is rather to remove the Maladie than enquire any farther after the Cause I shall therefore proceed to lay down several Rules whereby to bring each of these different kinds of Ground to such a temperature as it may be in a condition to nourish any Plant or Seed therein sowen or planted which is done by removing the superfluity of that quality that prevaileth and strengthening of that which is weak For as in humane bodys there are a Composition of the four Elements and through the superfluity or deficiency of any one or more of them Diseases are contracted and fomented so in the Earth there is the like Composition of qualities and so far as heat Moister cold or dryness exceedeth the bounds of a moderat temperatur so far is she Diseased and rendred unfruitful I know some assert the Salt or hot quality that is in the Earth is the only cause of growth of Vigitables And consequently barreness to be only for want of this quality I confess where this quality is wanting altogether Barrenness cannot but ensue And also that this quality is that which is most frequently deficient in our cold Climate And moreover thô it be strengthned or assisted yet by teiling and Manuring of the Earth it s extracted forth into the substance of grain and other vigitables and so needeth frequently to be renewed Notwithstanding of all which with submission to men of greater Judgement I am of opinion there may be abundance of this Hot or Salt quality where there is as much barrenness as any where else But that I may confirm this assertion I say I have seen a field fatned sufficiently with Dung yet by reason of great drowght it has yielded small increase yea scarce one third of what it has done at other times The cause surely was not for want of this Hot or Salt Quality but allanerly for want of Moister Again I have seen a field that wanted not â—nough of this Hot quality by excessive Rains after it has been tiled and sown with Good Grain has produced little else but weeds and Thristles for that season also I have seen strong Clay ground where the clods remained firm and unbroken did not produce so much by far for that Season as at other times when by reason of the Frost in the Winter the clods have easily Mouldred to pieces Notwithstanding it was otherwayes in no better Condition which makes me believe the want of Air tho there be a moderat temperature of the other qualities hinders the growth of Vigitables for tho it want not Air in the stalk which is above ground yet in this confirmed Earth the Air cannot have free access to thâ— Root Another thing which confirms me in this opinion is where Trees grow closs or near the Bottom of hedges little or nothing doth grow Morover I have seen in the Bottom of a dung hill Plewed and sown tho round about the borders thereof the corn has been extraordiner strong and good yet where most of the strength of dung did remain little or nothing did grow which says the excesse of this hot quality tho there be a moderat temperature of all the rest doth hinder fruitfulness I observed formerly that within the bounds of a mile of ground in some places there may be seen fields in equal circumstances as to the manner of Situation and yet differing in other circumstances very much for which I can understand no cause save the primative constitution but for Valys being generally more fertile then hills I humbly conceive one or all of these reasons may be given First The internal heat of the earth warming the Air next unto it and in respect the hills are farder extended from the center than the Valys and bâ—ing so much higher where the Air is more pure and less warmed by this internal heat they are so much colder and consequently more unfruitfull Or secondly If it be said it is not the internal heat of the Earth that warmeth the Air but rather the reflex heat of the Sun Beams it is the same thing upon the Matter for whither the heat be from the Earth it self or the Sun's heat reâ—â—yling still the Valys have the advantage of the Mountains in respect the Air that is lowest receiveth the greatest share thereof 3. So much as the hills are higher than the Valys they ly the more open to the Air which has a quicker motion the higher it is and Air moved is much colder than when it is not moved whither it be in that it is warmed by things nixt to it when it standeth still and when it is moved fresh Air still approaching which has not been warmed be the cause why the one is warmer then the other I shall not determin But the matter of Fact is beyond contraversy that the Air moved is much colder than when it is not moved and Valys being much sheltered from the violence of Storms are keep'd so much the warmer and consequently are the more Fertile Moreover hills being steep the Rain runneth presently off so soon as it falleth and doth not only carry that salt or hot Quality that is in it self away But if the Ground be not well Soarded carryeth part of the Earth also away with it self And on the contraâ—e Valys lying near level Rain cannot run suddenly off but getting time to soak or sink in the Ground the salt Quality remaineth still whereby the Earth is much Inriched By the above mentioned Observations you may see it is Heat principally that makes the Valys more fertile than the Hills It follows â—hat if other Ground can be warmed to the like degree it may thereby be made as fertile I shall therefore in the following Chapters give some Directions how this may be performed which may be done two wayes First By assisting the Internal Hâ—at Next By restraining the External Cold of each in their places CHAP. II. How to bring every kind of Ground to a right Temperature so far as may be NOw to follow the Example of a skilfull Physitian after finding out the Disease he prescriveth Medicines sutable to be applyed to each various Distemper so shall we after this search and enquirie into the Nature and constitution of these different kinds of ground above mentioned See next what measures are to be taken to bring the same to a moderat temperature And as the Apostle says in another case Paul may Plant and Apollo may Water But 't is GOD that giveth the Increase So let men be never so industrious or carefull about their worldly Affairs yet if GOD give not a blessing to the means their labour is in vain For how often is it seen that after a hopeful Spring an unseasonable Summer maketh a scarce Harvest and after a seasonable Summer good appearence of a plentiful harvest by intemperat weather a few weeks much of the fruits of the Earth have been consumâ—d I am not so much an Astrologer as to impute the cause of this to
HUSBANDRY Anatomized OR An Enquiry into the Present Manner of Teiling and Manuring the Ground in SCOTLAND For most Part AND Several RULES and MEASURES laid down for the better Improvement thereof in so much that one third part more INCREASE may be had and yet more than a third part of the EXPENCE of the present Way of LABOURING thereof Saved By JA DONALDSON EDINBURGH Printed by IOHN REID in the Year M. DC.XC.VII To the Right Honourable PATRICK Earl of MARCHMONT Viscount of BLASONBERIE Lord POLW ARTH Lord High Chancellour of SCOTLAND And the whole Remnant Lords of His Majesties Most Honourable Priy COUNCIL Right HONOURABLE IT may be looked upon as a Peice of heightened Arrogance for such a Person as I am to Presume to Endit any thing that may deserve your Lordships Cognizance And truly on any other Subject but this most Plain and Genuine Art of Husbandrie I had scarce adventured to publish my Sentiments and much less presumed to offer the same to such August Venerable and Judicious Criticks Who are acquainted with Learned and Eloquent Treatises on all Subjects But where there is greatest Judgement there useth to be most Discretion Which gives me Confidence and Ground to hope that what I here offer with Respect and Good Will allanarly with an Eye to the publick Good shall find Acceptance Thô from the Stile of Writing or Congruity of Language no such thing can be pleaded for Rhetorick being that which neither the Subject doth require nor my simple Genius can Aspire to Perhaps two Questions may be asked Concerning my Experience in Husbandry and Motives in publishing thereof To give a positive and distinct Answer to both will require an abridged History of my own Life which I shall with all Brevity repeat because it will be a kind Kye to the following Sheets I was bred in the Country Till I was upwards of twenty years of Age And my Father keeping Servants and Cattle for labouring a part of these Lands which heritably belonged to him I had occasion to acquire as much Knowledge in Husband Affairs as was practised in that place of the Country Some few years before the Revolution I applyed my self to the study of Traffick and Merchandizing But as soon as it pleased GOD to call his Majestie then Prince of Orange to relieve these Kingdoms from the Imminent Danger They then stood in I judged it my Honour and Duty to concur with such a Laudible and Glorious Undertaking And according to my Ability testified my Affection to the Cause several wayes needless here to repeat And especially in Leavying a Company of Men for his Majesties Service and served in the Earl of Angus his Regiment till the second day of February 1690. When that Regiment was reduced from twenty to thirteen Companies I was disbanded But through the scarcity of Money in the Exchequer and great need of keeping an Army on foot Hitherto I have received no Reimbursement of Money I Depursed on that Occasion nor what I can claim of Arriers But the chief Cause of my being reduced to the present hard Condition I am in was The leaving my Business in Confusion when I engadged in His Majesties Service not getting Goods in my Custodie disposed off to Advantage nor Debts due to me sought in And on the other hand my Creditors sued for what was owing them I was obliged to satisfie and pay several other Summs I was Caution for to my great loss By all which and several other misfortunat Accidents my Credit was much broken and Estate near exhausted Notwithstanding of all which I wrasled under all these Disadvantages still thinking to have recovered till within this two or three years At length I was obliged to succumb my Creditors attacking all my Effects I was necessitat to leave the Kingdom for a time and now returning empty handed I began to Reason thus with my self What Have I learned nothing from all that I have seen or heard whereby I can be Useful to my self or the Common-Wealth And at length came to this Resolve I have had some Experience of the Way and Manner of Labuoring the Ground in this Countrey And I have seen their Way of mannaging thereof in some other Places which is generally done to greater Advantage And when I began to try what might be the Causes why there is such difference of Increase in one place more than another I found it is not altogether from the difference of the Climate nor Primitive Constitution of the Earth And as soon as I thought of publishing this I thought it my Duty with all Humility to present it to your Lordships in respect you are not only Proprietors of a great part of Lands in this Kingdom but also in Authority and Dignity to recommend this Project both by Example and Precept And if it may seem practicable in your Lordships Eyes and any Benefit to the Publick come thereby I shall reckon it a special Mercy of GOD who by his Overruling Providence oft times worketh by contrary like Means that I am reduced to this penurious Condition For if it had pleased GOD to continue me in prosperity I beleive this Project had never entred my thoughts I am not so self conceited as to apprehend there is any great Mistery in what I have here published for it is a thing many have not only known but practised But never any that I yet saw hath published it in thir Terms for as I noted in page 125 the grand mistake lyeth in Mis-calculation And I foresaw if I had used the common Method of writing on this Subject it had been objected the Profit would not overballance the Expence For which Cause I have chused to go thorow every Particular and shew how and from whence the profit doth arise I know Epistols Dedicatory are usually stuffed with the Praises of those to whom they are directed But the like Practise were here supperfluous tho I were capable of such a Task as the Poet who was desired to write in praise of Alexander answered Who hath dispraised Alexander So I think my dull Pen attempting to applaud Unquestioned Vertue were not only Vain but Injurious Wherefore I judge it my best Eloquence to be altogether silent and let your Enemies judge whither Real Vertue doth not dwell in the Breasts of these whom Divine Providence hath exalted to such Dignity And the most Serene August and Judicious Monarch this Day in the World maketh choise of for His Counsellours But to avoid Prolixity and encroaching upon your Lordship's Patience I shall conclude Now that all Honour Prosperity and Endless Felicity may alwayes attend You is the Earnest Wish and Unfeigned Prayer of Your LORDSHIPS most Humble and Obedient Servant Ja Donaldson ERRATA Page 8 Line 8 for Vigitables read Vegetables and several other Places Page 25 Line 12 for only and read only add Page 107 Line 1 for 5 read 4 ibid Line 3 for 200 read 1600. Page 108 Line 10 for 4907 read
be from the influence of Coelestial Bodys and by the Regency or Planets of this and the other disposition together with their Conjunctions Squares Angles Opositions and so forth Such various effects are produced and that not only in the Elements But also the like influence have they on humane bodys both in their Dispositions and Actions is the Doctrine of most Astrologers What ever be the Opinion of such Men yet 't is beyond contraversie they go about to seek the nearest that go to the Stars to seek knowledge in futer Events I know so much of Astrologie that I know Mathematicians may calculat the course of the Planets and know in what Schem or Form the Coelestial Bodys shall be for a great many years to come And also they may be informed by those of their own profession that have lived many hundered years agoe what was the Schem of the Heavens when such such Events fell out and from this they conjecture when the Coelestial Bodys come again to be in the like Posture or Frame the like Events they shall befal I say notwithstanding of what Knowledge the best Mathematicians may have in future things by these Conjectures there can be nothing certain from these Causes For I hope none of them will deny but he that gave these Creatures a Being and appointed them their Uses and Offices can work whatsoever he pleaseth without their concurrance or assistance But so it is he hath forewarned us to be assured if we persist in sin we may expect to be punished as other people who have committed the like sins in times past And we have frequent instances in the History of the Iewish Church what was the causes of the Judgements inflicted on them I know not how the Planets were disposed in all the Revolutions of that people But the Pen-man of that Sacred Storie attributes all the Mutations of these times to other Causes I am of Opinion that such as are well versed in Sacred Writ and acquainted with the Life and Conversation of a People may read their Destiny better than all the Astrologers in Europe can do by their Mathematical Calculations None I confess can be positive as to the Time or Manner GOD sometimes giving a longer or shorter space of Repentance as he pleaseth And because He doth not alwayes punish sinners in the very act therefore many mistake the cause of their punishment as the Israelites in Ieremiah's time being by him reproved for their idolatrie assuring them that the afflictions they were then under proceeded from that cause They absolutely defend themselves alleadging he went about to deceive them Ier 44.17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth of our own mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to powr out Drink-offerings unto her as we have done we and our Fathers Our King and our Princes in the Citys of Judah and Streets of Jerusalem for then had we plenty of Victuals and were welâ— and saw no evil But since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-offerings unto her we hâ—â—e wanted all things and have been consumed by the Sword and by the Famine We want not abundance in our times that mistake the Language of Providence not one white less than thir Israelites did But meddling with them not being to our purpose I shall let them stand and fall to their own Master What I designe at presâ—nt is to have my Reader perswaded to a dutâ—â—ul Obedience unto the Law of GOD and to depend on Providence for good Success in his Lawful Affairs and for a Blessing on the Fruits of the Ground rather than believe Good or bad weather or any other Events cometh by guess or by the common course of the Starrs Now To return to our purpose let us see what kind of Nourishment or Medicine is required to refresh the Ground withal or to bring it to a temperat Constitution And that is First Dung of all sorts Vigitables of all kinds providing they be first putrified or rotten Yea all kind of Animals and Lime Ashes c. Tho some curious persons recommend Horn and Hove Blood and Gutts of Cattle and Shells of Fishes and Salt-Peter c. as very strong and dureable Nourishments for the Ground Yet seing these things cannot be had by every one I shall only speak of these which may be had every where Viz Dung of Cattle Ashes Lyme Marle and Sea-ware any of which will strengthen any kind of Ground Yet some of them are stronger than other and each of them proper to be applyed to different kinds of Ground as I shall immediatly remark And first I shall begin with Marish Ground if it be ploughable then let it be made in high Riggs Sheep or Horse Dung is fittest for this kind of Earth if it be so moist that it cannot be plewed draining the Water from it by Trinches or Ditches and strawing it with Lime or Ashes of Wood or Coals will much help the growth of Grass and prevent the growth of Rushes or any other hurtful weed 2 ly Where the Earth is sandy and hot let it be fatned with Cow-dung or Marish-earth because the Constitution thereof is too hot already Dung of a contrary Quality must be applyed But if it be excessive hot it can hardly be made Fertile unless a great quantity of Clay or Marish Ground be laid upon it which will be more expensive than all the Profit coming thereby can repay In that case I know nothing better than take what Grass it produceth of its self and not spend Seed and Labour in vain For tho in a wet Season it may bear a pretty good Crop yet seeing a drowght may as readily happen it is saffer to bestow Expence on other Ground where more certain Profit may be expected 3 ly Strong Clay Ground is that we shall speak of next the Nourishment most proper for it is Horse or Sheep dung This kind of Earth is capable of as much Improvement as any kind of Ground whatsomever Yet seeing there is two Maladies in it to be removed which is Cold and Astringedness or Hardness especially when a very dry Summer follows a wet Spring Beside the dung above mentioned take Sea sand or other sandy Earth and spread upon it as you do dung This both helps to keep the Ground open and also mitigats the Cold. Another thing that makes this kind of Ground open and tender is fallowing And also sowing it with Pease or Beans which at least ought to be sowen on this kind of Ground every third or fourth Year 4 ly The next kind of Earth we shall speak of is Mountainous wild and over-growen with Heath or Heather This Shurb only groweth on cold dry Ground where scarce any thing else can grow Nevertheless by removing that cold dead kind of light Ground that is upon the surface of the Earth where this Heather groweth The soil may be made pretty
other Forraign Nation and therefore likely to be the less noticed what farther concerns these Questions satisfie your self with the acount given in the Epistle Dedicatory What you or your Fathers have been bred to or what Misterys they might have found I question not neither prâ—tend I to any great Measure of Wit But grant that what I advise to were new as it is not for many in this same Kingdom and the greatest part of all others I either have seen or heard of have found the Truth of what I say to their Experience and if you will make Wit and Reason yeeld to Will and Custom I have no more to say brook your Opinion Object 2. Some more grave person I fancy asketh me what may be the Reasons For ye know there is never a Tale without a Reason why this Method I advise to is so universally contemned in this Kingdom if such Benefit as I pretend may be had by following of it Solve So farr as I can understand the Causes are all or either of these three the Maladies of two of them your Landlords may remove and if you take my advise the third you may remove your selves First When a Tenent makes any Improvement of his Ground the Landlord obligeth him either to augment his Rent or remove in so much that its become a Proverb and I think none more true Bouch and Sit Improve and Flit I doubt not but if Fermers had good Security for continuing in possession of their Lands buâ— they might thereby be much Encouraged to improve them Another Cause why Fermers make so little Improvement of Lands in their Possession is Poverty that great enemy to vertue for people that are empty handed are glad to accept any thing that first offers rather than waiâ— for future great things Landlords might also give their Tenents Encouragement in this Case by spairing the Rent for a time But the principal or chief Cause is peoples want of Skill to calculat or forecast the Ordering of their Matters most people thinking it better to take a scant Crop of Corn than leave their Land Grass not considering that by leaving a part of their Land in Grass the rest that is manured geteth the greater allowance of Dung whereby it is Enriched And that part leâ—t in Grass is also thereby brought to a more fertile Condition It is needless here to insist on this point having spent whole three Chapters already in shewing how I would have Fermers divide their Lands and take only so much into manure as they are able sufficiently to keep in a good Condition The two Parables our Saviour adduceth concerning a King's making War And other Men's going about to build That they ought to forecast the Charge and how they may be able to accomplish their Undertakings I say tho that Text is chiefly to be taken in a Spiritual Sense yet may it be taken in a Literal Sense also For when a Man undertaketh any Business whatsoever that is above his power to accomplish ten to one but his project doth miscarrie And I think Aristotle spoke Truth when he said He that is ignorant of Arithmetick is fit for no Science which was also the Opinion of Plato when he affixed this Inscription over his School-door Let none enter in hither that is ignorant of Geomitry When there is so much of it needed in the right Management of Husband Labour as you may see in Chapter 3 4 and 5. which is of all Employments the most plain and natural How much more is it requisite in other Sciences and Employments Object 3. But tho the Method you propose should be followed yet no such profit will come thereby as you would make us believe For in your Calculation Chapter third you reckon all things at a disadvantage in your first Example and all things to the Advantage in the second Solve The contrare is true for according to the division of Croft and Out-fâ—â—ld in the third Chapter I make the Land taken into Croft gâ—t more than double allowance of Dung which the other had and the differrence of product is only three Bolls which I doubt nothing of but it may be more Nevertheless admit there be but two Bolls of difference that is to say allow the Croft according to the first way of manuring to produce five Bolls per Aiker the odds will be greater than I reckoned it at when you defaulk the 150 pounds I pay more Rent for the last Mailen and beside there was six Bolls of Seed and four of Horse Corn saved which was not reckoned in that Account and why the Out-field in the latter Case may bear one Boll more per Aikeâ— than the first I suppose satisfying Reasons were given already As for the profit on the Cattle I think none can doubt of it Ob 4. Your Hedging and way oâ— Manuring recommended Chap 4 th is so difficult that the Charge will exceed the profit Moreover the Hedges will not grow on any Barren Ground Solve The Expence and Profit are both there reckoned and the contâ—aiâ— doth appear As for Hedges growing I have shewed already that any kind of Ground by Industry may be made fertile However â—or your more particular Information concerning planting of Hedges I say digg a ditch on every side of your Hedge or at least one on the out-side thereof Take the crust of the Earth you digg out of your ditches and lay next to the root of your Hedge and if the Ground be very Barren or cold mix dung therewith for as I observed when I spoke concerning planting when the roots of Trees are fixed in cold Tile or Clay tho the Tree it self may be nourished by Dew and Rain without extracting any Strength forth of the Earth as I have seen a Tree growing out of a Wall which had no other kind of Nourishment but what it received from Dew and Rain doth in a manner frize or as it is vulgarly termed Dozz'ns the Root so that it cannot thrive But when a Tree is planted in Ground that is any thing warm as the Surface or Crust of the Earth in all places is for it is warmed by the Sun's Beams and Salt it receiveth in Dew and Rain And your Hedge being therein planted as is shewed above And then to preserve your Hedge while it is young let your Fields about them be Corn so Beasts will have no access to them in Summer And in Winter Cattle seeing nothing to tempt â—hem to break into your inclosed Fields the Hedge and the ditch it self will be sufficient to restrain them Object 5. But you speak of Hedges keeping the Ground warm Pray What shelter hath the Ground by your Hedge except a Rigg or wo lying next to it Solve You may remember I also recommended planting of Trees in your Hedges which will also ward off the Storm But even the Hedges themselves if any thing tall will shelter more than the breadth of a dozen of Riggs of Ground And if