Pease doe manure barraine ground well your Lentles better and your Lupines the best of all Now for the nature and vse of these graines the Pease as all Husbandmen know are both good for the vse of man in his bread as are vsed in Leicester shire Lincolne-shire Nottingham-shire and many other Countries and also for Horses in their Prouender as is vsed generally ouer all England for Lentles or white Ftches or the Lupines which are redde Fitches they are both indifferent good in bread for man especially if the meale be well scalded before it be knodden for otherwise the sauour is excéeding rancke or else they are a very good foode being sodden in the manner of Leapâ—-Pease especially at Sea in long iourneyes where fresh meate is most exceeding scarce so that rather then your land should lye idle and bring forth no profit I conclude it best to sow these Pulses which both bring forth commoditie and also out of their owne natures doe manure and inrich your ground making it more apt and fit to receiue much better Séede For the manner of sowing these thrée sorts of Pulse you shall sow them euer vnder furrow in such sort as is described for the sowing of Pease and Beanes vpon the white or gray clay which is of indifferent drinesse and apt to breake Now the limitation for this Ardor or â—éede time is from the middest of March till the middest of Aprill then from the middest of Aprill till the middest of May you shall make your especiall worke to be onely the leading forth of your Manure to that field which you did fallow or lay tilth that present yéere immediatelie after Christmas and of which I first spake in this Chapter And herein is to be vnderstood that the best and principallest Manure for this redde-sand is the ouldest Manure of beasts which can begotten which you shall know by the excéeding blacknesse and rottennesse thereof being in the cutting both soft and smooth all of one substance as if it were well compact morter without any shew of straw or other stuffe which is vnrotted for this dung is of all the fattest and coolest and doth best agrée with the nature of this hot sand Next to the dung of beasts is the dung of Horses if it be old also otherwise it is somewhat of the hottest the rubbish of old houses or the swéepings of flowres or the scowrings of old Fish-ponds or other standing waters where beasts and horses are vsed to drinke or be washt or wherevnto the water and moisture of dunghills haue recourse are all good Manures for this redde-sand as for the Manure of Shéepe vpon this redde-sand it is the best of all in such places as you meane to sow Rie but not fully so good where you doe intend to sow your Barley if it be a cold moist redde-sand which is seldome found but in some particular low countries then it doth not amisse to Manure it most with Shéepe or else with Chaulke Lime or Ashes of which you can get the greatest plentie if this soile be subiect to much wéede and quickes as generally it is then after you haue torne vp the wéedes and quickes with Harrowes you shall with rakes rake them together and laying them in heapes vpon the land you shall burne them and then spreading the ashes they will be a very good Manure and in short space destroy the wéedes also likewise if your land be much ouergrowne with wéedes if when you sheare your Rie you leaue a good long stubble and then mowing the stubble burne it vpon the land it is both a good Manure and also a good meanes to destroy the wéedes After your Manure is lead forth and either spread vpon the lands or set in great heapes so as the land may be couered ouer with Manure for it is to be obserued that this soile must be throughly Manured then about the middest of May which is the time when this worke should be finished you shall repaire with your Plough into the other fallow field which was prepared the yéere before for this yéeres Barley there you shall sow it all ouer with Barley aboue furrow that is to say you shall first Plough it then sow it and after Harrow it making the mould as fine and smooth as may be which is done with easie labour because this sand of it owne nature is as fine as ashes Now the limitation for this séede time is from the middest of May till the middest of Iune wherein if any man demaund why it should not be sowne in March and Aprill according as it is sowne in the former soiles I answere that first this redde-sand cannot be prepared or receiue his full season in weather and earings before this time of the yéere and next that these redde-sands by how much they are hotter and drier then the other claies by so much they may wel stay the longer before they receiue their séede because that so much the sooner the seede doth sprout in them also the sooner ripen being kept warmer at the roote then in any could soile whatsoeuer As soone as the middest of Iune approacheth you shall then beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow field and to turne your Manure into your land in such sort as you did vpon your clay soiles for this Ardor of Summer-stirring altereth in no soile and this must be done from the middest of Iune till the middest of Iuly for as touching sleighting clotting or smoothing of this Barley field it is seldome in vse because the finenesse of the sand will lay the land smooth inough without sleighting yet if you finde that any particular land lieth more rough then the rest it shall not be amisse if with your backe Harrowes you smooth it a little within a day or two after it is sowne From the middest of Iuly vntill the middest of August you shall foile and throw downe your fallow field againe if your lands lie well and in good order but if any of your lands doe lie in the danger of water or by vse of Plowing are growne too flat both which are hinderances to the growth of Corne then when you foile your lands you shall Plow them vpward and so by that meanes raise the ridges one furrow higher After you haue foiled your land which must be about the middest of August then will your Barley be ready to mowe for these hot soiles haue euer an earely haruest which as soone as it is mowne and carried into the Barne forthwith you shall with all expedition carry forth such Manure as you may conueniently spare and lay it vpon that land from whence you receiued your Barley which is most barraine and if you want cart Manure you shall then lay your fould of Séepe thereupon and as soone as it is Manured you shall immediately Plow both it the rest which Ardor should be finished by the middest of September and so suffered to rest vntill
The beame also of this Plough is much more straight then the former by which meanes the Skeath is not full so long The Irons belonging vnto this Plough are of the fashion of the former Irons onely they be somewhat lesse that is to say the Coulture is not so long neyther so full bent as that for the red Sand nor so straight as that for the blacke clay but as it were holding a meane betwéene both so likewise the Share is not fully so broad as that for the red sand nor so narrow as that for the gray clay but holds as it were a middle size betwéene both somewhat leaning in proportion to the shape of that for the blacke clay As for the Plough-slip Plough-clouts and other implements which are to defend the wood from the hardnesse of the earth they are the same and in the same wise to be vsed as those for the red Sand. Now for the Draught or Teame which drawes this Plough they are as in all other Draughts Oxen or Horses but for the number thereof they differ much from those which are formerly written of for you shall vnderstand that in this white sandy soile which is of all soiles the lightest eyther two good Horses or two good Oxen are a number sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile whatsoeuer as by daily experience we may sée in those countries whose soile consists of this white light Sand of which wée haue now written neyther shall the Plow-man vpon this soile néede any person to driue or order his Plough more then himselfe for the soile being so light and easie to cut the Plough so nimble and the Cattell so few and so neare him hauing euer his right hand at libertie because his plough hath but onely a left hand Hale he hath liberty euer to carry a goade or whip in his right hand to quicken and set forward his Cattell and also a line which being fastned to the heads of the Beasts hée may with it euer when hée comes to the lands end stop them and turne them vpon which hand he pleases And thus much for the tillage and ordering of this white Sand. CHAP. IX The manner of plowing the Grauell with Pible stones or the Grauell with Flint their Earings Plough and implements HAuing in the plainest manner I can written sufficiently already of the foure simple and vncompounded soiles to wit two Clayes blacke and gray and two Sands red and white it now rests that I also giue you some perfect touch or taste of the mixt or compounded soiles as namely the grauell which is a kinde of hard sand clay and stone mixt together and of Grauels there be two kindes that is to say one that is mixt with little small Pible stones as in many parts of Middlesex Kent and Surry and the Grauell mixt with broad Flints as in many parts of Hartford-shire Essex and sundry such places These Grauels are both in generall subiect to much barrainnesse espcially if they be accompanied with any extraordinary moisture yet with the good labour of plowing and with the cost of much Manure they are brought to reasonable fruitfulnesse where it comes to passe that the Plow-man which is master of such a soile if either he liue not neare some Citie or Market-towne where great store of Manure by the concourse of people is daily bred and so consequently is very cheape or else haue not in his owne store and bréede meanes to raise good store of Manure hée shall seldome thriue and prosper thereupon Now although in these grauell soiles there is a diuersity of mixture as the one mingled with small Pibles which indéede is the worst mixture the other with broad Flints which is the better signe of fruitfulnesse yet in their order of tillage or Earings in their wéeding and cleansing and in all other ardors and obseruations they differ nothing at all the beginning and ending of each seuerall worke being all one Now for the manner of worke belonging vnto these two soiles it altereth in no respect nor obseruation eyther in Plough plowing manuring weeding or any other thing whatsoeuer from that of the white sand the same times of the yéere the same Séedes and the same Earings being euer to be obseruedâ— wherefore at shall 〈…〉 to write so amply of these soiles as of the other because being all one with the white Sand without aâ—teration it were but to write one thing twise and therefore I referre the Reader to the former Chapter and also the Husbandman that shall liue vpon either of these soiles onely with these few caueats First that for the laying his lande hée shall lay them in little small stitches that is not hauing aboue foure furrowes laid together as it were for one land in such sort as you sée in Hartford-shire Essex Middlesex Kent and Surry for this soile being for the most part subiect to much moisture and hardnesse if it should be laid in great lands according to the manner of the North parts it would ouer-burden choake and confound the séed which is throwne into it Secondly you shall not goe about to gather off the stones which séeme as it were to couer the lands both because the labour is infinite and impossible as also because those stones are of good vse and as it were a certaine Manuring and helpe vnto the ground for the nature of this Grauell being colde and moist these stones doe in the winter time defend and kéepe the sharpnesse of the Frosts and bleake windes from killing the heart or roote of the séedes and also in the Summer it defends the scorching heate of the Sunne from parching and drying vp the Séede which in this grauelly soile doth not lie so well couered as in other soyles especially if this kinde of earth be inuironed with any great hils as most commonly it is the reflection whereof makes the heate much more violent And lastly to obserue that there is no manure better or more kindly for this kinde of earth then Chaulke white Marle or Lyme for all other matters whatsoeuer the former Chapter of the white Sand will giue you sufficient instructions CHAP. X. The manner of plowing the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand and the white Clay mixt with white Sand their Earings Plough and Implements NExt to these grauelly soiles there be also two other compounded earths as namely the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand and the white Clay mixt with white sand which albe they differ in composition of mould yet they hold one nature in their Tillage and Husbandry wherefore first to speake of the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand which as before I said is called of Husbandmen an hassell earth you shall vnderstand that it is a very rich and good soile very fruitfull both for Corne and Grasse for Corne being apt to beare any séede whatsoeuer and for Grasse as naturally putting it forth very earely in the yéere by which your Cattell shall get reliefe
a high colour and haue vpon them a very thicke huske which making the meale somewhat browne causeth the Baker not all together to estéeme them for his purest manchet yet the yeeld of flower which cometh from them is as great and greater then any other Wheate whatsoeuer These two sortes of Wheate are to be sowne vpon the fallow field as crauing the greatest strength and fatnesse of ground whence it comes that they are most commonly séene to grow vpon the richest and stiffest blacke clayes being a graine of that strength that they will seldome or neuer mildew or turne blacke as the other sortes of Wheate will doe if the strength of the ground be not abated before they be throwne into the earth Now for the choise of these two Wheates if you be compelled to buy them in the market you must regard that you buy that which is the cleanest and fairest being vtterly without any wéedes as darnell cockell tares or any other foulnesse whatsoeuer you shall looke that the Wheate as neare as may be hould all of one bignesse and all of one colour for to beholde it contrary that is to say to see some great Cornes some little some high coloured some pale so that in their mixture they resemble changeable taffata is an apparant signe that the Corne is not of one kinde but mixt or blended as being partly whole-straw partly Pollard partly Organe and partly Chelter For the flaxen it is naturally so white that it cannot be mixt but it may easily be discerned and these mixt séedes are neuer good either for the ground or the vse of man Againe you shall carefully looke that neither this kinde of Wheate nor any other that you buy for séede be blacke at the ends for that is a signe that the graine comming from too rich a soyle was mildewed and then it will neuer be fruitfull or proue good séede as also you shall take care that it be not too white at the ends showing the Corne to be as it were of two colours for that is a signe that the Wheate was washt and dried againe which vtterly confoundeth the strength of the Corne and takes from it all abilitie of bringing forth any great encrease Now if it be so that you haue a crop of Wheate of your owne so that you haue no néed of the market you shall then picke out of your choisest sheafes and vpon a cleane floare gently bat them with a slaile and not thresh them cleane for that Corne which is greatest fullest and ripest will first flie out of the ears and when you haue so battâ—d a competent quantitie you shall then winnow it and dresse it cleane both by the helpe of a strong winde and open siues and so make it fit for your séede I haue séene some Husbands and truely I haue accounted them both good and carefull that haue before Wheate séede time both themselues wiues children and seruants at times of best leasure out of a great Wheate mow or bay to gleane or pull out of the sheafes eare by eare the most principall eares and knitting them vp in small bundells to bat them and make their séede thereof and questionlesse it is the best séede of all other for you shall be sure that therein can be nothing but the cleanest and the best of the Corne without any wéedes or foulnesse which can hardly be when a man thresheth the whole sheate and although some men may thinke that this labour is great and troblesome especially such as sowe great quantities of Wheate yet let them thus farre encourage themselues that if they doe the first yéere but gleane a bushell or two which is nothing amongst a few persons and sowe it vp on good Land the encrease of it will the next yéere goe farre in the sowing the whole crop for when I doe speake of this picking of Wheate eare by eare I doe not intend the picking of many quarters but of so much as the increase thereof may amount to some quarter Now there is also another regarde to be had as auailable as any of the former in chusing of your séede Wheate and that is to respect the soyle from whence you take your séede and the soyle into which you put it as thus If the ground whereon you meane to sowe your Wheat be a rich blacke clay stiffe and full of fertillitie you shall then as neare as you can chuse your séede from the barrainest mixt earth you can finde so the Wheate be whole-straw or Pollard as from a clay and grauell or a clay and white sand that your séede comming from a much more barraine earth then that wherein you put it the strength may be as it were redoubled and the encrease consequently amount to a higher quantitie as we finde it proueth in our daylie experience but if these barraine soyles doe not afforde you séede to your contentment it shall not then be amisse you sowing your Wheate vpon fallow or tilth ground if you take your séede Wheate either from an earth of like nature to your owne or from any mixt earth so that such séede come from the niams that is that it hath béene sowne after Pease as being the third crop of the Land and not from the fallow or tilth ground for it is a maxiome amongst the best Husbands though somewhat proposterous to common sence bring to your rich ground séede from the barraine and to the barraine séede from the rich their reason taken from their experience being this that the séede as before I said which prospereth vpon a leane ground being put into a rich doth out of that superfluitie of warmth strength and fatnesse double his increase and the séede which commeth from the fat ground being put into the leane hauing all the vigour fulnesse and iuyce of fertilnes doth not onely defend it selfe against the hungrinesse of the ground but brings forth increase contrary to expectation whence procéedeth this generall custome of good Husbands in this Land that those which dwell in the barraine woode Lands heathes and high mountaine countries of this kingdome euer as néere as they can séeke out their séede in the fruitfull low vales and very gardens of the earth so likewise those in the vales take some helpes also from the mountaines Now for your other sortes of Wheate that is to say the white Pollard and the Organe they are graines nothing so great full and large as the whole straw or browne Pollard but small bright and very thinly huskt your Organe is very red your Pollard somewhat pale these two sorts of Wheate are best to be sowne vpon the or fourth field that is to say after your Pease for they can by no meanes endure an ouer rich ground as being tender and apt to sprout with small moisture but to mildew and choake with too much fatnesse the soyles most apt for them are mixt earths especially the blacke clay and red sand or white clay and red sand for as