Chap. II.
The forme of a Garden of herbes for necessary vses, with the ordering thereof.
As our former Garden of pleasure is wholly formable in euery part with squares, trayles, and knots, and to bee still maintained in their due forme and beautie: so on the contrary side this Garden cannot long conserue any forme, for that euery part thereof is subiect to mutation and alteration. For although it is conuenient that many herbes doe grow by themselues on beds, cast out into some proportion fit for them, as Tyme, Hissope, Sage, &c. yet many others may bee sowen together on a plot of ground of that largenesse that may serue euery mans particular vse as he shall haue occasion to employ it, as Reddish, Lettice and Onions, which after they are growne vp together may be drawne vp and taken away, as there is occasion to spend them: but Carrots or Parsneps being sowen with others must bee suffered to grow last, because they require a longer time before they be fit to be taken vp. Other herbes require some large compasse of ground whereon they may grow of themselues without any other herbes growing among them, as Artichokes, Cowcumbers, Melons, Pompions. And some will doe so with their Cabbages also, but the best and most frugall way now vsed, is to plant them round about the border of your plot or ground whereon you plant Cowcumbers, Pompions, or other things, in that by this meanes so much ground will be well saued, and the other things be no whit hindered thereby, which else a great deale of ground must be employed for them apart. So that by this that I haue here said, you may perceiue the forme of this Garden is for the most part, to bee still out of forme and order, in that the continuall taking vp of the herbes and rootes that are sowen and planted, causeth the beds or parts of this Garden to lye broken, dismembered, and out of the order that at the first it was put into. Remember herewithall that (as I said before) this Garden requireth the continuall helpe of soyle to be brought into it, in that the plenty of these manner of herbes and rootes doe so much waste the fertilitie and fatnesse of the ground, that without continuall refreshing it would quickly become so poore and barren, that it would not yeelde the worth of the seede. The ordinary time to soyle a Garden, is to bring in manure or dung before Christmas, and eyther bury at some small depth, not too deepe, or else to lay it vpon the ground that the winter frostes may pierce it, and then turne it shallow into the ground to sow your seeds in the Spring.
Chap. III.
How to order diuers Garden herbes, both for their sowing, spending, and gathering of the seede.
Ovr chiefest and greatest Gardiners now adaies, doe so prouide for themselues euery yeare, that from their owne grounds they gather the seede of many herbes that they sowe againe: for hauing gained the best kind of diuers herbes, they will be still furnished with the same, and be not to seeke euery yeare for new that oftentimes will not yeelde them halfe the profit that their choyce seede will: I say of many herbes, but not of all; for the best of them all hath not ground sufficient for all sorts, nor will our climate bring some to that perfection that other forraine doth, and therefore the seede of some things are continually brought from beyond Sea vnto vs. And againe although our chiefe Gardiners doe still prouide their owne seede of diuers things from their owne ground, because as I said it is of the best kinde, yet you must vnderstand also, that good store of the same sortes of seeds are brought from beyond the Seas, for that which is gathered in this Land is not sufficient to serue euery mans vse in the whole Kingdome by many parts; yet still it is true, that our English seede of many things is better then any that commeth from beyond the Seas: as for example, Reddish, Lettice, Carrots, Parsneps, Turneps, Cabbages, and Leekes, of all which I intend to write in this place; for these are by them so husbanded, that they doe not sow their owne grounds with any other seede of these sorts but their owne: which that you may know the manner how to doe, I will here set it downe, that euery one may haue the best directions if they will follow them. Of Reddish there are two sorts, one more early then the other: they vse therefore to sow their early Reddish first, that they may haue the earliest profit of them, which is more worth in one fortnight, then in a moneth after. And to effect this they haue some artificiall helps also; which are these: They vse to digge vp a large plot of ground where they intend to sow their seede a little before or after Christmas, casting it into high bankes or ridges fiue or sixe foote asunder, which they suffer to lye and take all the extreame frosts in Ianuary to mellow the earth, and when the frostes are past, they then beginne to bring into it good store of fresh stable dung, which they laye neyther too deepe nor too thicke, and couer it with the mould a hand breadth thicknesse aboue the dung, which doth giue such a warmth and comfort to whatsoeuer is sowen thereon, that it forceth it forward much sooner then any other way can doe: And to preuent both the frostes, and the cold bitter windes which often spoyle their seede new sprung vp, they vse to set great high and large mattes made of reedes, tyed together, and fastened vnto strong stakes, thrust into the ground to keepe them vp from falling, or being blowne down with the winde; which mattes they place on the North and East side to breake the force of these winds, and are so sure and safe a defence, that a bricke wall cannot better defend anything vnder it, then this fence will. In this manner they doe euery yeare to bring forward their seede to gaine the more by them, and they that will haue Reddish early, must take the same course. The other sort of Reddish for the most part is sowen in Februarie, a fortnight after the other at the least, and likewise euery moneth after vnto September, that they may haue young continually. For the blacke Reddish, although many in many places doe sowe it in the same time, and in the same manner that the ordinary is sowen, yet the nature thereof is to runne vp to seede more speedily then the other, if it haue so rich ground to grow vpon, and therefore the best time to sow it is in August, that so it may abide all winter, therein is the chiefest time for the spending thereof, and to keepe it vntill the beginning of the next yeare from running vp to seed: the gathering whereof, as also of the other sort, is all after one manner, that is, to be pulled vp when the pods change whitish, and then hanged vpon bushes, pales, or such other thing, vntill they bee thorough dry, and then beaten or thrashed out vpon a smooth plancher, or vpon clothes, as euery ones store is, and their conueniencie. Lettice is sowen oftentimes with the early Reddish, in the same manner before said, that they may haue Lettice likewise as early as the time of the year will permit them, which they pull vp where they grow too thicke, spending them first, and so taking vp from time to time, vntill they stand two foote in sunder one from another, and beginne to spindle and shoote vp for seede. In this is vsed some arte to make the plants strong to giue the better seede without danger of rotting or spoyling with the wet, which often happeneth to those about whom this caution is not obserued: Before your Lettice is shot vp, marke out the choysest and strongest plantes which are fittest to grow for seede, and from those when they are a foote high, strippe away with your hand the leaues that grow lowest vpon the stalke next the ground, which might rot, spoyle or hinder them from bearing so good seede; which when it is neere to be ripe, the stalkes must be cut off about the middle, and layde vpon mats or clothes in the Sunne, that it may there fully ripen and be gathered; for it would be blowne away with the winde if it should be suffered to abide on the stalkes long. Parsneps must be sowen on a deep trenched mellow ground, otherwise they may run to seede the first yeare, which then are nothing worth: or else the rootes will be small staruelings and short, and runne into many spires or branches, whereby they will not bee of halfe the worth. Some vse to sow them in August and September, that so they may bee well growne to serue to spend in Lent following, but their best time is in February, that the Summers growth may make them the fairer and greater. When they runne vp to seede you shall take the principall or middle heades, for those carry the Master seede, which is the best, and will produce the fairest rootes againe. You shall hardly haue all the seede ripe at one instant, for vsually the chiefest heads will be fallen before the other are ripe: you must therefore still looke them ouer, and cut them as they ripen. Carrots are vsually sowen in March and Aprill, and if it chance that some of them doe runne vp for seede the same year, they are to be weeded out, for neyther the seed nor roots of them are good: You must likewise pull them vp when they are too thicke, if you will haue them grow fair, or for seed, that they may grow at the least three or foure foot in sunder: the stalkes of Carrots are limber, and fall downe to the ground; they must therefore be sustained by poles layde acrosse on stalkes thrust into the ground, and tyed to the poles and stalkes to keepe them vp from rotting or spoyling vpon the ground: the seed hereof is not all ripe at once, but must be tended and gathered as it ripeneth, and layd to dry in some dry chamber or floore, and then beaten out with a stick, and winnowed from the refuse. Turneps are sowne by themselues vpon a good ground in the end of Iuly, and beginning of August, to haue their rootes best to spend in winter; for it often happeneth that those seedes of Turneps that are sowen in the Spring, runne vp to seede the same yeare, and then it is not accounted good. Many doe vse to sow Turneps on those grounds from whence the same yeare they haue taken off Reddish and Lettice, to make the greater profit of the ground, by hauing two crops of increase in one yeare. The stalkes of Turneps will bend downe to the ground, as Carrots doe, but yet must not be bound or ordered in that manner, but suffered to grow without staking or binding, so as they grow of some good distance in sunder: when the seede beginneth to grow ripe, be very carefull to preserue it from the birds, which will be most busie to deuour them. You shall vnderstand likewise that many doe account the best way to haue the fairest and most principall seede from all these fore-recited herbes, that after they are sowen and risen to a reasonable growth, they be transplanted into fresh ground. Cabbages also are not only sowen for the vse of their heads to spend for meat, but to gather their seede likewise, which howsoeuer some haue endeauoured to doe, yet few haue gained good seede, because our sharpe hard frostes in winter haue spoyled and rotted their stockes they preserued for the purpose; but others haue found out a better and a more sure way, which is, to take vp your stocks that are fittest to be preserued, and bring them into the house, and there wrap them eyther in clothes, or other things to defend them from the cold, and hang them vp in a dry place, vntill the beginning of March following, then planting them in the ground, and a little defend them at the first with straw cast ouer them from the cold nights, thereby you may be sure to haue perfect good seede, if your kinde be of the best: Sowe your seed in the moneths of February or March, and transplant them in May where they may stand to grow for your vse, but be carefull to kill the wormes or Caterpillers that else will deuoure all your leaues, and be carefull also that none of the leaues bee broken in the planting, or otherwise rubbed, for that oftentimes hindereth the well closing of them. Leekes are for the most part wholly noursed vp from the seede that is here gathered; and because there is not so much store of them either sowne or spent, as there is of Onions by the twentieth part, we are still the more carefull to be prouided from our owne labours; yet there be diuers Gardiners in this Kingdome, that doe gather some small quantity of Onion seede also for their owne or their priuate friends spending. The sowing of them both is much about one time and manner, yet most vsually Leeks are sowne later then Onions, and both before the end of March at the furthest; yet some sowe Onions from the end of Iuly to the beginning of September, for their Winter prouision. Those that are sowne in the Spring, are to be taken vp and transplanted on a fresh bed prepared for the purpose, or else they will hardly abide a Winter; but hauing taken roote before Winter, they will beare good seede in the Summer following: You must stake both your Leekes and your Onion beds, and with poles laid a crosse, binde your lopple headed stalkes vnto them, on high as well as belowe, or else the winde and their owne weight will beare them downe to the ground, and spoile your seede. You must thinne them, that is, pull vp continually after they are first sprung vp those that growe too thicke, as you doe with all the other herbes before spoken of, that they may haue the more roome to thriue. Of all these herbes and rootes before spoken of, you must take the likeliest and fairest to keepe for your seede; for if you should not take the best, what hope of good seede can you expect? The time for the spending of these herbes and rootes, not particularly mentioned, is vntill they begin to runne vp for seede, or vntill they are to be transplanted for seede, or else vntill Winter, while they are good, as euery one shall see cause.
Chap. IIII.
How to order Artichokes, Melons, Cowcumbers, and Pompions.
There are certaine other herbes to be spoken of, which are wholly noursed vp for their fruit sake, of whom I shall not need to say much, being they are so frequent in euery place. Artichokes being planted of faire and large slips, taken from the roote in September and October (yet not too late) will most of them beare fruit the next yeare, so that they be planted in well dunged ground, and the earth raised vp like vnto an Anthill round about each roote, to defend them the better from the extreame frosts in Winter. Others plant slips in March and Aprill, or sooner, but although some of them will beare fruit the same yeare, yet all will not. And indeede many doe rather choose to plant in the spring then in the fall, for that oftentimes an extreame hard Winter following the new setting of slips, when they haue not taken sufficient heart and roote in the ground, doth vtterly pierce and perish them, when as they that are set in the Spring haue the whole Summers growth, to make them strong before they feele any sharpe frosts, which by that time they are the better able to beare. Muske Melons haue beene begun to bee noursed vp but of late dayes in this Land, wherein although many haue tryed and endeauoured to bring them to perfection, yet few haue attained vnto it: but those rules and orders which the best and skilfullest haue vsed, I will here set downe, that who so will, may haue as good and ripe Melons as any other in this Land. The first thing you are to looke vnto, is to prouide you a peece of ground fit for the purpose, which is either a sloping or sheluing banke, lying open and opposite to the South Sunne, or some other fit place not sheluing, and this ground also you must so prepare, that all the art you can vse about it to make it rich is little enough; and therefore you must raise it with meere stable soyle, thorough rotten & well turned vp, that it may be at the least three foote deepe thereof, which you must cast also into high beds or balkes, with deepe trenches or furrowes betweene, so as the ridges may be at the least a foot and a halfe higher then the furrowes; for otherwise it is not possible to haue good Melons growe ripe. The choise of your seede also is another thing of especiall regard, and the best is held to be Spanish, and not French, which hauing once gained, be sure to haue still of the same while they last good, that you may haue the seede of your owne ripe Melons from them that haue eaten them, or saue some of the best your selfe for the purpose. I say while they last good; for many are of opinion, that no seede of Muske Melons gathered in England, will endure good to sowe againe here aboue the third yeare, but still they must be renewed from whence you had your choisest before. Then hauing prepared a hot bed of dung in Aprill, set your seedes therein to raise them vp, and couer them, and order them with as great care or greater then Cowcumbers, &c. are vsed, that when they are ready, they may be transplanted vpon the beds or balkes of that ground you had before prepared for them, and set them at the least two yards in sunder, euery one as it were in a hole, with a circle of dung about them, which vpon the setting being watered with water that hath stood in the Sunne a day or two, and so as often as neede is to water, couer them with strawe (some vse great hollow glasses like vnto bell heads) or some such other things, to defend them both from the cold euenings or dayes, and the heate of the Sunne, while they are young and new planted. There are some that take vpon them great skill, that mislike of the raising vp of Melons, as they doe also of Cowcumbers, on a hot bed of horse dung, but will put two or three seedes in a place in the very ground where they shall stand and growe, and thinke without that former manner of forcing them forwards, that this their manner of planting will bring them on fast and sure enough, in that they will plucke away some of the worst and weakest, if too many rise vp together in a place; but let them know for certaine, that howsoeuer for Cowcumbers their purpose and order may doe reasonable well, where the ground is rich and good, and where they striue not to haue them so early, as they that vse the other way, for Muske Melons, which are a more tender fruit, requiring greater care and trouble in the noursing, and greater and stronger heate for the ripening, they must in our cold climate haue all the art vsed vnto them that may be, to bring them on the more early, and haue the more comfort of the Sunne to ripen them kindly, or else they will not bee worth the labour and ground. After you haue planted them as aforesaid, some of good skill doe aduise, that you be carefull in any dry season, to giue them water twice or thrice euery weeke while they are young, but more afterward when they are more growne, and that in the morning especially, yea and when the fruit is growne somewhat great, to water the fruit it selfe with a watering pot in the heate of the day, is of so good effect, that it ripeneth them much faster, and will giue them the better taste and smell, as they say. To take likewise the fruit, and gather it at the full time of his ripenesse is no small art; for if it be gathered before his due time to be presently eaten, it will be hard and greene, and not eate kindly; and likewise if it be suffered too long, the whole goodnesse will be lost: You shall therefore know, that it is full time to gather them to spend presently, when they begin to looke a little yellowish on the outside, and doe smell full and strong; but if you be to send them farre off, or keepe them long vpon any occasion, you shall then gather them so much the earlier, that according to the time of the carriage and spending, they may ripen in the lying, being kept dry, and couered with woollen clothes: When you cut one to eate, you shall know it to be ripe and good, if the seede and pulpe about them in the middle be very waterish, and will easily be separated from the meate, and likewise if the meate looke yellow, and be mellow, and not hard or greene, and taste full and pleasant, and not waterish: The vsuall manner to eate them is with pepper and salt, being pared and sliced, and to drowne them in wine, for feare of doing more harme. Cowcumbers and Pompions, after they are noursed vp in the bed of hot dung, are to be seuerally transplanted, each of them on a large plot of ground, a good distance in sunder: but the Pompions more, because their branches take vp a great deale more ground, & besides, will require a great deale more watering, because the fruit is greater. And thus haue you the ordering of those fruits which are of much esteeme, especially the two former, with all the better sort of persons; and the third kinde is not wholly refused of any, although it serueth most vsually for the meaner and poorer sort of people, after the first early ripe are spent.