22 
The orderingof the garden ofTleajure. 
that allfuch plants, or the moft part of them, will certainely perilh and dye before the 
Summer be at an end : for the fope afhes and ly me will burne vp and fpoile any herbe- 
andagaine, it is impoffible for any plant that is kept fo warme in Winter, to abide ey- 
ther the cold orthewindeintheSpringfollowing, orany heateofthe Sun, but that 
bothof them willfcorch them, and carry them quiteaway. Onegreat hurt vnto them,-’ 
and to all other herbes that wee preferuei'n Winter , is to fuffer the fnow to Jy e vpon 
them any time after it is fallen, for that it doth fo chill them, that the Sunne afterward, 
although in Winter, doth fcorch them and burne them vp: lobke therefore vnro 
your Gilloflo wers in thofe times, and fhake or ftrike off the fnow gently off from 
them, notfuffering it to abide on them any day or night if you can ; for aifure your 
felfc, ifit doth not abide on them, the better they will be. The f rafts likewife is ano- 
ther great annoyance vnto them , to corropt the rootes, andto caufe them-tofwcll, 
rot, and breake : to preuent which inconucr,ience,I would aduife you to takethe ftraw 
or litter ofyourhorfcftable, and lay fome thereof about euery roote of your Gillo- 
flo wers (cfpecially thofe ofthebeftaccount)clofevrvto them vpon the ground, but be 
as carefull as y ou can, that none thereof lye vpon the greene leaues , or as little as may 
be, and by this oncly way haue they been better defended from the frofts that fpoile 
them in Winter, then by any other that I haue feen or knowne. The windes in March, 
and Sunnefliine dayes t hen,are one of thegfeateft inconueniences that happeneth vn- 
to them : for they that haue had hundreds of plants, that haue kept faireand greene all 
the Winter vntillthebeginning or middle of March , before the end thereof, haue 
had fcarce one of many, that either hath not vtterly perifbed, or been lo tainted , that 
quickly after haue not been loft ; which hath happened chiefly by the ncglcdt of thefe 
cautions before fpecifled, or in not defending them from the bitter fharpe windes and 
funne in this moner'n ofMarch. You fhall therefore for their better preferuation be- 
sides the litter laid about the rootes , which I aduife you not to remoue as yet, fhelter 
them fomc what from the windes, with eytherbottomleffe pots, pales, or fuch like 
things, to keep away the violent force both of windes and fun for that moneth,and for 
fome time before &afteritalfo : yet fo,that they be not couered clofe aboue,but open 
to receiue ay re &raine. Somealfo vfe to wind withes of hey or ftraw about the rootes 
of their. Gilloflowers, and fatten them with ftickes thruft into the ground, which 
feme very well in theftead of theother. Thus haue Ilhewed you the whole preferua- 
tion of thefe worthy and dainty flowers, with the whole manner of ordering them 
for their encreafe : if any one haue any other better way, I ftiall be as willing to learne 
it of them , as I haue beene to giuc them or any others the knowledge of that I haue 
here fetdowne. 
Chap. IX. 
That there a not any art whereby any flower may he made to grow doable , that wot naturally 
HOr any other fern or colour than it fir ft had by nature ; nor that the 
f owing or planting of herbes one deeper than other, will caufe then 
to be in flower one after another , euery moueth 
in the year e—i, 
T He wonderfull defire that many haue to fee faire, double, and fweete flowers, 
hath tranfported them beyond both reafon and nature , feigningand boafting 
often of what they would haue, as if they had it. And I thinke,from this defire 
and boafting hath rifcn all the falfe tales and reports,of making flowers double as they 
lift, andofgiuingthem colour and fent as they pleafe, andto flower likewife atwhat 
time they will, I doubt not, but that fome of thefeerrours are ancient, and continued 
long by tradition, and others are of later inuention : and therefore the more to be con- 
demned, that men of wit and iudgement in thefe dayes ftiouldexpofethemfelues in 
their writings, to be rather laughed at, then beleeued for fuch idle tales. And although 
in the contradiffion of them , I know I fhall vndergoe many calumnies , yet notwith- 
itandmg, I will endeauour to (ct do wne and declare fo much, as I hope may by reafon 
perfvvade 
