The English Husbandman Part 10

{Ill.u.s.tration: The Square of eight Diamonds.}

From the modell of these Squares, Tryangles, and Rounds, any industrious braine may with little difficulty deriue and fashion to himselfe diuers other shapes and proportions, according to the nature and site of the earth, which may appeare more quaint and strange then these which are in our common vse, albeit these are in the truth of workmanship the perfect father and mother of all proportions whatsoeuer.

{SN: The ordering of Alleyes.} Now, you shall vnderstand that concerning the Alleyes and walkes in this garden of pleasure, it is very meete that your ground, being s.p.a.cious and large, (which is the best beauty) that you cut through the midst of euery Alley an ample and large path or walke, the full depth of the roote of the greene-swarth, and at least the breadth of seauen or eight foote: and in this path you shall strow either some fine redde-sand, of a good binding nature, or else some fine small grauell, or for want of both them you may take the finest of your pit-coale-dust, which will both keepe your Alleyes dry and smooth, and also not suffer any gra.s.se or greene thing to grow within them, which is disgracefull, if it be suffered: the French-men doe vse, to couer their Alleyes, either with the powder of marble, or the powder of slate-stone, or else paue them either with Pit-stone, Free-stone, or Tiles, the first of which is too hard to get, the other great cost to small purpose, the rather sith our owne grauell is in euery respect as beautifull, as dry, as strong, and as long lasting: Onely this heedfulnesse you must diligently obserue, that if the situation of your garden-plot be low and much subiect to moisture, that then these middle-cut paths or walkes must be heightned vp in the midst, and made in a proportionall bent or compa.s.se: wherein you shall obserue that the out most verdges of the walke must be leuell with the greene-swarth which holded in each side, and the midst so truly raised vp in compa.s.se, that the raine which falles may haue a pa.s.sage to each side of the greene-swarth. Now, the lesse this compa.s.se is made (so it auoyde the water, and remaine hard) the better it is, because by that meanes both the eye shall be deceiued (which shewes art in the workman) and the more leuell they are, the more ease vnto them which shall continually walke vpon them.

{SN: Obiection.} Now, if any shall obiect, why I doe not rather couet to haue these Alleyes or walkes rather all greene, then thus cut and deuided, sith it is a most beautifull thing to see a pleasant greene walke, my answere is this, that first the mixture of colours, is the onely delight of the eye aboue all other: for beauty being the onely obiect in which it ioyeth, that beautie is nothing but an excellent mixture, or consent of colours, as in the composition of a delicate woman the grace of her cheeke is the mixture of redde and white, the wonder of her eye blacke and white, and the beauty of her hand blewe and white, any of which is not sayd to be beautifull if it consist of single or simple colours: and so in these walkes, or Alleyes, the all greene, nor the all yealow cannot be sayd to be most beautifull, but the greene and yealow, (that is to say, the vntroade gra.s.se, and the well knit grauell) being equally mixt, giue the eye both l.u.s.ter and delight beyonde all comparison.

Againe, to keepe your walkes all greene, or gra.s.sy, you must of force either forbeare to tread vpon them, (which is the vse for which they were onely fashioned,) or treading vpon them you shall make so many pathes and ilfauored wayes as will be most vglie to the eye: besides the dewe and wet hanging vpon the gra.s.se will so annoy you, that if you doe not select especiall howers to walke in, you must prouide shooes or bootes of extraordinary goodnesse: which is halfe a depriuement of your liberty, whereas these things of recreation were created for a contrary purpose.

Now, you shall also vnderstand that as you make this sandy and smooth walke through the midst of your Alleyes, so you shall not omit but leaue as much greene-swarth, or gra.s.se ground of eache side the plaine path as may fully counteruaile the breadth of the walke, as thus for example: if your sandy walke be sixe foote broad, the gra.s.se ground of each side it, shall be at least sixe foote also, so that the whole Alley shall be at least eighteene foote in breadth, which will be both comely and stately.

{SN: Of the Quarters.} Your Alleyes being thus proportioned and set forth, your next worke shall be the ordering of your Quarters, which as I sayd before, you may frame into what proportions you please, as into Squares, Tryangles and Rounds, according to the ground, or your owne inuention: and hauing marked them out with lines, and the garden compa.s.se, you shall then beginne to digge them in this manner: first, with a paring spade, the fashion whereof is formerly shewed, you shall pare away all the greene-swarth, fully so deepe as the roote of the gra.s.se shall goe, and cast it away, then with other digging spades you shall digge vp the earth, at least two foote and a halfe, or three foote deepe, in turning vp of which earth, you shall note that as any rootes of weedes, or other quickes shall be raised or stirred vp, so presently with your hands to gather them vp, and cast them away, that your mould may (as neare as your dilligence can performe it) be cleane from either wilde rootes, stones, or such like offences: & in this digging of your Quarters you shall not forget but raise vp the ground of your Quarters at least two foote higher then your Alleyes, and where by meanes of such reasure, you shall want mould, there you shall supply that lacke by bringing mould and cleane earth from some other place, where most conueniently you may spare it, that your whole Quarter being digged all ouer, it may rise in all parts alike, and carry an orderly and well proportioned leuell through the whole worke.

{SN: Of Dunging.} The best season for this first digging of your garden mould is in September: and after it is so digged and roughly cast vp, you shall let it rest till the latter end of Nouember, at what time you shall digge it vp againe, in manner as afore sayd, onely with these additions, that you shall enter into the fresh mould, halfe a spade-graft deeper then before, and at euery two foote breadth of ground, enlarging the trench both wide and deepe, fill it vp with the oldest and best Oxe or Cow-Manure that you can possibly get, till such time that increasing from two foote to two foote, you haue gone ouer and Manured all your quarters, hauing a princ.i.p.all care that your dunge or Manure lye both deepe and thicke, in so much that euery part of your mould may indifferently pertake and be inriched with the same Manure.

{SN: Diuersitie of Manures.} Now, you shall vnderstand that although I doe particularly speake but of Oxe or Cow-Manure, because it is of all the fattest and strongest, especially being olde, yet their are diuers respects to be had in the Manuring of gardens: as first, if your ground be naturally of a good, fat, blacke, and well tempered earth, or if it be of a barraine, sandy, hot, yet firme mould, that in either of these cases your Oxe, Cow, or beast Manure is the best & most sufficient, but if it be of a colde, barraine, or spewing mould then it shall be good to mixe your Oxe-dunge with Horse-dunge, which shall be at least two yeeres olde, if you can get it, otherwise such as you can compa.s.se: if your ground be good and fertill yet out of his drynesse in the summer-time it be giuen to riue and chappe as is seene in many earths; you shall then mixe your Oxe-dunge well with Ashes, orts of Lime, and such like: lastly, if your earth be too much binding and colde therewithall, then mixe your Oxe-dunge with chalke or marle and it is the best Manure. And thus much for the generall vse of earths.

Now, for perticular vses you shall vnderstand that for Hearbs or Flowers the Oxe and Horse-dunge is the best, for rootes or Cabbages, mans ordure is the best, for Harty-chockes, or any such like thisly-fruit, Swines-dunge is most sufficient, and thus according to your setled determination you shall seuerally prouide for euery seuerall purpose, and so, G.o.d a.s.sisting, seldome faile in your profit. And this dunge you shall bring into your garden in little drumblars or wheele-barrowes, made for the purpose, such as being in common vse in euery Husbandmans yarde it shall be needlesse here either to shew the figure or proportion thereof. And thus much for the fashion, digging, and dunging of gardens.

CHAP. XVII.

_Of the adornation and beautifying of the Garden for pleasure._

The adornation and beautifying of gardens is not onely diuers but almost infinite, the industry of mens braines hourely begetting and bringing forth such new garments and imbroadery for the earth, that it is impossible to say this shall be singular, neither can any man say that this or that is the best, sith as mens tastes so their fancies are carried away with the varietie of their affections, some being pleased with one forme, some with another: I will not therefore giue preheminence to any one beauty, but discribing the faces and glories of all the best ornaments generaly or particularly vsed in our English gardens, referre euery man to the ellection of that which shall best agree with his fancy.

{SN: Of Knots and Mazes.} To beginne therefore with that which is most antient and at this day of most vse amongst the vulgar though least respected with great ones, who for the most part are wholy giuen ouer to nouelties: you shall vnderstand that Knots and Mazes were the first that were receiued into admiration, which Knots or Mazes were placed vpon the faces of each seuerall quarter, in this sort: first, about the verdge or square of the quarter was set a border of Primpe, Boxe, Lauandar, Rose-mary, or such like, but Primpe or Boxe is the best, and it was set thicke, at least eighteene inches broad at the bottome & being kept with cliping both smooth and leuell on the toppe and on each side, those borders as they were ornaments so were they also very profitable to the huswife for the drying of linnen cloaths, yarne, and such like: for the nature of Boxe and Primpe being to grow like a hedge, strong and thicke, together, the Gardiner, with his sheares may keepe it as broad & plaine as himselfe listeth. Within this border shall your knot or maze be drawne, it being euer intended that before the setting of your border your quarter shall be the third time digged, made exceeding leuell, and smooth, without clot or stone, and the mould, with your garden rake of iron, so broken that it may lye like the finest ashes, and then with your garden mauls, which are broad-boards of more then two foote square set at the ends of strong staues, the earth shall be beaten so hard and firme together that it may beare the burthen of a man without shrinking. And in the beating of the mould you shall haue all diligent care that you preserue and keepe your leuell to a hayre, for if you faile in it, you faile in your whole worke.

{Ill.u.s.tration}

Now for the time of this labour, it is euer best about the beginning of February, and indifferent, about the midst of October, but for the setting of your Primpe, or Boxe-border, let the beginning of Nouember be your latest time, for so shall you be sure that it will haue taken roote, and the leafe will flourish in the spring following: at which time your ground being thus artificially prepared, you shall begin to draw forth your knot in this manner: first, with lines you shall draw the forme of the figure next before set downe, and with a small instrument of iron make it vpon the earth.

{Ill.u.s.tration}

Which done, from the order and proportion of these lines you shall draw your single knots or plaine knots of the least curiositie, as may appeare by this figure, being one quarter of the whole Knot: euer proportioning your Trayles and windings according to the lines there discribed, which will keepe your worke in iust proportion.

But if you desire to haue knots of much more curiositie being more double and intricate, then you shall draw your first lines after this proportion here figured, pinning downe euery line firme to the earth with a little pinne made of woode.

{Ill.u.s.tration}

Which done you shall draw your double and curious knots after the manner of the figure following, which is also but one quarter of the whole knot, for looke in what manner you doe one knot in like sort will the other three quarters succeede, your lines keeping you in a continuall euen proportion.

{Ill.u.s.tration}

And in this manner as you draw these knots, with the like helps and lines also you shall draw out your Mazes, and laborinths, of what sort or kind soeuer you please, whether they be round or square. But for as much, as not onely the _Country-farme_, but also diuers other translated bookes, doe at large describe the manner of casting and proportioning these knots, I will not persist to write more curiously vpon them, but wish euery painefull gardiner which coueteth to be more satisfied therein, to repaire to those authors, where hee shall finde more large amplifications, and greater diuersities of knots, yet all tending to no more purpose then this which I haue all ready written.

Now, as soone as you haue drawne forth and figured your knot vpon the face of your quarter, you shall then set it either with Germander, Issoppe, Time or Pinke-gilly-flowers, but of all hearbes Germander is the most princ.i.p.all best for this purpose: diuers doe vse in knots to set Thrift, and in time of need it may serue, but it is not so good as any of the other, because it is much subiect to be slaine with frost, and will also spread vpon the earth in such sort that, without very painefull cutting, it will put your knot out of fashion.

{SN: Yeallow.} {SN: White.} {SN: Blacke.} {SN: Red.} {SN: Blew.} {SN: Greene.} Now there is another beautifying or adorning of Gardens, and it is most generally to be seene in the gardens of n.o.blemen and Gentlemen, which may beare coate-armor, and that is, instead of the knots and mazes formerly spoken of, to draw vpon the faces of your quarters such Armes, or Ensines, as you may either beare your selfe, or will preserue for the memory of any friend: and these armes being drawne forth in plaine lines, you shall set those plaine shadowing lines either with Germander, Issop, or such like hearbes: and then for the more ample beautie thereof, if you desire to haue them in their proper and liuely colours (without which they haue but one quarter of their l.u.s.ter) you shall vnderstand that your colours in Armory are thus to be made. First, for your mettalls: you shall make your Yeallow, either of a yeallow clay, vsually to be had almost in euery place, or the yeallowest sand, or for want of both, of your Flanders Tile, which is to be bought of euery Iron-monger or Chandelor; and any of these you must beate to dust: for your White you shall make it of the coursest chalke beaten to dust, or of well burnt plaister, or, for necessity, of lime, but that will soone decay: your Blacke is to be made of your best and purest coale-dust, well clensed and sifted: your Red is to be made of broken vselesse brickes beaten to dust, and well clensed from spots: your Blew is to be made of white-chalke, and blacke coale dust mixed together, till the blacke haue brought the white to a perfect blewnes: lastly your Greene, both for the naturall property belonging to your Garden, as also for better continuance and long lasting, you shall make of Camomill, well planted where any such colour is to be vsed, as for the rest of the colours, you shall sift them, and strow them into their proper places, and then with a flat beating-Beetell you shall beate it, and incorporate it with the earth, and as any of the colours shall decay, you shall diligently repaire them, and the l.u.s.ter will be most beautifull.

There is also another beautifying of gardens, which although it last not the whole yeere, yet it is most quaint, rare, and best eye-pleasing, and thus it is: you shall vpon the face of your quarter draw a plaine double knot, in manner of billet-wise: for you shall vnderstand that in this case the plainest knot is the best, and you shall let it be more then a foote betwixt line and line (for in the largenesse consists much beauty) this knot being scored out, you shall take Tiles, or tileshreds and fixe them within the lines of your knot strongly within the earth, yet so as they may stand a good distance aboue the earth and this doe till you haue set out all your knot with Tile: then precisely note the seuerall pa.s.sages of your knot, and the seuerall thrids of which it consisteth, and then betwixt your tiles, (which are but as the shadowing lines of your knot) plant in euery seuerall third, flowers of one kinde and colour, as thus for example: in one thrid plant your carnation Gilly-flower, in another your great white Geli flower, in another your mingle-coloured Gilly-flower, and in another your blood-red Gilly-flower, and so likewise if you can compa.s.se them you may in this sort plant your seueral coloured Hyacinths, as the red, the blew, and the yealow, or your seuerall coloured _Dulippos_, and many other Italian and french flowers: or you may, if you please, take of euery seuerall plant one, and place them as afforesaid; the grace of all which is, that so soone as these flowers shall put forth their beauties, if you stand a little remote from the knot, and any thing aboue it, you shall see it appeare like a knot made of diuers coloured ribans, most pleasing and most rare.

Many other adornations and beautifyings there are which belong to the setting forth of a curious garden, but for as much as none are more rare or more esteemed then these I haue set downe, being the best ornaments of the best gardens of this kingdome, I thinke them tastes sufficient for euery husbandman, or other of better quality which delighteth in the beauty and well tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of his ground.

CHAP. XVIII.

_How for the entertainment of any great Person, in any Parke, or other place of pleasure, where Sommer-bowers are made, to make a compleat Garden in two or three dayes._

If the honest English husbandman, or any other, of what quallity soeuer, shall entertaine any n.o.ble personage, to whom hee would giue the delight of all strange contentment, either in his Parke, or other remote place of pleasure, neere vnto Ponds, Riuer, or other waters of cleerenesse, after hee hath made his arbors and Summer-bowers to feast in, the fashion whereof is so common that euery labourer can make them, hee shall then marke out his garden-plot, bestowing such sleight fence thereon as hee shall thinke fit: then hee shall cast forth his alleys, and deuide them from his quarters, by paring away the greene-swarth with a paring spade, finely, and euen, by a direct line (for a line must euer be vsed in this worke) then hauing store of labourers (after the vpper-most swarth is taken away) you shall cast vp the quarters, and then breaking the mould and leuelling it, you shall make sad the earth againe, then vpon your quarters you shall draw forth either Knots, Armes, or any other deuise which shall be best pleasing to your fancie, as either knots with single or double trayles, or other emblemicall deuise, as Birds, Beasts, and such like: and in your knots where you should plant hearbes, you shall take greene-sods of the richest gra.s.se, and cutting it proportionably to the knot, making a fine trench, you shall lay in your sod, and so ioyning sod to sod close and arteficially, you shall set forth your whole knot, or the portrayture of your armes, or other deuise, and then taking a cleane broome that hath not formerly beene swept withall, you shall brush all vncleanenesse from the gra.s.se, and then you shall behold your knot as compleat, and as comely as if it had beene set with hearbes many yeeres before. Now for the portrayture of any liuing thing, you shall cut it forth, ioyning sod vnto sod, and then afterward place it into the earth. Now if within this plot of ground which you make your garden piece there be either naturall or arteficiall mounts or bankes vpon them, you may in this selfe-same manner with greene sods set forth a flight, either at field or riuer, or the manner of hunting of any chase, or any story, or other deuise that you please, to the infinit admiration of all them which shall behold it: onely in working against mounts or bankes you must obserue to haue many small pinnes, to stay your worke and keepe your sods from slipping one from another, till such time as you haue made euery thing fast with earth, which you must rame very close and hard: as for Flowers, or such like adorments, you may the morning before, remoue them with their earth from some other garden, and plant them at your best pleasure. And thus much for a garden to be made in the time of hasty necessity.

CHAP. XIX.

_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 n.o.blemen, 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 a.s.sure thee that art the honest English Husbandman, that there is nothing more certaine and vnfallible, for I haue seene in one of the greatest n.o.blemens 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 canua.s.se 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 canua.s.se 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, a.s.suring them that all reason and experience doth finde it most probable to be most excellent, yet to the plaine English Husbandman I giue certaine a.s.surance 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.

CHAP. XX.

_How to make Grapes grow as bigge, full, and as naturally, and to ripen in as due season, and be as long lasting as either in Fraunce or Spaine._

Diuers of our English Gardiners, and those of the best and most approued'st iudgements, haue beene very industrious to bring Grapes, in our kingdome, to their true nature and perfection: and some great persons I know, that with infinit cost, and I hope prosperous successe, hath planted a Vineyard of many Acres, in which the hands of the best experienced french-men hath beene imploied: but for those great workes they are onely for great men, and not for the plaine English Husbandman, neither will such workes by any meanes prosper in many parts of our kingdome, especially in the North parts: and I that write for the generall vse, must treate of vniuersall Maximes: therefore if you desire to haue Grapes in their true and best kinde, most earely and longest lasting, you shall in the most conuenient part of your garden, which is euer the center or middle point thereof, build a round house, in the fashion of a round Doue-coate, but many degrees lower, the ground worke whereof shalbe aboue the ground two or three brickes thickenesse, vpon this ground-plot you shall place a groundsell, and thereon, fine, yet strong studs, which may reach to the roofe: these studs shalbe placed better then foure foote one from another, with little square bars of woode, such as you vse in gla.s.se windowes, two betwixt euery two studs, the roofe you may make in what proportion you will, for this house may serue for a delicate banqueting house, and you may either couer it with Leade, Slate or Tile, which you please. Now, from the ground to the top, betweene the studs, you shall glase it, with very strong gla.s.se, made in an exceeding large square pane, well leaded and cimented. This house thus made, you shall obserue that through the bricke worke there be made, betweene euery two studs, square holes, cleane through into the house; then on the out-side, opposite against those holes, you shall plant the roote of your Vine, hauing beene very carefull in the election and choise thereof: which done, as your Vine groweth you shall draw it through those holes, and as you vse to plash a Vine against a wall, so you shall plash this against the gla.s.se window, on the in-side, and so soone as it shall beginne to beare Grapes you shall be sure to turne euery bunch, so that it may lye close to the gla.s.se, that the reflection of the Sunne heating the gla.s.se, that heate may hasten on the ripening, & increase the groath of your Grapes: as also the house defending off all manner of euill weather, these Grapes will hang ripe, vnrotted or withered, euen till Christmas. Thus haue I giuen you a tast of some of the first parts of English Husbandry, which if I shall finde thankefully accepted, if it please G.o.d to grant mee life, I will in my next Volumne, shew you the choise of all manner of Garden Hearbes and Flowers, both of this and other kingdomes, the seasons of their plantings, their florishings and orderings: I will also shew you the true ordering of Woodes, both high and low, as also the breeding and feeding of all manner of Cattell, with the cure of all diseases incident vnto them, together with other parts of Husbandry, neuer before published by any Author: this I promise, if G.o.d be pleased: to whom be onely ascribed the glory of all our actions, and whose name be praised for euer. Amen.

FINISH.