Skerrets are a delicate roote, white, tender, and pleasant, little differing in tast or excellencie from the Eringo. They delight in a rich mould, moyst and well broken, and must be set déepe in the earth: after they be a finger length aboue the ground they would be remoued, and planted in a fresh mould, which will preserue them from spéedie séeding, for when they runne to séede, they loose the vertue of their roote. The moneths fittest for the sowing of them is March, Aprill, and May, and if you desire to haue them all Winter, you may then sowe them in September and October. And thus much for Sallet-hearbs, and rootes of all natures, of which kindes though there be diuers other, yet you shall vnderstand, all are to be ordered in the manner of these before rehearsed, that is to say, such as haue their vertues in the stalke or leaues, like Spynage, Sparagus, Purslayn, and such like, those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps, like Lettuce, Colworts, and such like, and those whose goodnesse liues in their rootes, like Raddish, Carrets, Skerrets, and such like.
A most necessary obseruation.
Now for a most necessarie obseruation, euery Gardner ought to beare this rule in his memorie, that all Pot-hearbs must be sowne thicke, and but thinly couered, as namely not aboue thrée fingers: all hearbs which cabbadge must be sowne thicke, and déeper couered, as a full handfull at least, and in their remouing planted thinne, and well fixt into the earth: and all rootes must be sowen thinne and déepe, as almost a foote either let into the ground, or strewed in déepe furrowes, digged and laide vp for the purpose, in which the quantity of your séede must onely direct you: for if you haue occasion to sow hardly a handfull, then you may set them one by one into the ground at your leasure, but if you haue occasion to sowe many Pecks or halfe Pecks, then you shall turne vp your earth into déepe furrowes, and in the bottome thereof scatter your séeds, and after rake it into a leuell, and you shall not onely saue much labour, but gaine your purpose.
Chap. VI.
Of Flowers of all sorts both forraigne and home-bred, their sowing, planting, and preseruing.
Hauing written sufficiently of Pot-hearbs and Sallet-hearbs, which are the ornaments of the Husbandmans Kitchin or Table, I will here speake of flowers, which either for their smels, beauties, or both, are the graces of his Chamber. And first, because my maine ayme and scope is English Husbandrie, I will begin with those flowers which are most proper and naturall for our climate, of which because I holde Roses both for their smell, beauties, and wholesomnesse to excéede all other, I thinke it not amisse to giue them the first place and precedencie before all other.
Of Roses.
You shall vnderstand then that Roses are generally and aunciently but of thrée kindes, the Damaske, the red, and the white, and what are different from these are but deriuations from them, being by grafting, replanting, and phisicking, somewhat altered either in colour, smell, or doublenesse of leafe.
Of the Damaske Rose.