THE THIRD PART
CALLED
THE ORCHARD,
Containing all sorts of trees bearing fruit for mans vse to eate, proper and fit for to plant an Orchard in our climate and countrie: I bound it with this limitation, because both Dates, Oliues, and other fruits, are planted in the Orchards of Spaine, Italy, and other hot countries, which will not abide in ours. Yet herein I will declare whatsoeuer Art, striuing with Nature, can cause to prosper with vs, that whosoeuer will, may see what can bee effected in our countrie. And first to begin with the lower shrubbes or bushes, and after ascend to the higher trees.
Chap. I.
Rubus Idæus. Raspis.
The Raspis berrie is of two sorts, white and red, not differing in the forme either of bush, leafe, or berry, but onely in the colour and taste of the fruit. The Raspis bush hath tender whitish stemmes, with reddish small prickes like haires set round about them, especially at the first when they are young; but when they grow old they become more wooddy and firme, without any shew of thornes or prickles vpon them, and hath onely a little hairinesse that couereth them: the leaues are somewhat rough or rugged, and wrinkled, standing three or fiue vpon a stalke, somewhat like vnto Roses, but greater, and of a grayer greene colour: the flowers are small, made of fine whitish round leaues, with a dash as it were of blush cast ouer them, many standing together, yet euery one vpon his owne stalke, at the tops of the branches; after which come vp small berries, somewhat bigger then Strawberries, and longer, either red or white, made of many graines, more eminent then in the Strawberry, with a kinde of douninesse cast ouer them, of a pleasant taste, yet somewhat sowre, and nothing so pleasant as the Strawberrie. The white Raspis is a little more pleasant then the red, wherein there is small seede inclosed: the rootes creepe vnder ground verie farre, and shoote vp againe in many places, much encreasing thereby.
There is another whose stemme and branches are wholly without prickles: the fruit is red, and somewhat longer, and a little more sharpe.