EARLY TUDOR GARDENS 85 



It cannot be proved that red currants had a place in gardens 

 before this time, as they are never mentioned as such ; even 

 Gerard, in 1597, does not give them under that name, but 

 describes them as a very small kind of gooseberry without 

 " prickles," of a perfect red colour. But it seems that some 

 sort of currant is intended by " Reisons " in this hst. 



Tusser goes on in December's husbandrie to describe how 

 the trees should be planted in the orchard : 



" Good fruit and good plentie doth well in the loft, 

 then make thee an orchard and cherish it oft : 



For plant or for stock laie aforehand to cast, 

 but set or remoove it er Christmas be past. 



Set one fro other full fortie foote mde, 



to stand as he stood is a part of his pride." 



There were not many other changes in the orchards. Wardens 

 still held a prominent place among pears, and costards among 

 apples. The peach had not improved. Turner speaks of trees 

 abroad, and goes on to say : " The peche is no great tre in 

 England that I could se — the apples are soft and fiesshy when 

 they are rype, something hory without." Among the Privy- 

 Purse expenses of Henry VIIL, Mr. Long's gardener is specially 

 mentioned as giving a present of peaches to the King, who at 

 various other times received gifts of cherries, apples, pears, 

 wardens, quinces, medlars, damsons, filberts, and melons. 



It was only the large landowners who indulged in a garden 

 specially set apart for flowers and pleasure. The garden of 

 every small manor and farmhouse in the kingdom was essen- 

 tially for use. Fitzherbert, in his Book of Husbandry , 1534, 

 enumerates the general duties of a wife, among which he does 

 not forget the garden : " And in the beginning of March or a 

 lyttel afore, is tyme for a wife to make her garden, and to gette 

 as many good sedes and herbes as be good for the potte and 



