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Worthy Sir , W hen in many yeeres by long experience I had furnished this my Northerne Orchard and Countrey Garden with needfull plants and vsefull hearbes, I did impart the view thereof to my friends, who resorted to me to conferre in matters of that nature, they did see it, and seeing it desired, and I must not denie now the publishing of it (which then I allotted to my priuate delight) for the publike profit of others. Wherefore, though I could pleade custome the ordinarie excuse of all Writers, to chuse a Patron and Protector of their Workes, and so shroud my selfe from scandall vnder your honourable fauour, yet haue I certaine reasons to excuse this my presumption: First, the many courtesies you haue vouchsafed me. Secondly, your delightfull skill in matters of this nature. Thirdly, the profit which I receiued from your learned discourse of...
2 minute read
A rt hath her first originall out of experience, which therefore is called the Schoole-mistresse of fooles, because she teacheth infallibly, and plainely, as drawing her knowledge out of the course of Nature, (which neuer failes in the generall) by the senses, feelingly apprehending, and comparing (with the helpe of the minde) the workes of nature; and as in all other things naturall, so especially in Trees; for what is Art more then a prouident and skilfull Collectrix of the faults of Nature in particular workes, apprehended by the senses? As when good ground naturally brings forth thistles, trees stand too thicke, or too thin, or disorderly, or (without dressing) put forth vnprofitable suckers, and suchlike. All which and a thousand more, Art reformeth, being taught by experience: and therefore must we count that Art the surest, that stands vpon experimentall rules, gathered by the rule of reason (not conceit)...
2 minute read
Religious. Whosoeuer desireth & endeauoureth to haue a pleasant, and profitable Orchard, must (if he be able) prouide himselfe of a Fruicterer, religious, honest, skilful in that faculty, & therwithall painfull: By religious, I meane (because many think religion but a fashion or custome to go to Church) maintaining, & cherishing things religious: as Schooles of learning, Churches, Tythes, Church-goods, & rights; and aboue all things, Gods word, & the Preachers thereof, so much as he is able, practising prayers, comfortable conference, mutuall instruction to edifie, almes, and other works of Charity, and all out of a good conscience. Honest. Honesty in a Gardner, will grace your Garden, and all your house, and helpe to stay vnbridled Seruingmen, giuing offence to none, not calling your name into question by dishonest acts, nor infecting your family by euill counsell or example. For there is no plague so infectious as Popery and...
4 minute read
Kinds of trees. F ruit-trees most common, and meetest for our Northerne Countries: (as Apples, Peares, Cheries, Filberds, red and white Plummes, Damsons, and Bulles,) for we meddle not with Apricockes nor Peaches, nor scarcely with Quinces, which will not like in our cold parts, vnlesse they be helped with some reflex of Sunne, or other like meanes, nor with bushes, bearing berries, as Barberies, Goose-berries, or Grosers, Raspe-berries, and such like, though the Barbery be wholesome, and the tree may be made great: doe require (as all other trees doe) a blacke, fat, mellow, cleane and well tempered soyle, wherein they may gather plenty of good sap. Some thinke the Hasell would haue a chanily rocke, and the sallow, and eller a waterish marish. Soyle. The soile is made better by deluing, and other meanes, being well melted, and the wildnesse of the earth and weedes (for euery thing...
6 minute read
T here is no difference, that I find betwixt the necessity of a good soile, and a good site of an Orchard. For a good soile (as is before described) cannot want a good site, and if it do, the fruit cannot be good, and a good site will much mend an euill soile. Low and neere a Riuer. The best site is in low grounds, (and if you can) neere vnto a Riuer. High grounds are not naturally fat. And if they haue any fatnesse by mans hand, the very descent in time doth wash it away. It is with grounds in this case as it is with men in a common wealth. Much will haue more: and once poore, seldome or neuer rich. The raine will scind, and wash, and the wind will blow fatnesse from the heights to the hollowes, where it will abide, and...
3 minute read
I t would be remembred what a benefit riseth, not onely to euery particular owner of an Orchard, but also to the common wealth, by fruit, as shall be shewed in the 16. Chapter (God willing) whereupon must needes follow: the greater the Orchard is (being good and well kept) the better it is, for of good things, being equally good, the biggest is the best. Orchard as good as a corn-field. And if it shall appeare, that no ground a man occupieth (no, not the corne field) yeeldeth more gaine to the purse, and house keeping (not to speake of the vnspeakeable pleasure) quantity for quantity, than a good Orchard (besides the cost in planting, and dressing an orchard, is not so much by farre, as the labour and feeding of your corne fields, nor for durance of time, comparable, besides the certainty of the on before ...
2 minute read
T he goodnesse of the soile, and site, are necessary to the wel being of an orchard simply, but the forme is so farre necessary, as the owner shall thinke meete, for that kind of forme wherewith euery particular man is delighted, we leaue it to himselfe, Suum cuique pulchrum . The vsuall forme is a square. The forme that men like in generall is a square, for although roundnesse be forma perfectissima , yet that principle is good where necessity by art doth not force some other forme. If within one large square the Gardner shall make one round Labyrinth or Maze with some kind of Berries, it will grace your forme, so there be sufficient roomth left for walkes, so will foure or more round knots do. For it is to be noted, that the eye must be pleased with the forme. I haue seene squares...
3 minute read
Effects of euill fencing. A ll your labour past and to come about an Orchard is lost vnlesse you fence well. It shall grieue you much to see your young sets rubd loose at the rootes, the barke pild, the boughes and twigs cropt, your fruite stolne, your trees broken, and your many yeares labours and hopes destroyed, for want of fences. A chiefe care must be had in this point. You must therefore plant in such a soile, where you may prouide a conuenient, strong and seemely fence. For you can possesse no goods, that haue so many enemies as an orchard, looke Chapter 13 . Fruits are so delightsome, and desired of so many (nay, in a manner of all) and yet few will be at cost and take paines to prouide them. Fence well therefore, let your plot be wholly in your owne power, that you make...
17 minute read
T here is not one point (in my opinion) about an Orchard more to be regarded, than the choyce getting and setting of good plants, either for readinesse or hauing good fruite, or for continuall lasting. For whosoeuer shall faile in the choyce of good Sets, or in getting, or gathering, or setting his plants, shall neuer haue a good or lasting Orchard. And I take want of skill in this faculty to be a chiefe hinderance to the most Orchards, and to many for hauing of Orchards at all. Slips. Some for readinesse vse slips, which seldome take roote: and if they doe take, they cannot last, both because their roote hauing a maine wound will in short time decay the body of the tree: and besides that rootes being so weakely put, are soone nipt with drought or frost. I could neuer see (lightly) any slip but of...
5 minute read
I Know not to what end you should prouide good ground, well fenced, & plant good sets; and when your trees should come to profit, haue all your labours lost, for want of due regard to the distance of placing your trees. I haue seene many trees stand so thicke, that one could not thriue for the throng of his neighbours. Hurts of too neere planting. If you doe marke it, you shall see the tops of trees rubd off, their sides galled like a galled horses backe, and many trees haue more stumps then boughes, and most trees no well thriuing, but short, stumpish, and euill thriuing boughes: like a Corne field ouer seeded, or a towne ouer peopled, or a pasture ouer-laid, which the Gardiner must either let grow, or leaue the tree very few boughes to beare fruit. Hence small thrift, galls, wounds, diseases, and short life...
1 minute read
T he placing of trees in an Orchard is well worth the regard: For although it must be granted, that any of our foresaid trees ( Chap. 2. ) will like well in any part of your Orchard, being good and well drest earth: yet are not all Trees alike worthy of a good place. And therefore I wish that your Filbird, Plummes, Damsons, Bulesse, and such like, be vtterly remoued from the plaine soile of your Orchard into your fence: for there is not such fertility and easefull growth, as within: and there also they are more subiect to , and can abide the blasts of Æolus . The cherries and plummes being ripe in the hot time of Summer, and the rest standing longer, are not so soone shaken as your better fruit: neither if they suffer losse, is your losse so great. Besides that, your...
10 minute read
Of Grauing or Caruing. Grafting What. N ow are we come to the most curious point of our faculty: curious in conceit, but indeede as plaine and easie as the rest, when it is plainely shewne, which we commonly call Graffing , or (after some) Grafting . I cannot Etymologize , nor shew the originall of the Word, except it come of Grauing and Caruing . A Graffe. But the thing or matter is: The reforming of the fruite of one tree with the fruit of another, by an artificiall transplacing, or transposing of a twigge, bud or leafe, (commonly called a Graft ) taken from one tree of the same, or some other kind, and placed or put to, or into another tree in one time and manner. Kinds of grafting. Of this there be diuers kinds, but three or foure now especially in vse: to wit,...
14 minute read
Necessity of dressing trees. I f all these things aforesaid were indeed performed, as we haue shewed them in words, you should haue a perfect Orchard in nature and substance, begunne to your hand; And yet are all these things nothing, if you want that skill to keepe and dresse your trees. Such is the condition of all earthly things, whereby a man receiueth profit or pleasure, that they degenerate presently without good ordering. Man himselfe left to himselfe, growes from his heauenly and spirituall generation, and becommeth beastly, yea deuillish to his owne kind, vnlesse he be regenerate No maruell then, if Trees make their shootes, and put their spraies disorderly. And truly (if I were worthy to iudge) there is not a mischiefe that breedeth greater and more generall harme to all the Orchard (especially if they be of any continuance) that euer I saw, (I will not...
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Necessity of foiling. T here is one thing yet very necessary for make your Orchard both better, and more lasting: Yea, so necessary, that without it your Orchard cannot last, nor prosper long, which is neglected generally both in precepts and in practice, viz. manuring with Foile: whereby it hapneth that when trees (amongst other euils) through want of fatnesse to feed them, become mossie, and in their growth are euill (or not) thriuing, it is either attributed to some wrong cause, as age (when indeed they are but young) or euill standing (stand they neuer so well) or such like, or else the cause is altogether vnknowne, and so not amended. Trees great suckers. Can there be deuised any way by nature, or art, sooner or soundlier to seeke out, and take away the heart and strength of earth, then by great trees? Great bodies. Such great bodies cannot...
9 minute read
A Chiefe helpe to make euery thing good, is to auoid the euils thereof: you shall neuer attaine to that good of your Orchard you looke for, vnlesse you haue a Gardner, that can discerne the diseases of your trees, and other annoyances of your Orchard, and find out the causes thereof, and know & apply fit remedies for the same. For be your ground, site, plants, and trees as you would wish, if they be wasted with hurtfull things, what haue you gained but your labour for your trauell? It is with an Orchard and euery tree, as with mans body, The best part of physicke for preseruation of health, is to foresee and cure diseases. Two kinds of euils in an Orchard. All the diseases of an Orchard are of two sorts, either internall or externall. I call those inward hurts which breed on and in particular trees....
6 minute read
I t is to be considered: All this Treatise of trees tends to this end, that men may loue and plant Orchards, whereunto there cannot be a better inducement then that they know (or at least be perswaded) that all that benefit they shall reape thereby, whether of pleasure or profit, shall not be for a day or a moneth, or one, or many (but many hundreth) yeeres. Of good things the greatest, and most durable is alwaies the best. The age of trees. If therefore out of reason grounded vpon experience, it be made (I thinke) manifest, but I am sure probable, that a fruit tree in such a soile and site, as is described so planted and trimmed and kept, as is afore appointed and duely foiled, shall dure 1000 yeeres, why should we not take paines, and be at two or three yeeres charges (for...
2 minute read
Generall Rule. A lthough it be an easie matter, when God shall send it, to gather and keepe fruit, yet are they certaine things worthy your regard. You must gather your fruit when it is ripe, and not before, else will it wither and be tough and sowre. All fruit generally are ripe, when they beginne to fall. For Trees doe as all other bearers doe, when their yong ones are ripe, they will waine them. The Doue her Pigeons, the Cony her Rabbets, and women their children. Some fruit tree sometimes getting a taint in the setting with a frost or euill wind, will cast his fruit vntimely, but not before he leaue giuing them sap, or they leaue growing. Cherries, &c. Except from this foresaid rule, Cherries, Damsons and Bullies. The Cherry is ripe when he is sweld wholy red, and sweet: Damsons and Bulies not before the...
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N ow pause with your selfe, and view the end of all your labours in an Orchard: vnspeakable pleasure, and infinite commodity. The pleasure of an Orchard I referre to the last Chapter for the conclusion: and in this Chapter, a word or two of the profit, which thorowly to declare is past my skill: and I count it as if a man should attempt to adde light to the Sunne with a Candle, or number the Starres. No man that hath but a meane Orchard or iudgement but knowes, that the commodity of an Orchard is great: Neither would I speake of this, being a thing so manifest to all; but that I see, that through the carelesse lazinesse of men, it is a thing generally neglected. But let them know, that they lose hereby the chiefest good which belongs to house-keeping. Compare the commodity that commeth of halfe...
8 minute read
M e thinks hitherto we haue but a bare Orchard for fruit, and but halfe good, so long as it wants those comely Ornaments, that should giue beauty to all our labours, and make much for the honest delight of the owner and his friends. Delight the chiefe end of Orchards. For it is not to be doubted: but as God hath giuen man things profitable, so hath he allowed him honest comfort, delight, and recreation in all the workes of his hands. Nay, all his labours vnder the Sunne without this are troubles, and vexation of mind: For what is greedy gaine, without delight, but moyling, and turmoyling in slauery? But comfortable delight, with content, is the good of euery thing, and the patterne of heauen. A morsell of bread with comfort, is better by much then a fat Oxe with vnquietnesse. An Orchard delightsome. And who...
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T he soyle of an Orchard and Garden, differ onely in these three points: Dry. First, the Gardens soyle would be somewhat dryer, because hearbes being more tender then trees, can neither abide moisture nor drought, in such excessiue measure, as trees; and therefore hauing a dryer soyle, the remedy is easie against drought, if need be: water soundly, which may be done with small labour, the compasse of a Garden being nothing so great, as of an Orchard, and this is the cause (if they know it) that Gardners raise their squares: Hops. but if moysture trouble you, I see no remedy without a generall danger, except in Hops, which delight much in a low and sappy earth. Plaine. Secondly, the soyle of a Garden would be plaine and leuell, at least euery square (for we purpose the square to be the fittest forme) the reason: the...
21 minute read
I cannot see in any sort, how the site of the one should not be good, and fit for the other: The ends of both being one, good, wholesome, and much fruit ioyned with delight, vnlesse trees be more able to abide the nipping frostes than tender hearbes: but I am sure, the flowers of trees are as soone perished with cold, as any hearbe except Pumpions, and Melons....
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L et that which is sayd in the Orchards forme, suffice for a garden in generall: but for speciall formes in squares, they are as many, as there are diuices in Gardners braines. Neither is the wit and art of a skilfull Gardner in this poynt not to be commended, that can worke more variety for breeding of more delightsome choyce, and of all those things, where the owner is able and desirous to be satisfied. The number of formes, Mazes and Knots is so great, and men are so diuersly delighted, that I leaue euery House-wife to her selfe, especially seeing to set downe many, had bene but to fill much paper; yet lest I depriue her of all delight and direction, let her view these few, choyse, new formes, and note this generally, that all plots are square, and all are bordered about with Priuit, Raisins, Fea-berries, Roses,...
33 minute read
A Garden requireth not so large a scope of ground as an Orchard, both in regard of the much weeding, dressing and remouing, and also the paines in a Garden is not so well repaied home, as in an Orchard. It is to be graunted, that the Kitchin garden doth yeeld rich gaines by berries, roots, cabbages, &c. yet these are no way comparable to the fruits of a rich Orchard: but notwithstanding I am of opinion, that it were better for England , that we had more Orchards and Gardens, and more large. And therefore we leaue the quantity to euery mans ability and will....
13 minute read
S eeing we allow Gardens in Orchard plots, and the benefit of a Garden is much, they both require a strong and shrowding fence. Therefore leauing this, let vs come to the hearbes themselues, which must be the fruit of all these labours....
2 minute read
H earbes are of two sorts, and therefore it is meete (they requiring diuers manners of Husbandry) that we haue two Gardens: A garden for flowers, and a Kitchen garden: or a Summer garden: not that we meane so perfect a distinction, that the Garden for flowers should or can be without hearbes good for the Kitchen, or the Kitchen garden should want flowers, nor on the contrary: but for the most part they would be seuered: first, because your Garden flowers shall suffer some disgrace, if among them you intermingle Onions, Parsnips, &c. Secondly, your Garden that is durable, must be of one forme: but that, which is for your Kitchens vse, must yeeld daily rootes, or other hearbes, and suffer deformity. Thirdly, the hearbs of both will not be both alike ready, at one time, either for gathering, or remouing. First therefore These hearbs and flowers are comely...
33 minute read
G arden hearbs are innumerable, yet these are common and sufficient for our country House-wifes. Fenell, Anglica, Tansie, Hollihock, Louage, Elly Campane, French mallows, Lillies, French poppy, Endiue, Succory and Clary. Burrage, Buglas, Parsley, sweet Sicilly, Floure-de-luce, Stocke Gilliflowers, Wall-flowers, Anniseedes, Coriander, Feather fewell, Marigolds, Oculus Christi, Langdibeefe, Alexanders, Carduus Benedictus. Pansy, or Harts-ease, Coast Margeram, Sauery, Strawberries, Saffron, Lycoras, Daffadowndillies, Leekes, Chiues, Chibals, Skerots, Onions, Batchellors buttons, Dasies, Peniroyall. Hitherto I haue onely reckoned vp, and put in this ranke, some hearbs. Their Husbandry follow each in an Alphabeticall order, the better to be found....
10 minute read
A lexanders are to be renewed as Angelica . It is a timely Pot-hearbe. Anglica is renued with his seede, whereof he beareth plenty the second yeare, and so dieth. You may remoue the rootes the first yeare. The leaues distilled, yeeld water soueraigne to expell paine from the stomacke. The roote dried taken in the fall, stoppeth the poares against infections. Annyseedes make their growth, and beareth seeds the first yeere, and dieth as Coriander : it is good for opening the pipes, and it is vsed in Comfits. Artichoakes are renewed by diuiding the rootes into sets, in March , euery third or fourth yeare. They require a seuerall vsage, and therefore a seuerall whole plot by themselues, especially considering they are plentifull of fruite much desired. Burrage and Buglas , two Cordials, renue themselues by seed yearely, which is hard to be gathered: they are...
2 minute read
I n the South parts Gardening may be more timely, and more safely done, then with vs in Yorkeshire , because our ayre is not so fauourable, nor our ground so good. 2 Secondly most seeds shakt, by turning the good earth, are renued, their mother the earth keeping them in her bowels, till the Sunne their Father can reach them with his heat. 3 In setting hearbs, leaue no top more then an handfull aboue the ground, nor more then a foot vnder the earth. 4 Twine the roots of those slips you set, if they will abide it. Gilly-flowers are too tender. 5 Set moist, and sowe dry. 6 Set slips without shankes any time, except at Midsummer , and in frosts. 7 Seeding spoiles the most roots, as drawing the heart and sap from the root. 8 Gather for the pot and medicines, hearbs tender and greene,...
11 minute read
T here remaineth one necessary thing to be prescribed, which in mine opinion makes as much for ornament as either Flowers, or forme, or cleanlinesse, and I am sure as commodious as any of, or all the rest: which is Bees, well ordered. And I will not account her any of my good House-wiues, that wanteth either Bees or skilfulnesse about them. And though I knowe some haue written well and truely, and others more plentifully vpon this theame: yet somewhat haue I learned by experience (being a Bee-maister my selfe) which hitherto I cannot finde put into writing, for which I thinke our House-wiues will count themselues beholding vnto me. Bee-house. The first thing that a Gardiner about Bees must be carefull for, is an house not stakes and stones abroad, Sub dio : for stakes rot and reele, raine and weather eate your hiues, and couers, and cold...
1 minute read
1. T here are foure sorts of Planting, or propagating, as in laying of shootes or little branches, whiles they are yet tender in some pit made at their foote, as shall be sayd hereafter, or vpon a little ladder or Basket of earth, tyed to the bottome of the branch, or in boaring a Willow thorow, and putting the branch of the tree into the hole, as shall be fully declared in the Chapter of Grafting. 2. There are likewise seasons to propagate in; but the best is in the Spring, and March , when the trees are in the Flower, and doe begin to grow lusty. The young planted Siens or little Grafts must be propagated in the beginning of Winter, a foot deepe in the earth, and good manure mingled amongst the earth, which you shall cast forth of the pit, wherein you meane to...
2 minute read
G rafting in the Barke, is vsed from mid- August , to the beginning of Winter, and also when the Westerne winde beginneth to blow, being from the 7. of February , vnto 11. of Iune . But there must care be had, not to graffe in the barke in any rainy season, because it would wash away the matter of ioyning the one and the other together, and so hinder it. 3. Grafting in the budde, is vsed in the Summer time, from the end of May , vntill August , as being the time when the trees are strong and lusty, and full of sap and leaues. To wit, in a hot Countrey, from the midst of Iune , vnto the midst of Iuly : but cold Countries, to the midst of August , after some small showres of Raine. If the Summer be so exceeding dry, as...
5 minute read
T he manner of grafting in a cleft, to wit, the stocke being clou'd, is proper not onely to trees, which are as great as a mans legs or armes, but also to greater. It is true that in as much as the trees cannot easily be clouen in their stocke, that therefore it is expedient to make incision in some one of their branches, and not in the maine body, as we see to be practised in great Apple trees, and great Peare-trees, and as we haue already declared heretofore. To graft in the cleft, you must make choise of a graft that is full of sap and iuyce, but it must not bee, but till from after Ianuary vntill March : And you must not thus graft in any tree that is already budded, because a great part of the iuyce and sap would be already mounted vp...
8 minute read
I n grafting after the manner of a Scutcheon, you shall not vary nor differ much from that of the Flute or Pipe, saue only that the Scutcheon-like graft, hauing one eyelet, as the other hath yet the wood of the tree whereupon the Scutcheon-like graft is grafted, hath not any knob, or budde, as the wood whereupon the graft is grafted, after the manner of a pipe. 12. In Summer when the trees are well replenished with sap, and that their new Siens begin to grow somewhat hard, you shall take a shoote at the end of the chiefe branches of some noble and reclaimed tree, whereof you would faine haue some fruit, and not many of his old store or wood, and from thence raise a good eylet, the tayle and all thereof to make your graft. But when you choose, take the thickest, and grossest,...