*S6me take it 
for Coniza, 
i.Fleabane 
Mulles. 
The nineteenth Booké of — 
i vapuweed lo nersmaoybar Otis, *4 
| eg Garden plants, their natitres kinds and feverall biftories. mit 
the cartilage andpulpous kind(uch Imeane onély,whereof thereis nothing goodbut 
' that which isabove ground) I reckon the Cucumber :a fruitthat Z:bermzs the mperour 
much loved and affected: for he tooke fuch:awonderous delight and pleafuretherein that 
there was not a day went over his head, bur he hadthenaferved up to his table, Thebedsand gar 
dens wherein they grew were ftich as went upon frames tobe removed every way with wheels:and 
as his Gardiners could in Summer time skill how toferthem forward unto the Sunne ; foagain 
in Winter during the cold and froftie daies, they could draw them backe into certaine high cou- 
vert buildings expofedto the Sun,and there houfethem under route. Moreover, find infome 
auncient Grecke writers,that their feed ought to lietwo daiesin fteep,or infufedin honied milk, 
before they be prickt orfet into the ground :for bythat meanes the Cucumbers will bethe {wee- 
terand more pleafant. The nature of them isto grow in what forme & fathion foeverthara man 
would have them. Throughourall Italie,greene they be of colour,and leaft ofany others: in the 
out-provinces they be as faire and great,and thofe either of a yellow colour, like wax and citrons,, 
or elfe blacke.In Affrick or Barbarie tien take deligheto have the greateft plentic of them swher- 
as in Moefia they lay for to have then pafiing big and huge.Now when they exceed in greatnes, 
they be called Pepones,, Melons or Pompons, Letamaneatthem alone, they will lie raw and 
greene in the ftomacke a whole day,and never be digefted : howbeit with meats they are nos un- 
holefome: and yer forthe moft part{wim they will aloft,and ride npona mans ftamacke.A won- 
derfull thing in their nature : they cannotabide oileinany wife, .butwaterthey love well; info- 
much, asif they be cut off,or fallen fromthe place wherethey grew;they wind and creepetherin. » 
to, if icbee bua little way off: contrariwife,flie they will. as fafttrom oileyif a man ferir by them ; 
and incafe any thing been their way toletthem,or thatthey hang ftill uponther plane, aman 
fhall perceive howthey willturne up and crooke,to fhun and avoidit. This amiziecothe one,and 
enmititto the other, may befeeneeven in one nights fpace : for ifa man fet under them, foure 
fingers off where they grow,a veffell with water overnight, he (hail fee by the morning that they 
will come down unto it: contrariwife, let oileftand the like diftancefrom them ,fhrinke they will 
fromit,and hooke upward. Marke another experimentin the Cucumber. If when it hath done 
flouring, you enter the knot of the fruit into along fane or trunke, ie will grow to. awoonderiull 
length. But beholda very ftrange.and newfafhion of them in Campane, forthere youfhall have » 
abundance of them come up in forme of a Quince. And as I heare fay,one of them chaunced fo 
to growfirft at a very venture: but afterwards fromthe feed of it cameawhole race and progenie 
of the like,which therupon they call Melopep ones,as a man would fay,the Quince-Pompionsor. 
* 
Cucumbers. Thefe never hang on high,but go low.by the ground,and gatherroundin forme of _ 
globe.A ftrange cafe itis of this kind: for,over and befides their thape,their cclour,and favour 
different from the reft;they areno fooner ripe, butprefently they fall fromthe fele ortaile wher- 
tothey grew, notwithftanding they hang not hollow from the ground, wheretheir dwne poife 
ac 
mnightweigh them downe, Coi/amellatelieth of a pretiecevife that hee hath of his owne,howto - 
keepeiof them frefh all the yeare long. Chufe(quorbhe)thebiggeftbramble tharyoucan meet 
withalkamong a thoufand, traoflate it intoa warmefun-fhinc banke,andthere replantizthen cue 
it off, leaving notabovetwo fingers breadth trom the root aboyethe ground [bur thismuftbe 
done about the Spring Equinox in mid-March: } then take aGuoumberfeed) anddfecit within 
the foft pith of thefaid bramble,bank it weli round about with Gaetiefh mould & dungblended 
together: [hisis the way,he aflureth us,to make thartheroots therotbearing {uch Cucumbers or 
Melons,will abide the greateft coldin WVinter,and never fhrinkatit/Ot Guoumbersthe Greeks 
have fecdown threekinds,to wit,the Laconick,the Scyralick andthe/Beeoucke. Of whichyas they 
fay,the firftfort only they be that lovewaters{o well.somethere be who prefcribe rorakethefeed 
either of Cucumber or Melon, &tqtempet the fameiathe juiceofacertaiyhearb{tamped which 
they cali*Culix,and then tofowit,perfuading usthapwe thall havefruitthereof without any feed, 
Of the like nature(] meane for theit manner of growing)be theGourds, Winter andallcold 
weather they cannot endure: they love alfo places well watered & dungedsAs wel Gourds asthe 
Cucumbers or Melons abovefaid,are commonly fowed between the Aquinox in March, & the 
Sunftead in Lune; provided alwaies,chdttheir feed lie in a trench within the ground, afoot anda 
halfe 
. 
