14 Thin setting and sewing (so the rootes stand not past a foot distance) is profitable, for the hearbs will like the better. Greater hearbs would haue more distance.
15 Set and sow hearbs in their time of growth (except at Midsummer, for then they are [too too] tender) but trees in their time of rest.
16 A good Housewife may, and will gather store of hearbs for the pot, about Lammas, and dry them, and pownd them, and in Winter they will make good seruice.
Thus haue I lined out a Garden to our Countrey Housewiues, and giuen them rules for common hearbs. If any of them (as sometimes they are) be knotty, I referre them to [Chap. 3]. The skill and paines of weeding the Garden with weeding kniues or fingers, I refer to themselues, and their maides, willing them to take the opportunitie after a showre of raine: withall I aduise the Mistresse, either be present her selfe, or to teach her maides to know hearbs from weeds.
Chap. 10.
The Husbandry of Bees.
There remaineth one necessary thing to be prescribed, which in mine opinion makes as much for ornament as either Flowers, or forme, or cleanlinesse, and I am sure as commodious as any of, or all the rest: which is Bees, well ordered. And I will not account her any of my good House-wiues, that wanteth either Bees or skilfulnesse about them. And though I knowe some haue written well and truely, and others more plentifully vpon this theame: yet somewhat haue I learned by experience (being a Bee-maister my selfe) which hitherto I cannot finde put into writing, for which I thinke our House-wiues will count themselues beholding vnto me.
Bee-house. The first thing that a Gardiner about Bees must be carefull for, is an house not stakes and stones abroad, Sub dio: for stakes rot and reele, raine and weather eate your hiues, and couers, and cold most of all is hurtfull for your Bees. Therefore you must haue an house made along, a sure dry wall in your Garden, neere, or in your Orchard: for Bees loue flowers and wood with their hearts.
This is the forme, a Frame standing on posts with a Floore (if you would haue it hold more Hiues, two Floores boorded) layd on bearers, and backe posts, couered ouer with boords, slate-wise.
Let the floores be without holes or clifts, least in casting time, the [Bees] lye out, and loyter.