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. XL.

Of certaine speciall obseruations for and about Cucumbers, Citrons, Gourds, Melons, and such like fruits.

IF the border whereon you set your Melons be not so fat nor well dunged as that of the Cucumber and Gourd, and if it be not watered so soone as it is put forth and sprung, it becommeth the faster meat, and more 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and sooner ripe.

To cause Pompions, Cucumbers, and Gourds to grow without seed,* 1.1 you must steepe your seeds in the oile of Sesamum, otherwise called Turkie millet, three dayes before you sow them.

To haue Cucumbers of such forme and fashion as one would wish, they must be put whiles they be yet young and small, together with their stalke, into vessells or bottles that haue some figure or shape drawne within them, and tie them about them, for in time they will fil vp the draughts and prints within the same: likewise to make them long▪ you must put their flowers into reeds, throughly emptied of their pi••h▪ for then the Cucumber will grow all along: or else to set neere vnto them some v••••∣sell full of water, as namely about halfe a foot off: for (as I haue said) cucumbers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 moisture so well, as that vpon the onely standing by of water, they will grow the more, and become longer: in like sort standeth the case with the Gourd.

For their better and greater growth,* 1.2 you must sow them in cases or pots, or other great vessel•• full of sifted and well manured earth, which may be carried and rolled or drawne from one place to another into the Sun, that so it may haue both the pre∣sence of the Sun-shine and absence of the cold winds and frosts, and when they be∣gin to grow, breake off their ends.

To free them of vermine and lice, sow Organie round about them, or else pric•••• some boughs amongst their plants.

To make that a Cucumber or Melon shall haue no water,* 1.3 fill the pit that yo•• haue digged to plant your seeds, halfe full of straw, or the shutes of vines cut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 small and put vpon the earth, and afterward your seed: and doe not water them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all, or else verie little.

To make melons or cucumbers laxatiue,* 1.4 sprinkle them fiue dayes together, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fiue times ••uerie day with water, wherein hath beene steeped and infused the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wild Cucumber for the space of three dayes. Otherwise, vncouer them so soone 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they haue put forth any budd, and dung them at the foot with about two ounces of blacke Hellebor steept in water, and afterward couer them againe. Otherwi••••, steepe the seed before you sow it three daies in the infusion off cammonie, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉

or Agaricke, or some other purging medicine.

To make Pompions sweet* 1.5 and smell well, so soone as you haue taken out the core and wiped and dried the seed, put it amongst drie Roses, or some graines of Muske, and there ke••pe it vntill you must sow it, and if it so like you, sow them together: or else steepe the seed foure daies before you sow it in damaske or sweet water: by such meanes you may giue them such tast and smell as you please, if you steepe their seed before you sow it in any such liquor, as in Honied-vvater, in Rose-vvater, or in some other kind of water sweetned with Sugar or Muske: notwithstanding wate∣ring of them doth take from them a great deale of that smell, as also of their sauour and taste.

To make Cucumbers or Pompions sugred,* 1.6 you must steepe the seed in water that is well sweetned with Sugar or Honie, and to make them sweet in Sheepes milke, or Honied water, and so sow them: and when they be growne, you must sprinkle them ouer with the dust of some drie earth, and water them a little.

To make Pompions to keepe long,* 1.7 and not to be spoyled or rotted, you must sprinkle them with the juice of Housleeke.

A woman hauing her termes,* 1.8 and walking by the borders of Pompions, Gourds, and Cucumbers, causeth them to drie and die: but and if any of the fruit e••cape it wil be bitter.

Cucumbers indure fresh a long time, if they be put in the sweet lees of wine, or else in brine, or if they hang in a vessell wherein there is a little vinegar.

Pompions* 1.9 will haue the smell of Roses, if their seed be mingled with drie Roses, and afterward sowne together: and then also they are excellent good to quench the thirst in burning agues.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pompions, Gourd••, and Cucumber▪ without seed.
• * 1.2

  For the helping forward of their growth.
• * 1.3

  A Cucumber without water.
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  Sweet Pom∣pions.
• * 1.6

  Suger-Mel••••s.
• * 1.7

  Lasting Po••∣pions.
• * 1.8

  A woman in her t••rmes maketh Pompi∣ons drie and di•• To keepe Cu∣cumbers fresh a long time.
• * 1.9

  Pompions smel∣ing like Roses▪