

The Kitchen Garden. 503 



CHAP. XXXVI. 



Afparagus. Speragc or Afparagus. 





ASparagus rifeth vp at the firlt with diuers whitifh greenc fcaly heads, very brit- 

 tle or eafie to breake while they are young, which afterwards rife vp into very 

 long and llender greene llalkes, of the bignefle of an ordinary riding wand at 

 the bottome of mort, or bigger or lefler, as the rootes are of growth, on which arc fet 

 diuers branches of greene leaues, (horter and fmaller then Fennell vp to the toppe, at 

 the ioynts whereof come forth fmall mofiie yellowifh flowers, which turne into round 

 berries, greene at the firlt, and of an excellent red colour when they are ripe, (hewing 

 as if they were beades of Corrall, wherein are contained exceeding hard and blacke 

 feede : the rootes are difperfed from a fpongious head into many long, thicke, and 

 round Itrings, whereby it fucketh much nourilhment out of the ground, and encreafcth 

 plentifully thereby. 



We haue another kinde hereof that is of much greater account, becaufe the (hootes 

 are larger, whiter, and being drefled tafte more fweete and pleafant, without any 

 other difference. 



The Vfe of Afparagus. 



The firrt (hootes or heads of Afparagus are a Sallet of as much efteeme 

 with all forts of perfons, as any other whatfoeuer, being boyled tender, 

 and eaten with butter, vinegar, and pepper, or oyle and vinegar, or as euery 

 ones manner doth pleafe ; and are almoft wholly fpent for the pleafure of 

 the pallate. It is fpecially good to pnJuoke vrine, and for thofe that are 

 troubled with the (tone or grauell in the reines or kidneyes, becaufe it doth 

 a little open and cleanfe thofe parts. 



CHAP. XXXVII. 

 Brafsica. Cabbages and Coleworts. 



THere is greater diuerfity in the forme and colour of the leaues of this plant, 

 then there is in any other that I know groweth vpon the ground. But this 

 place requireth not the knowledge of all forts which might be (hewen, many 

 ot them being of no vfe with vs for the table, but for delight, to behold the wonder- 

 tull variety of the workes of God herein. I will here therefore (hew you onely thofe 

 forts that are ordinary in mod Gardens, and fome that are rare, receiued into fome e- 

 fpeciall Gardens : And firft of Cabbages, and then of Coleworts. 



Our ordinary Cabbage that clofeth hard and round, hath at the firrt great large 

 thicke leaues, of a grayi(h greene colour, with thicke great ribbes, and lye open mod 

 part of the Summer without clofing, but toward the end of Summer, being growne to 

 haue many leaues, it then beginneth to growe clofe and round in the middle, and as it 

 clofeth, the leaues growe white inward ; yet there be fome kindes that will neuer be fo 

 clofe as thefe, but will remaine halfe open, which wee doe not account to be fo good 

 as the other : in the middle of this head, the next yeare after the fowing, in other 

 Countries efpecially, and fometimes in ours, if the Winter be milde, as may be feene 

 in diuers Gardens (but to preuent the danger of our Winter frorts, our Gardiners now 

 doe vfe to take vp diuers Cabbages with their rootes, and tying a cloth or fome fuch 

 thing about the rootes, doe hang them vp in their houfes, where they may be defen- 

 ded from cold, and then let them againe alter the frorts are part) and then there fhoo- 

 teth out a great thicke llalke, diuided at the toppe into many branches, bearing thereon 

 diuers fmall flowers, fometime white, but molt commonly yellow, made of foure 

 leaues, which turne into long, round, and pointed pods, containing therein fmall 



round 



