_How to preserue Abricots, or any kinde of curious
outlandish-stone-fruit, and make them beare plentifully be the Spring or
beginning of Summer neuer so bitter._
I haue knowne diuers Noblemen, Gentlemen & men of vnder quallitie, that
haue beene most laborious how to preserue these tender stone-fruits from
the violence of stormes, frost and windes, and to that end haue beene at
great cost and charges yet many times haue found much losse in their
labours, wherefore in the end, through the practise of many experiments,
this hath beene found (which I will here set downe) the most approuedst
way to make them beare without all kinde of danger. After you haue
planted your Abricot, or other delicate fruit, and plasht him vp against
a wall in manner as hath beene before declared, you shall ouer the tops
of the trees all along the wall, build a large pentisse, of at least
sixe or seauen foote in length: which pentisse ouer-shaddowing the
trees, will, as experience hath found out, so defend them, that they
will euer beare in as plentifull manner as they haue done any particular
yeere before. There be many that will scoffe, or at least, giue no
credit to this experiment, because it carrieth with it no more
curiositie, but I can assure thee that art the honest English
Husbandman, that there is nothing more certaine and vnfallible, for I
haue seene in one of the greatest Noblemens gardens in the kingdome,
where such a pentisse was made, that so farre as the pentisse went, so
farre the trees did prosper with all fruitfulnesse, and where the
pentisse ended, not one tree bare, the spring-time being most bitter and
wonderfull vnseasonable.
Now I haue seene some great Personages (whose pursses may buy their
pleasures at any rate) which haue in those pentisses fixed diuers strong
hookes of Iron, and then made a canuasse of the best Poldauie, with most
strong loopes, of small corde, which being hung vpon the Iron hookes,
hath reacht from the pentisse to the ground, and so laced with corde and
small pulleys, that like the saile of a ship it might be trust vp, and
let downe at pleasure: this canuasse thus prepared is all the Spring and
latter end of Winter to be let downe at the setting of the Sunne, and to
be drawne vp at the rising of the Sunne againe. The practise of this I
referre to such as haue abillitie to buy their delight, without losse,
assuring them that all reason and experience doth finde it most probable
to be most excellent, yet to the plaine English Husbandman I giue
certaine assurance that the pentisse onely is sufficient enough and will
defend all stormes whatsoeuer. And thus much for the preseruation and
increase of all tender Stone-fruit, of what nature, or climbe bred,
soeuer.