It is, I confess, therefore with a View of restoring and establishing a true and exact Order and OEconomy in a Garden, that I have been prevailed upon to add this Kalendar to the Two other Treatises I have pub&rehy;lished on this Subject.
Such a Sort of Manuduction as this must needs be very desirable and easy to the Mind; and every true Lover of a Garden should methinks enter&rehy;tain such a Guide with Kindness and Candor; especially whilst nothing is offered to him choaking or unnatural; but all the Rules of Art, though con&rehy;firmed by long Experience, are sub&rehy;mitted to the common Reason and Judgment of Mankind, and every Man is left to the first Principle of human Nature, of judging for himself.
What the mercenary Part of the Gardeners may think of this Method of treating the Subject, I cannot say. There are certainly some such narrow envious Spirits in the World, that would engross and monopolize all Knowledge; that would make others believe; that the particular Mystery is unintelligible; or at least not fit to be trusted with any but themselves. Where Tyranny and Ignorance pre&rehy;vail, this sort of Craft may easily be supposed to prevail also: But amongst us Protestants, where Learning and true Liberty prevail, if we can but keep where we are, no Subtilties or Crafts will be endured, that hinder the Progress of useful Learning, as well as true Religion.
I hope therefore it will not be made an Objection, that I have all along en&rehy;deavoured to make this Science plain and easy, and consequently intelligible; because the better it is understood, with so much the greater Success it will be practised, and the more improved; it being my constant Desire and Aim, that no one Person amongst Clergy and Laity, in whatsoever Part of this Island, may ever be deprived of the Pleasure or the Profit of a Fruitful Garden, for want of Rules and Instructions, or of knowing Times and Seasons when to put them in Practice. Or if I could but be so happy, as only to give some Hints, whereby further Improvements might be made, by the Experience and Ingenuity of others, I shall gain the Pleasure and the End I aim at.
There are some Terms and Expressi&rehy;ons yet remaining in our Language, with respect to Arts and Sciences, that have a very odd Sound, though per&rehy;haps no ill Meaning: As when we are told of a Company of the Mystery of Haberdashers or Merchant-Taylors, and Wardens of the Mystery of Mer&rehy;cers, &c. I confess, if the Company of Gardeners should ever incorporate themselves into a Fraternity, I should be very sorry to hear them called, A Society of the Mystery of Gardening: Be&rehy;cause, however weak Minds may be brought to reverence what they do not understand, yet I cannot find that wise Men like any Thing the better for be&rehy;ing made mysterious or unintelligible; but rather the contrary; and are jea&rehy;lous of every Thing that looks like Art in hiding what ought to be known or explained. Howsoever, as far as in me lieth, I have endeavoured to shew that the Art of Gardening is no Mystery, no inaccessible Arcanum; but attainable by a few easy Rules, and a little Experience.
The Study of Vegetable Nature has indeed hitherto been too much neglect&rehy;ed: But as the most ingenious Mr. Bradley has now opened a new Scene of Philosophy in the Generation of Plants, it is to be hoped that Attempt will provoke other curious Observers to join with him in making further Experiments, and tracing the Opera&rehy;tions of Nature distinctly through its several Stages, from the Conception to the Birth.
When that Hypothesis is once fully settled, as it is now a highly probable one, we shall have a noble Foundation to build practical Truths upon; and it is easy to guess what surprizing and useful Inferences may be drawn from such a new Theory of Vegetable Na&rehy;ture.
In the mean time, taking the Cir&rehy;culation of the Sap for a Thing granted, and built upon good Reason, as well as undeniable Experiments Besides the Experiment of the Circulation of the Sap in the strip'd Jessamine, mentioned in the 1st and 2d Part, I have since try'd to make an Incision in a strong Branch of a Pear-Tree, as far as the Pith, and afterwards split it Four or Five Inches upward, putting a small Stone in the Opening to continue the Gap. This succeeded as I expected; for at the Extremity of the Lip, where it was disjoined from the lower Part of the Branch, nature formed a weak bearing Branch; which could not otherwise be, but by means of the descend&rehy;ing Sap, as may be seen in Fig. 1 at A. The same also is proved by circumcising the Branch of a Pear, taking away three or four Inches of the Bark all round to the Wood: The Ef&rehy;fect whereof is, That the descending Sap swells very much the upper Part of the Wound at B in the same Figure; and is (I think) a Demonstration, that the Sap in a Pear, (and as far as I have observed in that alone) ascends in great Mea&rehy;sure through the Pith. For such a Branch will live and bear Fruit several Years., I shall continue to proceed upon that Hypo&rehy;thesis, and with a constant View to That, shall venture to recommend those Rules and Directions to others, which have proved for many Years so successful to my self, under no very advantageous Circumstances of Soil and Situation.
This Subject, as I have observed above, I have already treated in the Order of Nature; and in that Treatise, I have study'd to use as few Words, as possible, and yet to express my self intelligibly. But if a further Enlarge&rehy;ment should seem necessary to some; I hope I have here supply'd that De&rehy;fect, now I come to speak in the Order of Time, which will lead me to say many Things before unthought of, and to insert some others not before sufficiently experienced.
However, what I have chiefly had Regard to in my further Explications and more particular Rules, is the Ma&rehy;nagment of the Vine, that glorious Plant, which amongst all others, justly claims the Precedency, being esteem'd both by Ancients and Moderns, the King of the Vegetable Kingdom, as Man is of the Animal, and Gold of the Mineral. And that Honour and Precedency is the more aptly given to it as a King, if we consider how analogous Plants are to Animals, accord&rehy;ing to the new System of the Circu&rehy;lation of Juices in Vegetables; and more so still, if their Method of Ge&rehy;neration given us by the afore-men&rehy;tioned Curious Gentleman, be ad&rehy;mitted.
This Royal Plant, I say, I shall all along treat according to its true Dig&rehy;nity and Worth, studying to explain and unfold its Nature, and laying down such particular Rules and Di&rehy;rections, that All may understand its Motions, and None be deprived of the Blessings and Rewards which it offers to all its Lovers and Ad&rehy;mirers.
There is the greater Need of having something of this Nature said and done; because there is a strange pre&rehy;vailing Notion got abroad, as if the greatest End and Use of planting a Vine, being a quick Grower, was to cover the Walls of the House with something Green, to make it look Pleasant and Beautiful to the Eye, without any great Prospect of reaping good or ripe Grapes from it. And indeed, according to the Observations that I have made, it is generally ma&rehy;naged accordingly, with great Disre&rehy;gard to any exact Pruning, or good Government.
This careless Management of the Vine, is yet but agreeable to the Views Men have in other Cases, whose Labour and Resolutions ordi&rehy;narily rise no higher than the Level of that Good, which is desired and hoped for. If the Expectations of Fruit from the Vine be languid and faint, who can hope that the Four several Prunings will be duly watch'd and regarded? And yet I am very well satisfied, that the general received Opinion is, that 'tis a vain Thing to expect good Grapes, when once you get Fifty or Sixty Miles North of London To this Error and Mistake, Sir William Temple, I doubt, has not a little contributed; when he so weakly argues and insinuates, as if neither good Peaches nor Grapes could rea&rehy;sonably be expected, when once you get beyond Northampton&rehy;shire, and commends the Prudence of his Friend in Stafford&rehy;shire; that planted only the best Plums against his South Walls. Where yet (as I am informed) there is excellent Fruit of all the best Sorts. See Garden of Epicurus, Page 116.; of if any one happen to succeed, That is commonly attri&rehy;buted to such kind and favourable Seasons, as are not ordinarily to be expected.
Now therefore, that I may at once strike off the main Force of this Ob&rehy;jection, and raise Mens Hopes and Expectations upon a Rational Foun&rehy;dation in order to Practice, I shall here subjoin an exact Calculation of the several Degrees of the Sun's Heat, answerable to the several Degrees of Latitude, between 44° and 56°, whereby at one View it may easily be discerned, what Proportion of Heat is lost or got by going Northward or Southward.
But because I am obliged to my Good and Learned Friend Mr. Whi&rehy;ston, for his kind Letter and Tables upon this Occasion, I shall make use of his Leave to insert them at Length.
Dear Sir,"&Iic; Have considered the Problem you desired the Solution of from me, and have perused the Learned Dr. Halley's Account of the same in the Philosophical Trans&rehy;actions, Numb. 203. And the Re&rehy;sult of my Enquiry is this: That the Quantity of Heat derived from the Sun is always as the Squares of the Sines of the Sun's Altitude above the Horizon, i.e. that the Quantity or Number of its Rays is still as the Sines of that Altitude; and the particular Force of each Ray, or equal Quantity of Rays (which when more oblique are weaker and more Perpendicular are stronger) is in the same Pro&rehy;portion of the Sines also: Which equal Proportions, when com&rehy;pounded, do constitute the Pro&rehy;portion of the Squares of those Sines. Upon which Foot I have set down Tables of the Quantity of Heat derived from the Sun at Noon on the longest Day, June 10. At the Sun's Entrance into Taurus and Virgo, April 10. and August 12. And on the Equinox-Days, March 10. and September 12. for the several Latitudes from Forty Four to Fifty Six; or from the La&rehy;titude of Montpelier in the South of France, to that of Edinburgh in Scot&rehy;land; which will be sufficient for an Estimate of the Summer Quan&rehy;tity of this Heat in general for the same Latitudes, or so far as the ripening of Summer Fruits is con&rehy;cerned: And it will abundantly prove what you aim at; viz. That 'tis not the proper Weakness of the Sun's Heat, that hinders those Fruits from ripening tolerably well in the Middle, or even somewhat Northern Parts of England, which are known to come to considerable Perfection in the Southern Parts of it: Since it is evident by these Ta&rehy;bles, that the Difference of an entire Degree in these Parts, is but about the Fifty Sixth Part of the whole Solstitial Heat in June; but about the Thirty Fifth Part of the other in April and August; and no more than the Twenty Third Part, even in March and September, when it is largest: Which seems to be too small to be of very great Conse&rehy;quence in that Matter. The other Occasions of Variety of Heat in several Countries, are generally ob&rehy;vious, and do not come under our present Consideration. I am, Sir, a hearty Well-wisher to your useful Designs of improving and recommending the Art of Gardening; and withal,
Your affectionate Friend and Brother, Will. Whiston. Cross-Street, Hatton&rehy;Garden, Dec. 14. 1717.
N.B. The following Tables and Calculation, though they shew the real Difference of the Sun's Meridian Heat in different Latitudes; yet do not account for the greater Number of Hours of the Sun being above the Horizon, which a Northern Latitude has more than a Southern one; which yet is to my present Purpose to observe. I shall only therefore inform the Rea&rehy;der in General, and by one round Number, That during all the Summer Season (the Time of ripening Fruits) betwixt the Two Equinoxes, there are no less than One Hundred Hours of Sunshine at Durham, more than there are at Plimouth, as might easily be shewn by a particular Table.
Tables of the Quantity of the Sun's Heat at Noon, when it is Vertical; at the Summer Solstice; the Two Equinoxes; and the Sun's Entrance into Taurus and Virgo, for the several Latitudes from 44° to 56°. N.B. The Angles are made by adding the Sun's Decli&rehy;nation to the Elevation of the Equator.| Degrees of Latitude. | Place Names. | Heat, June 10. | Heat, Ap. 10 and Aug. 12. | Heat, Mar. 10. and Sep. 12. |
| Vertical Sun. | --------- | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| 44 | Montpelier. | 880 | 711 | 516 |
| 45 | -------- | 867 | 696 | 500 |
| 46 | Lyons. | 854 | 680 | 484 |
| 47 | -------- | 841 | 664 | 466 |
| 48 | Orleance. | 828 | 647 | 449 |
| 49 | Paris. | 814 | 631 | 431 |
| 50 | The Lizard. | 800 | 614 | 413 |
| 51 | -------- | 785 | 606 | 396 |
| 51 1/2 | London. | 777 | 597 | 388 |
| 52 | -------- | 770 | 579 | 379 |
| 52 1/2 | Yelvertoft. | 767 | 574 | 375 |
| 53 | -------- | 757 | 561 | 362 |
| 53 1/2 | Lincoln. | 753 | 555 | 357 |
| 54 | -------- | 742 | 543 | 346 |
| 55 | Newcastle. | 726 | 524 | 329 |
| 56 | Edinburgh. | 711 | 506 | 312 |
By these Tables it manifestly ap&rehy;pears, that though Two or Three De&rehy;grees of Latitude do produce some, and that a Mathematical Difference in the Degrees of Heat and Cold; yet that that Difference is but small, much less considerable than is commonly thought, and consequently that there is more Weight laid upon that Diffe&rehy;rence than it will bear, when a Gen&rehy;tleman suffers himself to be discou&rehy;raged from Planting and Managing Peaches and Vines; because he hap&rehy;pens to live under Fifty Three of Fifty Four Degrees of Latitude.
For my Part, I am so sensible how little there is in that Disadvantage, that if the Rules I have laid down for managing a Vine be but followed, I am sanguine enough to hope for Suc&rehy;cess, even in the most Northern Parts of this Kingdom; and I own it is with Pleasure, that I expect to hear of good Grapes at York and Durham, too.
N.B. In this Calculation no No&rehy;tice is taken of the Advantages and Dis&rehy;advantages of good and bad Soils, of kind and unkind Climates and Situa&rehy;tions; because, though these are in themselves of the last Consequence, and are indeed chiefly to be regarded; yet do not they come under the afore&rehy;going Disquisition; but are to be con&rehy;sidered separately and apart: Inasmuch as a bad Soil and Situation may fall to the Share of him who lives near Canter&rehy;bury, and a good one to him that lives near York.
The former Calculation therefore is supposed to be made under the same or equal Circumstances of Soil and Climate. But then what I would add here is this: That we unjustly com&rehy;plain of a Northern Climate, when the chief Misfortune (to say nothing here of bad Pruning) is owing to a bad Soil and Situation, to cold Springs and Clays, subject to Currents of Winds betwixt Ridges of Hills, open to the North, East, or West.
That these are the Evils chiefly to be dreaded and guarded against, if possible, may appear from the want of good and late Fruit in Cornwal, and some Parts of Devonshire, open to the cold Winds; and the Plenty of it to be had in Worcestershire and Hereford&rehy;shire, Two Degrees more North. Though indeed it is a Reproach to those Two last named Counties, the very Garden of England, that they do not more encourage Vineyards, and the later Fruits; not seeming to know the Felicity they enjoy of the best Soil and Climate, and of their being so happily guarded on all dangerous Sides by Hills, and yet open to the South.
This however, is to my present Pur&rehy;pose to observe, that though there is some small Disadvantage attends every Degree of more Northern Latitude; yet even Three of Four of those De&rehy;grees are by no means so considerable a Discouragement (nor ought to be accounted so) as a wet Soil, a cold Clay, and a bad Climate, whereso&rehy;ever they happen; I shall therefore venture to say, because I am sup&rehy;ported by experimental Knowledge in saying it; That a warm Sand or Gra&rehy;vel on a favourable Situation, as far North as Nottingham or York, is much rather to be chosen, because more agreeable and assisting to late Fruits, than a deep Clay unguarded from the North Winds, as far South as Exeter or Plimouth.
For indeed there is a greater Disad&rehy;vantage attends a wet cold Soil than most are aware of; because the very Climate in some Cases is affected from the Nature of the Soil, as I have my self had but too fatal Experience; the hovering cold Dews and Frosts here coming on sooner in Autumn, and continuing later in the Spring; where&rehy;by I have not only been deprived of at least a Month of that Summer, which most of my Neighbours have enjoyed; but have often lost the tender Shoots and Fruit of Vines and Figs in the Spring, and much of their Fruit in Autumn.
N.B. The aforegoing Calculation doth not respect any extraordinary Cases of Artificial Fires, or other Helps to accelerate the Growth of Nature: For these may be had in any Latitude with Care and Charge, and are, to be sure, most wanted in the North, and in bad Soils, to ripen the later Fruits.
I have been informed, that his Grace the Duke of Rutland, at his Seat at Belvoir Castle in Lincolnshire, has done so much Justice to the Vine, as to have these Artificial Fires con&rehy;stantly burning behind his slope Walls from Lady-Day to Michaelmas; where&rehy;by he is rewarded with the largest Grapes, and even the best Frontignacs in July.
I have not my self seen them; but it is easy to conceive, that by the Help of Stoves at convenient Distances, and Cavities in the Structure of the Wall to convey the Heat to all Parts, the desirable Purpose of early, large and good Grapes must be attained; espe&rehy;cially if the constant Care of Matting them a' Nights be not neglected; without which all would quickly be spoiled by the Cold and Perpendicular Dews or Frosts, that fall so frequently in April and May.
Neither is the Charge of this, as I am informed, so considerable as might be thought; for in a Country of Coals, where a Wagon-Load of the small Sort may be had and brought for Two or Three Shillings, it cannot be supposed to be a great Charge to have Ten or Twelve Stoves constantly burning for Six Months. The most material Thing seems to be the Atten&rehy;dance required: And yet that need be look'd upon as only part of the Meloniere, and may be managed by the same Hand, and at the same Times.
Something analogous to this, is a Method that might be practised; of laying large Heaps of long Dung be&rehy;hind a Wall of Vines, which by fre&rehy;quent stirring and repeating, will have the same Effect as a gentle Fire; and if it might be so contrived, as to have the Garden-Wall where the Vines grow, near the Stable, the Trouble would be little or nothing, but the Advantage every way very conside&rehy;rable; still remembring, that if the Vines by any artificial Heat, shoot out before their natural Time, great Care must be used to guard them a' Nights from the Frosts, till April and some part of May be over.
But what Methods soever are pra&rehy;ctised for accelerating the Growth of Vines by artificial Heats, it may not be improper to add in this Place; that it is of the last Consequence to follow exactly the Rules of Art in pruning them: Forasmuch as great Care, At&rehy;tendance, and Charge is used for the attaining the End of getting good and early Grapes, the more of these are procured in a small Compass the bet&rehy;ter; and therefore it would be inex&rehy;cuseable to have any part of such Walls as these especially, unfurnished with Fruit; which yet, I doubt, is a Thing not sufficiently considered by those, who are willing to spare no Cost to get good Grapes: Whilst they seem satisfied with having a tolerable Quan&rehy;tity on each Vine; when yet, it may be, the same Quantity of good Ones might be had in half the Room.
Which leads me here by the way to remark also, That I could never yet find, that the Vine can ordinarily bear But this observation is to be restrained to the Vine on&rehy;ly: All other Fruits (as far as I have observed) do really suffer as to their Taste and Goodness, from too great Plenty. too much Fruit, its great Plen&rehy;ty of Sap affording always sufficient Nourishment for the greatest Abun&rehy;dance; especially if all the fruitless Branches be removed, as they ought, and as will be directed in its proper Place.
N.B. If all the afore-going Ad&rehy;vantages of Soil, Situation, and Cli&rehy;mate, were well considered and im&rehy;proved, I do not see but it must turn to very good Account to plant a con&rehy;venient well-sheltered Spot of Gound, to be ordered in the Method of a Vineyard for making Wine; the Fruit whereof by the help of a very small Quantity of new Raisons, might certainly be made to answer to very good Purpose.
I cannot tell but the South-Side of a chalky Hill may do: but I should ra&rehy;ther chuse an untry'd hot Sand or Gra&rehy;vel not over-rich, for this Reason; be&rehy;cause this will retain the Heat of the Sun much longer, even so as to con&rehy;tinue warm in the Absence of the Sun; and consequently the circumam&rehy;bient Air will be in a great Measure affected therewith.
I am satisfied there is more in what I now say than is commonly thought; because I have frequently observed the happy Consequences of a warm Gra&rehy;vel or Sand, how that it hath really defended what has grown upon it from the Injury of those Frosts, which have made terrible Havock in other Neigh&rehy;bouring Places. The great Misfor&rehy;tune which we in this Island suffer, with Respect to our late Fruits, is the Unconstancy of the Weather, and great Difference oftentimes betwixt our Nights and Days, as to Heat and Cold; for we do not seem so much to want hotter Days, as less cold Nights: But it is plain from Fact and Experience, that those Inequalities are not near so great and considerable in a dry warm Soil, as they are in a cold wet one. And yet (as I apprehend) no better Reason can be assigned for it, than that the one retains the Effect of the Heat of the Day and the Sun's Beams longer, and consequently makes the whole Air warmer in the Absence of the Sun, than the other.
To the happy Influence of this it must be assigned also as the Cause, why those perpendicular Frosts or Mists, which fall so frequently in Spring and Autumn, do not here fall so plentifully, nor cause such fatal Destruction: Such indeed as must in other Places be carefully guarded against with Horizontal Shelters, if tender or late Fruit be expected.
However, still we shall but deceive our selves, if we trust too much to the happy Influence of a good Soil: I am now only speaking of what is comparatively Good; of what is to be chosen with all the Skill and Discreti&rehy;on imaginable, in the Case of plant&rehy;ing a Vineyard especially. But were it any way practicable, nothing could more effectually bring Italy into Eng&rehy;land, than a Contrivance to take off more of the Influence of our cold Nights and uncertain Weather. This I am perswaded might, in good Mea&rehy;sure, be done with no great Charge or Trouble, by means of low ordinary Espaliers about Two Foot high, along the several Rows of Vines, to which their Shoots might be carried horizon&rehy;tally and fastened, and the Fruit it self likewise defended by Horizontal Shel&rehy;ters, fix'd on the Top of the Espa&rehy;liers, made of coarse narrow Planks with a convex Superficies to throw off the Wet; as may be seen more plainly Fig. 2. But a cheaper way still, and as effectual, would be to fa&rehy;sten narrow Mats of Straw or Rushes Four or Five Inches wide on the Top of the Espalier, running East and West.
I cannot but think some such Me&rehy;thod as this might be of singular Use to remedy the Inequalities of our Cli&rehy;mate, and help us to such fruitful Vine&rehy;yards, as may afford the same good Wine, which we so eagerly seek for Abroad with greater Charge.
I am throughly convinced how ea&rehy;sily good and ripe Grapes may be had in a Vineyard artfully chosen and well guarded, from what I saw the last Year, (and that no very favourable one) in the Garden of that Ingenious Encourager of Vegetable Nature, Mr. Balle at Kensington, who for a Trial has planted a little Spot with Vines in his Garden; Three or Four Shoots from every Plant were supported with Props: And when I was there in the Beginning of November, I saw some very fair Bunches of the blue Fronti&rehy;niac tolerably ripe, managed accord&rehy;ing to Art, by Mr. Bradley himself. Some of these indeed he told me were planted there by Mistake: But I only infer from thence, what excellent Fruit must be had, and may ordinari&rehy;ly be expected, from the black Clusters and Muscadines, that are so much earlier ripe.
Upon the whole then, since I have so heartily recommended the planting Vines in all advantageous Soils and Si&rehy;tuations, and have encouraged even the making Vineyards in some of the best and most Southern Parts, I shall think my self obliged to be more than ordinary Particular in my Directions how to manage them; not only, be&rehy;cause they most of all expect and need constant Pruning; but because I cannot find, that that Care and At&rehy;tendance is ordinarily given them, which is so absolutely necessary to the Production of good and ripe Grapes. But neither shall I forget what I have promised: To lay down such plain Directions and Rules for the Govern&rehy;ment of a Fruit-Garden in all the Ar&rehy;ticles of it, that the practical Part of Gardening may become as easy and familiar, as the Theory is delight&rehy;ful and entertaining to all.