THE CULTURE OF PLANTS 



for the kitchen or table, but they grow on trees or 

 shrubs ; yet there are some which fall in here, the 

 tenderest whereof are, 



Melons, and are not worth the while ; for you 

 must raise them on the early hot-bed. 



Strawberries are a very fine and delicate fruit, 

 and are easily increased, but best by the small plants 

 taken from their mother plants at the strings in 

 August, by which means they will be sufficiently 

 rooted, so as not to be spued out of the ground by 

 the frosts in winter. Manure, delve, mix and pre- 

 pare a light and warme soil ; prune their roots and 

 tops, and plant them in streight lines, five rowes in 

 a bed of four feet broad, and suffer them never to 

 over-run, but keep each stock by themselves, still 

 taking off all their strings (except at some time 

 you permit a few for increase). Weed and haw a- 

 mongthem ; and in September cut them within two 

 inches of the ground, and lay cow-manure over the 

 bed, if in a sandy soil, reserving their tops free, cov- 

 ered with a sprinkling of sand : this will much im- 

 prove them, so as they will not need renewing for 

 six or seven years. 



Artichocks are a fine and lasting fruit, and are 

 increased by off -sets chiefly planted in the spring, 



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