c £he Kitchen (jar den. 50 $ 
Chap. XXXVI. 
Jfptrigui, Sperageor Afparagus. 
A Sparagus rifeth vp at the firft with diuers whitifli greene fcaly heads, very brit- 
tle or eafie to breake while they are young, which afterwards rife vp into very 
long and (lender greene (hikes , of the bignefleof an ordinary riding wand at 
the bottome of mod, or bigger or lefler, as the rootes are of growth , on which are fee 
diuers branches ofgreene leaues, (horter and fmaller then Fennell vp to the toppe , at 
the ioynts whereof come forth fmall raoflie yellowifh flowers, which turne into round 
berries, greene at the firft, and of an excellent red colour when they are ripe , flicwing 
as if they were beades of Corrall , wherein are contained exceeding hard and blacke 
feede: the rootes are difperfed from a fpongious head into many long, thickc, and 
round firings, whereby it fucketh much nourifliment out of the ground,and encreafcth 
plentifully thereby. 
We haue another kinde hereof that is of much greater account, becaufe the fliootes 
are larger, whiter, and being drefled taftc more fweete and plcafant, without any 
other difference. 
The Vfe of Afparagus. 
The firft (hootes or heads of Afparagus are a Sallet of as tnuchefteeme 
with all forts of perfons , as any other whatfoeucr , being boy led tender, 
and eaten with butter, vinegar, and pepper, or oyle and vinegar, or as euery 
ones manner doth pleafc ; andare almoft wholly fpent for the pleafureof 
the pallate. It is fpccially good to prouoke vrine , and for thofe that are 
troubled with the (lone orgrauell in the rcines orkidneyes, becaufc it doth 
a little open and deanfe thofe parts. 
Chap. XXXVII. 
Bnfsiu. Cabbages and Cole worts. 
T Here is greater diuerfity in the forme and colour of the leaues of this plant, 
then there is in any other that I know groweth vpon the ground. Bur this 
place requireth not the knowledge of all forts which might be (hewen , many 
of them being of no vfe with vs for the table, but for delight, to behold the wonder- 
full variety oftheworkes of God herein. I will here therefore (hewyou onelythofe 
forts that are ordinary in mod Gardens, and fomc that are rare , receiued into (ome e- 
fpeciall Gardens : And firft of Cabbages, and then of Coleworts. 
Our ordinary Cabbage that clofeth hard and round, hath at the firft great large 
thicke leaues, ofa gray ifh greene colour, with thickc great ribbes , and lye open mod 
part of the Summer without clofing, but toward the end of Summer, being growne to 
haue many leaues, it then beginneth to growe clofe and round in the middle, and as it 
clofeth, the leaues growe white inward ; yet there be fome kindes that will ncuer be fa 
clofe as thefe, but will remaine halfe open, which wee doe not account to be fo good 
as the other; in the middle of this he*ad, thenext yearc after the flowing, in other 
Countries efpecially,andfometimesinours,if the Winter be mtlde,as maybefccnc 
in diuers Gardens (but to preuentthe danger of our Winter frofts, our Gardiners now 
doe vfe to take vp diuers Cabbages with their rootes, and tying a cloth or fome fuch 
thing about the rootes , doe hang them vp in their houfes , where they may be defen- 
ded "from cold , and then fet them againc after the frofts are pad) and then there fhoo- 
teth out a great thicke ftalke,diuided at the toppe into many branches, bearing thereon 
diuers fmall flowers, fometime white, but moft commonly yellow, made of fonre 
leaues, which turne into long, round, and pointed pods , containing therein fmall 
round 
