth to be seene and tasted.
Diuers other sorts serue to bake, either for the Masters Table, or the meynes sustenance, either in pyes or pans, or else stewed in dishes with Rosewater and Sugar, and Cinamon or Ginger cast vpon.
Some kinds are fittest to roast in the winter time, to warme a cup of wine, ale or beere; or to be eaten alone, for the nature of some fruit is neuer so good, or worth the eating, as when they are roasted.
Some sorts are fittest to scald for Codlins, and are taken to coole the stomacke, as well as to please the taste, hauing Rosewater and Sugar put to them.
Some sorts are best to make Cider of, as in the West Countrey of England great quantities, yea many Hogsheads and Tunnes full are made, especially to bee carried to the Sea in long voyages, and is found by experience to bee of excellent vse, to mixe with water for beuerage. It is vsually seene that those fruits that are neither fit to eate raw, roasted, nor baked, are fittest for Cider, and make the best.
The iuice of Apples likewise, as of pippins, and pearemaines, is of very good vse in Melancholicke diseases, helping to procure mirth, and to expell heauinesse.
The distilled water of the same Apples is of the like effect.
There is a fine sweet oyntment made of Apples called Pomatum, which is much vsed to helpe chapt lips, or hands, or for the face, or any other part of the skinne that is rough with winde, or any other accident, to supple them, and make them smooth.
Chap. XX.
Cydonia. Quinces.
Wee haue some diuersities of Quinces, although not many, yet more then our elder times were acquainted with, which shall be here expressed.
The Quince tree groweth oftentimes to the height and bignesse of a good Apple tree, but more vsually lower, with crooked and spreading armes and branches farre abroad, the leaues are somewhat round, and like the leaues of the Apple tree, but thicker, harder, fuller of veines, and white on the vnderside: the blossomes or flowers are white, now and then dasht ouer with blush, being large and open, like vnto a single Rose: the fruit followeth, which when it is ripe is yellow, and couered with a white cotton or freeze, which in the younger is thicker and more plentifull, but waxeth lesse and lesse, as the fruit ripeneth, being bunched out many times in seuerall places, and round, especially about the head, some greater, others smaller, some round like an Apple, others long like a Peare, of a strong heady sent, accounted not wholsome or long to be endured, and of no durabilitie to keepe, in the middle whereof is a core, with many blackish seedes or kernels therein, lying close together in cels, and compassed with a kinde of cleare gelly, which is easier seene in the scalded fruit, then in the raw.
The English Quince is the ordinarie Apple Quince, set downe before, and is of so harsh a taste being greene, that no man can endure to eate it rawe, but eyther boyled, stewed, roasted or baked; all which waies it is very good.
The Portingall Apple Quince is a great yellow Quince, seldome comming to bee whole and faire without chapping; this is so pleasant being fresh gathered, that it may be eaten like vnto an Apple without offence.
The Portingall Peare Quince is not fit to be eaten rawe like the former, but must be vsed after some of the waies the English Quince is appointed, and so it will make more dainty dishes then the English, because it is lesse harsh, will bee more tender, and take lesse sugar for the ordering then the English kinde.
The Barbary Quince is like in goodnesse vnto the Portingall Quince last spoken of, but lesser in bignesse.
The Lyons Quince.
The Brunswicke Quince.
The Vse of Quinces.
There is no fruit growing in this Land that is of so many excellent vses as this, seruing as well to make many dishes of meate for the table, as for banquets, and much more for the Physicall vertues, whereof to write at large is neither conuenient for mee, nor for this worke: I will onely briefly recite some, as it were to giue you a taste of that plenty remaineth therein, to bee conuerted into sundry formes: as first for the table, while they are fresh (and all the yeare long after being pickled vp) to be baked, as a dainty dish, being well and orderly cookt. And being preserued whole in Sugar, either white or red, serue likewise, not onely as an after dish to close vp the stomacke, but is placed among other Preserues by Ladies and Gentlewomen, and bestowed on their friends to entertaine them, and among other sorts of Preserues at Banquets. Codimacke also and Marmilade, Ielly and Paste, are all made of Quinces, chiefly for delight and pleasure, although they haue also with them some physicall properties.
We haue for the vse of physicke, both Iuyce and Syrupe, both Conserue and Condite, both binding and loosening medicines, both inward and outward, and all made of Quinces.
The Ielly or Muccilage of the seedes, is often vsed to be laid vpon womens breasts, to heale them being sore or rawe, by their childrens default giuing them sucke.
Athenæus reciteth in his third booke, that one Philarchus found, that the smell of Quinces tooke away the strength of a certaine poison, called Phariacum. And the Spaniards haue also found, that the strength of the iuyce of white Ellebor (which the Hunters vse as a poyson to dippe their arrow heads in, that they shoote at wilde beasts to kill them) is quite taken away, if it stand within the compasse of the smell of Quinces. And also that Grapes, being hung vp to bee kept, and spent in Winter, doe quickly rot with the smell of a Quince.
Chap. XXI.
Pyra. Peares.
The variety of peares is as much or more then of apples, and I thinke it is as hard in this, as before in apples, for any to be so exquisite, as that hee could number vp all the sorts that are to be had: for wee haue in our country so manie, as I shall giue you the names of by and by, and are hitherto come to our knowledge: but I verily beleeue that there be many, both in our country, and in others, that we haue not yet knowne or heard of; for euery yeare almost wee attaine to the knowledge of some, we knew not of before. Take therefore, according to the manner before held, the description of one, with the seuerall names of the rest, vntill a more exact discourse be had of them, euery one apart.
The Peare tree groweth more slowly, but higher, and more vpright then the apple tree, and not lesse in the bulke of the body: his branches spread not so farre or wide, but growe vprighter and closer: the leaues are somewhat broader and rounder, greene aboue, and whiter vnderneath then those of the apple tree: the flowers are whiter and greater: the fruit is longer then round for the most part, smaller at the stalke, and greater at the head, of so many differing formes, colours, and tastes, that hardly can one distinguish rightly between them, the times also being as variable in the gathering and spending of them, as in apples: the roote groweth deeper then the apple tree, and therefore abideth longer, and giueth a faster, closer, & smoother gentle wood, easie to be wrought vpon.
| 1 | Malus Cotonea. The Quince tree. |
| 2 | Cydonium Lusitanicum. The Portingall Quince. |
| 3 | Pyrus. The Peare tree. |
| 4 | Pyrum Pompeianum, siue Cucumerinum hyemale. The Winter Bon Chretien. |
| 5 | Pyrum pictum vel striatum. The painted or striped Peare of Ierusalem. |
| 6 | Pyrum Palatinale. The Burgomot Peare. |
| 7 | Pyrum Cucumerinum siue Pompeianum æstivum. The Summer Bon Chretien. |
| 8 | Pyrum Volemam. The best Warden. |
| 9 | Pyrum Librale. The pound Peare. |
| 10 | Pyrum Windsorianum. The Windsor Peare. |
| 11 | Pyrum Cucumerinum. The Gratiola Peare. |
| 12 | Pyrum Caryophyllatum. The Gilloflower Peare. |
The kindes of Peares.
The Summer bon Chretien is somewhat a long peare, with a greene and yellow russetish coate, and will haue sometimes red sides; it is ripe at Michaelmas: some vse to dry them as they doe Prunes, and keepe them all the yeare after. I haue not seene or heard any more Summer kindes hereof then this one, and needeth no wall to nourse it as the other.
The Winter bon Chretien is of many sorts, some greater, others lesser, and all good; but the greatest and best is that kinde that groweth at Syon: All the kinds of this Winter fruit must be planted against a wall, or else they will both seldome beare, and bring fewer also to ripenesse, comparable to the wall fruit: the kindes also are according to their lasting; for some will endure good much longer then others.
The Summer Bergomot is an excellent well rellished peare, flattish, & short, not long like others, of a meane bignesse, and of a darke yellowish greene colour on the outside.
The Winter Bergomot is of two or three sorts, being all of them small fruit, somewhat greener on the outside then the Summer kindes; all of them very delicate and good in their due time: for some will not be fit to bee eaten when others are well-nigh spent, euery of them outlasting another by a moneth or more.
The Diego peare is but a small peare, but an excellent well rellished fruit, tasting as if Muske had been put among it; many of them growe together, as it were in clusters.
The Duetete or double headed peare, so called of the forme, is a very good peare, not very great, of a russettish browne colour on the outside.
The Primating peare is a good moist peare, and early ripe.
The Geneting peare is a very good early ripe peare.
The greene Chesill is a delicate mellow peare, euen melting as it were in the mouth of the eater, although greenish on the outside.
The Catherine peare is knowne to all I thinke to be a yellow red sided peare, of a full waterish sweete taste, and ripe with the foremost.
The King Catherine is greater then the other, and of the same goodnesse, or rather better.
The Russet Catherine is a very good middle sized peare.
The Windsor peare is an excellent good peare, well knowne to most persons, and of a reasonable greatnesse: it will beare fruit some times twice in a yeare (and as it is said) three times in some places.
The Norwich peare is of two sorts, Summer and Winter, both of them good fruit, each in their season.
The Worster peare is blackish, a farre better peare to bake (when as it will be like a Warden, and as good) then to eate rawe; yet so it is not to be misliked.
The Muske peare is like vnto a Catherine peare for bignesse, colour, and forme; but farre more excellent in taste, as the very name importeth.
The Rosewater peare is a goodly faire peare, and of a delicate taste.
The Sugar peare is an early peare, very sweete, but waterish.
The Summer Popperin & the Winter Popperin, both of them are very good dry firme peares, somewhat spotted, and brownish on the outside.
The greene Popperin is a winter fruit, of equall goodnesse with the former.
The Soueraigne peare, that which I haue seene and tasted, and so termed vnto me, was a small brownish yellow peare, but of a most dainty taste; but some doe take a kind of Bon Chretien, called the Elizabeth peare, to be the Soueraigne peare; how truely let others iudge.
The Kings peare is a very good and well tasted peare.
The peare Royall is a great peare, and of a good rellish.
The Warwicke peare is a reasonable faire and good peare.
The Greenfield peare is a very good peare, of a middle size.
The Lewes peare is a brownish greene peare, ripe about the end of September, a reasonable well rellished fruit, and very moist.
The Bishop peare is a middle sized peare, of a reasonable good taste, not very waterish; but this property is oftentimes seene in it, that before the fruit is gathered, (but more vsually those that fall of themselues, and the rest within a while after they are gathered) will be rotten at the core, when there will not be a spot or blemish to bee seene on the outside, or in all the peare, vntill you come neare the core.
The Wilford peare is a good and a faire peare.
The Bell peare a very good greene peare.
The Portingall peare is a great peare, but more goodly in shew then good indeed.
The Gratiola peare is a kinde of Bon Chretien, called the Cowcumber peare, or Spinola’s peare.
The Rowling peare is a good peare, but hard, and not good before it bee a little rowled or bruised, to make it eate the more mellow.
The Pimpe peare is as great as the Windsor peare, but rounder, and of a very good rellish.
The Turnep peare is a hard winter peare, not so good to eate rawe, as it is to bake.
The Arundell peare is most plentifull in Suffolke, and there commended to be a verie good peare.
The Berry peare is a Summer peare, reasonable faire and great, and of so good and wholsome a taste, that few or none take harme by eating neuer so many of them.
The Sand peare is a reasonable good peare, but small.
The Morley peare is a very good peare, like in forme and Colour vnto the Windsor, but somewhat grayer.
The peare pricke is very like vnto the Greenfield peare, being both faire, great, and good.
The good Rewell is a reasonable great peare, as good to bake as to eate rawe, and both wayes it is a good fruit.
The Hawkes bill peare is of a middle size, somewhat like vnto the Rowling peare.
The Petworth peare is a winter peare, and is great, somewhat long, faire, and good.
The Slipper peare is a reasonable good peare.
The Robert peare is a very good peare, plentifull in Suffolke and Norfolke.
The pound peare is a reasonable good peare, both to eate rawe, and to bake.
The ten pound peare, or the hundred pound peare, the truest and best, is the best Bon Chretien of Syon, so called, because the grafts cost the Master so much the fetching by the messengers expences, when he brought nothing else.
The Gilloflower peare is a winter peare, faire in shew, but hard, and not fit to bee eaten rawe, but very good to bake.
The peare Couteau is neither good one way nor other.
The Binsce peare is a reasonable good winter peare, of a russetish colour, and a small fruit: but will abide good a long while.
The Pucell is a greene peare, of an indifferent good taste.
The blacke Sorrell is a reasonable great long peare, of a darke red colour on the outside.
The red Sorrell is of a redder colour, else like the other.
The Surrine is no very good peare.
The Summer Hasting is a little greene peare, of an indifferent good rellish.
Peare Gergonell is an early peare, somewhat long, and of a very pleasant taste.
The white Genneting is a reasonable good peare, yet not equall to the other.
The Sweater is somewhat like the Windsor for colour and bignesse, but nothing neare of so good a taste.
The bloud red peare is of a darke red colour on the outside, but piercing very little into the inner pulpe.
The Hony peare is a long greene Summer peare.
The Winter peare is of many sorts, but this is onely so called, to bee distinguished from all other Winter peares, which haue seuerall names giuen them, and is a very good peare.
The Warden or Luke Wards peare of two sorts, both white and red, both great and small.
The Spanish Warden is greater then either of both the former, and better also.
The peare of Ierusalem, or the stript peare, whose barke while it is young, is as plainly seene to be stript with greene, red, and yellow, as the fruit it selfe is also, and is of a very good taste: being baked also, it is as red as the best Warden, whereof Master William Ward of Essex hath assured mee, who is the chiefe keeper of the Kings Granary at Whitehall.
Hereof likewise there is a wilde kinde no bigger then ones thumbe, and striped in the like manner, but much more.
The Choke peares, and other Wilde peares, both great and small, as they are not to furnish our Orchard, but the Woods, Forrests, Fields, and Hedges, so wee leaue them to their naturall places, and to them that keep them, and make good vse of them.
The Vse of Peares.
The most excellent sorts of Peares, serue (as I said before of Apples) to make an after-course for their masters table, where the goodnesse of his Orchard is tryed. They are dryed also, and so are an excellent repaste, if they be of the best kindes, fit for the purpose.
They are eaten familiarly of all sorts of people, of some for delight, and of others for nourishment, being baked, stewed, or scalded.
The red Warden and the Spanish Warden are reckoned among the most excellent of Peares, either to bake or to roast, for the sicke or for the sound: And indeede, the Quince and the Warden are the two onely fruits are permitted to the sicke, to eate at any time.
Perry, which is the iuyce of Peares pressed out, is a drinke much esteemed as well as Cyder, to be both drunke at home, and carried to the Sea, and found to be of good vse in long voyages.
The Perry made of Choke Peares, notwithstanding the harshnesse, and euill taste, both of the fruit when it is greene, as also of the iuyce when it is new made, doth yet after a few moneths become as milde and pleasant as wine, and will hardly bee knowne by the sight or taste from it: this hath beene found true by often experience; and therefore wee may admire the goodnesse of God, that hath giuen such faculty to so wilde fruits, altogether thought vselesse, to become vsefull, and apply the benefit thereof both to the comfort of our soules and bodies.
For the Physicall properties, if we doe as Galen teacheth vs, in secundo Alimentorum, referre the qualities of Peares to their seuerall tastes, as before he had done in Apples, we shall not neede to make a new worke; those that are harsh and sowre doe coole and binde, sweet do nourish and warme, and those betweene these, to haue middle vertues, answerable to their temperatures, &c.
Much more might be said, both of this and the other kinds of fruits; but let this suffice for this place and worke, vntill a more exact be accomplished.
Chap. XXII.
Nux Iuglans. The Wallnut.
Although the Wallnut tree bee often planted in the middle of great Courtyards, where by reason of his great spreading armes it taketh vp a great deale of roome, his shadow reaching farre, so that scarce any thing can well grow neare it; yet because it is likewise planted in fit places or corners of Orchards, and that it beareth fruit or nuts, often brought to the table, especially while they are freshest, sweetest, and fitted to be eaten, let not my Orchard want his company, or you the knowledge of it. Some doe thinke that there are many sorts of them, because some are much greater then others, and some longer then others, and some haue a more frangible shell then others; but I am certainly perswaded, that the soyle and climate where they grow, are the whole and onely cause of the varieties and differences. Indeed Virginia hath sent vnto vs two sorts of Wallnuts, the one blacke, the other white, whereof as yet wee haue no further knowledge. And I know that Clusius reporteth, he tooke vp at a banquet a long Wallnut, differing in forme and tendernesse of shell from others, which being set, grew and bore farre tenderer leaues then the others and a little snipt about the edges, which (as I said) might alter with the soyle and climate: and besides you may obserue, that many of Clusius differences are very nice, and so I leaue it.
The Wallnut tree groweth very high and great, with a large and thicke body or trunke, couered with a thicke clouen whitish greene barke, tending to an ash colour; the armes are great, and spread farre, breaking out into smaller branches, whereon doe growe long & large leaues, fiue or seuen set together one against another, with an odde one at the end, somewhat like vnto ashen leaues, but farre larger, and not so many on a stalke, smooth, and somewhat reddish at the first springing, and tender also, of a reasonable good sent, but more strong and headie when they growe old: the fruit or nut is great and round, growing close to the stalkes of the leaues, either by couples or by three set together, couered with a double shell, that is to say, with a greene thicke and soft outer rinde, and an inner hard shell, within which the white kernell is contained, couered with a thinne yellow rinde or peeling, which is more easily peeled away while it is greene then afterwards, and is as it were parted into foure quarters, with a thinne wooddy peece parting it at the head, very sweete and pleasant while it is fresh, and for a while after the gathering; but the elder they growe, the harder and more oily: the catkins or blowings are long and yellow, made of many scaly leaues set close together, which come forth early in the Spring, and when they open and fall away, vpon their stalkes arise certaine small flowers, which turne into so many nuts.
The Vse of Wallnuts.
They are often serued to the table with other fruits while they abide fresh and sweete; and therefore many to keepe them fresh a long time haue deuised many wayes, as to put them into great pots, and bury them in the ground, and so take them out as they spend them, which is a very good way, and will keepe them long.
The small young nuts while they are tender, being preserued or candid, are vsed among other sorts of candid fruits, that serue at banquets.
The iuyce of the outer greene huskes are held to be a soueraigne remedy against either poyson, or plague, or pestilentiall feuer.
The distilled water of the huskes drunke with a little vinegar, if the fits growe hot and tedious, is an approued remedy for the same.
The water distilled from the leaues, is effectuall to be applyed to fluent or running vlcers, to dry and binde the humours.
Some haue vsed the pouder of the catkins in white wine, for the suffocation or strangling of the mother.
The oyle of Wallnuts is vsed to varnish Ioyners workes. As also is accounted farre to excell Linseede oyle, to mixe a white colour withall, that the colour bee not dimmed. It is of excellent vse for the coldnesse, hardnesse and contracting of the sinewes and ioynts, to warme, supple, and to extend them.
Chap. XXIII.
Castanea Equina. The Horse Chesnut.
Although the ordinary Chesnut is not a tree planted in Orchards, but left to Woods, Parkes, and other such like places; yet wee haue another sort which wee haue noursed vp from the nuts sent vs from Turky, of a greater and more pleasant aspect for the faire leaues, and of as good vse for the fruit. It groweth in time to be a great tree, spreading with great armes and branches, whereon are set at seuerall distances goodly faire great greene leaues, diuided into six, seuen, or nine parts or leaues, euery one of them nicked about the edges, very like vnto the leaues of Ricinus, or Palma Christi, and almost as great: it beareth at the ends of the branches many flowers set together vpon a long stalke, consisting of foure white leaues a peece, with many threads in the middle, which afterwards turne into nuts, like vnto the ordinary Chesnuts, but set in rougher and more prickly huskes: the nuts themselues being rounder and blacker, with a white spot at the head of each, formed somewhat like an heart, and of a little sweeter taste.
The Vse of this Chesnut.
It serueth to binde and stop any maner of fluxe, be it of bloud or humours, either of the belly or stomacke; also the much spitting of bloud. They are roasted and eaten as the ordinary sort, to make them taste the better.
They are vsually in Turkie giuen to horses in their prouender, to cure them of coughes, and helpe them being broken winded.
Chap. XXIIII.
Morus. The Mulberrie.
There are two sorts of Mulberries sufficiently known to most, the blackish and the white: but wee haue had brought vs from Virginia another sort, which is of greater respect then eyther of the other two, not onely in regard of the raritie, but of the vse, as you shall presently vnderstand.
1. Morus nigra. The blacke Mulberrie.
The blacke Mulberrie tree groweth oftentimes tall and great, and oftentimes also crooked, and spreading abroade, rather then high; for it is subiect to abide what forme you will conforme it vnto: if by suffering it to grow, it will mount vp, and if you will binde it, or plash the boughes, they will so abide, and be carried ouer arbours, or other things as you will haue it. The bodie groweth in time to bee very great, couered with a rugged or thicke barke, the armes or branches being smoother, whereon doe grow round thicke leaues pointed at the ends, and nicked about the edges, and in some there are to be seene deep gashes, making it seeme somewhat like the Vine leafe: the flowers are certaine short dounie catkings, which turne into greene berries at the first, afterwards red, and when they are full ripe blacke, made of many graines set together, like vnto the blacke berrie, but longer and greater: before they are ripe, they haue an austere and harsh taste, but when they are full ripe, they are more sweete and pleasant; the iuice whereof is so red, that it will staine the hands of them that handle and eate them.
2. Morus alba. The white Mulberrie.
The white Mulberrie tree groweth not with vs to that greatnesse or bulke of bodie that the blacke doth, but runneth vp higher, slenderer, more knotty, hard and brittle, with thinner spreade armes and branches: the leaues are like the former, but not so thicke set on the branches, nor so hard in handling, a little paler also, hauing somewhat longer stalkes: the fruit is smaller and closer set together, greene, and somewhat harsh before they be ripe, but of a wonderfull sweetnesse, almost ready to procure loathing when they are thorough ripe, and white, with such like seede in them as in the former, but smaller.
3. Morus Virginiana. The Virginia Mulberrie.
The Virginia Mulberry tree groweth quickely with vs to be a very great tree, spreading many armes and branches, whereon grow faire great leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the white Mulberrie tree: the berry or fruit is longer and redder then either of the other, and of a very pleasant taste.
| 1 | Nux Iuglans. The Wallnut. |
| 2 | Castanea equina. The horse Chestnut. |
| 3 | Morus nigra vel alba. The Mulberry. |
| 4 | Morus Virginiana. The Virginia Mulberry. |
| 5 | Laurus vulgaris. The ordinary Bay tree. |
| 6 | Laurea Cerasus Virginiana. The Virginia Cherry Bay. |
The Vse of Mulberries.
The greatest and most especiall vse of the planting of white Mulberries, is for the feeding of Silke wormes, for which purpose all the Easterne Countries, as Persia, Syria, Armenia, Arabia &c. and also the hither part of Turkie, Spaine also and Italie, and many other hot Countries doe nourish them, because it is best for that purpose, the wormes feeding thereon, giuing the finest and best silke; yet some are confident that the leaues of the blacke will doe as much good as the white: but that respect must be had to change your seede, because therein lyeth the greatest mysterie. But there is a Booke or Tractate printed, declaring the whole vse of whatsoeuer can belong vnto them: I will therefore referre them thereunto, that would further vnderstand of that matter.
Mulberries are not much desired to be eaten, although they be somewhat pleasant, both for that they staine their fingers and lips that eate them, and doe quickly putrefie in the stomacke, if they bee not taken before meate.
They haue yet a Physicall vse, which is by reason of the astringent quality while they are red, and before they bee ripe, for sore mouthes and throats, or the like, whereunto also the Syrup, called Diamoron, is effectuall.
Corollarium.
A COROLLARIE
To this Orchard.
There are certaine other trees that beare no fruit fit to bee eaten, which yet are often seene planted in Orchards, and other fit and conuenient places about an house, whereof some are of especiall vse, as the Bay tree &c. others for their beauty and shadow are fit for walkes or arbours; some being euer green are most fit for hedge-rowes; and some others more for their raritie then for any other great vse, whereof I thought good to entreat apart by themselues, and bring them after the fruit trees of this Orchard, as an ornament to accomplish the same.
1. Laurus. The Bay tree.
There are to bee reckoned vp fiue kindes of Bay trees, three whereof haue been entreated of in the first part, a fourth wee will only bring here to your consideration, which is that kinde that is vsually planted in euery mans yard or orchard, for their vse throughout the whole land, the other we will leaue to bee considered of in that place is fit for it.
The Bay tree riseth vp oftentimes to carry the face of a tree of a meane bignesse in our Countrey (although much greater in the hoter) and oftentimes shooteth vp with many suckers from the roote, shewing it selfe more like to a tall shrubbe or hedge-bush, then a tree, hauing many branches, the young ones whereof are sometimes reddish, but most vsually of a light or fresh greene colour, when the stemme and elder boughes are couered with a darke greene barke: the leaues are somewhat broad, and long pointed as it were at both the ends, hard and sometimes crumpled on the edges, of a darke greene colour aboue, and of a yellowish greene vnderneath, in smell sweet, in taste bitter, and abiding euer greene: the flowers are yellow and mossie, which turne into berries that are a little long as well as round, whose shell or outermost peele is greene at the first, and black when it is ripe; wherein is contained an hard bitter kernell, which cleaueth in two parts.
The Vse of Bayes.
The Bay leaues are of as necessary vse as any other in Garden or Orchard; for they serue both for pleasure and profit, both for ornament and for vse, both for honest Ciuill vses, and for Physicke, yea both for the sicke and for the sound, both for the liuing and for the dead: And so much might be said of this one tree, that if it were all told, would as well weary the Reader, as the Relater: but to explaine my selfe; It serueth to adorne the house of God as well as of man: to procure warmth, comfort and strength to the limmes of men and women, by bathings and annoyntings outward, and by drinkes &c. inward to the stomacke, and other parts: to season vessels &c. wherein are preserued our meates, as well as our drinkes: to crowns or encircle as with a garland, the heads of the liuing, and to sticke and decke forth the bodies of the dead: so that from the cradle to the graue we haue still vse of it, we haue still neede of it.
The berries likewise serue for stitches inward, and for paines outward, that come of cold eyther in the ioynts, sinewes, or other places.
2. Laurea Cerasus, siue Laurus Virginiana. The Virginian Bay, or Cherry Baye.
This Virginian (whether you will call it a Baye, or a Cherrie, or a Cherrie Bay, I leaue it to euery ones free will and iudgement, but yet I thinke I may as well call it a Bay as others a Cherrie, neither of them being answerable to the tree, which neyther beareth such berries as are like Cherries, neither beareth euer greene leaues like the Bay: if it may therefore bee called the Virginia Cherry Bay, for a distinction from the former Bay Cherry that beareth faire blacke Cherries, it will more fitly agree thereunto, vntill a more proper may be imposed) riseth vp to be a tree of a reasonable height, the stemme or bodie thereof being almost as great as a mans legge, spreading forth into diuers armes or boughes, and they againe into diuers small branches, whereon are set without order diuers faire broade greene leaues, somewhat like vnto the former Bay leaues, but more limber and gentle, and not so hard in handling, broader also, and for the most part ending in a point but in many somewhat round pointed, very finely notched or toothed about the edges, of a bitter taste, very neere resembling the taste of the Bay leafe, but of little or no sent at all, either greene or dryed, which fall away euery autumne, and spring afresh euery yeare: the blossomes are small and white, many growing together vpon a long stalke, somewhat like the Bird Cherry blossomes, but smaller, and come forth at the ends of the young branches, which after turne into small berries, euery one set in a small cup or huske, greene at the first, and blacke when they are ripe, of the bignesse of a small pease, of a strong bitter taste, and somewhat aromaticall withall, but without any fleshy substance like a Cherry at all vpon it; for it is altogether like a berry.
The Vse of this Virginia Cherry Bay.
Being a stranger in our Land, and possessed but of a very few, I doe not heare that there hath beene any triall made thereof what properties are in it: let this therefore suffice for this present, to haue shewed you the description and forme thereof, vntill we can learne further of his vses.
3. Pinus. The Pine tree.
My purpose in this place is not to shew you all the diuersities of Pine trees, or of the rest that follow, but of that one kinde is planted in many places of our Land for ornament and delight, and there doth reasonably well abide: take it therefore into this Orchard, for the raritie and beautie of it, though we haue little other vse of it.
The Pine tree groweth with vs, though slowely, to a very great height in many places, with a great straight bodie, couered with a grayish greene barke, the younger branches are set round about, with very narrow long whitish greene leaues, which fall away from the elder, but abide on the younger, being both winter and summer alwaies greene. It hath growing in sundry places on the branches, certaine great hard wooddy clogs (called of some apples, of others nuts) composed of many hard wooddy scales, or tuberous knobs, which abide for the most part alwaies greene in our Countrey, and hardly become brownish, as in other Countries, where they haue more heat and comfort of the Sun, and where the scales open themselues; wherein are contained white long and round kernels, very sweete while they are fresh, but quickely growing oylely and rancide.
The Vse of the Pine apples and kernels.
The Cones or Apples are vsed of diuers Vintners in this City, being painted, to expresse a bunch of grapes, whereunto they are very like, and are hung vp in their bushes, as also to fasten keyes vnto them, as is seene in many places.
The kernels within the hard shels, while they are fresh or newly taken out, are vsed many waies, both with Apothecaries, Comfit-makers, and Cookes: for of them are made medicines, good to lenifie the pipes and passages of the lungs and throate, when it is hoarse. Of them are made Comfits, Pastes, Marchpanes, and diuers other such like: And with them a cunning Cooke can make diuers Keck shoses for his Masters table.
Matthiolus commendeth the water of the greene apples distilled, to take away the wrinkles in the face, to abate the ouer-swelling breasts of Maidens, by fomenting them after with linnen clothes, wet in the water; and to restore such as are rauisht into better termes.
4. Abies. The Firre tree.
The Firre tree groweth naturally higher then any other tree in these parts of Christendome where no Cedars grow, and euen equalling or ouer-topping the Pine: the stemme or bodie is bare without branches for a great height, if they bee elder trees, and then branching forth at one place of the bodie foure wayes in manner of a crosse, those boughes againe hauing two branches at euery ioynt, on which are set on all sides very thicke together many small narrow long hard whitish greene leaues, and while they are young tending to yellownesse, but nothing so long or hard or sharpe pointed as the Pine tree leaues, growing smaller and shorter to the end of the branches: the bloomings are certaine small long scaly catkins, of a yellowish colour, comming forth at the ioynts of the branches, which fall away: the cones are smaller and longer then of the Pine tree, wherein are small three square seede contained, not halfe so big as the Pine kernels.
The Vse of the Firre tree.
The vse of this tree is growne with vs of late daies to bee more frequent for the building of houses then euer before: for hereof (namely of Deale timber and Deale boords) are framed many houses, and their floores, without the helpe of any other timber or boord of any other tree almost; as also for many other workes and purposes. The yellow Rossen that is vsed as well to make salues as for many other common vses, is taken from this tree, as the Pitch is both from the Pitch and Pine trees, and is boyled to make it to bee hard, but was at the first a yellow thin cleere Turpentine, and is that best sort of common Turpentine is altogether in vse with vs, as also another more thicke, whitish, and troubled, both which are vsed in salues, both for man and beast (but not inwardly as the cleere white Venice Turpentine is) and serueth both to draw, cleanse and heale. Dodonæus seemeth to say, that the cleere white Turpentine, called Venice Turpentine, is drawn from the Firre: but Matthiolus confuteth that opinion, which Fulsius also held before him.
| 1 | Pinus. The Pine tree. |
| 2 | Abies. The Firre tree. |
| 3 | Ilex. The euer greene Oake. |
| 4 | Cupressus. The Cipresse tree. |
| 5 | Arbutus. The Strawberry tree. |
| 6 | Alaternus. The euer greene Priuet. |
5. Ilex arbor. The euer-greene Oake.
The Ilex or euer-greene Oake riseth in time to be a very great tree, but very long and slow in growing (as is to be seene in the Kings priuy Garden at Whitehall, growing iust against the backe gate that openeth into the way going to Westminster, and in some other places) spreading many fair large great armes and branches, whereon are set small and hard greene leaues, somewhat endented or cornered, and prickly on the edges, especially in the young trees, and sometimes on those branches that are young and newly sprung forth from the elder rootes, but else in a manner all smooth in the elder growne, abiding greene all the winter as well as summer, and are of a grayish greene on the vnderside. It beareth in the spring time certaine slender long branches (like as other Okes doe) with small yellowish mossie flowers on them, which fall away, and are vnprofitable, the acornes not growing from those places, but from others which are like vnto those of our ordinary Oake, but smaller and blacker, and set in a more rugged huske or cuppe. This and no other kinde of Ilex doe I know to grow in all our land in any Garden or Orchard: for that kind with long and narrower leaues, and not prickly, growing so plentifully as Matthiolus saith in Tuscane, I haue not seen: and it is very probable to bee the same that Plinie remembreth to haue the leafe of an Oliue; but not as some would haue it, that Smilax Theophrastus maketh mention of in his third Booke and sixteenth Chapter of his Historie of Plants, which the Arcadians so called, and had the leafe of the Ilex, but not prickly: for Theophrastus saith, the timber of Smilax is smooth and soft, and this of the Ilex is harder, and stronger then an Oake.
The Vse of the Ilex or euer-greene Oake.
Seeing this is to be accounted among the kindes of Oake (and all Oakes by Dioscorides his opinion are binding) it is also of the same qualitie, but a little weaker, and may serue to strengthen weake members. The young tops and leaues are also vsed in gargles for the mouth and throate.
6. Cupressus. The Cypresse tree.
The Cypresse tree that is noursed vp by vs, in our Country, doth grow in those places where it hath beene long planted, to a very great height, whose bodie and boughes are couered with a reddish ash-coloured bark; the branches grow not spreading, but vpright close vnto the bodie, bushing thicke below, and small vpwards, spire fashion, those below reaching neere halfe the way to them aboue, whereon doe grow euer greene leaues, small, long and flat, of a resinous sweete smell, and strong taste, somewhat bitter: the fruit, which are called nuts, grow here and there among the boughes, sticking close vnto them, which are small, and clouen into diuers parts, but close while they are young, of a russetish browne colour; wherein are contained small browne seede, but not so small as motes in the Sunne, as Matthiolus and others make them to be.
The Vse of the Cypresse tree.
For the goodly proportion this tree beareth, as also for his euer-greene head, it is and hath beene of great account with all Princes, both beyond, and on this side of the Sea, to plant them in rowes on both sides of some spatious walke, which by reason of their high growing, and little spreading, must be planted the thicker together, and so they giue a goodly, pleasant and sweet shadow: or else alone, if they haue not many, in the middle of some quarter, or as they thinke meete. The wood thereof is firme and durable, or neuer decaying, of a brown yellow colour, and of a strong sweete smell, whereof Chests or Boxes are made to keepe apparell, linnen, furres, and other things, to preserue them from moths, and to giue them a good smell.
Many Physicall properties, both wood, leaues and nuts haue, which here is not my purpose to vnfold, but only to tell you, that the leaues being boyled in wine, and drunke, helpe the difficultie of making vrine, and that the nuts are binding, fit to bee vsed to stay fluxes or laskes, and good also for ruptures.
7. Arbutus. The Strawberry tree.
The Strawberry tree groweth but slowly, and riseth not to the height of any great tree, no not in France, Italy, or Spaine: and with vs the coldnesse of our country doth the more abate his vigour, so that it seldome riseth to the height of a man: the barke of the body is rough, and smooth in the younger branches: the leaues are faire and greene, very like vnto Baye leaues, finely dented or snipped about the edges, abiding alwayes greene thereon both Winter and Summer: the flowers come forth at the end of the branches vpon long stalkes, not clustering thicke together, but in long bunches, and are small, white, and hollow, like a little bottle, or the flower of Lilly Conually, which after turne into rough or rugged berries, most like vnto Strawberries (which hath giuen the name to the tree) somewhat reddish when they are ripe, of a harsh taste, nothing pleasant, wherein are contained many small seedes: It hardly bringeth his fruit to ripenesse in our countrey; for in their naturall places they ripen not vntill Winter, which there is much milder then with vs.
The Vse of the Strawberry tree.
Amatus Lusitanus I thinke is the first that euer recorded, that the water distilled from the leaues and flowers hereof, should bee very powerfull against the plague and poysons: for all the ancient Writers doe report, that the fruit hereof being eaten, is an enemy to the stomacke and head. And Clusius likewise setteth downe, that at Lishbone, and other places in Portingall where they are frequent, they are chiefly eaten, but of the poorer sort, women and boyes. They are somewhat astringent or binding, and therefore may well serue for fluxes. It is chiefly noursed with vs for the beauty and rarenesse of the tree; for that it beareth his leaues alwayes green.
8. Alaternus. The euer greene Priuet.
The tree which we haue growing in our country called Alaternus, groweth not to be a tree of any height; but abiding lowe, spreadeth forth many branches, whereon are set diuers small and hard, greene leaues, somewhat round for the forme, and endented a little by the edges: it beareth many small whitish greene flowers at the ioynts of the stalkes, and setting on of the lower leaues clustering thicke together, which after turne into small blacke berries, wherein are contained many small graines or seedes: the beauty and verdure of these leaues abiding so fresh all the yeare, doth cause it to be of the greater respect; and therefore findeth place in their Gardens onely, that are curious conseruers of all natures beauties.
The Vse of the euer greene Priuet.
It is seldome vsed for any Physicall property, neither with vs, nor in the places where it is naturall and plentifull: but as Clusius reporteth, hee learned that the Portingall Fishermen do dye their nets red with the decoction of the barke hereof, and that the Dyers in those parts doe vse the small peeces of the wood to strike a blackish blew colour.
9. Celastrus Theophrasti Clusio. Clusius his Celastrus.
Although the Collectour (who is thought to be Ioannes Molineus of the great Herball or History of plants, and generally bearing Daleschampius name, because the finding and relation of diuers herbes therein expressed, is appropriate to him, and printed at Lyons) of all our moderne Writers doth first of all others appoint the Celastrus, whereof Theophrastus onely among all the ancient Writers of plants maketh mention, to be the first Alaternus that Clusius hath set forth in his History of rarer plants: yet I finde, that Clusius himselfe before his death doth appropriate that Celastrus of Theophrastus to another plant, growing in the Garden at Leyden, which formerly of diuers had beene taken to be a kinde of Laurus Tinus, or the wilde Baye; but he impugning that opinion for diuers respects, decyphreth out that Leyden tree in the same manner that I doe: and because it is not onely faire, in bearing his leaues alwayes greene, but rare also, being noursed vp in our Land in very few places, but principally with a good old Lady, the widow of Sir Iohn Leuson, dwelling neere Rochester in Kent; I thought it fit to commend it for an ornament, to adorne this our Garden and Orchard. It groweth vp to the height of a reasonable tree, the body whereof is couered with a darke coloured barke, as the elder branches are in like manner; the younger branches being greene, whereon are set diuers leaues thicke together, two alwayes at a ioynt, one against another, of a sad but faire greene colour on the vpperside, and paler vnderneath, which are little or nothing at all snipped about the edges, as large as the leaues of the Laurus Tinus, or wilde Baye tree: at the end of the young branches breake forth between the leaues diuers small stalkes, with foure or fiue flowers on each of them, of a yellowish greene colour, which turne into small berries, of the bignesse of blacke Cherries, greene at the first, and red when they begin to be ripe, but growing blacke if they hang too long vpon the branches, wherein is contained a hard shell, and a white hard kernell within it, couered with a yellowish skin. This abideth (as I said before) with greene leaues as well Winter as Summer; and therefore fittest to be planted among other of the same nature, to make an euer greene hedge.
The Vse of Clusius his Celastrus.
Being so great a stranger in this part of the Christian world, I know none hath made tryall of what property it is, but that the taste of the leaues is somewhat bitter.
10. Pyracantha. The euer greene Hawthorne, or prickly Corall tree.
This euer greene shrubbe is so fine an ornament to a Garden or Orchard, either to be noursed vp into a small tree by it selfe, by pruining and taking away the suckers and vnder branches, or by suffering it to grow with suckers, thicke and plashing the branches into a hedge, for that it is plyable to be ordered either way; that I could not but giue you the knowledge thereof, with the description in this manner. The younger branches are couered with a smooth darke blewish greene barke, and the elder with a more ash coloured, thicke set with leaues without order, some greater and others smaller, somewhat like both in forme and bignesse vnto the leaues of the Barberry tree, but somewhat larger, and more snipt about the edges, of a deeper green colour also, and with small long thornes scattered here & there vpon the branches: the flowers come forth as well at the ends of the branches, as at diuers places at the ioynts of the leaues, standing thicke together, of a pale whitish colour, a little dasht ouer with a shew of blush, consisting of fiue leaues a peece, with some small threads in the middle, which turne into berries, very like vnto Hawthorne berries, but much redder and dryer, almost like polished Corall, wherein are contained foure or fiue small yellowish white three square seede, somewhat shining. It is thought to be the Oxyacantha of Dioscorides; but seeing Dioscorides doth explaine the forme of the leafe in his Chapter of Medlars, which he concealed in the Chapter of Oxyacantha, it cannot be the same: for Mespilus Anthedon of Theophrastus, or Aronia of Dioscorides, hath the leafe of Oxyacantha, as Dioscorides saith, or of Smalladge, as Theophrastus, which cannot agree to this Thorne; but doth most liuely delineate out our white Thorne or Hawthorne, that now there is no doubt, but that Oxyacantha of Dioscorides is the Hawthorne tree or bush.
| 1 | Celastrus Theophrasti Clusio. Clusius his Celastrus. |
| 2 | Pyracantha. The euer green prickly Corall tree. |
| 3 | Taxus. The Yewe tree. |
| 4 | Buxus arbor. The Boxe tree. |
| 5 | Buxus humilis. The lowe or dwarfe Boxe. |
| 6 | Sabina. The Sauine tree. |
| 7 | Paliurus. Christs thorne. |
| 8 | Larix. The Larch tree. |
The Vse of this Corall tree.
Although Lobel maketh mention of this tree to grow both in Italy, and Prouence in France, in some of their hedges, yet he saith it is neglected in the naturall places, and to be of no vse with them: neither doe I heare, that it is applyed to any Physicall vse with vs, but (as I before said) it is preserued with diuers as an ornament to a Garden or Orchard, by reason of his euer greene leaues, and red berries among them, being a pleasant spectacle, and fit to be brought into the forme of an hedge, as one please to lead it.
11. Taxus. The Yewe tree.
The Yewe tree groweth with vs in many places to bee a reasonable great tree, but in hoter countries much bigger, couered with a reddish gray scaly barke; the younger branches are reddish likewise, whereon grow many winged leaues, that is, many narrow long darke greene leaues, set on both sides of a long stalke or branch, neuer dying or falling away, but abiding on perpetually, except it be on the elder boughes: the flowers are small, growing by the leaues, which turne into round red berries, like vnto red Asparagus berries, in taste sweetish, with a little bitternesse, and causing no harme to them for any thing hath been knowne in our country.
The Vse of the Yewe tree.
It is found planted both in the corners of Orchards, and against the windowes of Houses, to be both a shadow and an ornament, in being alwayes greene, and to decke vp Houses in Winter: but ancient Writers haue euer reckoned it to be dangerous at the least, if not deadly.
12. Buxus. The Boxe tree.
The Boxe tree in some places is a reasonable tall tree, yet growing slowly; the trunke or body whereof is of the bignesse of a mans thigh, which is the biggest that euer I saw: but sometimes, and in other places it groweth much lower, vsually not aboue a yard, or a yard and a halfe high, on the backe sides of many Houses, and in the Orchards likewise: the leaues are small, thicke and hard, and still the greater or lesser the tree is, the greater or lesser are the leaues, round pointed, and of a fresh shining greene colour: the flowers are small and greenish, which turne into heads or berries, with foure hornes, whitish on the outside, and with reddish seede within them.
Buxus aureus. Gilded Boxe.
There is another kinde hereof but lately come to our knowledge, which differeth not in any thing from the former, but onely that all the leaues haue a yellow lift or gard about the edge of them on the vpperside, and none on the lower, which maketh it seeme very beautifull; and is therefore called gilded Boxe.
Buxus humilis. Dwarfe Boxe.
We haue yet another kinde of Boxe, growing small and lowe, not aboue halfe a foote, or a foote high at the most, vnlesse it be neglected, which then doth grow a little more shrubby, bearing the like leaues, but smaller, according to the growth, and of a deeper greene colour: I could neuer know that this kinde euer bore flower or seede, but is propagated by slipping the roote, which encreaseth very much.
The Vse of Boxe.
The wood of the Boxe tree is vsed in many kindes of small works among Turners, because it is hard, close, and firme, and as some haue said, the roots much more, in regard of the diuers waues and crooked veines running through it. It hath no Physicall vse among the most and best Physitians, although some haue reported it to stay fluxes, and to be as good as the wood of Guaiacum, or Lignum vitæ for the French disease. The leaues and branches serue both Summer and Winter to decke vp houses; and are many times giuen to horses for the bots.
The lowe or dwarfe Boxe is of excellent vse to border vp a knot, or the long beds in a Garden, being a maruailous fine ornament thereunto, in regard it both groweth lowe, is euer greene, and by cutting may bee kept in what maner euery one please, as I haue before spoken more largely.
13. Sabina. The Sauine tree or bush.
The Sauine tree or bush that is most vsuall in our country, is a small lowe bush, not so high as a man in any place, nor so bigge in the stemme or trunke as a mans arme, with many crooked bending boughes and branches, whereon are set many small, short, hard, and prickly leaues, of a darke green colour, fresh and green both Winter and Summer: it is reported, that in the naturall places it beareth small blacke berries, like vnto Iuniper, but with vs it was neuer knowne to beare any.
The Vse of Sauine.
It is planted in out-yards, backsides, or voide places of Orchards, as well to cast clothes thereon to dry, as for medicines both for men and horses: being made into an oyle, it is good to annoint childrens bellies for to kill the Wormes: and the powder thereof mixed with Hogs grease, to annoint the running sores or scabs in their heads; but beware how you giue it inwardly to men, women, or children. It is often put into horses drenches, to helpe to cure them of the bots, and other diseases.
14. Paliurus. Christs thorne.
This thorny shrubbe (wherewith as it is thought, our Sauiour Christ was crowned, because as those that haue trauelled through Palestina and Iudæa, doe report no other thorne doth grow therein so frequent, or so apt to be writhed) riseth in some places to a reasonable height, but in our country seldome exceedeth the height of a man, bearing many slender branches, full of leaues, set on either side thereof one by one, which are somewhat broad and round, yet pointed, and full of veines, thicke set also with small thornes, euen at the foote of euery branch, and at the foote of euery leafe one or two, some standing vpright, others a little bending downe: the flowers are small and yellow, standing for the most part at the end of the branches, many growing vpon a long stalke, which after turne into round, flat, and hard shelly fruit, yet couered with a soft fleshy skinne, within which are included two or three hard, small, and browne flat seeds, lying in seuerall partitions. The leaues hereof fall away euery yeare, and spring forth afresh againe the next May following. The rarity and beauty of this shrubbe, but chiefly (as I thinke) the name hath caused this to be much accounted of with all louers of plants.
The Vse of Christs thorne.
Wee haue so few of these shrubbes growing in our country, and those that are, doe, for any thing I can vnderstand, neuer beare fruit with vs; that there is no other vse made hereof then to delight the owners: but this is certainly receiued for the Paliurus of Dioscorides and Theophrastus, and thought also by Matthiolus to be the very true Rhamnus tertius of Dioscorides. Matthiolus also seemeth to contradict the opinion is held by the Physitians of Mompelier, and others, that it cannot be the Paliurus of Theophrastus. It is held to be effectuall to helpe to breake the stone, both in the bladder, reines, and kidneyes; the leaues and young branches haue an astringent quality, and good against poysons and the bitings of serpents.
15. Larix. The Larch tree.
The Larch tree, where it naturally groweth, riseth vp to be as tall as the Pine or Firre tree, but in our Land being rare, and noursed vp but with a few, and those onely louers of rarities, it groweth both slowly, and becommeth not high: the barke hereof is very rugged and thicke, the boughes and branches grow one aboue another in a very comely order, hauing diuers small yellowish knobs or bunches set thereon at seuerall distances; from whence doe yearely shoote forth many small, long, and narrow smooth leaues together, both shorter and smaller, and not so hard or sharpe pointed as either the Pine or Firre tree leaues, which doe not abide the Winter as they doe, but fall away euery yeare, as other trees which shed their leaues, and gaine fresh euery Spring: the blossomes are very beautifull and delectable, being of an excellent fine crimson colour, which standing among the greene leaues, allure the eyes of the beholders to regard it with the more desire: it also beareth in the naturall places (but not in our Land that I could heare) small soft cones or fruit, somewhat like vnto Cypresse nuts, when they are greene and close.
The Vse of the Larch tree.
The coles of the wood hereof (because it is so hard and durable as none more) is held to be of most force being fired, to cause the Iron oare to melt, which none other would doe so well. Matthiolus contesteth against Fuchsius, for deeming the Venice Turpentine to be the liquid Rossen of the Firre tree, which he assureth vpon his owne experience and certaine knowledge, to be drawne from this Larch tree, and none other; which cleere Turpintine is altogether vsed inwardly, and no other, except that of the true Turpintine tree, and is very effectuall to cleanse the reines, kidneyes, and bladder, both of grauell and the stone, and to prouoke vrine: it is also of especiall property for the gonorrhæa, or running of the reines, as it is called, with some powder of white Amber mixed therewith, taken for certaine dayes together. Taken also in an Electuary, it is singular good for to expectorate rotten flegme, and to helpe the consumption of the lungs. It is vsed in plaisters and salues, as the best sort of Turpintine. The Agaricke that is vsed in physicke, is taken from the bodies and armes of this tree. And Matthiolus doth much insist against Brasauolus, that thought other trees had produced Agaricke, affirming them to be hard Fungi, or Mushroms (such as wee call Touch-wood) wherwith many vse to take fire, strooke thereinto from steele.
16. Tilia. The Line or Linden tree.
There are two sorts of Line trees, the male and the female; but because the male is rare to be seene, and the female is more familiar, I will onely giue you the description of the female, and leaue the other.
The female Line tree groweth exceeding high and great, like vnto an Elme, with many large spreading boughes, couered with a smooth barke, the innermost being very plyant and bending from whence come smaller branches, all of them so plyable, that they may bee led or carried into any forme you please: the leaues thereon are very faire, broad, and round, somewhat like vnto Elme leaues, but fairer, smoother, and of a fresher greene colour, dented finely about the edges, and ending in a sharpe point: the flowers are white, and of a good smell, many standing together at the top of a stalke, which runneth all along the middle ribbe of a small long whitish leafe; after which come small round berries, wherein is contained small blackish seede: this tree is wholly neglected by those that haue them, or dwell neere them, because they suppose it to be fruitlesse, in regard it beareth chaffie huskes, which in many places fall away, without giuing ripe seede.
| 1 | Tilia famina. The Line or Linden tree. |
| 2 | Tamariscus. The Tamariske tree. |
| 3 | Acer maius latifolium. The Sycomore tree. |
| 4 | Staphylodendron. The bladder nut. |
| 5 | Rhus Myrtifolia. The Mirtle leafed Sumach. |
| 6 | Rhus Virginiana. The Bucks horne tree. |
| 7 | Vitis seu potius Hedera Virginensis. The Virginia Vine or rather Iuie. |
The Vse of the Line tree.
It is planted both to make goodly Arbours, and Summer banquetting houses, either belowe vpon the ground, the boughes seruing very handsomely to plash round about it, or vp higher, for a second aboue it, and a third also: for the more it is depressed, the better it will grow. And I haue seene at Cobham in Kent, a tall or great bodied Line tree, bare without boughes for eight foote high, and then the branches were spread round about so orderly, as if it were done by art, and brought to compasse that middle Arbour: And from those boughes the body was bare againe for eight or nine foote (wherein might bee placed halfe an hundred men at the least, as there might be likewise in that vnderneath this) & then another rowe of branches to encompasse a third Arbour, with stayres made for the purpose to this and that vnderneath it: vpon the boughes were laid boards to tread vpon, which was the goodliest spectacle mine eyes euer beheld for one tree to carry.
The coles of the wood are the best to make Gunpowder. And being kindled, and quenched in vinegar, are good to dissolue clotted bloud in those that are bruised with a fall. The inner barke being steeped in water yeeldeth a slimie iuyce, which is found by experience, to be very profitable for them that haue been burnt with fire.
17. Tamarix. Tamariske tree.
The Tamariske tree that is common in our country, although in some places it doth not grow great, yet I haue seene it in some other, to be as great as a great apple tree in the body, bearing great arms; from whose smaller branches spring forth young slender red shootes, set with many very fine, small, and short leaues, a little crisped, like vnto the leaues of Sauine, not hard or rough, but soft and greene: the flowers be white mossie threads, which turne into dounie seede, that is carried away with the winde.
Tamariscus solijs albidis. White Tamariske.
There is another kinde hereof very beautifull and rare, not to be seene in this Land I thinke, but with MĘł. William Ward, the Kings seruant in his Granary, before remembred, who brought me a small twigge to see from his house at Boram in Essex, whose branches are all red while they are young, and all the leaues white, abiding so all the Summer long, without changing into any shew of greene like the other and so abideth constant yeare after yeare, yet shedding the leaues in Winter like the other.
The Vse of Tamariske.
The greatest vse of Tamariske is for spleneticke diseases, either the leaues or the barke made into drinkes; or the wood made into small Cans or Cups to drinke in.
18. Acer maius latifolium. The great Maple or Sycomore tree.
The Sycomore tree, as we vsually call it (and is the greatest kind of Maple, cherished in our Land onely in Orchards, or elsewhere for shade and walkes, both here in England, and in some other countries also) groweth quickly to bee a faire spreading great tree, with many Boughes and branches, whose barke is somewhat smooth: the leaues are very great, large, and smooth, cut into foure or fiue diuisions, and ending into so many corners, euery one standing on a long reddish stalke: the bloomings are of a yellowish green colour, growing many together on each side of a long stalke, which after turne into long and broad winged seede, two alwaies standing together on a stalke, and bunched out in the middle, where the seed or kernell lyeth, very like vnto the common Maple growing wilde abroad, but many more together, and larger.
The Vse of the Sycomore tree.
It is altogether planted for shady walkes, and hath no other vse with vs that I know.
19. Nux Vesicaria. The bladder Nut.
This tree groweth not very high, but is of a meane stature, when it is preserued and pruined to grow vpright, or else it shooteth forth many twigges from the rootes, and so is fit to plant in a hedge rowe, as it is vsed in some places: the body and armes are couered with a whitish greene barke: the branches and leaues on them are like vnto the Elder, hauing three or fiue leaues set one against another, with one of them at the end, each whereof is nicked or dented about the edges: the flowers are sweete and white, many growing together on a long stalke, hanging downeward, in forme resembling a small Daffodill, hauing a small round cup in the middle, and leaues about it: after which come the fruit, inclosed in russetish greene bladders, containing one or two brownish nuts, lesser then Hasell nuts, whose outer shell is not hard and woody, like the shell of a nut, but tough, and hard withall, not easie to breake, within which is a greene kernell, sweetish at the first, but lothsome afterwards, ready to procure casting, and yet liked of some people, who can well endure to eate them.
The Vse of the Bladder Nut.
The greatest vse that I know the tree or his fruit is put vnto, is, that it is receiued into an Orchard, either for the rarity of the kinde, being suffered to grow into a tree, or (as I said before) to make an hedge, being let grow into suckers.
Some Quacksaluers haue vsed these nuts as a medicine of rare vertue for the stone, but what good they haue done, I neuer yet could learne.
20. Rhus Myrtifolia. The Mirtle leafed Sumach.
This lowe shrubbe groweth seldome to the height of a man, hauing many slender branches, and long winged leaues set thereon, euery one whereof is of the bignesse of the broad or large Mirtle leafe, and set by couples all the length of the ribbe, running through the middle of them. It beareth diuers flowers at the tops of the branches, made of many purple threads, which turne into small blacke berries, wherein are contained small, white, and rough seed, somewhat like vnto Grape kernels or stones. This vseth to dye down to the ground in my Garden euery Winter, and rise vp again euery Spring, whether the nature thereof were so, or the coldnesse of our climate the cause thereof, I am not well assured. It is also rare, and to be seen but with a few.
The Vse of this Sumach.
It is vsed to thicken or tanne leather or hides, in the same manner that the ordinary Sumach doth; as also to stay fluxes both in men and women.
21. Rhus Virginiana. The Virginia Sumach, or Buckes horne tree of Virginia.
This strange tree becommeth in some places to bee of a reasonable height and bignesse, the wood whereof is white, soft, and pithy in the middle, like vnto an Elder, couered with a darke coloured barke, somewhat smooth: the young branches that are of the last yeares growth are somewhat reddish or browne, very soft and smooth in handling, and so like vnto the Veluet head of a Deere, that if one were cut off from the tree, and shewed by it selfe, it might soone deceiue a right good Woodman, and as they grow seeme most like thereunto, yeelding a yellowish milke when it is broken, which in a small time becommeth thicke like a gumme: the leaues grow without order on the branches, but are themselues set in a seemly order on each side of a middle ribbe, seuen, nine, ten, or more on a side, and one at the end, each whereof are somewhat broad and long, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and paler greene vnderneath, finely snipped or toothed round about the edges: at the ends of the branches come forth long and thicke browne tufts, very soft, and as it were woolly in handling, made all of short threads or thrums; from among which appeare many small flowers, much more red or crimson then the tufts, which turne into a very small seede: the roote shooteth forth young suckers farre away, and round about, whereby it is mightily encreased.
The Vse of this Sumach.
It is onely kept as a rarity and ornament to a Garden or Orchard, no bodie, that I can heare of, hauing made any tryall of the Physicall properties.
22. Vitis, seu potius Hedera Virginensis. The Virginia Vine, or rather Iuie.
This slender, but tall climing Virginia Vine (as it was first called; but Iuie, as it doth better resemble) riseth out of the ground with diuers stems, none much bigger then a mans thumbe, many lesse; from whence shoote forth many long weake branches, not able to stand vpright, vnlesse they be sustained: yet planted neere vnto a wall or pale, the branches at seuerall distances of the leaues will shoote forth small short tendrels, not twining themselues about any thing, but ending into foure, fiue, or six, or more small short and somewhat broad clawes, which will fasten like a hand with fingers so close thereunto, that it will bring part of the wall, morter, or board away with it, if it be pulled from it, and thereby stay it selfe, to climbe vp to the toppe of the highest chimney of a house, being planted thereat: the leaues are crumpled, or rather folded together at the first comming forth, and very red, which after growing forth, are very faire, large, and greene, diuided into foure, fiue, six, or seuen leaues, standing together vpon a small foote-stalke, set without order on the branches, at the ends whereof, as also at other places sometime, come forth diuers short tufts of buds for flowers; but we could neuer see them open themselues, to shew what manner of flower it would be, or what fruit would follow in our country: the roote spreadeth here and there, and not very deepe.
The Use of this Virginian.
We know of no other vse, but to furnish a Garden, and to encrease the number of rarities.