Chap. LII.
Pisum. Pease.
There is a very great variety of manured Pease known to vs, and I think more in our Country then in others, whereof some prosper better in one ground and country, and some in others: I shall giue you the description of one alone for all the rest, and recite vnto you the names of the rest.
Garden Pease are for the most part the greatest and sweetest kinds, and are sustained with stakes or bushes. The Field Pease are not so vsed, but growe without any such adoe. They spring vp with long, weake, hollow, and brittle (while they are young and greene) whitish greene stalkes, branched into diuers parts, and at euery ioynt where it parteth one broad round leafe compassing the stalke about, so that it commeth as it were thorough it: the leaues are winged, made of diuers small leaues set to a middle ribbe, of a whitish greene colour, with claspers at the ends of the leaues, whereby it taketh hold of whatsoeuer standeth next vnto it: betweene the leaues and the stalkes come forth the flowers, standing two or three together, euery one by it selfe on his owne seuerall stalke, which are either wholly white, or purple, or mixed white and purple, or purple and blew: the fruit are long, and somewhat round cods, whereof some are greater, others lesser, some thicke and short, some plaine and smooth, others a little crooked at the ends; wherein also are contained diuers formes of fruit or pease; some being round, others cornered, some small, some great, some white, others gray, and some spotted: the roote is small, and quickly perisheth.
The kindes of Pease are these:
The Rounciuall.
The greene Hasting.
The Sugar Pease.
The spotted Pease.
The gray Pease.