Skerots, roots are set when they be parted, as Pyonie, and Flower-deluce at Michael-tide: the roote is but small and very sweet. I know none other speciall vse but the Table.
Sweet Sicily, long lasting, pleasantly tasting, either the seed sowne, or the root parted, and remoued, makes increase, it is of like vse with Parsly.
Strawberries long lasting, set roots at Michael-tide or the Spring, they be red, white and greene, and ripe, when they be great and soft, some by Midsummer with vs. The vse is: they will coole my Housewife well, if they be put in Wine or Creame with Sugar.
Time, both seeds, slips and rootes are good. If it seed not, it will last three or foure yeeres or more, it smelleth comfortably. It hath much vse: namely, in all cold meats, it is good for Bees.
Turnep is sowne. In the second yeere they beare plenty of seed: they require the same time of sowing that Carrets doe: they are sicke of the same disease that Cabbages be. The roots increaseth much, it is most wholesome, if it be sowne in a good and well tempered earth: Soueraigne for eyes and Bees.
I reckon these hearbs onely, because I teach my Countrey Housewife, not skilfull Artists, and it should be an endlesse labour, and would make the matter tedious to reckon vp Landtheefe, Stocke-Iuly-flowers, Charuall, Valerian, Go-to bed at noone, Piony, Licoras, Tansie, Garden mints, Germander, Centaurie, and a thousand such physicke Hearbs. Let her first grow cunning in this, and then she may enlarge her Garden as her skill and ability increaseth. And to helpe her the more, I haue set her downe these obseruations.
Chap. 9.
Generall Rules in Gardening.
In the South parts Gardening may be more timely, and more safely done, then with vs in Yorkeshire, because our ayre is not so fauourable, nor our ground so good.
2 Secondly most seeds shakt, by turning the good earth, are renued, their mother the earth keeping them in her bowels, till the Sunne their Father can reach them with his heat.
3 In setting hearbs, leaue no top more then an handfull aboue the ground, nor more then a foot vnder the earth.