at
least.

{SN: Instruments.}
{SN: Bruises.}
Instruments: A long ladder of light Firre: A stoole-ladder as in the 11.
Chapter. A gathering apron like a poake before you, made of purpose, or
a Wallet hung on a bough, or a basket with a siue bottome, or skinne
bottome, with Lathes or splinters vnder, hung in a rope to pull vp and
downe: bruise none, euery bruise is to fruit death: if you doe, vse them
presently. An hooke to pull boughs to you is necessary, breake no
boughes.

{SN: Keeping.}
For keeping, lay them in a dry Loft, the longest keeping Apples first
and furthest on dry straw, on heapes ten or fourteene dayes, thicke,
that they may sweat. Then dry them with a soft and cleane cloth, and lay
them thinne abroad. Long keeping fruit would be turned once in a moneth
softly: but not in nor immediately after frost. In a loft couer well
with straw, but rather with chaffe or branne: For frost doth cause
tender rottennesse.

CHAP. 16.

_Of Profits._

Now pause with your selfe, and view the end of all your labours in an
Orchard: vnspeakable pleasure, and infinite commodity. The pleasure of
an Orchard I referre to the last Chapter for the conclusion: and in this
Chapter, a word or two of the profit, which thorowly to declare is past
my skill: and I count it as if a man should attempt to adde light to the
Sunne with a Candle, or number the Starres. No man that hath but a meane
Orchard or iudgement but knowes, that the commodity of an Orchard is
great: Neither would I speake of this, being a thing so manifest to all;
but that I see, that through the carelesse lazinesse of men, it is a
thing generally neglected. But let them know, that they lose hereby the
chiefest good which belongs to house-keeping.

Compare the commodity that commeth of halfe an acre of ground, set with
fruit-trees and hearbs, so as is prescribed, and an whole acre (say it
be two) with Corne, or the best commodity you can wish, and the
Orchard shall exceed by diuers degrees.

{SN: Cydar and Perry.}
In _France_ and some other Countries, and in _England_, they make great
vse of Cydar and Perry, thus made: Dresse euery Apple, the stalke, vpper
end, and all galles away, stampe them, and straine them, and within 24.
houres tun them vp into cleane, sweet, and sound vessels, for feare of
euill ayre, which they will readily take: and if you hang a poakefull of
Cloues, Mace, Nutmegs, Cinamon, Ginger, and pils of Lemmons in the midst
of the vessel