Chap.V.
Of diuers sorts of Sallet-Hearbes, their manner of sowing and ordering.
Of Lettuce.
Amongst the many numbers of Sallet-Hearbes I thinke it not amisse to beginne first withLettuce, which of all other whose vertue is helde in the leafe, is most delicate, tender, and pleasant: the ground then in which it most delighteth, is that which is most fertile, best laboured, and of the finestmould, being soft, loose, and more enclining to moysture then drinesse: it may be sowne in any moneth of the yeare, from February to Nouember; it is very quick of growth, and will appeare aboue the earth in foure dayes after the sowing: it would at first be sowne thicke, and carefully kept with morning and euening watrings, if the season be dry, but not otherwise: after it is growne and faire spread aboue the earth, which will be in a moneths space or there-abouts, you shall chuse out the fairest and goodliest plants, and taking them vp with the earth and all, about their rootes, replant or remoue them to a new bed of fresh mould, and there set them a foote distance one from another, and fixe their rootes fast and hard into the ground: then couer or presse them downe with Tyle or Slate stones, to make them spread and not spring vpward, by which meanes the leaues will gather together, and cabbadge, in a thicke and good order, for it is to be vnderstood, that the oftner you remoue yourLettuce, the fairer and closer they wil cabbage. There be diuers which obserue to remoueLettuceas soone as sixe leaues are sprung aboue the ground; but I like better to remoue them when they begin to spindle: they are most estéemed in the moneths of Aprill, May, and Iune, for in Iuly they are supposed to carrie in them a poysonous substance.
Of Spynage.
Next theLettuceI preferre the hearbeSpynage, which delighteth in a well-dunged earth, and may be sowne in Aprill, March, September, or October: it would not be mixed with other séedes, because it prospereth best alone.
Of Sparagus.
Sparagusioyeth in a fertill moist ground, the mould being made light which couers it, and the ground well dunged, the Spring is the best time to sowe it, and it must be sowne in long furrowes or trenches made with your finger, and not vniuersally spread ouer the bed as other séeds are: it loueth moysture, but may not endure the wet to lye long vpon it, and therefore the beds would a little descend it: must not be remoued till the rootes be so feltredtogether, that they hinder the new branches from springing vp, which commonly is two yeares.
Of Colworts.
ColwortsorCabbadgeséede delighteth in any well husbanded ground, and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons asLettuceis, and must also in the like manner be remoued, after the principall leaues are come forth, which will make them to gather together, and cabbadge the better: and as they may be sowen in any season of the yeare, so likewise they may be remoued at all seasons likewise, except the frost or other vnseasonable weather hinder you: and although some men will not allow it to be sowen in clay grounds, grauell, chalke, or sand, yet they are deceiued; for if the earth be well ordred, they will grow plentifully, onely you must obserue when you remoue them to let them haue earth roome enough.
Of Sage.
Sageis in Gardens most common, because it is most wholesome, and though it may be better set from the slip then sowen in the séede, yet both will prosper, it loueth any well drest ground, and may be sowen either in February, March, September, or October: it loueth also to grow thick and close together, and will of it selfe ouercome most wéedes: it asketh not much dung, neither too great care in watring, onely it would be oft searched, for Toades and other venemous things will delight to lye vnder it, the more Sunne and ayre it hath, the better it is.
Of Purslane.
Purslaneis a most excellent Sallet-hearbe, and loueth a fertile soile, and though it may be sowen almost in any moneth, yet the warmest is the best, as Aprill, May, Iune, or Septemb. Buck ashes are an excellent meanure for them, and for most Sallet-hearbs else, but aboue all they loue dry dust and house-swéepings, they are apt to shed their séede, whence it comes that a ground once possest of them will seldome want them, they may also be remoued, and will prosper much the better.
Of Artichokes.
Artychokesloue a fat earth, and may be sowen in February or March, the Moone encreasing, the séedes must not be sowen together, but set one by one a good distanceasunder; they must lye somewhat déepe, and be firmely couered; yet if you can procure them, I rather wish you rather to set them from Slips or young Plants, then sowe them from the séedes, for they doe so naturally loue the earth, that you can hardly slip so wast a leafe from anArtychokeas will not take roote; if you sowe the séede, you must be carefull to wéede and water them well, for the first leaues are very tender: also if you remoue them after their first springing, the fruit will be bigger and better.
Of Garlicke.
Garlickeis best in September and Nouember, to be set from the cloue, in & about the borders of beds, or other séedes, halfe a foote one from another, and in February, March, and Aprill, to be sowen from the séede: it must be ordered as you orderOnyonséede, it loues not much wet nor extreame drought, onely it desires a good mould which is rich and firme, yet not too much dunged.
Of Raddish.
Raddishloueth a fertile ground, that is well dunged, chiefly with mans ordure, that is déepe trencht, and hath an easie and light mould, and the séedes would be placed either in rowes, or about the borders of beds, as you doeGarlicke: the manner of sowing it is with a dibble or round sticke, to make a hole into the ground almost a foote déepe, and then into that hole to put not aboue two séedes at the most, and then close the hole vp againe, and let the holes be foure fingers one from another, it may be sowen in most months of the yéere if the frost hinder not, and to make the roote large & tender, and to kéepe the branch from séeding; you shall as it springs crop off the principall leaues which grow against the heart of the root: to tread them downe into the earth after they haue fast roote is good also.
Of Nauew.
Nauew, if the earth haue any small goodnesse in it will grow plentifully, neither is offended with any ayre, onely the mould would be loose and rough, for otherwise it many times turneth to Rape: the séede naturally commeth vp very thicke, therefore it is expedient to remoue them and plant them thinner, for that best preserueth theirnatures, they may be sowne in February, March, Aprill, September, or October.
Of Parsneps and Carrets.
ParsnepsorCarretsare of one and the selfe nature, they delight in a good fat earth, and would be sowne reasonably thicke, in long déepe trenches like furrowes, hauing a gentle and easie mould either in the moneth of Ianuary, February, or March, or in September, October, or December, they must be carefully well wéeded, and if the earth be fat, they néede not much watring or other attendance.
Of Pompyons.
Pompyons,Gourds, orMellons, desire a very good ground, or by Nature or Art, the séedes must be sowne very thinne, as at least halfe a foote one from another, they would lye reasonably déepe, yet the mould very gentle which couers them, they are subiect to spread and runne ouer much ground, therefore as they grow you must direct their stemmes so as they may not annoy one another, and when they flower you shall lay broad Tiles or Slate stones vnder them, that the fruit nor flower may not touch the earth; if you plash them vp against trées or walles where they may haue the reflection of the Sunne, the fruit will be larger, pleasanter, and sooner ripe: they néede no wéeding nor watring after you sée them appeare aboue the earth, and the best seasons to sowe them in, is February, March, or Aprill, those are the bestPompyonswhich haue the smallest séedes, and are of the most yellowest complexion.
Of the Cowcumber.
Cowcumber, is a delicate, pleasant, yet very tender fruit, and delighteth in an extraordinarie fat earth, especially during the opening or sprouting of the séede, therefore the best and most vndoubted safest way for sowing them is, first in some corner of your Kitchin garden to make a bed of two or thrée yards square of olde Oxe dung, and Horse dung mixt together, and at least a yard or better high from the earth, then couer this bed of dung with the richest garden mould you haue, better then halfe a foote thicke: then thereon place your séedes halfe a foote likewiseone from another, and be most sure that your séedes be hard and sound (for any softnesse in them sheweth rottennesse) then couer them foure fingers thicke with the like mould: then within seauen or eight dayes, after you shall sée them appeare aboue the earth, but in any wise let them continue still till the principall leaues be come forth, and they begin to créepe out in length, then with your hand griping the whole plant, take it vp by the rootes with the earth and all, and plant it in a bed new digged & trimmed for the purpose with a rich loose mould, and so replant and remoue each roote seuerally one after another, and they will grow and bring forth in great plenty. Now by the way you must obserue, that as soone as you haue sowne your séedes you shall prouide a Mat, Canuasse, or other couering, which being placed vpon stakes ouer the dung bed, shall euery night after Sunne-set be spread ouer the same, and not taken away till the Sunne be risen in the morning, for this will defend the séedes from frosts and other cold dewes which are very dangerous. Now if any demand why these séedes are thus sowne first on the bed of dung, they shall vnderstand that besides the warmth and fertility thereof, that the séedes are so pleasant and tender, that wormes and other créeping things in the earth will destroy them before they can sprout, which this bed of dung preuenteth. The months most fit for sowing these séedes, are Aprill, May and Iune onely, for other are much too colde, and in this manner you may sowe any tender séede whatsoeuer.
Of the Beane of Egipt.
BeanesofEgiptdelight in a moyst watrish ground, rather fertile then any way giuen to barrainnesse, yet will plentifully enough prosper in any indifferent earth: they are rather to set then sowe, because they must take strong roote, and be fixed somewhat déepe into the earth, and the moneth which is most proper for them, is the latter end of Ianuary, all February and the beginning of March onely.
Of Skerrets.
Skerretsare a delicate roote, white, tender, and pleasant, little differing in tast or excellencie from theEringo.They delight in a rich mould, moyst and well broken, and must be set déepe in the earth: after they be a finger length aboue the ground they would be remoued, and planted in a fresh mould, which will preserue them from spéedie séeding, for when they runne to séede, they loose the vertue of their roote. The moneths fittest for the sowing of them is March, Aprill, and May, and if you desire to haue them all Winter, you may then sowe them in September and October. And thus much for Sallet-hearbs, and rootes of all natures, of which kindes though there be diuers other, yet you shall vnderstand, all are to be ordered in the manner of these before rehearsed, that is to say, such as haue their vertues in the stalke or leaues, likeSpynage,Sparagus,Purslayn, and such like, those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps, likeLettuce,Colworts, and such like, and those whose goodnesse liues in their rootes, likeRaddish,Carrets,Skerrets, and such like.
A most necessary obseruation.
Now for a most necessarie obseruation, euery Gardner ought to beare this rule in his memorie, that all Pot-hearbs must be sowne thicke, and but thinly couered, as namely not aboue thrée fingers: all hearbs which cabbadge must be sowne thicke, and déeper couered, as a full handfull at least, and in their remouing planted thinne, and well fixt into the earth: and all rootes must be sowen thinne and déepe, as almost a foote either let into the ground, or strewed in déepe furrowes, digged and laide vp for the purpose, in which the quantity of your séede must onely direct you: for if you haue occasion to sow hardly a handfull, then you may set them one by one into the ground at your leasure, but if you haue occasion to sowe many Pecks or halfe Pecks, then you shall turne vp your earth into déepe furrowes, and in the bottome thereof scatter your séeds, and after rake it into a leuell, and you shall not onely saue much labour, but gaine your purpose.