INTRODUCTION xv 



drew inspiration from Samuel Hartlib, or rather Child's 

 " Legacy of Husbandry," published in 1 65 1 : 



Because Gardening is of few years standing in England, 

 and therefore not deeply rooted, nor well understood. 

 About fifty years ago, about which time Ingenuities began 

 to flourish in England : This Art of Gardening, began to 

 creep intojEngland, into Sandwich, and Surrey, Fulham, 

 and other places. 



Some old men in Surrey, where it flourisheth very much 

 at present ; report That they knew the first Gardiners that 

 came into those parts to plant Cabages, Colleflowers, and 

 to sow Turneps, Carrets, and Parsnips, to sow Raith (or 

 early ripe) Pease. Rape, all which at that time were great 

 rarities, we having few or none in England, but what came 

 from Holland and Flanders. . . . 



We have not Gardening-ware in that plenty and cheapness 

 (unless perhaps about London) as in Holland, and other 

 places, where they not onely feed themselves with Gardiner's 

 ware, but also fat their Hogs and Cows. 



We have as yet divers things from beyond seas, which the 

 Gardiners may easily raise at home, though nothing nigh 

 so much as formerly ; for in Queen Elizabeth's time, we had 

 not only our Gardiner's ware from Holland, but also 

 Cherries from Flaunders ; Apples from France ; Saffron. 

 Licorish from Spain ; Hops from the Low-Countreys : and 

 the Frenchman who writes the Treasure Politick saith, 

 That it's one of the great Deficiencies of England, that Hops 

 will not grow, whereas now it is known, that Licorish, 

 Saffron, Cherries, Apples, Pears, Hops, Cabages, of England, 

 are the best in the world. Notwithstanding we as yet 

 want many things as for example : We want Onnions, very 

 many coming to England from Flaunders, Spain, &c. , 

 Madder for dying coming from Zurich-Sea by Zealand ; we 

 have Red Roses from France, Annice-seeds, Fennel-seeds, 

 Cumine, Caraway, Rice from Italy, which without question 

 would grow very well in divers moist lands in England : 



