Of Lettuce.
Amongst the many numbers of Sallet-Hearbes I thinke it not amisse to beginne first with Lettuce, which of all other whose vertue is helde in the leafe, is most delicate, tender, and pleasant: the ground then in which it most delighteth, is that which is most fertile, best laboured, and of the finest mould, being soft, loose, and more enclining to moysture then drinesse: it may be sowne in any moneth of the yeare, from February to Nouember; it is very quick of growth, and will appeare aboue the earth in foure dayes after the sowing: it would at first be sowne thicke, and carefully kept with morning and euening watrings, if the season be dry, but not otherwise: after it is growne and faire spread aboue the earth, which will be in a moneths space or there-abouts, you shall chuse out the fairest and goodliest plants, and taking them vp with the earth and all, about their rootes, replant or remoue them to a new bed of fresh mould, and there set them a foote distance one from another, and fixe their rootes fast and hard into the ground: then couer or presse them downe with Tyle or Slate stones, to make them spread and not spring vpward, by which meanes the leaues will gather together, and cabbadge, in a thicke and good order, for it is to be vnderstood, that the oftner you remoue your Lettuce, the fairer and closer they wil cabbage. There be diuers which obserue to remoue Lettuce as soone as sixe leaues are sprung aboue the ground; but I like better to remoue them when they begin to spindle: they are most estéemed in the moneths of Aprill, May, and Iune, for in Iuly they are supposed to carrie in them a poysonous substance.
Of Spynage.
Next the Lettuce I preferre the hearbe Spynage, which delighteth in a well-dunged earth, and may be sowne in Aprill, March, September, or October: it would not be mixed with other séedes, because it prospereth best alone.
Of Sparagus.
Sparagus ioyeth in a fertill moist ground, the mould being made light which couers it, and the ground well dunged, the Spring is the best time to sowe it, and it must be sowne in long furrowes or trenches made with your finger, and not vniuersally spread ouer the bed as other séeds are: it loueth moysture, but may not endure the wet to lye long vpon it, and therefore the beds would a little descend it: must not be remoued till the rootes be so feltred together, that they hinder the new branches from springing vp, which commonly is two yeares.
Of Colworts.
Colworts or Cabbadge séede delighteth in any well husbanded ground, and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons as Lettuce is, and must also in the like manner be remoued, after the principall leaues are come forth, which will make them to gather together, and cabbadge the better: and as they may be sowen in any season of the yeare, so likewise they may be remoued at all seasons likewise, except the frost or other vnseasonable weather hinder you: and although some men will not allow it to be sowen in clay grounds, grauell, chalke, or sand, yet they are deceiued; for if the earth be well ordred, they will grow plentifully, onely you must obserue when you remoue them to let them haue earth roome enough.
Of Sage.