Clarret wine p. 55. The dryest Plumms as the Mussle Damazeene c. are the best p. 56. The white Peare-Plum stock a speciall kind to graft or Inoculate upon p. 56. Mix not Plums with Cherries in grafting they hold not long p. 56. Aprecot-Trees are propagated by the bud only not by grafting p. 56. Inoculate buds from the best bearing Trees and upon stocks full of Sap. p. 57. Nutmeg peach one of the best especially in respect of bearing p. 57. The great Blew Figg comes to perfect ripenes with us if set against a South wall p. 57. Vineyards formerly in England p. 58. The Parsley Vine and White Mukadine beare store of good fruits with us p. 58. Portingall Quince the best kind p. 59. Black Mulberry Trees beare abundanly p. 59. Chuse the fairest Walnuts of thinnest shells and good bearers to set p. 59. Graft old Trees if bad bearers or bad fruits p 59 Arbors of fruit-Fruit-trees better then of Privet c. p. 60. Begin to Transplant betime divers advantages by it p. 60. Breake off the leaves of Plants when taken up p. 61. Cut the ends of all the Roots smooth before setting p. 61. Set not below the soyle yet deeper on dry ground then on moist p. 51. In setting Trees observe a fit distance see the advantages thereby p. 52. Put some good mould next the Roots of Plants in setting 63. Ordering Plants the first yeare of setting is of speciall concernment p. 63. Suffer not the maine branches of wal-trees to rise upwards but spread them on the sides of the wall p. 64. Wall-trees must be Pruned and Ordered both in Summer and in Winter p. 94. Error in pruning Waltrees Cutting off too many shoots 65. Prune oldtrees about October or November p. 65. Bare old trees at the roots about October and lay some good soyles to them p. 66. Piggions dung Henns dung Blood of Cattle or the like is speciall good to cause Trees to beare well p. 66. Mowing of Orchards is exceeding hurtfull to fruit-trees but suffering Cattell to lye among them is very profitable p. 66. Mosse on Fruit-trees caused by coldnesse and barrennesse of the ground p. 67. Cut off the Branches of Trees Barkbound p. 67. Cut out the Canker of Fruit-trees p. 68. Destroy Catterpillers in breeding p. 68. Preserue the Fruits from Ants Erewiggs Snayles Wasps Birds and winds as much as may be 69. Cyder made of Fruits newly gathered and also when they are mellow how to make it p. 70. Preserve Cyder from Ayre p. 70. Cyder boyled with Spices is very Cordiall p. 70. Colour Cyder with the Juyce of Mulberries great bearing Cherry c. p. 70. Cyder in Bottles sunck into a well will keep good many years p. 71. How to keepe Apples p. 71. Apples helpe concoction p. 71. They are profitable in hot diseases and against melancholy the plurisie c. p. 72. Apples are singular good to cure the Strangury and other diseases proceeding of the difficulty of making water see how ordered p. 72. Peares are more nourishing then Apples p. 72. A wine of peares not inferior to French wines p. 72. Cyder and Perry Cordiall Liquors profitable for health and long life p. 73. Quinces Cordiall fruits and of manifold uses p. 73. How to keepe Quinces a yeare or two p. 73. Cherries breed good bloud in the body The sharp are best p. 73. A pleasant refreshing wine made of Cherries more fit for Summer then hot wines p. 74. Cherries boyld in brothes and drinks good for hot and feuerish bodies p. 74. Kernels of Cherry stones breake the bladder-stone p. 74. Cherries strengthen and stir up appetite to meat p. 74. Plummes cast out chollericke humors and are good in hot diseases p. 74. The infusion of dryed Aprecots is profitable in sharp feavors p. 75. Peaches coole and keepe the belly soluble eat them as all other fruits moderatly and drinke a Cup of wine after p. 75. Wine of Mulberies a small Quantity of Juyce will colour White-wine Cyder Perry c and makes a pleasant sawce p. 74. Juyce of Mulberies good against a sore mouth or throat they styre up a languishing appetite p. 76. Figgs nourish much and breed store of bloud are accompted restorative they help an old Cough boyled with Isop many other purposes p. 76. Medlers fortify digestion stay vomiting and loosnesse of the belly kernells with parslely roots c. mightly drive out stones and gravell from the kidnyes p. 77. Walnuts help digestion with other things they resist poyson greene Walnuts distilled preserve against the Pestilence p. 77. Errors discovered concerning the Art of Planting first in the writings of some secondly in the practice of others see the particulars p. 79 80 81 82. c. Planting of Fruit-Trees The best way of Improvement of Lands THE Profits of Orchards and Gardens are very well known to many in this Nation so that the things I hold forth to men are not doubtfull and questionable whether advantages will arise or noe when they have bestowed their time and labours about them but Profits are as certaine by the blessing of God if men labour in them as a harvest of Corne in Autumme when the husbandman hath plowed and sowed in the spring or other season Worcestershire Herefordshire Gloustershire Kent and many other parts in this Nation can sufficiently evidence the Profits of Orchards and fruit-trees in the fieilds and hedges And those good Common-wealths-men who have written of the Improvement of lands have all agreed that this is the highest way of improvement of any other Mr Blith in his Book intituled The Improver improved a work doubtlesse of singular use hath asserted That Planting Fruit-trees at such a distance as they cannot reach when they have attained largest growth they doe advantage the Land even in respect of Grasse although the common prejudice against Fruit-trees in feilds is that they spoyle Grasse as that some Land not being worth above 10s or 13s 4d. an Acre the Grasse by planting Fruit trees regularly upon it was afterwards worth 30s or 40s or 50s an Acre And the Fruits upon the Trees may yeild some 3l some 5l Or some 6 or 8l an Acre See Pag. 262. of his Book And that in Kent Essex Surrey Middlesex and those parts some Land that was not worth above 6 or 8s the Acre was by Nurseries of young Trees planting and ordering of them in certaine years brought to be worth 20l an Acre and some 40 or more And further he affirmeth that some Orchards in those parts are worth to grase Forty or fifty shillings or 3l an Acre and are so let to Tenants And the fruits of those Trees seldome yeild so little as Double or treble the worth of the Grasse many times five or six fold or more see Pag. 263. of his Book It may perhaps be objected That Fruit-trees so planted make grasse under and about them sower that it is not so pleasant and good for Cattle as some other where no Trees are It
nothing more then this imployment The Senators Dictators and Consuls of the Romans have commended Planting and Grafting to be one of the most florishing labours in the world for the Common wealth Yea they did so much esteeme it that they did hang Tables thereof in divers places never thinking the time more aptly spent then in Planting and Grafting Many worthy and learned men both ancient and of late daies have written for their Country and Common-wealth of the fruitfull Art of Grafting and Planting M. Bolton saies Vineyards Orchards Gardens such inclosed Plats are as it were the Flowers Starres Paradises of the Earth And the Lord Bacon in his Essaies pag. 266. saies Gardens are the purest of humane pleasures the greatest refreshments of the spirits of man without which Buildings and Pallaces are but grosse handiworks Thus have I shewed briefly what some of the Ancients and some late writers have said and esteemed of Fruit-trees and of the Husbandmans course of life and imployments about them I will now say something more of the dignity and value of Fruit-trees and of the Art of Planting from Divine and humane Arguments and Testimonies and after that I shall enter upon the worke it selfe Though it be absurd for a man to commend himselfe yet he may commend his Calling and profession Paul would not boast of himselfe yet saith he Rom 11.13 I magnifie myne Office Suffer me therefore for Encouragment to all in the worke to say something in praise of Fruit-trees and of the imployment about them it being a worke so full of Profits and Pleasures in the life of man The works of God are laudable have a Dignity upon them ought to be taken notice of praised admired not for themselves but for the Author that he through by them may have the more praise Psal 111.3 His worke is worthy to be praised and had in honour Arguments of the dignity of Fruit-trees and Art of Planting Argument 1 ONE Divine Argument of the dignitie and value of Plants Fruit-trees and the Art of Planting may be this It was Adams imployment in his innocency to keepe and order the Garden of Fruit-trees Gen. 2.15 And the Lord God put him into the Garden of Eden to dresse it and to keep it God who is wisdome it selfe saw that a Garden of Fruit-trees was the meetest place upon all the Earth for Adam to dwell in even in his state of perfection And therein assigned him an imployment for his greater delight and pleasure so that this imployment as it is ancient so it is honourable De Gen. ad Lit Li. 8. Augustin is of opinion that this dressing of the Garden was as well an exercise of the hand as of the mind not with toylesomenesse trouble but with delight pleasure Non erat laboris afflictio sed exhileratio voluntatis quum ea quae Deus creaverat humani operis adjutorio Laetius feraciusque provenirent unde Creator ipse uberius laudaretur That things created in the Garden by his labour might be made more fruitfull and God thereby have the more glory The second Divine Argument is this Argument 2 Plants were the first animate bodies that God created And fruits of Trees were the first food that was given to man and for ought we read the only food he then had And God said behold I have given you every hearb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the Earth and every Tree in which is the fruit of a Tree yeelding seed to you it shall be for meat Gen. 1.29 Argument 3 Another Divine Argument is from examples in Scripture of Planting Fruit-trees and of the use of Orchards and Gardens Example Diodat exp Sir W. Rawley hist part 1 Ch 3 Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 13. c. 24 First God blessed for ever planted an Orchard or Garden of fruit-Fruit-trees Gen. 2 8. And the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed God planted a fruit garden That is as good Authors agree Hecaused a parcell of ground to bring forth Plants and Trees most exquisite and usefull for man and enriched that place with more fruitfulnesse and beauty then any other part of the Earth and called it EDEN that is a place of Pleasures And at this day Sir W. Rawley 1. Book 1. part Ch. 9. this Region of Eden afterwards called Mesopotamia is exceeding fruitfull being in the best Climate 35 degrees from the Equinoctiall and 55. from the North-pole in which Climate the most excellent fruits Oyles Graines c. are found Example 2 Secondly we have for our Example herein that good and holy man who found grace in the sight of God when all the world save a few with him perisht Gen. 9.20 And Noah began to bee an husbandman and he planted a Vineyard Or as some conceive he began to prune and dresse the plants that were set before the Flood and to order them that they might yeeld their fruits Example 3 Thirdly We have for our example herein the friend of God faithfull Abraham Gen. 21.33 And Abraham planted a Grave in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord the everlasting God Of the fitnesse of these shades by Arbours Seats close walks in Orchards for contemplation and private exercises I shall speak hereafter Example 4 Fourthly King Vzziah delighted in this imployment 2. Chro. 26.10 Vzziah had husbandmen and dressers of Vines in the Mountaines and in Carmell for he loved husbandry This King raigned a long time in Ierusalem over Iuda fifty and two yeares Example 5 Fiftly King Solomon a great and wise King Eccl. 2.4 tooke pleasure herein and though we may not follow him in any immoderation and excesse yet there is a lawfull and warrantable use of these delights Vers 4.5 I made me great workes I builded me houses I planted me Vineyards I made me gardens and Orchards and I planted in them Trees of all kind of fruits Example 6 Sixtly For the use of an Orchard and Garden we have the example of the Mirror of Chastity Virtuous Susanna It was her custome to work in a garden as we see in the History vers 7.8 Susanna went into her husbands garden to walke the two Elders saw her going in every day and walking Example 7 Seaventhly The people of Israel by a speciall command from God made use of Arbours and shady places in their great Feasts Nehem. 8 14.15 It was published and proclaimed in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying Goe forth unto the Mount and fetch Olive Branches and Pine Branches and Mirtle branches and Branches of thick-Trees to make Boothes So they made these Boothes upon the Rooffes of their houses and in their Courts and in the Court of the house of God and in the streets and they sate under these Boothes and there was very great gladnesse Example 8 Eightly For the use of an Orchard or Garden we have the example
Vertue that of the chiefest Nature that secular Imployments have in them So then observe some Examples recorded by ancient Authors in this imployment of planting Fruit-trees Pog. Florent Plures excellentis doctrinae viri Philosophandi studio c. Many famous and learned men saith he studious in Philosophy have delighted in this course of life and found therein abundance of pleasure and contentment Joan. Bap. Port. Si dignitas Agriculturae accedit ex iis qui eam tractaverint Regalis Ars dignissima erit If the dignity and esteeme of this Art may be drawne from those who have been conversant in it then it is a Kingly Art and chiefest of all others Reges Imperatores summosque Magistratus c. Cyrus King of Persia Philometrus King of Asia Heronus King of Asia Archelaus King of Asia Attalus King of Asia Evax and Avicen Kings of Arabia Solomon King of Israel Telaphanus Antonius Pius Elizeus Numa Sportanus Alcinous Mithridates the great Alexander the great Dioclesian Emperour of Rome And many others Kings Princes Roman Emperours and the highest powers on earth have not disdained to performe the works of an Orchard with their own hands and taken delight therein Mascall saies Many great Lords and Noble personages have left their Theaters and goodly exercises and have given themselves to Planting and Grafting and have accounted nothing of higher commendation The second Humane Argument 2. Humane Argument of the dignity value of Fruit-trees and the art of planting is from the praises of ancient and late writers and the suffrage or generall consent of all people Works imployments that have the praise but of some persons only we cannot conclude the worth and dignity thereof from such praises because selfe and sinister ends may sway in the minds of such but those imployments that have the Praise of all and where there is a concurrence and consent of minds in all people in the praise thereof of the Good as wel as the bad of the Learned as well as the unlearned of the Wise as well as the unwise these probably are good and vertuous Now this art and imployment of planting Fruit-trees hath the joynt and unanimous consent not only of the greatest persons of the world but likewise of all persons in the world ther 's none hath ill will towards it none hath any thing to say against it but all without ecception give it their good word and speake in the praise of it If men doe but speake of it they 'l commend it and say it s a goodly imployment it s both a pleasant and profitable worke its good for a Commonwealth it enriches whole Countries to this purpose men usually speake of it what ancient and late writers have said in the praise of it may be seen pag. 8 9 10 c. And for the second Humane Argument thus much The third Humane Argument 3. Humane Argument of the dignity and value of Fruit trees and the art of planting is Argumentum ab utili from the Profits that are receav'd thereby Let us see then what Profits may be had from an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees Profits arise from an Orchard many waies 1. In the Family one way is to a mans Estate and that in two respects first in respect of house-keeping and provision for his family all the year e Secondly in respect of sale Such as have good Orchards knowe by experience that they are very profitable for meat and drink all the yeare-long many good dishes they make of Fruits and many wholsome and pleasant drinks Syder Perry Cherry-Wines c. which are not barely nourishing but have other speciall properties they moderately coole and refresh the spirits in heat of Sommer and besides they keep the body from grosse and superfluous humours and carry downe the seeds of diseases which else would lodge and grow in the body and at length spring out to the preiudice of health Of the healthfulnesse of these Liquors See the use of Fruits 2. For Sale Secondly Fruit-trees are profitable to the Husbandman in respect of sale of the fruits when a man has more then he can spend in his house especially to such as live neare some great Towne or Citty where they have vent at pleasure The Poet saw the Profits of an Orchard when he said Non illi deerat quod pauperis exigit usus Interdum locuples à paupere multa petebat The Orchard doth with fruit the poore supply With which he doth the wealthie gratify The Profits of an Orchard once come to good perfection doth exceed the profits of Corne upon like quantity of ground many times over As hath been computed and set down by those that I suppose well knew the value of both And touching Profits to the Estate thus much 2. Profitable to the body Secondly An Orchard or Garden of fruit-Fruit-trees and Imployments about the same is profitable to the body first in respect of health secondly in respect of long life 1. In respect of Health What is a greater earthly blessing then perfect health of body some have said valetudo est summum bonum Health is the chiefest earthly good thing what will not men doe for health they will set body and mind all on work for health they will part with friends house and lands silver and gold and all for health Now health is preserved first by moderate and seasonable exercise in the Orchard the labour that preserves health must not be too violent Hist Life and death p. 412. 269. it must be but ad ruborem non adsudorem as some advise to bring the body to a temperate and gentle heat not to immoderate sweating The Lord Bacon adviseth to exercise causing rather perspiration then sweating and saies further that an idle life doth manifestly make the flesh soft and dissipable but robust exercise so it be without overmuch sweating and wearinesse maketh it hard and compact which advanceth health Secondly Health is preserved by fresh wholsome Ayres which in heat of sommer is found in Arbors Seats and Walks in the garden of Fruit-trees The aforesaid Author tells us the ayre in sommer is predatory and hurtfull through the heat of the sun and therefore ought as much as may be to be excluded from the body Now there is no fresh wholsome ayres and coole shades to be found any where in sommer season better then these in the Orchard or garden of Fruit-trees so the Poet Opaca prebent arbores umbracula Prohibentque densis fervidum solem comis Green Canopies the shady trees us lend Gainst schorching sun boughs thick whilst they extend Thirdly Health is preserv'd by pleasant and wholsome Odors and perfumes found in the Garden of Fruit-trees all the spring and sommer by digging the Earth and from the Leaves and blossomes of Trees Lo Ba tells us the vapors of fresh earth by digging condense and refresh the spirits
when he is most mindfull of us And that we should fall so much in love with the Token that we forget Him that sent it And now having answered the doubts and discouragements that have hindred some from entring upon this part of the Husbandmans work The Art of Planting Fruit-trees and shew'd the great esteem that all men have of it and the value and dignity thereof from Divine and Humane Arguments what a rich confluence of Profits and Pleasures are from time to time brought unto us by it with a Caution in the use of these things What remaines but that I also discover how we may obtaine our desires herein by what meanes the work may be done with most speed and best effect I shall first speak of a Nursery of young Plants Of the Nursery and shew the manner of sowing of Kernells or Seeds of Fruits and their preparation and ordering by grafting and Inoculating for transplanting into Orchards Gardens or Fields although some may plant an Orchard a more speedy way to buy yong trees ready grafted or to plant stocks of divers yeares grouth and after they have grown a year or two to graft them I shall set downe all these things as briefly as I can so that withall I make them plaine to the intelligent Reader laying down the most materiall and essentiall things concerning this Art For long and tedious discourses about things that may be comprehended in few words as many use they doe often mislead men so as it is not easie to see the most materiall things concerning their subject or what they drive at whereas a breife and plaine discovery of them may better be comprehended and remembred 1. First then Let there be a Plot of ground more or lesse digged up about the time when Fruits are ripe and let all the Grasse Weeds Roots Stones c. be clean picked out the ground cast into Beds about a yard broad and spaces between about a foot in breadth to passe between them to sow set weed c. And then procure Kernells of Apples Peares Crabs Cherry stones Plum stones and the seeds of divers kinds of Fruits and these may be set and sowed from the time that the fruits are ripe untill the spring except in frost in this manner How to sow and set seeds stones kernels c. Having made the Beds levell with a Rake sprinkle the seeds upon them all over each kind by themselves and set or sow the stones by themselves then take a spade and turne in the seeds stones about a handfull deep and after rake them all over and that none may be left uncovered sift some small mould with a Sive all over them and so let them rest all winter And carefully observe that Mice devoure not the seeds in Winter if you perceive it set Traps and lay Rats bane to destroy them In the Spring or Sommer let them be weeded from time to time cleane and if the weather be dry let them be watred now and then they will make a growth the same yeare according to the strength 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 usefull for stocks also Draw Plants of Seeds In Autumne when they have done growing let the biggest of 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 said levell 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-sticke that is a hard peece 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 halfe a foot or a foot deep 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 halfe a foot or more as you will And having prepared the seed Plants by cutting off all the side Twiggs 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 the least by themselves Then take up the line and stretch it againe about a foot from the other Plants and make holes and prune more seed Plants and set them as before Then take up the line and stretch it againe a foot and halfe from the Plants last set that there may be a convenient space of ground to passe between to weed the Plants and to Graft and Inoculate them being growen 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 yeare to Inoculate and after two yeares or three to Graft Now for those that were left upon the Beds where the Seeds were sowne the largest being drawne as before Rmove all seed Plants they may grow there a yeare longer and then be transplanted or else may be removed at the same time be sure to transplant all young seed-Plants for by that meanes they get good Roots which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part And being growne a yeare or two after Inoculating or Grafting they are fit to transplant to make Orchards or into Fields Hedges at a competent distance as shall be shewed when I speak of setting Trees Thus men may in a few yeares prepare multitudes of Young Trees for themselves and others to give or sel as they please It is good likewise to procure Crab-stocks from the woods and wast grounds which being growne a year or two may be grafted and either grow where they were first set being fit places or transplanted elsewhere The smaller these or any other Plants are when they are removed the better they grow Small Plants grow surest so that it is a great Errour in men to chuse the greatest yong-trees to transplant into their Gardens It s true the greater they be the better were they to grow still in the place without removing but the removing of great Plants is more dangerous to them then to small Plants Experience proves this sufficiently to the losse of many a good Plant. Now for the manner of Inoculating and Grafting these Plants being thus prepared The time of Grafting and grown fit First concerning Grafting wherein we must consider the time February and March usually with most are the too cheife Monthes 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 beginning of January or in December Yea I have grafted some with good successe in November and sooner
the top or end of the Plant the top of the Branches will be closed or shut up and no more small Leaves will appeare as in those that have not done growing Early Removing best It s a great advantage to remove plants be time 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 doe Stay not therefore till the Leaves fall ere you remove although they may be remov'd then with good successe but it is not so good at that time as before The time of removing being come and the place prepared for setting them againe then be carefull 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 halfe 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 doe for the Sun and Aire by meanes of them extract the sap of the branches The next work is to prune the Roots and branches Prune the roots as they need All the ends of the Roots must be cut smooth and most of the small strings or fibra's cut away that so the mould may close to every side of those that are left and new strings may put forth at the cut place and leave not all the Roots as the custome of some is it much hinders the grouth the mould cannot possibly be made to close about all of them being many as it may about a few Likewise if the Plant be of 3 or 4 yeares grouth or more Prune the Branches some of the Branches must be cut say not as many doe her'e 's a faire tree already why should we cut away any part of it but they must be content to loose some of the Branches else they are in danger to loose all for removing of great Plants is a great check to nature and if a few Roots cut short as they must be when removed be put to feed many and large Branches they 'l have but slender and poore nourishment not sufficient many times to preserve life much lesse to make a large grouth But if Plants are very small of a yeare or two yeares grouth you need not cut the Branches except such as crosse one another or grow too nigh together but cut off the ends of the Roots of all because if cut many small strings or fibra's shoot out at the cut place which draw nourishment for the Plant which without cutting would not Plants being thus prepared Set not plants too deep the next thing is to set them again in the ground If the soyl be dry they must be set so much the deeper yet take heed of setting below the good soyl In low and moist grounds set not so deep as in that which is dry The hole for the Plant being digged set in the Root prepared as before and cast in the smallest and best mould next to the Roots and see that the small mould runne between all the Roots to that end stir and shake the Plant that there may not be any hollow place where the mould falls not and being filled up water the Plant that the mould thereby may settle close about all the Roots and so let it rest If the Plants are faire large Plants in danger to be shaken by the winds then knock down a stake close to every one and tye the Plant to it with a hay-Band or some other soft Band. Distance of setting As concerning distance in setting young trees I conceive Tenne yards is litle enough between Apple-trees and Peare-trees in ordinary soyle And if men have ground enough to plant and good soyle I should rather prescribe to Plant them 16 or 20 yards asunder for both Trees and fruits have many great advantages if planted a good distance one from another As for wall-Wall-trees they may be planted 5 or 6 yards asunder The 1 Advantage Such are freed from frettings gallings that happens to Trees that brush and croud one upon another whereby not only the Buds Blossomes and Fruits are rub'd and broken off but also sometimes the Canker thereby breeds and destroies boughs and Branches The 2 Advantage Secondly when Trees are planted a faire distance asunder the sunne refreshes every Tree the Roots body and branches with the Blossomes and Fruits where by Trees bring forth more fruits and those fairer and better The 3 Advantage Thirdly If Apple-trees and Peare-trees are planted 16. or 20. yards asunder much profit may be made of the ground under about the Trees Yee may plant Gooseberries Rasberries Currans Strawberries Roses Flowers and all sorts of Garden stuffe commodious as well for sale as house keeping which cannot be if Trees be planted neere together as the custome is in most places the ground being cold and shady by the Trees Besides the trees would have advantage by frequent digging stirring the earth about their Roots from time to time in setting these things The 4 Advantage Fourthly When Trees have roome to spread as before they will grow very large and great and the consequences of that will be not only multitudes of Fruits but also long lasting and these two are no small advantages besides all the former And men are mistaken when they say the more Trees in an Orchard the more fruits for one or two faire large trees which have roome to spread will beare more fruits then six or ten it may be of those that grow neere together and crowd one another It is a very great and almost a generall Errour the Planting of fruit-Fruit-trees too neere together especially as to Apple-trees and pear-Pear-trees as for cherry-Cherry-trees plum-plum-trees and the like they need not be planted halfe the distance I speak of 5 or 6 yards in distance is usually enough and 8 yards if the ground be speciall good for all trees grow much larger in some soyles then in others Concerning Order in setting Trees Order in setting Trees though it be not essentiall to a good Orchard yet if men stand upō it they may measure out a square plot of ground more or lesse by a line and then measure the distance that must be betweene every tree according to the kinds that are to be planted and according to the goodnesse or nature of the soile as hath been said And having measured exactly the square plot and the distance of the Trees then set the foure corners first then fill up the square plot on all the foure sides with plants ordered as before and so goe on to fill up all the other places in the Plot exactly by Line or by eye if there be foure or five persons to
Trees that beare but a few small fruits Columella giving Instructions for removing Plants saies Mala aestiva Cydonia sorba pruna L. 1. de Ar pa 490. post mediam hyemem usque in Idus Febr serito Pyros Autumno aute brumam serito Plant the Sommer Apple Quince Service-tree and Plum-tree after winter in february but Peare-trees before winter This is a hurtfull instruction as to the first part for Trees should be planted in Autumne as has been 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 larg pag. 60 c. One adviseth thus Let the Orchard be seated on some hill top rather then on plaine grounds for they have better Aire and better prospects and also containe a greatter number of trees then plain grounds This is no good Instruction for Orchards on low and plaine grounds have many advantages of those on high grounds for the soyle of plaine and low grounds is commonly more fertill 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 plaine grounds then on hills for in Blooming time winds would deprive us of the sweet aire on hill tops but on plaine grounds the aire is more calme And the perfume of the Blossomes stayes within the Walls as within a perfumed Chamber Another Author saies Set the stones of the Peareplum a foot deep in cold ground This is a hurtfull and dangerous Instruction For stones of any Fruits in any ground put a foote deepe are rather buried then set for a man should nere see more of them But set stones of any fruits not aboue two inches deepe rather some thing lesse One giving Instructions for Inoculating saies Take off the bark iust upon some Bud or knob and set the other Barke thereon This is a hurtfull Instruction for if the Bud to be inoculated be set upon another Bud of the stocke then the Inoculated bud cannot possibly close unlesse the roote of it be out and if the roote be out it s spoyl'd 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 saies Set Apple-trees Twenty foot asunder This is a very hurtfull and dangerous Instruction and the practise of it hinders men of multitudes of Fruits Wee see that in most Orchards Trees are planted too neer togeather it may be six or seven yards asunder which is too neer togeather I conceive 10. or 12 yards or there abouts little enough for the distance of Apple-trees in ordinary soyle but in very good ground 16. or 18. yards or more for we see by experience that upon good ground and well ordered they will go neere to touch one another at 10 or 12 yards or a greater distance And that a few Apple-trees having roome enough to spread will beare more fruits then five times so many being crouded one upon another where they have not roome to spread And besides those fruits they beare cannot come to perfection neither in bignes nor ripenesse for want of the sunne which cannot come about them when the Trees are planted so neer togeather as the Author speakes of A late Author saies If you do remove Cherry-trees yee ought to remove them in November and Ianuarie This is a hurtfull Instruction For Cherry-trees and other kinds of trees ought to be removed about the end of September or sooner very many especially Cherry-trees may with most advantage be removed in August And this is a Generall Rule for removing them and all other Trees whatsoever so soone as they have done growing in the Branches they may be removed And some have done growing at the beginning of August or sooner others a Month or Five weeks after others not of two Months after but the sooner they are removed after they have done growing in the branches the more advantage they get against the spring by growing a while after in the Roots before winter Thus much for the first sort of Errors Instructions hurtfull and dangerous The second sort are Instructions for effecting of things impossible to be done by the meanes prescribed and others impossible to be done by any meanes Didymus tels us how we may mix divers kinds of fruits and thereof make one new kind Accipienda sunt duo diversi generis sarmenta eaque scindenda per medium c. The Instruction is too large to shew it verbatim this is the summe Two Grafts of divers kinds must be cut through the midst and the two halves bound together which must be set in the earth watred till they bud forth Another to the like purpose Binde the Grafts of a Peach-tree and of a Nut-tree together and the fruit will be halfe Peaches and halfe Nuts And againe he saies Binde the Grafts of a white Fig-tree and a black together and plant them and the Figs thereof will have the flesh on the one side white the other black Rara avis in terris nigroque similima Cygno If men can but make the Swanne and the Raven breed together they may have a strange kind of Fowle a black Swan it may be which may as soone be done as to make these fruits mix These and the like Instructions are ridiculous fit to be passed over with a Jest but if men require a serious answer it is given truly by Sir Fr. Bacon in his Nat Hist He saies Cent. 5. pag. 119. 100. Such Grafts will put forth their severall Fruits without any commixture in the fruit No doubt they will if it be possible for two halfe grafts so used to grow we see by continuall experience a small Bud of a Graft no bigger then a grain of wheat will keep it 's own nature against a faire large stock of another kind Secondly Another of this kind is laid downe by Albert. Mag he saies Lib. sepa veget cap. 1 Laetamen est unum eorum quae praecipue Plantam mutatur à sylvestritate in domesticationem Manure or good soyle is one of those things which changes wild plants into a mild pleasant nature This cannot be done by any meanes Different kindes of fruits as they will not mix one with another by the meanes newly mentioned so neither will they change into another kinde Lord Bacon tells us It is the seed of any kind of Creature and the nature of it that locketh and boundeth in the Creature that it doth not expatiate or change from one kind to another The seed of every fruit retayneth strictly the nature of the fruit of which it
by degrees increaseth and riseth more plentifully and when the sunne is nearest then Trees are fullest of sap Now observe As by the vicinity and neernesse of the sunne which is by degrees the sap is increased by degrees so likewise by the sunnes remotenesse and absence which is also by degrees in his going back againe the sap is also diminished by degrees that is ascending lesse and lesse in quantity untill the sunne be gone so farre from us and the heat and influence of it be so weake that it works not to cause sap to rise up whereby the branches may increase any longer and then the Branches and Buds of Trees are all at a stand and grow no more untill the next spring And at that time the Leaves loose their beauty and fall off because sap riseth not up to them sufficient to feed them any longer but only so much as to preserve life in the Tree I would faine know of those who hold descension of sap what should cause it descend for Nullus effectus datur sine causa there can be no effect without a cause they cannot say that as heat causeth it ascend so cold causeth it descend Cold never causeth sap to stir but to stand or move slowly Cold is of a condensing nature and does constipate and fix rare and fluid bodies but if sap of its owne nature would descend yet there is none in the Branches at that season of the yeare that they can spare but all that has ascended in the sommer is converted into the substance of the Tree its Leaves and fruits And further To prove this more fully and clearely by a plaine undeniable Argument If there be a continuall ascension of sap then there is no descension but there is a continuall ascension therefore no descension To prove the Minor Proposition That there is a continuall ascension of sap in Trees The Sunne and Ayre continually draw sap and moisture out out of Trees and other Vegetables as the Lord Bacon and others conclude and as may be made appeare by Reason and Experience We know if Branches and Twigs of Trees being cut off and laid aside in the sunne and ayre but for a few daies they will be contracted and wrinkled the ayre drawes out the sap and moisture and such having no supply of sap from the Root they quickly wither Now know also that the sunne and ayre have the same operation upon the living Branches and Twiggs drawing sap and moisture out of them likewise but they are not contracted and wrinkled as the other because there is a continuall supply of sap from the Root aswell in winter as in sommer which keeps them in their full dimensions without wrinkling or contracting Further observe to prove this If we remove Plants in September or about that time the pretended season of descension of sap and let them lye out of the earth a day or two we shall finde that the sunne and ayre will in that short time have suckt and drawne out sap and moisture from the Branches so that they will be apparently shrunke and contracted I have seene some Branches so much wrinkled that I questioned whether they were dead or alive But after the Plants have beene set certaine daies so much sap will be ascended as will againe have filled up the wrinkled or contracted bark so that it is evident and apparent hereby that some small quantity of sap hath ascended into the branches since their setting and if so then its cleare there 's no descension of sap can any thing move contrary waies at one time And if we graft in November and December the very dead time of winter the grafts have some small supply of sap even then else the sunne and ayre would spoyle them by dayly sucking out their moisture were there not a supply of sap from the Root sufficient to keep them alive untill the spring It s manifest then from what hath been said that sap in Trees ascends as well in Autumne and Winter as in Sommer so much as to preserve life in Trees by supplying what is extracted by the Sunne and Ayre so that it may be concluded there is no descension of sap unlesse men will hold that a thing may move severall waies upwards and downwards at one and the same time which is a contradiction and impossible in nature Thus much concerning the three sorts of Errors in the Theory of this Art First Instructions hurtfull and dangerous Secondly Instructions for effecting some things impossible to be effected by the meanes prescribed and others impossible to be effected by any meanes Thirdly Assigning wrong Causes to effects I will now discover some Errors that I finde in the practise of this Art of Planting Fruit-trees that they may be avoided ONE Error in Practise is this Many remove their Trees in winter 1 Removing trees in winter or neere the spring whereas they ought to remove them in September or thereabouts Many Plants are ready to remove in the beginning of August and before which if done such have a great advantage of those removed in winter or neere the spring for trees removed betimes in the yeare grow in their Roots before winter and so make a faire preparation against the spring And this is a Generall Rule for Transplanting all trees To remove so soone as they have done growing in the branches which may be knowne by the top or ends of the branches if the tops be closed and shut up they may be removed without danger though it be in August or before which is no small advantage to them See pag. 60. 2 Planting trees too neer together Another Error in Practise is Planting trees too neere together This is a great and generall Error many thinke the more Trees they have the more fruit but a few having roome enough to spread will beare more fruits then many crouded one upon another as the custome is and fruits will also be better when the sun may come round about the trees I account 10 or 12 yards a competent distance for Apple-trees and Peare-trees upon ordinary soyle but if the ground be speciall good then give them the more roome for cherry-Cherry-trees Plum-trees and such like 7 or 8 yards is a convenient distance 3 Planting trees unfit for the Countrey Another Error is this Many Plant Fruit-trees unfit for the Countrey where they plant them Their care is chiefly to chuse Grafts of the best kinds and faire Plants to look upon not considering so much whether such kindes will prosper and beare fruits well in those Clymates and places where they plant them And hence it is often that many who have faire and goodly fruit trees have very little fruit from them It is an excellent Rule to chuse those kindes of fruits which we or others finde by many yeares experience to be good bearing trees in those parts neerest to us although the fruits be not altogether so good as some others 4 Chusing the greatest
plants This is another Error Many men when they procure Fruit-trees to plant an Orchard they most commonly desire the greatest and fairest Plants Hoping such will be trees the soonest Whereas great Plants many of them dye and others live very poorely but small Plants removed live generally and thrive more in 2 or 3 yeares then great ones in 6 or 7 for removing great plants is a very great check to nature such as many times it s not able to recover 5 Setting trees without disbranching Another Error in practise is this Men generally leave too many branches on the Trees they plant and will by no meanes have the Branches cut off unlesse a few it may be whereas for want of disbranching plants they loose branches body roots and all If they will plant great plants they must disbranch them small ones need not 6 Planting trees in worse mould Another is this For the most part men neglect to plant their young trees in as good or better soyle then that from which they are removed They fetch them from Nurseries about London which are generally of very fertill soyle plant thē it may be in ordinary or poore soyle and thence it is that many of them dy or grow weakly Whereas they ought to lay speciall soyle the best they can get next to the Roots which having taken hold being well rooted in the ground they will by degrees thrust their roots and grow well in that which is worse 7 Setting graft and stock smooth on the outside Another is this Some in grafting take care to set the Graft and stock even and smooth on the outside not considering that the bark of the stocks are for the most part thicker then the barke of the grafts Whereas they ought to take speciall care to set the inner sides of the barks together which is the chiefest Rule in Grafting because there is the chiefe current of the sap 8 Grafting long or forked grafts Another Error is this Grafting long or forked Grafts commonly the longer Grafts are the lesse they grow and the shorter they are cut the longer they grow in a yeare 9 Suffering fruit-trees to grow like Timber trees Another is this Many let their Fruit-trees grow straight up very high before they spread into boughs and they are rather like Timber trees for building then Fruit-trees for bearing Fruits Whereas they ought to cut off the Top while the Plant is young about an Ell or a Yard and halfe from the ground that so the Plant may spread and enlarge it selfe and one Tree well ordered in this respect for spreading will have as many small boughs and consequently will beare as much fruit as three or foure it may be of such Trees as runne spiring up a great height without spreading 10 Giving too much nourishment to fruit-trees Another Error is this some give too much nourishment to fruit-trees Letting some fat water it may be runne to the Roots or lye too neare them or else by powring or laying some fertill substance to their roots when there is sometimes more need to deprive them of their too fat feeding which causeth them to luxuriate and spend their strength in great and large shoots and broad leaves and blossomes and leave off bearing fruits Nourishment to Fruit-trees ought to be moderate as to other Creatures 11 Nursing up Quincetrees of seed Most men nurse up Quince-trees of seed or slips from the roots and seldome or never Inoculate or Graft them as they doe other trees whereby they loose their fruits many yeares which they might gaine by Grafting or Inoculating of them And when after a long time they doe beare yet their fruits are not so good if the trees come of seed at their first bearing as grafts would bring being cut from old bearing Trees 12 Pruning off too many shoots from Wall-trees Another Error in practise is this Many in pruning Aprecot-Trees and other Wall-trees they prune off most of the fresh young Branches of the last yeares shoot and preserve the old and big branches suffering them to runne up a great part of the wall without small twigs or branches VVhereas they should still from yeare to yeare preserve the small shoots nailing them up to the wall yearely 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 waies and not suffer them to runne upwards too much 13 Grafting seed Plants before removing Another Error amongst some is this They graft young Plants that came of seed in the place where they were sowed before they have beene removed whereby they would get good Roots And hence it followes That such thrust downe a single Root or two commonly into Clay Gravell or moist ground c. which root or roots draw bad nourishment 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 14 Not pruning the roots of Plants See how to order them pag. 45. Some also when they transplant young Trees they usually set them with all their Roots whereas the Roots of all Trees transplanted ought to be pruned See how pag. 61. 15 Breaking off Buds before Grafts grow Another Error is this Many breake off all the Buds upon the stocks that are engrafted before the Grafts put forth which endangers both Stock Graft For Buds upon the stocks shouldbe let alone all or most untill the Grafts have put forth be able to draw up sap and then break off all the Buds below the Grafts that they may have all the sap Concerning Errors in practise thus much And so I have done at present with all the particular Mysteries concerning the Ordering of Fruit-trees and Fruits Hereafter I may communicate more as God who instructeth the Husbandman to discretion Esay 28.24 25 26. teacheth him shall discover them to me None shall ever in this life know all the secrets of Nature in this Art or any other but yet by meanes of time and diligence we are still finding out new Experiments THE
is Answered Although it be not so pleasant altogether as that where ther 's no shade of trees yet other advantages doe more then make amends It s observ'd that such Grasse is earlier in the spring then upon other grounds and that such grounds beare more when it s cut for hay or if pastured it keeps more Cattle then Lands of like quantity not so planted And besides in a hot and dry summer ther 's grasse under and about Trees when it s burnt up in other grounds My advice is therefore all these Profits and advantages considered that men set themselves diligently to this work of Planting fruit-Fruit-trees for improvement of their Lands and Estates Not only that they plant good Orchards and Gardens but also that they Plant round about their feilds and in their Corne Pasture and hay grounds the fruit-fruit-trees at a large distance one from another 20 yards asunder and that they suffer no branches to spread within two yards from the ground that so they may be out of the reach of Cattle and may not be troublesome to workmen in plowing sowing reaping and other works If the Plants are faire straight ones of two yards high or thereabouts fenced about to preserve them from Cattle at the first with some stakes or the like they will in a few years preserve themselves and will need but little labour about them afterwards as long as they live And hereby men may reape every yeare two harvests from one and the same peece of land the one of Corne the other of fruits of trees and the latter when trees are growne larg probably will be the greater And in this respect this way of improvement of Lands is much better then other wayes of profit because in getting Corne or raising profits by any other wayes of improvement men must of necessity bestow much mony time and paines about them every yeare which eats up a great part of their profits but in Planting fruit-trees the worst is at first after a few years they yeild great profits with little cost and labour So that as was said fruit-trees in a few years with small cost and labour will double and treble the value of Lands and after many years the advance of Profit will be manyfold Ob. But it may be Objected That if all should plant then such great profits could not be made every man would have of his own Ans I answer that if all should plant fruit-trees that may conveniently plant yet would there be multitudes every where to buy for all that For consider in a great Citty or town what a number of people there are who have no Lands at all not so much as a peece of ground belonging to their house and many others but very small quantities these will be buyers of the husbandmans fruits and the wines that he makes of them And let us say what we will or can ther 's many that have Lands which they might Plant and improve to an exceeding great value who will yet be idle and slothfull and object with Solomons sluggard ther 's a Lyon in the way something or other that hinders yet these men when they see fruits will be as eager for them as any others and therefore will be very good Chapmen to buy the Fruits of the diligent husbandman Objections and Discouragements Concerning Planting Answered BEfore I enter upon the work it selfe it will be convenient to Answere some maine Objections to remove discouragements about this work of Planting Fruit-trees that have kept off many from this profitable imployment may stil hinder them unlesse remov'd And then I will give some encouragements to it from Divine and Humane Arguments and Testimonies Ob. 1 This is an Objection amongst many in the Northern parts they say the Northerne Countries are so cold that Fruit-trees will not prosper nor beare fruits there Ans To this I Answere That although it be true that the Northern Countries lye in a more cold Clymate then Worcestershire Herefordshire and those fruit Countries yet I doubt not but that if they were as diligent in planting Fruit-trees in the North parts as men are in these they might have store of good fruits so that some Cautions be observed in the nature of the Trees It s true Cold Countries are not so fitt for choice and tender fruits as warmer Clymates but there are diverse kinds of hardy fruits both Apples Pears Cherries which yearely experience shewes endure cold and come to perfection in cold springs when many other kinds are spoyled Let such kinds therefore be sought for and Planted And besides those good husbands in those parts who are diligent in Planting fruit-trees have fruits answerable Ob. 2 Others say that if they should plant fruit-trees and bestow much labour and cost about them when they come to perfection and bearing fruits they should be rob'd of all or most and the Trees would be spoyled who would Plant to be so serv'd Ans To this I Answere That if there were no remedy against this mischeife it might indeed be a just discouragement but this fear may be removed diverse wayes And I advise having made a good fence about the Orchard keep therein a lusty Mastiffe or two that will not be charmed in the night time and the terror of them would keep most from adventuring upon such an Occasion Secondly some that have good Orchards watch their fruits If a man keep 2 or 3 or more servants they may watch in their turns it s no great matter if you consider for what time only it is necessary which is but from the time that fruits come to be worth getting till they be ripe and that 's not long And consider it is in a pleasant season of the yeare the paines and charge would be but little to the profit we see men are vigilant and diligent much more then this would require upon farr lesse advantages 3. But there is a third means to keep Orchards from being rob'd which I esteeme best of any other It is this I would have every man that hath land to plant some fruit-trees for himselfe that so they may not be theeves to their neighbours and let those that have much fruit spare a part to them that have but little or none of their own and be no niggards but liberall to their neighbours And this bounty will bring a double blessing first from God to increase the fruits secondly from men not to deminish them But I hartily wish that such as make but a sport of robbing an Orchard would but consider the affliction and terrors of conscience that seised upon good Austen See the second Book of his Confessions Chap 4. for this very sin of robbing an Orchard which he was guilty of before his conversion he confesseth it with much greife and aggravates it with noe lesse then tenne circumstances crying earnestly for mercy and pardon Ecce Cor meum Deus meus ecce Cor meum quod miseratus es in
assist in the work And by this meanes 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 meanes A speciall rule in transplanting In setting all sorts of Trees consider what soile they came out of whether a fat and forc'd soile as divers of the Nurseries about London or some ordinary naturall soile If they came 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 againe This should alwaies be observed To Plant Trees in as good or better soile being remov'd as that out of which they were taken For every thing in nature advanced to the better it is gratefull and beneficiall 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 destroies it Therefore chuse Trees out of naturall soyles and the worse the better for the Trees but if they must be had out of rich soyles then be sure to procure some more or lesse of as good or better then that out of which they are remov'd to lay to their Roots when set againe For want of observing this course many hundred of good plants have been lost from time to time The well ordering of young Plants the first and second yeare of planting has an influence upon them many yeares which if neglected then the labour and diligence of many yeares after cannot countervaile it the ordering of Cattell while they are young either makes or marrs them so of Trees and other things in some proportion after they have well taken Roote the first and Second yeare they will then grow in ordinary soyles the great danger is at first planting Concerning Wall-trees Wall-trees the Aprecot Peach Nectarine Vine-tree c. these and such choice fruit-trees must be planted upon a South-wall if it may be The best next that I accompt the East-wall and the West not so good the North-wall is nothing worth as having no advantage by the sunne as the other These trees being set as before is said they must be plaisht or spread upon the Wall being young and so from yeare to yeare as they grow greater with Nailes and Lethers And as they grow larger cut only some of the superfluous Branches and twiggs in the middle part but cut not the utmost sides or top Branches untill they be spread as large as they should spread and be sure to leade the maine and biggest Branches along the sides of the wall both wayes and suffer them not to rise straight up as naturally they will but correct nature by art Prune Wall-trees Wall-trees being growen as large as they may be permitted must be Pruned from yeare to yeare first in Sommer secondly in Winter About the end of June or middle of July the Aprecot-trees especially will have put out many large shoots 1 in Sommer some of which must be cut off and others spread up to the wall where there is roome for them Tye up as many as you can conveniently with Lethers and Nayles and cut the rest off that will not so well spread to the Wall then with a paire of sheeres or hook or sharp pruning knife cut all the forepart of the Trees even and smooth as may be and so cut and spread the branches as that the fruits which by that time will be growen towards their bignesse may have the sunne to refresh and ripen them 2 In Winter Secondly towards the begining of October or so soone as the Leaves are fallen off the branches that crosse one another or are not well placed may be rectified or any of the great boughes which are growen old and have but few small branches upon them may be cut off which must not be cut off in Sommer time lest that too great and sudden obstruction of sap kill the whole tree But the cutting of the small Branches in Sommer is some small check and stop to the sap and hinders the excessive rising of it at that time which else would spend it selfe in large superfluous branches and so rob the fruits And besides as that cutting conduceth to the fairnesse and early ripening of the fruits so also it causeth multitudes of Branches and Buds for blossomes the next Spring but this winter Pruning is chiefly for the well ordering of the branches that could not be well placed by reason of the Fruits Leaves in Sommer-time and for the cutting off of greater Branches when need is It is a great errour amongst some who suffer all the young Errour in Pruning large Shoots to grow as much as they will all Summer without cutting and then in Winter they usually cut all or most of them quite off from the trees and preserve only the old stumps or biggest Branches of the trees and by this meanes in the middle part of the Tree and neere the Root there are few or no young Branches to be seene Whereas they should preserve the young Branches to spread up against the wall untill it be full of small Boughs And then some young Shoots every yeare may be cut off in Sommer as before And in cutting away Branches be sure to take those away that grow the straightest out and will not so easily be bowed to the Wall as the other And preserve branches as low and as neere the ground as may be and cause them to bend and grow straight along the sides of the Wall both wayes and suffer not the biggest Branches to rise straight upward as commonly most doe but naile them downwards As for great Trees in the Orchards Fields Hedges Pruning old standard-trees c. they must be Pruned from yeare to yeare as need is in October November or thereabouts observe to cut off the superfluous Branches such as crosse one another and such as grow too close so as the Sunne cannot well come about the bearing Branches Leave no dead Twigges or Branches and scrape off the Mosse that is upon the Body and great Branches Opening the Roots is profitable to some Trees Ordering the Roots of old Trees especially such as grow upon dry and barren grounds In October or there abouts take away the Earth round about the Roots a yard broad or more and so leave the Roots bare and open all Winter that the Raine Snow beames of the Sunne c. may refresh the bottome Roots and make the ground better At Spring fill up the holes againe Also to lay Pigeons dung Hens dung Sheeps dung to the roots or the like stuffe that is very hot and fertill will much help the Trees and make them beare store of fruits Vines or other
Fruit-trees So also of Lees of Wine the washing of strong Beere-Barrels Blood of Cattle dead Dogges Carrion or the like laid or put to the Roots of Trees when opened as before is found very profitable unto fruit-bearing But in case the soyle about the Roots be over fat and fertill it may hinder bearing for it will cause Trees to shoot forth great large shoots and to send forth broad Leaves and but little fruit if so then take away some of the fertill soyle and put in instead sand or cole ashes or any stuffe that is barren that it may dry up and abate some of the too full feeding that the Trees had and so cause fruitfulnesse Though Meat and Drink be never so good wholsome yet excesse hurts the body And further observe That Mowing of Grounds yearely where fruit-Fruit-trees grow is exceeding prejudiciall to Trees in respect of bearing unlesse the soyle be exceeding fertill But pasturing of Orchards and Grounds where fruit-Fruit-trees grow is observed to be of great advantage to their prospering and bearing Fruits When Cattle are suffered to lye and pasture under about the Trees they much benefit the Roots by their warmth in sitting and by their soyle which soaks down among the Roots and is a great refreshing to them as hath been found by cleare Experience Therfore permit Cattle if it may be convenient to lye pasture under among Fruit-trees after they are grown strong out of their reach save only at those seasons when Fruits are ripe because rubbing against the Trees would shake down the fruits and spoil them And it were better they did not rub against the Trees at any time for in that respect they may doe hurt therefore set Stakes or Posts about the Trees for the Cattle to rubb against whereby the Trees may be preserved And concerning Transplanting Pruning and Ordering the Roots of Trees thus much See further Errors in Practise Diseases incident to Fruit-Trees FRuit-trees are subject to divers Diseases Baptist Port. saies De cultu insit l. c. 35. Affliguntur Plantae omnes veluti Animalia diversis morbis All Trees or Plants are afflicted with divers Diseases as sensible creatures And therefore we should apply our selves to Cure them not for pitty to the Trees as the indulgent compassionate Manichees but for our own profit I shall at present mention only three Diseases that sometimes happen to Fruit-trees Mossinesse Bark-bound and Canker Concerning Mossinesse of Fruit-trees the way to cure that and other Diseases is to take away the Cause sublatâ causâ 1 Mossinesse tollitur effectus If the spring be stopt the streames cannot runne Some to cure this only scrape off the Mosse not indeavouring to take away the Cause so that in a few yeares they are as bad againe that 's but like endeavours for cure of the Tooth-ach or Gout or the like with some outward applications which though they may give some ease for a while yet they strike not at the root they remove not the Cause and therefore they returne againe So that it must be considered what the Cause of Mossinesse is sometimes it is caused by over coldnesse of the ground as in waterish and clay grounds likewise by Barrennesse of the soyle If it be Coldnesse through moysture then use all means to lay it dryer by trenching the ground or if it be clay-Clay-ground then bring in some warmer soyls to mixe with it as Sand Ashes Sheeps-dung Pigeons or Hens-dung or the like If the soyle be too barren then help it by mixtures of good soyles round about the Roots But withall take away the Mosse that is already upon the trees in this manner after Raine rub it off with a Haire-cloth else scrape it off with a piece of hard wood in the forme of a knife Another is the Barke-bound disease 2 Bark-bound This exceedingly hinders the growth of trees it makes them live lingringly and poorly This happens when there is but a dull and slow passage up of sap and in small quantity either by reason of barrennesse of soile or want of due culture to the Branches therefore if the soile be barren it must be mended and likewise some of the Branches cut off and the rest scored downe all along to the Root through the bark on each side with some crosse cuts and nicks in the bark let this be done in the spring time the sap will arise more plentifully Another disease is the Canker 3 Canker naturall to some but accidentally hapning to others by bruises c. This hurts many and spoiles some To cure it cut it out if it be upō the body or great Boughs of trees then cover the place with clay mixed with horse-dung and cut off the small Branches that are dead but withall endeavour to stop the fountaine and cause of it being a sharp and virulent sap by laying Cole Ashes or ashes of burnt wood Nettles Ferne and such like vegetables to the Roots but if the Trees grow upō gravell ground they 'l hardly be cured without altering the soile in a great measure Secondly concerning Mischiefes incident to Fruits 2 Mischiefes incident to fruits by Caterpillers Ants Erewigs Snailes Wasps Birds and cold and strong Winds In the spring time Caterpillers 1 Caterpillers breed and devour many buds blossomes and young fruits especially in a dry season of the Dew and Leaves as one saies when the East Winds blow much which causeth that moist and slimy matter to vivifie L. Bac nat hist pag. 182. They breed also as is observed of the Spawne of Butterflies Now how to to destroy them I know no better way then to pluck off those leaves which have the Cobwebs made upon them in which they breed and tread them under foot for one of them containes multitudes And for those that escape being upon the Trees some smoake them with straw or such like which makes them fall off They may be destroied also by squirting water up into the Trees among the Boughs which washeth them off Secondly Ants 2 Ants. and Pismires hurt Fruits multitudes creep up into some Trees and eat the Fruits Therefore seek out their hils where they breed and lye and powre in scalding water amongst them till they be destroied Or else anoint the bottome of the Trees neere the Root with Tarre round about that so these little theeves may be taken Prisoners by sticking in it Thirdly Fruits growing ripe are sometimes eaten with Erewigs 3 Erewigs One way to destroy them is by setting Oxe hoofes Canes or any hollow thing neere the Roots of the Trees and among the Boughs upon the ends of sticks and they 'l creep in and lye there then take off these hoofes quickly and shake them into a boule of water or crush them with your foot upon the ground These Creatures doe most mischiefe to wall-Wall-trees 4 Snailes especially upon old walls Pick them off betime in the morning destroy
It 's cleare that fruits convert the substances they draw into their own natures and receive little or no alteration unlesse by a constant and continuall supply from yeare to yeare Concerning setting Rose-trees under other Trees to produce coloured fruits it is one of the most ridiculous conceits that I have read what is it that should worke the effect may it be imagined that the Trees can see the Red-Roses as Jacobs sheep did the Rods in the water Gen. 30.37 and so bring forth fruits according to the same colour can any man apprehend so much as a colour or shadow of a Reason for it Another of the second sort of Errors is this Affricanus gives an Instruction to procure Walnuts without husks Nuces nudas sine putaminibus edent Juglandes c Walnut tres he saies do bring forth bare nuts without husks if the huske and shell be broken and the kernell taken out without hurt and wrapped in wooll or fresh Vine leaves that the kernels may be preserved from Ants or other things and then set in the earth againe Florentine affirmes the like of Almonds if ashes be sprinkled in the holes where they are set So another late Author not onely of Wal-nuts and Almonds but of all other shell fruits Were it not a wonderfull sight to see Wallnuts and all Nuts to grow without husks we know the Nuts of themselves have no stalkes and how then should they grow upon the Tree without huskes to inclose them What is it that should worke this strange effect is it because the kernels are put into the ground without shels and for that the tree springs from the kernels only Doe not all Trees spring from the kernells only though set with their shells the husk and shell contribute nothing at all towards the Tree they open for the kernell to spring out and then rot themselves Another of this second sort is this A late Author gives Instructions about early fruits and late and chainge of fruits by Grafting he saies If you graft a late fruit on an early stock the fruit will be early and if you Graft an Early fruit upon a late stocke the fruit will be late As if saith he you graft Apples on Mulbery-trees you shall have fruit all sommer even till November And that if you graft a Plum-tree on the Nut-tree the husk will be like the Nut-huske but within it will be a Plume Or if you graft a Plum or any other fruit on the Fig-tree the fruit will grow without Blossoming These things cannot be for contrary kinds will not grow together as the Plum tree and Fig-tree or Plum-tree and Nut-tree but if different sorts would agree and grow together yet these effects would not be because Grafts doe alwayes rule keep their own natures pag. 100. or alter very little L. Bac in his Nat. hist saies plainly these are imaginations untrue because saith he the Cions overrule the stock quite So againe pag. 97. which Experience confirmes Another of the second sort of Errors is this Democritus as one affirmes gives an Instruction for procuring fruits with Inscriptions and ingravings upon them in any figure or shape To this purpose Open the shell of an Almond and write upon the kernell what you will and wrap it in paper and set it in Clay mingled with swines dung A late Author saies Steep the stones of Peaches two or three daies and then open them and with a brasse pen write on the rind of the kernells after put them againe 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 kernell should produce fruits written or engraven A man no doubt with as good successe may ingrave or write upon the shell or huske of an Almond or other fruit as upon the kernell or if he will upon the paper or parchment in which it is inwrapt for the Rind of the Kernell contributes nothing to the tree or fruit but opens as the Huske or shell to let out the inner part of the kernell But if a man desires to have fruits with inscriptions and engravings he must take another course prescribed by a Learned Author Lo Bacon Nat. Hist pag. 128. 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 graphicall 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 selfe nor the Reader with them at present only I say in the generall let men take heed of such things asserted by Authors as have neither Reason nor Experience to uphold them least 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 Error is this some have conceiv'd that Grafting is the cause of early bearing of fruits and doth much better all fruit Albert Lib. 5. Cap 8. de veget Plant. Mag saies it 's better propter digestionem Succi in nodo factam because of the digestion of the sap in the knot So also Cressentius and addes De Nat Plant. Lib. 2. pag. 87. 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 Peares Apples and other fruits Lib de Cult Insit Bapt. Port. likewise ascribes all to Grafting He saies 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 beare fruit but being Grafted some kinds beare in a yeare or two So also Columella Lib. de Arbor pag. 490. Nat. Hist pag 97. Lo. Ba. wanted some experience in this point who saies There is no doubt but that Grafting for the most part doth meliorate fruit and againe 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 stocke then in the crude earth I say herein these Authours assigne a wrong Cause to an effect for simply Grafting contributes nothing at all to the early bearing of Fruit nor to its goodnesse But the Cause is In the Nature of the Grafts if they be Grafts cut from bearing trees and of good kinds they beare fruits in a yeare or two but if they be Grafts from young unbearing trees coming of seed such Grafts will not beare the sooner for Grafting it is not simply grafting I say nor the knot as the Authors speake of that makes trees beare one yeare one day
Profits Pleasures A Treatise of FRVIT-TREES Shewing the manner of Grafting Setting Pruning and Ordering of them in all respects According to divers new and easy Rules of experience gathered in the space of Twenty yeares Whereby the value of Lands may be much improued in a short time by small cost and little labour Also discovering some dangerous Errors both in the Theory and Practise of the Art of Planting Fruit-trees With the Alimentall and Physicall vse of fruits Togeather with The Spirituall vse of an Orchard Held forth in divers Similitudes betweene Naturall Spirituall Fruit-trees according to Scripture Experiēce By RA AUSTEN Practiser in the Art of Planting A Garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse Thy Plants are an Orchard of Pomegranats with pleasant fruits Cant 4 12 13 I Goddard sculp Oxford printed for Tho Robinson 1653. To the Worshipfull SAMVEL HARTLIB Esquire My much Honoured Friend I Am not unmindfull worthy Sir under what engagement you stand upon mine accompt to the Publique In the late Treatise of improvement of Lands by our deceased friend Mr Blith which you were pleased so freely to undertake for mee And which was renewed againe in the Designe for Plenty According to my duty therefore I have endeavoured to answer your and others expectation in this my ensuing Discourse of Fruit-trees It is agreed on all hands That this worke of Planting Fruit-trees through the blessing of God is of vast Profit where it is diligently and skilfully undertaken Mr Blith in his Book discovers the great Improvement of Lands some to a Five fold some to a Tenne and some to a Twenty fold value And the highest way there mentioned is by Planting Fruit trees As may be seene at large Pag. 262 263. c. of his Worke. And in your Legacy of Husbandry it is accompted a great deficiency in England that we have no more Fruit-trees Planted which would be a chiefe meanes to enrich this Common-wealth in many respects And in particular with such a Commodity as that we should not need to bestow our monies for French Wines or the like having Liquors Cyder Perry Cherry-wines c. as good or better made of our own fruits As it is there observed If men would Plant Fruit-trees not only in Gardens but also in many of their Fields and Hedges This course after some years might save the expence of many Thousand Quarters of Mault yearely in the Nation And many Thousand Loades of Wood and other Fuell in making Mault and as much it may be in Brewing Beere And many thousand Acres sowed yearely with Barly might be sowed with Bread-corne or turned into pasture-Pasture-grounds by reason of the abundance of those most healthfull Liquors Cyder and Perry that might be yearely made Besides great store of Wood would be got for Fuell by the Prunings of the fruit-Fruit-trees and Old Trees past bearing with spetiall Wood for Joyners and many other purposes This likewise might be one chiefe way among others for imploying and setting on worke very many Poore People The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousnesse Prov. 21.5 in Inclosing and preparing Grounds for Planting and many other Workes according to the late consultations of the Parliament whereby they might maintaine themselves and profit others in stead of burthening of them Yea hereby would accrue to the Poore and the whole Nation many great advantages in severall respects First a Freedome and deliverance of multitudes from Idlenesse Beggery Shame and consequently Theft Murther and at last the Gallowes Secondly Positive advantages Meate Drinke Clothing Riches and Profits to themselves and others If the higher powers whom God hath set up to designe and labour for the welfare and prosperity of his People would please to make a Law there being Lawes of a thousand times lesse consequence for the Inclosure and Plantation of some of the Wast and Common Grounds Whereof there are many Thousand Acres in this Nation such as are most fit for Improvement according as is largely and with wisdome and judgement set forth in the late Treatise entituled Bread for the Poore And in another Treatise entituled A Designe for Plenty there would by the blessing of God on our Labours be Bread indeed for the Poore and Wine too Yea Riches and Lands of Inheritance to those who are not now worth a Groat For in divisions and inclosures of Wast and Common Grounds by Persons appoynted for that purpose why should not the Poore have their share and proportion as well as their rich Neighbours and that to them and their heires for ever yea let the Poore be first provided for Are not these the times of the Gospell prophesied of Esay 49.19 20. When the Wast and desolate places shall be inhabited The people of God being multiplied as in these our daies they are more then in former times they now say to Authority as vers 20. The place is too straite for us give place to us that we may dwell Many of the Wast and Common Grounds being inclosed might be improved unto farre greater advantages then now they are both as to the Lords of the Wasts and others claiming interest in them for the encrease of Cattell both in Number and greatnesse our breed of Horses might then be fit for Warre whereas now the Commons starve and spoyle them as to such service And all sorts of Corne Fruits of Trees Timber Fuell Hempe Flaxe and many other Profits might be multiplied whereby the Nation would abound with all outward necessaries for it selfe and the overplus to transport to other parts for the enriching strengthning of this Nation still more and more in stead of sending out our Monies and Commodities for supplies from them And hereby this Nation might become able under the hand of God to support it selfe and helpe to uphold others also who are friends to us and be a terror to all those that contend with us An eminent person once said of this Nation that it is a very Garden of delights and a Well that cannot be exhausted What then would it be did it abound with goodly Fruit-trees and other Profits where now are barren Wasts Might it not then be called another Canaan flowing with Milke and hony of which it is recorded that there were Fruit-trees in abundance Nehem. 9.25 The more obstructions we have from Forraine parts the more need we have to labour diligently for all necessary and usefull things within our own Nation that we may be able to subsist without the help of others so that this work of Planting Fruit-trees for improvement of Lands is fit to be carried on as well if not much rather in these times of Warre as in times of Peace Upon all which Accompts it is my humble desire That you Sir who have laboured and done so much already for the Publique would still be pleased to be assistant and instrumentall for the promoting and setting on foot the Work of Planting Fruit-trees in this Nation more then in former
times According as is set forth in your Legacy of Husbandry The Designe for Plenty and other of your Published Treatises tending to generall Profit and the great encouragements in this worke which I have from time to time received from you for all which I shall be still ready thankfully to acknowledge my selfe Your very much engaged Servant RA AVSTEN To the Reader THere are extant many Treatises and Histories of Trees and Plants shewing us the Kinds Formes Natures and Vertues of them some likewise teach us the manner of Propagation of Fruit-trees their Sowing Grafting Setting Preservation and Ordering But most of these Authors speake in an unknown Tongue to the plaine English Husbandman whose encouragement and direction I shall herein much endeavour Only some few small peeces have beene offered to him which he may understand but very much defective in many necessary and principall parts of the Art of Planting Fruit-trees And not only so but likewise some of them are full of dangerous and hurtfull instructions and things notoriously untrue as shall particularly appeare in the ensuing discourse See pag. 78. So that a plaine sound Experimentall worke upon this subject hath been much wanting in this Nation The Art of Planting Fruit-trees is among Ancient Authors called Husbandry being it is one part of the Husbandmans work Quid sit Agricultura vid. pag. 6 though in many parts of this Nation Husbandmen have little skill in it their labour being chiefely Tillage of the ground for Corne. But this is a part of the Husbandmans worke as well as that yea and the chiefest and worthiest part Adam in time of his Innocency was imployed in this part of Husbandry about fruit-Fruit-trees as is shewed pag. 12. But when he had sinned he was put away from this worke to till the ground a lower and inferior labour Gen 3.23 The Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the Ground We see likewise the Scripture calls it Husbandry Noah is called an Husbandman when he planted a Vineyard Gen. 9.20 God blessed for ever is called an Husbandman for that he pruneth purgeth and ordereth his Mysticall vine-Vine-tree the Church Ioh. 15.1 So that I shall keep the phrase throughout the Worke. I have seene I suppose the best Workes both of Ancient and Late Writers upon this Subject and have learned from them what I could for accomplishment of this Art and have observed the practise experiments of many from time to time concerning it and have improved them to my own advantage And likewise I have set my selfe to the Practice of this worke for the space of Twenty yeares and more endeavouring to find out things of use and profit by Practise and Experience that I might speake upon better and surer grounds then some others who have written upon this Subject for Experience guides and informes Reason in many things in which without Experience it would often erre Some who have taught this Art of Planting fruit-Fruit-trees have beene in it I conceive only Contemplative men having little or no Experience in it so that in many things they have erred and that grossely as shall appeare in due place L. Ba. Advanc Lear. A Learned Author saies The writings of speculative men upon active matter for the most part seemes to men of experience to be but as dreames and dotage And that it were to be wished as that which would make Learning indeed solid and fruitfull that Active men would or could become Writers Study and Practise by degrees frame new Arts and adde to the old Virg. Geor. Per varios usus Meditando extunderet Artes paulatim Experience is called the Perfecter of Arts and the most sure and best teacher in any Art Contemplation and Action are the two Leggs whereon Arts runne stedily and strongly and the one without the other can but hop or goe lamely They are the two Eyes wherewith men see natures secrets clearely but the one alone discernes but dimly And hence it followes that some who were only contemplators of nature without experience and would needs adventure to write give instructions touching the Practique part of this Art of Planting Fruit-trees have in many things as the aforesaid Author saies presented us with smoake insteed of the lucide flames of light They have indeed shewed us a comely and beautifull body painted according to Art but yet livelesse and without a spirit And have offered us shells and huskes instead of kernells But now speculation and Action are as Soule and Body united which labouring togeather worke out both Profit and Pleasure many advantages to our selves and others When Speculation and practise Art and Nature are matched together they are pregnant and fruitfull but the one alone wanting a meete helper what fruits can it bring forth Experience as a Philosopher saies is the Root of Art and it may well be so called from whence springs a numerous multitude of new Experiments for from one Root or single Experiment though perhaps a poore and meane one in it selfe if throughly weighed with Reason and judgement may arise many rich and rare inventions And it 's most true which the Lord Bacon saies to this purpose As through a small hole or cranny a man may see great Objects so through small and contemptible instances men may see great Axioms singular secrets of nature Men will labour hard and a long time in some labours full of hazard and danger and perhaps unjust too and all for a little profit but here in this employment men may with a little labour in a short time without hazard or danger and that justly obtaine great and many profits and those with Pleasures superadded Workes and labours which have in them but a vaine and unprofitable pleasure are approved but only of some sensuall persons And such labours as have but only Profit and doe not ease the paines with some Pleasantnesse in them are yet harsh and disliked of many but such as yeeld both Profit and Pleasure are universally liked allowed of all according to the Poet. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. Either of these is the better because of the other joyned with it when they runne along hand in hand the Profit is the more because of the Pleasure and the Pleasure is more because of the Profit Now therefore That men may obtaine yearely a plentifull harvest of Profits and Pleasures I have endeavoured to remove whatsoever might hinder and have laid downe some Arguments of encouragement to set upon and prosecute the means to obtaine them discovering the best way I can find out how they may be gotten with most speede and kept with most security If any man think the Divine and Humane Arguments preceding the worke to be needlesse because generally men know that Planting Friut-trees is a very profitable worke none doubt it I Answer Some know it by experience many others doe not And although men are convinced of the profitablenes of the worke
yet there is need of some quickning Motives to it And I know none more pervalent then those taken from Profites and Pleasures considered in so great and so many respects espetially if we take in the Spiritual part unto which the Arguments may be as properly referred as to the Naturall Or if any accompt the Arguments too large conceiving the Porch to be too big for the House It is Answered such a Judgment arises from a mistake for the whole Worke following the Arguments considered together both the Naturall and Spirituall part is but one entire Treatise as in the Title-Page is exprest And besides the worke as yet is not finished There is it may be as much behind which in time I hope will be perfited Accept of what is made ready at present which as it may be profitable to some in respect of Encouragments and Directions in the practise of the Worke so also I desire it may be a meanes to stir up others to doe some thing in the like kind for Publique Profit There are many good wits exercised about Toyes and Trifles some men bestow excessive Time cost and Labour about meere shadowes and well deserve Marshalls Motto Turpis est difficiles habere nugas Et stultus labor est ineptiarum L. 2. Epig. 86. While they might in the mean time by the study and practise of this art in searching out many hidden secrets of nature and experiments much advantage themselves and many others both in respect of Temporalls and Spiritualls An ancient Author saies Not he that knoweth many things but he that knoweth things Fruitfull is Wise This Art is a full store-House out of which may be brought both Meat Drink and Mony it is a rich Myne without bounds or bottom out of which we may digg Profits and Pleasures great and many and worthy the study and labour of the most wise and Learned The good of this Imployment both in the Theorique and Practique part spreads it selfe over all places in the World to all persons in the world from the Cradle to the Grave from the beginning of the World to the end of it so that no worke can be more universally good than this Now therefore seeing there is so much profit and advantage to be received from this imployment of Planting Fruit-trees both in Temporall and Spirituall respects Let us set about it and labour in it either with Body or mind or both That thereby the Glory of God and Publique Profit together with our owne advantages may be promoted The blessing of God goe a long with us and give the increase in all our labours and prosper the workes of our hands This is my Advice to men and Prayer to God Who am Thine in the best Services RA AUSTEN The Analysis PRofits of Planting Fruit-trees in Corne and Pasture grounds the best way of improvement of Lands p. 1. Objections concerning Planting Answered 1. Coldnesse of the Country p. 4. 2. Robbing fruit-Fruit-trees p. 4. 3. Long expectation of Fruits p. 5. The praises of Fruit-trees and Art of Planting 1. From Ancient Authors p. 6 7. c. 2. From Moderne Authors p. 6 7. c. Eight divine Arguments of the dignity and value of Fruit-trees and Art of Planting 1. Argument Adams imployment in Innocency pag. 12. 2. Argument Fruits were the first foode given to man p. 12 3. Argument from examples p. 12 13. c. 1. God blessed for ever 2. Noah 3. Abraham 4. King Uzziah 5. King Solomon 6. Susanna 7. The Jewes 8. Our Saviour Christ 4. Argument from Similitudes p. 14 15. c. 1. Esay 5.1 2. My beloved had a Vineyard in a fruitfull hill 2. Psal 1.2 Like a tree planted by the Rivers of Waters c. 3. Ioh. 15.1 I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman 4. Rom. 11.17 If some of the Branches were broken off c. 5. Cant. 4.12 13. A Garden inclosed is my Sister my Spouse 6. Rev. 22.2 There was the tree of life Fifth Divine Argument from Gods withholding them in displeasure p. 16. Instances 1. Exod. 9.25 Haile brake every tree of the Field c. 2. Amos 4.9 I have smitten your fruit-trees c. 3. Ioel. 1.12 The Vine is dryed up the fig-tree languisheth c. 4. Deut. 28.39 Thou shalt plant but shalt neither drink of the Wine nor gather the Grapes Sixt Divine Argument from Gods promising and giving thē in Mercy p. 16 17. Instances 1. Ier. 29.5 Plant Gardens and eat the Fruit of them 2. Amos 9.4 They shall plant Gardens and eat the fruits of them 3. Neh. 9.25 They took strong Citties Vineyards Olive-yards Fruit-trees in abundance 4. Ezek. 34.27 And the Tree of the field shall yeild her fruit c. Seaventh Divine Argum. from two commands 1. Tit. 3.4 Let ours also learne to maintaine good workes for necessary uses p. 17. 2. Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are lovely of good report c. pag. 18. Eight Divine Argument from Gods speciall Charge to preserve fruit-trees above all other Trees Deut. 20.19 Thou shalt not destroy the Trees being Trees for Meat for the Tree of the Field is mans life pag 19. Foure Humane Arguments of the dignity of Fruit-trees and Planting from the 1. Presidents of the greatest Persons pag. 20. Cyrus King of Persia Philometrus Kings of Asia Heronius Kings of Asia Archelaus King of Asia Attalus King of Asia Evax King of Arabia Avicen King of Arabia Telaphanus Antonius Pius Elizeus Numa Sportanus Alcinous Mithridates the Great Alexander the Great Solomon King of Israel And many others 2. Praises of All People pag. 21. See Instances of many p. 6 7 8. c. The Third humane Argument from Profits 1. To the Estate 1. In respect of House-keeping 1. In Meats pag. 21. 2. In Drinks pag. 21. 2. In respect of Sale 1 Fruits in their kinds 22 2. Wines made of thē 22 2. To the Body 1. In respect of health 1. By moderate exercises p. 22. 2. Fresh Aires p. 23. 3. Pleasant Odors p. 23. 4. Wholsome meats p 24. 2. In respect of long life 1. By operation upon the spirits through the Organs of the Body Eare p. 35. 36 27 c. Touch p. 35. 36 27 c. Smell p. 35. 36 27 c. Sight p. 35. 36 27 c. Tast p. 35. 36 27 c. 2. Through the Affections of the Mind Hope pag. 25. Joy p. 26. Admiration p. 27 28. c. 3. To the Mind 1. In respect of knowledge Naturall p. 32. Morall p. 32. Spirituall p. 32. 2. In respect of Affections 32. 4. To the Name 1. In this life by Gifts and Benefits p. 33. 2. After death by Fruit-trees as living Monuments 5. To others 1. To the Poore Friends or Enemies 34. 2. To the Rich Friends or Enemies 34. The Fourth Humane Argument from pleasures 1. To the Eare 1. By sweet tunes of singing Birds p. 35. 2. By gentle motion of boughes leaves 35 2.
Profit Now of all estates of life the husbandman may cheifly challenge this to himselfe yea it is questionable whether the Profit or Pleasure of his life be the greater God when he would make the life of man Pleasant unto him he put him into an Orchard or Garden of delights that he might labour therein with pleasure of mind There a man is delighted with variety of Fruits of Trees not in one season only but in diverse seasons of the yeare some young and springing forth while diverse other kinds are ready to fall with ripenesse So that a man doth even busy himselfe with the choice of such varieties The Boughs burthened with the weight of Fruits do bow to thee and in a lowly manner offer their Fruits as the Poet notes Behold the bending Boughes with store of Fruits they teare And what they have brought forth for weight they scarce can beare Oh how sweet and pleasant is the fruit of those Trees which a man hath Planted and ordered with his own hand to gather it and largly and freely to bestow and distribute it among his kindred and freinds Yea it is a delight to heare the pleasant tunes and singing of Birds which with their variety of notes make a sweet harmony and concent and much please and allure the sence So the Poet Melodious Ditties chirping Birds indite Whose pleasant songs our ravisht eares invite Theophrastus planted an Orchard close to his dwelling house which when he died he left to students and lovers of Philosophy and wisdome Democritus had his Chamber neere to a garden Many Philosophers have taught their schollers in Orchards and Gardens What worke is more innocent then Planting of Fruit-trees Augustine and what more full of high speculations to wise men then it is What is more wonderfull to behold then in sowing seeds in planting sprigs in removing young Trees in grafting new shoots or grafts as it were to aske and demand with a mans selfe what by the nature and virtue of the Roots and branches may be done or what may not be done for what reason it may be done or not done seeing the nature of things may after a sort be declared by reason what of many things is of force and effect by an invisible and inward power and nature what diligence is outwardly to be used c. In which consideration and search we may see and understand these things Yet for all that neither he that Plants is any thing nor he that waters but God that gives the encrease They accompt this course of life free from many mischeifes and and vexations that necessarily attend other affaires great and many cares and troubles are found in honours and high places but this course of life about Orchards and Gardens is full of sweet rest honest businesse and modest pleasures which many famous and learned men have had recourse unto for refreshment after study and other labours It is full of honest profit and gaine and brings and administers all necessaries here a man enjoyes pleasant quietnesse and tranquility of minde which is seldome attained by those that follow State-Imployments This is worthy the exercise of wise men of good men of learned men of Kings and Emperours they have taken great delight in the study and practise of these things This course of life is farre off from covetousnesse and even tyed and married to all Offices of love and friendship This is a quiet and pleasant life worthy to be preferred before all honours and dignities This culture of the ground and planting and ordering of fruit-Fruit-trees Occasions search and inquiry into many secrets profitable to men which brings unto them ample satisfaction yea the excellency and worthinesse of Husbandry is surpassing it excells all other Arts and appeares as the Lady or Mistris they as Servants attending her Many of the Ancients have largely declared to us the nature and use of Plants and Trees before all other living creatures The profit of a Garden of Fruit-trees is wonderfull and cannot well be declared And if Antiquity can adde any noblenesse and worth to a thing what imployment then before this what more ancient then the labour of the Husbandman Husbandmen are called Honest and good men because of their innocent and just life Cicero esteemed it best of all other labours nothing more rich and profitable nothing more delightfull nothing more worthie a generous spirit then it In former times those that were honoured and carried in triumph they were not honoured with Gold Pearles or other such pretious things but with the Boughs and Branches of Trees And in their Games and exercises who so got the Prize were crowned with Branches of certaine Trees as the Olive Palme c. Such as got the Conquest and victory of their enemies were crowned with the Lawrell which was to them a signe of Victorie And in their feasts they gave Crownes and Garlands of Leaves and Branches of trees in token of mirth and pleasure Besides if this labour receive honour from the persons that have been conversant in it then it is a kingly Art See the worthie Acts of Cyrus King of Persia Ezra 1.1.2.3 c. and chiefest of all other Cyrus King of Persia who had all the Kingdomes of the earth given to him was diligent and most exact in the handling of it He planted Orchards Gardens of Fruitt-rees with his owne hand which when Lysander saw he admired to see the excellent and singular order and disposition of them saying O Cyrus right blessed shall all men call thee because to thy dignity and Crowne thou hast joyned this care and course of life Telephanes tilled the ground and planted Trees among his subjects Elizeus Spartanus planted spacious and large Orchards and used therein to feast and Banquet with his children and friends Kings Emperours and highest powers were not ashamed to perform the workes belonging to an Orchard with their own hands Divers Emperours of Rome had Gardens of Fruit-trees and performed the works therein with delight Of this See Sir Rich Barkley of the felicity of man pag. 162. Dioclesian Emperour of Rome after he had reigned Twenty yeares betooke himselfe to a private life and Planted Orchards and Gardens with his own hand wherein he tooke such delight that he could not be intreated to take upon him againe the Goverment of the Empire Solomon the wisest of all Kings had Orchards and Gardens of Fruit-trees and tooke pleasure in them and spake of all Trees from the Cedar even to the Shrub Mascall sets out this Art with admirable praises he saies among all sciences and goodly exercises for men there is none doe more refresh the spirits nor cause more admiration in the effects of Nature or is more profitable for mans life then is the skill of Planting and Grafting Many great Lords and Noble Personages have left their Theaters and goodly exercises and have given themselves to Planting and Grafting and such like imployments and have commended
Hist Life and Death pag. 207 208. And that Leaves of trees falling towards the middle of Autumne yeild a good refreshing to the spirits But the most pleasant and wholsome Odors are from the blossomes of all the Fruit-trees which having in them a condensing and cooling property are therefore not simply Healthfull but are accompted Cordiall chearing and refreshing the Heart and vitall spirits Now the spirits as this Author observes are the Master-workemen in the body Hist Life and Death pag. 183. 410. and as the uppermost Wheele which turneth about the other wheeles in the body and therefore whatsoever is Healthfull and refreshing to the spirits works powerfully good effects in the body And that speedily and suddenly as the Author saies Vapors and Affections worke compendiously upon the spirits Hist Life and Death pag. 236. Of the Healthfullnesse of Odors see more at Large in the title Pleasure of the sense of smell in a Garden Fourthly Health is preserved by wholsome meats and drinks all the yeare from the Garden of Fruit-trees The spirits of the body in sommer stand in need of cooling condensing what meats and drinks more proper for that purpose then dishes and drinks of the fruits of an Orchard They are both Alimentall and Physicall they cure diseases and preserve health discharging the body of the beginnings and seeds of many diseases 2. In respect of long life Secondly A Garden of Fruit-trees is profitable to the body in respect of Long life How much have men valued long life in all ages of the world what strange courses have some taken to extend their life to a great length some have liv'd in Caves and Rocks and sequestred themselves from society with men and betaken themselves to a strict Monasticall course that they might stretch out their life and be said to live Yea amongst Christians who though they desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Yet in some respects long life is to be accompted a blessing and is set before us as an encouragement to obedience as we see Deut. 32.47 The feare of the Lord is your life Prov. 10.27 Prov 9 11 Ps 91 16. and through this yee shall prolong your daies And Prov. 3.1.2 My sonne keep my Commandements for length of daies and long life shall they adde to thee the like in many other places Now I say An Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees is profitable to the body for Long life and that in severall respects All these foure last mentioned meanes for Health the same likewise conduce and are profitable to long life wherein lies another part of their excellency and worth for as the Lord Bacon observes Hist L D. pag. 179. 180. some things are profitable for an healthfull life but are not good for long life but all these conduce as well to long life as to health so that Moderate exercise 2 fresh Ayres 3 pleasant Odors 4. Wholsome meats and drinks which are all had in an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees are also all profitable to long life Hist L. D. pag. 183. 414. The foresaid Author saies The spirits are the master workmen of all the effects in the body and therefore in the intention of long life ought to be first placed So then whatsoever worketh upon the spirits for their refreshing and vigor is profitable to long life The operation upon the spirits and their waxing fresh and vigorous is the most ready and compendious way to Long life Hist L.D. pag. 235. Now an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees and imployments therein worke upon the spirits for their refreshing two waies First by the Organs of the Body Secondly by the Affections of the Minde Touching the first The operation upon the spirits through the Organs of the body see at large in the pleasure of the five senses Concerning the operation upon the spirits by the Affections of the minde I shall here speake and mention only three Affections of the minde which worke powerfully upon the spirits conducing to long life One Affection of the Minde which works effectually upon the spirits for Long life is Hope 1. Affection Hope Hist L.D. pag. 224. The Lord Bacon saies Hope is most beneficiall of all the Affections and doth much to the Prolongation of life if it be not too often frustrated but entertaineth the fancy with an expectation of good therefore saith he they which fix and propound to themselves something as the marke and scope of their life and continually and by degrees goe forward in the same are for the most part long lived Hope is as a Leafe-joy which may be beaten out to a great extension like gold Now the diligent Husbandman in this art of planting Fruit-trees has good and sure grounds for Hope not only from many Promises in the word but likewise subordinate grounds from Reason and Experience This Hope is sowen with the seeds of his Fruits and springs up with them and so from yeare to yeare his Hope growes and increaseth with his fruit-Fruit-trees He saies before him and considers what great Profits and Pleasures are comming towards him he sees by experience what a plentifull harvest of Profits and Pleasures others receave from Orchards and Gardens of Fruit-trees which are as fuell or food to nourish and feed Hope and hold it in strength and vigor and when he begins to receive Profits and Pleasures from his Fruit-trees these refresh Hope and make it grow from strength to strength with his Fruit-trees and thus from yeare to yeare Hope is continued and increased and all this while the spirits are refreshed as Hope is refreshed and are kept thereby vigorous and strong and in a pleased temper and condition and being the Master-workmen in the body or first wheele as the Author saies they worke upon all the parts of the body for Prolongation of life And so much concerning the operation upon the spirits by Hope 2. Affection Ioy. Another Affection of the minde which in this imployment works upon the spirits for long-life is Joy The foresaid Author saies That this Affection of Ioy works so powerfully on the spirits Hist L. D. pag. 221. that some great Ioyes comming suddenly unexpectedly doe overmuch attenuate and diffuse the spirits But now ther 's no danger of the suddennesse of Ioy in these things whereby to raise and overmuch diffuse the spirits for such things as cause Ioy in the imployment of planting Fruit trees are expected and waited for and Hope prepares the way for Ioy. Ioy is a cleare shining beautifull affection and rises some degrees higher then Hope Ioy in the use of earthly things is lawfull in its season ther 's a time to rejoyce as well as a time to mourne And there is a lawfull joy in harvest in gathering in the fruits of the Earth Esay 9.3 It is commanded and allowed of God Deut. 12.16 Thou shalt rejoyce before the Lord thy God in all that thou
in time to come This profit to others is by bestowing our fruits on friends and neighbours and such as want For though God require not to himselfe as formerly the first of all the fruits of all trees yeare by yeare Nehem. 10.35 Yet God requires yeare by yeare when he bestowes all upon us that we should give a part to himselfe againe that is to his poore members that want them This is the way to obtaine a blessing upon all our labours Deut. 15.10 Thou shalt surely give unto him that is unto thy poore brother and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy works and in all thou puttest thy hand unto A Gift to the Poore is a gainefull Gift for by it a man becomes Creditor to his Creator Prov 19.17 He that giveth to the poore lendeth to the Lord and the Lord will recompence him Eccle 35.11 The Lord recompenceth and will give thee seaven-times as much Likewise the fruits of an Orchard are profitable to others that buy the fruits the Buyer having good and profitable Commodities for his money has profit thereby as well as the seller Yea This labour is profitable to others in time to come Qui serunt Arbores alteri seculo prosunt After ages receive much profitt also When our selves and others have receiv'd our full portion of profitt then fruit-trees are left to Children and posterity to receive Profit many Generations after And this much touching the Third Humane Argument from the Profits that are receiv'd from a Garden of Fruit-trees The fourth Humane Argument 4. Humane Argument of the Dignity and value of Fruit-trees and the Art of Planting is Argumentum à voluptate from the Pleasures that are receiv'd thereby Pleasure is called sal condimentum vitae The salt that seasons all things to us In all that a man has pleasure in it is that which makes it acceptable Pleasure as one saies is the Good of every thing and a patterne of Heaven Now we find pleasure in an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees sutable to all the Senses of the body And here 's a mixture of pleasures with profits for divers objects of the senses are both pleasant and profitable this imployment is richly furnisht with both And as I have shew'd some particulars wherein profit consists so likewise I will shew some particulars wherein pleasure consists in the use of a Garden of Fruit-trees Each sense hath its particular pleasure First for the sense of hearing It is a pleasure to the Eare to heare the sweet notes and tunes of singing Birds 1. Pleasure of the sense of Hearing whose company a man shall be sure to have in an Orchard which is more pleasant there then elswhere because of other concurrent pleasures there a Consort of Musicke is more pleasant then upon a single Instrument The Poet took notice of this pleasure Aves Canoros garrulae fundunt sonos Et semper Aures cantibus mulcent suis Melodious ditties chirping Birds indite Whose pleasant songs our ravisht eares invite And besides something more this sense may receive from an Orchard though it have least share of pleasure therein of any of the senses by hearing the slow motion of Boughes and Leaves by soft and gentle aires sometimes as it were with a kind of singing or whistling noise which will easily induce a sweet pleasant sleep in sommer time if a man be dispos'd in some close coole Arbor or shady seat Secondly the sence of Touch may have Pleasure 2 Pleasure of the sense of Touch. in an Orchard from the coole fruits and leaves of Trees smoothing and brushing the face therewith which is refreshing and cooling in heat of Sommer But this sense receaves Pleasure chiefly by the shade of Trees in sommer time Coole refreshing Ayres are found in close Walks Seats and Arbours under and about the Trees which keep off the burning heat of the sunne Yea they doe not simply keep off the heat of the sunne but likewise much coole the ayre by its contact of these coole bodies Trees Fruits leaves coole fresh ayres in heat of sommer are sought for are not only Pleasant but exceeding profitable and healthfull to the body Hist L.D. pag. 241. Here Profit and Pleasure meet and imbrace each other And hereto agrees the L. Bacon who saies exclusion of ayre is profitable to Long-life for ayre is predatory to long-life through the heat of the sunne and ought as much as is possible to be excluded from the body Now what better place is there to exclude the heat of the sunne from the body in sommer season then amongst the shady trees Arbours and Walkes in the Orchard L.B. Hist L D. pag. Ca. 11 Pag. 425. It 's laid for a ground That condensing the spirits in their substance is available to long-life which he tells us is done most effectually by coole ayres Refrigeration or cooling of the body from without is above all things necessary to long-life So then the Pleasure this sense receives from a Garden of fruit-Fruit-trees is to be much esteem'd Thirdly The sense of sight partakes of Pleasure 3. Pleasure of the sight in an Orchard in beholding the exact Order in Planting of the Trees their decent formes the well compos'd Allies Walks Seats and Arbours therein Nat. hist p. 2 24 for order and curious formes of things much delight the sight of this see L. Bacon at large Likewise the sight is delighted with pleasant and delicate Colours of the Leaves Blossomes and Fruits that shew themselves in great variety Curious Colours especially the Colour greene is accounted helpfull to the sight Fons speculum Gramen Oculis sunt alleviamen Greene grasse cleare glasse and fountaines pure Refresh Eye-sight long to indure Here againe Profit and Pleasure meet And as foule and odious objects presented to the sight cause a dislike in the spirits that they retire and shun such objects See L. B. Nat. hist pag. 199. so ê contrario verum the contrary holds in delightfull and pleasant objects of the sight the spirits thereby are delighted He saies Nas. hist p. 224 Objects of the sight as comming into a faire Garden or into a faire roome richly furnished and the like doe delight and exhilarate the spirits much The beautifull flowers of various colours amongst the lovely Bloomes of trees and Plants what a glorious shew will they make Flores nitescunt discolore gramine Pinguntque terras gemmeis honoribus Gay flowers waven with discoloured grasse With rich imbroidered Robes the earth compasse Is it not a pleasant sight to behold a multitude of Trees round about in decent forme and order bespangled and gorgeously apparelled with greene Leaves Bloomes and goodly Fruits as with a rich Robe of imbroidered work or as hanging with some pretious and costly Jewels or Pearles the Boughs laden and burdened bowing downe to you and
of the stocke 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 betweene the bark and the wood And regard not the custome of many Grafters in setting the outsides even and smooth not considering the insides their successe is according to their skill for the most part We know the Bark of a big stock is much thicker then the bark of a slender graft if the outsides be smooth and even the insides must needs be uneven But I say to joyne the inner sides of both barks together all along the cleft is the Principall 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 Choice of Grafts and slender they commonly fayle but take the fairest upon the tree and especially those that are fullest of Buds 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 the like of other kinds joyn not contrary or different kinds they never come to perfection as Cherry grafts on Plum-stocks or the like Experience makes it manifest to be but lost labour they 'l grow it may be a yeare or two and then dy And in choice of Grafts Observe the best bearing-trees be sure to consider what Trees of all kinds are the best bearers some kinds seldome misse and some other kinds though good fruits seldome hit and therefore take information from those persons that know by experience the nature of the Trees in this regard and accordingly chose or refuse Grafts from them Observe the like in choyce of Vines The Parsley Vine of all other is best for these parts Such Grafts as are bound as is said of the two first waies of Grafting must be unbound after a certain time Vnbind Grafts when they have well closed with the Stock about Midsommer or before they will be fast enough upon the Stock so that they may without danger be unbound but if they be not unbound the band hinders their grouth and besides the winds when the grafts are growne big bushie will break divers of them unlesse they be unbound and also by some means supported and strengthned 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 After Grafts have had their full growth the first yeare Prune young Grafts they must be Pruned such as neede Pruning As for wall Plants its noe 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 inlarge themselves And from yeare to yeare prune off those shoots and branches as are superfluous and grow too neer one another and preserve only such as are fit to make the Tree of a comely forme And if any spire up and shoot too strongly upwards in the middle of the Tree only and spread not sufficiently as is often seene 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 neere 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-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 Inoculating Buds is about Midsommer a fortnight before a fortnight after is the chiefe season though Some Plants full of sap may be done afterwards with good successe That this businesse may be done to good purpose it must be considered whether the Buds which we meane to get are sufficiently grown or not they must not be too young and tender and we shall finde that some kinds of Trees have Buds ready sooner then others As the Aprecott especially and those that shoot strongly Let then the biggest and strongest shoots be cut from the Tree that have grown since the spring to that time and cut off the top of the shoot all these Buds that are too small and tender and also cut off the Leaves of the other about a quarter of an inch from the Bud and by that part left we hold the Bud being taken off the Branch but leave not on the whole leafe and stalke as some doe for the aire by meanes of the leafe extracts and drawes out the sap of the Bud in a short time and so spoiles it Observe the kindes Then goe to the Plants you intend to Inoculate which must be like as to the generall kinds with the Buds that you intend to set on as Aprecot Buds and other Plum-Buds on Plumstocks that are wild stocks the White Peare plum stock is accounted the best to inoculate Aprecot buds on or other choice Plums it being a Plant full of sap and in chusing Buds or Grafts be sure alwaies to cut them from those kinds that experience shewes are good bearing Trees Now in setting on the Bud first make a crosse cut upon some smooth place of the stock if it be for a wall-tree then halfe a foot or thereabouts from the ground from the middle of the crosse cut make another straight down about an Inch long or something lesse only through the Bark and with the end of a Pen-knife raise up the bark on both sides as much as to let in the small Bud then make hast to prepare the bud for a man must be quick at this work else the Aire by sudden drying the Bud and the cut part of the stock will much hurt Cut the bark on both sides the Bud and about a quarter of an inch above and as much below the bud and let that end which is to be downwards be a little sharp that it may more easily goe downe betweene the Barke and wood of the stocke and throw away the bark on the opposite side then with a Quill the one halfe cut away or a Pen of steele made thin for the purpose take off the Bud and bark and be sure there be the root of
the Bud in it if there be a little hole in the middle of the bud within then the root is not there throw away that bud such will not grow but the Bud being well taken off then hold it by the stalk of the leafe as before was said and put it carefully betweene the bark and the wood of the small Plant prepared as before and let the top of the bud joyne close to the crosse cut then bind the bud with a soft Rush that is strong bind it close to the stock especially in the middle where the Root of the bud lies and so let it rest After a certaine time the Buds must be unbound Vnbind buds in due time and some sooner then others some stocks grow more in a week then some others in a month Now if this worke be done early in the yeare before Midsommer upon young stocks very full of sap these may be unbound about 14. or 15. daies after or a Generall Rule may be this when a stock is so grown as that the band about the Bud does much straighten the Bud which may be seen by the swelling of the Plant above and below the Bud then the band must be cut and taken off But those that are done neere the end of July or after will not need unbinding so soon Now after unbinding you may see which Buds take hold of the stock and which doe not those that are good are fast upon the stock and appeare in their naturall colours as when they were set on those that doe not hold will have lost their colour and it may be withered and dri'd Such as are good meddle no more with them till the Spring then cut off the stocks an inch or two above the Buds Cut off stocks above the Buds so the Buds will spring out and grow according to the strength of the stocks And in Autumn after they may be transplanted or if you please such Buds may be transplanted the next Autumne after inoculating which is the surer way for growing And when these Buds have growne one yeare then cut off the stock close to the buds and they will cover the head as Grafts How to carry Buds If Buds be not ready at hand but must be fetcht many miles in that hot time then speciall care must be taken in the carriage of them Thus Being cut from the Tree cut off the tops of the Branches and the leaves neere the Buds as before then binde them together and wrap them in fresh Leaves or Grasse to keep them cool and they will keep good two or three daies but yet make all the hast that may be to inoculate them Marke the Stocks Having Grafted or Inoculated Stocks make one Letter or two upon the stock below the Graft or Bud wherby to know the kind of the Fruit and if any be stolen they may thereby be knowne being found againe It s done with the point of a Pen-knife cuting through the bark the forme of a Letter or any other figure whereby to know the kinds of fruits And so much for Inoculating Buds of Fruit-trees Directions in the choice of Grafts and Stocks The choice of right kinds of Grafts and Stocks and the joyning of them together according to their natures is so necessary and some observations about them are so essentiall to the work of profitable planting that except they be knowne and practised men loose much of the profit they might have if rightly observed A few speciall directions in any Art though consisting but of few lines containing the Principles and essentiall parts are better and more to the advancement of the Art then great Volumes upon the same subject when men as many doe rove about upon unnecessary things and strange fancies without any solid grounds beside the life of the businesse If men misse the Principles and essentialls of an Art they discourse of it to little purpose So also in the practise and therefore it has many times fallen out that some men having laboured much spent much time cost in Planting fruit-Fruit-trees yet their labours have not succeeded well because there has been mistakes in some principall and very materiall things either the Trees have not grown well or if prospered and come to a large grouth yet they have not borne Fruit well which hath been a great discouragement not only to themselves but to others who have seen it Now among all Observations about this Art of Planting Fruit-trees I know none of greater moment or more essentiall to the profitable proceeding in it then the Choice of right kinds and the joyning of Grafts Buds and Stocks fit for each other I shall therefore mention some particulars of the Twelve kindes of Fruit-trees which I have made choice to speak of and shew which I account most profitable and best to propagate and increase and how they fit severall stocks when the Cyences are to be Engrafted First concerning Apples Of Apples In the choice of Apple Grafts we must consider not only the goodnesse of the Fruit but also whether the Trees be good bearing Trees naturally whether such as have known them divers yeares can say by experience they beare well but many look not after this so much as what kind of fruit it is In respect of goodnesse And thence it comes to passe that some men having store of faire large Fruit-trees they have but little fruit from them Therefore let the generalitie of Fruit-trees both in the Orchards and in the Fields be of right kindes in respect of bearing as well as in respect of goodnesse of the fruit and then for variety there may be some of other kinds of good and choice fruits though they beare but few and seldome And for particular kinds of Apples I commend the Sommer-Pearemaine and the Winter Pearemaine not only for speciall fruits but also for good bearing kinds So likewise the small Pippin a good Apple and a great bearer The Harvey Apple is a very choice fruit and the trees beare well The Queene Apple is a great bearing fruit and good So the Gillofloure Many other kinds might be named that are speciall good fruits and great bearing kindes and some persons prefer one kind and some another But the great and generall Rule in this and all other kinds of Fruits is to take Grafts from those Trees which are knowne by experience to beare store of fruits and good and to multiply these as much as may be As for Stocks fit for Apple Grafts I account Crab-trees better then sweeter Apple-trees to Graft on because they are usually free from the Canker and will become very large Trees and I conceive will last longer then Stocks of sweeter Apple-trees and will make fruits more strong and hardy to endure frosts and cold weather in the spring time yet it is good to chuse stocks of some pleasant Apples to graft some choice fruit upon Because that the stock has some small influence upon the fruits
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 beare fruits the one sort as soon as the other but it is otherwise so that the Cause lyes not simply in grafting but in the Nature of the grafts Neither does Grafting make fruits at all the better otherwise then as you chuse grafts of a good kind for wee know Grafts rule and keepe their owne Natures And the Cause is not well assign'd by the Author who saies it is for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stocke 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 the Cause being alike why is not the effect alike It s plaine this is not the Cause but the Cause is in the Graft not in the stocke Nat hist pag. 109. and p. 115. though the nourishment be never so well concocted in the stock and the fruit is not made better or worse simply by grafting The Author asserts this truth plainely elsewhere the graft saith he overruleth the Stocke and againe the Grafts will govern that is they keepe the Nature and properties of the trees from with they were gotten Another of the third sort of Errors is this A late Author saies the Cause why trees beare not fruit in a few yeares after grafting is because they were grafted in the old of the Moone for saith he so many daies as the Moone is old when you graft so many yeares will the Graft be ere it beare fruit The Cause is here mistaken for the Moone 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 cheife Causes of unfruitfulnesse of trees are when they are not fit for the Countrie where they are planted Secondly when the Grafts are chosen from young unbearing Trees thirdly Repletion or overmuch nourishment Fourthly Coldnesse or overmoistnesse 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 Rootes which causeth severall effects as falling of the Leaves goodnesse of the Rootes of divers Plants for use c but the Cause of these Effects is mistaken for Sap in Trees never descends but alwaies 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 Rootes 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 the Rootes and the Rootes even then draw sap for the Earth and increase upon it and are well stored with sap after the Branches haue done increasing and there the sap rests cheifely at that season Some who hold descending of sap may perhaps confirme their Opinion from small springs of the Rootes of Plants when they are removed in Autumne It s true The Roots of Plants set in the beginning of September or about that time doe spring forth a little at the cut ends of the Rootes before winter not because Sap descends from the Branches to them for though all the Branches are cut off before setting as sometimes they are yet the Rootes will spring then because some degree of heate proportionable to that purpose is at that season in the top of the earth by reason of the immediate fore-going summer soe that Plants set while this heat lasteth they will germinate and spring forth in their Rootes before winter the husbandman knowes in this season it is best to sow his Wheate and Rye And also because the Sunne as yet hath an influence sufficient to make seeds and Roots of Plants to spring forth which towards December it hath not being then too remote from us soe that it is not descending of Sap that Causeth these effects The learned Lord Bacon did not well consider this poynt who supposed a descention of sap in Autumne Nat hist p. 111. and 94. speaking concerning setting a Bough in the ground prepared by disbarking for that purpose saies the Cause why it will soone after be a faire Tree may be this the baring of the Bark keepeth the sap from descending towards winter here 's a wrong Cause assigned to an effect for it is not the supposed keeping up of the Sap by that meanes he speaks of that Causeth such a Bough to grow the better but the cause is for that such a Bough by disbarking hath got some small Roots or strings or at least some roughnesse or knobs capable of Rootes in the passage up of the sap whereby being set it will become a Tree in certaine yeares This Opinion of descention of sap in Trees is an old Error of many yeares standing and is radicated in the Minds of most men many using it as a Similitude to illustrate some spirituall thing as if it were a reall and undoubted truth whereas it is but a weake and groundlesse conceipt and contrary to Reason and experience I will therefore lay it open more plainly and prove and demonstrate the Truth concerning the motion of sap in Trees Sap in trees allwaies moves upwards and it is contrary to the Law and course of nature for sap to descend Natura nil agit frustra nature does nothing in vaine Now it were a vaine worke in Nature to cause Sap to ascend up into the Branches to descend againe to the roots the Roots send sap to the Branches and not the Branches to the Roots when it once comes into the Branches it is converted into Wood Barke Leaves Fruits c Whence is all that great Bulk and body which we see a Tree arise to in a few years if sap should descend one while as it ascends another it would follow that as a Tree increaseth by ascension of sap so it would decrease by its descension This may be more cleare if we consider the Cause why sap in Trees stirres ascends also why it riseth not after such a time to make any grouth When the sunne in the spring of the yeare by degrees drawes nearer to us then sap in Trees begins by its heat and influence to move to swell and open the Buds and to cause the Branches to shoot forth which increase by it all the summer and as the sunne by degrees drawes nearer and grows hotter so the sap