Maison rustique, or The countrey farme· Compyled in the French tongue by Charles Steuens, and Iohn Liebault, Doctors of Physicke. And translated into English by Richard Surflet, practitioner in physicke. Now newly reuiewed, corrected, and augmented, with diuers large additions, out of the works of Serres his Agriculture, Vinet his Maison champestre, French. Albyterio in Spanish, Grilli in Italian; and other authors. And the husbandrie of France, Italie, and Spaine, reconciled and made to agree with ours here in England: by Geruase Markham. The whole contents are in the page following

CHAP. XVI.

Of Ashes, Elmes, and Maple-trees.

THe Ash doth naturally craue a low and waterish countrey, and therefore doth grow more plentifully in such places than in high grounds: and therefore, for the most part, they must be planted in such low and wa∣terie grounds, though not altogether so low and waterie as the Willow, Poplar, and Aller doe craue: howbeit notwithstanding they may be planted in in∣different grounds, and Elmes will grow well therein. Their proper nature is to de∣light in moist valleyes, for therein they prosper well, and grow vp to a great height, with straitnesse and beautifulnesse of Timber: Notwithstanding, this is a common vvood, vvhich may be planted in all sorts of grounds, howsoeuer that it like better in fat and moist grounds, than in those which are but indifferent: but they much di∣slike the drie, rough, stiffe, and grauellie grounds, if they be not mingled with moi∣sture. The auncient Woodwards vsed to plant them most in hedge-rowes, and on the tops of great bankes or ditches, where they might haue drie standing, yet be con∣tinually fed at the root with a little moisture: vvhich sure was a very good and hus∣bandly manner of planting the Ash, neither shall you at any time see it prosper bet∣ter, than when it is planted in such places. It is naturally of it selfe •• little more ten∣der than other wild trees, and desireth a more gentle and loose mould, which maketh them prosper the best in mixt hasell grounds, or in moist sandie ground: yet if they doe take in clay grounds, as doubtlesse with a verie little care they will doe, one Ash so growing, is better, tougher, and more seruiceable than any three which are taken from the sandie or mixed earths. It is a timber of no lesse precious vse than any other whatsoeuer: for of it are made all your best Pykes, Byll-shafts, Halberd-shafts, and diuers other engines for the vvarres: of it also is made all manner of Plow and Cart∣timber vvhatsoeuer, as Beames, Heads, Skeathes, Hales, Spyndles, Shelboords, Cart or Wayne bodies, rings for Wheeles, Naues, Harrow-buls, Harrow-teeth, Axle-trees, and any other instrument or engine vvhich desireth a firme, gentle yet a verie tough vvood: a timber that must bend before it breake, and not by any meanes be too ex∣treame portable or heauie in the carriage, but both light for the hand of him that shall vse it, and also strong ynough to endure the stresse or labour it shall be put vnto; also it must be gentle and soft to cut: all which the Ash is, more than any other tree whatsoeuer.

There are three sorts of Elmes: The one is, of those vvhich haue a small lit∣tle leafe, and a blacke stalke: The second hath a large leafe, and a reasonable vvhite stalke: The third of them hath a verie large leafe, and the stalke as it vvere all vvhite. Those vvhich are to be chosen for planting, are those two la∣ter, for they are of greater growth, and are vvoont to prosper better: besides that, they are fairer, and put foorth moe boughes, making thereby a greater shadow.

Of these three sorts, there are both males and females: vvee call those fe∣males, vvhich beare most fruit, and the thicker seede; and the males vvee call those vvhich are lesser, and beare their fruit of seede, in the middest of the leaues, and that in such sort, as that they seeme to beare neyther fruit nor seede. And for this cause there are manie that vvrite of Husbandrie, affirming the said tree to beare no fruit or seede, and that it groweth either of a plant or shoot. And of this opinion vvas Trem••lius. Notwithstanding, it is certaine, that euerie leafe beareth his fruit contained within the middest thereof, and thereof vvill Elmes grow, being sowne in due time. And of this opinion is Columella; and expe∣rience it selfe doth shew the same: hee making two differing sorts of Elmes, cal∣ling the one sort, the fairest and tallest Elmes of Fraunce: and the other sort,

Italian Elmes. And as concerning those fairest Elmes, if they be to be found, they must be planted, because they grow vp the sooner that way, and put forth much lar∣ger boughes. Theophrastus and some other vvriters doe make them lesse differing, according to the countrey wherein they grow. I haue beene the more willing to de∣scribe them according to their kind of leafe and vvood, that you may the more easily know them. I would haue you to looke backe into the fourth booke, and there you shall find their natures and vertues more at large described. The soiles in which they most of all delight, is a verie stiffe clay: and the principall vse of them, ouer and aboue the making of Bow-staues formerly mentioned, is the making of naues for vvaggons or cart-vvheeles, for vvhich they are more excellent than any other vvood vvhatsoeuer; and the more knottie and twound they are, a great deale the ••itter they are for that purpose: so, that as the cleane growne, smooth, and euen Elme serues for other purposes, so the knottie, vneuen, and most crooked Elme will serue for this.

Amongst these sorts of trees wee may place the Maple-trees (called of the Latines Ac••res) because in their nature they somewhat resemble the Elme: They craue the like ground, namely, a fat and moist ground: they grow (as the Elmes doe) in all ara∣ble grounds: they put forth in a short time great branches, and but little greene∣nes••e. This tree hath a verie white bodie, beareth small leaues like the leaues of three-leaued grasse, and doth not breed or gather any great store of vermine. It naturally groweth short•• crooked, rugged, and beareth seldome any great length of timber: yet where it groweth otherwise, the timber is verie firme, white, close, and durable. It serueth for diners excellent and good purposes: as namely, it is the best of all o∣ther, by reason of the wonderfull whitenesse thereof, for all manner of inlaid works, vvhich Ioyners vse: also it is excellent for all manner of Turners vvare: as for the making of trenchers, dishes, bowles, sewing kniues, and other implements for the Table, prouided, it be euermore of at least a yeare or more seasoning: for if it be wrought greene, it will warpe, ryue, and be indeed for no purpose. Many vse to season it in a drie house, but then it asketh a longer time, and the sappe will be much longer in consuming: but the best way is to let it lye abroad all the first Winter, and take all wet which falls, for that will driue the naturall wet of the sappe soonest out of it, and then house it the Summer following, and then after you may safely worke it at your pleasure.

The Ash is contrarily inclined: for thereon breedeth oftentimes such aboun∣dance of vermine, as that thereby all their leaues are eaten and bored verie full of little holes. Of this sort of Trees, as well Elmes, as Ashes and Maples, the best are those vvhich grow the soonest, and spread out the largest boughes in a short time.

As concerning the properties of these three kinds of Trees, wee haue spoken in the third booke, in the Chapter of Balmes, how there is made a singular balme of the little fruit that is found inclosed in the leaues of one of the sorts of Elmes. Furthermore, the vvater vvhich is found inclosed in this little fruit, maketh the face neat and shining, if it be vvashed therewith: againe, double linnen clothes being vvet in this iuice or vvater, and applyed vnto children vvhich are bursten, becommeth a singular remedie for them. The same iuice also put into a glasse-bottle, and buried in the earth, or dung, for the space of fiue and twentie daies, being well stopped, and hauing the bo••tome set vpon a heape of salt, proueth sin∣gular good to cure greene vvounds, if they be dressed vvith tents steeped in the said iuice.

The Maple-tree in this countrey amongst other things is had in request, because of the boughes thereof there are made Bowes, and that because they are stiffe and hard to bend.

The Ash-tree hath a singular vertue against the venime of Serpents: for it is such an enemie, and so contrarie vnto them, as that they dare not draw neere or ap∣proach vnto the shadow thereof: and againe, as hath beene proued of many, if you

make (as it were) a circle of the leaues or boughes of the Ash-tree, and put within the same a Serpent by the one side thereof, and a burning fire on the other side, the Adder will rather aduenture to passe through the fire, than ouer the Ash-tree leaues. For this cause Nature, as one carefull of the good of mankind, hath prouided, that the Ash should flourish before that Adders and Vipers doe vse to come out of their holes in the Spring time: as also, that it should not fall his leaues in Autumne, till they haue ta∣ken vp their Winter resting place. Wherefore, if it happen, that any Horse, Cow, or other beasts of the Farmers should be bitten by some serpent or other venimous beasts, there cannot be found a more soueraigne remedie, than to stampe the tenderest leaues that are to be found vpon the Ash, & straining out the iuice, to giue it the beast to drink, and afterward to lay vpon the grieued part the dr••sse of the stamped leaues: this is likewise a good remedie for men that are bitten of any Adder or Viper. The decoction of the rinde of the Ash-tree taken, is singular good to open the obstructi∣ons of the Spleene, and to draw out great store of water from such as haue the Drop∣sie, as also to make fat folks leane. Also the keyes of the Ash, or that which is the seed thereof, is of most singular vse amongst Painters, and being ground, maketh him di∣uers pretie and most vsefull colours. The Ash is onely an enemie vnto corne, and will not suffer any to grow by any meanes within the compasse of the shadow thereof: and therefore it should as seldome as might be, be planted in corne-fields, except you leaue such large space of greeneswarth betwixt it and the corne-lands, that no part of the shadow may extend to the same.

Notes

• Ash-〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Elmes of three sorts.
• Male and fe∣male Elmes.
• Columella.
• Theophr••stus.
• The Ash.
• The vertues of the Elme.
• Shooting ••owes.