"THE CURIOUS KNOTTED GARDEN" 75 



"One chief grace that adorns an Orchard I can- 

 not let slip. A brood of nightingales, who with their 

 several notes and tunes with a strong, delightsome 

 voice out of a weak body, will bear you company, 

 night and day. She will help you cleanse your trees 

 of caterpillars and all noisome worms and flies. The 

 gentle Robin Redbreast will help her and in Winter 

 in the coldest storms will keep a part. Neither will 

 the silly Wren be behind in summer with her dis- 

 tinct whistle (like a sweet Recorder) * to cheer your 

 spirits. The Blackbird and Throstle (for I take it 

 the Thrush sings not but devours) sing loudly on a 

 May morning and delight the ear much (and you 

 need not want their company if you have ripe Cher- 

 ries or Berries) and would gladly, as the rest, do you 

 pleasure. But I had rather want their company than 

 my fruit. 



"What shall I say? A thousand of delights are 

 in an Orchard." 



Parkinson endeavors in the kindliest way to help 

 the amateur. He is genuinely desirous to encour- 

 age gardening and offers his knowledge and experi- 

 ence with bounteous generosity. He has no prefer- 

 ence regarding site. He says : 



"According to the situations of men's dwellings, 



*A kind of flute. See "Hamlet"; Act II, Scene II. 



