THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 45 



good here but the Newington, nor will that easily hang 

 till 'tis full ripe. The forward peaches are to be 

 esteemed only because they are early, but should find 

 room in a good garden, at least the white and brown 

 Nutmeg, the Persian and the violet Musk. The only 

 good nectarines are the Murry and the French ; of these 

 there are two sorts, one very sound, and the other some- 

 thing long, but the round is the best: of the Murry there 

 are several sorts, but being all hard, they are seldom 

 well ripened with us. 



Of grapes, the best are the Chasselas, which is the 

 better sort of our white muscadine (as the name was 

 about Sheen ; ) 'tis called the pearl-grape, and ripens 

 well enough in common years, but not so well as the 

 common black, or currand, which is something a worse 

 grape. The parsley is good, and proper enough to 

 our climate ; but all white Frontignacs are difficult, 

 and seldom ripe unless in extraordinary summers. 



I have had the honour of bringing over four sorts 

 into England ; the Arboyse from the Franche Comte, 

 which is a small white grape, or rather runs into some 

 small and some great upon the same bunch ; it agrees 

 well with our climate, but is very choice in soil, and 

 must have a sharp gravel ; it is the most delicious of 

 all grapes that are not muscat. The Burgundy, which 



