464 The ordering of the Kitchen Garden. 



they pull vp where they grow too thicke, fpending them firft, and fo taking vp from 

 time to time, vntill they (land two fpote in funder one from another, and beginne 

 to fpindle and fhoote vp for feede. In this is vfed fome arte to make the plants ftrong 

 to glue the better feede without danger of rotting or fpoyling with the wet, which of- 

 ten happeneth to thofe about whom this caution is not obferued : Before your Lettice 

 is mot vp, marke out the choyfeft and ftrongeft plantes which are fitted to grow for 

 feede, and from thofe when they are a foote high, ftrippe away with your hand the 

 leaues that grow loweft vpon the ftalke next the ground, which might rot, fpoyle or 

 hinder them from bearing fo good feede ; which when it is neere to be ripe, the ftalkes 

 muft be cut off about the middle, and layde vpon mats or clothes in the Sunne, that it 

 may there fully ripen and be gathered ; for it would be blowne away with the winde 

 if it mould be fuffered to abide on the ftalkes long. Parfneps muft be fowen on a deep 

 trenched mellow ground, otherwife they may run to feede the firft yeare, which then 

 are nothing worth : or elfe the rootes will be fmall ftaruelings and fhort, and runne in- 

 to many fpires or branches, whereby they will not bee of halfe the worth. Some vfe 

 to fow them in Auguft and September, that fo they may bee well growne to ferue to 

 fpend in Lent following, but their beft time is in February, that the Summers growth 

 may make them the fairer and greater. When they runne vp to feede you fhall take 

 the principall or middle heades, for thofe carry the Mafter feede, which is the bed, and 

 will produce the faireft rootes againe. You fhall hardly haue all the feede ripe at one 

 inftant, for vfually the chiefeft heads will be fallen before the other are ripe : you muft 

 therefore ftill looke them ouer, and cut them as they ripen. Carrots are vfually fowen 

 in March and Aprill, and if it chance that fome of them doe runne vp for feede the 

 fame year, they are to be weeded out, for neyther the feed nor roots of them are good : 

 You muft likewife pull them vp when they are too thicke, if you will haue them grow 

 fair, or for feed, that they may grow at the leaft three or foure foot in funder : the ftalkes 

 of Carrots are limber, and fall downe to the ground ; they muft therefore be fuftained 

 by poles layde acroffe on ftalkes thruft into the ground, and tyed to the poles and 

 ftalkes to keepe them vp from rotting or fpoyling vpon the ground : the feed hereof is 

 not all ripe at once, but muft be tended and gathered as it ripeneth, and layd to dry in 

 fome dry chamber or floore, and then beaten out with a ftick, and winnowed from the 

 refufe. Turneps are fowne by themfelues vpon a good ground in the end of luly, and 

 beginning of Auguft, to haue their rootes beft to fpend in winter ; for it often happe- 

 neth that thofe feedes of Turneps that are fowen in the Spring, runne vp to feede the 

 fame yeare, and then it is not accounted good. Many doe vfe to fow Turneps on thofe 

 grounds from whence the fame yeare they haue taken off Reddifh and Lettice, to make 

 the greater profit of the ground, by hauing two crops of increafe in one yeare. The 

 ftalkes of Turneps will bend downe to the ground, as Carrots doe, but yet muft not 

 be bound or ordered in that manner, but fuffered to grow without ftaking or binding, 

 fo as they grow of fome good diftance in funder : when the feede beginneth to grow 

 ripe, be very carefull to preferue it from the birds, which will be moft bufie to deuour 

 them. You fhall vnderftand likewife that many doe account the beft way to haue the 

 faireft and moft principall feede from all thefe fore-recited herbes, that after they are 

 fowen and rifen to a reafonable growth, they be tranf planted into frefh ground. Cab- 

 bages alfo are not only fowen for the vfe of their heads to fpend for meat, but to ga- 

 ther their feede likewife, which howfoeuer fome haue endeauoured to doe, yet few 

 haue gained good feede, becaufe our fharpe hard froftes in winter haue fpoyled and 

 rotted their ftockes they preferued for the purpofe ; but others haue found out a bet- 

 ter and a more fure way, which is, to take vp your ftocks that are fitteft to be preferued, 

 and bring them into the houfe, and there wrap them eyther in clothes, or other things 

 to defend them from the cold, and hang them vp in a dry place, vntill the beginning of 

 March following, then planting them in the ground, and a little defend them at the 

 firft with ftraw caft ouer them from the cold nights, thereby you may be fure to haue 

 perfect good feede, if your kinde be of the beft : Sowe your feed in the moneths of 

 February or March, and tranfplant them in May where they may ftand to grow for 

 your vfe, but be carefull to kill the wormes or Caterpillers that elfe will deuoure all 

 your leaues, and be carefull alfo that none of the leaues bee broken in the planting, or 

 otherwife rubbed, for that oftentimes hindereth the well cloiing of them. Leekes are 



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