370 



HORTICULTURE OF THE OLDEN TIME- 



!ion of the Apple tree, and speak in g: of the 

 'nnumeiable tastes and flavors of the dif- 

 ferent varieties, and the impossibility on his 

 part to distinguish tlieni, he says, " not- 

 witlistanding, I hear of one that intendeth 

 to write a peculiar volnnie of Apples and 

 the use of them, yet when he hath done 

 what he can do, he hath done nothintr 

 touchinor their several kinds to distincruith 

 them." 



The following varieties are named as su- 

 perior : 



1. Mains carbonia, 



The Pome Water Tree. 



2. Mains carbonia a longo fructa. 



The Bakers Ditch Apple Tree. 



3. Malus rcghiate, 



The Queening or Queen of Apples. 



4. Platomela sive Pyra (sstiva. 



The Summer Pearmain. 



5. Platurchapin sive Pyra hyemada, 



The Winter Pearmain. 



" The Place. — The tame and grafted Ap- 

 ple trees are planted .",nd set in orchards 

 made for that purpose ; they delight to 

 grow in good and fertile ground ; Kent 

 doth abound witli Apples of most sorts; but 

 I have seen in pastures and hedgerows 

 about the grounds of a worshipful gentle- 

 man, dwelling two miles from Hereford, 

 called Master Koger Bodnome, so many 

 trees of all sorts, that the servants drink for 

 the most part no other drink but that which 

 is made of Apples. The quantity is such, 

 that by the report of the gentleman himself, 

 the Parson hath for tythe many hogsheads 

 of cyder. The hogs are fed with the fall- 

 ings of them, which are so many, that they 

 make choice of those apples they do eat, 

 Avho will not taste of any but the best. An 

 example doubtless to be followed of gentle- 

 men who have land and living; but enough 

 saith, the poor will break down our hedges, 

 and we shall have the least part of the fruit ; 

 but forward in God's name ; graft, set, 

 plant and nourish up trees in every corner 

 of your grounds. The labor is small, the 

 cost nothing; the commodity is great, your- 

 selves shall have plenty, the poor shall have 

 somewhat in time of want to relieve their 

 necessity, and God shall reward your good 

 minds and diligence." 



Under the paragraph * The virtues of 

 the Apple,' among the many good qualities, 

 the author says — "The pulp of the roasted 

 Apple, in number four or five, according to 

 the greatness of the Apple, especially of the 

 Pome Water, mixed in a wine quart of fair 

 water labored together until it becomes to 

 be as Apples and ale, which we call Lambs 

 Wool, and the whole quart drank last at 

 night, within the space of one hour, doth 

 in one night cure the strangurit^, and other 

 like diseases ; in twice taking it, it never 

 faileth in any; which myself have often 

 proved, and gained thereby both crowns and 

 credit." 



Of Plums — "To write of Plums par- 

 ticularly would require a peculiar volume, 

 and yet not the end to be attained unto, nor 

 the Slock or kindred perfectly known, neither 

 to be distinguished apart ; the number of 

 sorts or kinds are not known to any one 

 country; every climate hath his own fruit far 

 different from that of other countries ; my- 

 self have threescore sorts in my garden, and 

 all strange and rare ; there be in other pla- 

 ces many more common, and yet yearly 

 commendeth to our hands others not before 

 known." 



Of Cherries, the writer makes mention 

 of " divers sorts, some bringing forth great 

 fruit, others lesser; some with white fruit, 

 some with black, others of the color of 

 black blood, varying infinitely according to 

 the climate and country where they grow." 



The double flowering Cherry was then 

 known and thus described : " The double 

 flowering Cherry tree groweth up like unto 

 an hedge bush, but not so great nor high as 

 anv of the others ; the leaves and branches 

 differ not from the rest of the Cherry trees. 

 The flowers thereof are exceeding double, 

 as are the flowers of Marigolds, but of a 

 white color, and smelling somewhat like 

 the hawthorne flowers ; after which come 

 seldom or never any fruit, although some 

 authors have said that it beareth sometime 

 fruit, which myself have not at any time 

 seen : notwithstanding the tree hath grown 

 in my garden many years, and that in an 

 excellent good place by a brick wall, where 

 it had the reflection of the south sun, fit for 



