Mr Worlidge outlines the advantages of growing pears rather than apples in wet, heavy soils, and tells us the best C17th sorts to plant for perry.
Category: Quotations
“Agricola” on the Moral Philanthropy of Good Cider
I have no idea who this “Agricola” fellow might have been, but by Jove, I do like the sound of his pro-cider rhetoric.
John French, on Making ‘Water of Fruits’
Please find enclosed 1 (one) instruction leaflet for your C17th home distillation kit; brick furnace, alembic and stave barrel not included.
M. Chomel (and Richard Bradley) on ‘Boiling of Cyder’
Why on earth would you want to boil cyder? Here’s a suggestion from the C18th, courtesy of Messrs. Chomel and Bradley.
M. Chomel (and Richard Bradley) on ‘Mixtures With Cyder’
Here are a few C18th suggestions as to added flavours that you might – or might not – like to add to your cyder.
Conrad Heresbach (and Barnaby Googe) on Graffing
A few words of reasonable wisdom on ‘graffing’ from a learned C16th gentleman… plus a whole lot of apparent nonsense.
Anon, on Preserving Fruit Blossom from Spring Frosts
This C18th method for protecting fruit trees from the cold sounds a bit suspect to me, but the author was clearly convinced.
Benjamin Whitmill (the Elder) on Gathering Cyons
Here’s some eighteenth century advice on the best time to collect pear and plum scions and how to store them before grafting.
David Brossard, on Cherishing Apple Trees in Winter
What a lovely idea. I’m sure we all want to cherish our trees properly in winter, don’t we? Buckets at the ready, folks.
Dr A. W. Chase, on the Health Benefits of Apples
This C19th medical man was clearly a big fan of the humble apple and its wealth of health-giving properties.