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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67755	The improvement improved by a second edition, or, The great improvement of lands by clover, or, The wonderful advantage by, and right management of clover by Andrew Yarranton ...	Yarranton, Andrew, 1616-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing Y16; ESTC R9553	21,827	63

reason why Clover doth so extreamly thrive upon limed Land rather then upon the same Land when it hath not been limed which experience doth fully convince us is true and for which many reasons are assigned That it is so none deny and why it is so I have given you some account in my other book There are two other sorts of Land that bear Clover 1. Land that is of a mixt nature and that hath somewhat more of clay in it then the third sort of Land before mentioned whose clods are apt to fall in pieces in a wet time and is not subject to clinging 2. Secondly Clay-land that is not subject to retain the wet and that lieth upon a shut so that the rain and other water runneth speedily off it which Land is much the better if it face to the South We may be so much the more confident of success upon these two sorts of Land if they have been well limed and we have a drie seeding time and you must be sure to make this Land as fine light and mellow as you can and when you have got Clover upon it it will by its root and broad leaf make and keep your Land much more lighter and mellow or moustree which will be a great advantage when you come to sow corn again I have observed upon this sort of mixed and Clay-land excellent good Clover and I know some that have a very great advantage upon it yet I think the unseasonableness or extreamness of the weather hath a greater influence upon Clover to its detriment in this Land then they have in the other sorts of Land upon my own knowledge I say this Land will bear it and that with very much advantage yet I advise the unexperienced rather to make their first trial upon one of the four sorts of Land before mentioned I have heard of some who falling upon this sort of Land in their essays and either though their unskilfulness or some other miscarriage it hath failed them they have then made it their business to cry out against Clovering of Land in the general or at least to perswade men that that sort of Land will not bear it I do believe that there are many secrets about the Nature of Clover yet to be discovered and about the fittest Lands for it and I do not doubt but in a short time we shall attain to much more kowledge about the management of Clay Lands so as to raise good Clover upon them I have heard from good Authors that in some Clay Lands where it is not extream binding Clay they have much success and have made good progress in the discovery I could heartily wish some ingenious person would so far befriend the publick as to give more full directions about Clay Land then I can upon my own knowledge not having the opportunity of so many trials upon that Land as upon other Lands first mentioned The profit of Clover AS for the profit that may and usually is made by Clover I am at a great stand whether I had not better wholly omit i● and say nothing of it for if I tell you what I have read and heard from others I shall forfeit my credit with some and what I affirme will be taken to be impossible if I tell you what I have seen and the whole Country will subscribe to the truth of yet it will be taken to be very impossible with many especially those which have not seen it and if report the advantages to be less it is a detraction and though I should then speak the truth yet it is not all the truth I am resolved to speak within compass and if I erre it shall be on the safer hand and herein I shall be the sooner pardoned The first sort of Land it is dry gravelly and limed supposing it to be in heart it yeilds to Graze or Mow at least Three pounds each Acre per annum The second sort was broomy or fearny Land limed this Land in Clover is at least worth Four mark each Acre per annum The third and fourth sorts of Land is mixt Land naturally dry and Rye Land which Clovered is at least worth Forty shillings per Acre Many persons have offered to give me a particular account of the money they have raised out of several pieces of Clever which amounts to more then I have mentioned and I know the benefit in some parts will be very great where Grass is much wanting especially in the midst of Summer when all other Grass is burned up So far as I can understand the nature of this Plant it seems to be designed on purpose for those Countries where natural Grass is wanting and for a supply where the Sun hath burnt up their grass in the midst of Summer for as the Land in those parts is fittest for Clover bearing little natural grass so Clover is fittest for those Lands which indeed is the best improvement can be made of them There is a Gentleman * Sir John Winford late high Sheriff my neighbour that hath about sixty Acres and I know of several parcels sowed with Clover-seed being very barren gravelly Land which Land if laid down to bear natural Grass is not worth above four shillings six pence the Acre at most here with us and I know there hath been made of it at least forty five shillings per annum upon each Acre by Clover As also Mr. Thomas Hill a Grazier can give you an account of the profit of it whom you may see in most of the Fairs in Worcester-shire Stafford-shire or Shrop-shire I sowed about sixteen Acres with Barley and after my Barley I had about Michaelmas a great After-math into which I turned by way of Tack about forty Hoggs at six pence per the week and for that time I had about four pound ten shillings for Tack of Swine which I thought was pretty well for an After-math and take my Land to be much bettered by the dung of so many Piggs Had I let this Land lie to bear natural Grass it would not have brought me five pounds in the two first years and as to bear Corn it would not any longer to any advantage being worn out with liming and long tillage This I mentioned in my Book last year to which I could adde this years experience but to give you the particulars of it were too long in a word it was answerable to my expectations and such as you will scarce believe except you saw it or had had some experience of this Husbandry your self If the After-math in the first quarter after the Barley is cut yeild such advantage you may guess what the next years profit may be I would not have spent so many words about the advantage of Clover but that it 's more then possible my Book may fall into the hands of some that either have not seen it growing or have not had that opportunity of knowing the profit of it as all men have

here about us if they will take any notice of their neighbours Lands When how much and how to sow Clever FOr the time of sowing it in my former Book I told you that the best season is from the 10th of March to the latter end of April but I hold it best in March because the seed may have time to root before the drought catch it Since I wrote my last Book I have made several trials I have sowed some in every week in August and September and I do intend to trie a good quantity to sow it in the middle or rather in the beginning of August for I perceive that doth exceeding well which is then sowed and I begin to think that after a little time the Country will be much inclined to that season as the best If any person please to make trial I advise him to order his ground according to this direction and I dare almost warrant it shall thrive So soon as your Barley or your Pease is taken off your Land plough it with a narrow round furrow that so all the pelfe and weeds may be buried then harrow your Land and lay it as plain and as fine as may be and pick off the stones then sow the seed without any corn in it or before it according to the following directions Keep your Land well inclosed that it may not be trod upon by any cattel till about the middle of April then Graze it if you will or keep it a little longer and Mow it I sowed last year about eight Acres without any Grain or any thing else upon the ground with it and it thrives very well but it was sowed in April and I conceive if it had been sowed in August it had been much better and amongst others one reason why I conceive sowing in August is best is because I find one great enemy to Clover is natural Grass Now if the seed be sowed in August it will have taken root and be able to bear out the winter and when the spring cometh it will be so high and forwardly that it will be able to cover all the ground and shade and keep down that grass which else would be injurious to it For the quantity of seed I need say but little for all men are now convinced of the error in sowing six or eight pound upon an Acre and I cannot hear of any that sow less then twelve pound some sow fourteen pound and some sixteen pound I have my self sowed sixteen pound upon an Acre but for your directions herein I shall onely give you the very words of my last Book The quantity of seed that I do prescribe to sow one Acre is twelve or thirteen pound it 's true formerly they did not sow above six pound of seed upon an Acre but I finde by practice that no less then twelve pound must be sowed for when but six pound was used to be sowed then the natural grass did presently abound and the branches did grow into great stalks whereby the Clover grass did soon decay and the grass was course but now by sowing twelve pound upon an Acre you do prevent the natural grass which is a great enemy to the Clover as also sowing thick doth make the grass the finer and by consequence sweeter and it doth also by its thickness and shade kill all Broom and Fearn and other weeds which a good husbandman knows are great advantages to the Land in order to the next breaking up for Corn therefore I desire that all would sow twelve pound on each Acre As for the manner of sowing it I do not by any means approve of the mixing it with Sand or any thing else I shall not trouble you with reasons against it because it is now wholly laid aside the Country is sensible of the great hazard and inconvenience of it my direction therefore is if you sow in August let your ground be ploughed as aforesaid and made as even fine and plain as one plowing and harrowing will well make it then sow your Seed thus put about so much as will sow one Land into a bowl or some such thing holding it in your left hand or under your left arm and with your right hand sow it as you do Corn taking it between your two forefingers and thumb and according to your best skill divide your Seed so as that every place may have its share wherein you must observe that the wind be not too high and so to order your Seed that the wind do not drive it together in heaps If you sow it after Barley prepare your Land and make it sowed and well harrowed sow your Clover Seed either the same day or two or three days after then line your Harrows with a Bush so that they may not go above two inches in the ground and if good part of the Bush hangs behind the Harrows it will be much the better I have sometimes sowed when the Barley hath been two inches above the ground and onely rolled the Barley and herein I have had good success but I approve not this way except in case of necessity for if drie weather come immediately upon it it will not be sufficiently covered I finde by experience that it is much better to sow Clover with Barley when you lay down your Land rather then with Oats and if I mistake not the Clover will be much the better it will not be labour lost if you take notice of the birds lest they devour the Seed so soon as it is sowed Directions for mowing making and using the Hay THe best time to mow Clover-grass is about the beginning of June for the first cutting of it and in August for the second cutting In making your Hay do not shake your swathes as you do other Hay onely turn it with as much tenderness as may be until it is fit to cock for the leaves of it are too apt to fall which must be prevented for such is the vertue of them your labour will not be lost and if it should happen to be an extream wet time so that you cannot make your Clover Hay as it should if you mix it in the Rick with a little Barley or Oaten-straw it will tend much to the preservation of your Hay and in the winter will be excellent fodder If it so happen that you have a piece of ground that you can float with water in summer about two or three days after you have taken off your Clover-Hay let your water run quick over your Land and you will have speedily a wonderful burthen of Clover-Grass upon the ground A little rain upon our Clover-Hay while it is withering doth it no hurt but maketh it more tough but too much drought and heat when we out our Clover maketh our Hay too brittle short and apt to crumble and I finde also the roots are much damnified by cutting Clover in a hot time Some think it is better rick Clover-Hay then house it but that