Martymsfmmll to HVSBANDRY OR, THE ENRICHING OF ALL Sorts of Barren and Sterile Grounds in our Nation 4 to. be asfruitfull in all manner of Graine,Pulfe and Gralfe, as the belt grounds wbatfoever. Together with the annoyances, and prefervation of all Graine and Seed, from one yeare to many yearcs. As alfo, a husbandly computation of Men and Cattel’s dayly Labours,their expcnces,Charges,and utmoft profits: Now newly the fixth timc 3 reviled, corrected, and amended, together with many new Additions, and cheap experiments : For the bettering of Arable Pafture, and Woody Grounds: Of making good all Grounds againe, fpoyledvvith over-flowing offalc water by Sea breaches; as alfo, the enriching of the Hop-garden. And many other things never publifhed before. By G.U LONVON, Printed by IV. Wilfon , for E. Bretpfier^ and George Swbridge^ at the Bible on Ludgate-hill, neere Fleet-bridge. 165 6 TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL and his mo’ft worthy friend Mr. Bonham Norton Efq; Worthy Sir. Nowledg, which is the divine Mo¬ ther of certaine Goodnejfe , never came unwelcome to a blowing Judgement • no morel hope jbatt this my labour to your worthy Selfejince doubtlejfeyou fall find in it many things New,f ime things necejjary, and nothing which hath not in it f me particular touch ofproff.lt is a workjyour former incouragements to my other labours did create in me y and the wants you worthyly found , I hope jh all bring you fupplies both wholefomeand becomnmg, Zheexperiew^ I affure - ajfure your goodneffe,was the expence of a bitter and tedious Winter ; but the contentment (in gaining my wijb ) made it more pleafant then all the three other Seafons. What ever it be jt comes toyouful of full offervice . Andfmce l know vertue meafmeih all things by its omgoodnefs j it is enough to me , that 1 kpowyou are that Vertue> In you is power to judge,in you is Authority to exercife Mercy ; let them both flye from your goodnejfe with that mild. nefsjhat in them my hopes may be crowned , and my felf ref ever at your fervice. Gervace Markham, The Preface to the Reader. Shcwingthe ufe, profit, and truth of the Work. arot gryg He ufe and application of this Work (gentle Rea * ]Si| llljli der)is to reduce the Hard, Barren, andSte He grounds,fuch as were never fruitfull, orfuchas g|P|||l have keen fruitful & are made barren by ill bus- kandryjto be generally as fruitfull as any ground whatfoeverfrom whence fhall enfue thefe gener all profits. Fir ft, plenty of Corn and Pulfe ; becaufe all grounds being made able and apt for tillage, the Kingdome may afford to fowforone bufhell that is now, hereafter five hundred, fo mighty great are the unfruitfull wafis of Heathes, Downes, Mores and f uch like, which at this day lye unprofitably ’, and to this abundance of Corn will arifean equal! abundance of graffe and Tafiure : for as the be(l ground of the worfi is to be converted to Tafiure,and the worfi to Tillage -,fo that worfi be- in^ tilled and drefi,whenit hath done bearing of Corn, (which will be infix orfeaven yeares yfhallfor as manyyeares more bear as good Tafiure either for breeding or feeding as combe required,and then being newly drefi againe,fhall newly fiourijh in its firfi profit. _ ' Secondly, whereas in fruitfull places the thirdorfourth, part of all arable ground is lofi in the fallow or tilth ground, nowinthefe barren grounds you fhall keep no fallow field at all, but all fhall bear either Corn or Grap$ that fallow part D 5 -ferving To the Reader. [truing to pay for the charge bejtowed on it and the reft, Laftlj, whereas in fertile grounds you cannot have either Wheats Barley ^or Rye^undrr twojhreejourftve^nd fowe times ftx fever all plottings, as fallowing in January andV&mz- ry ftsttrring in Aprill and May foiling in July and Auguft, Winter-ridgingin October ^November,W Soaingmh other Ardors ynow in thefe hard grounds reftored^you [hall not plow abo~ve twice at the moft, to the [aving of the Husband- wans pains fis Cattels travel /, and a larger limitation of time for other neceffary buftmffes. For the truth of the Work) he that will ride into the barm parts of Devonfhire or Cornwall, into the Mountainous parts of Wales ftnto the hard parts o/Middlefex or Darby- lhire, or into the cold parts o/Northumberland, Cumber¬ land, Weftmerland, Lanca(hire,or Chefhire; [hallfwf where induftry is ufed, a full fatisfadion for all that is hen written . Farewell. Thine) Cj. M. MARKHAM HIS Farewell to Husbandry. j CHAP- I. j 7 he Nature of Grounds in generall $ But particularly of the barren and feril earth. : O conic to the full effift of my purpofc without any preambulation, or fatisfafii- feSlr on to the curious, (for to the honcftly vertuous are all mine endeavours dire- - f efltipit ftpapc,by%»jqt tqiift;Jl would not wifii: any 'man that, hath ; ^t ,X^int* ’to:coni- ’ ; • fi;7: ; ; -’\? mandj to.preTutne on. other friends, left they fail him > and: (o his work lye half done, and half undone, .which is a" great Character of negligence arid improvidence : but leteyery one proportion their U.hours according to their,own,ftrqngth?Cand the number of their ordinary families ; Thejliroingiotiypur groundwilltake at leafthalffo much time, as, the tending, and the manuring rather more than lefs. than the liming; fo that by any reafonable computation of time, beginning to plow your ground at the beginning of May, ere it be hackt,tended, limed, and manured, Michaelmas will be come, which is the end of 'Seftemfor, for Tallow tKas you do to beget the increafe of Corns Sc whereas he mull ever keep a third orfourth part of his Corn ground without fruit, you (hall not keep any which (hall not yceld you a fuffident commodity. Now me thinks I hear in this place to be objefted unto me, that whereas I doe preferibe the finding of thefe barren earths with the fak Sea find and no other,(as it is true, for all other frith land is unvaila 61 eJwhat if ^the ground doe lycTo farre within the Land, that there is no fait {and within many fcore milesefit, how then (hall Intake good my barren earthffure to fetch find fo farre will never equall the coft; or it may be this ex¬ perience bath no further limits then to fuch hard and barren earths as lye alongfl the Sea coaft only, . Arifffer. Tothislanfwer, that al-bcit this fait Sea-find be of infinite good and neceflary ufe, inriching grounds wonderfully-much, yet is not this experienceofbetteringofbarren foilcs fo drift- ly bound thereunto, but that without any ufe of the fanie,you may make your earth as fruitfull in Corn or Grafs, as hath been already formerly declared. ’ j : 4 Ordering Therefore if your ground lye much within the Land, and Earth where farre from the Sea, fo that this commodity of find knot by fends wanrah, an y p c flible mcanes to be gotten ; then you lball(having fell iookt into the nature of your ground, and finding it to beby all chara&ers and faces a coId)barren,ftiff,dry Clay,yeclding no¬ thing but a fhorc moflie graft, without any other burthen at all as isfeenupon mod plaines, and Downes of thisKingdome)firft plow it and hack it, as was before (hewed in the former part c£ this Chapter, then in (lead of fanding it, youlhalllimeitas aforefiid,or rather a little more plentifully, then you (hall ma¬ nure it, after ( as at feed time 'you (hall plow it and hack it a- gain,then harrow it as before faid; then to every acre of ground .. r you (ball taketwo bufbels ofvery dry bayfalt, and in fuchman- Sak ir ° J ner as you fow your Wheat, you (hall fow this fait upon the ground; then immediately after the fowing of the fait, you (hall fow your Wheat, which Wheate would be thus prepared before you fow it;tbe day before you are to fow your grain, you 2 Book. ofBqriifoClayts. (hall take bay fait and water, and mixingthem together make a brine foftrong that it wilfbear atiegge, thenput the Wheat' you are to fow Into that brine, and let it ftcep therein tillthe next day,then drain it as clean as may be from the brine, and fd excellent fow,harrow it,clod It, and weed it as Was before declared', and C y of Salt, no doubt but you (hall find a marvellous great increafe thereby for this I can affure you, both from a moftcertaine knowledge, and a moft worthy relation, that a gentleman buying fome ftofe of feed* wheat, and inforft to bring it home by Sea, by fome cafuallmeansfomeofthc facksatthe unlading, fell into the Sea,and wqre much drencht in the falt-watcr,whereat the Gen¬ tleman beinggrievtdfas doubting fome'hurt tocom^to this fccd)yet inforft of riecellity to make ufc thereofeaufcd-all the Wheat which was fo wet to be fown by its felfe in a particular place,and upon the word ground which he had, ( as much des¬ pairing in the increafe thereof)and it is moft infallibly true, that of that wet Seed,he received at lead five-fold more profit then of any other;and from thence it came,that this experiment of Brine & the fowing of fait hath taken place; from which the painfull husbandman hath found fuch iufinite increafe to af ife , that the ufc thereof will never belayed down in this Kingdonie. Neither is the thing it Self without good and ftrong probability of much increafe, ajid ftrength for the bettering of all manner of arable groundsjfor there is nothing whidi killeth weeds,quicks;and or tner offices of the ground fo mueh as faltneffc: forwhat makes | your Pidgeons dung & your Pullers dung to be : better for arable grounds than any other dung or manure p/hatfoeyer,bLit by rea- I fonof the faltncls thereof?by which faltnefs alfo, you may judge the ftrength and heat thereof,' infomuch that theproper taft of fire,or any hot thing is ever (altjalfo we fay in Philofophy, that blood which carried) the vitalf heat and warmth of the body is in taft falc,and foa nouriftier maintainer, and increafer of all I the ftrength and vigour of the inwardfaculties;whereas Flegme, Choler,and /yklanchqlly, which are the hurts and confounders of,the vitaJl fplrips, the firft is in taft fw.eet, the feepnd bitter, and the laft of an earthly and dry tali, full of much loathfome- Now againe you (hall underftand, that as you thus wet or^eedTnbrfne F2 ftcep^ Barren Clayef. a Book, fteep your Wheat feed,fo you may alfo fteep any other Seed ; a: barley 5 03 ts,.bcans 3 peafcjlupinsjFctcheSjand luch like j.orwhich your beans, peafe, and lupins, you may fteep more than any of the reft,and your Oats the leaft. . As touching Rye, it ftiall be good not to fteep it at all,for it is a great enray to all manner of wet and moylture , info- much , that the curious Husbandman will forbear to low it in anyfcowerof raine, bearing in his mind this antient adage or faying,that Rjewilldrowndinthe Hopper ; a* on the con- trary part, Wheat wottldbe fiownfi moyjk that tt might /licit, the Hooper : yet nctwithftanding, when you doe fow Rye in any of th'efe In lands and cold barren Countryes, where fand is not to be gotten, you (hall not by any mcanes omit the lowing of your felt before; for it is nothing neere fo moyft as it is warme and comfortable. CHAP. 3; Of the orderings Tilling} and dr effing of all rough Barren Clajes } - whether fimple or compounding laden and over-ran with Gorfe, Broom 3 andfitch lif. N Ext unto thefc plain barren earths, which by reafonof their heights, are fubjeft in the Winter time to all man- ncr of cold,frofts,ftorms, tempeft, btafts, and winds, which aretheperfefthinderersofali encreafc and growth ; and in the Summer time to all hot feorebings, Scaldings, and fiery reflexions of the Snnne, which on the contrary part, burneth and witbereth away that little feeming increafe which ap¬ peared above the earth ; l will place that barren clay, whe¬ ther it be mixt or unmixt, « hich lying not fo high, and being fbbjtX unto thofe hurts and offences? feemeth to be a little more fruitful], yet either by the extream cold moyfture there¬ of, or theftonyhardnefsand other malignant qualities, is no lefle barren than that of which 1 have formerly written, which indeed is thatbarren and vile foyl? which will neither bearc corn nor grafle, but is. oncly over-rnn and quite covered aBook. Gorfe^BropM&cii it - ----... -1 —— ; — _ ~ over with great,, thick, and tall.bufhes .«f.GorTe.or?Eurrq5j r,> which is a moft fharp,woody, and groffe treed, fuffull ofpdck*^ that neither Hprfe,Beaft,Sheep,nor Goats,dare thruft iheir nofe* to the ground to gather up that little poor grafs,: which grow- cth thereon. And albeit thefe Gorfe or Furs are one way a little commodity to the needfull Husbandrpan, ' inbeingareafona- ble goodfuell^itber for baking,brewing,pr divers otherfudden Jnd neceffaryufes; yet in as much as the profit being compared with the great quantity of earth which they cover anddeftroy, and which with , good Husbandry might be brought to great fruitfulneffe,u is indeed no profit atialfit ftiall not be amide for every good Husbandman that, is.pefterd find.oycr-laden with fiich ground, to feekbyway.oi good. Husbandry hpw ; to:reduce and bring it to that perfection and excellency which:'may be beftfor his own particular commodity,and the geiierall good of the Kingdome wherein heliveth. .! ... Then there is another kind of foyl tyhich.ia hpcbing.at all differing from this, but is .ey£ry;.way : as barreniiand ftKile, (which is as noyfome a weed as the former) and. tho.ugH/ifihavc not fuch (harp prickles as. the other, rwjiertby. to.bindcr the grazing of Cattell 5 yet dothitgrow fcvciofe and thick toge¬ ther, and is naturally fo poyfonous and,pffcnfive.tograffe, t thac you (hall feldome fee any grow whe^e this Bjroom ipjebfpeaeth.i ; befides,the bi.tterneffe, .thereof.is fp unpleafapt and id-iftafifullto " ■ --- all kind of cattejl, that not any will; evc r,c rop.o rb ite ; u ppn the fame, only it is offome neceffary ufefor the poor Huslpandman, intefpeft that it ferveth him both for. fuell, -fpr thatching' and the covering of his houfes, (being fpr that purpqfe, oMljthe longeft lafting)jnd alfo for the miking qf : Bpefomcs 3 fQi: clert} fingofthe ho ufe and barns, or eUs-forfaleiand [CQmmodity.m the market ; all which profitsfas before I faid^bcipg compared- ' ’ n ,h : K / with the lofs of the ground, and the, goodne(Te : rfiati mighfbft ' •, 5 reaped from the fame, are indeed truly-np : profits, but -hincjc- raiices. . . r = •:o.-,o!!j Therefore I would wi(h everyipjap. thatfis ; Mafter of fuch ground?,whether they be over runwithGorfe,Fnr;re$, Brooip, : or any fuch kind ofgrofs,woody,or fubftantial wgedjfirft to cu* ■ F'3- t 6 Defkoybtg of Weeds. 2; Book. Dsftroying of up the weed Qof what fort focver it bc } whether Gorfe, Furs or wecdes. Broome) as clofe ariS ncer to the ground as you Canpoffibly, and then making them up in fheafes or bigge faggots* carry them home and flack them up very dry, fo as no rain may enter or pierce into them, for the fmalltftwet will rot and confume them to dirt and filthjneflTc; which done you (hall make Labou- . ren wich hacks, picks, and fuch like tools, to flub up all the' roots which you left in the ground, even to the very bottomeoi the fame ; and thefe rootes you (hall be very carefull to have flubbed up exceeding cleane, bynomeanes lcaving(fo nearas youcan)any partor parcell of the rootes behind you ; then thefe rootes thus flubbed up, youfliall diligently gather toge¬ ther into little heaps as bigge as Moalc-hills, and place them up¬ on the ground a pretty diftancc one from another, and fo let them lye till the Sun and wind have dry cd them for it is to be intended,that this labour muft begin about (he latter end of A. frit, and beginning of May. Then fo foone as you finde thefe rootes arc thorowly dried, you (ball pile them handfomcly together, laying them a little hollow one from another, and then with a hack cutup fome of the flume earth, and therewithal! cover all the rootes quite over, onclv leaving a vent-hole at the top, and on one fide, and Burning or fo let the hills reft two or three dayes, till the earth be a little baice. ’ parcbt,-and dried, then take fire and feme other Kght dry fuell which is apteft to blaze,and with the fame kindle every hill,not leaving them till you fee them perfeftlyon fire^wbich done, let them burn both day and nighr, till the fubftarice being wholly confirmed, thefiregoeoutofitowne felfe,.and this infome Country es is called the Burning o f Bait. • ; 1 ! • Now as foon as the fire hath been extinguiflied for a or three dr“bum r ° dayes,you fliakhen come, and with (hovels (&. beetle? to break ' the hard burnt earth in pieces)you (hall Iprcad all the allies clean over the ground; which done, you (hall with a very long plough tear up the earth into great and deep forrowes, and divideitinto Land, as you {hall think meet and convenient, " laying them higher,and flatter,a* you {hallhave occaflon,and as the ground lyceh more or leffe within the danger of water, whether it bee the overflowing of fome neere neighbouring Brooks 3 Bpok». tfomitigbf' \k xy Brojks or Rivqrs ; or elfeothsr (fending wateroocafioncdby Raine and extraordinary Show res, which muft’bs carefallyGanfoofi.ua-' looktunto ; becaufe all overr-Howes and inUfldaeioh'ofwBtter*' utfu,ne % , ' -' : isamighty dtftroycr and.donfutnerofgraiti : bift-thefcbarreh groimdiofwhichIriDWwrirfci . arfe-veryyHtH 1 water ; for mod commonly rhey lye fohigh, that thccontinu- all dryneffc thereof isahrcmg occafion ofthefliuchunfruit- fulnefle- After you have thus burntyourtiaite, mdplowcdup your ground,yon fhall then with your hacks hacklt ihtO (mill picas, jinfuch manncras ^t»s td(^M^H;ite‘‘ l fbraiier i '€Kk r prenjthen7oa {hal(ifthe fca bee any thingneer y ou)fand it wi tK 1 lalt fand(as before faid)thcn lime ir,and after, manure it either with Oxedung,Horfe dung,rotten Straw, mudde ofPonds and Ditches, the fpitelingof Houfe floores,dr fweeplng erfGhanhels and Streets,orfuchlike;or for want of ail thefe,in cafe you dwei An excellent neer unto the Sca-coaft (where manure for:the moft partisan ra * nure - greateft fcarcity,and the hardeft to be come by j you ! fliail gather from the bottome of the rocks ( where the feydge ofthe Sca continually beateth ) a certaine.black wced, which they call Hemp-weed, having great broad leaves, and growing in great abundance,in thick tufts, & hanging together like Peafe r ftfaw ; ! of plowing and with thefe weeds you fhall cover your 'Lmdsalloverof a pretty good tfiickneue, and then forthwith you fhall plow it againefomewhat deeper, and with fomewhat greater farrowes then before, railing up the new quick earth to intermingle;, and mix with thofemanuresand helps which you had formerly prer pared and laidnpon the-ground ;■ thenyoufhailagain?hack’it and harrow it ; then fhall you take Pigeons dung, or Pullens,,,,, t dung(that is, any kind of land fowl'wbatfocver, but by n6^ verrema ' mean’ts any water-fowl} or Pigeons dung and Pullens'dung' mixt together, and allowing Co eyery acre tjwohr three bhfhdl?. | thereof,which is the true quantity offetd pronorcioned for.rhe I f fame, and this dung being broken and mafht into final! pieces I you fhall put into your Sydlop or Hopper,and in the fame man- I ner as you fow your corns, you fhall fow this djing upon file 1 f ground, and then immediately after it you fhall fow your - 1 Wheat,either fteept in brinejorelle fait Sea-water,, orurifteep^ as you fhall think good, but in cafe yoti can^nfitSwr^fiSt ; v fend 18 Tlowmgand Manuring* a Book* land nor Sea Rock-wetde.s; hen you (hall by no meanes otnitthe Mixture ofma- ftecping of your Seed ; neither (hall you faile before you fow nures, your Seed,to mixe with your pidgeons :and Pullens dung,a full equal! part of Bay-file well dried .and broke, and fofowen with the dung upon the land, and then thefeed after it ij which done,; youfliall harrowic again,clot it,fleighc it,and fmooth ic,in fuch • fort as was formerly declared in the formerChapter,for thefe la¬ bours hare no alterations, but n’uft in all points be done as was before fet down- - 1 ; Of weeding. Now touching the Weeding of this earth,: after theCotnbe- ginneth to grow about the ground, (here is nofearto be had ei¬ ther of Thiftles,Tares,Cockles, Darnell, Docks, and fuch like ftreng weeds, which indeed arc the ifflxes of good grounds ill ordered and handled : but the weeds which you (hall molt feare in this place, is young Gorfe, or Furrs, or ehe young brootae, 'which are very, apt to grow from the lealhpare or parcel! of roots that (hall be left behind *, nay the very nature of thofe barren earths is (uch, that of its own accord it will bring forth . thofe weedstthc cold (harpnefs of the ayr mixing with the llerili- ty&roughnefs of the earth, being the caufethat it will give life to no other better plan :s; .therefore fo foon asyouftiailbehold any of them to appear above the earth, though they, be not half a finger high- you (hall prtfintly with all diligence pull them up by the roots,and caft them a way, or lay them in heaps that they may be afterwards burnr, and the afbesfprinkled upon the ground: aud herein is to be obfervtd, that the younger and. the Tooner that you do pull up. thefe weeds, theb tter it is,andthe eafilierthey will come fronuhe earth,and the fooner be deftroy- ed : for all thofe mixtures wherewith already you have been taught to mixe your earth, are in themfelves fuch naturall enemies to all thefe kind of barren weed, that fhould you omit the manuall labour of deftroying them(which no good husband willingly will do)yet in time the earth ofitfelfc, and the often plowing of the fame would leave no fuch offence of weeds, of o- then growths which might hinder the corn. Time for wee- Now touching the beft time when to pull away thefe weeds, ding. though generally it muft be done affoon as they doe appeare above the ground ; yet it (hall not be amifs for you to defer the work 2 Book. Rough Barren Clayes. 19 work till afccralhower ofraine,and then immediately after the ground is Wet ( and fo by that meancs more apt and wil¬ ling to open and forfake the root faftned within it) you (hall with all diligence pull them out of the ground, and deftroy them: neither (hall you pull them out of the ground with your hands onely; for the Gorfe have exceeding (harp pricks, fo that with your naked hands you arc not able to touch them, and to arme your hands againft them, with ftrong thick gloves, would be too boiftcrous and comberfome, fo that fometimes you might either miffe the weeds,and pull up the Corn; or elfc pull up the Corn and weeds both together} therefore to pre¬ vent all thefe cafualties or hindcrances, you (hall take a pair of long fmall wooden Nippers, made after the form of this figure. And with thefe you (hall pull the weeds out of the ground, and caft them into the furrows by the (ides of the Lands, till your dayes-work be finifhed, and then with a rake youfhall rake them together, and fo lay them in heaps to dry and wi- ; thcr, in more convenient places; that when time (hall ferve, you - may burn them,a'nd ufe them, as was before declared. j Laftlyyou (hall have great refpeft, that if this ground beve- j ry much troubled with loofe (tones,as flint,pibble, and fuch like !? ,therin 8 of j that then you very carefully get them gathered from the ground, ° nes ‘ ; both before and after you have plowed it, and to lay them on heapes in other vacant places, where they may ferve for pavings,and fuch like purpoles when time requireth .‘but if the ground be over run with great or elfe fmall limeftones, as for- the mod part theft barren grounds are ; then (hall you with all care gather them up, and lay them in great heaps in fome cor¬ nerofyour field where you may make a convenient lime kiln } and fo there burn thefe ftones thus gathered, which will be G both so Rough Barren Clayes. Books both an infinite profit, and an infinite eafetothe reft of your labours- CHAP. IV. Of the orderingfTtlling^.nd dreffing of all rough barren Clayes^whe- ther f;mpie or compound that arcover-rur.e with Whinnes^ andfuch 1'ike. _ N Ext unto this barren Clay which is over-run with Furfe, Broome,and fuch like, I will place that barren and unfer¬ tile earth, being alio a Clay, whether Ample or compound) which is over-runne onely with Whinns, and indeed bearing Iittleor no other burthen, orifitdoc beareany other burthen as feme little fhort moftie grafs, yetis that grafs fo covered c verwiththefe iharp Whinnes, that not any bead dare put his note to the ground, or bite upon the fame; and indeed this kind ofearthisnot any whit at all leffe barren than thofe of which I have already written, but rather more, in that the malignant qualities thereof are not fo foon corre&ed, nor yet the vertues fotccn reftored. Wbat whinnes Whinnes are a certain kind of rough dry weeds, which grow are. bufhie and thick together, very (hort and clofe unto the ground, being of a dark brown colour, and of crooked growth,thick and confufed,and ful of knots, & thofe knots armed with hard,long, (harp pricks like thorns orbryars, they have little brown leaves which (haddow the pricks, and do wind their branches fo one intoanother, thatthey can hardly be feparated, yet is not theiij growth at any time little more then a handfull above the earth, onely they fpread exceed : ngly, and will run and cover over a whole field, choakingup all fort of good plants whatfoever, and turning the beft grafs that is, to mois and filthinefs: where¬ fore if at any time you b^.Mafter ofany fuch naughty and bar* rtn greund, and would have it reduced unto goodnefs andfer- tilityyou lhall firfttakeafine thinne paring fhovtll madeof the beft iron, and well ftceled? andhardned round about the edges,according to the forme of this figure following, 2 Book. with WbimeSj&e at And with thisparing-ftnvell, you (hill firft pare up all the upper fwarth of the grouud,about two inches, or an inch and a half thick at the l ift, and every paring would be fomc three foot in length at the lead, and fo broad as the (hovell will con¬ veniently give it leave, and this fwarth thus pared up, you (hall firft turn the Whinny or graffefide downeward, and the earth fide upward} and fo let it lye two or three dayes in theSunne to dry(for this work is in tended to begin in the month of Maf) and when that fide-is well dried, you (hall turn the other fide, and dry it alfo, then when all the fwarth is dryed, you (hall gather fixe or fevenpeeces together ■, and turning the Whinny or grafs fide inward, and the earth fide outward, you (hall make round hollow little hills thereof, much according to the falhion of this figure, following. I And the inward hollo wnefs like unto the hollownefs of an I Oven, but much lefsincompafs; which done, you fhall fill the hollownelfe with dry chips, or fmall flicks or Furfe andStraw G 2 mixed 23 2 Book. With Whimes^&c. caufes; the firft, that the new earth may the better mixt with ^ the old earth, and thofe helps that are added' thereunto; and fecondly, that you maybe lure to tear up the roots of all the Whinncs from the very bottome of the earth, not fuffering any part of them to remain behind, and for this purpofe it (hall not be amifsto have an idle boy or two to follow your plough and to gather away all the roots• that (hall be torn up, or any way elfe left bare above ground, which roots (hall be laid on heaps in convenient places, and then after burnt, and the allies thereof fpread upon the ground; which will be a very great comfort unto the feed, beingafpeedy help unto the fprou- ting thereof, and a very warm comforter of the root after the ftemme is fpindled above ground, for in thefe cold barren earths nothing doth Co much fpoyl and flay torn, as the dead coldnefs which lyeth at the root theteof; for in many of thefe unfertill places, you (hall fee Corn at the firft fo'wingC whileft there is a little ftrength intheground)fproutingreat abundance,promi- fing much hope of the profit: but when it (hould fpindle and come to much better perfe ftion, that poor ftrength bting Tpcrit and confumed and the cold and dryneffe of the foyl, having as it were overcome all matter of comfort, then presently you (hall fee the blade of the com turn yellow, the ftemm or (talk to wither, and either put forth no ear at all, or elfe a very poor littlcempty one, being laden with nothing but a moft dry chaffie husk without fubftance. But to come again to our pur¬ pofe, after you have thus plowed up your ground the fecond- time, you (hall then hack it againe, and harrow it, as-was decla¬ red in the former Chapters ; then you (hall take your feed- : wheat which hath been fteept either in brine or Sea water, and to every bulhell of that Seed you (hall adde a bufhell of bay fait, andmixthem very well together in your Hopper or Sydlop, and fo low them together upon the ground,obferv ing to double yourcaftfo oft, that you may not fail to caft that true quantity offeedinto the earth which otherwife you would have done iffo be there had been no mixture at all, for to doe otfierwHf were to deceive the ground, jnd a handfall of feedfofavei would be the lofs of a peck in the time of Harveft; therefore have greatrefpeft that your ground have his due; fork is no- G 3 . more-- 24 With Ling Heath, 5.Book, m re coil:,though it be a little labour. Harrowing. When your feed ic Town, you (hall harrow it again the fe. cond time, clot, fmooth it, and fleight it,as was before declared in the former Chapters. A; touching the weeding of this ground, itistheleaft labour Weeding, of all other, for the earth being fo correfted as is before (hewed, it will naturally of it ielfput forth no weeds, cfpecially if you remember to plow it deep, and be hire to tear up and gathera- way all the quick roots, otherwife if that labour be any thing neglcfted, then will it put forth both Whins and great (lore of other rough weeds, which as (bon as you (hall perceive to ap* pear, you (hall preiently with your wooden nippers pull them up by the roots, as was at large declared in the foregoing Chap¬ ter. ProEres, Now for the generall profit of this ground thus made and prepared, it is the fame that the two former are, that is to fay, it will bear you good and fufficient Wheat, in plentiful abun¬ dance for the (pace of two or three years; then barley, a yeare after; then Oates three years together after the barley; andpeafe or beans a year after the oates; then Laftly very good Meadow orPafture, forthefpace of three or four years after, and then you (hall begin and drefs it again,as was formerly declared, CHAP. V. Oft’r.c ordering, Tilling, and Drejfmg of all barren Clares , whether fmple or compound, which are over-run with Linger Heath, T Here followeth now fuccefllvely another fort of barren earth, which indeed is much more fterile and barren then any of the other formerly written uponjbecaufe they, out of their own nature, do beare a certain kind of grafs or food which will relieve ordinary hard ftore-cattell, whether it be Sheep, Goats, or young beads; But this earth, of which I am now to entreat, beareth no grafs at all, but only a vile filthy black brown weed, which we call Ling or Heath, the tender tops whereofCattell and wild Deer will fometimes crop, yet it is to them but little relief and only maintained! life and no more. Now albeit fome may objeft unco me, that this kind of foyl is ever a fandy foyl and no clay, as may be feen in moft €hafes, Forrc(fe,and Downes --yeti anfwer,that albeit hold fo ingene- rail; yet there are divers claycs, cfpecially in mountainous Countries, that arc peftered with thefe kind of weeds, as may be feen in the North and North-weft part of Devonjbire, in fome parts of Cornwall) and in many parts both of. North; and South tfales; and thefe clay grounds which are thus offended with thefe weeds of Ling or Heath, are much more barren and unfruitfull than the Sands, becaufe of their much more coldncfs; yetthofeclayes which are mixed with either black Sand, dun Sand or yellow Sand, and over-run thus with Heath or Ling, are the moft barren of all. To make any further defcription of this Heath or Ling, being a thing fo notorioufly known over all this Kingdomc, I hold it meerly needlefs, onely to fay it is a rough brown weed, (booting out abundance of ftalks from one root, with little dark leaves, and flowers on the top, of a pale' reddifh colour, much inclining unto Peach colour at thefirft; but being full blowne, they are then a little more whi- tiih. . ; - < . . You therefore that have any fuch ground, and defire to bring Deftroying of ittofruitfulnefs, and the bearing of good cornand grafs in a Heath, reafonable abundance, you (hall firft with fythes or fharpe hooks(butoldfythe8arethebetter)cut down all the Heath,- or Ling, which groweth upon theearih you intend to convert to goodnefs, fo.neerthe ground aspoffibly you can; then when it is cut down(whic-h would ever be at the beg'nnirig of the Month of May)you (hall let it lye upon the ground, daily tolling • and turning it till it become very dry, then fpreading. it all over the ground, and mixing or covering it with dry draw of any kind whatfoever, you fhall prefently fet it on fire in fo ma¬ ny fcveral corners of the field that al the feveial fires in the end may meet in one point, and not leave any part of the mowcn Heath or Ling unburnt, or any part of the ground unfcorched; After this is done, and the ground cooled, you fliall with your ,, flat clotting beedesbeate the afhes hard into the ground, then you (hall take a ftrong plow, .with a broad winged (hare and. aji even coulter, and you. (hall plow up all this ground thus burnt Another bur- uing of baite; in very large and deepfurrowes by no means picking out any ofthc.quick roots which (hall remainein the furrowsfo turned ip, but letting them reft in theearth ftillj then with your hacks, and the help of your iron paring fhovell, you (hall cut up the Furrows, formerly turned up, into fliort pieces of three foot, or three foot and a half long, and fome lefs as occafion fhall ferve: then with thefe pieces? you fhall build little hollow hils, fuch as in the former Chapter you made of the upper fwarth of the ground oncly; and then filling the hollownefs with dry heath, ■and dry ftraw mixt together, you (hall fee every hill on fire, and fo burn the very fubftance of the earth into afhes, which will foonebedone by reafon of the infinite number of roots and (mailfiring?, which lye mixt in theearth, andI the drynefs thereof occafioned by the former burning •• And this is another kind of burning of baitc^much differing from all the former, and yet to as great end and profit as any whatfoever; and thefe hills muft,as the former, be placed one as near another as is poffible foastheymay fpread and cover over the greateft part of the ground,and leaving no more then a good reafonablc path to pafs between hill and hill. Now as foon as you have thus burned all your bait, and that your hills are cold, you fhall then as was before fhewedin the former Chapters, with beetles and fhovels break down the hils, and fpread the earth and afhes overall the ground; which done, you (hall fand it (if the fituation of the ground bee anfwera- ble thereunto) and lime it in fuch fort as was (hewed in the fecond Chapter; then when it is limed, and the lime eqiially fpread, not more in one place then in another, you (hall then manure it with the beft manure you can provide, oj which there is none better or more proper for the ground than mans ordure, and the rubbifh, fweep'ugs, parings, andfpidings ofhoufes mixt together: for want of diis(becaule it may not bee in fo great plenty as other manures)you may take either old Oxe dung, or horfedung, or for want of them the old rotten and muddy ftaddles or bottomes of Corn flacks or reeds, efpeciallyPeafe-ftacks, or Bean ftacks provided that itbethroughly rotten; for the leffc rotten it is, theworfc it «• Alfothe fcowringsof common Sewers? and efpecially thole Bjook. Destroying of Weeds, 27 through which much of mans urine doth pafTe is a molt won,- derfull and beneficial! manure for thefe ground?, fo are alfo the fcowring of finks and channels which come from Kuchins and wa(h-houfes,where great ftorc ofbrineand fait broath is fhedj'and other greafie, fat,and putrified fubftances, as alfo abundance of (ope luds,and buck-a(hes,and other fope a nd lee wafhings, than which there is no better manure that can be ufed for thefe kind of grounds. . ~ . ' ,‘ f; After your ground is thus pcrfcftly made and manured, and' that Wheat feed time doth draw on, wbich(as before wasfhew- cd)is ever at the latter end oiSepember^oa (hall then plow up your ground again in that manner as was (hewed for the former earths, to wit, much deeper then before : for you are to nnder- ftand that this ground being dreft as is before declared, there wil remain nothing of the furrowes which were firft plowed up but the afhes,which being covered with fand, lime,and manure, the earth will lye plain and levell, fo that of neceflity you muft raife tap new furrowes of new earth, which being done, you (hall then with your hackes, cut all the new earth into very fraall pieces, mixing them well with the other mould made- offand,lime,manure and afhes; then as was before faid,you (hall harrow it to make the mixture fo much the better, and the mould fo much the finer ; and then if it have'teen landed, you may fow your Seed-Wheat /imply of it felfe, without any doubt of the plentiful! increafe thereof ,but if it have not been fanded then as in the foregoing Chapter, you (hall not only deep your Seed in brine (as before fhewed)but alfo you (hall mixeyour Seed with Bay- fait, and fo fow it into the gronnd ; or if at the time of fowing(afcer It is plowed,hackt, and harrowed)you bc- ftow cither Pigeons dung,or Pullens dung, or Sheepes dung up - on the land, it will be much better, & the corn will give a much greater increafe.Now asfoonas your land isfown,you (hall then forthwith harrow it again, and cover the feed very clofe ; then you] (hall clot it, fmooth it, and Height it (as was before (hewed.) As touching the weeding and clenfing of this earth afrer the Weeding. Cornisfprungup, you (hall underftand that there is great care to be had thereunto,for this ground is much fubjeft unto weeds, H , and. With Ung or aBoofe. andchofeof the worft kind : (or although for the m oil part it will be free from all manner of foft and tender weed?, a? thiftlcs cackle,darnelI,ketlocks,docks,rape,andfuch like heiball fluffy yet it is much fubjeft to twitch bryars, which grow at both ends,ling, Wild-tirne,and fuch like, any of which as foon as you {hall fee appear or peep above the earth, yon (hall prefently with your Nipperspall them up by the rootes, and not fuffer them in any wife to look a handfull above the ground; for if you do, their hardnefleis fo great, and their roots fo large &faft fixe into the mould, that you can by no means pull- them away without greatlofle and hurt to the grain, pulling up with them all fuch roots of Cornc, as fhall be fixed near about them •• for a_ny other weak and fuperguous things which fhall grow from the Land, yoiim.ay with ordinary weeding hooks cut thema- way:as for long grafs, whether it be foft or fedgie, or any other, fuch like flnffe.you fhall not ftirre it,but let it grow: for itkeep. cth warm the roots of your Corn, andgiveth nouriftimentand increafe thereunto. Now for the profit of this foyl thus ordered and husbandedjicis equall with, any of the former, and will bear ’ Wh eat very plentifully for the fpace of the three firft year*;good Barley the fourth ycare, with the. help ofthefheep fold(as was beforefaidjland good Oats the fifth, fixth and feventh yearsjand very good fmall Peafe, the eighth year (for Beanes this foyl will very hardly bear at all)& the ninth,tenth,& eleventh year it will bear very good meadow(though not alcogethervery fine pure grafs,yet very good feeding & wholfom grafs jor fo good palture as a man can reafonabiy require for any holding Cattell wkat- foever; nay, it willalfo indifferently well feed, and fat Cattell, though peradventure it requireth a little longer time than ei¬ ther finer ground will. chap; 6 . Of the ordering Tilling and Drejfwg , of till plain fimple barren Sands } bearing nothing but a fhorttnojfie oyafs, T TAving thus(in as large manner as I hope fhall be ncedfull JTl for any judicious or indiffereut Reader)written of the na¬ tures, Orderings, Plowings, and Drdfings, of all manner of bar¬ ren a Book. a 9 Of damn Sands. renandunfruitfull Clayes, whether they be Ample ofthem- fdves, or elfe compounded with Other earths, asfands, chalks, gravels,artdfuch like(heWing by thofe natural burthens which continually of their owri accord they do produce(which ihdfeed is the eafieft add fafeft way Of knowledge) how to amend attcl better them, and bring them to that perfection of frUitfuIncfle that the belt earth lhall but Iti a Very fmall degree ekeeid them, flay, hardly arty thing at all, except ih the raving of a little charge artdfoihe labour, without Which nothing it to bfc obtai¬ ned by the Husbandfnan ; neither is this charge or labour thus bellowed on theft barren grounds to be grutcht at by any honeft niirid; fince the word crop of tenne br eleven. Will make good his charge and to^l With a reafonable iritefeft ; fd that I make account^ nine dr tefini years profits come into his barnS without purthafe, for it is to be intended that ill theft edrths formerly fpoken of, are not to be dreft, or to put the HdSband- miti to any charge more then the firft year of tenne of eleven, forthefecond year he (hall as {boric as he hath gathered his Wheat off,which Will be an AugufavA fitiiflitbth'if parts of hii Hatveft, ptefently put his Plow into the fame Wheat-ground a- gaine,and plow it up,hack it,and harrow it,fbw it,hatrdw it a- gain,clod it, and weed it, as in the former year, and fo ednfe - qutntly of all the teft of the years following, whireby ydu per¬ ceive that all labours and charges are faved mdre than once plowing and fowing. This then considered,it neceflarily now folloWeththat I fpeik of the bettering, iud bringing, into perfe&foftofall manner of barren Sand grounds,being Ample of themfefvcs, without any mixture of other earths,except one and the fame kind, as Sand with (and, though peradvenfure the colours ofthd finds may alter: as red With white,yelloW with Bla'ck,8tc'fth : ich id as iiiucn as the whole fubftance is fand without any contrary mixture, there it may well be called Ample and not compound : and of thefe finds,! putpofe to intreat, as formerly I did of the Clayes; that is to fay,by their outward faces and Chara&ers, which are thofe burthens and inereafes, which bfthdroWrt proper nature," without any help or compulfion of any others,they produce and bring forthintb the world. Ha And, Plowing. Objection, Anfwer. And firft of that naughty cold and barren fand which lying upon high,ftony,and mountainous Rocky places, or elfc upon lower cold bleak Plaines, fubjeft to the North, and North-eaft wind* and tempefts, or bordering upon the Seas, doth not bring forth any thing but a fhort moffic giafs, which the Sun maketh bitter, and the cold dewes fulfome andunfavoryintaft. Ifany roan then-be mafteroffuch unprofitable and unfruitfull earth, . and defire to have it brought to goodneffe, and perfection, you ffiall,firft,at the beginning ofthefpring, as about middle April y or earlier,with a ftrong Plow anfwerable to the foyl, yet fomc- whatleffc, both in timbers, and irons, then that wherewith you plow your Clay ground, plowfo much of that earth up as you may conveniently corapafs,to fow and drefs cxa&Iy, & perfectly; For to undertake more, were to make all unprofitable, and to caft away much labour and charge, without any profit,. This ground you (hall plow of an indifferent depth, though not fo deep as the Clays,you fhal lay the furrowes though fiat,yet dole cnetoanother, without leaving any balke between, butplow- ihg all very clean, yet not fo very clean and clofe together, that you may lay the greene fwarth, to the new plowed or quick cartbjbut rather turn one fwarth againft another, fo ah the fur- rewes may lye,and no more bat touch the cdges.one of another: This when you have done, you (hall then with-you hacks, cut and break all the earth, fo tu: tied up into very fmail pieces, and notonely the earth (o turned up into very fmail pieces; but alfo other greenfwarth which was left unplowed; provided that before this labo ur of hacking> you let the ground Jye certain daies in the farrows,that one fwarth heatingand fcaldingiheo* thcr, they may both equally rot and grow mellow together; which once perceived by the blackneffc thereof, you may- then at your pleafurehackc it, and cut it as is before decla¬ red. - Now fome may in this place objeft unto me,that this labour- of hacking fhould be needleffe,in as much as all fand grounds whatfoever are out of their own natures fo light,loofe, ar,d wil¬ ling to diffever, that this toyl might very well and tp good pur- pofc be faved. T.o this I anfwer, that true it i s,moft fands in tlihir own na- a 3 1 turcs are loofe,and light, and willing to difleverinto fine mould without any extremity, efpeciall rich and fruitfull findswhbfe predominant' quality of warmth, giveth nourifliment and in- creafe ; but thefe barren and cold fands, inwhichisa certain flegmatique toughneffe, and moft jjnwholefomc dry nefsjare of a clean contrary nature, and through the ftony hardnefle thereof, they are as unapt to break and diircver,as any Clay* whatsoever’: befides, the fwarth being of a tough moffie fubfiaHCc(wbich ever carricth ahardftrongrooteanfwcrablc with the cold in which it is ingendred)doth fo conftantly bindc, fetter, and hold the mould together, that it is impoflible for any harrow to break it in pieces,or to gather from it fo much mould as may ferve to co¬ ver the Corn and give it root when it is fown into ; the fante:and therefore this work of hacking is neceflary, . ! ' ■ 7 1 When therefore you have thus hackt your land and difttibu- Of Marling. . ted the mould into many fmall pieees, you fhall then with all expedition marie it ; which forasmuch as it is no generall nor common praftife in every part of this Kingdonve, 1 will firft tell you what marie is,and then how to find itydigge it,and ufc it for _ your beft behoof. ... * Additions Marl, you (hall then underftand, is ( according to the defini- “ tion of Matter Bernard Pd!U 0 )a, natural!, and yet an excellent foyl,being an enemy to al the weeds that fpring up of themfelves, and giving a generative vertue to all feeds that are fown up< 5 n the ground: or(for the plain husbandmans underft 3 nding)it is a certain rich, ftiffe,and tough clay, of a glewic fubftancc, and not fat or Oyly,as fome fuppofe. This Marl is in quality eold & - dry, & not hot (as fome would have it)and it was earth 7 before it came to bee Marie, and being made Marie yetitis butaClay ground;all Chalkewhatfoever was marl before itwasGhalke,8c all manner of ftones which arc fubjeftunto Calcination or bur • ning,as Lime-ftone,Flint or the like, were firft Marie before they were ftones,and only hardned by accident and fo not poflible to be diffolved but by the fire-'as for Marie it felf, when it is a little hardned, it isoncly diffolved by frofts and pothingclfe, and - thence is the caufe that Marl ever worketh better effeft the fc- cond year then the firft. : U- This Marie hath been made fo precious by fome writers, that Hj it 3* Of Marling a Book. it hath been accounted a fift element, but of this curiofity I will notnowdifputc, . Touching the complexions or colours of Marie , there is fbtnc difference; for though all conclude there are fourfeverall colours in Marie,yet one faith,there is a White, a Gray,or Ruf- fer,aBlackand Yellow ; another faith, there is a Gray, a Bkf, a Yellow,and a Redjand a third faith there is a Red, and White, mixt like unto Porphery .And all thefe may well be reconciled, and the colours may alter according to the clirtiat and ftrength of the Sunnc:So that by thefe Charatter$,the colour, the tough- nefle, and the loofnefle when it is dryed, any man of judgment may eafily know Marlc,ff ora any other earth whatfoever. This Mark is fo rich in it felfc, and fo excellent for continuance, that it will maintaine and enrich barren grounds, the worft for tenrte ycarsjfome for a dozen, and fomc for thirty years; yet there is a great refpeft to be had in laying of this Marie upon the ground, that is to fay, that you lay it neither too thick nor too thinne,that you giveit neither too much,nor too little; for any of thefe extrcmities : arehurtfull;andthereforehold a meahe,.and fee there be an indifferent mixture between the Mark and the earth,on which it is laid. For the gcncrall finding out of this Marie, there is no better way for readme{fe,and the faving of charges,than bya great Ah* gure or wimble of Iron, made to receive niany bits one longer than another,and fo wrefting one after another into 1 the ground to draw cut the earth, till you finde you areeometo the Marie, which perceived, and an aflay taken, you may then digge at your pleafure. Now for the places moll likely where to finde this Marie, it is commonly found in the loweft parts of high Countries, neere Lakes and (mall Brookes, and in thehigh partsoflow Coutl- triefjupon the knolsoffmall hilk, or within the Clifts of high Mountainous banks, which bound great Rivers in : to con¬ clude, you (hall feldome find any of thefe barren lands but they are cither verged about with mark grounds, or if you will beftow the la hour to digge below their fand, you (hall not faile to find either Mark, or fome quarry of ftone, or bothjforinfome places Marlelyeth very deepe, in other fome places within 2 Book. m a fpades graft of the upperTwart67oniie _ eaith“:rfccfpcc it (hall be good for you to make proof of.al| the .molt likely parts ofyopr grouncj to fine! pu^thia Marie; j .;an^ a&ioopisyatt have found it opt, you (half with Mattaqkaatuj Spades diggE; it up and carry it to your land, therje laying it in bigge .round heaps ; andfetting them within a yardor two pne of another; thus when youhave filled over allyour grounfl(,whicli would be done witbas great fpeod as migh t be,for thc antient euftpme of this Kingdome was, when any naan went about to marie his ground,all his Tenants, Neighbours and Friends, would come andhclphim tqhaftenonthc,worke)you (hall 'then fpreadall thofe heaps, and mixing the Clay weE with the fand, you (hall lay all fmooth and level! together; and. herein is to be obferved, that if theland. you thus marie-(hall lye againft the fide of a,niy great Hill or Mountains whereby .there wilL be muchdtfcent . in the ground,; then you flial](byall mcans)lay double as much Marie, Sand, or other conipoft on the top ofthe hill ason the bottome, becaufe tht rain and (howres which (hall fall, will fi¬ ver wa(h the fatneffe of the- earth downe -to the lowed parts hereof. . \ - :■■■. Now in. thelay ing of your marie you are to hpldthisob- fervation, that if you lay it on , hard, and binding ground^ then you. are to lay itin the beginning of Winter ; but if on grounds of contrary nature, then it muft be laid in the ipring or Summer. Again,you (hall obferve,that if you cannot get any perfeft and rich marie, if then you can get of that earth which is called Fullers earth, and. where the one is not, commonly ever the other is, then you may ufc it in the fame manner as you fhould marie, and it is found to be very ncere a* profita- When your ground is thus marled (. if-you be.neere'to the Additions: fea fidc)you (hall then alfo (and itwith; falt..fe^fdhd,-..infuch Obfervations. fort as was formerly declared, onely you may forbear , today altogetherfo much, upon this fand ground aSjyopdid on the Clay ground, becaufe an half part is fully, fuffeienc. Ifyou can- Of Chalfce. not come by this fait fand, then injJeaA&eKofe v ypu.(halLtakeand the ufe chalke,if any.be to be had neereyoUj. and j$jif. ; ybia ; may kyqn more plentifuli manner than the fand,, ;-,and, albeititrisfayd, ; that Of Chalk,. 2 Book, that cfaaikc is a wearer out of the ground, and maketh a rich fa- thcr,yet a poor fonne; in this foyl it doth not fo hold, for as it fretteth and wafteth away the goodneffe that is in Clay grounds,fo it comforteth and much ftrengtheneth the fand- earths: and this chalkcyoufliall lay inthefame manner as you did your Marie , and in the fame manner fpread it and le- veil it;which done,you [ball then Lime it,as was before (hewed in the Clay grounds ; yet not fo abundantly, becaufe alfoa halfpart willbefufficienc ; after your Liming, you fhall then manure it with the beft manure that you have, whether it bee dung of CattelljHorfe,Sheep, Goats, Straw, or other rubbifh ; and that being done, and feed time drawing on, you (hall then plow upyour ground again, mixing the new quick carthand the former foylesfo well together, that there may be little di- ftinguifhmenc between them.-then you fhall hacke it againe, then harrow it, and Iaftly fow it with good, found, and perfeft feed: and offeedes, though Wheate will very well grow upon this earth,yet Rye is the more natural! and certain in the increafe : yec according to the ftrength of the ground, you may ufe your diicretion,6bferving that ifyou fow wheat, then to fteep it be¬ fore in brine or fait fea-watcr,as was before dcfcribedjbut ifyou fow Ry,then you fhal fow it Amply without any helps, except it be Pigeons dung,or Bayfait Ample of it fclf, in fuch manner as hath been before declared either fowing the fait with the Corn, or before the Corn, as fhall feeme beft in your own dlfcretion. After your feed is fowne,you fhall then harrow it again, clot it, fmooth it, and fleight it, as before is /hewed in the fecond Chapter, which done(afrer the Corn is /hot above the eartb)you fhall then look to the weeding of it, being fomewhar a little too much fubjeft to certain particular weeds, as are Hare bottles, wild Cheffe-boUes, Gypfie-flowrs, and fuch like, any of which, when you fee them fpring up, you (hall immediately cut them away clofc by the roots ; as for tearing their rootes out of the. ground with your nippers,it isnot much material, for che cut¬ ting of them is fuficient, and they will hardly ever again grow to doe you any hindrance; many other weeds there may grow a- mongftchefe, which arc alfo to be cut away, but thefe are the principal!, and ofmoft note ; whereof as foou as you have cJen- a Book. iQpehafyatidzheprofit. 3 $; fedyour landsof thefc and the'rcft, you fhall chen refer thfc fur¬ ther increafe of your profitiinto Gods-providence; J Laftly,you (hall undreftand chat this ground being thusplov?- The profit. . cd dreft and ordered,will without any more dctlfing, But once plowing and Cowing,every year bear you good Wheat of good Rye three years together j then goefd Barley the fourth year; good Oats,.the fifth fixth ihd feventhyeares; excellent good La¬ pins the eighth year,and very good Mcadow or Pafture three or four years after, and then it (hall be ncccflary to drefs it again in <• fuch manner as was before deferibedk ■ • CHAP- 7. ; ; Of the Plowing,! UliugfOrdeYmgiindmrichingofall Bar- ■ ■ten Sandy v.’h 'ch are laden andovsr-runne with ' . Braken^erii^or Heath. N Ext unto this plain,cold, barreh Sand, which beareth no other burthen but a (hort moffie grade, I will place chat Sand which is laden and over-runne with Braken, Fern, or . Heath as being by many degrees more barren then the former, both in refpeft thatitismoreloofeandleffe fubftantiall,as alfo ' in that it is more dry and harlh and altogether without nutri¬ ment, more chan an extreamefterile coidtieflej as appearethby the burthen it bringeth forth,which is Braken or Ferne, a hard,' j rough, tough Weed, good for nothing but to burn, or elfe to litter ftore beafts withall,for the breeding of manure ; or 'if you llrow it in the high wayes where many travellers paffe, it will alfo there turn to good reafonablecompoft- ; ' ' . Ofthis kindpf ground ifyoubc matter. and would reduce it of deftrown* , unto fertility and goodnefs, you ftiall firtt, whether the braken braken. b: tall and high (as I have feen tome as high as a man on horfe-: back)qr (hort, and lowland indeed moft commonly thefe barren earths are, for tall Fernor Braken fhewes Come ftrength in the; gcfund)ydufti3ll with fydiesfirft mow itdowft in the month -—. of May, then wither it and dry it upon the ground,'and after fpread it a^s thinne as you can over all the earth you intend to plow;which done,you (hall bring your plow andbegin to plow thegroupd after this ordcrifirft you (hall turiie up your furrow, " v I* and 3 6 Ground* (wer-rimewith 2 Book; ~ andlay it flat to thc.groundv .greenc-fwarth 3 againft greetic- fwarth, then look how broadyour furrow is fo turned up , or the ground fo covered, and juft fo much ground you .(lull leave unplowed between farrow and furrow, fo thatyour land may lye a furrow and a green, balk, tillyouhave gone over all the ground ; then you (hall take a parhig-fhovellof Iron 5 and; pare up thegreenfwarth ofall the balks between the furr'owes at lead two inches thick, and into piece* of two or three foot long, and with thefe pieces of earth, and the dry Fern which is pared up with them you (hall make little round hollow baitc hils.as in the third or fourth Chapters ; and thefe hills lhall be fet thick and clofc over all che ground, and fo fet it on fire and burn it ;th:n when the fire is extinft,and the hills cold, you Hull firft with your hacks cut in pieces, all the furrowes that were formerly turned up, and then break down the burnt hills, and mixe the allies and earth with the other mould very well toge¬ ther; which done you lhall then with all fpecd marie this earth 0 ry_ ri „ asfnfficientlyas pollibly maybe, notfcantingxtofMarle, but *■** bellowing it very plentiful! upon the fame $ which done, you (bail then plow it over again, and plowing it exceedingly well) not leaving any ground whatfoever untoruup with the plowjfor you lhallunderftand that the reafan of leaving the former balks vcasjthat at this fecoud plowing after the marie warfpread upon the ground,the new,quick,and uhftirred frclh earth might as wel be ftirreduptamixe with the Marie,as the other dead earth and alhes formerly received, whereby a frelh. comfort fhould be brought to the ground, and an equall mixture without too much drynefie,and this fecoud Ardor or plowing would begin about the latter end of June. ;; Sanding and After you-r ground hath been thus marled,and the fecond time plowed 3 you'ftiall then fand it with fait Sea-fand, lime it, and manure it,as was declared in the foregoing Chapter : and ofall manures for this foyl, there is not any fo exceeding good as fheeps manure, which althoughoftheHusbandmanitbecftee- roed a manure but of one year,yet by experience in this ground it hapneth otherwifr, and is as durable, and as long lofting a compofl as any that can be ufed,indbefides it is a great deftroy- cr of thiftles, to which this ground is very much lubjeft, be- sBook. 37 caufe uppnfthe alceratioBofthe ground the Fern is alfo tiatUral-. ly apt to'alter unto tliiftle,-as weedayly fee. When your ground is thus dreft a;;d well ordered, and the Plowing and Seedtime commeth. onj >,ypa (hall, then plow it again iri’,fiich,‘ owin 8’ manner as you did tbeiscdnd. ctme,>tffatl$ to 'fay very deepe,-,' cleanj and .afper ih?:roanner ofgaod'Husbandrjs- &ithoutanj(; reft, balks or otherdiforders, then (hall youhacklirvcry well,'' then harrow it,and then fow it;but,by mine advice, in any cafe, I would not have you to beftow any Wheat upon this foyle, Cexcepc it be two or three bufhels on the beft part thereof, (or experience fake, orprovifion foryourhou{hold)$ritisagFeat enemy unto Wheat, and morethanthe marlerit hath no nourifh- ment in it for the fame, becaufe all chat commeth from the fait (and, lime, and manure, is little enough to take away the natu¬ ral! fterility of the earth it felfe,and give it ftrength to bear Rye, which it will do very plentifully ; -and therefore 1 would wifh you (or die firft three years onely to fow the ;beft 'Rye you can get into this groundjthe fourth year,to fow barley ; the fift,fixt and feventh, Oates ;and ofOats,the bigge black Oateis the beft for this ground, maketh the beft and kindlteft Oatmeal, and feedethHorfe or Cattell the founded ; asalfoitisofthehardeft coriftitution, and endureth either cold or drynelfc much better then f the white Oar,the cut Oat,or any Oate whatfoeyer; the 8th year,you (hall only fow Lupins,or Fetches ; and -three years af¬ ter,you (hall let it lye for grafle, and then drefs it again as before faidjfor it is to be underftood, that in all the following year* (after the firft year)you (hallbeltow no labour upon this ground, more than plowing, fovving,hacking, andharrowingatfeed ■ time only. ' • ’ But to proceed to the orderly labour of this ground,after.you atcr have fown your Rye, you (hall then harrow it againe, clot it, 1 fmooth it, and Height it, a* was before (hewed inthefecond Chapter of this book- And although a man would imagin that the(andy loofnefs ofthisfoyl, would not need much clotting, or fleighting of the Earth,; yet by reafon of the mixtu re there- ofwith the marl and manure, it will fo hold and cleave toge¬ ther, that it will askc good ftrong labour to loofen it and lay it lo hollow and fmopth, as in right it (hould be. Touch- ing. Touching the weed* which are moftiubjeft to thisfoyl, they arc Thiftics, and young Brakes, or Femes which will grow up withiu the Corn,which before, they rife fohigh as the Corn,8t even as it were at the firft appcaring,you tnuft wich your wood- den Nippers puli up by the roots,, and after take-up': and lay in fome convenient place where they may wither and rotj. and fo turn to good manure. GHAP. 9. Of tbe-PIowlngffill'.ng i Ordcrlng i dndEnrich'.ng of a.!I barren Sands vrhich are laden and over-run with 7‘witch or wild Bryar. H Aving written fufficiently of this hard and barren, Wail, wild,fandy ground, which is over-run with braken, Fern, Heath &fuch like: I will now proceed,and unto it joyne another land which is much more barren,and that is the fahd that brin- geth forth nothing but wild Twitch, Bryars, Thorn-bulh, and fuch like under-growth,of young mifliking wood, which never would rife or come to profit, the bitter cold drines of the earth wherein it groweth, and the (harp ftormesto which the clime iscontinually fubje& both day and night, blaftingitihTuch manner that nothing appeareth bueftarved, withered, andutter- ly unprofitable burthens, good for nothing but the fire, and that in a very fimplc fort. Such grounds if you be Matter of,and Would reduce it to profit and fruitfulnc-fle, you fta firft'with hooks, or axes, cut up the upper growth thereof, that is,she bufties,young Trees, and fuch like;then yon (hall alfo flab pe&roying of up the roots, not leaving any part of them behind in the earth Twitch and carrying away both home to your houfe to be imployed ei- ther for fuell, or the mending of the hedges > or fuch like, as yon {hall have occafion ; this done you fhall take a pair of ftrong iron harrowes, and with them you (hall harrow over all the earth, tearing up all the Twitchj bryers, and rough grafle fo by the roots, that not any part but the bare earth may be fecit, and when your harrowes are cloyed, you {hall unlade them in feverall places of the ground, laying all fuch'rubbiflrof weeds and other ftuffe which the harrowes lhall gather up in a little 2Book. with/Brakgn : F'ern. round hill,clofe up together that they may fweat, wither an3 dry ; then fpreadihg them abroad arid mixing them well with dry draw, burn them all over the ground, leaving no part of the weeds or graffc unconfumed; then without beating in of the aftes, you (hall prefentjy plow the ground all 'over very clean as may be,laying the furrowes as clofc as you can- one to another and leaving no earth untoucht or uncorn up with the plow, which done, you ffiall immediately hack it into (mall pieces, and as you back it, youfhall have idleboyes to go by the,hack¬ ers, to gather away all the rootes which they fhali loofen or break from the mould, and laying them on heaps in the word part of the groundjthey £hal there bumthem, & fpread the alhes thereonjafteryour ground is thus harrowed,plowed^arid hackt, you (hall then muckir, as was formerly (hewed in-the fixe Chapter;ihen (hall you fand it,lime ic, and manure it as before- faid. Now of manures which are mod proper for this foyl, you Manure, (hall underdand that cither Oxe, or Horfe manure, rotten draw or the fcowring of Yards is very good, provided that with a- ny of thefe manures, or all thefe manures, you mixe the broad- leayed weeds^and other green weeds, which do grow iri Ditches Brooks, Ponds, or Lakes, Under: Willow frees, which with an / iron Rake,D rag, or fuch like indrument, you may eafily draw upon the bank, and fo carry it to your land, and there mingle it with the other manure,and fo let it rot in the ground : this manure thus mixed isofall other mod excellent {or this foyl, both by the experience of the Antients who have left it unto me¬ mory, as alfo by dayly practice now uftd in fundry parts of this Kingd^me, as well becaufeofthe temperate coolneffe thereof, which in a kindly manner affwages the lime and fandj as alio through moyfture which didilltng through thofe warmc foyles doth quicken the cold ftarved earth, and giveth a'wonderfull encreafe to the (eed, that (hall be thrown into the fame. After yo^ur ground is thus diffidently dred with thefe foyls Harrowing and manures, yon (hall then plow it again the fecohd time, and other la- which would be after Michaelmas- after-thcplowingyou (hall k° urs * then hack it again, 8t befure to mixe the earth and the manures very well together, then you (hall break it in gentlc rtianner - 13 with 4 o Grounds over-mme with ] 2 Book; witti your Harrowcsj and then fow it; which done, you (hall narrow it much more painfully, and not leaving any clots or nara earth anbroken that the harrow can pull in pieces:as touching the feed, which is fitteftfor this earth, it is the fame J-katisfpoken of in the next foregoing Chapter : as namely the Deft Rye,or the beftMaflin, which is Rye and Wheate: equally mixt together,or if there be two parts Rye, and but one Wheat, feed will be fo much the more certain and Jure holding; and this feed you may fow on this gronnd three yeares toge¬ ther,then Barley, then Oats, and fo forthjas is formerly writ of tne grounds foregoing. After your ground is Town and har- l ^°- U ^N-thenclot it. Height it, and fmooth it as you did the other ground before, and then laftly with your back ^r°w and fo continually feed ic with frtfh and fvveec watcr.Then ftoring it wichFifh ofbeftefteem,as Carped e»cb } Breame,Pearcl-, and fuch like & keeping iifrom weeds,filth & verminc, there is no dou6c of the dayly profit. But if this marifh and low ground, though it lye low St have many fprings falling upon it, yeeiclyethnotfoextreamelow but that there isfome River or dry ditches bordering upon it,which lye in a little lower defeent, fothat except in cafe of faun- 2 Book. Grounds for Fijb-ponds. 43 inundation the river and ditches are free from tbemoyfture ofthis ground,but where there is any over-flowing of waters, there this marfti ground muft needs be drowned ; in this cafe this ground can hardly be made for Corn, becaufe every over¬ flow putteth the Grain in danger, yet may it be well conver¬ ted to excellent pafture or meadow, by finding out the heads of t the Springs,and by opening and cleanfing them, and then draw- | ingfrom thofe clenftd heads,narrow drains or furrows,through ; which the waters may pals to the neighbours ditches, and lobe . ! conveyed down to the low Rivers : leaving all the reft of the I ground dry,and buffering no moiftu res copafle, but what goeth | through thefe (mail deep channels : then as foon as (ummer j cimmeth, and the ground begins to harden, if you fee any of i the water ftand in any part of the ground, you (hall forthwith | mend the drainc, and heiptbewatertopafsaway, which done j (as the ground hardneth) you (hall with hacks alnd fpadcs lay j the fwarth fmooth and plaine, andaseailyinthe ytarasyou i can conveniently, you (hall fow upon the ground good ftoreof i hay-feeds, and if alfo you do manure it with the.rootcn ftaddles orbottomcsofhayftacks, it will be much the better, and this' Saddle you (hill not fpread very thick, but rather of a reafona- ble thinnefle, that it may the fooner rot and confume upon the fame. Butifthismarlhand filthy ground doe not lyefo low as thefe Draining of lowvalleys, but rather againft the tops of hills you fliall then wecgr0Bn * ■ H ft open the heads of all the fprings you can find, andby feve- rall drains or fluces, draw all the water into one draine, and focarry it away into fome neighbouring ditch and valley ; and thefe drains you fhail make ot a good depth, asatleafttwofoot or2 loot and a half,or more,if need require,md then crofs-wife A every way overt hwart the ground, you (hall draw more fhallow furrows, all which (hall fall into the former deep drains, and fo make the ground asconftant and firmcasmaybe : then ha¬ ving an intent to ; mploy it forcorne,you fliall bring yotK plow into the ground, being a very ftrong one, and not much diffe¬ ring in Timber-work or Irons from that which turneth up the clay-grounds,and laying before the plow long waddesor roules cf the ft raw of Lupins, Peafe, or elfe Fetches, (but Lupins is,. K .4 the is the beft)you (hall turn the furrowes of earth with the plow upon the wades,and fo cover or bury them in the mould, and thus do unto every furrow, or at leaft unto moft of the fm rowes you turn up,and io let it lye a little time to rot, as by the fpace of a fortnight or three weeks, in which fpace, if the ground re¬ ceive not rain and moyfture enough to rot the draw thus for¬ merly buried,you (hai then by (lopping the drains, and making the Springs over-flow, gently wafh the ground all over and no more-Sc then prefently drain itagainjwhich done,as foon as the earth is dry,you (hall hack it and break it into (mail pieces, and then you (hall alfo fand it-Jime it,and manure it. And laftly you (hail marl it, but ifno fait fand be to bc bad, then inftead of ityou (hall chalk it, yet of all the reft you (hall taketheleaft part ofchalke. This done,about the latter end of Jt'Jj you (hall plow up the ground again with (omewhat a better and deeper fticch than you did before, that if any oftheftraw be unrotted or uncon- fumedjit may againe be raifed up with the new moyft earth,and fo made to waft more fpeedily, and if at this fecond carry¬ ing you doe fee any great hard clots to rife, then with you hacks you (hall break thofe hard clots in pieces laying the Land cleans without clots,weeds, or any other annoyance, and fo let it rdt till October- at which time you (hall plow it over againe, hack it) harrow it,and then fow it with the beft Seed Wheat;for this foyl thus dreft and manured, albeit it be of all other the moft bar¬ ren, yet by reafon of this moyfture, which at pleafure may b: put to it, or taken from it, and by the mixture of thefe conifer- table foyles and comports, it is made as good and fruitfullasl any earth whatfoever, and will bear Wheate abundantly for the (pace of three yeares together, then good Barley the fourth year, with a little helpe of a Sheepfold, or Sheepes manure; then Rye the fife year ; Oates the fixth, the feventh and eighth years.'fmall Peafe the ninth year; good meadow or pafture three yeares following, and then to be new dreft againe, as before- faid. Nowasfoonas your Seed-Wheat is fown, you (hall then harrow the ground again, and be fure to cover the Wheat both deep and clofe: as for the clots which (hall arifefrom this foyl, 4* it (hall not matter whether you break them or no, for by reafon of their moyfture, they will be pliant and eafie for the Wheate to pafs through, fothat you (hall not care hpw rough your land lye; fo it lye clean, and the Coro well covered, but for all other feeds you fliall break the clots to dull,. and lay the land as fmoothasmay.be. . ;■ ' . Now for,the Weeding of this foyl, you will not be much troub-. Weeding, led therewith, becauft this ground naturally of its.own accord puttteth forth no weeds, more than thofe which'a re ingendred by the new made fruitfulnefle thereof, and thofe weeds for the moft part are a kindof fmallfe.dge or hollow reedjany of which ifyou lee appear,or with them any other kind of weed,you,(hall at the firft appearance,either pull them.up by the rop.ts with your wodden nippers,or clfe cut them clofe by the ground with your weed-hooks. CHAP. io. A genera!I way for the enriching of any poor arable gronndj either Clay or Sand^ with lejfe charge then formerly, I F the former demonftrations and inftruftions which I have ^ ^ (hewed thee, appear neither too difficult or tqo coftly (for now I fpeak to thee plain,fimplc,poorHusbandman)and yetthou art tnafter of none but barren earth, then thou (halt by thine own induftry,or the induftry of thy Children,Servants, and fuch like ; or by contrafting with Taylors, Botchers, or any poor ^f^doth. people that will deferve a penny, gather up, get or buy all the rags,(hreds, old bafe pieces of woollen cloth whatfoever, which are only caft, and fit for nothing but the dung-hill, and of ihefe if thou canft compafs hut a fack-full, or a fackful & a'haif, it is fufBcient for the dreffingofan acre ofarable ground. Thele threads 8c rags(tornfmall)or hacktand hewed intofmallpieccs or bits, thou (halt thinly fpread over the land before fallowing time, then commipg to fallow, plow them all into the ground, Sc be fure to cover them,then give your land the reft of its ardors as ftirringjfoyling,ridging,&c.in their due feafons,and after an husbandly manner rthen when you eome to fow it,you (hall take K 2 the 4^ Moorifh Sands. a Book,. Steeping of the flimic thick water which cotnmeth from dung-bills, or fo r teed come, want thereof, water in which Cow dung hath been fteeped, and therein you (ha!] deep your feed corne ; thatis to fay., if it be barley,you fhal deep it for the fpace of thirty fix hours,or there, aboutsjifit be Wheat,buteighteen hours; and if it be Peafe, but Or any pulfe. tW£ I ve hoursjfor Rye,or Oats, not at alhand the feed thus deep. ed,you Qiall fow it according to good Husbandryand there is no doubt of wonderfull encreafe. Therebeotheri which take the feed-corn, and deepingitin good dore of Cow-dung andwater,dirre altogether for an hour in the morning,and an hour at night,& then being fctlcd, drains the water from the feed and the dung, and the next morning fow the corne and the dung both together on the land,being furenot to fcant the Land ofSeed,and no doubt thc encreafe will be won. dcrfull. Now ifthis cannot he conveniently done, or thatyouwant dung, ifthenyou take ordinary water, and therein deep your feed,it is good alfo,and efpecially for barley, and is approved by daily experience- Shaving of But now rae thinks 1 hear the poor man fay, thathereis karn. but one acre dreft, and that is a fmall proportion ; to this 1 an- fwer, if thou betd able but to drefs one acre with thefe woollen raggs, thou foalt then fearch amongft the Horners, Tanners, Lanthorn makers, and fuch like, and get all the wad (havings of horn which thou cand poflibly compalfe, and as before of the ragsfoofthefeafackand ahalfe, ortwofacks will drefs an a- crerthefe (havings(which are indeed good for no other ufejyou fliall fcattcr upon the land as you did the rags, then plow them in after the fame manner,fo order the ground,fo fow, and in the fame manner deep the feed,and quedionltfle the encreafe will be „ . . wonderfull great: thefe manures will lad five years without any tetf " ” Ci? " rcncw ’ n g- Now if of thefe you cannot get fufficient to trim all your ground, you (hall then deale with Butchers, Sowfe wo- roen,Slaughtcr-men, Scullions, and the like ; and from thefe you (hall get all the hoofs you can, cither of Oxe, Cow, Bull, Calfe, Sheep, Lambs, Deer, Goates,or any thing that cheweth the cud, and which indced,ifnotfor this ufe, are otherwife.ut- terly cad away to the dung -hill, and defpifed: and thefe hoofcs you aBook. Moorijb Sands , 47 you (hall cut and hew into fmall pieces, and fcattcr thick upon your land atfallowing time,then plow them in,as aforefaid,and do in all poynts as with the other manures already recited, and fo deep your feed,and there cannot be a greater inricher of ara¬ ble ground whatfoever. Now if all thefe will not yet cotnpoft.your land, you (hall thtnfecwhatfope afhesyoucan get orbuyj, for of all manures there is none more excellent, forbefides it giveth an exceeding, ftrength and fatneffe to the land, it alfo killeth all manner of weeds,great and fmall,as Broome,Gorfc, Whinnes and the like, & it killeth all manner of Worms, 8t venemous creeping things, it is excellent for Woad.&the ground renewed yearly therewith ofWoad* may be fown continually : thefe fope allies muft be laid on the Land after fallowing,and then ftirred in;- two load thereof will ferve to d refs an acre: when it is fit for feed,the feed muft be fteept as aforefaid, and then fowne, and the increafe will quit the charge manifold. Thefe fope-afhes are alfo excellent good for Hemp,and Flax,being thinly fown upon the laud, after it is The enriching: plowed;and immediately before the Seed be fown : but ifyou ofordinar y have more land to drefle, then you muft make ufc of your own manure ’ ordinary manure, as is Oxe-dung, Horfe-dung, and the like, which that you may make richer&ftrongerthenotherwifeof its own nature it would be, you (hall caule continually to be thrown upon it all your powdred beef broth, and all other fait broths or brines which (hall grow or breed in your houfe, alfo all manner of foap fudds, or other fudds, and wafhings which flail proceed from the Launderic, and this will fo ftrengthen and enrich your m inure, that every load (hall be worth five of that which wantetfi this help. There be divers other manures which doe wondei fully enrich and fatten all manner of barren grounds, as namely the haire of beafts hides, T j, e hairs Q f (which for the molt part Tanners and Glovers doe call away) beafts hide*, this thinly fpread on the Land, and plowed in, brings every year a fruitful! crop. Again if braken or Fern be layed afoot ° { b«ken. thick upon the earth, and then a layer of earth upon it, thena- nothcr layer of braken, and a layer of' arth upon it, then a-, nother layer of braken, and another layer of earth, and fo lay¬ er upon layer till the heap be as bigge as you intend it, andfo' left to rot all the. Winter following, there cannot be a better Kj. m - 4$ HowtoEnricb 2 Book manure for any arable ground; for you (hall underftand thauhe eanh will fo rot the braken, and the braken fo foak into ths earth, that they will become both one rich fubftance. And To rot dong’ herein you (hail note, that whenfoever you would have any quickly. . fubftance ( of what condition foever ) quickly to rot and turn to manure, that the only way is to raixe it with earth, and that will in (hort fpace bring it to rottenncfle.Now this braken and earth thus rotted you {hall lay upon jour land as you doc your ordinary dung ot'Cattell, and then fow your feed being fteept as aforetaid. Of Mak-duft. Next your Mak-duft which is the fprout, come, fmy- tham,and there excrements of the Malt, as an excellent manure for arable land, allowing three quarters thereof for an acrcjtnd ftrowing it upon the land after it is plowed and ready to be fown. Of rotten Pil- There is another manure, which albeit it is not plentiful every cbers »nd gar- where^yet in forac places it is, and not inferiour to any manure fcg e . before fpoken of.& that is your rotten Pilchards after the oyle is taken from them,& the carcafles caft to the dunghill,this laid on the IandjSt plowed in, bringeth Corne in great abundance:and no lefle doth the carcaffes and garbage of all kind offilh what- foever, efpecially of fea-fifh. Of blood of« daftly the bloodentralls and offall ofany beaft is an excellent fils. ' manure for any kind of grain,plant, or tree, but efpecially for the Vine,for to itthereisnonouriftiment of greater force or cf* ficacie :alfo,ifthis blood be tempered with lime^itis exceeding comfortable for grain and deftroyeth worms,and other creeping things which hurt Corne,only it muft not be applyed prcfently, but fuffered for a little time to rot, left the too much heat there¬ of might fcorch and doe hurt to the root ofthe Come: this ma¬ nure is to he layd on the earth when you fow it, and fo the feed and it harrowed or plowed in together,which done after the or¬ der of good workmanlhip,there is no doubt ofthe encreafe. 2 Book. rough wooddygroundt, 4 9 CHAP ii. How to Enrich for Company barren /ongbywiedy 0 reund y being newly (tubbed tip. TF you have any barren wocddy ground which is newly ftub- ^ | bed up,and that you would convert it to arable,you (hall then take a great quantity of the underwood, or worftbru(h wood which was cut from the lame, and in the mod convenient place in the field,as in the midft, or near thereabout, you (hall frame it into a broad hollow pile, and then coyer it all over .with great fodds of earth, which done,fet fire onit,and leave no 'part thereof (either wood or earth ) unburnt, then take thofe a(hes and fpread them ail over the field, fo farre forth as you Wood afhe*. mean to plow up, then with a good ftrong plow fallow the ground as deep as you can, and lo let it reft till it be almoft yk%;thcn take either Fern, Stubble, Straw,Heath,Furrs,Sedge, bean ftalkes or any other waft growth,take I fay either any one, Afoes ofpemj or more of thefe or altogether,as you (land pofleft of them, and Straw,8tcj burn them to afhes and therewith cover your land the fecond time, and then in fummer flirt c it within a Moneth, after foyle it, then at the beginning of October, ora little before, plow it again, and fow it with Rye the firft crop, and you (hallfee the increafe will be very plentiful], the next year you may fow it with Wheat, the third year with Barley, the fourth year with Peafe,Lupins,Fetches,or any other puHc, and then begin with Wheat again;for ids-credibly faid, that this manner ofdrefling thefe barren,wooddy grounds,(halI maintain and keep the earth in good hea rt; and ftrength in the word places, for the fpace of four years,in that which is in any thing reafonable for the fpace offix years, and where there is any finall touch of fertility, for the fpace of fixteen y ears;of which there are day ly experiences in trance about the forreft of Arden, and fome with us here in’ England in many wooddy. places, CHAP- How to Enrich 2 Book, 3 ° Tbs verms; of Safe. CHAP. 12. The warmer of reducing and bringing into their flrfl perfection all forts of ground which have been over-flowed or fpoyled by falt- water-prthe Sea-breacb^either arable or pa (ture^as alfo the enriching o r b error in tr of the fame, Jfthf/kbom! ’‘TFHere is nothing more hard or difficult in all the art ofhus- J. bandry then t his point of which I am now to intrear, as namely the reducing and bringing unto their firft perfeftion all forts of grounds which have been over flowed or elf’e fpoyled by the Sea-breach and bringing in of too great abundance of, fait wacer, which to fome men of little experience,and free from thofe dangerous troubles may appeara matter very fleight, and the wound moft ea fie and curable;and the rather, becaufe in all my former relations and demonftrations touching the bettering ofeveryfcverall fort ofground,! do apply as one of my chiefcft ingredients nr hmplet, by which to cure barrenneflc, Salt-land fait-weeds, falt-water, falt-brine, Afbes, Lime,Chalk,and many other things offalt nature, as indeed all the manures and marles whatfoever muff cither have a fait quality in them , or they cannot produce fruitfulncfle, fo that to argue (imply from natu- rail reafon; If fait be the occafion offruitfulnefs and increafi, then there cannot be much hurt done by thefe over-flowes of the falc-water, that it fhould rather adde a fattening and enriching to che ground then any way toimpovcrilh it, ard makeit incapable of pro wih orburthen. Buccxpericncc(which is the beft Miftrefs)fhevves us the contrary, and rht re is nothing •more noyfome and peftiime to the earth then the fuperabun- dance,and too great excefle of faknefle dor according to our old Proverb of ri.miurr,^ that too much of every thing is via- ous, a* we fee in the (fate of mans body that your ftrorigcfl poyfons-as A-,n tnony or S- r (' elofnnrida, Ruberb, and the like,taken in a moderate meafure,are mofi healthful],and expel! thoie malignant; qualities which offend the body, and occa¬ fion fickncffe 5 but taken in the left excefle that can be de.viftd they thcn(out of their vinous and naughty qualities)doc fud- denly and violently deftroy all health, and -bring upen the body The Vices which come from Salt. I a Book. Reducing Grounds to petfeShon, $ i 1 body inevitable"death>andmortalicy ; fo is ic withthis matter I of fait,and the body of the earth; for as by the moderate diftri- 1 buting thereof it correfteth all barren qualities, difperieth cold, I and naughty vapours jand yeeldeth a kind of fatncfle and fruit- I fulnefle whereby the Seed is made more apt to fprout, and the 1 ground more ftrong or able to chert (h the fame till it conic to | perfeftion, through.the (harp, warme, and difperftng quality I thereof ; fo being bellowed in too great abundance and exccflr, The abufe of | whereby the earth is forfeited, and as it were overcome and Ialtin exce6, | drowned up with too much of this natural! goodncfle and | helpfull quality, then all his proper vertucs tprne to egregious 8 vices, as his whoklome Ihrrpneiietoafrctcing, gnawing and | dtftroying greedineffe, his comfortable warmnefle to a coofu- | ming,and waftingfierinefs,and hisgentlcntlfe in difperfing to an | infectious and venemous pollution,by the joynt qualities of all g which together, the ground is made neitherfic to ieceivcany. | thingfrom the hand of the Husbandman, nor yet to produce I or bring forth any of it felf becaufc every good quality is abtifed I or expelled, and nothing but unnaturalndfe and fterility left ; | which like a Serpent lodgeth in the ground, and willfufferno I good thing tohavefociety with itrandthefe are theeffeffsand I mifehiefes which are occafioned by thefe Sca-breaches or inun- I dations of the fait water. | It is ccrtainc that although in the fait marlhes, where the Sea Ofralcmod& . | commeth in at certain times, and pnely walheth or fprinkleth rate i y ufed, I tbe ground all over 3 and fo departeth, there is neither want of | gralTe,nor yet complaint of any evill qualityin the grade: yet | it is mod certain that no overflow of fait water how little or | moderace foev(r,can be truly faid to be wholefomefor.anykind n 0 0 va t!ow I cfgrafsgrouod whatfoeveifeBm> 2 Book The grounds forth graft, and that of che beft and fineft kind: for although the Marihe* Mafiers °* the Salt-marfhe* find a Angular and rare profit 1 "" in thofe grounds for the feeding, breeding,fatting, and fuftain. ing of their great Flocks of Sheep ; which upon thefe fait grounds,they fay will never rot or perifh by thatuniverfall dif- eafr,yet muff they not impute it to the great quantity,goodndfe, or any growth in the graffe, but to the fait which they lick up in the grafs, and to the fait quality of the graffe, which is not onely an Antidote or prefervative again!! thatnoyfome and peftilent mcrrality, but alfo a delightfull and pleafant food wherein thofe Cattell take more contentment than in any c- ther thing whatfoever ; (o thatl moft neceffarily reft upon this concluliun, that as but moderate walhing and over-flowing of Salt water; are no certaine or particular great helps unto grdTe- grounds, efpec'ally if they be applycd thereunto,and to thatpur- pofe (imply at the tirff, without any other preparative or wor- Acruecaufe kiog by a former means,as by tillage,digging, delving, or the cfbaircnnefe. pike 5 (o the exceeding great inundation or $ea-breachcs which lye long foaking and "finking into the earth muft needsfaea certain infallible, and almoft incurable caufe ofbarrennefle eatingi fpoyling, and confuming the very rootes of all man. Where this n er of plants, crees, and growths, by which the groundis 1S made utteily incapable of generation or bringing forth - anil m.ur* .e. therefore w here thefe great inundations or over-flowings can¬ not be either prevented or avoyded, but as the fcafonsofthe year they doe and muft hold their courfes, there I would nut wifhanyman tobeftow eitherjhis labour or his coft, for it is Where it is ] 0 f s 0 f c j me and Ioffe offubftanceibut where it is to be prevented curable. or by induftry, or that thofe over-flowing or Sea- breaches come and happen by cafualty or change,as either by the unnaturalneffe and fuperabundanceof tides being driven inby the violence and impetuoufneffe ofoutragious winds, or by any 'neglect or breach in the Sea wall, or other mifhaps of the like nature, which hapneth femetimes fcarce once in an age, at the moft not above once or twice in many.years; in thefe cafes there is inoft certaine remedy, and the ground fofpolyed and wafted may by art and induftry be againe reduced and brought to th former perfection and goodneffe;nay,many times amended an e 2 Book. overflowed by Saltwater, 53 freed from many fault* and fterile.qaalitie?, to which, it was ei¬ ther naturally addi&ed, orelfe by,chance and accident grew thereunto, by continually wearing and imployment ,without reft or rcfre(hing,by the artificial! meanes of vvholfomc manures, or other ftrejigihenings which ought to be applyed before tbofe faults grow in extreamities. y, i\ow touching thclcure of thefe grouads which are .thus worn Thg inanncg , out, decayed, and made barren by thefe inundationsvofS.alt- of t i iecure . water, rhe owner thereof is firfttodraw into his confideration, that as the malignity and evil! quality of the earth is grown by too much fretting gnawing and wafting of the Sale, fo it nmftbe allayed and qualified by a quite contrary condition; which is frethncffe: the contrary then to fait water, rnuftof ne- cdlity be frefh water, fo that you are to call about yourjudge- One contrary mem,and by the view,fituation,andlevell of the gronndf which h e lp sanoc er ' for the meft part can have but little difficultie in it, becaufe thefe grounds upon which the Sea thus 6reaketh, muft evcr.be the loweft of all other, fo thatatruedefcentcomminguntoit, and a true afeent comming from it, there is no hardneffe to con¬ vey, any water - courfe thereunto) look howto bring a frcfhneffe which may conquer and overcome this fatnefle, arid that muft therefore be frelh water,which by channels, ditches, furrowes, ^ water ; R g fluces,and the like,you may bring from anyfrelh river, fpring, w ; t h f rc fh pond, or other frcfh water courfe(though removed fome dift- ter. ance of miles from the place to which youwould convey it) to the very place to which you defire,to ha-'c it^ aiid with . this ft eft water you (hall wafh and gently drowne over .fo much of your fpoyled ground as you (hall be able reafonably to deal wkhalL,in other cods and labourfor that year ; and if you have plentiful! (lore of frefh water, then having (as I faid) drowned it over.gently,about four inches, or halfa foot deep, you lhall Hqw tQ drainc fo let it lye two or three daye?, then drain away that water by awa ^, t i ie f re fc the help of back ditches, orby fluces made for thatpurpofe, wate r. | which if the fituatton of the ground deny you, and that there is | no fitch convenient conveyance, then you (hall intheloweft part of the gronnd(cither joyning upon fome other fpoyled ground,or upon the Sea-wall or bank) place a Coy, which may either caft the waterinto the other ground,or el(e over the wail L a and 54 Reducing grounds toperfe$ion 3 2 Book, How oft to and bank into the fea ; and having thus drained away the einh" ' he ^ water* , you (hall then open your fluces of frefh wa. ter again, and drown your ground over the fecondtime, and doe in all things as you did before, and thus according tothe-plentifulneflc of your frefh water, you (hall drown your ground, or at lead wa(h it over with frefh water twice a week before the beginning of the fpring, and if the fait water have lain long, or be but new departed, then you fhall life your frefh water for fome part of the Spring alfo. ,, K» 5 ds iffrefn Now fome may objeft untomeherefandicisamatteralto- bs"want- g £ ther unlikely ) that in fome of thefc places where thefe Inun- Ir.g, dations and breaches are, it is impoffible either to find frefh wa- ter.and co bring frefh water unto them, becaufe all the fpring* keener brae- for many miles about being made naturally brackifh, and the ” fe h !-f ter » be r * vers t ^‘ e infection of the fait tides, having loft the greateft „o-£.ome- p art; 0 f t h e i r fwcet frefhnefle ; the queftion now refteth, whe¬ ther thefe brackifh waters are wholefomc for this purpofe,Ior no? To this I mud needs anfwer, that they cannot in any wife be good for thefe fpoyled goounds, becaufe the earth naturally is of an attractive and drawing condition, fucking and gathe¬ ring unto it felf any thing that is of a (harp fweet, orfowertaft, and efpecially faicneffe, fo that being covered with thofe brackifh waters, it will draw from them onely their fait (of which it hath too much already) and no part of the frefhnefle which fhould qualifle and amend it : therefore it either your ground be thus fituated,or your neceflities thus unapplied, it is better that you rather forbear this labour of wafhing or drown- ing your earth(though it be the firft, the fpeedieft and fureft cure of all other)than by watering it with infinite and unwholefome waters, rather cncreafe the mifehiefe than any way delay it. "'-j £-f time After you have watered your ground ( ifit bc a work or'*plowirg, & P°ffible to be attained unto) or other wife neglefted (it being a rke obfsrvati-thingnotpoflibletobefound)you (hall then about the latter ons therein, end of M.r-ch plow up all the ground with a good deep flitch, turning up a large furrow, and laying it into lands, raife *tnhs t0 £ ^ em upas much as youcan,and make them round, thcnlook Book. overflowed by Saltwater. $5 of what nature or temper the earth is, as whether it be fine fand, rough gravell,ftiff clay,or a mixt earth, or,any of thefc contra¬ ries together ; If it be a fine fand, either white, red, or brown,it matters not whether, then you lhall take any clay earth which is free fronuhefe fait walhings, bting ofa mean or fmall ftiffe- nefs,andlikewifeofas meanand little richnefs, which being digged out offomeftank, pit, or other place where leaftlpffc istobehad, you fhall carry it in tumbrels or carriages to the new plowed ground) and there firft lay it in heaps as you doc manure, then after fpread it all over the Land, and being dry, with clotting beetles break it as {mail as you can poffibly, for this hungry Clay being of no rich and fat condition, will fo fuck and draw the fait into it, that it will take away much of the evill quality, and mixing his toughquality with the loofe condition of the fand, they will both together become apt for fruitfulnefs and generation. If the foyled ground be a rough hard gravelly earth, then you lhall mixe or fpread upon it the bell'and richeft frelh Clay ™ Graved, you can get,or if there be any fuch fruitfulneflc near about you then with a good blew marie, for that is the cooleft and the frclheftjand will the foonelt draw out the fait from the gravell, andgive it a new nourifliment,whereby any feed lhall be fed 8c comforted which is call into it. . Ifthefpoyled earth be of its owne nature a ftiffe and tough ^|“ Ure Clay,which is but fcldome found fo near the Sea (hoare, then y ‘' . after the plowing,you lhal mix it,8c cover it over with the frefli- eft and finefi Sand that you can poffibly get,for that will not on¬ ly feperate the Salt from the Clay, and take away the naturall . , toughnefs and ftiffnefs of the fame, which hindereth and fuffo- of mj^^earth. cate th the tender fprouts;fo as they cannot eafily get out of the earth, but alfo by lending a gentle warmth, will affwage the cold quality of the clay,and make it bring forth molt abundant¬ ly. . - Laftly, if the fame fpoyled earth be of a mixed quality, then you lhall look whether itbebinding or loofening. if it be binding, then you lhall mixeor cover it with fine frelh fand;^ ^ ^ if loofening, then with a reafonabie rich and tough clay, forfo * ^ you lhall bring it to an open and comfortable temper, making' L3 it 5 6 Reducing grounds to perfeSticn, 2 Book, itableboth to receive cheri(h and bring forth the feed $ which before cither too much wet, or coo much drinefledid ftifleand bind up within the clots and mould, fo as it had no ftrengch to bear it felf through the fame. The fecond When you have covered your land* with this mixture, you plowing. (hall then plow ic over againe before Midfumm;^ turning the new laid earth unto theold earth, and as foon as that labour is finiftied, youlhall then lade forth your manure or compoft unto it,in which you are to have a great care what manure you Election cf ele& f° r thi* purpofc,for it is not the richcft and fatteft manure manures. as your Pigeons dung, or Pullens dung, Lime, Chalk or allies, your Horfc-dung,your (hovellings up on high wayes, your beads hoofcs,yourhorn (having,your Hemp wced } or any other weed which groweth near the feydge of the lea, neither your Oxe, or Cowdnng,though of all before named, that is the beft,which doth the inoft good upon thefefpoyled grounds, becaufe they have all in them aftrong quality offalcneffe or (hirpncfie, which will rather adde than diminifh tlieevill quality of the earth, buc inftcad of thefe you (hall take the mud of dried bottomes of The beft ate- Lakes, Ponds, and Pitches of frc(h water, and the moyfteror nures. wetter fuch mud or bottoms are,the better it is, or Straw which is rotted by fomc fre(h water courfe, raine, orthelike ; byno means that which is rotted by the urine or dale of horfe or cat¬ ted for that is the falteft of all other;or you may take any weeds which you fee grow in frcih Pavers, Ditches, Ponds, or Lakes, efpecially thofe which grow at the bottomes ofWillow, Sal¬ low,orOficr trees, or you may take the old ragges of woollen - The ordering cloth, or any other manure which you know to be the WO ! 'l- efthe manure. ] e ft or freChed, and with any of thefe, or all of thefe together vou (hall very plentifully cover your ground all over, and im¬ mediately upon the covering or laying on, fee you prefcntly plow inland after land 5 for to give it any long refpite after it isfpread, the Snn out of his attraftive and ftrong nature will exhale and draw out all the vertue from your manure, andfo fpoyl much of your labour- The third When you have thus manured it, and plowed it, you may plowing. then let it reft till Michaelmas^ at which time you may plow it the laft time, and then fowitwith the ftrongeft and hardeft Wheat a Book. cverflorndby mter* $7 whea-you have s of which the white Pollard is the beft 8c there is no qutftion bat if it be fafe from a fecond inundation,your crop wil both be plentiful & rich,and alfo acquit and pay largely for all your former charges. The fecond year you need buc onely plow it as aforefaid j and then fow it with good Hemp-feed, and be allured you will have a brave crop arite thereof ; then the thirdyearyou fhallplowitasflatasyoucan, ftillthrowing ^ f C£Gn i it down and not raifing it up at all, and then fow it with the ye ar lowing bed Oates you can get, according to the nature and ftrength and third, of your Countrcy, and be fore to harrow it well, andtobreakc every clot,and make the mould as fine as is po(Fible,and the next year alter your Oates,lay it for grafie, and l dare be bold, it will Laying the bear reafonable meadow ; yet Would I not have you this year earth for to preferve it for that purpofe, but rather to graze it with Sheep 6 ra " e * or Cattell,e{pecially Sheep, of which I would have you lay on good (tore ; for it matters not,how near or clofe to the ground they eat it ; for the next year it will become to the fulneffeof perfeftion, and be as profitable or more profitable ground than ever it was,and then you may apply or accommodate it for-what ufe you pleafe, either arable, Meadow, or for continuall gra¬ zing. And thus much touching the manure of reducing again, and Ofgrazing. bringing unto their fii ft perfeftion, all forts of grounds which have been over-flowed or fpoyled by Salt-water, orthcSea- brcachfs, whether it be arable or pafture; as alfo the enriching or bettering of the fame. CHAP. 13. Another wa.j tg enrich barren Pdflures,or Meadows-, without the help of water, I F your barren Failures or Meadows be fo feated that there is no poflible means e? wafting or drowingthem with water, youaie then only to reftorc and ftrengthen thembythetffica- cy of manure or foyl, without any other help, and this may diverfe wayes be done,as by thofe manner of mapurings which 1 have formerly treated of. But to go a better a nd briefer way to work,and jnorc for the eafe and capaclty of thc plaine Hus¬ bandman 2 Book $8 A way to enrich barren Faflum. Clsy manure ^ an< ^ m . aD 3 whcnfoever you (hall be poffcft of thcfe barren pa- / * fluresjifthc barrenneffc proceed from fand,or gravel},then fome Husbands ufe to manure the pafture over with the belt clay they cangctjfirft laying it in heaps, then fpreading,ic and laftly with clotting beetles breaking it into as fine duft as they can get it, and this labour they commonly perforate as toon as they can after Harveft, when the latter fpring is eaten and the earth is moft bare;but if the barrennefs proceed from an hungry,cold & MooriCsearth, dry clay, t fien the manure is with the beft moorifh black earth which they can get,or with any moyft manure whatfoever, ef« pecially and above the reft when the foyle that is digged out of old ditches, ponds, or dried up Handing lakes, and this earth muft be laid plentifully upon the ground in manure heaps, as aforefaid;that is to fay;firft in great heaps, then after broken anddifperfed over the whole ground, and laftly broken into ftnailduft,and mixed with the fwarth of the ground, and this labour as the other generally performed after the Harveftasa time ofmoft convenience, and giving the earth a fit refpits to ( fuck in the ftrength and comfort of the new earth, and al to ha¬ ving all the Winter after with hisfrofts, fnowes, and fh'owers, to mellow ripen and mixe together one earth with the othereSt doubdefsthisisa moft exceeding good Husbandry, and not to berefeld or carpt againft by any knowing or found judgement; onely ids not the moft abfolute, or beft of all waics whatfoever, but that others may be found fome what moren ear, andfome- Ths beft way w ^ at more commodious. to mrich pift- Therefore whenfoever you (hall be owner of any of theft cure or mea- barren paftures,or meadows, of what nature or condition foe- dow. ver the earth be, whether proceeding from gravell/and, clay, or peftered with any other malignant quality whatfoever, to re¬ duce it to fertility and goudneffe in the (horteft time,and to the moft prohr,about the Month efM.irc/j, when all pafture grounds are attbe bareft, and doe as it were remain at a ftand between decreafingandincreafing, you (hall begin then to lead forth your mannre for the refrefhir/g of thefc Earths, and the ma- The foyl of nure you (hall carry unto thefe grounds,(hall be the foyt the ftreetior °fftreets within Cities orTowns,cr the parings and gatherings high-ffaie*. Up ©f the high-wayes much beaten with travel!, alfo the earth for 3 Book. I 'he heft way to Enrich- $9 for two or three foot deep,which lyeth under yotir dung-hill Earth unde r when the dung is removed, and carried away, forthi'sismoft Dunghills precious and rich mould, and is not alone excellent for this ufe, buca'.fo for the ufe of Gardens, for the ftrengthning and comfor- To enrich gar- ting of all forts of tender plants,and for the ufe of Orchards, for ( Now for the manner of laying your Gome into the Stack, you (hail be Cure to turne that part of the iheafe where the eares of the Corne lye ever inward into the Stack] & the other which is the draw end, you (hall ever turne outward, and by that meanes you (hall biaffufed that no flying fowle, as Pigeons, Crowes, and fuch like, carisfoyou any hurc or annoyance upon the fame: Laftly you (hall underflhrid, that you may make thefe Stacks cither round, fqtlarc or long wile, yet round is the fafeft, & if you do make them long-wife, then you (hall fetthem upon .fix ground-pods, or eight, according to the,length and propor- tiouyou would have it, and after your Stack is ijiadcj.you nia.il then thatch it very well to keep out the" wet; alfo if when you do Stack your wheat, you do top your Stack with Oate* or o. ther coorffrGfaicejdt will be fo muc^jifcbetter^nd the Wheat will lye in gKater fafety^fbrjm^artlofCScackWell made, e- fpecialiy a round Stack, will fofoone take w et or hurt, as the top thereof. "" ' - A ‘ 41 C H A P. vftafa Mid mperfe&ioM.$hiwih*ppfH to all 52 manner ofgruiiitrj • A Lbeitthe manner-ofStacking iand Iaying tiptf Corn or GfeinJathc ..foripMoce-fhewe d^ ^ m a^t&eiyery one give an affupance for the fafeTridprofitable khepiffgrilKreo^ as long as it indureth therein, and abideth In the earcy-j^t becaufe di¬ vers neccflities may compell the H usbandman to thrafil out his Corn,'as either, for prefentufe of€trawyChaffe ; Garbage, or . other %Bo ok. j^ndpfgi ' .73 other commodities needfull untohim(as the feafori oftheyear (hall fall' out)Ithink.it ttioft n'ec^fyjb.thijpi^eco (Hefo jipsir all manner ofGrain &Pulfe.,6f what ,nature foever, ..may/moft fafely and profitably be ; Jkcpt fromjaj[ ; l mannerjof ^onoyjinc.c^ 'or fcorruptions whatfoever, ;beipga ; Work;e ; of that utility 8c goocjU nelTe, that not any-belonging to the;Husband-man jdptffpxpegd it.: Nor (hall it be fufficient to (hew the offences and dfleafes of Graine with their cures and healthful! prefervations, whileft.it is in the Husband-mans poffeflion, hut ajfo whileftiti's inthe earth*, and at the mprey of cold, heatjtnoiftncffe, or, driejieffe, and not only fubjeft to thp tnalignant, influences ,of Starres and Planets, with the increafing apd decreafing ofthernoone and her operations: but alfo of divers other, hurtfull Vermine; as birds, wormes, Pifmires, dorres, fnailes, moalcs, and other fuch like: fome whereof confume and devour the Graine ere it fprout, other fprouting-when the kernellhs rotten,, ana turn¬ ed to fwcet fubliance,and othersafccrit is fprputedjbjy devour¬ ing the firft tender leaves ,m before; they have any ftrengthto ap¬ pear above earth, being as it. were but foft white threds, not changed into the ftrength of green, becaufe theatre and; Sunne . hath no£ yet lookt«ppnit r ;....... • tTetbegin then:with tbc.firft(en£mg$ 1 pf corn.orgralpe,:aftpr onTS’Slt' ith’ , ithro\fene into the earth, itherp is. npnqmore noylome'.thqn 3 Crowes, and Chutes and other 'fmallep birds, whicH'flpcking after the feeds-man/will.in a manner .devour and gather up the graine as faft.as it is fowne; for as aecording to the; old faying, Thatwfcw/ hands-wbkg-light p.m^ny ofr lheirpiptithes (being creatures,that.evey fly.ftvflpcks together)'and their.njueh nimblcneffe in devouring,,fopne.roh,'the. earth of her‘ftofe, and deprive the labouring Husbandman of very much profit, , and the Graine which thefe creaturesdoe moft: confume, is all manner ofwhite come, as Wheat of,all kinds, Rye and Oats, as alfo Hempe-feed, Liri-feede,Pvaperfee,o$ which' when the beads tails it is prefent death unto them : Chhers life to fprinkle upon the land Hellebor , or neefing pouder mixt with Barky meal, of which the Mice and Rats will greedily feed, and ith a deadly bane and prefent death unto them. _ La(lly(and whichis the beftmedicine)ifyou,takeagood qifan- ’ ‘ dty of ordinary green glaffc,beaten alfo tt> pouder, and as much O 2 Copperas y% Offences of Wormes. a Book, Copperas or vitriol beaten alfo to pouder, and mixe them with coorie honey, til it come to a pafle, and then lay it in the holes; and moft fufpitious places, and it will neither leave Rat not Moofe about all your fields, but fodainly defiroy them. Of Worms, The next great deftroyers of Corn and Grain , art Worms : y , and they defiroy it in the fprouting, then when the ground hath rotted it, and the white or milkie fubftance breaking open the upper husk, fhooteth forth in little white threds at boi Kends, upon which whilft it is fo moiftand tender, the worn? feedeth cxtreamly, and fo devouring up the fubftance or fpermc, is the caufc the Corn cannot grow or get out of the ground, andthefe ■norms: being as it were the main citizens within the earth, are fo innumerable, that the loflc which is bred by them is infinite, the Cure. Now the cure or prevention for thefe Wormes is diverfly ta¬ ken: for fomc Husbandmen ufe bat only to ftrike into the Plow- Reft, and under the lowe ft edge of the (hebord certaine crooked fpikes of iron of great nailcs half driven in, and^turncdbacka- gain, withwhichas the Plow runs tearing in theground, and turnes up the furrow, thofc pieces of Iron kill and tear in pieces fuch Wormes as are either within or under the furrow that the Plow calls up, and this is fure a very good Husbandly Pradicc, but not fufficicnt for the deftroying of fuch a fecret hurtfull ver- mine which is fo innumerable, and lies fo much concealed: therefore, more curious husbands ufe befides this help of the Plow,ro take Oxe dungand mix it with draw, and then to burn it up in the land makings great fmoke overall the land, imnte- diacly before you plow itfor feed, and it is thought that this will kil all the wormes which lie fo high in the earth, as to hurt the Corn. - Others ufe, before they make either the mixture or the fmoke, to wet the draw in ftrong Lye, and then adding it to the dung, the fmoke will be fo much the ftronger, and the worms kild the fooner: or if you fprinkle ftrong . lye upon your feed before you fow it, there is not any worme that will touch the graine after ■ alfo if you take hemp and boyl it in water, and with the water fprinkle your feed before you.fow it, not any Of Rye not to worm will come neer to touch it. be.w«. Yet is it to be obfet ved in this rule of wetting your, feed corn, . that 79 sBook Offences (fWcrmt. that by no means you muft wet your feed Rye, for it is a Grain fo Sarnie and tender that it will neither indure cold, wet , nor ftiffground infomuch that the plowman hath a proverb, that Rye will drowndinihe Hopper; that is to fay it muft neither be fown on wet ground, nor in a wet day, fince prefent (howres ateapttodeftroy- Laftly , it is thought thatoftplowing your ground in the wane of the Moon is a very good mcanes to deftroy both. Touchingthat pra&ice which many ufe,to gather the worms from their lands at Sun rife, in bright dewie mornings and Sun- fet when the worms couple above the earth,l hold it more fit for fmall gardens, then large Com fields. The next great deftroyers of Corn are Snails, and they de- of Snailes. ftroy it after it is fprouted,feeding upon thetender white threis &fions which ftartfrom the feed and would rife above the earth, ; being the ftem or ftalk on which theeares (hould grow( were it not devoured 8t eaten up by the Snailes, 8t fuch like Vermine}. as foon as it begins to peepe up, or as it were to open the earth; u hfereby it is driven back and forced to dye in the earthrfor thefe • creatures fucking upon the tender fwcetneffc, deprive it both of lifeiand nourilhmcnt. ■ The"cure and prevention for this evill, is to take the foot of The Curt a Chimney, and after your Com hath beene fown a week or ten days, or within two or three dayes after the firftfhower of ■ Rain which (hall fall afterthe Corn is fown; you jhall foW this footofthcChimncy thinly over the land, and notaSnailewill indure to come thereon :0 .hers ufe (efpecially in France and thofe more fertile Gountries):o take common oyle lees, and af¬ ter the corn hath beenfoWn and is ready to appear above the ground,to fprinklcic all over the lands, by which mcanes no Snaile or fuch like creature will endure to come n:er the fane. - The next great deftroyer of corne is accounted the Grafti^p- ofgraftiop- per, and he alfo deftroyeth ic after it is fprouted, and appeareth pen. above ground, as the Snail doth, but fomewhat more greedily, for he not only feedeth on the tender white firings, but upon the fiift green leaves that a ppeare alfo; by which meanes the Corne is-not able to fprjng or bring forth a fteromc or ftalk to bear O 3 , the 8o The Cure. Of Males. Offences of .Moles. 2 Book the ear upm; or if it do put forth any,yet it is fo. fnqall, weak and wretched, that the ear growing on the fame* is withered and lean, and the grain dry and blafted, and no better then chaff: nor is there any corn that fcapech the deftruftion ofthc Grafliop- per, for he generally feedethon all ifirft on Wheat and Rye, be¬ cause they are the earlieft, then on the Barly and Oats, and laftly on pulfejUpon whole leafe, and bloffome he feedeth, whileft the firft is fweet and pleafant, or the other green. Now the cure or prevention for thefe creatures, is according ■ to the opinion of fame Husbandmen, to take worme-wood, and boyle it well in water, till the ftrength of the worme- wood begone thereinto, and then with that water, in thejncnih of May to fprinkle all your corn over when the fun is riling, orfrt* tihg:and not any Gralhoppcr will comenecr, or annoy the fame, Others ufe inftead of worm-wood to boyl centaury, andtoufe the water thereofin the fame manner as afore-faid, and find an equal and right profit in the fame: but it is moft certain that any bitter concoftion whatfoever ufed and applyed as afore* faid, will not leave any Gralhoppcr about your fields ;for any bitternefleis fuch an enemy unto them, that they cannot live where they feel any tall thereof. The laft offence of living creaturesbclonging to corn or grain are Modes, which not only feed upon it after it is fprouted, and fpindledjby eating up the roots thereof,&fo confequcntly by kil¬ ling the whole corn: butalfoby their digging and undermining of the earth, do root up the corn and ddlroy it in moft worder- full manner,for where they make their haunts, or are fuffered to digge,there they will deftroy almoft half an acre in a dayineiiber make they choice ei her of grounds or grain, for all grounds and grains are alike ifthe ground be riot too wet or fubje&to in¬ undations, or overflowes^ a; for the moft part corn-grounds aie not) for above all things Moals cannot indure wet grounds, or earth of too moift a quality. Nowthebeft cure or prevention againft tlnfe creature?, is to find out the trenches and paffage?, which are moft plain and eafie to be known by the turning up ofthe new earth, and digging croffe holes in the fame, to watch either the going forth, or the eommingbackofcheMoal. and when you fee hercaft,toftdke her sBook. her, with'an iron fork made of many graiii^, ascightjoffixatthe leaft j andTo to'kill arid deftroy them /which' is-fo generally known aniongft Husbandmen, that it is become a trade ; and oc¬ cupation among them, fo that it needs no further del'crjptiqn; and thejatlier,in as much as for three prfewr pence afco,re 3 ybu ; may have any ground clcanfed of iVIpalswhatfoeireri - \ Now there be fame others which'have pot this art dtkilling or catching of Moales, which onclydo cake, brimftone and. wet ■ ftinking draw, or any thing elfe that will make,a {linking fmoak, and putting fire thereto,fmoak all the places of their haunts, and by that rhc.aries drive tijem all cleane.away from .the corn lands:, many - other'^ra^jfe^thyy have, but hoiiefogood, certain,and probable as’t n e fe already, d'ccl a red i • • . " Thus far ! have fp.okeii of'thofe offences which proceed from ? ffe . nc fl es from living creaturesjl will now intreat of thofe which come & grow 'J?^ 1 " h “^‘, from the influence of the heavens, being malignant vapour* which linking into the earth,. do alter trie jTweet and pleafant, nourilhmenc thereof, and change it intp bittfrneffc, apd .rotten-; neffe, whereby ( the corn is cither flainc but right.,: withered and made lean & unkindly, or elfe the kernell turn’s to a filthy blaek- nefff, being bitter, dry and dufly., like unto fmoak, which the Husbandmen call fmutdnes, or mildew. It cotnmeth alfo ano¬ ther way, as namely by overankneffe ^ or too much fatneffe of Tmuttjnelte the earth, and this happeneth moll commonly pnly to Wheat, and mudew; for if blackncffe happen to any other grain, it conimeih ofblaft- ings, or other malice of the Stars for ranknefs of the ground is in Barley, Rye, or Oate oncly, makes them.lye flat to the ground the ftalke not being able to fupport the mu Itiplicity of th t eares, and fo by that means the graine wanting hi? true nouriftiment,. growes withered, and of no validity; now that this is moft eafie tobefound out, the rankneffeofehe growing com riling as-it were in clofe bundles together, and thedeepblackneffeofthc green bladee will with fmall travell Ihewyou. This to cure and prevent, it fhall be good beforeyou fow your xhc Cure. Graine, to fow your land lightly over with chalk, for that will abatehis o ver rank nefle. There be other malignant qualityes which proceed front the Additions.- influences of. the heavens, or rather from the qualityes of the Planets - 8a Offenceffrsm the Influence of Heaven. 2 .Book. Planer* or Eletmncs, which do many dangerous hurts unto corn, as namely the Haile, the lightning, the Thunder, or the Planet* ftroke, or blafting, for all which the antient Husbandmen have fuggefled fcverall Cures: As namely for the Haile, to plant .the White-Vine, or flick the branches thereof in the Corn field.'for the lightning, to clofe a Hedge Toade in an Earthen Pot, and burying her in the Come fielde, or to plant or hang up the feathers of an Eagle, or a Scale skinae, or to Lawrcll therein : For the Thunder, to ring Bells, to (hoot off great Ordinance, ortoburnftinking weedesinthe Come- field - -And for Blafting-to take the fairehorne ofanOxe, and mixing it with dung,toburneitin the Corn-field, or to take thebranchcsof cheBay-trec, and to plant them in .the Corne- ficld- bucinasmuch asallthcfe, and many other the like fraell rather of conjuration, charme, or exorCifroc, then ofany pro¬ bability of truth; iwill neither hereftand much upon them, norperfwadcany man to give further credit unto them , than as to the vapours of mens braines, which do product much, many times out of mecr imagination; and fo Iwill proceed unto thofc things which are offarre greater likelyhood ‘ Of Frofts. The next cvill which happeneth unto Corn dr Grain, is that which commcch by frofts and (harp nipping colds, which ftar- vingche root, and binding up all nourilhment, makeththe Com dry, wither, and never profper; and,than the violence of the frofts there is nothing more bitter to plants and feeds. For even Rafor-like it cutteth the veins and finews inpeiccs,and as (harp needles pricketh the heart of every growing thing' for as the fire which ismoft hot, when it rageth, burncth, and confumcth all things; fo the froft, which is moft cold when it centinueth, ftarveth and choakcth, or ftifleth whaefoeveritem- braceth. The cure. Now the cure or prevention for thofc cvill* which do hap¬ pen to graine by thefc great frofts, is as feme Husband-men fup- pofc, to cover the land oyer when it is fowne, with afhes: others fpread draw or rotten litter upon their G orn, and not any of them but is fufficicnt to prevent the word injury that froft can Milts acd do. fogs ’ The moft malignant quality which offendeth grain, is myft and 2 Book. Influence vf Heaven. %% and fog. which being naughty vapours drawn from the infeSt- ed parts ofthe Eartb,and fall upon the Cornjdo not only make the graine leprous, but alfo infc&ing the better Earth after the kindly ncurifhtnent thereof,and as irwerediftilling corruption in theveinsjmakesall that depends thereupon moft leprous and unwholfome, and thereby altereth the quality, quite turning fweetnefle intobittcrnefT^fulneffe into cmptinefs,and goodneft into badnefle, to the great Ioffe of the Husbandmen, and the much difreputation ofthc ground. Now the cure and prevention of this evlll, according to the cure » opinions of all the beft Husbandmen,is to take weeds green, the twigs of bramble,and other brulh wood, wet draw or fuch like ftuffe, and binding them in great bundles, to put lire thereto, making a great and violent fmoke, and then taking the advan¬ tage of the wind,to walk up and down the field and fmoake it, which is thought a certain remedy to take away thofe inconve- niencies which happen by the venome & p oifon of thefe mills arid logs. Now to conclude,of thedifeafesand infirmities which happen corn reaps to corn whilft it is in the field, there is not any formerly fpoken wee. of more dangerous,or of vilder quality then the reaping, mow¬ ing,or gathering in of Corn, wet,or too green, and unhardned: for fuch moyllure, when the cornc is iheaved up clofe together, or ftackt or mowed up, forthwith gathereth heat, and either fetteth the Corn on fire,or clfe the moyfture being of leffe quan¬ tity,and not apt to flame,yet itcorrupteth the grain and liraw,& breedeth a llinking mouldinefs or rottennefs about it:fo that the grain either becomes dung and dirt,or at leaft fo {linking & un- favory, that it is good for noufe orpurpofc, as is dayly feene where careleffe husbands gather in their grain without refpeft or government, making the old proverb good, That haftc ever brings wafte. The cure and prevention of this ev ill, is the wellnusbanding Theatre, and managing of the harveft, as firfl with a carcfull and well judging eye to look upon your corn, and to know by the hang¬ ing downeward of the eare, (looking as’it werc back to the ground) and by the hardneffe of the graine, whether it be ripe or nojthen to look into the cleanneffe of the corn, as whether it. P be 84 Of Com reapt wet. 2 Book, bs full of greenneffe, asgraflfr,weds, and fuch like : orcleane of it felf without any mixture if you find there beany weeds mixt with it, then you may reap it fo much the foo- ner, though the kernell be not fo well hardned as you would wifti : and above all things have a care never to Ihear Come in the rain or wet, nonotfo rouchag with the mornings or evenings dew uponitjbut even inthcheatandbrightneffeof the day. Then having reapt your Come fo full of gra/Te and weedes,you (hall by no means fiieafc it, but fpreading it thin intheSunne, lec the grade wither allthatday, which when you perceive to change colour and grow dry, then bind it up in flieates. and let it lye fingleaday, that the windeand Sunnemaygetintoit, and dry'the grecnesmorefufficiently; then lay itinihocksofiix or eight (heafes a peece, and in thofe ihockes, turne the earesfo inward, that the other bigger ends may defend them from all raine, wet or dew that may befall upon them ; then a day or two after, lay them in ihockes of twenty, or of four and twenty fheafesapeece, and in thofe ihockes, let them take a fweat ; then break them open in a bright Sunnc /hineday, and letting the ayr pafle thorow them, to dry them* forthwith lead the graine home, and houfe it or ftack it in fuch fort as was (hewed in the former Chapter-, andbefurethe graine thus ordered and dryed can never rake hurt : butifthe feafon ofthe yea r fall out fo ex¬ traordinary evil! and full of wet, that by no meanesyoucan get your Cornc dry . home (which although it be feldome feene, yet it is poffible to be feen) in this cafe you mult bring ithomc aswellasyou can, and having your Kilne well or¬ dered and bedded, you (hall lay as many iheafes thereon, n it can containe, and turning and toiling them over a very gentle fire, by flow degrees dry them' very perfe&ly as near as you can, with no greater a heat then that which theSunnegiveth, and then mow and ftack them up at your pleafure, for the ayr will fweeten them againe, and take away ail fine]] offmoke or other ] annoyance :cnly obferve, not to ftack them up whilft the fire or heat is in them,but when they are cold,and fo they willbe as . fvveetasmaybe. Ofcornwafnr: Nowicis not amifle that 1 fpeak here a word or two of walht 3 Book. Of wajbt Corn. 85 waftit Corn, or the walhing of Corn : True it is(as before I have written) that all forts of Wheat whaefoever, arefubjeffc either by the ranknefle of the ground, blafting or elle mil¬ dewing, to a kind of filthy footy blacknefle, as is already (hewed ; and this .footy Corn is taken two waies, generally and particularly : generally, if the whole land be ftricken, and no corne faved, but all fpoyled, which is called mildew¬ ed ;or particularly, where but fume ccrtaine earcs arc (truck, orforae certaine part ofthe grain, as when it is black at both ends, yet full and found in the middeft, and this is called 1'muchc Corn, Joeing disfigured in part, but not in all. This fimitcht Corn, which is ftrucken here and there, iftheblaftcd cars be not culled out from the other, (which-to doe is an husbandry .exceeding good and very vvorthy)when it com meth under the ftayle, the duftof thofe black blafted eares will fo foul all the red of the corn, thnt it will look black and illfarorrd,and fo become unferyiceablc and unmarketable; for the blafted corn is both bitter and unwholfomc : In this cafe, youmuftofforce walh this corn, and you niuft doe it in two or three waters, till you fee all the blacknefle quite gone ; which done, then drain away your water clean, and laying the corn on fair window cioathes, or coverlids, lay it in the heat of the Sunne, and fo dry it againe till it be fo hard that it will grind : But if the time of the year will not ferve for the Sunncs drying it, thenyouffialldryitonaKilne with a very foft and gentle fire, and then cool it in theatre to reco¬ ver the fwee.nefle again, and then the corn is as ferviceable as any other: onely for feed it will by no meanesferve, both by raeanes ofthe blafting, which makes the kernell impcrfe&ac both ends where it ffiould fprour, asalfothetoo much drying thereof* 6y which it is fo much hardned, that the ground hath no ftrcngch to iefolve it; therefore it is the Office t f every Hus-, bandman when he chufeth his feed corn,to efehew by all means ihis wafhc corn as a grain that is loft it) the earth, and will by no means grow. Therefore that you may know wafht corn from all other c °rn, and fo not to be cozened by any deceit in the ill Hus- 0 bandman, you fhall take ir up into your hand, and if the corn P 2 look look bright ; cleer, andlhining, being all ofone intire colour, withoat change or difference, then be lure the corn is unwaflit and perfeft. But if you finditlook whiteratthe endsthen in any other part of the corn,and that the whitenefs is black & not fhining/o that there is a changeable colour in the corn,then be adured that the corne is waflic, and then by no means aptforfeed orin- creafe. Againe,puc three or four graines into your mouth, and chew them,and if then the tail be fweet and plcafant, and grind mcl- low.and gently between your teeth; then is the corn not walk: but if it have abitceriffi, orflelhyrawtafte, and grind hard between your teeth, or with much roughnefle, then hath the com been walk, and dryed againe, ana is not good for feed alfo when corn is more then ordinarily moyft,or more then or¬ dinarily dry ; both are very ill fignes, and lhew either imperfed corner imperfe& keeping, for the heft and good corne indeed, ever holdech an indifferent temperature, betwixt drineffe and moifture' CHAP. 18. Hoiv to keeps ail manner of grains,either thra(ht or unthntfx with leafi lo[fetheiongefit'.me y a.nd how to preferve it from all infirmities and verminein the honfie or garner. ' | '0proceed to the keeping andpreferving of corn and grain, u -*■ * s t0 he undcrftoodjthat it it to be done two feveral wait! | co.nnvo 0 di that is to fay,in the care and out of the eare:in the ftack, when : itisjoyned with the Straw and Ghaffc; or in the Garner,when it is elenfed and dreffed. . TouchingthekcepingofCornintheEarorintheStack,there in^theel/of 11 lt n0 ^ £tcer nor ^ £r wa Y then that already deferibed in Chap- ia the chtSt. t erI ^J being free from all offences whatfoever that can come to hurt it. Now there be others that cut off the eares of their corn? and then put them into great Chcftsor Hutches of wood(fuch asare very frequent and much in ufein Ireland, and other Countries where war rageth)and fo keepit fweet and good many yeares: Others s Book. OfQomintbe Ear r 87 Otters ufe to beat it out of the care,but not feperate it from the Chaffe, and then laying a kare of the Straw more then' afoot ? thickjto lay a good thick lear of the thralht corn;8uhus ky lear upon lear,till you h ave made up yoijr Stack,in fuch proportion as you (hall think convenient and this Will keep^ll kind of corn,or grain,or, othecSeeds,found,jfwect, and'fitfopanypur- pofe,at leaft-a dozen year,or mQre,as fome havefuppofed, with 1 out cither too much drying, withering,moifteningjor moulding And furc this is a very excellent way forthc ftoring up of much corn in a very little room, and may as well be done with corn as with ftraw; only it is not to be done in barne nor houfe, be- caufeMice, Rats, and other kind of vermine will-wbrkmuch deftruftion thereupon, butonaSackorHovellmadc and pro* portioned in fuch form as was fhewcd ^beforein the fixteench chapter,and fo it will Hand fafe without all annoyance, as long asitihallpleafethcownerto keepit jfurel amdt willlaftthus . fully twelve years,, yet fome Authors, affirmejit will laft'fifty years, but that is a fpacc of years beyond my tryall. ■ Touching the keeping of corn after it is thralht and dreft, it is Keeping of divers wayes to be done,'as by ftowage or place of lear, as Gar • ners,Hutches,and fuch like-, by labour and induftryi, as with the 01 {hovell,or elfc by device or medicine- For Garners, they be made diyers wayes,according to-the na- Of Garners; ture of the country,and cuftotfie of the people.- Someare made with clay and lometrodert with hair, ftraw chopt,and fuch like:but thefe are the worft,and do fooneft cor¬ rupt cornrfor although they are warm, which is a great prefer- vation to corn, yet they yeeld dull, and from chat dull is bred fleas,mites,weavels,and other Vermine which-fpoyl corne^ and makeiteafilyrot. Others are made of ftone k lime,but they are fubjeft, againft wet weather, to yeeld forth a moyft dew which corruptcth- and rottethcorn. .. . . Others arc made of Brick and Lime, and they are very good againft the weavell, and other fmalLVermine; but- the Limeis (harp, and foconfequendyveryunwholcfomeforalf manherof Grain. • : r The beft Garner that can be made to keep alLmaufief'ofigfaih P 3 in 88 Of Garners, 2 Book in,is madeof plaifter, burnt and brought into morcer, and lb railing it up with the help of fmal ftones hidden & placed in the uiidftofthcwall, to make both the infide and outfideofthc Garner of fmooth plaifter, no ftonc being fcen, buthiddenat leaft two fingers thick on each fidejand all the bottom alio muft be made of plaifterjfor no floor keepeth Corn fo well, of what kind foever it be rand thefe Garner* would be placed as near as you can to the backs,or fides of Chimneys ; or as ncer the ayre : of the fire as you can conveniently; for as there is nothing more cdd then plaifter, yet it is ever fo dry and free from moyfturc, that with no change of the ayr or weather it relentah.but keep- erh the Corn ever in one date of goodneffe, whilft the warmc ftanding thereof is fuch a comfort in the winter,and the natural cooleneffe of the thing fo fovtraign in Summer, that the graine cverabideth in one date without alteration. Of Hutches. Now for hutches,or great chcfts,bins, dry fats, and fucb like, they arc made of old dry,and well feafoned Oak boards, plain¬ ed fmooth and clofe joyned and glewed together, with covers and lids madealfo very clofe, whereby little or no ayre can come in fome of thefe great bins, or hutches, made of dry boards.are made open and without covers, bur they arc notfo good, for the ayre cooling the upper part of the Oorn,and the middle partfwea'tng,breedcth corruption.or muftinefle, which hu; teth and fpoylcth the corn befides,they are fomewhat too warme, and thereby mak&any green corn apt to corrupt and fmcli. Touching theufe of Garners andHutches, they arc principally to keep Malt after it is dried, or Barley which is for theufeof brad o; meale. and hereis to be noted, that the beft manner of ~" ' keeping Malr,is to keep it in the corn.that is to fay, in the dull 2nd other filth which cometh with it from the kilne, as thus; when firftyou lay your malt on the kilne to be dryedj you know there is at one end a certain fprout,or fmall three!,which growes from the corn, and is called theCome, which by the I rubbing and drying of the malt fals away, and leaves the corn clean,and fmug of it felf. and when you trim and drefle up your malt for the mi il 3 is winnowed and clcanfedaway • thisyou /ball preferve and put altogether into your Garner or Hutch, which 3 Book. and Hutches 89 which will fo mellow and ripen your, malt) thatin the fpend** ing thereof. A peek will go further, then a peck and a halt' kept ota contrary fafhion, and although fomeare perfwaded that thisConieormalt-duft, is a great breeder of the worm or wea« veil, by reafon of the much heat thereof, being indeed ofthc pu£ reft ot the heart of the corn ;yet it is not fo, unleffe fome dank- nelfe or moyfture do get to the corn;and then ic breeds weavels in infinite aboundance, and therefore by all means be fure that your Garners,and Hutches, doe ftand exceeding dry, and then there is no fear of the lode of corn, nor (hall you need to dreffe or window your malt but as you fpend it. Laftly,here isto be noted, that although I here joyn Garners, Htuchcs^Chefts,and Bins together, yet I make them not all of equal] goednefs ;forthe plaifter garner is abtolutcly thebeftof all, the clofe hutch or chcft next,and the open bin laft; yet any, or all,fufficient enough to keep malt,barlcy,or fmall feeds, di¬ vers years without imperfeftion. It is written by fome of the antienteft Authors, that Wheat hath been kept in thefe clofe hutches or chefts fweet,the fpace of fifty y'ears;yet I hold the rule fomewhatdoubtfull,both bccaufe Wheat of it felf, lying fo clofe packt together, is apt to heat and fweate,and that heat commonly turneth to faultineffe, and the lweat to corruption ; but that it may thus be preferved from worms, weaYflis,mites,and other vermine, breeding in corn, ic is doubtleflc and infallible. Now for the prefervation of Wheat,, which is the moft prin- J?. preferire cipallgraine,ofgreateftufe, and greateft price, andthcrewith- eat ‘ all moft tender,and apteft to take hurt, the experiments are di- verfc,as mens fancies, and praftifes have found out : for fome Hu;band-men hold opinions, efpecially the French and n. 4 . expelling thofe ill humors which Sweating j out ofit would qtlferiyifr,.confound and hurt it, fothat ip; con- i clufion for the true and long keeping of wheat fweet, found* and perfit, without ioffe or corruption, there is no way more fafe or ealie, then this laftexprefled, being pfall other the beft, although in (hew it appear Height and trivial!-, as for the moft part things ofgreateft moment in this nature do ; but to , the judicious Husbandman I refer it, whofe aym is at the .worth and fubflance, not at the words and curious gloffc,fet forth in ftrange ingredients. Touching the keeping of Rye or Mafline, or, as fomecall, itTopref C r«. munck-corn, or blend-corn, being part Rye, and part wheat Rye ‘ mixed together* that which ; prefervcth wheat will alfo; pre- ferve it, for they arc grain pflikc nature, oijely the Rye i$ ,fom- what hotter and, dryer, and therefore will endure fomewhat more moifturc; yettofpeak particularly touching thepreferva- tion of Rye,there is nothing better then the plaifter floor,and oft turning; the clofc Hutch is alfo exceeding good, fo is the Pipe or dryfat, but being once opened, and the ayre entering into thecorne, except itb^foone fpent, it will (bon putrifle, for though in the clofe keeping, it laft long,yet when it comes-to the ayre it will quickly receive taint. Laftly, for the profic in keeping of Rye,indeed there is nothing better then to ply it and tread it hard into hard veffels or ;barrels, wherein fait hath been much lodged, or other brine or fait matter: providedal- waiesthat.theveflclsbefweetand untainted, nogyayesfufojeft tofaultinefle or other unfavouric fmells, from which there is noprefervation. Concerning the prefervation and keeping of Beanes which To preferve. arc indeed a more groffc and fatter Graine then any heretofore Beanes - Written of, and out of the fulnefle of their fubftance, more fub- jeft tomoifturc and thofe danbifh humors which corrupt corn : Q 2 the 5>4 To preferve Beanes. a Book; the carefull husbandman obfcrvetb two rules; firft, not to thrafli any Beanes or Pulfe , more then for neccflary ufe( as for the Stable or Mill) before it be midde March , at which time the Graine having taken a kindly fweat in the Mow ■> Stack, or Hovell is become fo dry, firme, and folid, that no floore, wall, or other place of Learc can make it relent, or give again (except great abufe, and too mold keeping) for it is to be underftood, that this fort of Pulfe or Grain is of it felf fo exceeding nioyft and apt to fweat in the Mow, that all Husbandmen endeavour by no meanes to houfe it, or lay it within dores; but feek to make it up in flacks and hovels without doorcs,notfo much that houfe roomc is wanting, as that the benefit of the Sunne, and 'Aire; which pierceth through the fame, dryeth and ripeneth thecornin fuch kindly manner, as makech it as ferviccablc as any other: and indeed, the firft invention of Hacks, hovels,reeks, and fuch like, didnotfpring fomuch from the want of hou- fing as from the good and profit which the Husbandman found to accrue to this fcinde of Grain, oncly by reafon oflaying it a- broadjfor it is certain, that Beanes and Pcafe'neither grow to- getherj 'nor ripen together , but put forth their increafeoneafter another;'for you dial fee upon one fialke, bloomes, fwads,and ripe cods: io likewife in the gathering of Pulfe ( when it is reaped from the ground) you (hall fee fomc dry and. withered, lomeripe,fomehalferipe, fome abfolutely green, and asbut now in growing. Now all thefe mufr be reapt together, and if you flay them in the field till all be oflike drineflfc, queftionleffe the oldcft will (hake and (bed upon theground before the youngeft be ripened, and what that lo(Tc will redound to, every Husbandman can judge: So alfo to houfe and mow up in a clofc mow, the dry pulfe with the green, furely the green cannot chufe but inflame, and heat the dry, and the dry fo heated to give fire to the green, till both be either rotted or confumed: and hence it came, that expert Husbandmen devifed to lay their pulfe, for the mod part, ever without doors, in (lacks, reekes, and hovels, that the Sun and wind palling thorow them, might bring all the graine to an equall drynefle and hardneffc. £gain, Pulfe being of all grain the coorfcft and fulled offnb- ?5 jfiook lopreferve Benesand Peafe. ftancein itielfj and the ftraw ever big and fubftandall, and full of broad thick leaves, ever moift and fappy; it muft needs follow that this grain muft ever be moft apttofweat in the mow* and fon ceffarily cravcth thegreattft (lore of aire, and the longeft time in drying; fo that to return to my firft purpofe, it muft needs follow, that no beanes or peafe can be ripe or feafonedin the mow. till it be mid March at lead; for it is an old faying, among the beft husbands,? bat a March wind is fait which feafimh all Pulfe : And ifufe or necdlify compel men to thralh their Pulfe before that time the grain is foimperfeft, thatit muft be kiln- dryed, or elfe it is fit neither for the ufeof bread nor proven¬ der. Now herein is to be underftood, that peafe or beanes which are kiln-dryed, may be kept found, fweet, and good, either on plaifter floores, boarded floores, or earthy floores, the fpace of many yeares, without turning, or tolling; nor need you to rc- fpefthow thick the heap lye, fince beans after they are once dryed on the kiln, or in the Sunne, never after will thaw, give againe or relent, butremainein their firft foundneffe:Butifyou preferve your Beanes for other ufes, astoboylin your pot, and feed your fervantswithall asisufed in Sowerfet-Jhire , and ma¬ ny other Wefterly parts of this Kingdom, then it (hall be good foryou to take oyl barrels,oyl cask that is fweet, and firft Calk them all over within and without with afhes, and then put your beanes therein, and clofe up the heads, and as it is affirmed by divers great Authors uf Husbandry, it will keep beanes found fweet and good, twenty yeares : nay, fome give inftances of Beanes which have been thus kept and preferved the fpace of one hundred and twenty yeares; and furely I am perfwaded that if Beanes be well and dry got, and threfht at a feafonable time of theyeare,as in March or April, that thus kept, they will laft the uttermoftofamanspleafurc. . . Now for the keeping or preferving of Peafe or Fetches, which of ‘ ofall other Gra'me whatfoever, it moft fubjeft to rottennefle ^j^^. and imperfeftion, becaufeout of its own nature it is apt to breed wormes, weavclls, and mites, by reafon of the much lufiiioufncfs and fweetnefle of the kernril of the Graine; you (hid in all things obferve the famecourfes that you do with your Q, 3 Beans, 9 6 To preferve Pea[e and Fitches . 2 Book, Beans, both touching your gathering) drying, flacking, and alfo thraftung; for as they arc moft apt to go together, be¬ ing near of nature and condition one to the other, foit is fit that you do apply unto themoneand the fclffame medicine or remedy: And herein is to be noted, that aspeafe are of more gene* rail ufechenbeanes,as for horfe provender, feeding of Swine, Pigeons, Pullen, and fuchlike; as alfo for bread, pottage) to boylcwith or without meat i for certainly it is a moft whot- fomeand ftrong food, as may be feenhy the people of be- vonjk}re t Cornwall and Somerfetjhire, of whole great ftrength of body not any reafon can be given more probably then their much feeding on this Grain, and their acquaintance with much and ftrong labour: So they ought with more care and circumfpeftion to be preferved from all thofc annoyan* ancesthat naturally are apt to hurt them, as wormes, rotten- nefle, mould, mufiinefle, and fuch like. And firft , there is nothing better for the long and well keeping of Peafe,then the very well drying of them, cither in theSun, oronthe Kiln, efpecially thofe which you ufc for bread, provender, or feeding of Swine: and although forae husbands ufe to feed fwine with undryed Pcafc > nay many times both undryed and undreft that is to fay, the Pulfc or Cbaffe not taken away; and arc of opinion that the Grain fo given, fooner feedeth and fatteth up Swine then the other, yet they arc deceived for albeit it fwell and puff up a beaft. yet is die flefh and fat neither fo good, found, and long laft- ing, as that which is gotten with dry food, nor doth it make a Swine fo thirfty; and the Husbandman is ever allured, that when his Swine drinks not well, he feeds not well: there¬ fore what Pcafe you keep for bread, or feeding of Cattell, by all meanes dry them well, and lay them either in Garners or Floors, and they will Lft found and good without breeding worms or weavcl, as long time as you pleafe. But thofc which you keep for food at your own Table, as in pottage, or other ufes, muft by no meanes be too much dryed, bccaufe then they ask a double rime in boyling, and fpend a double quantity offeweiin their preparing. Somfc 2 Book* To Preferve Wheat 97 Some ufe after they be clean thrafht and dreft, to lay them in a cool clofe Garner, either of Plafter, Earthj or Boords, of which Plafter is the Bell; as for any thing that relent¬ ed or yecldeth moyfture,as lymc, ftonewalls, or fuch like , it is moft hurtful!, and immediately maketh peafe mould and rot: alfoit is good to lay your peafe in thick hcapes in your Garner, for that will preferve them moyft the longer time: but to fpread thenuhin upon the floor, by which means the Sunne, Ayr, and wind may paffe thorow them, is not fo good, for it drycth them too fore, and taketh from them much of their fweetnciTe and goodnefle, which ought moft carefully to be preferved. There be others which preferve thefe tender meat-Peafe by thrafhing them up, and then let¬ ting them lie in their own pulfe or chaffe, and not dreffing them, but as they have occafion to ufe them; and queftionleflc this is a very good and laudable way; for the pulfc and chaff doth maintain them fweet and moift, and yet keepeth' them withallfo warm and comfortable, that they laft much longer, then any other way whatfoever; and in this manner of preserving peafe is to be noted, that by all meancs you muft let them lie upon a dry earth floore, io long as they are in the chaffe^ rather then on theboord, or on plaiftcr, and yet in this cafe the boords are better then plaiftcr. Laftly, and which indeed is the beft experiment of all other, if you intend to keepe peafe any extraordinary long¬ time, you (hall take Barrells or dry Cask, well and ftrongly bound,and pitch them within exceeding well, with the beff pitch or bitumen that you can get , and then fprinklc the’ pitch all over with ftrong vinegar, then take your peafe, being clean and well dreft, and put them into the barrells, prefling them down clofe and hard; then head up the barrels, and let them ftand dry and cool, and they will preferve your peafe found, fweet and good for any ufe whatfoever, as long as you pleafe, be it for ten, twenty, or thirty ycares, according: to the opinions of ancient Husbandmen , and other provant Maftcrs,that have lived and commanded in towns befieged, and-towns of Garrifon;neither (hall any worm, tnite,orwea- vel, «ver breed in it, ,or offend it - nay if any, have in former '5 Q. 4 , time pB Lentiles or Lupines. 2.Book, ^ time been bred in them, this manner of keeping the grain killeth them, and deftroyech them for ever. Now there is another fort of Pulfc which are called Lentils or Preferring of Lupins, which albeic they are not fo generally ufed for the food LenrUes or andfuftcnancc of man? yet they areforhorfe, fwine, and other Lupins. cattle as much in requeft asanygraincwhatfoever,and indeeddo feed fatter, and fooner then other ordinary pulfe and theflefh fo fed is Tweeter and pleafanter both to the eye and to the tafte, then that which is fed with Beanes or Peafe; alfo they are a Pulfe very Phyfical and good for many medicines, as may appear by the workes of many learned Phylitians; and thefe the longer they are kept, the better they are, and fuller of profit.To preferve them then in good and found eftate, it is meet to reap them in very fair weather, and to Stack them up exceeding dry, and if they be laid in the barn, or any clofc houfe, it is not amifle;for they will indure houfing better then any other pulfc, yet the fooner your beat them out of the ftraWj or thralh them up, the better it is; for Husbandmen fuppofe there is no greater hurt to this kind of gratae, then the long keeping it in the draw; for it is of fuch rankneflfe, that the very draw , and cods breed in it much putrefaftion; and I my felf obferved both inSpaine, and in the neighbour Iflands, where is great aboun- dance ofthis kind of graine, that they do no fooner gather it and bring it home, but immcdiatly they thralh it, nay, fomc thrafh it in the fields upon the lands where it growes, and fo bring it home .then fpreadit onfaireboorded floores in very great heaps, or clfe Jay it up in clofe hutches, orbyns- fuch as wheat & other white grain is to be kept in. Ifyou dry this kind cf pulfe in the Sun, or upon a kiln, with a very moderate and foftfire, and then lay it up either in a clofe Garner, or clofc hutch, it will lad many yeares founa, good, and without cor¬ ruption. There be other husband men which mixe with this grain when it is thrafht, a half part of hot, dry, white fand, or at lead cover the whole heap cf pulfc with the fand, and doe find that it keeps the grain very found and good many years to¬ gether. But to conclude, if you take ftrong vinegar, and a good quantitie of Laferpitium , diffolvc and mix them very well together,& then having laid your Lentils or Lupins together on 99 j Book. Preferring ofLentilesfoc. a fair boardcd floor,in large, broad,and flat heaps, about two (ootjor two foot and a half thick;with the vinegar and Lafirpi- tiutft fprinklc over all the heap, and not any change of weather frofts,wormes, or other vermine (hall doe them hurt, but: they (hall remain found and good as many years as you plcafc to keep them.-there are ocher Husband-men that inftead of this be¬ fore rehearfed, take only fweec oyl, and fprinkle it all over the Grain, and find the fame vertue and effeft, for neither wormes nor other vermine will touch it, nor will the radicall humor thereof at any time waft or decay,but remain ftrong 3 full, and found, without any kind of diminifhing, nor ihall you find any abiterncntofit,orfhrink.ing in the meafure>but that which was a bulhell this year will be alfo a bufhell the next year,and as ma¬ ny yews after as you pleafe, which is no fmall profit to the owner. Whereas on the contrary part, if the grain be either dryed in. the Sun,on the kiln, or by the wind, you fball hardly have of every fuch both ell fo dryed, three pecks and a halfeagaine, which is by computation at every quarter, which is eight bu- (hels/ull one buftul loft,and yet this pulfe thus prcfcrved,as be- ibrcfaidjfliall be as good for any ule whatfoeverjfit for fuch corn to be imployedin, as any other dryed grain whatfoever, and yeeld as much every way, & altogether as good meal, 8c as good meat. Now touching the preferving and keeping of Oates, ic is to Prefttvin „ ot - bcunderftoodthat ofallgrainitis leaft calual.becaufeofitfclf o a tes. & naturally it breedeth no evill vermine,and is againc prefer ved 8c defended with a double husk,whereby neither cold, moyfture, heat, nordrinefle, is able fo loon to pierce and hurt ic as other grains, which are more thin clad and tender tyecbecaufe it is of great Sc neceflary ufeboth for catcell 8c pullen, and that neither the husband nor boufwife can well keep houfe without ir, you (hall know, that the beft way to preferveit longeft, is,after it is thra(ht,to dry ic well,eitherin the Sun or on the kiln, and chen either put it into clofc Garner or clofe cask, and icwillkeepe many years found and fweec. Touching the preferving of Oat-meal, which is the inner kir- nell of the Oates, andagraineofmoft fpeciall ufcintheHus- R band 100 Preferring of any Meal 2 Book band-man* houfe-as in bis pottage,in his puddings,and in many other meats neceffarily ufed for the labouring man ; it isan experiment not all together fo curious as any-ofthe reft for. j merly written of, for no Oat-meal can be made, but the Oats muft be exceedi ngly well kiIn-drycd,or clfe the kernel will n ot part from the Hull,and being dryed,as is fit,that drying is fuffi. eient to keep and preferve the Oat-meal divers years- Provided ever, that prefently after the making ofyourOlt* meal, you put it into dry clofe cask, ordryclofc garoers(but caskeisbecter)and fo that it may remain exceeding dry(for any thaw or moyfture corrupts it)anda» nearasycu can let it have (if it be poflible) fome ayr of the fire; for the warmer it ftandj, the better and longer it will laft, as experience (heweth. Preferving of For the prefervingoflong keeping of any fort of meal, there my msile. is no better way then firfi: to boult and fearfe him from his bran for the bran is very apt to corrode and patrifie the meal, and to bringittoafaultinefleorinuftinefle: then into very fwectand clean dry caskc clofe and well bound, tread in your mcalelo bard as you can poffibly tread it.and then head it up clofe &fo you may keep it either by land or water fo long asyoupleafe, and when you have any occafion tofpend of it, be fare to loof- en no more of the meal then you prefently ufe, for the falter and clofer the meal lyeth together,the longer and Tweeter it wil laft, for it is the gathering of the ayr that only corrupts it. And here is alfo to be noted,that you lhonid not prefently as foon as your meal is ground, boult it from the bran, but rather let it lie a week or fortnight in the bran, in fome clofe bin or trough, & then after that time boulc or fcarfe it, and you (hall find it to afford you in every buflbell, more meal by at leaft half a peck then if you (hould prefently boult it as foon as it comes from the mill; whence it proceeds, that the cunning and skilfoll Baker will ever have a weeks or fortnights provilion of meale before hand,which lying fo long in the bran,payes double inte- reftfor the continuance. Now ifit fall out fo, that either by trade of merchandife, or other cccafion*,you buy any meal by way oftranfportation which is caskt up (a*, much meal is fold by the barrel)you (hall prefently as foon as you have bought it (ifit be for your ovvne ufe % Bo °k» Preferrin g of all [mall feeds. ioi ufe or expen cebbreak open their head?, and empty the meale ^ upon fair fheets on a clean floor, and then fpreading it abroad, let the Sun and Ayr paffe thorow it, which will dry up the fwcat,and if there be any taint of faultinefle, take it away, and bring the meal to his firft fweetnefs,and then immediately boult out thecoorfe Bran, and after, as was before declared, tread it hard into frefli and Iweetcatkr and th us you may keep your provifion of meal all the year long;nay, if need require, two or three years, for after the firft fwcat is taken away, and kindly dryed, there is no doubt to be made of any that (hall follow after. Laftly,touching theprefervation and keeping of all manner of ® f (mail feeds of what nature or quality foe ver they be, whether 1 mal cedt ' Hemp:, Lime . Rape, Muftard Seed, or any other Garden Seedc whatfoever, though truly and properly they laft but one year, nor are fit forfeed or Increafe after that date expited; yet in as much as they are medicinablc after, and a much longer time; therefore you (hall underhand that the beft way to keep them fafe and found, and ficteft for ufe and profit, is firft co gather them as foonas you perceive them to be ripe, and the weather - being bright,clear and dry, then you (hall dry and wither them in the (hade, and not in the Sunne, efpecially upon a plaftered floor, where the light looketh to the South, and be fure that as little Sun and moy fture come to them as you can, for both are main enemies ; which done,bind them up in bundles without thra(hing,and fo hang them up, and keep them in their own cods,and they will laft for all ufes,a.full year, and for fome par¬ ticular ufes two or three years; and in this manuer you may al- lb preferve all manner of herbs,wceds,flowers, rootes, and the barkes or rinds of all manner of trees. CHAP. ip. How to keep Grain , either for tranfiortatlon by Sand not drowning'the roof, will bring to the ground very much fertility. But,,how foever after ¥ you havecaf’d your ground of thefe particular faiilrt, yet the generall fault,which is barrennefle, will femaine (lill:therefore, having plotted out your Garden,and fenced it fufficiehtly about, you (hall then caft up your hills about Michaelmas^ placing S 2 them 1H> Enriching of Barretts Ground* s.Boofe; Ciftingof them in a very orderly manner, and making allies between them hills and of four or five foot brodth between hill and hill, fo as a man may walk at plcafure through and about them:neither (hall I tbefe hills ftand all dire&ly bee hind another, for fo one will o* o o o o verfbade another, which is an an¬ noyance, but according to this on 0 o Figure, wherc.thereisa largcneffc offpaccand a by-paffage, through o o' o 0 which theSunne may come to give comfort to every Plant. Thcfe hills, if the ground be free from- water, maybe railed about two foot, or a foot arid a haife high, and of a compalfe an- fwcrable to the height; neither fo little, that the hill may be {harps like a Sugar loafe, nor yet fobigge,. that the hill may lie flat, and fo retaine and hold any rain or wet, which (hall fall up¬ on it: but you (hall keepa due middle proportion, making the hill convenient for your Plants and Poalcs, and foasit may (hoot or put off any wet, or other annoyance, which {hall fall upon it- The compofs- Now thefe hills you (hall not make intirely, all of-one Konofthe mould, but you {hall takc f as it werc,athird parcorbetter enriching.of thereof, then another part of the carthwhich lieth underdung- hills.-• hills, and the laft part, of Sope-afhes; and thefe three bodies you (Ball iaixe equally together, and of them compound your Hop-hills: but if this feeme fomewhac difficult, and that you cannot find enough for your purpofe of either of thefe manures) then you may takethree parts of the naturall earth,and but one- ly a fourth part of the other two ,and thereof mix your Hop- hills, and it will be fufficient to afford you profit enough; pro¬ vided you be able once in three or four ycaresto renew itfor fo long this will laft in fall ftrength and power. Preparing of- When you have thus made npyour hills, you {hall thenpare joeallits. U p w j t [j a p ar j n g (hovell all the greene fwarth quite through all v youralliesatleaftfour fingers thicke, and with thefwarth fo pared up, you Ihail cover all your hills almofttothe top, turn¬ ing the green fwarth next unto the earth, fo as it may rot, • for that is an excellent manure alfothen when your allies are all! thus $ Book. To maty it frititfull for Hops. i n thus clcanfcd of their fwarch, you (hall take good (lore ofbraken orftrne, and ftrow it all over quite thorow all the allies 3 fo,that it may lie in a good thicknes, almoft to the midftof the hills, vs/hich having all the winter to rot in, willnotonelybe an ex¬ ceeding comfort to che hills, and preferve both them and their plants from many cvills, but alfo being Ihovelled up together I with the earth in the fpringtime, will be a marvellous ftrorig manure wherewith to replcnilh the hills, and to make them to profper exceedingly, and to fave much other coft and charges as well in manure as in carriage. When your hills are thus inrichcd, and your allies thuspre- The . ^ pared, you (hall then open your hills in the top, andfet your 0 f hops. 8 pjants, that is to fay, in every hill four plants at the leaft,being well prepared; and this (hould be done in the month of Oftober, and thefe plants muft be fet good and deepe in the earth , and covered all over at the leaft four fingers thick • and ifwitftjhc earth which covcreth thefe Plants you mixe Oxe-blood and Lime, it will not onely give great comfort and nourifliment to the Plantsbut al(o defend and fave the roots fromwbirtveg and other vermines, which, otherwife would Peek to deftrby them. After your Garden is thus planted all over, you (hall then P° lin 8 let it reft dll the following Spring, and about April, finding ” ops- thefmall Twines of your Hopps iflfued out of the Hills add running alongft the ground, you,fhallthenfctup your Poles, which Poles fothey be long andftreight, may be of any wood S leafe,as either A(h,Elmc, Withy,Willow,or Sallow,and in tdng up of thefe poalcs, you (hall have two very carefull refpefts: Firft, that in putting in of the poalcs, and faftening them withthe earth, you do not hurt the Hop rootes, which a (mail carclefnefs may doe, but be fure to fet them clear at the roots: and that you may doe it the better 9 and make your poles to (land the fafter, it is good that you have an iron auger, there¬ with firft to pierce the ground. and then to put the pole in after, and fo ram it in hard that it may not ftirr. The ftcond care is that you place not one poal to overfhadow another, but that they may.ftand fo clear one from another,that which way foever the Sun (hall caft his beams; yet every plant ( as it winds about S3 th». ; 112 the pole) may be an equal! partaker of the fame. This, with a fmall observation in the fating up of the poles may eafily be performed • the number of poales that you fhajl (et on every hill, muft be anfwerable to the Syens which (hall iflue/from the roots, allowing to every poal two Syens at the Ieaft,and not above three at the mod: thefe Sycns( when your hilsare poled ) you (hall with your hands twine about their feverall poals, andthofe which are but new- peeping from the , ground, you (hall fo fold among the other Branches,as they may ofthemfelvcs run about the poal; and as thefe, foaHoall the other twigs - which are any way derived from the main Sien, leaving not any at all to run upon the ground; for that is alto¬ gether profidefs^nd to no ulej Of weeding For the weeding ofehis barren earth thus made into an hop- Ho P s < garden,there is Iitde care to be had: for firft the fope a(hcs where¬ with the hils arc manured, the oxe blood and the lime, arc (uch enemies to all manner of weeds, that they will not fuffer any to grow where they abide: Next the Brakcn and Fern,which cove- reth thealleysisfucha poyfoner and fmotberer of any thing that (hall grow underneath it, that it will not fuffer any weed to peep or fpring up through it; yet if in any efpeciall place, where neither of thefe defences come, it happen that any weeds doc grow,then you (hall with your bed care cut them away, or pull them up, and fo your Garden (hall remain comely, plca- fant and fruitful! to every profptft. CHAP. 12. A gene-,-allcomputation ofmenyttnd cattels labourslwjoat each may do without hicrtydaily. Plowing and ’~T‘ O (peak generally of all husbandly works; where the (owing. _£ (Tountrey is tolerable, without any extraordinary difficul¬ ty, you (hall underftand, that a man may well in ftiffe grounds, plow an Acre,or an Acre and an half,and jn light fand grounds two or three Acres with one Teamc in a day, and he may plow and fow in ftiff ground two Acres and an half each . day, and in light ground four at lead with one Teame; and al- wayes what he foweth, that he may harrow the fame day alfo. A A man may well mow of good and deep foggy meadow, or of rough) uneven meadow, every day one acre; mowing clean; and making a fmooth board of well (landing and good fmootfr meadow, an acre and a half each day: and of very thin and (hort grsfle, or upland meadow, two acres at the leaft. 'every, day. ' ] ' ; Alfo,he may mow of corn, as Barley and oats,if it be thick>^ ow ing, loggy and beaten down to the earth, making fair work, and not * cutting off the heads of the cars,and leaving the flraw foil grow¬ ing one acre and a half in a day but if it be good thick and fair (landing corn, then he may two Acres, or two Acres and a half in a day; but if the corn be (hort and- thin, then he may mowthree^andfometimesfour Acresinaday,and notbe'ovcr- laboured :Alfo of beans he may mow as much, andof Peafc mixt with beans, havingahook to follow him, no leffe; for they are works in this nature mod eafie, and leaft trouble- fome. One man with a Binder may well reap an Acre of Wheat Reaping, or Rye in a day, if it be principal good and Well (landing, but iflaidor beaten down with weather,then three rood; is fully fufficitnt fora days labour;but if it be thin and upright (landing,: then he may reapand bindfive roods in a day: of (mall peafe. Fetches, and fuch like, a man may well reape two acres every day. Now forafmuch as it is a cuftom in divers count ries(and_. truly is exceeding profitable and worthy imitation') to (heafe and bind up both Barley and Oats, as well as Wheat or Rye, 0ats / and that both favethmuch Corn, and alfo makes it take a great. deal leffe room , and that this labour is to be done after the mowers,as the other was after the reapers, by gathering the bar¬ ley,or Oats up without a fickle or hook, as itiiesift the fwath,; and fo binding it in (heaves, you (hall underftand that one mare; in a day (hall bind as much as one mower can mow- 5 and. ifthe man be any thing skilfull in the labour, two binders will bind; as much as three mowers can mow. . , For the gathering or inning of Graine, no man canpropor- tion the number o f loads; or quantity of ground (hall daily be< ra brought home, fith the jourijeyes are uncertain", fiihiei going! 114 A computation of mens 2 Book, a mile,feme half a mile,and fomc 2 mile: therefore it is the Hus¬ bandmans beft way, the Srftday to go with hisTeamc himfelf and both to obferve the labour and diftancc of place, and by that to compute what may be done after, without hurt to his cattel, and where he fails of any hope, there to make a drift account of the error j for it is cither ignorance or carelcfnefs which brings forth mifehances, fpeaking of husbandry, as overthrow¬ ing the Team, over-loading the Team, breaking neceffary in- ftruments or not refpe&ing the wayes and paffages; any of which may in a day hinder more then half a dayes la* boor. Ditching. Again, a man may in a day ditch and quickfct of a reafonable i ditch four foot broad, and three foot deep, a rod or a pole a day; allowing fixteen feet to the rod, and io of large meafure Iefs ground; and oflefs ground larger meafure, according to the fufficiency of the fence which you purpofe to make. Hedging. A man may hedge alfo in a day, if the hedge be good and fub- ftantiall, that is to fay five foot high, well bound, thick ftackt, and_clofe layd, two rod in a day, and if the work be lower or thinner, then double fomuch more, according to the former proportion. Pla&ing. For this plafhing of hedges, or making a quick fence, if he doe* it workmanly, and that the grouth be high and well gfowne, and then he lay it thick, clofe, andftrongly bound in the top, tur¬ ning the quick downward and inward, to plalh a rod aday, is as much as any man can well do: but if he plafhit after the weft* ccuntrey fafhion, that is, only cutting it down, and laying it along clofe to the ground,feeking oncly thicknefs, and not much guard or comelincfls, then he may well plafh a rod and ahalfa day without trouble ■■ and fure in this work is great care and arc to be ufed ,as well for the prefervation of the quick, as the good- neffe of the fence, beings a thing of worth and validity to every Husbandman. Delving. Againe, a manmay delve or dig, as for garden-mould. Henip- yard, Flax-yard, or for the fetting of corn, or levelling of une¬ ven places, one rod in a day and the ground fo digged and del¬ ved, he may rake, drcffcj and levell in the fame day alfo-' but if he digit deep, and trench it, and manure it, as is meet, ei the" r I * Book and Cattels labours. 11 ^ rfor Garden, Orchard, or corn fetcing, then to delve halt a r ood in a day, is a very great proportion, becaufc ordinarily to delve, as to receive ordinary feeds, requires but one fpade-grafe in depth; but extraordinarily to delve, as for inriching and bet¬ tering of the ground, andtoclranfeic from Hones, weeds and other annoyances,wil require two fpadcs graft,at the leaft. Laftly, a man may thrafh if the corn be good and cleane, with- w _ out fome extraordinary abufe or poverty in the grain, in one day ' *’ four bulhels of wheat or Rye, fixe buihels of B . rly or Oats & five " _ bufhelsofbeansor Pcafe; but thcpulfemuft hen be imagined to be exceeding good, otherwifeaman (hall thrafh lefTe ofit, thmofany other kind of grain : for as when it is wel ioaden. It yeeldeth plentifully, lo when it is poor and lightly Ioaden> ic yeddeth little or no'hing , and yet hath not one ftroke Me of the Haile,nor any labour faved, more then belongs to the beftpulfc tvhatfoever, being ever at leaft three times turned, and four times beaten over. Having thus generally run over (in a Ihort com putation)the T . labours of the Husbandman, I will now briefly as I can, goe expenceofa over the particular daics labour of a Farmer or Plowman, fhpw- dayV ing the particular txpence of every houre in the day, fronr his firft riling, cil his going to bed, a? thus for example: wcwill fuppofc it to be after and about plow*day(which is the firft fetcing out of the plow)and at what time men either begin tofallow,ortobreakup Peafe-earth, which is to lye to bait, according to the cuftom of the Country; at this time the Plow¬ man (hall rife before four of the clock in the morning, and af¬ terthanks givcntoGodforhisreft,& prayer forthefuceefsofhis tours, he shall go into his liable,or bead-houfe, and firft he shall fodder his cattle, thenclenfe the houfe- and make the booths' cleane; rub down the cat tie, and cleanfc their skins font all filth, then he shall curry his horfes, rub them with cloachs and wifpsj.. and make both them and the liable as clean as may bee, then lie shall water both his oxen and horfes,and ho uling them again, . give them more fodder, and to his hori’e by all means provender, aschaffeanddry peafeorbeans orOat-hu!s, peafe or beanes or clean oats, or clean Garbadge ( which is the hinder ends of any' Grain but Rye) with the ftraw chopt final amongft itaccor- T ding A computation of mens. 2 .Book ding as the ability of the Husbandman is. ' And whileft they are eating their meat, hefhall make rea¬ dy his Collers, Hames, Treaccs, Halters, Mullens, and Plow- gcares, feeing every thing fit? and in his due place, and tothefe labours I will alfo allow full twohoures, that is, from foure of the clock till fixe; then lhall he come in to breakefaft, and to that I allow him halfe an houre, and then another halfe hourc to the gearing andyoaking of his Cattle, fothat at fcven of the clock he may fet forward to his labour, and then he (hall plow from ftven of the clock in the morning, till betwixt two and three in the afternoone; then he (hall unyoakand bringhome his cattle, and having rub’d them, dreft them, and clenfed away all dirt and filth, he (hall fodder them and give them meat; then (hall the fervants go in to their Dinner, which allowed half an houre, it will then bee towards foure. of the clock, at what time he (hall goe to his cattle againe,and rubbing them down,and cleanfing their (tails, give them more fodder; which done, he (hall goe into the Barn, and provide and make ready fodder of all kinds for the next day, whether it be hay; draw, or blend-fodder, according to the ability of the husbandman. This being done and carried into the (table, oxe houfe, oc other convenient place, he (hall then go water his cartel, and give them more meat, and to his horfe provender, as beforeis Slewed: and by this time it will draw pad fix of the clock, at what time he (hall come in to flipper? and after (upper, he (hall either by the fire fide mendflioocs both for himielf and their Family* orbeat and knock Hemp or flax, or pick and ftampe Apples or Crabs, for cider or verdjuice, or elfe grind malt on the quernes, pick candle rufhes, or do fome Hus¬ bandly office withindoores till it befall eighta clock: Then (hall he take his Lanthorn and Candle, and go fee his Cattel, and having cleanfed the (tall and planks, litter them down, look that they be fafelytyed, and then fodder, and give them meat for all night; then giving God thanks for benefits recei¬ ved that day, Iec him and tht whole h'oufliold go to their reft till the next morning. Now it is to bee intended, that there may be in the Hou(hold 1 2 Book and Cartels labours. ivy Houfhold more fervanss then one; and {o you will demand of me what the reft of the fervants (hall be imployed in, before and after the time of plowing To thisl anfwer, that they may either goe into the Barne and thrafh, fill or empty the malt far, bade or unloade the Kilne, or any other good and neceflary woike that is about the yard; and after they come from plowing, fome may goe into the Barn and thrafh, fome hedge, ditch, flop gaps in broken Fences, dig in the Orchard orGarden, orany other Oat work which is needfull to bee done, and which about the Husbandman is never wanting, e- fpecially one muft have a care every night to looke to the mending or (harpening of the PIow-irons ; and the repairing of [he Plow and Plow geares, if any be out.of order, for to defer them till the morrow, werethe lofle of adayesworkc, and an ill point of Husbandly. Now for the particular labours ofCattell, though it be al- Particular la- ready inclufivcly fpoken of in that which is gone before, hor s ofcattel. where I (hew you how much a man may conveniently plow inaday with one Team or Draught of CitteP, yet for further fatisfa&ion you (hall underftand that in your cattell there are many things to be obferved, as the kind, the number, and the foylethey labour in. For the kind which are Oxen, Buis, or Horfes, the bed for the draught, are Oxen, and the reafons I have (hewed in my former Works: the next are Horfes; and the word, Bulb; becaufe they are mod troublefome: the num¬ ber fit for the plough, is eight, fix, or foure jforihe cart, five or foure; and for the Waine, never under fix,except in leading home of harveft. where loading eafily, foure very good oxen arcfufficient; for the foyle, if it be ofthetougheft and deeped earth, eight beads can do no more but fallow or breake up Peafe-earth, no, nor fewer ftirre, if the feafon grow hard and dry; for foyling, winter rigging and feed furrow, fix beads may difpatch that labour : if the foyle bee mix’d and haf- fel, then fix may fallow and fow Peafe, and foure doe every other ordure•'bnt if it be light and eafie fand, then foure is enow in every feafon. For the quantity of their worke, an Oxe-plough may not doe fo much as aHorfe-plough, becaufe thevarcnotfofwifr, nor may be driven out of their pace, be- T 2 ing 18 T be Application of Husbandry ing more ape to l uifcc then horfes bee, fo that for an Oxe- plough to doe an Acre? and a Horfe-plough an Acre and a Rood, or an Acre and an halfe in good ground, is work fully fufficient. CHAP. 42. 7 ho applying of husbandry to the [overall C ottn tries of this I T is to be underftood, that Husbandry doth vary accor¬ ding to the nature and clymatesof Countries: not one rule obferved in all places, but according as the earth, the aire, the much or little heat, moifturc or cold doth increafe or di- rmnifti, fo muft the skilful Husbandman alter his feafons, la¬ bours, and inftruments; for inftiffeClayes, asarcallthe fruit¬ ful Vales of this Kingdome(of which 1 have named nioft part in a Chapter before) as alfo Huntington fhire, Bedford-(hire, Cambridge-fhire, and many other of like nature, allmannerof arable works muft be begun betimes in the year, and the Ploughs andir.ftrumcncsmuft 6 eof large flze and ftrong timber, and the labour great and painful: fo alfo in mixt foyles that are good and fruitful, asNorthamptonlhire, Hartfordlhire, moft part of Kent, Eflex, Parklhire, and Counties of like nature, all arable toiles would begin at latter feafons, and the Ploughes and inftruments would be of middle fize, and indifferent timbers, and the la¬ bour fomewhat leffe than the other :but the light fandy grounds which have alfo a certain natural fruitfulncfle in them-as in Norfolk, Suffolk, meft part of Lincolnftiire Hampfhire , Surry; and Countries of that nature, all arable toiles would begin at the lateft feafons and the Ploughs and inftruments would be ofcbefnialkft and lighted fize, and of the leaft timber, and the labour of all other is eafieft. Laftly, for the barren unfruitful earth(ofwhichoneIyIhavc written in this Book)asis Dovon-ihire , Cornwall , many parts of Wf-lts^ Da- bif/.re .Lan ca hi re , Che IdreJ'ork;jhire ,and many Other like,or Worfe than they; the arable toiles would have a fic feafon of tbeyear, according co the temperatneffe of the year, which if it happen early, then you muft begin your labours at later fea¬ fons 2 Book. to fever all Countrier. 119 fons- and for your Plough and inftruments, they mutt not keep any certain proportion, but be framed ever according to the around, the iironger and ftifFer groun t having ever the ftrorig ; | and large Plough with Inftruments oflikckind, and the light¬ er earth a Plough and Inftruments ofmore eafie fubftance: as for thelabour it muftbefuch, and no other, then that which hath been already declared in this Booke. And hence it comes that the office and duty of every skillfull The Carters Plough-man,or Carter is firft to look to-thc nature of the earth, office*, next to the feafons of the year, then to the cuftomes and faffiions of the place wherein he livech •' which cuftomes although they b; held as fecond natures amongft us, and that the belt reafon* ofthebeft Work-men commonly are, that thus 1 do,becaufc thus they doe;yet would I wilh no man to bindhinifelfjc more ftriftly to cuftomc,then the difeourfe of reafon (hal be his.warrant, and a sl would not have him to prejudice in his own opinion, fo [would nothavc him too greatallavc to other menstraditi- _ 0 ns, but ftanding upon the ground of reafon madegoodbyex- pcrience, I would ever have him profit ip his owne judge¬ ment. Now the further office and duty of the Husbandman, is, with great care and diligence,, to refpe& in what fort of falhion to plow his ground; for although I have in the former Chapter (hewed how he (hould lay his furro wes, what depth he (hall plow them, and how he (hall be able to raife and gain the greateft (lore of mould, yet is there alfo another confideration to be had noleflc profitable to the Husbandman than any of thc^former; and that is, how to lay your land beft for your own profit- and cafe,as alfo the eafe of yourCattel which (hall draw with¬ in your draught as thus for iriftance: If your arable land ffi'alllye- againft the fide of any deep hil( as for the moft part all barren earths doe) if then you fhal! plow fuch land diiefUy egainft the hill,beginning below and fo afeending ftreight upright, and fo down againe and up againe , this very labour and toiling a- gainft the hil will breed fuch a bitter weariforanefs to the cat- id, and fuch a difeouragement, that you (hall not be able to compaffe one half partofyour labour, befides the danger' of over-heating and furfeiting of your beafts,. whence wil fpring 1 2d 2 Book, Of cittell draugat- T be Office of ta Cartel'. many mortal difieafes: Therefore when you (hall plow any fuch ground, be furc ever to plow it fide-wayes overthwart the hill,where your beads may tread on the level ground and never dirC&Iyupand down, foftiall the compoft and manure which you lay upon the ground not be fo foon wa(h’d away from the j upper part of the ground,becaufe the furrows not lying (height downinanevendefeent, but turned crofle-wayes upward a- againft the hill, itmuft neceffarily hold the foyle within it, and not let it wa(h away. Again it is the office of every good plow-man to know what tor Cattel aremeeteft for his draught; as whether Oxen orhorfe, or both Oxen and Horfe; wherein is to be underdood, thatal* though of all draughts whatsoever wii hin this Kingdome, there is none fo good to plow withall, both in rcfpefl: of the ftrcngtbj (lability, indnrance, and fitnefie for labour, as the Oxen arc; in whom there is fcldomeor never any lofs; becaufe whenfoever his ferv ice failech in the draught,his flefhwil be of good pricein thefbambles; yet notwithftanding in this cafe a man mud ne- ccffarily bind himfclf much to the cuftomeof the Country, and fafhion of his neighbours; for ifyou fhall live inaplace where fuell is fcarce & far to be fetch’d,as commonly it is in all barren Countrys, which, for the mod part arc ftony Champaincs, or cold mountaines;and your neighbours as wel for the (peed of their journies, as for length keep horfe-draughts •- in thiscafe alfo you mud do the like,orelfeyou (hill want their company in your journey, which is both difeomfortand difprofit, if any mifchance orcafualty (hall happen, ur being inforc’d to drive your-oxen as fad as they doe their horfc, youfhall not onely overheat,tire,bruife,and (poil them; but alfo make them utterly unfit either for feeding or labour, and therefore Jfyour c date be mean, and that you have no more but what neccflity requires, then you (hall fort your Plow or Teame according to the fa- (liion of your Country, and the nfe of your neighbours: but if God have bled you with plenty , then it fhali not be amifs for you to have ever an Ox draughc or two, to til your Land ; and ahorfe draught to do ail your forraign abroad bufineffes: fo fhall your work at home ever goe conftantly forward, and your outward neceflfary provifions be never wanting. Nov; 3 Book. the Office tfa Carter. 131 for the mixture of Oxen and horfe together, it falleth out of¬ tentimes that'the Plowman of force tiiuft be provided with cat¬ tle of both kind,as i f he happen to live in a rocky Country,where the fteepinefle of the hils,and narrownefs of the wayes, will nei- . ther fuffcrCart, Wain, nor Tumbrel to palle; in this cafe you (hall keep Oxen for the plow,to till the ground with,and horfes to carry pots and hooks • the firft to carry forth your riianure, and the other to bring' home your hay and Corn barv.eft, your fuel and other provifioris, which are needfull for your family, a* they do both in Cornwall, and other mountainous countries, where carts and wains,and luch like draught, have no poffible palfage. Again it is the office and duty of every good Plow-man to know his feveral labours, for every fcverall Month through the whole year, whereby no day nor hour may be mifpent, but every time and feafon employed according as his nature icquireth: as thus for example. In the month of January the painfull Plowman if he live in » anU>I 7* fertile and good foyles,as among rich/ fimple clayes, he {hall (irfl plow up his Peale earth, becaufeit muft lie to take baic be¬ fore it be fowmbut ifhelive in fruitfull well mixtfoyles, then in this month he (hall begin to fallow the field he will lay tbreft theyear following; but if he live upon hard barren eartht( of which chiefly I write)thcn in this morrelh he ffial water his mea- dowes & pafture grounds, and he.lhal drain 8c make dry hisara- ble grounds, efpecially where he intends tfri fow peafe, Oat'S, or Barley the feed time following. Alfohe (hall flub up all fuch S h grounds as he intends to fow the year following. You meafnre and trim up your parden moulds, and you (hall comfort with manure fand, or ly’me, orall'tliree mixt together, the roots ofall barren fruit trees‘and alfocut dbwn allfuch timber; only there will be loflein the bark, forthe time is fome- what too early for it to rife. Laftly, you may tranfplant al man¬ ner Fruit trees the weather being open, and the ground ealie: you may rear Calves, remove Bees* and for your own health keepyour body warnvletgood diet and wholefdnie be your Phyfitian, and rather with excercifc thenfatice cncreife your appetite. 122 T he labours for the 2 Book February. In the month of February, either fee or fow ail forts of Beanes, Peafe, and other Pulfe. and the ftiffer your ground i s the iooner begin your work; prepare your garden-mould, and make it ealie and tender; prune and trim all forts ot Fruit trees frommofle cankers, and all fuperfluous branches; plalh your hedges,and lay your quickfets clofe and intire together; plant Rofes,Goofeberrief,and any fruit that grows upon little bufhesj graft at the latter end ofthismoneth upon young and tender ftockcs,butby all meanes overladenot the flocks. Laftly for your health,take heed of cold, forbearc meats that are (limy and phlcgmatick, and if need require cither purge, bathe,or b!eed,as Art lhall direft you. March. In the moneth of March, make an end offowingof all forts offmall Pulfe and begin to fow Oats, Barley, and Rye ? which is called March-rye; graft all forts of Fruit trees, and w ith young Plants and Syens replcnilh your Nurfery, cover the roots of all trees that are bared, and with fat earth lay them clofe and warm: if any tree do grow barren, bore holes in the root, and drive hard wedges or pins ofOak wood therein, and that will bring fruitfullnefle: tranfplant all forts offummer flowers,and give new comfort of manure and earth to all early oatlandifli flowers, efpecially to the Grown EmptriAl Tnlippes, Hyacinth^ and Nar- cijfus , of all ftapes and coloui s, cut down under-wood, for fuell and fencing,and look well to your Ewes, for then is the principal! time of yeaning. And laftly, bathe often, and bleed but upon extremity, purge nut without got dcounlell, and ft t your dyet be cool andtem- perate. 1. In the month of April!, finifh up all your Barley feed, and be¬ gin to fow your Hemp and Flax: fow your Garden feeds, and plant all forts ofhearbs; finifh grafting in the flock; but begin your principallinocnlation, for then theRyndisnv ft plyant and gentle: open your Hives and give bees free liberty.8c leaveto fuccour them with food, and let them labour for their living. Now cut down all great Oak-timber, for now the bark will rife, and be in fcafon for the Tanners; now fcour your ditches, and gather fuch manure as you make in the ftreeis and high waies, into great heaps together; lay your meadows, Height your corns- 2 Book. f’veratt Moneths. 123 corne-grotmdjgather away ftonesjrepair your high waksjSet Ci¬ ders and Willows, and caft up the banks and mines of all decay¬ ed fences. Laftiy, for your health, either purge bathe or bleed, as you (hall have occafion,and ufeall wholefomc recreation : for than moderate exercife in this month, there is no better Phy- lick. • In the month of/l^r, .fow Barley upon all light fands and May. burning grounds,fo likewife doe your Hempe or Flax, and al¬ io all forts of tender garden feeds, as are Cucumbers and mel- lon?, and all kind of fweet finelling herbs and flowers ; Fal¬ low your ftiff clayes'; fummer ftirre your mixe earth, and foyle alllightand loofe hot fands:prepare all barren earth for Wheat and Rye,burnbait,ftubgorflc or Furs, and root out Broom and Fern; begin to fold your Iheep, leadeforth manure, and bring home fuel! and fencing,weede your winter corne, follow your Common workes, and put all forts of graffe either inpafture o r teathertpur your Mares to the horfe, let nothing be wanting to furnilh the Dairy : and now put off all your winter fed cat- tell,for now they are fcarceft and dcareft,put young Steares and dry kinc now to feed at frelh graffc,and away with all peafe-fed lheep;for the fwee tneffe ofgraffc mutton will pull downe their prices. Laftiy, for your health, ufe drinke that will coole and purge the blood, and all other fuch phyficall precept?, a? true Art lhall preferibe you: but beware of Mountebanks and old wives tales, the latter hath no ground, and the other no truth, but apparent, cofenagc. • In the month of June,carry fand,marie,lime; and manure of lune - what kind foever to your land ; bring homeyour coales and Ci¬ ther neccffary fuell fetcht farr off; Ihcare early fat fheep 5 fow all forts of tender hcarbs,cut rank low meadows; make the firft re- turneofyour fat cattle, gather early Summer fruits ; aiftillall forts of plants and hearbs whatfoever. And laftiy,for your healthjufe much exercife,thin dyet, and chaft thoughts. In the month of July , apply your hayharveft ; fora d;y ftacktis many pounds loft; chiefly when the weaflier is uncon- V ftant 224 Tfo labour? for the a Book ftanr 5 flicareall manner of Held (beep. Summer- ftirre rich grounds,foyl all mixtearths, and latter-foyl all loofe hot fands. Let heai bs you would prcferve,now run to (eedjcut off the folks andoutlandilhflowrcs, and co ver the roo ts with new earth fo well mix t with manure as may be ; fell all luch Lambs as you feed for the butcher ; andftill lead forth fand, marle s lime,and o- thsr manure;fence up yonr copfcs,grazeyour elder under-woods and bring home all your field timber. _ And laftly for your hcakh,abftainfrom all phyfick) bleed not but upon viole nt occaflon,and neither meddle with wine, wo¬ men,nor other wantonnefle- Auguit. In the month of Auguft, apply your Corne harveft, fteare downe your Wheat and Rye, mowe your Barley and Oates,and make the fecond rctume of your fat Iheep and cattle ; gather all your Summergreater fruit, Plumbs, Apples, and Pearcs; make your fummer or ftveet perry, and cidar ; Set flips, and fycnsof all forts of Gilly-flowcrs, and other flowers, and tranfplant them that were Sett he fpring before, and at the end of this month begin to winter-rig all fruitfull foyls whatfoe^ ver. Geld your lambs, carry manure from your dove-coats, and put your fwineto the early or firft maft.' And laftly for your health,(hun feafts and banquets. Let phyfick alone, hate wine,and only take delight in drinks that are coolc and tem¬ perate. September. In the month of September,reap your peafe, beans, and all other pulfe, makingafinallcndofy'onrharveft ; now bellow upon your Wheat land your principal manure, and now low yonr Wheat and Rye,both in rich and in barren climates ;now put your fwine to maft,ofall hand?,gathcr your winter fruit,& make fale ofyour woolfiand otheriummercommodities ; now put offthofe ftocks of bees, you mean to fell, or take for your own ufe>clofc thatch and daubewami all the farviving hives & looke that no L‘ rone. Mice, or other Verminc be in orabouc them; now thatch your flacks and reck*, thralh your Seed Rye, and Wheat, and make an end with' your cart of all forraigne journeys. Laftly for your health,in this month, ufc phyfick, butmo- deratly; forbeare fruits that are too pleafant or rotten, and as death (him ryot and Surfeit. In 2 Book. fever all Monetbs. 2x«j In the Month of O&obcr; fiuufh your wheat feed, and fcour O&ober. ditches and ponds,plafh and lay hedges and quickfet,tranff)lant remove or Set all manner of fruit trees,of what nature or quali¬ ty foever;tnake your Winter Cider and Perry,ipare your private paftures, and eatc up yoarCorn fields and commons, and now make an end of winter ndgingjdraw furrows to drain,and keep dry your new fown Com, follow hard the making of your male rear all fuch calves a* (ball fall,and wean thofe foales from your draught mares,which thefpring before were foaltdmowfellall fuch (heep as yon wil not winter,give over folding : and feperatc Lambs from the Ews,, which you purpofe to keep for your own- dock. Laftly, for your health, refufe not any needfull phylick at the hands of the learned phyfitian, ufe all moderate fports, for any thing now is good,which reviveth the fpiritf. lathe month of November,you may fow either Wheat orRic November, in exceeding hocfoyles, you may then remove all forts of fruit trees .and plant great trees,eithcr for (heltcr or fhadow.-now cut down all forts of timber,for pIowes,carts,axel tree j, naves, har- rowes,and other husbandly offices; make now the laft return of your graffc-fcd cattle ;bring your fwinc from the mafl,and feed them for {laughter,rear what calves fo ever fall,and break up all fuch Hemp and Flax, as you intend to fpin in the winter fea- fon. , . ' . Laftly,for your health, eate good wholfome and ft rang meats very wel fpiced and dreft,free from rawnelfe;drink fweet wines and for difgeftion ever before cheefe prefer good and moderate exercifc- In themonth of December, put your {heep and fwine to the December. Peafc Reekes,and fat them for the (laughter and market ; now kill your fmall porkes,and large bjeons, lop hedges and trees, faw out your timber for building, and lay ittofrafon : and if your land be exceeding tliff, and rife up in an extraordinary fu.- row,then in this month begin toplow up thatground whereon you mean to fow clean beans only mow cover your dainty fruit trees over with canvafe,and hide all your beft flowres from trod and ftormes,with rotten old horfe-litter ; now drain all your corn fields,and as ocealion fhalUerve, fo water and keep moyfi: V2 your The labour's;:foTi&c* -2 Book your meadows:now become the fowler,with peecc,nets, and all manner ofEngins,for in this month no foul is out of feafon,now fifli for the Carp,the Brcarae,Pike,Tench>Barbell> Peal and Sal¬ mon, And laftly.for your health, cate meats that arc hot and nour> ifhing,drink good wine that is neat,fprightly and lufty,kc,ep thy body well clad,and thy houfe warmc,forfafec whatfoever is fleg- matick,and b&nUh all care from thy heart, for nothing is more unwholfomejthen a troubled fpirit. Many other obfervations belong unto the office of our skilfull Plowman orfarmer, but fince they may be imagined too curi. ous, tooneedlefle, or too tedious, I will flay my penne with thefe already rehcarfcd,and think to have written fufficienlty,touching the application of grounds, and office of the plow-man. ^ - The end e/Markham’s/tfrwe// to Husbandry. The Table. The Table and gencrall Contents of the whole Booke, CHAP, i- T i lie nature of grounds hi gene* rail “ p.x Tic knowledge of barren grounds p.2 CHAP. 2. The Ordering, Tilling , andDrefi¬ fing of all barren clajes, fimple or compound p .3 The firfi inrichinq of barren grounds- p.3 7 he manner of plowing , P 4 7 he hackjnqfanding) and liming of grounds P- 4 - 5 I Additions. The life and profit of Ime P -5 7 he mantirin q of grounds p. 6 The times for all labours p.<$ The fecond plowing p.7 Thefecond barfing p. 7 The firfi harrowing py Off swing the feed p, 8 The fecond harrowing ibid F an Its in the earth ibid The dotting if grounds p.p Another manner of clotting p.jo It'ceding p.ll An ob ection and anf ver p i 2 7 he ordering of earths where fund wanteth ibid Sowing of Silt p. 13 The excellency of fait ibid Offieepinq feed in brine p. 13 CHAP. 3 . Of the orderings tilling, and dr ef¬ fing of all rough barren clay , fimple or compound j being, over¬ run with Gorfe^Broome^r &c p.14 The defiroyingof weeds p.l6 Burning of Baitc ibid The breaking of the burnt earth j ^ ibid [ The c.r.fes of unfruitfu/nefe 17 I An excellent manure ibid \The plowing ibid [ Of divers manures 18 \ Of weeding ibid I The time of weeding ibid' The Catherine of(tones p. 19 | " CHAP. 4. Of the ordering) tilling, anddref- ' l of barren Clayesr'thatgeireo- ver-run with Whins i What Whins arc Paring of grounds Malfing of bats Breakjng of baits Plowing pi io ibid /P-2 6 \ «>id p.’aa ibid H 4r- The Table. Harrowing-Ceding,^ the pro fits p.24 GHAP. 5. • Of orderings tilling, & dr effing'all barren Cl ayes which are over* 1 run with Line and Heath j P»g- 2 *| Defraying of Health p.25 j Another turnin'? of hade. p.26 Of weeding, p.27 1 CHAP. 6. Of the ordering, trimmings and dreffing of all barren Sands, bearing nothing but moffig graft p.28 Of pi owing Of marlmg Whai Marie is Additions OfCha '\e and the itfe The profit ' CHAP. 7. Of the plowing , tilling, and dreffing of all barren Sards, that area* ver-run with Bra fin, Ferne,or math p.35 Qff aiding and liming p. 3 6 Of plowing and fowiug Labours after fowing Of Weeding CHAP. 8. The plowing^ Ttiling 3 and ordering of all barren Sands laden with Twitchiand wild Bryar . p.?8 The defraying of Twitch & Bryer. Ibid p.30 p. 3 i ibid ibid P -33 P -35 ib 3 id P -38 Of Manures Of harrowing} and ether labours, ibid Of weeding p.40 "CHAP. 9. 1 he plowing filling} and ordering of Sands laden with moorijh flinching graffe p. 4 i Grounds for fifh-ponds p, ^ The drayning of wet grounds. p. 43 The harrowing p.44 The wee din tr p « Additions. CHAP. 10. Agenerall way for the enriching of any arable grounds, either. Clay or Sand, withleffe charge then formerly p.45 Steeping ofSeedcorne^r any Pulfe p. 46 Shavings of home jbid H oofesofcattell ibid OfWoad p.47 The enriching of ordinary Manure . ibid Additions. CHAP, u HnP to enrich (for corn fray barren rough woody ground being new¬ ly (lubbed up. p.49 Additions. CHAP- 12. The manner of red's cine, and bringing unto their firJl perfe¬ ction, all forts of grounds which have been over-flowed orfpoyled by fait wa-er, or Sea- breach, either Arable, or pn- fiure, as alfo. the enriching or ' bet - — The Table. bettering of the fame p. 50 j OfGrafhoppers. . 'ibid Additions. CHAP. 13. | Of Molet, and the cure. p. 80 Another may to enrich barren fa- i Offences from the influence ofHea- flure,or meadow Without the help ven. ' p.8r of water. p.57 Offnuttinefs or mildcw>& theatre CHAP. 14. - ibid Hw to enrich or make the moft Addition*. ibid barren fojtle to hare excellent Of Haile and the cure, ibid goodpafture or meadow. p.62 Of Lightning., F rofts,Mifls,FOggs, Of watering grounds p. 64 and blaftings, and the me, '] he helps in watering . ibid 8 S s 8 3 When and how to water. ibid Corn re/tpt wetland the cure. 83 The befifeafon for watering. p ,<$5 Ofwafhtcorne- P-%3 CHAP. 15- To know wafft Come, p. 84 7 he enriching barren grounds , for B CHAP. 18. H empeorFlax. p .66 How to keep all manner of Grains BlackclayforHempe. p , 6 j threfht or mtbrefljhe longefi The making ill earth be are H empe. time,and how to preferve it 3 ere. ■ p.68 p.86 The weeding • . p.69 Of Garners p.87 CHAP 1 6. Of Hutches and their afes. p:88 The manner of flacking all kind of To preferve wheat p.8f Graine with leafl lojje. 70 To preferve Rye p. 93 CHAP. 17. To preferve Beans. ' ibid The difeaefs and imperfettions To preferve Peafe or Fetches. 95 which happen to all manner of To preferve Lentiles or Lupins. p8 Graine p.72 To preferve Oats ibid Crowes, Pigeons, or Birds and the To preferve Oate-meale p 99' cure.’ . p. 73 To preferve anyme ale. p.JOQ Addition*. - - P-74 The pheferving of all fmall feeder.. OfPifmires and Lores, with the - ■ u - • p. XOT , cure. P- 75 * 7 ^ CHAP. 19. Of field-Rats and Mice, and the .How to keep Grain either for tranf- cure. p 77. porfation or &c. p. 1^1 Ofwormes andtheettre, p.78 The ufe of Graine p.ioz Of Rye not to be wet. ibid OfPulfe ibid Of Snailer. P -79 Of Rice and the ufe. ibid The Table. Of wheat and. the ufe p. 103 OfOat.me A 'e and the ufe 104 Of Barley and the ufe p. 105 Of Bucfaud the ufe p.lbid Of Pulfe and the ufe p.106 Of French Beanes ibid Of the Kidney-bedne ibid Of common field beanes ibid Of Peafe and their ufe ibid Several! forts of peafe 107 To tranjport Gratae ibid Additions CHAP.20. The enriching of barren Grounds, and to make it fruitfull to beare H ops 10? Abating andencreafing of fertility ibid Choice of grounds ibid Cafiing the hills r p.HO Preparing; the«Allies^dnd planting the Hops ibid CHAP. 21. A generall computation of Men & Catiels Labottrsj&c. in Of Plowing, Sowing, and Mowing ibid Of Reaping and gathering Gram p.nj Of Ditching, H edging, Plajhkg p.II 4 Of Delving and thrajhing. n