21
If field to beare corne a good tillage doth craue,
what thinke ye of garden, what garden would haue?
In field without cost[E280] be assured of weedes,
in garden be suer thou loosest thy seedes.
¶
22
At spring (for the sommer) sowe garden ye shall,
at haruest (for winter) or sowe not at all.
Oft digging, remoouing, and weeding (ye see),
makes herbe the more holesome and greater to bee.
¶
23
Time faire, to sowe or to gather be bold,
but set or remooue when the weather is cold.[17]
Cut all thing or gather, the Moone in the wane,
but sowe in encreasing, or giue it his [bane].
¶
24
Now set doo aske watering with pot or with dish,
new sowne doo not so, if ye doo as I wish.[E281]
Through cunning with [dible], rake, mattock, and spade,
by line and by leauell, trim garden is made.
25
Who soweth too lateward, hath seldome good seed,
who soweth too soone, little better shall speed.
Apt time and the season so diuers to hit,
let aier and laier[18] helpe practise and wit.
¶
26[19]
Now leekes are in season, for pottage full good,
and spareth the milchcow and purgeth the blood.
These hauing, with peason for pottage in Lent,
thou sparest both [otemell] and bread to be spent.[E282]