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. V.

Of Plants, Siences, and Shoo••••.

THe little siences of Cherrie-trees growne thicke with hairie 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and those also which grow vp from the roots of the great Cherrie-trees, being remoued, doe grow better and sooner than vpon stones: but then they must be taken away and planted whiles they are young, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whiles they be but two or three yeares old: for when they are growne thicke they thriue not so well: againe, if you stay till they be growne gro••••e, in remouing of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you must then ••op them, and strip them cleane of their braunches, setting their

great end in the earth the depth of a foot, and after treading downe the earth, and pricking downe withall at the foot of euerie plant a little stake to hold them fast, and to let the vvinds and vvhatsoeuer other thing from harming them. But especially you must see that you cut not si••nces at any other time than in Winter: for that moisture and coolenesse (during the time of Winter especially) is a meanes to con∣serue and keepe them, and thereupon also they grow and bring forth their fruit the better afterward.

The Mulberrie tree groweth after the same manner of little ••iences, although the best way of planting it be by taking a twigge thereof from the great branches which are cut from the old tree, of the length of a foot, and setting it good and deepe in the ground, and that in such sort, as that the ground may couer it, three or foure fingers, and this done, you must see that in Sommer it be watered diligently.

F••••berts in like manner doe grow of smal shoots, which grow forth of the roots of good Filbere-trees that are well rooted: these ••iences must not haue their braunches cut off when they are remoued, except they be growne great and ful of branches: but three yeares after that they are remoued, if they doe not prosper and grow faire, you must cut them close by the ground, and they will put forth a bush of streight siences, verie smooth and neat, and of these you may chuse whether you will suffer the fairest onely, or all together, to grow vp and continue.

The siences of the Oliue-tree which you intend to transplant, must be long and faire ones, and full of grosse and thicke moisture, so as that they may be taken and grasped in the hand, and the barke thereby nothing hurt. They must be drawne ouer with dung mixt with ashes, the head and the foot, and after laid in the earth, as they vvere vpon the Tree, the lower end more downeward and into the earth, and the higher end more vpward and looking into the aire, for else they will not take at all: and this must be a generall obseruation in transplanting of all manner of siences.

The siences of a vvell stringed root of a good plum-tree not grafted, doe yeeld, being transplanted, a fruit no vvhit inferiour vnto that of the chiefe and principall plum-trees, from which you haue ••aken them. But and if the old plum-trees be grafted, you must also take grafts and graft them in other plum trees, or wild cher∣rie-trees, or vpon ••oure Cherrie-Trees, and not to vngra••t siences to transplant them.

Garden plummes and hartlike cherries doe not grow naturally, being planted of siences, but desire rather to be grafted of grafts.

Notes

• Plants of cher∣rie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• The Mulberri-tree.
• Plants of Fil-berts.
• Plants of the Oliue-tree.
• Plants of Plumme-tree••.
• French 〈◊〉〈◊〉.