The Gardener's New Director. 155 

 Six dozen of large plants, which will come into fruit 



the year after vou receive them. 



Six dozen for fruiting the fecond year. 



One hundred fmall crowns and fuckers : thefe laft to 



be taken in Auguji. 



into which thefe are plunged muft be renewed, in order 

 to forward the plants, that they may have ftrength e- 

 nough by autumn, to produce good fruit ; for in this is 

 the principal care required. 



Thofe plants which ihew their fruit early in February f 

 will ripen about yune ; fome forts are at leafl: a month 

 or five weeks longer in ripening their fruit than others, 

 from the time of the appearance of the fruit : but the 

 feafon in which the fruit is in greateft perfe6^iion, is from 

 the beginning of May to the end of September, though 

 in March, April, and OBober, I have frequently eaten 

 this fruit in pretty good perfe6tion ; but then the plants 

 have been in perfect health, otherwife they feldom are 

 well flavoured. 



The method of judging when the fruit is ripe, is by 

 the fmell, and from obfervation ; for as the feveral forts 

 differ from each other in the colour of their fruit, that 

 will not be any direction when to cut them, nor Ihould 

 they remain fo long as to become foft to the touch be- 

 fore they are cut ; for then they become flat and dead, 

 as they do alfo when they are cut long before they 

 are eaten : therefore the furefl way to have this fruit in 

 perfe6lion, is to cut it the fame day it is eaten ; hut it 

 mufl: be early in the morning, before the fun has heated 

 the fruit, cbferving to cut the flalk as long to the fruit 

 as poffible, and lay it in a cool, but dry place, prcferv- 

 ing the (lalk and crown to it, until it is eaten. 



That fort with green fruit, if fuffered to jipen well, 

 is of an olive-colour; but there are fome perlons who 

 cut them before they are ripe, when ihcy are not fit to 

 be eaten, for no other rcafon, but to have them green : 

 and although many perfons have much recommended this 

 fort for its excellent flavour, yet I think the fugar-loat 

 fort ii to be preferred to it. 



This 



