bunar (^nffuenc© oq ^?antf. 169 



first three days are usually attended with rain." He confesses, 

 however, he cannot explain the following couplet : — 



" The Moone in the wane gather fruit for to last, 

 But winter fruit gatlier when iMichel is past." 



In the ' Garden of Eden,' an old gardening book compiled 

 and issued by Sir Hugh Plat, Knt., in the year 1600, constant 

 allusions are made to the necessity of studying the Moon's phases 

 in gardening and grafting operations. The worthy knight con- 

 sidered that the Moon would exercise her powers in making single 

 flowers double if only she were respectfully courted. His counsel 

 on this point is as follows: — " Remove a plant of Stock Gilli- 

 flowers when it is a little woodded, and not too greene, and water 

 it presently. Doe this three dayes after the full, and remove it 

 twice more before the change. Doe this in barren ground ; and 

 likewise, three dayes after the next full Moone, remove again ; 

 and then remove once more before the change. Then at the 

 third full Moon, viz., eight dayes after, remove againe, and set 

 it in very rich ground, and this will make it to bring forth a 

 double flower ; but if your Stock Gilliflowers once spindle, then 

 you may not remove them. Also you must make Tulippes 

 double m this manner. Some think by cutting them at every 

 full Moone before they beare to make them at length to beare 

 double." 



In 'The Countryman's Recreation' (1640) the author fully 

 recognises the obligation of gardeners to study the Moon in all 

 their principal operations. Says he : " From the first day of the 

 new Moone unto the xiii. day thereof is good for to plant, or 

 graffe, or sow, and for great need some doe take unto the xvii. or 

 xviii. day thereof, and not after, neither graffe nor sow, but as is 

 afore-mentioned, a day or two afore the change, the best signes 

 are Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorne." And as regards the treatment 

 of fruit trees, he tells us that " trees which come of Nuttes " should 

 be set in the Autumn " in the change or increase of the Moone ; " 

 certain grafting manipulations are to be executed " in the increase 

 of the Moone and not lightly after; " fruit, if it is desired of good 

 colour and untouched by frost, ought to be gathered " when the 

 time is faire and dry, and the Moone in her decreasing ; " whilst 

 " if ye will cut or gather Grapes, to have them good, and to have 

 good wine thereof, ye shall cut them in the full, or soone after the 

 full, of the Moone, when she is in Cancer, in Leo, in Scorpio, 

 and in Aquarius, the Moone being on the waine and under the 

 earth." 



In ' The Expert Gardener ' (1640) — a work stated to be " faith- 

 fully collected out of sundry Dutch and French authors " — a 

 chapter is entirely devoted to the times and seasons which should 

 be selected " to sow and replant all manner of seeds," with special 

 reference to the phases of the Moon. As showing how very 



