The country-mans recreation, or the art of planting, graffing, and gardening in three bookes. The first declaring divers wayes of planting, and graffing ... also how to cleanse your grafts and cions, how to helpe barren and sicke trees, how to kill wormes and vermin and to preserve and keepe fruit, how to plant and proyne your vines, and to gather and presse your grape ... how to make your cider and perry ... The second treateth of the hop-garden, with necessary instructions for the making and the maintenance thereof ... Whereunto is added, the expert gardener, containing divers necessary and rare secrets belonging to that art ...

To gather the Hoppe.

AT such time afore Michaelmasse, as ye shall see your hop waxe browne, or somewhat yellow, then he is best to be gathered in a dry day, in cutting your hop by the ground, then pluck up your Pole therewith for shaking of your hop, so cary them into some dry house and when ye have so pluckt them, ye shall lay them on boarded lofts, or on hurdels of cloathes, that the wind may dry them, and the ayre, but not in the Sun, for the same will take away the strength thereof, nor with fire, for that will doe likewise, and ye shall daily tosse and turn them till they be dry: to try them when they are dry, hold them in your hand a space, and if they cleave together when ye open your hand, they are not then dry; but if they shatter a sunder in opening your hand, then ye may be sure they are dry enough. It not let them remaine, and use ye them as is be∣fore said. Ye shall understand the drynesse of them is to pre∣serve them and long to last, but if need be, ye may occupy them well und••yed with lesse portion to sow.