forward the slippes that are set therein: but if both the slippe be apt to grow, and the earth of the best, fit to produce, I thinke within a fortnight or three weekes, you shall see them begin to put forth young leaues in the middle, or else it may be a moneth and more before you shall see any springing. The best time likewise when to plant, is a speciall thing to be knowne, and of as great consequence as any thing else: For if you slippe and set in September, as many vse to doe, or yet in August, as some may thinke will doe well, yet (vnlesse they be the most ordinary sorts, which are likely to grow at any time, and in any place) the most of them, if not all, will either assuredly perish or neuer prosper well: for the more excellent and dainty the Gilloflower is, the more tender for the most part, and hard to nurse vp will the slippes be. The best time therefore is, that you cut off such slippes as are likely, and such as your rootes may spare, from the beginning of May vntill the middle of Iune at the furthest, and order them as I haue shewed you before, that so you may haue faire plants, plenty of flowers, and encrease sufficient for new supply, without offence or losse of your store. For the enriching likewise of your earth, wherein you shall plant your slippes, that they may the better thriue and prosper, diuers haue vsed diuers sorts of manure; as stable soyle of horse, beasts or kine, of sheepe, and pigeons, all which are very good when they are thoroughly turned to mould, to mixe with your other earth, or being steeped in water, may serue to water the earth at times, and turned in with it. And some haue likewise proued Tanners earth, that is, their barke, which after they haue vsed, doth lye on heapes and rot in their yards, or the like mould from wood-stackes or yards; but especially, and beyond all other is commended the Willow earth, that is, that mould which is found in the hollow of old Willow trees, to be the most principall to mixe with other good earth for this purpose. And as I haue now giuen you directions for the first way to encrease them by slipping, so before I come to the other way, let mee giue you a caueat or two for the preseruing of them, when they are beginning to runne vtterly to decay and perish: The one is, that whereas many are, ouer greedy to haue their plants to giue them flowers, and therefore let them runne all to flower, so farre spending themselues thereby, that after they haue done flowring, they grow so weake, hauing out spent themselues, that they cannot possibly be preserued from the iniuries of the succeeding Winter; you shall therefore keepe the kinde of any sort you are delighted withall, if you carefully looke that too many branches doe not runne vp and spindle for flowers, but rather either cut some of them downe, before they are run vp too high, within two or three ioynts of the rootes; or else pluck away the innermost leaues where it springeth forwards, which you see