buried a foot deepe in the earth that is fat, and that in Nouember or Februarie, ha∣uing
sleept the said stone for three daies space before you sow or set it in lee, or longer
in a composition of Cinnamon water, if you would haue it to yeeld anie aromaticall
smell: or else of a meere plant, hauing a root in a pit a little digged, because it gras∣peth
not much ground with his foot, but yet it must be good and light and easie to be
pierced round about, for the affoording of an easie and plentifull seat vnto it. It grow∣eth
also in prosperous sort, if it be grafted after the Scuti h••on-like fashion, either vp∣on
it selfe, or vpon the sweet Cherrie: or else in the cleft, and that besides the two for∣mer,
vpon the Apple-tree, Almond-tree, Peach-tree, and Ceruise-tree: of all which
sorts of grafts, that is the best which is vpon it selfe, or vpon the sweet Cherrie-tree;
for all the rest are but meanes to cause the Plum to degenerate from his nature, and to
become bastardly, as well in their shape as in their tast. The fittest time to graft them,
is in Februarie or in March, and then rather in the stocke than in the barke.
There is a certaine kind of scab which doth take hold of it, and that either by let∣ting
the gumme to stand and hang about it, and to wax old, which it casteth forth, or
else by reason of the mos••e which it gathereth, and for that cause it would haue his
gumme taken away at the beginning of cold weather, and the mos••e rubbed off with
a rough Linnen cloth, or a mos••e rubber of Horse-haire, and this at all times.
There happeneth likewise vnto it an vindisposedesse through the fault of the Gar∣diner,
not casting the ground about the foot, or cutting off the rotten and corrupt
wood; whereupon it turneth in and rowleth it selfe vp into small balls, sometimes in
one place, sometimes in moe: and this is a disease which being neglected, doth spread
it selfe in the end all ouer the tree, from one end to another, and bringeth it wholly to
distruction: and therefore so soone as you shall see the sicke tree in this sort to crum∣ple
and runne vpon heapes, you must cut off verie cleane all the boughes thus disea∣sed,
whereof it would be murdered and killed, euen to the sound and whole branches,
and withall to order & husband it in all good sort about the foot, to the taking away of
this euili humor, which in this maner crooketh and causeth to turne round his wood.
There happeneth also sometimes, by reason of some secret cause, that it so langui∣sheth,
as that it giueth ouer to beare fruit: for the putting of it in heart againe, you
must lay open his roots, and cast vpon them the lees of oyle mingled with water, or
else the stale of oxen, or mans v••ine, or cast vpon the roots the ashes of Vine bran∣ches
throughly boyled.
All Plums in generall are cold and moist, more or lesse, the sweet ones lesse, the
sowre and sharpe ones more.
The sweet Plums haue vertue to loosen the belly, and yet they will purge more
strongly, if at such time as when the Plum-tree is young, there be taken from it some
part of the pith of the stocke, or else one of his boughes, and the place filled vp againe
with Scammonie. They will in like manner procure sleepe, if you put into the said
emptied places the iuice of Mandrakes, or Opium. Sharpe and tart Plums are giuen
to stay the belly. There is great account made in Prouence of the Plums of Brignoles,
by reason of their pleasant tast. In France throughout, and euerie where else, there is a
speciall account made of Damaske Plums, which are of three sorts, the black, red, and
violet colour, all of them prouing verie excellent in the Countrey of Tourraine, for
from thence are sent, throughout all France, of them dried, which are vsed at all times.
The Plums of Pardigoine are likewise greatly esteemed, by reason of their plumpe∣nesse
and pleasant tast. Furthermore, Dates are verie rare and scarce in this Country,
namely, those which come neere to the Dates of other strange Countries, which are
more pleasant relished than anie other. Some likewise make account of Rhemish
Plums dried, by reason of the pleasant tartnesse and sharpnesse which they haue.