A 
Plinies Naturall Eiforic. bs 
propriat liquor ;as alfo to dreffe and feeth them young, frefh, and greene, in akind of broth or’ 
browiffe,and fo ferve them up between two platters. And yet where the ground is rich and good, 
well watered and holpen with dung, Leétuce may be fowed at all times of the yeare: for within 
two months they will grow to be good big plants, and in as little {pace come to their full matu- 
ritie and perfection. Howbeit, the true time and ordinarie feafon, is to fow their feeds about the 
mids of December, when thedaies begin to lengthen, and then to remoove their plants at the 
- comming of the Wefterne wind Favonius in Februarie: orelsto fowin that wind, and to re- 
+ 
plant in: March aboutthe Spring Equinox. White Ledtuce of all other; can beftaway with the 
winter. All Garden-heatbs love moifture, and muck they love as well, Leuice efpeciailys & yet 
Imuft needs fay that Endive more thant. Some gardiniersthere bee,that thinke it a great point 
of cunning to befineare the roots of Leétuce plants and other {uch hearbs with dung when they 
are fet sor after they be bared atthe rootwithin the ground, to caft in the mould againe and fill 
up the placefo fooneas they be greafed (as it were) with mucke at the root. Others there be, who 
pra@ife another feat with them, to make them cabbage the a and grow faire and big,by cur- 
ting them up clofe to the ground when they are come once to be halfea foot high, and then be- 
dawbing theni with greene {wines dung. It is thought, that white LeG@tucecome onely of white 
feed; and yet cis not fafficient, unlefle there be fome fea fand taken freth from the {hore and 
laid about the heart of the plant where the leaves pur forth firft, andfo reared and heapedup to 
the mids} and then to take order that the leaves growing over them afterwards, be tied faft unto 
them. i rote 
Of ail Garden-heatbs, Beetsare the lighteft. The Greeke writers make twokinds thereof 
integard of the colour; to wit, the blacke Beets,and the whiter, which they preferre before the 
other,although it be very fcant and {parie of feed : thefealfo they callthe Sicilian Beets,and for 
their beautifull whire hewand nothing els, they efteeme them above Lectuce. But our coun- 
treymen herein Italie purno other difference betweene Beets,but in refpedt of the twofeafons 
when they be fowed, namely in the Spring, and Autumne; whereof we have thefe twoforts,the 
Spring Beets, and the Aurummall;and yer they be ufually fowne in Iunealfo, This heatb like- 
wife is ordinarily remooved in the plant, and{oreplanted or fet againe :itloveth befides tohave 
the roots medicined with mucke, as well as-elie otherabovelaid, yea and it is very well content 
with a moift and waterifh ground. The roots as well asthe leaves or herbage thereof, ule to bee 
eaten with Lentils & Beans: but the beft way to eat them, is with Senvie or muftard, tor to give 
ataft & edge as it were torhat dull and wallowifh flatneffethat ithath. Phyficians have fetdown 
their judgement of this hearb, That the roors be more hurtfull than the leafe: and therefort’be- 
ing fetupon the bourd before all perfons indifferently, aswell the found as the fickeand crafie, 
yet many a one maketh itniceand fcrupulous once to taft therofjand if they doe,itis butflight- 
ly forfathion onely, leaving the heartie feeding thereupon to thofe rather that be in health and 
of ftrong conft:tutions. The Beet is of two divers natures and qualities: for“ the herbage or * ols, which 
word Plinic 
Be Tae, : : = ; rie afeth much a 
grace and beautie lieth in their fpreading and breadth that they beare as they cabbage. And for Beets. 
leafe hath one, and the bulbs comming from the head of the ftem, another: but their principall 
this they come unto (as the manner is of Le@tucesal{o) by laying fome light weight upon the 
leaves, when they begin once to gather into aftalke and fhew their colour, And there is notan 
hearb throughout the Garden, that taketh up a greater compafle with fuellage than doththe 
Beet: for otherwhiles you fhall fee itto {pread it {elfe two foot every way ;whereunto the good- 
nefle and nature of the foile isa great helpe. The largettthat be knowne of thefe Beets are thofe 
whiclrgrow in the territorie about Circeij. Some hold opinion, that the aS time to fow Beets, 
iswhen the Pomegranat doth bloffome: and totranfplant them fo foon as they have five leaves. 
A wonderfull thing to fee the diverfitie in Nature of thefe Beets, if it be true;namely,that the 
white fhould gently loofen the belly and make one foluble, whereas contrariwife the blacke doe 
flay a lux and knit the bodie. It is as ftraungealfoto obferve another effe& thereof: for when 
the Colewort hath marred the taft of wine within the tun or fuch like veffell, the only favour and 
fmell of Beet leaves ficeped therein,will reftore and fetch it againe, 
Astouching the Beets, as alfo Colewoorts, which nowbeareall the fway and none but they 
in Gardens, do not tind thatthe Greeks made any great account of them: and yet C4tohighly 
extolicth Coules, and reporteth great wonders of their vertues and properties, which I meane 
torciatein my treatife of Phyficke. For this prefent, you fhall underftand,that he putreth down 
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