The compleat gard'ner, or, Directions for cultivating and right ordering of fruit-gardens and kitchen-gardens with divers reflections on several parts of husbandry, in six books : to which is added, his treatise of orange-trees, with the raising of melons, omitted in the French editions / by the famous Monsr De La Quintinye ... ; made English by John Evelyn ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. II.

Containing a Description of the Seeds, and other things which contribute to the production and Multiplication of every sort of Plant, or Legume.

A Alenois Cresses: See Cresses. Alfange: See Lettuce.

ALLELUIA, or Wood, or French Sorrel, is a sort of Trefoil, that is multiplied only by Runners or slips, which sprout from the foot of it, as do Violets and Dai∣ses, &c. It bears a White Flower, but no seed.

Anis, Is propagated only by seed, which is pretty small, and of a yellowish Green, and is of a longish Oval Figure, Striped: Which Oval is Bunched on one side. In a word, it is altogether like Fennel-seed.

Artichoaks, are commonly multiplied only by their Oeillitons or little Eyes, or Off-Sets which are a sort of Kernals, which grow about the heart of the foot of their plants, ••hat is, in that part that separates the Root from the Eye or bud, out of which the stemm grows that produces the Artichockes: These little Eyes or off-sets begin commonly to breed at the very end of Autumn, or in Winter, when it is mild, and shoot forth their Leaves in the Spring, that is at the end of March, and in the month of April, at which time, we grope about the foot of the Artichoke, and separate or slip off these Suckers or off-sets, in French called little Eyes, and that is called Slipping, or dis-Eyeing.

These off-sets or suckers to be good, should be White about the heel, and have some little roots; those that are black about the heel, are old, and produce but very little Ar∣tichokes in the spring, whereas the others stay till August, September, or October, before they bring theirs to perfection, according to the intention of the Gard'ner.

Sometimes Artichokes are multiplied by the seed, which grows in the Artichoke bottoms, when they are suffered to grow old, to flower, and to open, and lastly to dry, about Midsummer.

When we tie them up in Autumn, we wrap and cover them up to their whole length, with straw or old dung, and so Whiten the Cottony sides of their leaves, to make Arti∣choke Chards of.

Asparagus, or Sparagras are propagated only by seeds which is black, a little oval, round on one side, and very flat on the other, about the bigness of a great pin's head, and grows in a shell, or round Cod, which is Red, and about the bigness of an ordi∣nary Pea; there are four or six seeds in each shell, and those shells grow in Autumn, upon the head of those Asparagus plants that are a little fairer and stronger than the rest. Sometimes those shells are sown whole, but the best way is to break them, and beat the seeds out of them. The time of sowing them is about the end of March.

B

BAlm, in French, Melisse, is multiplied only by Runners and Cuttings.

Basil, or Basilick, as well the Great, as the Small sort is multiplied by seed, which is of a blackish cinnamon colour, and very Small and a little oval, and is propagated no other way but that.

The common Bay, or Bays, is propagated by seeds which are Black, or else by Lay∣ers.

Beans, as the Marsh or Common Beans, which are pretty thick and long, of an oval figure, round at one end, and flat at the other, with a black list or Crease pretty thick and broad, of a sullied White colour, having a smoother skin than the Haricauts, or Kid∣ney Beans, which are likewise long and oval, but narrower, lesser, and thinner than the other, having a black list in the middle of one of the sides of the oval, which is round on one side, and a little bending Inward on the other. The Feverolles, or Venetian Beans, dister only from these last, in that they are a little less, and are some of them White, some Red, and some mottled with several Colours; there is one sort of them that is very small. Every body knows, they all grow in Cods.

Beet-Raves, or Beet-Radishes, that is, Red-Beets to produce Roots for Sallets, are mul∣tiplied only by Seeds, which are about the bigness of middling Peas, and round, but all gravelly in their roundness; they are yellowish, and so like those of the White Beet, that they are hardly to be distinguish'd one from the other, so that People are often mista∣ken, thinking they have sown Red Ones for Roots, and see nothing come up but White Beets; they are planted apart when designed to run to Seed.

White Beets, called Porrêe or Poirée, for Chards are also propogated only by Seed, which is like that of the Red Beets, only 'tis of a little duller colour: They are replanted to produce Chards.

Bonne-Dame, or Good Lady, is multiplied only by Seed, which is extreamly flat, and thin, and is round and reddish.

Borage is propagated only by Seed, which is black, and of a long bunchy Oval Fi∣gure, and having commonly a little white end towards the base or bottom, which is quite separated from the rest, the length is all Engraven as 'twere with black streaks from one end to the other.

Bugloss is likewise only multiplied by Seed, which is so like that of Borage, that they cannot be known asunder.

Buckshorn Sallet is multiplied only by Seed, which is one of the least we have; it is besides that, longish, and of a very dark Cinnamon colour, and grows in a Husk like a Rats Tail.

Burnet is propagated only by Seed, which is pretty big, and a little Oval, with four sides, and is all over engraven as 'twere in the spaces between those four sides.

C.

CAbbages, called in French, Choux, and comprehending both Cabbage, Coleworts, and Colyflowers of all kinds, of what Nature soever they be, are multiplied only by Seed, which is about the bigness of an ordinary Pin, or of Birding Powder, and is reddish, in∣clining to a brown Cinnamon colour.

Capucin Capers. See Nasturces.

Caprons. See Strawberries.

Spanish Cardons are propagated only by Seed, which is longish, oval, and about the bigness of a fair Wheat Corn; it is of a greenish, or Olive colour, mark'd with black streaks from one end to the other, and is Sown from the middle of April to the end.

Carrots are multiplied only by Seeds, which are small and oval, the sides of which are wrought with little streaks, or longish points very small; and one side of the flat part of the Seed is a little fuller, and more raised than the other, and both of them are marked long-ways with streaks; they are of the colour of a dead Leaf.

Collery is multiplied only by Seed, which is very small, yellowish, and of a longish oval Figure, and a little bunched.

Chalots: See Eschalots.

Chards of Artichokes: See Artichokes.

Chards of Beets: See Beets.

Chervil is multiplied only by Seed, which is black, very small, and pretty longish; striped long-ways; it grows upon the Plants that were Sown in the Autumn before, and Knits and Ripens in the Month of June.

Musked Chervil is multiplied likewise only by Seed, which is longish, black, and pretty big.

Chervi or Skirrets is multiplied only by Seed, which is oval, longish, and pretty small and narrow, streaked from one end to the other, and of the colour of a grayish white dead Leaf, and flat at one end.

Ciboules, or small Onions, are propagated only by Seed, of the bigness of a corn of or∣dinary Gun-powder, a little flat on one side, and half round on the other, and yet a little long and oval, and white on the inside; so like to which are the Seeds of both the Red and White Onion, and of Leeks, that it is very hard to distinguish them one from the other: Ciboules are Sown in all Seasons.

Citrulls, Pumpions, or Pumkins, are propagated only by Seeds, which are of a flat oval Figure, and pretty large and whitish, and are as 'twere neatly edged about the sides, excepting only at the bottom, where they stuck to the Citrull or Pumpion, in whose Belly they were formed.

Cives, called English Cives, are multiplied only by little Off-sets that grow round about their Tufts, which grow very big in time, from which a part of those Off-sets are taken to Replant.

Colyflowers: See Cabbages.

Coleworts: See Cabbages.

Cresses, called Alènois Cresses, are multiplied only by Seed, which is of a longish oval figure, small, and of an Orange yellow colour.

Cucumbers, or Cowcumbers, are propagated only by Seed, which is oval, a little pointed at both ends, but a little less at the lower end or bottom than at the other, out of which springs its Bud or Sprout; it is of a midling thickness, of a whitish colour, and is gathered out of the Bellies of those Cucumbers that are grown yellow with ripeness.

The Curran-Bushes, whose Fruit grows in Bunches, both the Red, and the White, called Dutch Currans; as also Goosberry-Bushes, called in French, Groseilles, as well as Cur∣rans, and named Picquans, or Prickly Groseilles, are multiplied as well by slips that are a little Rooted, that Sprout out of the foot of their Stocks every year in the Spring, as by simple Cuttings; we also Replant their Stocks of two or three years old.

D.

THe Dock, called Patience, being a sort of Sorrel, is multiplied only by Seed, which is like Sorrel Seed, only a little bigger.

Dragons, or Estragon, a Sallet: See Estragon.

E.

WHite Endive, called in French, Chicorée, i. e. Succory, is multiplied only by Seed, which is longish, and of a whitish grey colour, flat at one end, and roundish at the other, and grows upon the Stocks or Stems of the preceeding years growth; one would take it almost for nothing else but little bits of Herb cut pretty small.

Wild Endive, or Succory, is also propagated only by Seed, which is longish and black∣ish, and grows as the other doth.

Eshalottes, or Shalotts: See Shalots.

Estragon, or Dragons, being a Sallet, is multiplied only by Runners, or Cuttings.

F.

FEnnel is propagated only by Seed, which is pretty small, longish and oval, bunched, and streaked with greenish grey streaks.

French Sorrel: See Alleluia.

G.

GArlick is produced by a kind of Kernels, or Off-sets, which grow in great numbers about its Foot, and make all together a kind of Bulb like an Onion, which Kernels are called the Cloves of the Garlick; every Clove being concave or hollow on the inside, and convex, or bending outwards on the out-side, having at its lower end, a flat base or bottom, by which it is fastned to the body of the Foot or Stalk, out of which the Roots spring; and having on the top a pointed end, out of which springs its Bud, or Shoot, when it is planted in the Earth in the Months of March or April, in order to its bringing forth.

Good Lady: See Bonne Dame.

Goosberry-Bushes: See Curran-Bushes.

H.

HYssop, or Hysope, is propagated only by slips.

L.

LAvender is multiplied by Seed, and by the old Stocks or Plants replanted.

Lawrel, or Laurel: See Bays.

Leeks are multiplied only by Seed, which is altogether like that of Ciboules; they are Replanted in the Month of May, very deep in the Earth, to make their Stalks and Plants thick and white; and they are Sown in March as soon as the Frost will permit; their Seed grows in a kind of thick white Purse, which is round, and grows upon the top of a good long Stalk, and it keeps a pretty long time in that Purse or Hood before it falls.

Lettuces, of what sort so ever they be, are multiplied only by Seed, which is of a longish oval figure, streaked long-ways, sharp pointed at the ends, and very small; some are black, as those of Aubervilliers, but the most of them are white: when they are Sown in the Spring they run to Seed in the Month of July after; but the Winter Lettuces, called otherwise Shell Lettuces, after having past the Winter in the place where they were Re-planted in October run up to Seed in the Month of July following.

M.

MAcedonian Parsly: See Parsly.

Mâches, or Masches, are multiplied only by Seed, which is very small, and of an Orange colour.

Mallows, or Marsh-Mallows, are propagated only by Seeds, which are like one another in shape, but yet are different as well in colour as in bigness; for the Seed of the Mallows is much bigger than that of the Marsh-Mallows, and that of this latter is of a deeper brown than that of the plain Mallows; they are both Triangular, and streaked all over.

Marjoram is propagated only by Seed, which is very little, and shaped almost like a Limon, more pointed on one side than on the other; it is speckled in some places with little white specks, and is as 'twere streaked with white all over; it is of a pretty light Cinnamon colour.

Melons, or Musk-Melons, are multiplied by a Seed, which is like that of a Cucumber, excepting in colour, which in Melons is of a pale red, and is not so broad as that of the others; they are taken out of the Bellies of ripe Musk-Melons.

Mint, or Spare-Mint, called in French, Balm, is multiplied only by Runners that are like so many Arms that spring out of its Tuft, and take Root; it likewise is propagated by Cuttings, but bears no Seed.

Muscat: See Vines.

N.

NAsturces, commonly called Capucin Capers, are multiplied only by Seed, which is a kind of Pea or Haricot, or French-Bean, which climbs and gets up upon Branches or Poles which are near it; the Leaf of it is pretty large, and the flower, of an Orange colour; the figure of the Seed is a little Pyramidal, divided by Ribs, having all its superficies engra∣ven, and wrought all over, being of a grey colour, inclining to a light Cinnamon: They are Sown in hot Beds about the end of March, or the beginning of April, and af∣terwards they are Replanted by some Wall well exposed. The Seed easily falls as soon as ever 'tis Ripe, as doth that of Borage, and the Belles de Nuit, or Night Fair Ones; and therefore they must be carefully gathered.

O.

ONions, as well the White, as the Red, are multiplied only by Seed, which as I have already said, is like that of Ciboules.

P.

PArsly, as well the Common, as the Curled sort, is multiplied only by Seed, which is little and very small, and of a greenish grey colour, and a little bending inward on one side, and all over streaked with little rising streaks from one end to the other.

Macedonian Parsly or Alisanders is also propagated only by Seed, which is pretty big and oval, and a little more full and swelling on one side than on the other, which bends a lit∣tle inward, streaked throughout its whole length; and is also streaked a cross on the edges between the sides.

Passe-pierre: See Pierce-Pierre.

Parsnips are multiplied only by Seed, which is flat, and of a round figure, a little oval, and as if it were hemmed or edged, streaked throughout its length, and is of the colour of a brownish Straw.

Patience: See Dock.

Passe-Musquee: See Muscats, and Vines.

Peas, or Pease, are multiplied only by Seed; there are great Ones, little Ones, white Ones or yellow Ones, and green Ones. All the world knows they grow in Cods, and are almost round, and sometimes half flat.

Perce-Pierre vulgarly called Passe-Pierre, i. e. Pass, or Pierce Stone, being a kind of Stone-Parsly, is multiplied only by Seed, which is more long than round, pretty big, of a greenish grey colour, striped on the Back and Belly, and resembling a Lute in shape.

Pimpernell: See Burnet.

Pompions, or Pumpions, or Pumkins: See Citrulls.

Potirons, a sort of Flat Citrulls, or Pumpions, are multiplied only by Seed, which is altogether like that of the Common Citrull, or Pumpion, and grows in the same manner.

Purslain, as well of the Green, as Red, or Golden sort, is multiplied only by Seed, which is black, and extraordinary small, and of a half flat roundish figure. To have a good Crop of this Seed, the Purslain Plants must be Replanted at the end of May, at a full Foot distance one from the other: The Seed grows in little Husks or Shells, each of which contain a great many, and when we are to gather it, we cut off all the heads of the Stalks, and lay them to dry a little in the Sun, and then we beat the Seed out, and Fan, or Screen it.

R.

RAdishes are multiplied by Seed, which is round, pretty thick, and of a reddish Cin∣namon colour; it grows in a kind of little Cods, which they call Coque-Sigrues in Provence.

Raspberries, both Red and White, are propagated only by slips that sprout out of their stocks every year in the Spring time, and are sit to Replant the next Spring after.

Reponces, or Field Radishes, are multiplied only by Seed, and are a sort of little Radishes that are eaten in Sallats, and grow without any pains in the Fields.

Rocamboles, are a sort of mild Garlick, otherwise called Spanish Garlick, which is mul∣tiplied both by Cloves, and by Seed, which latter is about the bigness of ordinary Peas.

Rocket, being one of the Sallat Furnitures, is multiplied by Seed, which is extreme little, and of a Cinnamon, or dark Tan colour.

Rosemary is a little very odoriferous Shrub, that is propagated by Seed or Branches that have some portion of Root.

Rubarb is propagated only by Seed, which is pretty big, and triangular, the three An∣gles being as thin as very thin Paper, and there being a thickness in the middle where the Bud or Shoot is.

Rue is multiplied by Seed, whose shape resembles that of a Cocks Stone; it is of a black colour and rugged; but yet we usually propagate it rather by its Layers and Cuttings, than by its Seed.

S.

SAge is multiplied only by a kind of hooked slips that have a little Root.

Salsifie, or Goats-Beard, the common sort is multiplied only by Seed, which is al∣most like in all things to that of Scorzonera, except in its colour, which is a little greyer; it is of a very long oval figure, as if it were so many little Cods all over streaked, and as 'twere engraven in the spaces between the streaks, which are pretty sharp pointed to∣wards the ends.

Samphire or Sampire: See Pierce-pierre.

Saracens Wheat, or Turky Wheat, is a dark red Seed or Grain, about the bigness of an ordinary Pea, very smooth, round on one side, and a little flat on the other, where it is fastned to its Spike or Ear.

Savory is multiplied only by Seed, which is extraordinary small and round, slick, and grey.

Scorzonera, or Spanish Salsifie, is propagated only by Seed, which is small, longish and round withal, and of a white colour, and grows in a kind of Ball, mounted on the top of the Stalk of the Plant, having its point garnished with a kind of Beard like that of Pissabeds, or Dandelions.

Sellery: See Cellery.

Shalots or Eschalots, are multiplyed by Off-Sets or Kernels, which grow about the foot of its Plant, and are about the bigness of a Filberd Nut.

Smallage is multiplyed only by Seed which is reddish, and pretty big, of a roundish oval Figure, a little more full and rising on one side, than on the other, and is streaked from one end to the other.

Sorrel, as well the Lesser one which is the common sort, as the Greater one, are both multiplyed only by Seed, which is very small, slick, and of a Triangular Oval Figure, the ends of it being sharp and pointed, and being of an excellent dark Cinnamon Co∣lour.

Round Sorrel, is propagated only by Slips or Runners, so that out of one Tuft, we may easily make several plants of it.

French or Wood-Sorrel: See Alleluia.

Spare-Mint: See Mint.

Spinage is multiplyed only by Seed, which is pretty big, and horned, or Triangu∣lar on two Sides, having its corners very sharp pointed and prickly, and the other part which is opposite to those pointed Horns, is like a Purse, of a Grayish colour.

Straw-berry Plants, as well the white as the red, and those called Caprons, are propaga∣ted only by Runners, which are produced by a kind of Threads or Strings, which springing out of the body of the Plant, and creeping along upon the Earth, easily e∣nough take Root, at certain Joynts or Knots about a foot distance one from the other, which knots coming to take Root, make new Plants, that in two or three Months time, are fit to be transplanted, and they are placed three or four of them together, to make what we call a Tuft.

Succory: See Endive.

Suckers of Artichokes: See Artichokes.

Sharp Trefoil: See Alleluia.

T.

TIme is multiplyed by Seed, which is very small, and sometimes we separate those Plants or Stems of it that produce several rooted Slips or Suckers, to replant them in Borders, for Time is seldom planted otherwise.

Tripe Madam is propagated both by Seed, and Cuttings or Slips, every Stem or Stock of it producing several Arms, which being separated and replanted, easily take Root again. The Seed of it is Gray, and Longish, and almost of the shape of Parsly Seed; there grows a great deal of it upon every Seed Stalk, which runs up one above another, like those of Seed-Carrots, Parsnips, &c. there are seven or eight of them in a sort of little o∣pen Cup, where they grow ripe after the falling of a yellow Flower, inclining to an Olive colour.

Turkey Wheat: See Saracens Wheat.

Sharp Trefoil: See Alleluia.

Turneps are multiplyed only by Seed, which is almost like that of Cabbage.

V.

VInes of what sort soever they be, whether White, Red, or Black Muskat Chassela's, Bourdelais, Corinthian, or Long Muscat, called otherwise Passe-Musquée, &c. are mul∣tiplyed by Layers, by hooked or bent Slips, and especially Couched; and lastly, by Graft∣ing Cleft-wise.

Violet Plants, as well of the Double as Single sort, and of what colour soever they be, though they produce Seed in little reddish Shells or Husks, yet are multiplyed only by the Slips they produce, each Plant or Stock of them growing insensibly into a great Tuft, which is divided into several little ones, which being replanted, grow in time big enough to be likewise divided into others.

W.

Wheat: See Saracens and Turkey Wheat.

Worm-wood, is multiplyed by Seed, which is of a pretty odd Figure, being a little bent inward in its smallest part, and a little open on the other end, which is bigger and rounder, and upon which there is a little black spot. Its colour is yellowish at the bigger end, and its sharper end inclines a little to black. Its Seed is seldom used, because it is very difficult to fan or sift, being very light, and therefore when we have need of propagating Worm-wood, we make use rather of its Cuttings and Layers, that are a lit∣tle rooted.

Wood-Sorrel: See Alleluia.