ME 



which ripened about the Middle of 



Augufly anp\ continued till the End 

 of Ottober : this I only mention, to 

 fhew what has, and may be done. 



But we next come to the making 

 and preparing of the Beds, cr, as 

 the Gardeners term it, the Ridges, 

 i.ito which the Plants are to be put 

 out to remain : thefe mould always 

 be placed in a warm Situation, 

 where they may be defended from 

 all cold and ftrong Winds ; for the 

 Eaft and North Winds are generally 

 very troublefome in the Spring of 

 the Year ; fo that if the Place is ex- 

 pofed to them, it v/ill be difficult to 

 admit a proper Share of frefh Air to 

 the young Plants : and if it is much 

 expofed to the South - weft Winds, 

 which often are very boifterous in 

 Summer and Autumn ; thefe will 

 turn up and difplace the Vines, 

 whereby they will fufFer greatly; 

 therefore the bcft Pofition for thefe 

 Beds is, where they are open to the 

 South, or a little inclining to the 

 Eaft, and {heltered at a Diitance by 

 Trees from the other Points : this 

 Place mould be inclofed with a good 

 Reed-fence ; which is better for this 

 Purpofe than any other Inclofure ; 

 becaufe the Winds are deadened by 

 the Reeds, and are not reverberated 

 back again, as they are by Walls, 

 Pales, or other dole Fences : but in 

 making the Inclofure, it mould be 

 extended to fuch Diftance every W ay 

 from the Beds, as not to obftrucl the 

 Sun's Rays during any Part of the 

 Day : this fhould have a Door wide 

 enough to admit of Wheelbarrows 

 patting, to carry in Dung, Earth, 

 jkfr. And this mould be kept locked, 

 that no Peribn fhould be allowed to 

 go in, but thofc who have Bufmcfs : 

 for ignorant Perfons, having often 

 Curiofity to look into the Beds, 

 open the GlafTes, and let the cold 

 £v to the Plants > and frequently 



M E 



leave the GlafTes, in part, open ; o* 

 fometimes, when they are raifed by 

 the Gardener, to admit frem Air, 

 the Tilts are thrown down ; fo that 

 the Air is excluded : all which are 

 very injurious to the young Plants, 

 as is alfo the handling of the Fruit, 

 after it is fet; therefore none fhould be 

 admitted, but when the Perion who is 

 intruftedwith theCareof themisthere. 



The next thing is the Preparation 

 of the Earth for thefe Plants ; in 

 which the Dutch and German Gar- 

 deners are very exacl : the Mixture 

 which they generally prepare is of 

 the following Sorts; of Hazel loam, 

 one third Part ; of the Scouring of 

 Ditches or Ponds a third Part; and 

 of very rotten Dung a third Part : 

 thefe are mixed up ac leaft one Year* 

 and often two Years, before they 

 make ufe of it ; frequently turning 

 it over, to incorporate their Parts, 

 and fweeten it: but the Compoft in 

 which I find thefe Plants fucceed heft, 

 in England, is Two-thirds of frefh 

 gentle Loam, and One-third of rot- 

 ten Neats-dung : if thefe are mixed 

 together one Year before it is want- 

 ed, fo as to have the Benefit of a 

 Winter's Froft, and Summer's Heat; 

 obferving to turn it over often, and 

 never naffer Weeds to grow up- 

 on it ; this will be found equal to, 

 any other Compoit whatever. 



As thefe Plants fucceed beft when 

 they are planted young, fo as foon as. 

 the Plants appear, there fhould be 

 a Quantity of new Dung thrown in, 

 an Heap, proportionable to the 

 Number of Lights intended ; allow- 

 ing about fifteen good Wheelbar- 

 rows full to each Light: this mutt 

 be two or three times turned over, 

 to prepare it (as hath been directed 

 for Cucumbers), and in a Fortnight 

 it will be fit for Ufe ; at v/hich time, 

 the Trench muft be dug to receive 

 the Durg, where the Bed is intend.- 



