The English Husbandman (The Second Booke) Contayning the Ordering of the Kitchin-Garden, and the Planting of strange flowers: the breeding of all manner of Cattell.

A surprisingly lively handbook from the early 1600s, this work invites readers into the daily world of an English farmer‑gardener. Beginning with a detailed system for reading the sky, clouds, moon and even animal behavior, it offers a calendar of signs that promise to foretell rain, frost, or a bountiful harvest. The author then turns to the practical layout of the kitchen garden, laying out choices of soil, beds and the planting order for a host of vegetables, herbs and medicinal plants.

Beyond the basics, the text blossoms into a colourful survey of garden flowers, from roses and lilies to exotic hybrids, and includes instructions for grafting, preserving seeds and protecting crops from pests. Interwoven with folk wisdom, the advice on breeding cabbages and tending “cattell” reveals a blend of science and superstition that still feels fresh today. Listeners will enjoy a vivid glimpse of early modern horticulture, complete with the curiosities and charm of a time when every garden was both a pantry and a laboratory.