better c. Graft a tree low and maintain only the lower boughs Low Trees and the lower boughs of high Trees have their fruit ripe somewhat sooner then the higher because they have some benefit by the reflection of the Sun from the earth as well as from the wall if they grow against a wall but that the fruits are greater on lower then on higher boughs I perceive not I am sure I have seen sometimes fair fruit on the higher boughs and bâ—t small on the lower in case the branches of a wall tree have been permitted to grow stright upwards without bowing down along the wall as most commonly they be and the reason is plain because the most and greatest quantity of Sap presseâ—h upwards leaveth the side branches indigent of Sap whereby they grow poorly and some die for want of Sap now according to the quantity of Sap in branches so are the fruits smaller or greater It is true indeed many little and low Trees if they be vigorous and shoot well bear very large fruits it may be larger then high Trees of the same kinds but this is not because low but because they are more lively and vigorous then the other And if we should graft a Tree low and maintain only the lower branches by continually cutting off the higher this would much enseeble the Tree by degrees by obstracting of the Sap and the fruit would be accordingly But the best way to order a Wall tree that shoots upwards strongly is to bow those strong branches along the wall both ways and then there will be as large fruits on the lower as on the higher boughs and sooner ripe To have Fruit in greater plenty the way is to graft not onely upon young stocks but upon divers boughs of an old Tree c. It is an excellent Experiment to graft the boughs of an old Tree that is a bad bearer or bears bad fruits with Grafts of some special good bearing kinds for this will have large branches and bear fruits even in a year or two so that it is a very unwise course of many who when some of their Trees bear not as they would have them cut them down and set young ones in their Room which cannot possibly attain the bigness of the former in many years Digging yearly about the Roots of Trees is a great means both to the acceleration and melioration of fruits c. Old Trees that grow in stiff cold clay grounds have most need to be dug about yearly that thereby the ground may be more open and mellow but for young Trees of few years standing especiall if in sandy mellow grounds these have little or no need at all of digging about To dig about Roses and such like which grow near the top of the ground I conceive it is needless for this work is chiefly to open the earth about old Fruit-trees whose Roots are grown great and deep that the Rain Snow and Sun in Winter may reach the bottome Roots A Fruit-tree almost blown up by the roots and set up again the next year bore exceedingly loosening the earth comforteth any Tree Trees blown down and raised up again and well moulded may root again if they be not very old and though digging about the Roots sometimes be good yet overmuch digging and loosening the earth about the Roots of Trees will cause many to be blown down by great winds which will not fasten again to abide a strong Wind in many years if ever To revive an old Tree the digging of it about the Roots and applying new mould to the Roots is the way and change of mould to the better is profitable Digging as hath been said with caution is very good and change of mould if to the better is also very advantagious to Fruit-trees in case the soyl be barren but if it be very fat as some is especially some particular places by accident then mould that is more steril and hungry will do better for overmuch repletion and fertility may hinder fruitfulness and cause the sap to run most into long shoots and broad leaves The shifting of ground is a means to better the Tree and Fruit and all things do prosper best when they are advanced to the better And a Nursery ought to be in a more barren ground then the places whither they are Transplanted It is true change of soyls sometimes is very good if to the better but is true also that if Trees grow in over ranâ— soyle then worse will be better that is will help more towards fruitfulness as a coâ—rse and mean fare is better for a â—at man thâ—n the more delicious Without controâ—versie young Trees out of barren Nurseries come on faster when Transplanted then out of fat soyls but in case the Nursery be fat soyle then some other as good must be laid to their Roots when set again Hacking of Trees doth great good to Trees After eight or ten years growth cutting or scoring or hacking the bark of Trees with a knife is profitable but while they are young the Barke is but thin and tender and enlargeth well enough without this cutting unless some that through barrenness of soyl or other cause are bark-bound and to such hacking and scoring is profitable Shade to some Plants conduceth to make them large and prosperous more then Sun as in Strawberries and Bays c. It is true Iays and Lawrel prospereth better in the Shade then in the Sun being hot Plants but Strawberries do better partly in the Sâ—ade and partly in the Sun then in Shade â—nly as among Bushes and other Plants I have observed those in the Shade to beaâ— little or nothing when others of the same kind and growth somewhat in the sun bore very much â—ulling off many blossomes from a Fruit-tree doth make the Fruit fairer and if some blossoms be not pulled off the first time a Tree bloometh it will blossome it self to death Commonly the fewer blossoms upon a tree the fairer will the fruit be because as the Author says of the plenty of sap And indeed in case a Tree newly planted blossome very much and the Root be but weak which may be perceived by the weakness of the buds then its best to pull off most if not all the blossoms but many I have known the first years planting take Root so strongly being in good mould as that they blossome and shoot forth and bear fair fruits the same year It were good to try what would be the effect if all the blossomes were pulled from a Fruit-tree for two years together Fruit-trees that beaâ— but every other year they for the most part bear that year very plentifully and tâ—e excessive expence of Sap that year its lâ—â—e makes the Tree the more feeble the nexâ— but if blossomes be pulled off a year or twâ— together I suppose the Sap would go
kinds of Mulberry-trees with us in England the Black and the White As for the White I never saw any of its fruit they very seldome bear well with us But the Black Mulberry-tree never failes of fruit after it is grown up These trees are not increased by Grafting or Inoculating but by Cuttings from the Branches or sides of the trees Cut a bow off as big as a mans arme and after cut it in small Truncheons or pieces a yard long or less lay these small and great in the ground a foot deep only the one end out of the ground a hands bredth or two or there abouts in good fat ground somewhat moist and after a year or two didivers young springs may be drawn from the Roots and Planted at a fit distance and the old Roots will yearly send out more also the branches may be bowed down and layd in the earth on one or several sides which will take root and multiply abudantly and be fit to be transplanted Medlers may be grafted and they take well upon a White thorne but I much rather approve the Grafting or Inoculating of them upon Pear-stocks and the fruit will be much better and the trees much larger then upon White-thorne Walnut-trees are propagated from the Nuts which may be set from the time of ripeness until the spring an inch deep or little more and afterwards transplanted and set at a very great distance 24. or 30. yards asunder for they are very large spreading trees But if they are planted on the North or East-sides for shelter then set them nearer Be sure to chuse of the best Nuts to set the fairest Nuts and thinnest shells and good bearers Thus much briefly concerning the best bearing Trees and how they are propagated As for those Fruit-trees which bear but little or no fruits by reason that Grafts and Buds were not chosen from good bearing kinds wherewith they were engrafted I advise by all means to Graft or Inoculate such again though great and old Trees such whose boughs are as big as a mans hand wrist or smaller may be cut off and grafted in the Cleft with a couple of good Grafts of good bearing kinds but such Branches as are very great I should rather cut off a convenient height from the ground slope-wise that no wet may rest on the top and then after a year or two to graft the small shoots or branches that are put forth or some of them this is a better course then to graft such great Branches for that moisture will get into the top and rot the Branches and perhaps the Body too ere the grafts can cover such great heads As concerning Arbors Seats c. in Orchards and Gardens I advise men to make them of Fruit-trees rather then of Privet or other rambling stuffe which yields no profit but onely for shade If you make them of Cherry-trees Plum-trees or the like there will be the same advantage for shade and all the Fruits superadded All that can be objected is that Fruit-trees are longer in growing up then Privet Virgin-Bower or the like whereof Arbors are commonly made It is answered Though Fruit trees are something longer in covering an Arbor then some other things yet they make sufficient amends in their lasting and bearing fruits And besides such Cherry-trees and other kinds may be set about the Arbors as will reach and cover even the first year I Shall now give some Rules concerning Transplanting young plants after a years growth or more whether Inoculated or Grafted The time for this work in general is in Autumne when Trees have done growing and that is divers weeks before the Leaves fall Stay not as the custome is till November or after before you Transplant for the best time is about the latter end of September to begin and so on all the Winter It 's a great advantage to remove plants betime for such grow a while after in their Roots before Winter and thereby not only preserve themselves in Winter but also make some preparation against the Spring which those removed in Winter cannot do Stay not therefore till the Leaves fall ere you remove although they may be remov'd then with good success but it is not so good at that time as before The ancient proverb is If a growing Tree would have Let him carry his green Leaves to his grave Yet notwithstanding those that have many to Transplant and cannot finish or have no leasure in this season which is best they may go on and be doing even all Winter until the very Spring unless Frost shut up the ground And notwithstanding Frost or Snow all the while if we can get into the ground and find the mould mellow so as that it will fall well between and about the Roots it 's then good removing Trees although the best time is to be prefer'd The time of removing being come and the place prepared for setting them again then be careful in taking up the Plants dig round about them and take off the mould from their Roots if it be a small plant it may be drawn up easily the mould being taken away if it be great and the Roots spread much then they may be cut about half a yard from the body of the Plant and the greater it is the further off cut the Roots and so draw it up and break off all the leaves the first thing you do if they be not then fallen off for the Sun and Aire by means of them extract the sap of the branches And here observe That the Great Plants are not alwayes best to transplant out of Nurseries into Orchards though most men are for the greatest when they may chuse and they think the bigger they are the sooner they will make an Orchard but herein they are much mistaken for in removing great trees there is great hazard and many of them fail and die and others grow very poorly putting out only leaves the first year or little more though some few in special good soyle may do well I account young grafted Trees fit to remove when they are about two inches in compass in the body and about a yard and half or two yards high those about this bigness I judge to be better then such as are five or six inches or more in compass with a proportionable height because these cannot possibly be transplanted but their Roots must be cut very much in the taking up and then how can those Roots so much cut be able to nourish so great a body with so many branches whereas young trees of a smaller size as before is mentioned these may be removed even with all their Roots which are young and small and may be spread in the earth every way when set again save onely the ends of the roots must be a little cut and these young and tender roots will sooner shoot forth in the earth then the greater sort especially also because
other Wall-trees they prune off most of the fresh young branches of the last years shoot and preserve the old and big branches suffering them to run up a great part of the wall without or with very few small twigs or branches Whereas they should still from year to year preserve the small shoots nailing them up to the wall yearly all or most from the lowest part of the Tree to the top and leave no part of the wall void of branches and cause the branches to spread along the sides of the wall both ways and not suffer them to run upwards too much Another Error amongst some is this They Graft young Plants that came of seed in the place where they were sowed before they have been removed whereby they would get good Roots And hence it follows That such thrust down a single Root or two commonly into Clay Gravel or moist ground c. which root or roots draw bad nourishment below the good soyle and thereby hurt the Trees and Fruits and in case any of them be removed afterwards being grafted they want good Roots for that they were never removed being young to get good Roots See how to order them pag. 83. Another is this Some also when they Transplant young Trees they usuall set them with all their Roots whereas the Roots of all Trees Transplanted ought to be pruned See how pag. 83. Another Error is this Many break off all the Buds upon the stocks that are engrafted before the grafts put forth which endangers both Stock and Graft For Buds upon the stocks should be let alone all or most until the Grafts have put forth and be able to draw up sap and then break off all the buds below the Grafts that they may have all the sap Another Error in practise is this Many when they Graft great Trees which are unfruitful or bear bad fruits they graft upon their bodies round about between the bark and the wood Now Trees thus grafted will not of many years and some never cover the head in the grafted place but water gets in and rots the Tree whereas its much better to graft the small branches or if those be too high then to cut off the body two yards high slopewise and to cut it smooth that no rain or wet may rest on the head and the next year after to graft the small shoots which will in a few years be a large head again Situation of an Orchard HAving before spoken of sowing setting Grafting and ordering of fruit-trees I think good now to speak somewhat of the site soyle shelters and some other advantages of an Orchard and Garden and also of planting Fruit-trees in the fields and in the hedges and mounds about the fields whereby double treble or manifold profit may be made of Lands to what is usually in most places made especially by â—ider and Perry to the great advantage of the owners and of the Common-wealth with planting of wood for buildâ—ng fâ—ed and other uses And also of divers other things promiscuously in reference to Fruit-trees and Fruits And alâ—hough some of the ensuing particulars are touchâ— upon already yet I thought good to mention them again with some addiâ—ion seeing they are very material yet all very briefly What Situation is best for an Orchard Concerning the Site or Situation of an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees the best and fittest situation is upon a ground somewhat shelving or declining upon the South-East Sun for as the South-side is the warmest and hottest so also it is observed by Experience that the Morning or East Sun is better then the West Sun it does cherish and ripen fruits sooner then the Afternoon Sun though that be good also And if the ground somewhat shelve or hang towards the South-East it has an advantage of level or plain ground though that be good too for the Sun-beames are more direct and so more strong upon such a ground then upon a level such a ground is fitted to the Aspect of the Sun which is Coelum cum terra maritare vel societatem perquirere coeli terre ad arbores To Marry Heaven and Earth together or to obtain a mutual Society of Heaven and Earth for the benefit of Fruit-trees What Soyle is best for an Orchard As for the soyle of an Orchard the best is a deep sound land either a black or brown mould if with a mixture of sand so much the better In such ground so lying as before Fruit-trees will attain to a very great bigness and consequently will last much longer then the same kinds of Trees upon a shallow gravelly ground or upon a clay cold or wet ground Fruit-trees where they grow upon a warm ground and upon the South-East Sunne as the Trees grow great and live-long so also the fruit is greater and better and much more in quantity then upon poor gravel wet cold or clay grounds Howsoever men that have not the best must be content to Plant upon what they have and endeavour to amend it as they can Cold and moist ground Grounds that are overmoist and cold must be not onely trenched in several places to draw the water into the Trenches from the Roots of the Trees but also it will be convenient to mix sand ashes or such like hot and dry soyls with such ground if these or some such means be not used the Roots of the Trees upon this kind of ground will be chil'd and lie cold and cause the Trees to be Mossy and the fruit to be more spongy and waterish not so good tasted Fruit as if the Trees grew upon warmer and dryer ground Hot and dry grounds Fruit-trees upon hot dry sandy shallow grounds have need of some current of water now and then to runne over such grounds if it be possible to have it so or else paines must be taken to bring water some other way water out of Pools or Ponds that runs from dunghills is special good for this purpose which does not only moisten but makes the ground fertil also Cold Clay grounds If the Land whereon Fruit-trees are or shall be planted be Clay grounds a shallow crust of indifferent good soyle it may be on the top and Clay barren soyle underneath as is often seen then there is need of some Composts of contrary natures to be mixt among with this stiff cold barren ground as Sand Ashes of all kinds a convenient quantity of Lime Cbalk or any thing that is of an hot and opening nature Yea and let men do what they can to mend this kind of land yet the Trees will still be mossy and but small Trees in comparison of the same kind of Trees upon good sound deep fertil soyle Stony gravel ground As for gravel grounds they are as bad as any in some respects for a tree cannot root to any great bigness in such grounds and if muck and other soyles be laid to the Trees the Gravel will eat it up and
and all sorts of Wood. ANd now I shall make some small digression and step a little aside out of the Orchard and Garden to give a word of encouragement and direction for the planting of several sorts of Wood and Timber especially Oak Ash Elme and other useful wood for building fire and other purposes I have planted and ordered these kinds of Trees as well as Fruit-trees Hereby men may by the blessing of God exceedingly advantage themselves their posterity and the whole Nation Besides the usefulness of the Wood and Timber store of Hogs might be kept with the Mast which makes their flesh very sweet fat and good and some say Sheep and Poultry will feed upon the Mast. Land not worth 28. an Acre made worth 4 or 5 l. in few years The charge and labour is but small but the profit in time yea in few years will be exceeding great Mr. Blith in his Improver Improved affirms that even boggy land not worth above two shillings an Acre by planting it with Willow Sallow and such like Wood and draining of it deep may be worth near five pounds an Acre and that in 7 or 8 years See pag. 160. of his Book Wood on good Land worth 60 l. an Acre But upon better land the advance and profit would be much more Upon some warm good land wood being planted may be worth threescore pounds an Acre and that in 11 or 12 years and as much in fewer years afterwards see the proof and experiment hereof heretofore made by Mr. Cartwright at Billing in Northamptonshire Improver Improved pag. 157 158 c. An 100 Ashes sold for 500 l. See the experiment of a Gentleman that planted an hundred Ashes and lived to see them grow to that bigness that he sold them for five hundred pounds at fifty years growth Improver Improved pag. 163. Fifty thousand pounds worth of Wood in an Age by one man It is Recorded that another Gentleman together with his workmen planted so much Wood in his life time that he would not take fifty thousand pounds for it See Improver Improved pag. 163. A necessity of Planting Wood. Many more particular instances of Experiments might be brought of the great profits of Planting Wood and but few men but see and hear of advantages this way so that we have encouragements enough to this work especially if we consider the great necessity there is of planting all sorts of Wood in this Nation Wood and Timber being destroyed and wasted every where and grows very scarce and dear and so will be more and more every year unless men set in good earnest to this work It is desired the higher Powers would enjoyn this work And because men generally have been and will be negligent in this great and important business through misapprehensions of it and carnal selfish Principles for that they cannot reap all the benefit themselves it is much to be desired that the Higher Powers would by a Law or Injunction set men to this work which would be of exceeding advantage to the present and future Generations Reasons for it 1. First because Timber and all sorts of Wood hath been of late times very much wasted and destroyed and unless men set to this work succeeding Ages will very much want timber for building ships houses and other necessarie uses 2. Secondly by reason of the great waste of Wood and no care to Plant more fuel is grown scarce and dear especially in many places so that the poorer sort of people make lamentable mone for want of fire in cold long Winters whereas by diligent planting there would be fuel enough for all people 3. Thirdly except there be more planting the Tanners trade so necessary in the Commonweal is like to fail very much Bark is at a very great rate already and grows yearly dearer because scarce 4. Fourthly By planting Trees in the Mounds the fields would be much warmer in Winter and cooler in Sommer and consequently Cattle and all commodities there would prosper and come on the better Other Nations look more after Planting It is Recorded That the Romans did in Ancient time and Venice at this day appoint Officers on purpose to take care of the Woods that there be Planting as there is cutting down and so a supply continually for all purposes There is a Law in Spain that he that â—uts down own Tree shall plant three for it How to have great store of young Oakes Ashes c. Now that men may have great store of young Sets and Plants to make Woods and Groves or to plant in the fields and mounds They must in Autumne when the Seed is ripe gather abundance of Mast or Acorns from the best and straightest Oake Trees And also great store of Ash keyes Cycamore and Mast of the Beach-tree and other seeds and sow these in ground Plowed or dug up for that purpose and keep them with weeding and some may be drawn the first year others as they grow fit to transplant abroad and by this means a world of goodly young Trees may be raised Most Ash-keys will lie in the ground until the second Spring and then come up abundantly Elme Plants As for young sets of the Elme many come up from the roots of Trees of themselves But that we may have abundance this must be done Bare the Roots of some Elme-trees and cut some of the roots about a foot or half a yard from the body quite asunder and the same will shoot forth multitudes of young Plants having small Roots which may be cut off with a Chisel or Knife and planted in a piece of ground as a Nursery until they be grown big enough to Transplant abroad into the Fields Cut not the Tops Cut none of the tops of any young Tree that you intend for Timber for cutting the top will make it spread too much and besides Ashes Cycamores and some other kinds have wide great piths and wet getting in rots some part of the Tree and hinders its growth Draw many and leave the rest Out of a piece of ground sowed with Mast and other Seeds abundance of young Plants may be drawn and enough left which need not at all be removed but are to be pruned up for Timber or other purposes Willow Osier Withy Sally c. As for Willowes Osiers Sallies c. and such like they will grow of cuttings long or short The Willow especially is a very profitable Wood and is of as speedy a growth as any whatsoever it is profitable for firing and divers other purposes This must be planted on moist land The worst boggy land especially if Treched will become very profitable by this means Sallies and such as bear Palms early in the year are not only profitable in the Wood but also for Bees in hony and wax from which they have their first provision in the Spring Soyle best for a Plantation Concerning the Soyle or ground for a Plantation of Oak Elm Beach Ash c. We
bark of Trees p. 139 Destroy Catterpillers in breeding p. 140 Preserve the fruits from Ants Erewigs Snails Wasps Birds and Winds as much as may be p. 141 142 Apples best for Cider p. 144 Increase the best kinds for Cider p. 145 Some Cider sooner ready then other kinds p. 145 How to make Cider and Perry p. 146 Of Botling Cider p. 147 How to keep Bottles of Cider p. 147 Of the healthfulness of Cider p. 148 How to keep Apples p. 151 Apples are singular good to cure the Strangury and other diseases proceeding of the difficulty of making water see how ordered p. 153 Pears are more nourishing than Apples p. 154 A Wine of Pears not inferior to French-Wines p. 154 Quinces Cordial Fruits and of manifold uses p. 155 How to keep Quinces a year or two p. 156 Cherries breed good blood in the body p. 156 A pleasant refreshing Wine made of Cherries more fit for Sommer than hot Wines p. 157 Cherries boyled in broths and drinks good for hot and feaverish bodies p. 158 Kernels of Cherry-stones break the bladder stone p. 158 Plums cast out chollerick humours and are good in hot diseases p. 158 The infusion of dried Aprecots is profitable in sharp feavers p. 159 Peaches cool and keep the belly soluble eat them as all other fruits moderately and drink a cup of Wine after p. 160 Wine of Mulberries a small quantity of juice will colour White-wine Cider Perry c. and makes a pleasant sauce p. 1â—0 Iuice of Mulberries good against a sore mouth or throat they stir up a languishing appetite p. 161 Figs nourish much and breed store of blood are accounted restorative they help an old cough boyled with Isop are for many other purposes p. 161 Medlers fortifie digestion stay vomiting and loosness of the belly kernels with parsly roots c. mightily drive out stones and gravel from the kidnies p. 162 Walnuts help digestion with other things they resist Poyson green Walnuts distilled preserve against the Pestilence p. 163 Errors discovered concerning the Art of Planting First in the writings of some Secondly in the practise of others see the particulars p. 165 166 167 c. Scituation of an Orchardâ— p. 212 Soyle of an Orchard p. 213 Cold and moist grounds p. 215 Hot and dry grounds p. 215 Cold clay grounds p. 215 Stony gravel grounds p. 216 Low bottome grounds p. 216 Shelters for an Orchard p. 217 Walnut-trees good shelters p. 218 Quantity of ground for an Orchard p. 220 Such as begin to Plant soonest will have most profit p. 220 Great profits with little cost and pains p. 221 Orchard and garden on the South side p. 221 Build the House in the midst of the Orchard p. 222 Sweet fresh Air conduceth to health and long life more than diet p. 222 Many stocks of Bees may be kept in a great Oâ—chard p. 223 Plant Fruit-trees in the Fields and Hedges p. 224 Observe right kinds of Trees p. 224 Plant high Trees in Fields p. 225 Manner of Planting in the Fields p. 226 Shade and droppings no considerable prejudice p. 227 Great profit of Fruit-trees by Cider and Perry p. 227 Cider more healthy than other liquors p. 228 Long Experience proves the healthfulness of Cider p. 228 Windiness of Cider only at first p. 229 Cider of some Apples is cordial p. 230 Apprehensions of good makes men seek after it p. 231 Health and Long-life p. 231 Riches and Profits p. 231 The Philosophers stone p. 232 Let Landlords and Tenants agree to Plant p. 233 An increase manifold p. 233 Husbandry the end of mens other endeavours p. 234 Nations subsist by Husbandry p. 234 Plant Oak Ash Elme and all sorts of Wood p. 235 Land not worth Twenty shillings an Acre is made worth five pound in few years p. 236 Wood on good Land worth Sixty pounds an Acre p. 236 One hundred Ashes sold for five hundred pounds p. 237 Fifty thousand pounds worth of Wood raised in an Age by one man p. 237 A necessity of planting Wood p 237 It is desired the Higher Powers would enjoyn this work p. 238 Reasons for it p. 238 Other nations look more after planting p. 239 How to have great store of young Oaks Ashes c. p. 240 How to get Elme Plants p. 240 Cut not the Tops p 241 Draw many Plants and leave the rest p. 241 Willow Osier Withy Sally c. p. 241 Soyle best for a Plantation p. 242 Of Vine yards in England p. 243 Camdens Testimony of Vineyards in England p. 243 Mr. Parkinsons judgement of Vineyards in England p. 244 A Vine-yard must have all advantages with us p. 245 An Experienced way for good Wines p. 245 Various things Promiscuously 1 MAke some Wall-trees Dwarf-trees p. 246 2 Keep the ground bare under and about them p. 247 3 Wet grounds bad for Trees p. 247 4 Helps to Fruit-trees in bearing p. 247 5 Take heed that Pismires Efts and such like be not about the Roots of Trees p. 248 6 Fruit-trees advantage Grass some wayes p. 248 7 Fruit-trees profitable many ways p. 248 8 Helps for barren Vines p. 249 9 How to keep Grapes p. 249 10 Much profit by planting in one Age p. 249 11 Remedies against Coneyes Mice c. p. 250 12 To have Cherries and other Fruits late p. 250 13 Destroy Snails in Gardens p. 251 14 To have fruit grow within doors p. 251 15 Apples that have lain a certain time make the best Cider p. 252 16 Tun up Cider as soon as may be p. 252 17 What flags are best to bind withal p. 252 18 Fit grafts and stocks in bigness p. 253 19 Cut grafts in due Season p. 253 20 Seed-stocks better than wood-stocks p. 254 21 Weed the Nursery p. 255 22 Cut not off side-branches too soon p. 255 23 How to get great boughes with Roots from Trees p. 255 24 Look that seeds lie not above ground p. 257 25 Lay dung upon the Roots of new set Plants p. 257 26 Leave a Bud on the outside p. 258 27 Preserve some ungrafted Trees for Cider Sow Acornes Ashkeyes and other Seeds p. 159 A Table shewing the Principal things contained in these Experiments and Observations ACceleration of Germination by sowing seed upon a hot bed Page 2 Steeping of seeds kernels stones c. in Liquors before sowing to make them spring up the sooner p. 3 Watring of Strawberries to hasten ripening p. 4 Blood and other things applied to the Roots of Trees p. 4 Fruits upon the south and east sun ripen soonest p 5 Digging about the Roots of some Trees is profitable p. 6 Rose-trees bud forth in the house p. 6 Flowers with Bulbous Roots grow a time in water p. 7. Pease Radish c. Early p. 7 Water necessary to fruit-trees but not over much p. 8 Plants housed seasonably bud soonest p. 8 To make Roses come late several means p. 9 10 11 Stones Weeds Muck c. laid about the Roots of new set Trees makes
seeds and stones about a handful deep or less and after rake them all over and that none may be left uncovered sift some small mould with a Sive or besprinkle it with a spade all over them and so let them rest all Winter And carefully observe that Mice devour not the seeds in Winter if you perceive it set Traps and lay Rats-bane to destroy them Though you cannot see the Mice yet if they have been there as commonly they are it may be perceived by divers small holes up and down the seed-beeds where they have devoured the seeds and some husks will lie above ground In the Spring and Sommer let them be weeded from time to time clean and if the weather be dry let them be watred now and then and they will make a growth the same year according to the strength and goodnesse of the ground wherein they grow Plants comming of seeds or stones are far better then Suckers from Roots of Trees although such are good and useful for stocks also if they have good Roots In weeding the young Seed-plants some will come up with the weeds set them again almost to the top then water them and all the rest In Autumne when they have done growing let them be transplanted into other Beds of ground prepared for that purpose thus Let the ground be digged and cast into square Plots or long Plots as you will and laid level with a Rake then set the young Seed-plants therein in this manner Having cast up the Borders handsomely on each side stretch a Line from one side to the other then take a Setting-stick that is a hard piece of wood about a yard long with a handle at the top and made sharp at the end or pointed with Iron and thrust it into the ground half a foot deep or according to the length of the Roots close to the line and make holes all along from one end of the line to the other about half a foot or more as you will in distance And having prepared the Seed-plants by cutting of all the side Twigs and the ends or bottome of the Roots set them in order in the holes to the top of their Roots and close the mould about them Draw the biggest first and set them by themselves and the least by themselves Then take up the line and stretch it again about a foot from the other Plants and make holes and prune more Seed-plants and set them as before Let not the Roots be too long about a handful in length or less is sufficient for if their Roots be long and set deep the Trees afterwards are taken up with more difficulty Then take up the line and stretch it again a foot and half from the Plants last set that there may be a convenient space of ground to pass between to weed the Plants and to Graft and Inoculate them being grown fit And having made holes and pruned the Plants set them as before And thus set the Nursery throughout and many of these will be ready after one year to Inoculate and after two years or three to Graft Yea many may be fit to Graft after the first year and some fit to inoculate the first sommer Be sure to transplant all young Seed-plants for by that means they get good Roots which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part And being grown two or three years after Inoculating or Grafting they are fit to transplant to make Orchards or into Fields and Hedges at a competent distance as shall be shewed when I speak of setting Trees Thus men may in a few years prepare multitudes of Young Trees for themselves and others to give or sell as they please Some procure Crab-stocks from the woods and set them to graft on having grown a year or two but these stocks are not so good as those that come of seed We see by continual experience many are deceived by them though some may do well And further observe not only to remove all Seed-plants as before but let it be done the next Autumne or Winter let them have but one sommers growth from the seed before they be removed to be prepared in the Nursery unless they be very small for there is advantage in it above those that grow where they are sown two or three years before removing for these small Seed-plants are not only easily drawn up and easily set againe with a small Setting-Instrument but also their Roots being but short they taking Root and spreading their Roots near the top of the ground they are easily taken up and removed after Grafting having growen three or four or more years whereas such as grow two or three years upon the Seed bed before removing they thrust their Roots very deep in the earth and are not onely hard to be drawn up but likewise their Roots when set again must of necessity though a great part be cut off be thrust down very deep into the earth and then such spread their Roots deep for they thrust their young Roots from the lowest part where the Root was cut off and so they neither have so good nourishment from the earth as spreading below the best soyle nor are they so easily to be transplanted when they are ready as those other which are drawn the first year and set very small as before This is very considerable and therefore observe it I underwent great inconveniencies when I came to Remove some before I found out this observation NOw for the manner of Inoculating and Grafting these Plants being thus prepared and grown fit First concerning Grafting wherein we must consider the time February and March usually with most are the two cheif Months for Grafting but we may begin sooner and its best so to do especially with Cherry and Plum grafts If the weather be open without Frost in the begining of Ianuary or in December Yea I have grafted some with good success in November and sooner but in the beginning of Ianuary we may begin if Frost hinder not And such as have multitudes to engraft must needs begin early else they 'l want time Grafts of Cherry and Plum-trees must be grafted soonest because they bud sooneâ—â— And begin with them ere they begin to Bud forth and then with Pear-trees and Apple-trees Grafts of any kind may be gotten and kept many dayes or many weeks the one half in length being covered with mould bind not many together for if so those in the middle will dry and be spoyled in certaine dayes but lay them thin in the mould or they may be grafted immediately so soon as they are gotten Graft none but those of one years growth onely the last years sprout the fairest and thickest are best They may be carried many miles being bound up close from end to end in a hay-band or better in a Box of Mould or their ends stuck in clay and wrapped about that they bruisâ— not That this work
thin at the bottome Let the outside of the Graft be somewhat thicker then the inner-side unless the stock be very big if it be so great to pinch the Graft much then make the inner-side of the Graft thicker a very little that so it may preserve the outside from being pinched too much And in setting in all Grafts into the cleft observe this for a most special Rule to joyne the inner-side of the bark of the Graft to the inner-side of the bark of the stock that the sap may more easily come out of the Stock into the Graft to feed it for the main current of the sap is between the bark and the wood Some take care to set the out-sides even and smooth but that is an error in practice for we know the Bark of a big stock is much thicker then the Bark of a slender graft and if the outsides be smooth and even the insides must needs be uneven But I say to joyn the inner sides of both barks together all along the cleft is the principal thing in grafting of such big stocks The Grafts being thus placed in the Stocks and the wedg pulled out then Clay them close on every side an inch above the top of the stock to the bottome of the Cleft In chusing Grafts chuse not those that are very small and slender they commonly fail but take the fairest upon the tree and especially those that are fullest of Buds The tops of long Grafts are to be cut that they may spread the better and of such as are but short if there be blossom buds on the top as it 's commonly seen in Pearmains and many other good bearing kinds Graft every Cyence into its own kind as all kind of Apples together and also on Crabstocks which is the wild Apple Pear-grafts on wild Pear-stocks and the like of other kinds joyn not contrary or different kinds they never come to perfection as Cherry-grafts or Plum-grafts or the like Experience makes it manifest to be but lost labour they 'l grow it may be a year or two and then die And in choice of Grafts be sure to consider what Trees of all kinds are the best bearers some kinds seldom miss and some other kinds though good fruits seldom hit and therefore take information from those persons that know by experience the nature of the trees in this regard and accordingly choose or refuse grafts from them Observe the like in choice of Vines Such Grafts as are bound as is said of the two first wayes of Grafting must be unbound after a certain time when they have well closed with the Stock about Midsommer they will be fast enough upon the Stock so that they may without danger be unbound but if they be not unbound the band sometimes girds and dints in too much unless of some where the band rots or breaks and besides the winds when the grafts are grown big and bushy will indanger the breaking of divers of them unless they be unbound and also by some means supported and strengthened in the grafted place which may be done by tying a small stick to them a little above and as much below the place where it is engrafted but before you thus bind the stick to strengthen the Graft put a little clay round about the engrafted place being unbound it will cause the sap sooner to cover the head of the stock But if the Grafts be Grafted near unto the ground or not above half a yard high they will not be so much in danger of breaking by the winds especially such whose growth is most into one single shoot or two and such as grow but upon small or weak stocks as to such this labour in tying the Graft to strengthen it in the grafted place may be spared Those that are high stocks and of strong growth and shoot forth their Grafts vigorously and into a great head of many branches are most indanger of winds especially the West-winds which are commonly strongest for the first year and more a week or fortnight before and after Midsommer being they are yet tender and not well closed with the stock so that these especially must be taken care of in this regard only for the first year after there 's no danger at all of breaking by the winds Some kinds of Flags wherewith we bind Grafts are so tough and strong that they will not yield a jot nor break with the growth and swelling of the Stock and Graft as some other Bands do and therefore there is the more need to look to such to cut them or unbind them as before is said else they cause dints or circles in the place where they bind the barke swelling on both sides of the binding and this makes the Graft more in danger of breaking unless unbound and strengthened in that part as before After Grafts have had their full growth the first year they must be Pruned such as need Pruning as for wall Plants it 's no matter of how many Branches they spread more the better but for those that are Grafted low and yet must be made standards leave only one shoot the strongest and biggest shoot and cut off all the rest and let not that straight shoot begin to spread till it be an Ell long at least rather more and then let the Branches spread and enlarge themselves But herein observe that unless these young Grafts put forth a strong and lusty shoot do not prune off the side Branches left the body of the plant be too small and limber to bear his head as is often seen in a Nursery where plants grow close and neer together if the body be very slender then suffer some of the side twigs to grow until the body be of a sufficient strength to bear the top And from year to year prune off those shoots and branches as are superfluous and grow too near one another and preserve onely such as are fit to make the Tree of a comely form And if any spice up and shoot too strongly upwards in the middle of the Tree onely and spread not sufficiently as is often seen in Peare trees and some other trees cut off from time to time those strong shoots in the middle and still preserve the outmost branches for all Fruit-trees ought to spread as much as may be so that the branches hang not too near the ground And so much concerning Grafting and also pruning while they are young Plants I shall now speak of the other work whereby Fruit-trees are increased Inoculating or putting a small Bud into a Stock which as to the effects of it is the same with Grafting but differs much in the season and in the manner of the work The time for Inoculating Buds is about Midsommer a fortnight before and a fortnight after is the chief season though some Plants full of Sap may be done afterwards with good success upon young frim stocks even so long as the bark
other As concerning the distance of Wal trees they may be planted 2 3 4 6 or more yards asunder More or less according to the nature of the Trees and soyle For Aprecots and some other kinds of Plums grow much larger then some other Trees some Aprecot-trees in good soyle will spread 7 or 8 yards wide or more whereas the May Cherry-tree is but small at biggest it may be 2 yards wide or scarce above 3. It is the custome of late to make Cherry-hedges in Gardens and Orchards and hedges of Quodlings Nurs-gardens Plums Vines and such like Trees that may be kept by cutting and plaishing one branch within another from growing very large These are usually made along the side of walks or round about a Garden-plot and such a hedg is a very great Ornament to a Garden being ordered and kept handsomely Now Trees set to this purpose need the least distance of any other a yard asunder or an Ell or more or less according to the bigness and spreading of the young trees for these should meet or near it the first year which should be ordered thus Stretch a line from one end to the other where the hedge is to be made and set the Trees straight at the distance aforesaid Afterwards knock down a stake between each Tree then having straight long Rods or Poles of Ash or the like tye a row of them along from one end to the other about a foot from the ground fast to the stakes with Osiers or such like or else naile them which is better and another row of Rods a foot above them and so a third if need be according to the height of the young Plants having thus done spread and tye the branches and twigs of the Trees in order to the Poles but not too hard and draw and fasten some of them down close to the ground that so there may be blossomes and fruit from the bottome to the top which will be a most beautiful sight to behold in Spring and Sommer then after a few years the Stakes and Poles may be taken away and the branches platted and woven one within another from year to year and the superfluous ones cut off Yet notwithstanding what hath been said for a more then ordinary distance between Apple-trees and Pear-trees this may be said for neerness of setting That it is best for present profit for if Apple-trees Pear-trees c. be set 4 or 5 yards asunder there will be room enough for them for divers years perhaps it may be a dozen 16 or 20 yeaâ—s ere they meet and all that time a man have the fruits of them and then when they meet he may and it will be best to cut down each other or if they be not too great to remove them to some other place These Trees are the best to be set at large in Pastures and other Field lands taken up with large Roots and disbranched and set with 3 or 4 stakes about them that Cattle rub not upon them And although they be for nothing but the fire yet for that they will be more worth then they cost at first and all the fruits they have born to that time are superadded as for standard Cherry-trees 4 or 5 yards distance is convenient As for those who have but small quantities of ground to plant it will be most profitable to plant near together as may conveniently be not onely for the advantage of the quantity of fruit of each other tree which may afterwards be taken away but also that they may have variety of fruits even in a small compass of ground But those that have room enough I say as before let the Trees be Planted at a large distance one from another for the Reasons alledged pag. 65. Concerning Order in setting Trees though it be not essential to a good Orchard yet if men stand upon it they may measure out a square plot of ground more or less by a line and then measure the distance that must be between every tree according to the kinds that are to be planted and according to the goodness or nature of the soyle as hath been said And having measured exactly the square plot and the distance of the Trees set a stake or pole in the place where every tree must stand and dig the soile round about it a foot deep and three foot broad then set the four corners first then fill up the square plot on all the four sides with plants ordered as before and so go on to fill up all the other places in the Plot exactly by the line or by the eye if there be four or five persons to assist in the work And by this means the Trees will stand in Rowes every way This square once planted though but small at first may be enlarged every way as the ground permits or else the Orchard may be drawn out in length and yet the Trees stand in a right line every way by this means and if the Trees are set at a great distance one may be planted in the midst at equal distance from each one in the Qnincunx In setting all sorts of Trees consider what soyle they come out of whether a fat and forced soyle as divers of the Nurseries about London or some ordinary natural soyle If they come out of very good ground then procure as good or better if it may be had though but a little to lay next to their roots when they are set again Weeds Dung and such like laid on a heap will become good mould in a short time but such heaps lying together divers years are then special mould for the roots of young Trees at their first setting This should alwayes be observed To plant Trees in as good or better soyle being removed as that out of which they were taken For every thing in nature advanced to the better it is grateful and beneficial to it but if it be carried to the worse it is a check and repulse to nature and such a one as that if it be in any great degree it either much weakens it or quite destroys it Therefore chuse Trees out of poor soiles but if they must be had out of rich soiles then be sure to procure some more or less of as good or better then that out of which they are removed to lay to their Roots when set again For want of observing this course many hundreds of good plants have been lost from time to time The ordering of young Plants the first and second year of planting has an influence upon them many years which if neglected then the labour and diligence of many years after cannot countervaile it the ordering of Cattle while they are young either makes or marrs them so of Trees and other things in some proportion but after they have well taken Root the first and second year they will then grow in ordinary soiles the great danger is at first planting
is the most wholesome drink for melancholick persons and excels all other Liquors in goodness And the Cider of Pippins and Pearmains is most commended by some as containing in them more of the Balsamum of nature then other Apples Et humidum radicale oleosum spiritus vitalis vigore impregnatum preserving the radical moisture and vital spirits of the body which does singularly preserve health Ad extremum usque senium to very old Age. Secondly As Learned Physitians do approve of it for the most wholesome drink so also experience speaks and proves the same not only of many persons but even of many Generations in Hereford shire Worcester-shire and other Fruit Countries where it hath been and is of continual use Thirdly And besides the Opinion and Iudgment of Physitians herein and continual experience in the use of it for many years this also is a convincing Argument thereof God hath been pleased in his Wisdom Bounty and Goodness to mankind to create and give such Commodities in every Country and Nation as are most useful and best for the Inhabitants of each particular Clymate for instance in Spain Italy and those hot Countries they have Oringes Lemmons and Pome-Citrons which have in them the most cool refreshing juice and liquor of any Fruits which are most necessary for the cooling and refreshing the Blood Spirits and Bodies of the Inhabibitants And in the Northerne cold Countries God hath given them great store of Coles and Wood for Fuel which is not in so great plenty in hotter Countries So also for Fruit-trees some parts of Worcester-shire Gloucester-shire c. The ground does naturally bring forth Fruit-trees besides the labour and diligence of men in Planting the soyle is naturally fit to receive cherish increase all sorts of Apple-trees Pear-trees c. which bring forth abundance of Fruits whereof to make this wholsome and best drink Cider and Perry And England affords the greatest store of Apples and the best of any other Country which is an Argument I say of the profitableness and healthfulness of this Liquor for the Inhabitants of these Climates So then if health and long life be in esteem with men they must needs also value this means thereof the seasonable and moderate use of Cider and consequently Fruit-trees and the works and labours about them as conducing to those great and desirable ends Before you gather Apples to keep let them be ripe which may be known by the colour and by the seed cut some of them and if the seed be turned brown or somewhat black such may be gathered gather them in a dry day pull them one by one and put them into Baskets lined with Woollen cloath that they brâ—ise not Carry them into a loft or upper Chamber and lay them on Mats or Boards not on Plaister or Clay floors they will be moist Lay them thin not on heaps as some do let the windows and holes be open especially upon the North-side in dry dayes that the Aire and Winds may dry up their superfluous moysture Lay every kind by themselves and pick out all the leaves and such as rot from time to time Turne them sometimes and in Frost cover them with Mats Straw or the like If Apples offend any through wind eat with them Ginger or other hot Spices or Carroway-seeds Fennel-seeds or the like So Dodonaeus Quorum malignitas vel aromatis vel aliis corrigi potest Apples are prepared for the Table all the year long many wayes I shall not need to speak of particulars and are pleasant and healthful to the body Dulcia poma minus frigida sunt ac humida alimentum conferunt amplius quam caetera poma He sayes pleasant Apples are less cold and moist and afford more nourishment then others Concerning their Physical Vse Galen ascribes heat to some kind of Apples he speaks of their Physical propertie in relaxing the belly and sayes the acid acrid perform this but with some difference Haec cum calefactione Illa autem cum refrigeratione The Acrid do it with heat the other with cold Sweet Apples relax the belly more then other kinds A good Author says every sweet thing detergeth and relaxeth and therefore Pears which are generally more sweet then Apples loosen the body more then Apples Apples also help Concoction So Galen Post cibum statim dare ipsa c. taken after meat Nonnunquam autem cum pane ad ventriculum stomachum roborandum eaten with bread they strengthen the stomack So Avicen confortant debilitatem stomachi Galen says pleasant Apples are profitable in hot diseases Saepe in morbis afferunt praesidium So Matth Pomum coctivum non solum sanis competit sed etiam agris He says they are Cordial to persons in hot diseases Calidis cordis affectibus succurrunt Being rosted and eaten with â—osewater and Sugar and that the pleasanter kinds are helpful against Melancholy and are good against the Plurisie if roasted and eaten Glycyrrhizae succo saccharo â—irifice juvant With juice of Liquorice and Sugar morning and evening two hours before meat they wonderfully help Observe one special Physical propertie more of Apples set down by a Learned and Experienced Author These be his words The pulp of rosted Apples four or five if Pomewaters mixed in a wine quart of faire water laboured together and drunk at night last within an hour doth in one night cure those that piss by drops with great anguish and dolour the Strangury and all other diseases proceeding of the difficulty of making water but in twice taking it never faileth in any also the running of the Reines which I have often proved and gained thereby both Crownes and Credit So the Author Concerning Pears Gallen sayes they have like properties with Apples and what is said of Apples if we attribute the same to Pears there needs nothing anew to be said of them Quae de Maliâ— diximus si ad Pira transtuleris nihil erit quod nos de ipsis novum dicere oportet Avicen says Sedant Choleram they mitigate Choler Dodonaeus commends them above Apples for their nourishing propertie Alimenta Pira omnia amplius copiosius quam Mala conferunt So Avicen Humor eorum plurimus laudabilior est humore pomorum Pears make an excellent Wine being well ordered A late Author sayes we might have Wine of Pears and other of our Fruits not inferior to French Wines And another tells us that a famous Physitian of his time was not content to equal them with Wine of Grapes but preferred them before it in every thing Crabs or Wildings mixt with Pears make an excellent Liquor better then Pears alone I need not tell Herefordshire and Worcestershire men the good properties of Perry and Cider they know by experience it is both Alimental and Physical that it is not only for health but also for long-life and that Wines made of the best kind of
acquiramus novas Take away none of the Roots for it is a foolish thing to loose those Roots we have that we may get new This is a hurtful and dangerous Instruction for except some of the small strings and roots be cut away if there be many and all the ends of the great ones they will not put forth new Roots as they will if cut and multitude of Roots hinder the mould from closing on every side of every Root as it ought to do therefore some must be cut away and the ends of all that are left Experience proves this sufficiently Thirdly Columella giving instructions for choice of Grafts this is one surculi sint bisulci Let Grafts be double or forked So Ruelius This is a dangerous and hurtful instruction because forked or double or treble Grafts most of them die and those that live grow poorly not a fift or sixt part it may be so much as single and short grafts Fourthly Bapt. Port. giving Instructions for choice of Grafts says we must take surculos pregnantes turgentes Grafts full and swelling with Sap. This is a bad instrution for Grafts should be taken before they swell with Sap for it is a repulse to Nature to cut them after sap stirs in them neither will such take hold on the stock so soon as those which are indigent and needy of sap therefore let Grafts be cut from the Tree before sap stir in them Another says When Grafts put forth take away the Clay for Clay rather keeps moisture then drought save a little in the hole This is a hurtful Instruction for sap will not cover the head of the stock nor close up the clefts on both sides so soon without Clay as with it Clay is as a salve to a wound which heals it up and it rather keeps out moysture then otherwise if well closed and also preserves from dry Winds Sun and other annoyances therefore keep on the Clay a year or two till the head of the Stock be covered and the Cleft healed up Another says When the Grafts have well put forth underprop them else wrap them one within another and tye them with wood amongst for fear winds break them This is a very hurtful and dangerous instruction for all these wayes do fret and gall the bark and it may be breed the Canker And besides it hinders the young grafts that they cannot spread into an handsome form this course brings a certaine mischief to prevent an uncertain winds hurt but few except they be very top-heavy if so then cut some of the branches till they be grown stronger below able to bear the Top. Some Authors counsil us to cast glew into the place of Grafting to glew together the two substances or sprinkle Sugar Cinamon or sweet liquor that the fruits may retain the taste This is a hurtful instruction because liquor or any other substance put between the stock and the graft do hinder if not spoyle the joyning of stock and graft but if this might be done without hurt either to stock or graft yet would it be no way effectual for the End proposed Of this further see pag. 84. c. A late Author sayâ— Plant not against a wall because a Tree cannot be so long lived nor grow to the bigness it else would do This is a hurtful Instruction because many kinds of Fruit-trees as the Aprecock Peach Nectarine and divers other Trees will bear little or no fruit except they be planted against a wall And though it be granted that Trees planted against a Wall will not be so large as if planted from the Wall Yet I suppose it 's better to have a few small trees that bear store of great fruits then store of great Trees that bear but a few small fruits Columella giving Instructions for removing Plants says Mala aestiva Cydonia sorbe pruna post mediam hyemem usque in Idus Febr. serito Pyros Autumno ante brumanâ— serito Plant the Sommer Apple Quince service-tree and Plum-tree after Winter in February but Pear-trees before Winter This is a hurtful instruction as to the first part for Trees should be planted in Autumne as has beene said and there is the same Reason why the Sommer Apple-tree and the rest should be planted before Winter as is for Pear-trees See at large pag. 60 c. One adviseth thus Let the Orchard be seated on some Hill-top rather then on plain grounds for they have better Aire and better prospects and also contain a greater number of Trees then plain grounds This is no good Instruction for Orchards on low and plain grounds have many advantages of those on high grounds for the soyle of plaine and low grounds is commonly more fertil then hill tops Secondly low grounds are more safe from Winds then hills by reason of other Trees planted to secure the Orchard and by hills houses or other shelters hill tops can have no defence As for prospects on hill tops men do not plant Orchards for Prospects but for Fruits And as for good Aire I suppose there is better Aire especially at some seasons in the Orchard on plain grounds then on hills for in Blooming time winds would deprive us of the sweet Aire on hill tops but on plain grounds the Aire is more calme and the perfume of the blossomes stays within the Walls as within a perfumed Chamber Another Author says Set the stones of the Pear-plum a foot deep in cold ground This is a hurtful and dangerous Instruction For stones of any Fruits in any ground put a foot deep are rather buried then set for a man shall ne'er see more of them But set stones of any Fruits not above two inches deep rather something less One giving Instructions for Inoculating sayes Take off the bark just upon some bud knob and set the other bark thereon This is a hurtful Instruction for if the Bud to be Inoculated be set upon another Bud of the Stock then the Inoculated bud cannot possibly close unless the Root of it be out and if the root be out it 's spoyled that way The Author that talks thus had never any experience in the Art of Inoculating For buds must be set upon the smoothest part of the Stock that they may be sure to close Another sayes Set Apple-trees Twenty foot asunder This is a very hurtful and dangerous Instruction and the practise of it hinders men of Multitudes of Fruits We see that in many Orchards Trees are planted too near together it may be 4 or 5 or but 6 yards asunder which is too near together I conceive 8 or 10 yards or there abouts little enough for the distance of Apple-trees in ordinary soyle but if very good ground 14 or 16 yards or more if men have room enough for we see by experience that upon good ground and well-ordered they will touch one another at a greater distance And that a few Apple-trees having room to spread will bear more Fruits then 5 times
To this purpose Open the shell of an Almond and write upon the kernel what you will and wrap it in paper and set it in Clay mingled with Swines dung A late Author sayes Steep the stones of Peaches two or three dayes and then open them and with a brass Pen write on the rinde of the kernels after put them again into the stones and wrap them about with paper or parchment and plant them and the fruit will be written and engraven Is not this an odd conceit that writing upon the kernel should produce fruits written or engraven A man no doubt with as good success may ingrave or write upon the shell or huske of an Almond or other fruit as upon the kernel or if he will upon the paper or parchment in which it is inwrapt for the Rind of the Kernel contributes nothing to the Tree or Fruit but opens as the Husk or shell to let out the inner part of the kernel the vegetative vertue or internal form But if a man desires to have fruits with Inscriptions and Engravings he must take another course prescribed by a Learned Author upon better grounds which is by writing upon the fruits with a needle or bodkin when the fruits are young and as they grow bigger so the Letters will grow more large and graphical Concerning the second sort of Errors thus much It were easie to mention many more as idle as these but I shall not trouble my self nor the Reader with them at present onely I say in the general let men take â—eed of such things asserted by Authours â—â— have neither Reason nor Experience to uphold them lest they spend their money labour and time about them and instead of profits and pleasures find discouragements and trouble The third sort of Errors are Assigning wrong causes to effects One of these Errors is this some have conceived that Grafting is the cause of early bearing of fruits and doth much better all fruit Albert. Mag. says it 's better Propter digestionem Succi in nodo factam because of the digestion of the sap in the knot So also Cressentius and addes Et iste nodus facit diversitatem omnem quae est in Malis Pyris caeteris fructibus The knot which is between the Graft and the Stock makes all the difference which is found in Pears Apples and other fruits Bapt. Port. likewiâ—e ascribes all to grafting He says Trees coming of seed Longa est expectatio ad fructuum productionem Insitio vero in aliquibus eodem Anno producit Trees coming of seed are long ere they bear fruit but being Grafted some kind bear in a year or two So also Columell Lib. de Arbor pag. 490. Lo. Bac. wanted some experience in this point who sayes There is no doubt but that Grafting for the most part doth meliorate fruit and again Grafting doth generally advance and meliorate fruits above that which they would be if they were set of kernels or stones The cause saith he is manifest for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then in the crude earth I say herein these Authors assign a wrong Cause to an effest for simply grafting contributes nothing at all to the early bearing of Fruit nor to its goodness But the Cause is in the Nature of the Grafts if they be Grafts cut from bearing Trees and of good kinds they bear good fruits in a year or two but if they be Grafts from young unbearing Trees coming of seed such Grafts will not bear the sooner for Grafting it is not simply Grafting I say nor the knot as the Authors speak of that makes Trees bear one year one day the sooner for if so then grafts from young unbearing trees coming of seed grafted in the same manner and upon as good stocks as other grafts from old bearing Trees they would bear Fruits the one sort as soon as the other but it is otherwise so that the Cause lies not simply in Grafting but in the Nature of the Grafts Neither doth Grafting make Fruits at â—ll the better otherwise then as you chose grafts of a good kind for we know Grafts rule and keep their own Natures onely with some small advantage from the stock â—f special stocks or prejudice if a very bad stock And the Cause is not well assign'd by the Author who says It is for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then in the crude earth for we know the branches of an ungrafted tree receive sap not immediately from the crude Earth but from a stock or body as well as the branches of the Grafted-tree the stock of the Grafted-tree is a wild stock and of the same Nature as is the stock or body of the ungrafted-tree they are both alike and the concoction and nourishment in both is alike and the Cause being a like why is not the effect alike It 's plaine this is not the Cause but the Cause is in the Graft not in the stock though the nourishment be never so well concocted in the stock and the Fruit is not made better or worse simply by Grafting The Authour asserts this Truth plainely elsewhere The Graft saith he over-ruleth the Stock and again the graft will govern that is they keep the Nature and properties of the Trees from which they were gotten Another of the third sort of Errors is this A late Author sayes the Cause why Trees bear not fruit in a few years after Grafting is because they were grafted in the old of the Moon for saith he so many dayes as the Moou is old when you Graft so many years will the graft be ere it bear fruit The Cause is here mistaken for the Moon hath no such influence upon fruit-trees as to withhold their fruits in this manner Men we see by experience graft in all seasons of the Moon and find no such difference in the bearing of the Trees The chief Causes of unfruitfulness of Trees are when they are not fit for the Country where they are planted Secondly When the Grafts are chosen from young wild unbearing Trees or such as naturally bear little or seldome Thirdly Repletion or overmuch nourishment Fourthly Coldness or overmoistness of the ground Fifthly Frosts or cold winds in the spring Thirdly Another of the third sort of Errors is this Many conceive that Sap in Trees doth descend from the Branches to the Roots which causeth several effects as falling of the leaves goodness of the Roots of divers Plants for use c. but the Cause of these Effects is mistaken for Sap in Trees never descends but always ascends And leaves of Trees fall in Autumne not because Sap descends from them but because Sap ascends not to them sufficient to nourish or feed them any longer And if Roots are best in Autumne that is not Caused by descent of Sap but for that the Body and Branches of a Tree in Autumne draw but a small quantity of Sap from
see by experience they will grow and thrive upon almost any Land but a loose warm soyle is accounted best if it be shelving upon the Sun upon such a ground they will thrive much faster and the profits will be greater than on cold clay moist ground Howsoever plant any ground that may be planted the profits will be great and many to the present Age and to Posterity And now I return again into the Orchard and Garden and shall also speak somewhat further concerning Vine-yards which some are very confident may be made here in England with very good success and advantage IT is Recorded that many Vineyards have been formerly in England and that Tithes have been paid in some part of Gloucester-shire of Wine made of the Vineyards there See Mr. Hartlibs Legacy of Husbandry pag. 23 and 24. And that a Gentleman in the Wild of Kent maketh six or eight Hogsheds yearly of his own Vines that he hath one old Vine upon the sides and tiles of his House that yieldeth nigh an Hogshed of Wine in a year p. 26. Camdens Testimony of Vineyards in England Camden in his Britannia pag. 357. says That William of Malmesbery writes That there is no Country in all England so thick set with Vineyards as Gloucester-shire nor so plentiful in increase the Wines thereof made affect not their mouths that drink them with any unpleasant tartness as being little inferiour in sweetness and odor to the French Wines And Mr. Camden adds That this is the Reason why many places in that Countrey and elsewhere in England are called Vineyards And that it may seem to be the sloathfulness of the People rather then any indisposition of the Aire that this Nation yieldeth not Wine at this day Mr. Parkinsons Iudgement of Vineyards in England Howsoever Mr. Parkinson in his Paradisus Terrestris pag. 553. tells us he thinks it would be a fruitless labour to strive in these dayes to make a good Vineyard in England for that years are not now so hot as formerly And he brings experience into witness the thing That divers both Nobles and Gentlemen of late times have endeavoured to plant Vineyards and brought over Frenchmen to do it but could never make any Wine that was worth the drinking being so small and heartless that they soon gave over their practise And also One says in Camdens Brit. pag. 269. That we have had Vines in Britan since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit Now men have heard the Judgement of Writers and what is Recorded concerning Vineyards in England they may do as they see cause A Vineyard must have all advantages with us It is very probable that if some special Vines that ripens their Fruits early as some do with us were planted with all the advantages that may be as upon the side of an hill upon the South-East Sun upon on a hot sandy soyle the Vines kept short and low within a yard of the ground and the ground kept bare without weeds or grass it 's likely I say thus planted and ordered they would afford good Wines even with us in England Or if Vines some early kinds be planted upon the South-sides of houses or Morning Sun and spread upon the Tiles no doubt the Grapes will make good Wine but I verily believe that Vines upon level ground without the advantages before mentioned will not bring forth Grapes to perfection it 's likely such would make very good Vineger or Verjuice better then that of Crabs An experienced way for good Wines But seeing we have such a known Experienced way to make good wine in England of Pearmains Pippins Moyles Redstreaks and other Fruits we need care the less for Wine of Grapes the best that is said of the Wine that hath been made in England of Grapes is That is hath been little inferior in sweetness and odor to the French Wines but the commendation of Wine made of the best Apples is far higher viz. That it hath been esteemed by good pallates not inferior to the best Wine of Grapes â—all things considered yea hath been preferred before it See pag. 145. Hereafter follow divers Experiments and Observations promiscuously without dependance one upon another IT is good to Plant some Aprecot-trees Peach-trees Fig-trees and other kinds of Trees which we use to Plant against a wall upon Standards to grow somewhat low as Dwarf-trees if it may be upon the side of a South-hill Experience shews the Fruit will come to ripeness but be somewhat later and smaller however this saves abundance of labour and time and some cost in pruning and nailing the branches to the wall yearly The Fig-tree bears an excellent cordial fruit it doth sensibly refresh the Spirits after eating but eat moderately lest they make the blood to abound overmuch If the ground be kept bare with diging or paring often the fruit will be the fairer and sooner ripe the reflection of the Sun from the bare earth will be almost as strong as from a wall especially if beaten down hard after digging Moist waterish grounds are bad for Fruit-trees they chill the Roots and cause Moss upon the Trees and make the Fruits more cold and on a worse taste then the same kinds on drier grounds but if Trees must be planted on such grounds lay them as dry as may be by ditches and trenches in several places It will advantage Trees in bearing old Trees especially to put Pigeons dung Lees of Wine with some Ashes Brimstone or the like to kill worms about the Roots or to put some blood or pieces of flesh to their Roots also state Urin mixed is very good for them but yet beware of using too great a quantity of these hot things at one time some Trees have been quite spoiled with blood and such like in not observing therein a meet quantity and season Wine and hot waters refresh our bodies used moderately but otherwise are hurtful a man may be killed with Cordials if immoderately taken so of all other Creatures Also to water Trees in blossoming and knitting time makes them hold their fruit better If Trees thrive not nor bear well one cause among many others and not so much observed may be for that some hurtful creatures may breed and lie about their Roots as Pismires Toads Efts and such like One digging about the Roots of a Tree that did not thrive well found a very great multitude of Efts a great neast of them lying at the Roots which undoubtedly was the cause of the poorness of the Tree so of other such like creatures therefore once in 3 or 4 years it 's good to dig and turn up the earth about the Roots especially of old Trees and withal to put in some dung throughly rotten or fresh earth Fruit-trees planted in the fields make Grass to spring earlier in the year by reason they cause warmth and in a hot sommer they shade the grass when it is burnt up in some
of the Woods to graft upon for an Orchard but those kind of stocks are not by far so good as such as come of seed or kernels for many Reasons that might be shewed they for the most part grow poorly if they grow at all for very many die out right whereas Plants coming of Seed and ordered as is shewed pag. 83. grow vigorously and seldome fail as having better and more Roots then the other and besides they have an innate Spirit from the Seed whereof they came which makes them grow better then slip-plants from Woods or Roots of Trees And also they are worse then Seed-plants because they being commonly great ones must be grafted in the Cleft which often occasions rotting of the heart by wet getting in before the Graft can cover the head of the stock whereas Seed-plants being young may be grafted by packing on as is shewed pag. â—6 and so are sound Trees without any rotting at all Also Seed plants are commonly more frim straight and handsome then Wood-stocks and to be preferred before them in these and other respects In the Spring and Sommer keep the Nursery of young grafted Trees and stocks clean from weeds rake up all the weeds on divers heaps being pluckt up and let them lie till they be dead and withered and then scatter them about again for as it will be much labour to carry them off the ground so also it will much impoverish it seeing it must be weeded often in Sommer Young Trees that are grafted low and yet are to make Standard-trees these must be pruned up all the side branches a yard or an Ell high or as high as men please according to the place they are to be afterwards set in but in pruning take heed of cutting off the side twigs or branches too soon before the body be grown somewhat stiff and strong able to bear a fair head for otherwise it will be too top heavy if the side branches be cut off too soon the body will be weak and slender and the head bushie and too heavy for the body and so cause the Tree to grow crooked Boughs of 2 3 4 or more years growth may be taken from some Trees with Roots to be planted in other places as Dwarf-trees or in a Fruit-hedge Thus sometime in May or Iune take off the bark of a bough about an inch in breadth round about cut it above and below and take off all the bark between the two cuts then take an old hat or some old rag or cloth or any thing that will hold mould and tie it a handful or more below the disbarked place then fill it up with some good earth or mould as much above the disbarked place as below and let the mould be as much on one side of the branch as the other afterwards water the mould and keep it moist all Sommer by pouring in some water now and then And in Transplanting time this bough may be cut off below the disbarked place and set elsewhere in good mould which will bear in a year or two it may be in the next Sommer after if it Root well Now observe this cannot be done upon every Tree no kind of Stone-fruit neither Aprecots nor Peaches Plums nor Cherries nor so well upon many kinds of Apples or Pears which are of the harder sort of Fruit trees but it may be effected upon all kinds of Quodlings Nurs-gardens Quinces Gennet moyles and some other kind of Apple-trees that are of more soft and porous barks which more easily put forth or some knobs or roughness which turn to Roots afterwards And although there be Fruits upon boughs when they are so disbarked yet the fruits come to good perfection and the branches make a convenient growth the same year for the sap passeth up through the pith and pores of the wood Those Beds that are sowed with Seeds of any kind Apple-kernels Pear-kernels Plum-stones Cherry stones c. must be looked unto not onely that Mice devour them not as hath been said but also that they lie not above ground for though they be all covered when they are first sowed or set yet we shall find after a certaine time the Rain that falls will have wash'd off the mould from some of them which will lie on the top bare therefore take a stick or something else and thrust those seeds or stones that so lie bare above ground into the mould an inch or half an inch otherwise they are in danger to be lost In setting young Trees of any kinde take heed of setting the Roots too deep there is advantage in setting shallow if this course be taken That is after the Roots are well placed and spread every way and covered with mould then lay round upon the Roots close to the body of the Plant a barrowful of rotten dung or any fat soyle or for want thereof some Litter Straw Hay Weeds or any such like stuff upon and round about the Roots if it be half a foot thick or more it is better This as it keeps the roots warm in Winter and cool and moist in Sommer following so also it adds fatness to the soyle where the Trees are set and preserves them from weeds or if any weeds grow pluck them up and lay them upon and about the Roots of the new set Plants more the better This course we see by experience is exceedingly conducing to the growing and thriving of Trees newly Planted many die for want hereof or grow very poorly In cutting of Grafts it is good to leave a bud or two on the outside of the cut place that in case any of the Grafts happen to be broken off such Bud or Buds on the outside will spring out and supply the defect notwithstanding the Graft be broken off even to the top of the Stock as I have often observed but some Grafts broken for want of such a Bud have been utterly spoyl'd Seeing it is certain from experience that many Fruits comming of Seed and were never Grafted do make excellent Cider and as many judge the best Cider the famous Redâ—â—reak being such a one even but a Wilding It is good therefore to sow some principal good Seed of Apples and to Nurse up the Trees to bearing Fruits whereof we may have several sorts of special Cider-fruits And if any happen to be too near the degree of Crabs then graft such with other good fruits By setting or sowing of Acorns or Mast Ash-keys Cycamore-keys Chesnuts Seeds of Maple Beech Thorn and such like men may if they will be diligent herein by the blessing of God exceedingly advantage themselves their posterity and the whole Commonweal Hereby there would be in certaine years Wood and Timber enough for building of Ships Houses and also for Fuel and all other purposes That poor people as well as others might have enough in cold long Winters and not cry out as being almost starved for want of Fire Hereby
a Chimny where fire is much kept the same will bud and bear very early in the year especially if the wall be of brick and but a thin wall Digging and loosening the earth about the Roots of Trees accelerate Germination This culture is undoubtedly a benefit to Trees as to their increase and growth they will thrive the faster hereby but I conceive not as to accelerate Germination to hasten early budding for all Trees bad forth before they draw one jot of Sap out of the earth in the Spring there is Sap existing in the buds and branches all the Winter which is excited by the Sunnes drawing near in the Spring time and breaketh forth into blossome and leaf and by degrees Sap riseth to carry on springing and growth A Damask-Rose-tree in water budded in the space of ten days in a Chamber I conceive this Acceleration was not for that is was set in water but because the air was somewhat warmer in the house then out of dores at that season it being in October it would have done as much if it had been set in earth And as for the difference betwixt this and that with the Horse-dung mixed it may be that Rose-tree in water onely had the better and more Roots which would certainly cause budding sooner A Dutch Flower that had a bulbous Root was put under water and within seven days sprouted c. I have tryed several Flowers with Bulbous Roots and other kinds of Roots in water in the house in Autumne which kept fresh and seemed to come on somewhat for a while but afterwards flag'd and faded I know no advantage that may be had hereby at that season for the Aire in a while grows chil and cool even within dores and so puts a stop to growth in all vegetables If Roots or Pease c. may be accelerated in their coming a double profit may be made in some strong grounds you shall have Radish c. in a Month. Pease Radish c. are hastened in the Spring and Sommer and their returns quick chiefly because they are sowed and set in a warm place upon ground sloping upon the South-East Sun with some special shelters from the North and cold Winds For Nourishment water is almost all in all therefore it is a comfortable Experiment for good drinkers Simply water affords but a feeble and weak nourishment crude and cold and therefore we see that in low watrish grounds fruit-trees come on poorly being full of Moss by reason of the cold nourishment and that in dryer deep fat soyls Fruit-trees are three or four times bigger and consequently longer liv'd then those in waterish grounds Neither is this a comfortable experiment for good drinkers but the quite contrary for Experience shews us such as live most upon good Liquors eating but little are more unsound unhealthy people and short lived then those who drink less and feed upon solid meats Housing of Plants will accelerate Germination Certainly it will if the Plants be ordered with discretion to be seasonably set out in the Sunne and Rain in the warmest seasons and time of the day removing the Box of earth in and out as occasion is or otherwise Housing may spoil them and cause the branches and twigs to contract and become dry for as the Aire within dores is warmer then that without so also it is drier and does exhaust and dry the Plants more therefore they have need sometimes of the moist Aire without Experiments touching the putting back or Retardation of Germination TO make Roses come late First cut them after bearing This may be a means as to some Rose-trees that is such as are old I have known some of long standing perhaps a dozen sixteen or twenty years of age and some of seven or eight years cut newly after bearing have born Roses again a second time late in the year being cut the next full Moon after they have done bearing but there is a kind I have amongst many other kinds which naturally bears a second time although the tree be but small and young besides the Rose called the Monthly Rose Secondly Pulling off the buds of the Roses that first spring forth I have tried this second way which succeeded not it may be because the Trees were young but one affirmed he pluckt off some buds in the spring and the Tree bore Roses in November Thirdly Cutting top Boughs in the Spring This hath been tried also but was ineffectual but the Tryal was upon young Trees as for the Report that followes in this Experiment of Sions perishing if the old top boughs be cut off it is otherwise for it is a common Experiment to cut off all the boughs of a Tree and to graft them and the grafts will not onely not perish but grow the better therefore as having all the Sap to themselves which naturally riseth the Sun also drawing it up without the help of any top bough lefâ— as continual Experience shews Fourthly Laying the Roots bare about the end of December Many hundreds of Trees are thus bared yet I find no difference at all in the late budding or bearing of such trees from others Fifthly Removing the Tree some Months before it buddeth It is true indeed removing of Trees especially so late in the year must needs retard Germination if they bud at all commonly such faile or grow very poorly Sixthly Crafting Roses in May. I know one that tried this Experiment Inoculating not Grafting Buds in the Spring which badded for Roses at the same time that others of the same kind did which buds being cut off they bore Roses afterwards the same year when others of the same kind were gone Seventhly Girding the body of the Tree with some Packthread This will not do it neither we see commonly that Grafts tied strait with strong flags and some branches of Wall-trees nailed straight to the Wall so that I have seen the back dinted in with the straitness of the Leather and bands yet for all that Sap riseth plentifully through the place so girded up into the branch and buds are as forward on that branch as on any other Eightly Planting them in the shade I have known Rose-trees in a shady place which have not bore at all it 's a tree that loves the Sun So this Experiment will not hold I have tried it and it succeeds not Experiments touching the Melioration of Fruits Trees and Plants AN heap of Flint or Stone laid about the bottome of a Tree upon the first Planting makes it prosper much Stones laid to the Roots of Fruit-trees when newly set is a good Experiment in some grounds but not in all it 's true stones so laid keep the Root of the Tree somewhat more moist and warm and stedy that winds shake it not and so are profitable but there
is danger in some grounds lest they harbor Ants or Pismires about the Tree Root under the stones which I have seen to the hurt and destruction of divers young Trees But it is a safer and better way to lay a good quantity of rotten dung or Litter straw c. round about the Roots of new set Trees upon the top of the mould this keeps them warm in Winter and cool aud moist in Sommer and stedy and the moisture and fatness of the mock sokes down to the Roots and refreshes the Tree very much or for want thereof lay a heap of weeds round about the new set Tree Roots and so all the next Sommer after these things are special advantages to new set Trees A Tree at first setting should not be shaken but after a years rooting then shaking is good When young Trees are first planted it 's very convenient to set a stake to each of them and tie them together with a hay-band or some soft band that winds shake them not and this not for a year onely but divers years until the young Tree be well rooted in the earth and also be grown strong that the winds bow not their bodies and cause them to grow crooked which fault I have seen in very many Trees Cutting away suckers and side boughes make Trees grow high All suckers must be cut away from the Roots of Trees and as for side branches those may be cut as men are minded to have their Trees to spread nearer or higher from the ground but cut not the side branches too soon before the body be grown strong enough to bear the head else it will be top heavy and grow crooked To have many new Roots of Fruit-trees lay the branches in the ground c. The branches of all kinds of Trees will not take Root thus This way of Propagation is only for some kinds as Mulberries Figs Vines Quadlings Nurs-gardens and some other kinds of Trees whose branches are soft and porous As for Aprecots Peaches and such like they will not take Root thus I have tried but not one Root could be got neither will they take with grafting I have tried many The way to propagate these kinds is by Inoculating buds upon young stocks full of sap From May to July you may take off thâ— bark of any bough c. and set it and it wilâ— grow to be a fair Tree in one year the cause may be for that the baring from the bark keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter It is true that the Boughs of some kinds of Trees will take Root in this manner as is here exprest that is such kinds as will take root with laying down in the ground mentioned in the last experiment which being cut off and set may grow to be a fair Tree in certain years not in one year as is said for the Roots got in this manner are but small and very disproportionable to the bough so that it can come on but very poorly and slowly for divers years As for the baring from the bark which is supposed to keep Sap from descending towards Winter I say the Sap is as far from descending when the bark is on as when 't is off there 's no such thing in nature as descention of Sap in any Trees whatsoever This worthy Author took this upon trust according to the general opinion of men for had he but stayed a little to consider it he would have found it groundless and a meer conceit For all the Sap that ascends into the body and branches of Tree is changed into wood bark buds â—lossomes leaves and fruits it is turned inâ—o that body and substance which we see â—bove ground and none at all descends at â—ny time for there is no Cause and therefore no such effect sap is continually ascending all the year long more or less either for the growth of the Tree in Sommer or for the conservation of it in life and in all its dimensions in Winter for there is a continual extrastion of Sap out of the body boughs and branches by the Sun and Aire as this Author elsewhere asserts and which Experience proves Now if there were at any time a descention also what then would become of the Tree it would quickly wither be contracted and shrink apparently whosoever is unsatisfied with what is here said against descention of Sap in Trees may see hereof more largly many Arguments against it in my Treatise of Fruit-trees pag. 191 192 c. If Trees bear not bore a hole through the heart of the Tree and it will bear Perhaps this course may do some good in letting out some superflous sap if too much repletion be the cause But there are divers other causes of barrennesse of Fruit-trees As too deep setting the root running down into Gravel Clay Water c. which must have answerable remeâ—dies And sometimes it is in the nature of the Trees that all the culture in the world used to the Roots and body wilâ— not help without engrafting the brancheâ— with Grafts of some good bearing kinds which is the best way I know to have store of good fruits and speedily too from barren Trees To make Trees bear cleave the chief roots and put in a small pebble This may be profitable not onely for that the Root may be barkâ—bound as well as the body and branches which must be scored down and cut to the wood but also it will cause the Roots to shoot forth many small Roots at the place opened which will afford more vigour life and sap to the branches and so make the Tree stronger and more in heart and able to bring forth more and fairer fruits Trees against a South-wall have more of the heat of the Sunne then when they grow round Aprecots Peaches and such like â—old fruits will scarce ripen but against a 〈◊〉 they have need both of the 〈…〉 and reflex beams of the Sun 〈…〉 it were more practised to set some other choice kinds of fruits upon a South-wall as the great Burgamet Sommer Boncriten Green-fleld Pear and other special kinds this would advantage them greatly not only in bigness but also in their early ripning and goodness of tast thus one or a few would be worth many ordinary ones Some pull off the leaves from Wall trees that the Sunne may come the better upon the boughs and fruit This may hasten ripening but it hinders the bigness of the Fruits the Sun ripening them before they have attained their natural greatness in case it prove then very hot weather so that if leaves be pulled off it should not be till fruits are at bigest and then but where they overmuch shade the fruits some convenient shade by the leaves is as necessary for the Fruits in order to bigness and goodness as the Sun The lowness of the bough maketh the fruit greater and to ripen
will cause it to spread much And that this may be improved for our use and benefit this may be done To plant some few Cherry-trees Plum-trees or other kinds grafted low and caused to spread much and kept from rising up by this means keep the earth bare clean from weeds grass or any thing growing under or about them such Trees if they be good kinds will bear much and fairer fruits then high trees the reflection of heat from the earth will be almost as strong as from a wall And the fruits may be keept long growing upon the Tree even till after September or October For if a Cloth be sometimes in hot weather spread over them and moistned it will keep the fruits from ripening too soon yet shade them not too much lest they come not to full ripeness Afterwards the fruits being ripe some old Canvas hair-cloth or such like may be spread over them to preserve the Fruits from Birds and may be so kept long look that snails eat them not Or else a Net may be spread over such Trees to preserve the fruits I have known faire Cherries upon Trees towards the middle of October I conceive the great bearing Cherry or other late ripe tart Cherries to be the best to keep long in this manner such are more hardy then other kinds Cherries very late are as great Rarieties as those that are early Trees are generally set of Roots or kernels but if you set them of slips as the Mulberry c. they will grow and those as is reported will be dwarf Trees the cause is for that the slip draweth nourishment more weakly then either a Root or kernel Mulberry-tree slips and some other kinds of Trees that will grow of slips may be made dwarf Trees if we will order them accordingly that is if we suffer all the side branches to grow or such slips taking Root may be made high Trees in time if we cut off all the side branches and preserve only the middle strait shoot But indeed at first for certain years they must needs be dwarf Trees until they can rise higher which in time they will do if they take Root well and the ground be good In Clay grounds all Fruit-trees grow full of Moss both upon body and boughs which is caused partly by the coldness of the ground whereby the Plants nourish less and partly by the toughness of the earth whereby the sap is shut in c. We see by Experience that Trees growing upon cold and moist grounds or Clay Gravel barren Grounds do generally breed Moss which is caused as the Author says by the coldness and scantness of the nourishment And therefore there is need besides the scraping off of the Moss to lay the Roots of Fruit-trees as dry as may be in such moist grounds by trenching or otherwise and also to bring in some soyles to make the ground better and warmer as much as may be see of this more at large Treatise of Fruit trees Is is to be noted that commonly Trees that ripen their fruits latest do blossome soonest Some Fruit-trees indeed which bring forth their fruits to perfection and ripeness late in the year do blossome early as having need of the sun to ripen them all the sommer But some other kinds blossome early and ripen their fruits also early as May-Cherry-trees the Premarden plum also the Mirabilon Plum-tree blossomes exceeding early and the Tree brings forth his Fruit early I have got ripe plums from this Tree about the beginning of Iuly which is early for Plums There be fruits but rarely that come twice a year as some Pears Strawberries c. Roses bear twice but it is not without cutting The Windsor Pear-tree does blossome and bear fruits twice in the year some years but the second bearing I could never see worth the gathering for they are poor small hard fruits not worth any thing I have seen Cherries twice in the year upon one and the same Tree an early Flanders which I set upon a very warm South-wall bore ripe Cherries about the twentieth of May and the same Tree bore ripe Cherries afterwards about the sixth of October Strawberries ordinarily bear twice a year though but few the second time As for Rose-trees some Damask Roses and some Provosts bear a second time the same year though but few if cut soon after the first bearing in the full Moon But besides there is a Rose-tree call'd the Monthly Rose which bears Roses until the coldness of the Winter stop it about November Nothing procureth the lasting of Trees Bushes and Herbs so much as often cutting For every cutting causeth a Renovation of the juice of the Plant that it neither goeth so far nor riseth so faintly as when the Plant is not cut This is to be considered in cutting of Trees else instead of making them last longer we shorten their lives That is that we so cut them that the wet and moisture get not into their bodies which in certain years will rot and spoil them as we see in many Pollard-trees which are hollow all along their bodies And many Fruit-trees having had their heads cut off when they were great Trees and grafted again we see the wet and moisture gets in at the top before the grafts can cover the head and rots the Tree which can never grow great after nor last long but rots and decays in few years Whereas Trees that are sound Fruit-trees and all other kinds must needs last much longer by cutting off side branches and all superfluous branches which are not great that conduceth to the lasting of Trees as giving the more plentiful and vigorous nourishment to those that are left and to the whole body The VII CENTVRY QVinces or Apples if you will keep them long drown them in Hony but because Hony perhaps will give them a taste overlushious it were good to make tryal in powder of Sugar or in surrup of Wine onely boyled to height As for keeping of Apples keeping them in Hony or Sugar would be too costly some Pippins and Iohn-Apples will of themselves last till new come again it 's good then to get such kinds that we may have for use all the year long without charge in keeping And for keeping Quinces they are kept long in pickle made of the Parings and Cores of those that are used for Marmalade well boyled in water with Salt and Ginger Or a better way as some account is to keep them in small Ale a penny a Gallon and to draw it off once in ten or twelve days and put in fresh thus it s said they will last two years Take Grapes and hang them in an empty Vessel well stopped and set the Vessel not in a Celler but in some dry place and it s said they will last long Grapes will keep for some short time in this mrnner as hath been said but when cold
Hornets Birds c. some part of them the rest sweeten and ripen sooner putrefaction beginning and hastning by reason of solution of continuity in that part We see that Beer or Wine in Bottles close stopped lasts long and that fruits closed in wax keep fresh And likewise bodies put in Hony and Flower keep more fresh It is true that Liquors when they are well setled in the Vessel after a certaine time and after drawn out into bottles and stopped very close with Cork and set in a Celler or buried in sand or in water such will be much more fresh and quick then the same Liquor in a great Vessel especially if any part of it be drawn off And therefore this is a good way to keep Cider Perry White-wine or the like and that for a long time together As for Fruits closed in wax or put in hony I find that even Cherries which are more subject to corruption â—hen many other kinds of fruits will keep fresh many weeks together thus more then they will do of themselves in the open 〈◊〉 exclusion of Aire preserves them for a time but yet putrefaction at length will work within because of the superfluous moisture which had need of drying up I have tried fruits in honey Aprecots Plums Cherries and they held good two or three Months afterwards putrefaction began A Bottle of Beer buried four foot deep in the ground became more lively better tasted and clearer then it was and a Bottle of Wine in like manner A bottle of Vineger so buried came forth more lively and more odoriferous smelling almâ—â—â— like a Violet after a Months burial all three they came forth as fresh and lively if not better then before This is certain That Beer Ale Câ—der and Wine when well setled and cleared in the Vessel and drawn off into Bottles and well stopt with Cork and Wax will continue fresh and good much longer then in the Vessel and will also improve in goodness If the bottles are buried in sand as was said before or buried a yard or more in the ground The reason I conceive is for that as no Aire can possible penetrate so deep and through the bottle to the liquor nor can the spirits of the liquor in the least get out so neither can the Liquor suffer any prejudice by alteration of the Aire from heat to cold as it does in Vessels above ground Tryal hath been made with earthen Bottles well stopped hang'd in a Well of twenty Fathom deep at the least and some of the bottles have been let down into the water some others have hanged above within a Fathome of the water Wine and Beer in these Bottles have kept better then in a Celler but those above water were apparently the best The Cause why Beer Wine Cider or the like will keep better thus and in Earth Sand c. as before then in Vessels or Bottles above ground I apprehend as was said for that the Aire is excluded and the spirits shut in also the Aire above ground is subject to variation sometimes more hot and sometimes more cold which somewhat stirs and affects the spirits of the Liquor in the Vessel whereby they become weaker I have heard it Reported for a Truth That Bottles of Wine or some other Liquor were found in a deep Draw well which had been many years fill'd up and afterwards opened and cleansed again for use and the Liquor was found to be very fresh and good notwithstanding it had lyen there many years whereby it is manifest that this way of keeping Liquors will preserve it good along time The IX CENTVRY WE have partly touched before the means of producing fruits without cores or stones And this we add further that the cause must be abundance of moisture for that the core and stone are made of a dry sap and we see that it is possible to make a Tree put forth only in blossome without fruit as in Cherries with double flowers much more in fruit without stone or cores This hath been spoken too sufficiently before See Experiment 514. It is neither the taking out of the pith as is there prescribed nor the abundance of moisture as here that will work this effect some Treeâ— have too much moisture and yet the fruitâ— of such have nevertheless cores or stones As for the Cherry-tree that puts forth double blossomes without Fruits that is not made to do so by any mans Art or Skill but it is natural I know the kind well it is as natural for it to bear double blossomes without fruit as for any other tree to bear such or such a kind of fruit Trees set upon the backs of Chimneys do ripen Fruits sooner Vines that have been drawn in at the Window of a Kitchen have sent forth Grapes ripe a month before others This is certain as the Author says such a kind of heat as is upon the back of Chimneys where fire is continually or most commonly kept will much hasten the ripning of fruits I have seen a thin Brick wall where fire hath been kept on the one side and fruit-trees have been Planted on the other side which have brought forth ripe fruits very early much sooner then the same kinds without such artificial heat And Branches of Vines being drawn in at the window of a Kitchen or room where fire is kept the fruits will be ripe sooner then those without dores but let it not be too near the fire left in wither or over much dry the branch FINIS Quid sit Agricultura vid. p. 11. â— Ba. Advanc Leaâ— Virg. Geor. Ob. Ans. 1. Ob. Ans. 2 Ob. Ans. See the second Book of his Confessions Chap. 4. 3. Ob. Ans. The praises of the Ancients and some late writers concerning the Husbandman scours of life in Planting Fruittrees August Reges Imperatores sum mos que magistratus non puduit Hortensia colere proprâ—is manibus Augustine See the worthie Acts of Cyrus king of Persia. Ezra 1.1 2 3. c. Of this See Sir Rich Barkley of the felicity of man pag 162. 1 Argument De Gen. ad Lit Li. 8 2 Argument 3 Argument Example Diodat exp Sir W. Rawley Hist. part 1. Ch. 3. Au de Civit Dei lib. 13. c. 24. Sir W Rawly 1. Book 1. part Chap. 9. 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 Example 8 Example 4 Argument Hos. 12.10 I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets 1 Similitude 2 Similitude 3 Similitude 4 Similitude 5 Similitude 6 Similitude 5 Aagumenâ— 6 Argument 7 Argument 8 Argum 1. Humane Argument Pog. Floren 2. Humane Argument 3. Humane Argument 1 In house Keeping 2 For Sale 2 Profitable to the body 1 In respect of Health Hist. Life and Death p. 412. 169. Hist. Life and Death p. 207. 208. Hist. Life and Death p 236. 2 In respect of long life Deu. 32.47 Prov. 10.27 Prov.