The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) /

by Gervase Markham

To speake then first of the Damaske Rose, it is fit that all husbandmen know, that Roses may as well be sowne from the séede, as planted from the roote, Syen, or branch onely, they are the slower in comming vp, more tender to nourish, and much longer in yéelding forth their flowers, yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth, if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede, you shall chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged, and you shall cast vp your beds high and narrow: the moneth which is fit for their sowing is September, and they must be couered not aboue four fingers déepe, they must be defended well all the Winter from frosts and stormes, and then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next Spring following: yet this is to be noted, that all Roses which rise from the séede simply, their flowers will be single like the Eglantine, or Cyphanie, therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde, you must graft one into another, as you doe other fruit, and that will make them double and thicke: also you must remember that those yellow small séedes which are in the midst of the Rose, are not true Rose séedes, but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the Rose, which as soone as the leaues are fallen away, will open and shew the séede. And thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of Roses, which is for experience and knowledge sake onely, for indéede the true vse and property of the Rose is to be planted in short slips about fourtéene inches long, and the small tassels of the roote cut away, they would be set halfe a foote into the ground, in the same manner as you set ordinary Quick-set, and of like thicknesse, rather a little slope-wise then vpright: and though some thinke March the best season, yet doubtlesse September is much better for hauing the roote confirmed all the Winter, they will beare the sooner and better all the Sommer following; you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather, and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls, and such like couert where the Sunne may reflect against them, and if they be planted on open beds or borders, then you must with Poales and other necessaries support them and hold them vp, least the winde shake their rootes and hinder their growing.

Of the red Rose.

The red Rose is not fully so tender as the Damaske, neither is it so pleasant in smell, nor doubleth his leaues so often; yet it is much more Phisicall, and oftner vsed in medicine, it is likewise fitter to be planted then sowen, and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a little rough or grauelly, and the best compasse you can lay vnto it, is rubbish or the sweeping of houses, the moneths to sowe or plant it in is March or September, & the time to prune and cut away the superfluous branches is euer the midst of October.

Of the white Rose.

The white Rose is of lesse smell then the red, and will grow in a harder ground, his vse is altogether in Phisicke as for sore eyes and such like: it will grow into a Trée of some bigge substance, and is seldome hurt with frosts, stormes, or blastings: it would likewise be planted from the roote against some high wall, either in the moneth of February or March, and the oftner you plant and replant it, the doubler and larger the flower will be: for the earth it much skilleth not, because it will grow almost in euery ground, onely it delights most in the shadow, and would be seldome pruned, except you finde many dead branches.

Of the Cinamon Rose.

The Cinamon Rose, is for the most part sowen, and not planted, whence it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little, the delicacie thereof being onely in the smell, which that you may haue most fragrant and strong, you shall take a vessell of earth, being full of small holes in the bottome and sides, and fill it with the richest earth you can get, being made fine and loose, then take Damaske Rose séedes which are hard, and sound, and stéepe them foure and twenty houres in Cinamon water, I doe not meane the distilled water, but faire Conduit water, in which good store of Cinamon hath bin stéeped, or boyled, or milk, wherin good store of Cinamon hath bin dissolued, and then sow those séedes into the Pot, and couer them almost thrée fingers déepe, then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the earth, water them with that water or milke in which the seedes were stéeped, then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the ground, you shall take them vp mould and all, and hauing drest a border or bed for the purpose, plant them so as they may grow vp against some warme wall or pale, and haue the Sunne most part of the day shining vpon them, and you shall be sure to haue Roses growing on them, whose smell will be wonderfull pleasant, as if they had béene spiced with Cinamon, and the best season of sowing these is euer in March, at high noone day, the weather shining faire, and the winde most calme.

To make the Cinamon Rose grow double.

Now if you would haue these Roses to grow double, which is an Art yet hid from most Gardners, you shall at Michaelmasse take the vppermost parts of the Plante from the first knot, and as you graft either Plumme or Apple, so graft one into another, and couer the heads with earth or clay tempered with Cinamon-water, and they will not onely grow double, but the smell will be much swéeter, and looke how oft you will graft and re-graft them, so much more double and double they will proue.

Of the Prouince Rose.