_Of diuers sorts of Sallet-Hearbes, their manner of sowing and
ordering._
[Sidenote: Of Lettuce.]
Amongst the many numbers of Sallet-Hearbes I thinke it not amisse
to beginne first with _Lettuce_, 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 finest mould, 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 your _Lettuce_, the fairer
and closer they wil cabbage. There be diuers which obserue to remoue
_Lettuce_ as 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.
[Sidenote: Of Spynage.]
Next the _Lettuce_ I preferre the hearbe _Spynage_, 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.
[Sidenote: Of Sparagus.]
_Sparagus_ ioyeth 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 feltred together, that they hinder the
new branches from springing vp, which commonly is two yeares.
[Sidenote: Of Colworts.]
_Colworts_ or _Cabbadge_ séede delighteth in any well husbanded ground,
and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons as _Lettuce_ is, 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.
[Sidenote: Of Sage.]
_Sage_ is 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.
[Sidenote: Of Purslane.]
_Purslane_ is 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.
[Sidenote: Of Artichokes.]
_Artychokes_ loue 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 distance asunder; 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 an _Artychoke_ as 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.
[Sidenote: Of Garlicke.]
_Garlicke_ is 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 order _Onyon_ séede, it loues not much
wet nor extreame drought, onely it desires a good mould which is rich
and firme, yet not too much dunged.
[Sidenote: Of Raddish.]
_Raddish_ loueth 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 doe _Garlicke_: 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.
[Sidenote: 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 their
natures, they may be sowne in February, March, Aprill, September, or
October.
[Sidenote: Of Parsneps and Carrets.]
_Parsneps_ or _Carrets_ are 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.
[Sidenote: Of Pompyons.]
_Pompyons_, _Gourds_, or _Mellons_, 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
best _Pompyons_ which haue the smallest séedes, and are of the most
yellowest complexion.
[Sidenote: 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 likewise one 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.
[Sidenote: Of the Beane of Egipt.]
_Beanes_ of _Egipt_ delight 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.
[Sidenote: Of Skerrets.]
_Skerrets_ are a delicate roote, white, tender, and pleasant, little
differing in tast or excellencie from the _Eringo_. 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, like _Spynage_, _Sparagus_, _Purslayn_, and such like,
those which cabbadge or knit together in hard lumps, like _Lettuce_,
_Colworts_, and such like, and those whose goodnesse liues in their
rootes, like _Raddish_, _Carrets_, _Skerrets_, and such like.
[Sidenote: 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.