out the Mechanicall Vses of Plants surely it were a good way to advance Mechanickes who in their callings usually go round as the causes of their operations I know a Gentleman who promiseth some things in this kinde and I hope will be as good as his word 3. Head the is ignorance of the Physioal Vses of Plants for though very many 100. Plants do grow amongst us yet but few of them are used Physically wheras there is scarce any one but may be useful in this kind And truly in my opinion it is a great fault that we so much admire those things that are far fetcht and deere bought when as oft-times they are gathered in unseasonable times and corrupted by long voyages by sea counterfeited by Merchants yea we have very oft Quid pro quo and ranke poysons and do neglect those Medicines which God hath given us here at home I am credibly informed that in former times Virga Aurea was in great use with us and usually sold for 8. d. per ounce and brought from France but so soone as it was found growing plentifully in our hedges it was cast forth of the Apothecaries shops as of little vertue And though some will object that our Plants have little vertue I say it 's false for God hath tempered them for on Complexions and we see that very oft one simple Medicine doth more good then the great Compositions of the Auncients which are rather ad pompam then for health and seeme to savour somewhat of the Mountebanke because Opium is alwayes an ingredient And further we see that where any Endemicall or National disease reigneth there God hath also planted a specifique for it As the Cochleare or Scurvy-grasse for the Scurvy in the Balticke Sea where it is very frequent and also in Holland England So in the West-Indies from whence the great Pox first came and where it reigneth very much that not onely man but other Creatures are infected with it so that even Dogs dye of that disease in our Northerne Plantations perhaps catching this infection by mingling with Indian dogs there grow the specifiques for this disease as Gujacum Sassaperilla Sassafras and the Salvages do easily cure these distemper Further we see that even the Irrational Creatures can finde not onely meate but also Medicines for themselves as the Dog Couchgrasse for a vomit the Dove Vervein the Weasell Rue the Swallow Celandine the Toade Plantine and where is our reason that we cannot I therefore desire all Countrey-people to endeavour to know these Plants which grow at their doores for God hath not planted them there for no purpose for he doth nothing in vaine and to collect together the plain simple Medicaments of their Grandame by this meanes they may save many a 40. dence I meane preserve themselves and families and Neighbours in good health Some small Treatises have of late been written to shew the Vse of our Plants in Physicke and I hope Ingenious men will dayly more and more communicate the Secrets of this kinde which they have in their hands for the Publique Good They that write of 4 footed beasts do reckon about 18. Deficiency concerning Animals 120. species of them halfe of them are scarcely knowne amongst us I do suppose therefore that divers species are wanting which may be usefull To instance in some And 1. To begin with the Elephant the greatest wisest and longest-lived of all beasts which abound very much in the Easterne parts of the world as China India and are accounted very serviceable both for the warres and for carriage 15. men usually riding on his backe together they are not chargeable to keepe why may they not be of use even here when I am credibly informed an Elephant lived divers years here in a Parke so that they can endure the coldnesse of this Climate 2. The Buffle which is as big as an Ox and serviceable both for the plough and for their milke their skins make the best buffe they will fare very hard and live in Fens and bogs where nothing else can In the Duke of Floernce's Countrey neare Pisa are many of them 3. The honest and patient Asse which was very much used in the old time for carriage as the Horse for the warre and the Oxe for the plough and in many Countreyes at this time they will eate thistles and live even with nothing They may save poore men who are not able to keepe an Horse because he is a great feeder much labour 4. Mules which is a very strong and proud beast and will carry far more then an Horse and are more sure-footed I suppose that they might be serviceable to the Carriers here as they are beyond the Seas 5. Black Foxes may be profitable whose skins have been fold from 20. l. per skin to 90. l. I might add divers more of this kind as Muske-cats Sables Martines Minkes Musk Squash Guiney-pigs and a sort of Cony which some few have in Hamp-shire whose Furr is worth 2. s. 6. s. or 3. s. per skin being little inferiour to Beaver c. but for brevities sake I passe them over as also divers sorts of Fowles of good use as a kind of Ducke with a Crooked bill which layeth constantly as Hens do as also Hawkes of diver sorts of good value which perhaps the Countrey-man loveth not because they are enemies to his Poultry 2. Deficiency is that we do not endeavour to advance the best kinds of these Cattel which are amongst us And 1. To begin with Horses The French-man that writeth a booke called the Treasure Politick saith that in England in Qu. Eliz. dayes we had not above 3. or 4000. Horse worth any thing for the war those onely in Noblemens stables which thing perhaps did the more encourage the Spaniard to invade us but at this time we are known to have very many 1000. of Horse not inferiour to the best in the world yet I suppose that we might much meliorate our breed by Spanish Jennets Barbary c. And we are not so careful to encrease good Horses as we should be 2. We are too negligent in our Kine that we advance not the best species for some sorts give abundance of milke and better then others some sorts are larger more hardy and will sooner fat c. Lancashire and some few Northerne Counties are the onely places where they are a little careful in these particulars 3. We are not curious in procuring the best sorts of Sheepe for greatnesse foundnesse and fine wooll I wonder that some of our Sheep-masters have not procured of those exceeding fine-woolled Sheepe of Spaine whose wooll costeth the Merchant nigh 10. s. per pound before it is exported I suppose that it would for a time mend our wooll if not continue so for ever for these Sheep were first carryed forth out of England if we may beleeve stories Spaine not affoarding such Sheepe before Dutch Sheepe are reported to have 2. or 3. Lambes
wet years come they spoile even the Vines in France but take ordinary years and our moisture is not so great though some abuse us and call England matula Coeli but the Vines especially those I have mentioned before will come to such perfection as to make good wine and if extraordinary raines fall yet we may helpe the immaturity by Ingenuity as I shall tell you anon or at worst make vineger or verjuice which will pay costs Further these advantages we have of France 1. This Isle is not subject to nipping frosts in May as France is because we are in an Isle where the Air is more grosse than in the Continent and therefore not so piercing and sharpe as it plainly appeareth by our winters which are not so sharpe as in Padua in Italy neither are we subject to such stormes of haile in summer which are very frequent in hot Countreys and for many miles together do spoile their Vines so that they cannot make wine of the grapes for those grapes which are touched by the haile have a Sulphurious and a very unpleasant taste and onely fit to make Aqua-vitae Further sometimes in France caske for their wines is so deare that a tun of wine may be had for a tun of caske and the custome and excize which is laide on wines here is as much againe as the poore Vigneron in France expects for his wine Not to speak of the ill managing of their Vines especially about Paris where poor men usually hire an Acre or 2. of Vines which they manage at their spare houres and most commonly packe in so many plants on their ground for to have the greater increase that the ground and Vines are so shaded by one another that I have wondered that the Sun could dart in his beames to mature them and therefore I cannot but affirme again that we may make abundance of wine here with profit the charges of an Acre of Vineyard not being so great as of Hops an hundred sets well rooted at Paris cost usually but 4. or 6. sous or pence where I have bought many 2000. will plant an Acre very well 50. s. a year is the ordinary rate for the 3. diggings with their crooked Instrument called Aventage and the increase usually 4. tuns for an Acre which will be profit enough and though I referre all to Bonovil and others who have written of the managing of Vines yet I councell to get a Vigneron from France where there are plenty and at cheaper rates then ordinary servants here and who will be serviceable also for Gardening 2. I will briefly tell what I have seen In Italy through all Lombardy which is for the most part plaine and Champion their Vines grow in their hedges on Walnut-trees for the most part in which fields they speake of 3. harvests yearly viz. 1. Winter-Corne which is reaped in June c. 2. Vines and Walnuts which are gathered in September 3. Their summer-graines as Millet Panicle Chiches Vetches c. Buck-wheate Frumentone or that which we call Virginia-Wheate Turneps which they sowe in July when their Winter-corne is cut reaped they reape in October In France their Vines grow 3. manner of wayes in Provence they cut the Vine about 2. foot high and make it strong and stubbed like as we do our Osiers which stock beareth up the branches without a prop. 2. about Orleans and where they are more curious they make frames for them to run along 3. About Paris they ty them to short poles as we do hops In France they usually make trenches or small ditches about 3. or 4. foot from one another and therein plant their Vines about one and a half deepe which is a good way and very much to be commended but if we here in England plant Vines as we do Hops it will do very well but let them not be packt together too thick as they do in France in many places least they too much shade the ground and one another In Italy when they tread their grapes with their feet in a cart they powre the juice into a great vessel or Fat and put to it all their husks and stones which they call graspe and let them ferment or as we say worke together 12. or 14. dayes and usually they put 1. third of water to it this maketh a wine lesse furious Garbo or rough and therefore a good stomack-wine but it spoileth the colour and taketh away the pleasant brisk taste In France so soon as they have pressed out their liquor with their feet they put it in hogsheads and after in their presse squease out what they can out of the graspe which serveth to fill up their hogsheads while they worke which is usually 3. or 4. dayes and then stop them close this is also the way used in Germany and is the best for it maketh a fine gentile wine with a curious colour In Germany when their grapes are green they make fire in their sellars in stoves by the which meanes their wines worke extraordinarily do digest themselves the better This course we must also take here in England some years for it helpeth the rawnes of all liquors very much There is an Ingenious Dutchman who hath a secret which as yet he will not reveale how to helpe maturation by a compost applyed to the roots The compost which I have spoken of before made of brimstone pigeons-dung is very excellent for that purpose as also lees of wine blood Glauber lime used with moderation He also knoweth how to make soure grapes produce good wine I suppose his way to be this all juice of grapes newly expressed is sweet and which may by it selfe alone be made into a sweet syrupe which the French call Racineè further in the Evaporation of liquors which have not fermented or wrought the watery part goeth away first 3. Fermentation giveth a vinous taste and maketh a liquor full of spirits You may then easily guesse at the way and perhaps he may add also some sugar and spices as the Vintners do when they make Hippocras I know a Gentleman who hath made excellent wine of raisins well boil'd in water and afterward fermented by it selfe or with barme it s called usually Medea I likewise know that all sweet and fatty Juices will make fine vinous Liquors as Damsins if they be wrought or fermented ingeniously but whosoever goeth about such experiments let him not think that any thing is good enough for these purposes but let him use the best he can get for of naughty corrupt things who can expect that which is excellent and delicate The Deficiency of us in this kind is so obvious that all the world takes notice of it and it is next the 8. Deficiency concerning Hemp Flox neglect of fishing the greatest shame to this Nation for all know that we have as good land for these seeds as any can be found in Europe and that the sowing of them requireth neither more
in Europe yet it hath no small want of Hay especially about Paris which hath necessitated them to sowe their dry and barren lands with this seed Their manner of sowing it is done most commonly thus When they intend to let their Corne-lands ly because they be out of heart and not situate in a place convenient for manuring then they sowe that land with Oates and these seeds together about equall parts the first year they only mowe off their Oates leaving the Saint Foine to take root and strength that year Yet they may if they please when the year is seasonable mowe it the same year it is sowne but it 's not the best way to do so the year following they mowe it and so do seven years together the ordinary burthen is obout a loade or a load and a halfe in good years upon an Arpent which is an 100. square Poles or Roddes every Pole or Rod being 20. foot which quantity of ground being nigh a 4th part lesse than an English Acre within a league of Paris is usually Rented at 6. or 7. s. After the land hath rested 7. years then they usually break it up and sowe it with Corne till it be out of heart and then sowe it with Saint Foine as formerly for it doth not impoverish land as Annuall Plants do but after seven years the roots of this plant being great and sweet as the roots of Licorish do rot being turned up by the Plough and enrich the Land I have seen it sowne in divers places here in England especially in Cobham-Park in Kent about 4. miles from Gravesend where it hath thriven extraordinary well upon dry Chalky bankes where nothing else would grow and indeed such dry barren land is most proper for it as moist rich land for the great Trefoile or great Clover-Grasse although it will grow indifferently well on all lands and when the other grasses and plants are destroyed by the parching heat of the Sun because their roots are small and shallow this flourisheth very much having very great root and deepe in the ground and therefore not easily to be exsiccated As we have observed Ononis or Rest-Harrow commonly to do on dry lands but if you sowe this on wet land the water soon corrupts the root of it This plant without question would much improve many of our barren lands so that they might be mowen every year once at least 7. years together and yeeld excellent fodder for Cattel if so be that it be rightly managed otherwise it cometh to nothing as I have seen by experience I therefore councel those who sowe this or the great Trefoile or Clover-Grasse or any other sorts of grasses that they observe these Rules 1. That they do make their ground fine and kill all sorts of other grasses and plants otherwise they being native English will by no meanes give way to the French ones especially in this moist climate and therefore they are to be blamed who with one ploughing sowe this or other seeds for the grasse presently groweth up and choaketh them and so by their negligence and ill Husbandry discourageth themselves and others 2. Let them not be too sparing of their seeds for the more they sowe the closer and thicker they will grow and presently fully stock the ground that nothing else can grow And further the seeds which come from beyond the Seas are oftentimes old and much decayed and therefore the more seed is required 3. Not to expect above 7. years profit by it for in that time it will decay and the natural grasse will prevail over it for every plant hath his period some in one year some in 2. others in 3. as the common Thistle and therefore after 7. years let them either plough the land up and sowe it with that same seed again or with other Graine as they do in France 4. Let not sheepe or other cattel bite them the first year that they may be well rooted For these grasses are farre sweeter then the ordinary grasses and cattel will eat them down leaving the other and consequently discourage their growth 5. The best way if men will be at the charge is to make their ground very fine as they do when they are to sowe Barly and harrowe it even and then to howe these seeds in alone without any other graine as the Gardiners do Pease yet not at so great a distance but let them make the ranges about a foot 's breadth one from another and they shall see their grasses flourish as if they were green Pease especially if they draw the howe through them once or twice that summer to destroy all the weeds and grasses And if they do thus the great Clover and other seeds may be mowen even twice the first year as I have experimented in divers small plots of ground There is at Paris likewise another sort of fodder which they call La Lucerne which is not inferior but rather preferred before this Saint Foine for dry and barren grounds which hath been lately brought thither and is managed as the former and truely every day produceth some new things not onely in other Countreys but also in our own And though I cannot but very much commend these plants unto my Countreymen knowing that they may be beneficial to this Nation yet I especially recommend unto them a famous kind of grasse growing in Wilshire 9. miles from Salisbury at Maddington which may better be called one of the wonders of this Land then the Hawthorne-tree at Glassenbury which superstition made so famous for divers of the same kind are found elsewhere You may find this grasse briefly described in a Book called Phytologia Britannica which lately came forth and set down even all the plants which have been found naturally growing in England Gramen Caninum Supinum Longissimum which groweth 9. miles from Salisbury Mr. Tuckers at Maddington where with they fat hogs and which is 24. foot long a thing almost incredible yet commonly known to all that Shire Now without question if the seed of this grasse be sowne in other rich Meadowes it will yeeld extraordinarily though perchance not so much as in its proper place I wonder that those that live there abouts have not tryed to fertilize their other Meadowes with it for it is a peculiar species of grasse and though some Ingenious men have found about 90. species of grasses in this island yet there is none like to this that can by any meanes be brought to such an height and sweetnesse And truly I suppose that the thorough examination of this grasse is a thing of very great importance for the improvement of Meadowes and Pastures and it may excel the great Trefoile Saint Foine La Lucerne or any exotick plant whatsoever And though I am very unwilling to exceed the bounds of an Epistle yet I cannot but certifie you wherein the Husbandry of this Nation in other particulars as I suppose is greatly deficient which I will do as
for other Reasons before mentioned Yea it is not more chargeable for a Gardiner will howe in an Acre for 5. s. and after in the spring for less money runne it over with a howe and cut up all the weeds and raise the mould which charges are not great and you shall save above a bushel of seed which in deare years is more worth then all your charges Further 1. s. 6. d. an Acre for the sowing and harrowing of an Acre in Kent is accounted a reasonable price but if any feare charges let him use a Drill-Plough I therefore cannot but commend the howing in of Wheate as an excellent peece of good Husbandry whether the ground be digged or ploughed not onely because it saveth much Corne imployeth much people and it is not chargeable but it also destroyeth all weeds fitteth grounds for after crops causeth a greater increase and in my apprehension is a good Remedy against Smut and Mildew There is an Ingenious Italian who wondereth how it cometh to passe that if one setteth a Graine of Corne as Wheate Barly c. it usually produceth 300. or 400. as I have tryed yet if you sowe Wheate after the ordinary way 6. or 8. for one is accounted a good crop what becometh of all the Corne that is sown when as the 50th part if it do grow would be sufficient For answer to this 1. I say much Corne is sowne which nature hath destinated for the Hens and Chickens being without any considerable vegetative faculty 2. Wormes Frosts Floods Crowes and Larkes which every one doth not consider do devour not a little 3 Weeds as Poppie May-weed and the grasses growing with the Corne do destroy much Lastly when Corne is so sowne after the ordinary manner much is buried in the furrowes especially if the ground be grazy much is thrown on heaps in holes and consequently starve and choake one another Most of these Inconveniencies are to be remedyed by this way of setting and howing in of Corne. Gardening though it be a wonderfull improver of lands as it plainly appears by this 3. Desiciency concerning Gardening that they give extraordinary rates for land viz. from 40. s. per Acre to 9. pound and dig and howe and dung their lands which costeth very much Yet I know divers which by 2. or 3. Acres of land maintaine themselves and family and imploy others about their ground and therefore their ground must yield a wonderfull increase or else it could not pay charges yet I suppose there are many Deficiencies in this calling 1. Because it is but of few years standing in England and therefore not deeply rooted About 50. yeares ago about which time Ingenuities first began to flourish in England This Art of Gardening began to creepe into England into Sandwich and Surrey Fulham and other places Some old men in Surrey where it flourisheth very much at present report That they knew the first Gardiners that came into those parts to plant Cabages Colleflowers and to sowe Turneps Carrets and Parsnips to sowe Raith Kape Pease all which at that time were great rarities we having few or none in England but what came from Holland and Flaunders These Gardiners with much ado procured a plot of good ground and gave no lesse then 8. pound per Acre yet the Gentleman was not content fearing they would spoile his ground because they did use to dig it So ignorant were we of Gardening in those dayes 2. Many parts of England are as yet ignorant Within these 20. years a famous Towne within lesse Gravesend then 20. miles of London had not so much as a messe of Pease but what came from London where at present Gardening flourisheth much I could instance divers other places both in the North and West of England where the name of Gardening and Howing is scarcely knowne in which places a few Gardiners might have saved the lives of many poor people who have starved these dear years 3. We have not Gardening-ware in that plenty and cheapnesse unlesse perhaps about London as in Holland and other places where they not onely feed themselves with Gardiners ware but also fat their Hogs and Cowes 4. We have as yet divers things from beyond Seas which the Gardiners may easily raise at home though nothing nigh so much as formerly for in Qu. Eliz. time we had not onely our Gardiners ware from Holland but also Cherries from Flaunders Apples from France Saffron Licorish from Spaine Hopps from the Low Countreys And the Frenchman who writes the Treasure Politick saith that it 's one of the great Deficiencies of England that Hopps will not grow whereas now it is knowne that Licorish Saffron Cherries Apples Peares Hopps Cabbages of England are the best in the world Notwithstanding we as yet want many things as for example We want Onions very many coming to England from Flaunders Spaine Madder for dying cometh from Zurick-Sea by Zealand we have Red Roses from France Anice-seeds Fennell-seeds Cumine Caraway Rice from Italy which without question would grow very well in divers moist lands in England yea Sweet Marjorame Barly and Gromwell-seed Virga Aurea though they grow in our hedges in England Lastly Gardening is deficient in this particular that we have not Nurceries sufficient in this land of Apples Peares Cherries Vines Chestnuts Almonds but Gentlemen are necessitated to send to London many 100. miles for them Briefly for the advancement of this ingenuous calling I onely desire that Industrious Gentlemen would be pleased to encourage some expert workmen into the places where they live and to let them land at a reasonable rate and if they be poor and honest to lend a little stock they will soon see the benefit that will redound not onely to themselves but also to all their neighbours especially the poor who are not a little sustained by the Gardiners labours and Ingenuities 4. Our Husbandry is deficient in this that we know not how to remedy the infirmities of our growing 4. Deficiency in Smut Mildew Corne especially Smut and Mildew to instance in these two onely which oftentimes bring great calamities to these Nations Smut in wet years Mildewes in dry These distempers in Corne are not onely in our Countrey but also in other places A learned Author saith that Smuttynesse of corne which maketh it smell like a Red Herring was not Helmont knowne in France till about 1530. at which time the great foule disease began to break forth which he conceiveth from hence to have some original as also the campe-disease Mildewes are very great in the Kingdome of Naples which oft stick to the sithes of those that mowe grasse and Corne and God be thanked we are not troubled with Locusts which is a great flying Grasse-hopper nor Palmer-wormes which is a kind of great black Catter-piller nor with great haile in summer nor with great drought which stifleth the eare in the stalke which Calamities in hot Countreyes do very oft
shoveth off the dew that it doth not so easily insinuate it selfe into the eare and likewise causeth the eare to shake by the least wind There is a kind of Wheate in Buckingham-Shire called Red-straw-Wheate which is much commended it 's a strong-stalked Wheate and doth not soon lodge and therefore excellent for Rank land where Corne is apt to lodge and consequently to Mildew but I question whether it hath any property against Mildew This I am very confident of that if this Wheate or any other were without the Chaffy huskes exposed bare to the Aire as Barly and Rie are Wheate would not be afflicted with Mildew Perhaps such Graine may be found by diligent enquiry I have casually picked out of a Wheate-field some stalkes which have had 2. eares on them and though Barly usually hath been 2. ranges yet I have seen some sorts with 4. 6. and there are many great varieties in graines not yet discovered Truly if any one knoweth better wayes then these how to cure this Malady of Mildew he is much to blame if he do not publish it for the good of his Countreymen I will not here set downe the divers manners of 5. Deficiency cocerning the planting of Apples Peares Cherties and Plums Graftings and Inoculations which neverthelesse is an art absolutely necessary in Planting for every book of Husbandry doth shew it and every Gardiner can teach it those who are desirous to learn it Neither will I set down all the sorts of Apples Peares Cherries Plums c. for it would be too tedious a discourse and Mr. Parkinson hath already very excellently done it in his Book called Paradisus Terrestris where at leasure you may read it I will onely point briefly at the Deficiencies which I find in this part of Husbandry and the best wayes to Remedy them 1. I say that it is a great Deficiency in England that we have not more Orchards planted It 's true that in Kent and about London and also in Gloucester-Shire Herford and Worcester there are many gallant Orchards but in other Countreys they are very rare and thinne but if there were as many more even in any Countrey they would be very profitable I know in Kent that some advance their ground even from 5. s. per Acre to 5. pound by this meanes and if I should relate what I have heard by divers concerning the profit of a Cherry-Orchard about Sittenburne in Kent you would hardly beleeve me yet I have heard it by so many that I beleeve it to be true Namely that an Orchard of 30. Acres of Cherryes produduced in one year above a 1000. pound but now the trees are almost all dead it was one of the first Orchards planted in Kent Mr. Cambden reporteth that the Earle of Leicester's Gardiner in Qu. Eliz. time first began to plant Flemish Cherryes in those parts which in his time did spread into 16. other Parishes and were at that time sold at rgeater rates then now yet I know that 10. or 15. pound an Acre hath been given for Cherryes more for Pears and Apples 2. There is a great Deficiency in the ordering of Orchards in that they are not well pruned but full of Mosse Misletoe and Suckers and oftentimes the ground is packed too thick of trees for they should stand at least 20. foot asunder neither will ill husbands bestow dunging digging or any other cost on Orchards which if they did might pay halfe their rents in some places One told me for a secret a Composition for to make Trees bear much and excellent fruit which was this First in an old tree to split his root then to apply a Compost made of Pigeons-dung lees of wine or stale Vrine and a little Brimstone to destroy the wormes it hath some probability of truth for experience I know that a bushel of Pigeons-dung hath caused a tree to grow and bear which for divers years before stood at a stand but concerning splitting the roots I know not what to say Some old Authors affirm this ought to be done because that the roots may as wel be hide-bound as other parts of the tree and not able to attract his nourishment and when the Roote is split it will speedily send forth divers small fibrous roots which are the principal Attractors It were good that some would give us an exact account of this Experiment But Some will object against Orchards that they spoile much ground and therefore ought to be planted onely in hedges To this I answer 1. That Plumtrees and Damsins may very well be planted in hedges being ordinarily thorny plants this is used very much in Surrey and Kent where the Plums usually pay no small part of their Rent yet I never saw in these Southerne parts of England any Apples or Peares thrive in an Hedge unlesse a Crab or a Wilden or some Sweeting of little worth How they thrive in Hereford-Shire and those places I know not 2. The Inconveniences of Orchards planted at 20. or 30. foot distance is not worth speaking of for this is the usuall course in Kent when they plant any ground they exactly place them in ranke and file and then plough their lands many years and sow them with Corn till the Orchard beginneth to beare fruite then they lay them down for pasture which Pasture is not considerably soure but hath this advantage above other Pastures 1. That it is sooner growne by 14. dayes in the spring than the Medowes and therefore very serviceable 2. In Parching Summers here is plenty when other places have Scarcity 3. They are great shelters for Cattel especially Sheepe who will in those places in great snowes scrape up meate which in other places they cannot do and if the pasture were soure yet the losse is not great for it will be a convenient place for the Hogs to run in who must have a place for that purpose where there are no Commons 4. I say that the Benefits are so many by Orchards that you ought not like an ungrateful man to thrust them up to the hedge for they afford curious walkes for pleasure food for Cattel both in the spring early and also in the parching Summer and nipping snowy Winter They affoard fuel for the fire and also shades from the heat physick for the sicke refreshment for the sound plenty of food for man and that not of the worst and drink also even of the best and all this without much labour care or cost who therefore can justly open his mouth against them 3. Deficiency is that we do not improve many excellent Fruits which grow amongst us very well and that we have as yet many fruits from beyond seas which will grow very well with us I passe by the generall and great ignorance that is amongst us of the variety of Apples of which there are many sorts which have some good and peculiar uses most men contenting themselves with the knowledge of half a score of the best thinking the
vertues of all the rest are comprehended in them as also of the variety of Pears which are incredibly many A Friend of mine neare Gravesend hath lately collected about 200. species I know another in Essex Mr. Ward who hath nigh the same number I heare of another in Worcerster-Shire not inferiour to these in Northamton-Shire I know one who hath likewise collected very many So that I dare boldly say there are no lesse in this Island then 500. species some commended for their early ripenesse some for excellent tastes some for beauty others for greatnes some for great bearers others for good Bakers some for long lasters other for to make Perry c. But to our purpose I say many rare Fruits are neglected to Instance 1. in the Small-nut and Filbird which is not much inferiour to the best and sweetest Almonds 2. The great Damsin or Pruin-Plum which groweth well and beareth full in England 3. Almonds which groweth well and beareth good fruit as I have seen divers bushels on one tree in my brothers Orchard 4. Wal-nuts which is not a fruit to be despised 5. Vines and Mulberries but of these presently in another place I might likewise add Currants Raspeses of which excellent drinkes may be made 6. Quinces of the which I cannot but tell you that a Gentleman at Prichenell in Essex who had a tree from beyond Sea hath the best in England and hath made above 30. pound of a small peece of ground planted with them as I have heard from his own wifes mouth And therefore it is by reason of our ill Husbandry that we have Quinces from Flaunders Smalnuts from Spaine Pruins from France and also Walnuts and Almonds from Italy and Chestnuts which I had almost forgot from Portugall And now I cannot but digresse a little to tell you a strange and true story with my opinion of it In divers places of Kent as at and about Gravesend in the Countrey and elsewhere very many of the prime Timbers of their old barnes and houses are of Chestnut-wood and yet there is scarce a Chestnut-tree within 20. miles of that place and the people altogether ignorant of such trees This sheweth that in former times those places did abound with such timber for people were not so foolish surely in former times to runne up and down the world to procure such huge mastey timbers for barnes and such buildings when as there was plenty of Oakes and Elmes at their doors And further it sheweth that these Trees will grow again with us to a great bignesse This putteth into my minde the story of the moore-logs which are found in divers places of the North of England in moores many foot deepe which logs are long and black and appeare to be a kinde of Firre or Pine and yet in those places people are altogether ignorant of these Trees the Country not producing any of these species The first story of Kent which I know to be true causeth me to wonder the lesse at the latter for I see that a species of wood may be destroyed even totally in a place And 2. I know that in Virginia and New-England that Pines and Firres and Cedars do grow wonderfully thick in such Moores or Swamps and being light wood and easily wrought they are continually used while they last for buildings Further I suppose these Moores are Commons to the which the poore have used to resort for firing and how soon great woods will be consumed by them every one making what havock he pleaseth all men know As concerning their being so deepe in the ground and blacknesse I suppose that when wood was abundant in those places every one did cut what they pleas'd and left what was not for their turnes which being in moist places was soon glutted with moisture and made ponderous by which meanes it soon buried it selfe as ships do on quicksand or perhaps the turffe which hath a peculiar faculty vegetative for where it is exhausted it soon groweth againe in time hath growne over them the people permitting it because that wood once sobb'd in wet is of little use as we see by Piles on the marshes-side scarce any man vouchsafing to carry them home The blacknesse of this wood proceedeth as I suppose from the sooty fume or evaporation of the black turffe which endeavoureth as all earths do to reduce all things into it's own nature which though it be not able fully to accomplish yet it introduceth divers dispositions and qualities as blacknesse in the wood Some suppose that these moore-logs have laine there ever since the flood with whom I will not contend seeing that any wood if it be kept from the Aire continually moist or dry will endure even thousands of yeares without putrefaction 6. Deficiency is the Not-improving of our Fruits for the best ends and purposes Normandy which The 6. deficiency concerning not improving our Fruits produceth but little wine maketh abundance of Cider and Perry which they estimate equally to wine if it be made of good fruit The ordinary Perry is made of Choaky Peares very juicy which growe along by the high-way-sides which are not to be eaten raw In Biscay in Spain where wine is scarce they make Cider of a certaine sweet Apple which hath a little bitternes in it and is like to our snonting the Cider is very good And truly here in England if we would make Cider and Perry of the best sorts of Fruits which is rarely done for we think any fruit good enough for that purpose we might make drinks no wayes inferiour to the French wines which are usually spoyled before they come over the seas to you their spirits soon evaporating There are two wayes of making Cider and Perry one by bruising and beating them and then presently to put them into a vessel to ferment or worke as it is usually called of themselves The other way is to boile the juice with some good spices by which the rawnesse is taken away and then to ferment it with some yest if it worke not of it self this is the best way and I have tasted Cider thus made of an excellent delicate taste Neither let any complaine of the windinesse for it is onely want of use When I had for 2. or 3. years continually drunk wine beyond Sea the strongest beer for 2. or 3. weekes was as windy to me as Cider will be to any and afterward when I went to Paris the wine of that place was as troublesome as English beer for a little time how much wine might be saved and also malt if English-men did take these good courses which other Nations do and consequently how much advantage would this Island reape thereby If I were an house-keeper in the Countrey I would make excellent Beere Ale Cider Perry Metheglin Wine of our own grapes and if my Friends would not drink these they should drinke water or go away a thirst I would scorne to honour France so much as men do
usually and the Spaniard and Italian should not laugh at us and say that we can as well be without bread as their wines Currents c. Thus may many other excellent drinks bemade out of our Fruits not to speak of those which are made of our Graine as Barly Wheate c. yet I must tell you that I know an Ingenious man who can without malting Barly make a drink not inferiour to wine and a greater quantity of Aqua-vitae out of them and with lesse cost then by the ordinary way by a peculiar fermentation of his own which time will discover There is another Ingeuious man who out of Damsins and other fat and sweet plums can make a drinke not inferiour to the best wines and abundance of Aqua-vitae Many Ladies know how to make Cherry Raspes-wines and Sir Hugh Plattes in his Closet for Ladies discloseth many secrets of this kind as also for Conserves Marmalades which are things both delightful and profitable I have a kinsman who can even out of black-berries make a very pleasant drinke which curiosity he is unwilling to publish Glauber an excellent Chymist hath divers secrets of this kind even to the advancing of Hawes Hips Canker-Berries Slowes to excellent Aqua-vitae's drinkes vinegers which he himselfe first invented In Russia in the spring-time it 's an usual custome to pierce the barke of the Birch-trees which at that time will weepe much liquor and yet like children be little the worse this the poor ordinarily drinke for necessity Helmont it 's a pleasant healthful drinke and also the rich men because it 's an excellent preservative against the stone The meanes to advance this profitable and pleasant worke are these 1. To advance Nurceries of all sorts of Peares Apples Plums Cherries which Gentlemen may do for a smal matter and then plant out these trees when they are growne great enough The best and cheapest wayes to raise all Nurcery wares is done thus Plums may be raised either of stones which when you have eaten the plums may be presently pricked into the ground or by Slips which you will find about the old trees Apples may be raised from Kernels Crab kernels are the best which ought to be preserved in dry sand till the spring least they grow mouldy or Crab-stalke may be fetched out of the woods and grafted Some Trees as Sweetings Codlings Quinces will grow very well of slips Cherries are very well raised by stones the Black-Cherries are the best which so soone as you have eaten them are to be howen into Beds made very fine the ranges a foot distant beware least you let them heate and take heed of the mouse I have seen Cherry-stones and Apple-Kernels grow 2. foot and a half in one yeare and consequently in few years they would be fit to be transplanted The Art of Grafting Inoculating a Gentleman will learne in two houres 2. For the advancing of Ingenuities in this kind as that making of Vinous-Drinks out of Apples Plums c. I counsel all Ingenious Gentlemen to try divers experiments in these kinds with these Cautions 1. That he attempt not great quantities at first which perchance will be chargeable and troublesome for by a gallon he may have as much certainly as by a hogshead 2. Not to be discouraged if they succeed not well at first dash for certainly there are many Ingenuities in these fruits which time will discover 3. Proceed by fermentation for every liquour which will ferment hath a vinous spirit in it without fermentation even the best fruits will have none Lastly fermentation is done either in liquido or humido and herein consists some Mystery I have forgot to speake of Apricocks Peaches Melicotores which are fine pleasant fruits yet very dangerous and therefore called by the Italians Mazzofrancese that is Kill-Frenchman and wish Ladies and others to take heed of surfeiting by these and some other dangerous plums I cannot without much tediousnesse relate the diverse sorts of Vines which are even Infinite The 7. deficiency concerning Vines Rome having in it usually 40. or 50. sorts of Vines and all very good Other places of Italy Spaine and France have also great varieties I therefore passe them by as also the manner of managing of them because it is described in the Countrey-Farme and also by Bonovil a Frenchman who at the command of King James wrote a short treatise of Vines and Silk-wormes for the instruction of the plantations of Virginia I shall onely according to my method shew you the Deficiencies amongst us in this particular plant and the best Remedies for it And first although I thinke that the wine is the great blessing of God which Hot Countreys especially enjoy as temperate Countryes do Milke Butter Cheese in abundance and the coldest and Barrennest Fowle Fish in an incredible number God of his goodnes distributing some peculiar blessings to every Countrey Notwithstanding I dare say it 's probable that Vineyards have formerly flourished in England that we are to blame that so little is attempted to revive them againe There are many places in Kent called by the names of Vineyards and the ground 's of such a Nature that it seemeth probable they have been such I heare further by divers people of credit that by records it appeareth that the tithes of wine in Glocestershire was in divers Parishes considerably great but at length Gascony coming into the hands of the English from whence cometh the most of the strong French wine call'd high-Countrey-wine and customes being small wine was imported into England from thence better and cheaper then we could make it and it was thought convenient to discourage Vineyards here that the greater trade might be driven with Gascoine and many ships might finde imployment thereby Some fond Astrologers have conceited that the earth being growne older and therefore colder hath caused the sun to descende many degrees lower to warme and Cherish it and one argument which they bring for this opinion is that Vines and Silke-wormes are found in those Countreyes wherein former times they were unknowne But if these fond men had considered the good Husbandry in these times with the blessing of God on it they had not run into such foolish imaginations This is true indeed that the Roman souldiers who had Alsatia given them to live in which is one of the best and most Southerne places of Germany mutined because they thought it so cold that Vines would not grow there and that therefore they should be deprived of that delectable liquor whereas we find at this present day Vines flourishing many hundred miles more towards the North both in France Loraine and Germany and that they are crept down even to the latitude of England for the Renish-wines grew within a degree of the West-Southern places of this Isle Paris is not 2. degrees South of us yet Vines grow three score miles on this side Paris at Beaumont yea the Vines of these places are the
most delicate for what wine is preferred before the neat Renish for Ladies and at table and truly in my opinion though I have travelled twice through France yet no wine pleased me like Vin D'ache of Paris especially about Rueill which is a very fine brisk wine not fuming up to the head and Inebriating as other wines I say therefore that it is very probable that if Vines have stept out of Italy into Alsatia from them to these places which are even as farre North as England and yet the wines there are the most delicate that they are not limited and bounded there For a 100. miles more or lesse causeth little alteration in heat or cold and some advantages which we have will supply that defect But not to insist too long on probabilities Isay that herein England some Ingenious Gentlemen usually make wine very good long lasting without extraordinary labour cost s. To instance in one who in great Chart in the Wilde of Kent a place very moist and cold yearly maketh 6. or 8. hogs-heads which is very much commended by divers who have tasted it and he hath kept some of it 2. yeares as he Sir Peter Ricard himselfe told me and it hath been very good Others likewise in Kent do the same and lately in Surrey a Gentle-woman told me that they having many grapes which they could not well tell how to dispose off she to play the good House-wife stampt them to make verjuice but 2. moneths after drawing it forth they found it very fine brisk wine cleere like Rock-water and in many other places such experiments have been made I therefore desire Ingenious men to endeavour the raising of so necessary pleasant a commodity especially when French Wine is so deare here and I suppose is likely to be dearer I question not but they shall finde good profit pleasure in so doing and that the State will give all encouragements to them and if the French Wine pay excize and customes and the Wines here be toll-free they will be able to affoard them far cheaper than the French can theirs and supply the whole Isle if they proceede according to these Rules 1. To choose the best sorts of grapes which are most proper for this Isle and though there are many sorts of grapes amongst Gardiners yet I commend 4. sorts especially to them and I desire that they be very careful in this particular for it is the foundation of the worke if you faile in this you faile in all for I know that Burdeaux-Vines which beare very great grapes make verjuice onely at Paris and that the tender Orleans-Vine doth not thrive there The first sort is the Parsely Vine or Canada-grape because it first came from those parts where it growes naturally and though the Countrey be intolerably cold yet even in the woods without manuring it so farre ripeneth his fruits that the Jesuits make wine of it for their masse Racineè which is the Juice of the grape newly exprest and boiled to a Syrupe and is very sweet and pleasant for their Lent-provision as you may reade in their Relations and this Vine seemeth to be made for these Northerne Countreyes because it hath it's leaves very small and jaggy as if it were on purpose to let in the sun and it ripeneth sooner than other grapes as I have observed in Oxford-Graden 2. Sort of Vine is the Rhenish-grape for it groweth in a temperate Countrey not much hotter in summer then England and the wine is excellent as all know 3. Sort is the Paris-grape which is much like the temper of England onely a little hotter in summer this grape beareth a small bunch close set together very hardy to endure frosts and other inconveniencies and is soone ripe so that the vintage of Paris is sooner ended then that of Orleans or Burdeaux and though it be not so delicate to the taste as some other grapes yet it maketh an excellent brisk wine 4. Sort is the small muskadell which is a very fine pleasant grape both to eat and to make wine In Italy it usually groweth against their houses walls and of this they make a small pleasant wine a moneth or 2. before the ordinary Vintage It is a tender plant in respect of the other Vines in the fields these Vines I know are the most convenient for this Isle because they beare small bunches and grapes soon ripen and are hardy to endure frosts and ill weather 2. To choose convenient places For this end I councell them First to plant Vines on the South-side of their dwelling-houses Barnes Stables and Out-houses The Gentleman of Kent whome I mentioned before useth this course and to keepe the Vines from hurting his tiles and that the winde may not wrong his Vines he hath a frame made of poles or any kinde of wood about a foot from the tiles to the which he tyeth the Vines by this meanes his Vines having the reflection of the yard sides of the houses and tiles do ripen very well and beare much so that one old Vine hath produced nigh a hogshead of wine in one year and I wish all to take this course which is neither chargeable nor troublesome but very pleasant and if all in this Island would do thus it 's incredible what abundance of wine might be made even by this petty way 2. If that any Gentleman will be at the charge of making a Vineyard let him choose a fine sandy warm hill open to the South-East rather than to the South-West for though the South-West seemeth to be hotter yet the South-East ripeneth better as I have seen in Oxford-Garden because the South-East is sooner warmed by the Sun in the morning and the South-West winds are the winds which blow most frequently and bring raine which refrigerate the plants and such a place is very requisite for in other places Vines do not thrive even in France for if you travel betwixt Paris and Orleans which is above 30. leagues yet you shall scarcely see a Vineyard because it is a plaine Champion-Countrey So likewise betwixt Fontarabia to Burdeaux in the Southerne parts of France for an 100. miles together because the land is generally a barren sandy plaine where onely Heath abounds and Pine-trees out of which they make Turpentine and Rozen by wounding of them and Tarre and Pitch by the burning of them and if any finde such a fine warme hill and do dung and fence it well he hath a greater advantage of most of the Vineyards of France by this conveniency than they have of our Isle by being a hundred miles more South for most of their Vineyards are in large fields not enclosed on land that is stony and but indifferently warme But some will say that the wet weather destroyes us It 's true that the wet will destroy all things Sheepe Corne c. yet no man will say that therefore England will not produce and nourish these Creatures and if extraordinary
labour cost or skill than other seeds And further that the materials made from these are extreamly necessary for how miserable should we be without Linnen Canvases Cordage Nets how can we put our Ships to Sea which are the bulwarks of this Isle And yet we are necessitated to have these Commodities from those who would destroy I will not say the Nation but I may boldly say our Shipping and Trade I hope that this will more seriously be considered by those at the Helme of our State I will freely and plainly relate how this Deficiency may easily be Remedyed according to my judgement 1. To compell by a law that all Farmers who plough and sowe 50. or 100. Acres of land should sowe halfe an Acre or an Acre of Hempe or Flax or to pay 5. s. or 10. s. to the poore of the Parish where they live or some law to this purpose for there is no man but hath land fit for one of these Hempe desiring a stiffe land Flax that which is light For there is so much irrationality in some professions that they must be forced even like brutes to understand their own good In King Edward the 6. dayes something was enacted to this purpose as I am informed In Henry 8. dayes there was a law enacted that every man should sowe his lands and that no man should enclose his lands least he should turne it to Pasture for we have had great dearth in England through the neglect of Tillage which lawes even as yet stand in force yet there is nor needeth there be any force to compell men to till and sowe their lands for they have at length found the sweetnesse and willingly go about it for their own profits sake and now we suppose and not without cause that Enclosing is an Improvement and so concerning Hempe and Flaxe I say if they were once accustomed to sowe them they would never leave it as I see Farmers do in East-Kent scarce a man but he will have a considerable plot of ground for Hempe and about London far greater quantities of Flax is sown then formerly 2. It were convenient that every Parish through the Nation should have a stocke for to set their poor to worke that the young children and women might not run up and down idle and begging or stealing as they do in the Countrey of Apples Pease Wood Hedges and so by little and little are trained up for the Gallowes 3. That a severe law should be enacted against those who run up and downe and will not worke for if all know that they may have worke at home and earne more within doores honestly then by running rogueing up and downe why should they not compell them to it and though some may think the Parishes will lose much by this way because that the stock wrought will not be put off but with losse as perhaps 10. l. will be brought to 8. l. yet let them consider how much they shall save at their doors how many inconveniences they are freed from their hedges in the Countrey shall not be pulled their fruits stolne nor their Corne purloined and further that the poor will be trained up to worke and therefore fit for any service yea and in their youth learne a calling by the which they may get an honest lively hood and I dare say their Assessements for the poor would not be so frequent nor the poor so numerous and the benefit which redownds to the Nation would be very great 4. The charitable deeds of our fore-fathers ought to be enquired after that they be not misplaced as usually they are but be really bestowed for the good of the poore that are laborious as in London is begun and if there be any that will not worke take Saint Pauls rule who best knew what was best for them I dare not advise to take in part of Commons Fens c. and to improve them for this use least I should too much provoke the rude mercilesse multitude But to returne to my discourse I say that sowing Hempe and Flax will be very beneficial 1. To the Owners of land for men usually give in divers places 3. l. per Acre to sowe Hempe and Flax as I have seen at Maidstone in Kent which is the onely place I know in England where thread is made and though nigh a hundred hands are imployed about it yet they make not enough for this Nation and yet get good profit How advantageous will this be to those who have drained the Fens where questionless Hempe will flourish and exsiccate the ground for Hempe desireth stiffe moist land as Flax light and dry and like wise to those in the North of England where land is very cheape I hope in a little time Ireland will furnish us with these commodities if we be idle for there land is very cheap and those seeds need no inclosure for cattel will not touch them neither doth it feare the plunderer either in the field or barne 2. It 's profitable to the sower I know that they usually value an Acre at 10. or 12. l. which costeth them usually but halfe the money Whether there be Flax that will yield 30. or 40. l. per Acre as some report I know not 3. To the place where it is sowne because it sets many poore to worke I wish it were encouraged more in the North than it is because there be many poore who could willingly take paines and though spinning of linnen be but a poor worke yet it is light and may be called Womens recreation and in France and Spaine the best Citizens wives think it no disgrace to go about spinning with their Rocks and though in some part the poore think it nothing to earne 4. or 6. d. per day and will as soon stand with their hands in their pockets as worke cheape yet in the North they account it well to earne 3. d. or 4. d. by spinning which they may do Lastly it would be very beneficial to this Nation and save many thousand pounds I may say 100. thousands which are expected either in cash or good Commodities and we should not be beholding to Holland for fine linnen and Cordage nor to France for Poldavices Locrams Canvaces nets nor to Flaunders for thread but might be supplyed abundantly with these necessary Commodities even at our own doors There is no small Deficiency in dunging and manuring lands both because that all manner of manuring 9. Deficiency concerning Dunging and Manuring Lands and amending lands is not known to every one and also that they do not imploy all they know to the best use I will therefore set downe most of the wayes I have seen here in England and beyond Seas by which land is improved and the best wayes to use the same 1. To begin with Chalke which is as old a way as Julius Cesars time as he himselfe reporteth in his Commentaries Chalke is of 2. sorts 1. A hard strong dry Chalke with which in
Kent they make walls burn lime c. 2. Kind is a small unctuous Chalke this is the Chalke for land the other helpeth little onely it maketh the plough go easier in stiffe lands broomy land is accounted the best land for Chalke and lime but it helpeth other lands also especially if you Chalke your ground and let it ly a year or 2. which is the way used in Kent that it may be matured and shattered by the sun and raine otherwise if it be turned in presently it is apt to ly in great clods as I have seen it 20. years after Chalke also sweetneth pasture but doth not much increase it and killeth rushes and broome 2. Lime which is made of divers sorts of stones is an excellent thing for most Lands and produceth a most pure graine 160. bushels is usually laid on an Acre but I suppose that if men did lay but halfe the dung on the ground as they usually do as also lime and Chalke and dung and lime it oftener it would be better Husbandry for much dung causeth much weeds and causeth Corn to lodge and too much Chalke doth too much force the land so that after some good crops it lyeth barren many yeares It 's good Husbandry likewise to lay down lands before they be too much out of heart for they will soone recover otherwise not 3. Ordinary Dung which every one knoweth but let it not be exposed to the Sun too much nor let it ly in an high place for the raine will waste away it's fatnesse It 's observeable that earth the more it is exposed to the Sun it 's the better as we see that land is much bettered by oft ploughings for the Sun and dew engender a nitrous fatnesse which is the cause of fertility but dung is exhausted by the Sun as it appeareth by the foldings of Sheepe which profit little if it be not presently turned in therefore a Shepherd if his time would permit should turne up the ground with an howe for to sowe Turneps as Gardiners do I have seen Ordinary Dung on dry lands in dry years to do hurt and it oft causeth weeds and trumpery to grow 4. Marle It 's of divers kinds some stony some soft some white some yellewish but most commonly blew It 's in most places in England but not knowne by all the best markes to know it is to expose it to the Aire and to see if the Sun or Rain cause it to shatter and if it be unctuous or rather to take a load or 2. and lay it on the midst of your fields and to try how it mendeth your lands It 's excellent for Corne and Pasture especially on dry lands In Essex the scourings of their ditches they call Marle because it looketh blew like it it helpeth their lands well 5. Snaggreet which is a kind of earth taken out of the Rivers full of small shels It helpeth the barren lands in divers parts of Surrey I beleeve it 's found in all Rivers It were well if in other parts of England they did take notice of it 6. Owse out of marsh ditches hath been found very good for white Chalky land as also Sea-mud Sea-Owse is used in divers parts of Kent and Sussex 7. Sea-weeds 8. Mr. Carew in his Survey of Cornwall relateth that they use a fat Sea-sand which they carry up many miles in sacks and by this they have very much improved their barren lands It were worth the while to try all manner of Sea-sands for I suppose that in other places they have a like fertilizing fatnesse 9. Folding of Sheepe especially after the Flaunders manner viz. under a covert in which earth is strewed about 6. inches thick on which they set divers nights then more earth must be brought and strewed 6. inches thick and the Sheepe folded on it and thus they do continually Winter and Summer I suppose a shepherd with one horse will do it at his spare houres and indeed sooner then remove his fold and this folding is to be continued especially in Winter and doth the Sheepe good because they ly warme and dry and truly if I am not mistaken by this meanes we may make our Sheepe to enrich all the barren dry lands of England 10. Ashes of any kind Seacoale-ashes with horsedung the Gardiners of London much commend for divers uses It 's great pitty that so many thousand loads are throwne into waste places and do no good 11. Soote is also very good being sprinkled on ground but it 's too deer if it be of wood for it 's worth 16. d. or 2. s. a bushel 12. Pigeons or Hens-dung is incomparable one load is worth 10. loads of other dung therefore it 's usually sowne on Wheate that lyeth a far off and not easy to be helped it 's extraordinary likewise on a Hop-garden 13. Malt-dust is exceedingly good in Corne-land blood for trees also shavings of hornes 14. Some commend very much the sweeping of a Ship of Salt or drossey salt and brine it 's very probable because it killeth the wormes and all fertility proceedeth from salt 15. I have seen in France poore men cut up Heath and the Turffe of the ground and lay them on an heape to make mould for their barren lands Brakes laid in a moist place and rotted are used much for Hop-grounds and generally all things that will rot if they were stones would make dung 16. In new-New-England they fish their ground which is done thus In the spring about April there cometh up a fish to the fresh Rivers called an Alewife because of it's great belly and is a kind of shade full of bones these are caught in wiers and sold very cheape to the planters who usually put one or two cut in peeces into the hill where their Corne is planted called Virginia-Wheate for they plant it in hills 5. graines in an hill almost as we plant Hops in May or June for it will not endure frosts and at that distance it causeth fertility extraodinary for two years especially the first for they have had 50. or 60. bushels on an Acre and yet plough not their land and in the same hills do plant the same Corne for many years together and have good crops besides abundance of Pumpions and French or Kidney beanes In the North parts of New-England where the fisher-men live they usually fish their ground with Cods-heads which if they were in England would be better imployed I suppose that when sprats be cheap men might mend their Hop-grounds with them and it would quit cost but the dogs will be apt to scrape them up as they do in New-England unles one of their legs be tyed up 17. Vrine In Holland they as carefully preserve the Cowes urine as the dung to enrich their land old urine is excellent for the Roots of trees Columella in his book of Husbandry saith that he is an ill husband that doth not make 10. loads of dung for every great beast in his
yard and as much for every one in the house and one load for small beasts as hogs This is strange husbandry to us and I beleeve there are many ill husbands by this account I know a woman who liveth 5. miles South of Canterbury who saveth in a paile all the droppings of the houses I meane the urine and when the paile is full sprinckleth it on her Meadow which causeth the grasse at first to look yellow but after a little time it growes wonderfully that many of her neighbours wondered at it and were like to accuse her of witch-craft 18. Woollen raggs which Harford-shire-men use much and Oxford-shire and many other places they do very well in thinne Chalky land in Kent for 2. or 3. yeares It 's a fault in many places that they neglect these as also Linnen-raggs or Ropes-ends of the which white and browne paper is made for it 's strange that we have not Linnen-raggs enough for paper as other Nations have but must have it from Italy France and Holland 19. Denshyring so called in Kent where I onely have seen it used though by the word it should come from Denbigh-shire is the cutting up of all the Mr. Cambden turffe of a Meadow with an instrument sharpe on both sides which a man with violence thrusts before him and then they lay the turffe on heapes and when it 's dry they burne it and spread it on the ground The charge is usually 4. Nobles which the goodnesse of a crop or 2. repayeth 20. Mixture of lands Colum. an old writer saith that his Grand father used to carry sand on clay and on the contrary to bring clay on sandy grounds and with good successe the Lord Bacon thinking much Natur. Histor good may be done thereby for if Chalke be good for loamy land why should not loame be good for Chalky bankes 21. I may add Enclosure as an Improvement of land not onely because that men when their grounds are enclosed may imploy them as they please but because it giveth warmth and consequently fertility There is one in London who promised to mend lands much by warmth onely and we see that if some few stickes ly together give a place warmth how speedily that grasse will grow 22. Steeping of Graines The Auncients used to steep Beanes in salt-water and in Kent it 's usual to steep Barly when they sowe late that it may grow the faster and also to take away the soile for wild Oates Cockle and all save Drake will swimme as also much of the light Corne which to take away is very good If you put Pigeons-dung into the water and let it steep all night it may be as it were halfe a dunging take heed of steeping Pease too long for I have seen them sproute in three or four houres 23. Is the sowing of Course and cheape Graine and when they are growne to plough them in For this purpose the Auncients did use LVPINES a plant well knowne to our Gardiners and in Kent sometimes Tares are sowen which when the cattel have eaten a little of the tops they turne them in with very good Improvement for their ground I will not deny but that we have good Husbands 10. Deficiency concerning the not Improvement of our Meadowes who dung and Marle their Meadowes and Pasture-land and throw downe all Mole and Ant-hills and with their spud-staffe cut up all thistles and weeds and that they likewise straw ashes on their grounds to kill the Mosse and salt for the wormes and they do very well but yet there are many who are negligent in these particulars for the which they are blame-worthy but the Deficiencies of which I intend to speak of are these following Cato one of the wisest of the Romans saith that Pratum est quasi paratum alwayes ready and prepared and preferreth Meadowes before the Olive-Gardens although the Spaniards bequeath Olive-trees to their children as we do cotages or Vines or Corne because Meadowes bring in a certaine profit without labour and paines but the other requireth much cost and paines and are subject to Frosts Mildew Haile Locusts to the which for the honour of Meadowes I may add that the stock of Meadowes is of greater value and the Commodities which arise from them are divers and of greater value than Corne as Butter Cheese Tallow Hides Beef Wooll and therefore I may conclude that England abounding in Pastures more than other Countries is therefore richer and I know what others think I care not that in France Acre for Acre is not comperable to it Fartescue Chancelor of England saith that we get more in England by standing still then the French by working but to speak of the Deficiencies amongst us 1. We are to blame that we have neglected the great Clover-grasse Saint Foine Lucerne 2. That we do not float our lands as they do in Lombardy where they mowe their lands 3. or 4. times yearly which consist of the great Clover-grasse Here are the excellent Parmisane-cheeses made and indeed these Pastures far exceed any other places in Italy yea in Europe We here in England have great opportunities by brooks Rivers in all places to do so but we are negligent yet we might hereby double if not trebble our profits kill all rushes c. But he that desireth to know the manner how to do this and that profit that will arise thereby let him reade Mr. Blithes Booke of Husbandry lately printed 3. That when we lay down land for Meadow or Pasture we do not sowe them with the seeds of fine sweet grasse Trefoiles and other excellent herbes Concerning this you may reade a large Treatise of the Countrey-Farmer for if the land be rich it will put forth weeds and trumpery and perhaps a kind of soure grasse little worth if it be poore ye shall have thistles May-weed and little or no grasse for a yeare or 2. I know a Gentleman who at my entreaty sowed with his Oates the bottome of his Hay-mowe and though his land were worne out of heart and naturally poore yet he had that year not onely a crop of Oates but he might if it had pleased him have mowen his grasse also but he spared it which was well done till the next year that it might make a turffe and grow stronger By this Husbandry lands might be well improved especially if men did consider the diversity of grasses which are 90. sorts and 23. of Trefoile I know a place in Kent which is a white Chalky downe which ground is sometimes sowen with Corne a year or 2. and then it resteth as long or longer when it is laid down it maintaineth many great Sheepe and very lusty so that they are even fit for the Butcher and yet there doth scarce appeare any thing that they can eate which bath caused divers to wonder as if they had lived on Chalke-stones but I more seriously considering the matter throughly viewed the ground and perceived that the
2. things which are thought great Paradoxes viz. that it were no losse to this Island if that we should not plough at all if so be that we could certainly have Corne at a reasonable rate and likewise vent for all our Manufactures of Wooll 1. Because that the Commodities from Cattel are far more stable than Corne for Cloth Stuffes Stockins Butter Cheese Hides Shoes Tallow are certain even every where Corne scarcely in any place constantly in none 2. Pasture imployeth more hands which is the second Paradox and therefore Pasture doth not depopulate as it is commonly said for Normandy and Picardy in France where there are Pastures in a good measure are as populous as any part of France and I am certaine that Holland Frizeland Zealand Flaunders and Lombardy which rely altogether on Pastures are the most populous places in Europe But some will object and say that a shepherd and a dog formerly hath destroyed divers villages To this I answer that we well know what a shepherd and a dog can do viz. looke to two or 300. sheepe at the most and that 2. or 300. Acres will maintaine them or the land is extreamly barren and that these 2. or 300. Acres being barren will scarcely maintaine a plough which is but one man and 2. boyes with the horses and that the mowing reaping and threshing of this Corne and other worke about will scarcely maintaine 3. more with worke through the whole yeare But how many people may be imployed by the Wooll of 2. or 300. Sheepe in Picking Sorting Carding Spinning Weaving Dying Fulling Knitting I leave to others to calculate And further if the Pastures be rich Meadowes and go on dairing I suppose all know that 100. Acres of such land imployeth more hands than 100. Acres of the best Corne-Land in England and produceth likewise better exportable Commodities And further if I should grant that formerly the shepherd and his dog did depopulate yet I will deny that it doth so now for formerly we were so unwise as to send over our Wooll to Antwerpe and other places where they were Manufactured by which meanes 1. pound oft brought 10. unwrought to them but we set now our own poore to work and so save the depopulation Yet I say it 's convenient to encourage the plough because that we cannot have a certainty of Corne and carriage is dear both by sea and land especially into the Inland-Countreyes and our Commodities by Wooll do cloy the Merchants 5. Rushy lands Blith telleth us good Remedies for these Inconveniencies viz. making deep-trenches oft mowings Chalking Liming Dunging Ploughing I know where hungry guests Horses soone make an end of them 6. Furze broome heath these can hardly be so destroyed but at length they will up againe for God hath given a peculiar propriety to every kinde of earth to produce some peculiar kinds of Plants which it will observe even to the worlds end unles by Dung Marle Chalke you alter even the very Nature of the earth In Gallitia in Spine where such barren lands do very much abound they do thus first they grub them up as cleane as they can of the greater Rootes and branches they make fire-wood the smaller stickes are either imployed in fencing or else are burnt on the ground afterwards the land being ploughed twice at least they sowe Wheat and usually the crop is great which the Landlord and Tenant devide according to a compact then the ground resteth and in 3. or 4. years the Furze or broome will recover their former growth which the paineful Husband-man grubbeth and doeth with it as formerly I set this downe that you may see how laborious the Spaniard is in some places the poverty of the countrey compelling him to it 7. There are other Inconveniencies in land besides weeds and trumpery viz. Ill tenures as coppy-hold Knight-service c. so that the Possessor cannot cut any Timber downe without consent of the Lord when he dyes must pay one or 2. years rent But these are not in the power of the poor Husband-man to remedy I therefore passe them by yet hope that in little time we shall see these Inconveniencies remedied because they much discourage Improvements and are as I suppose badges of our Norman slavery To conclude it seemeth to me very reasonable and it will be a great encouragement to laborious men to improve their barren lands if that they should have recompence for what they have done according as indifferent men should judge when they leave it as is the custome in Flaunders I have likewise observed some Deficiencies in Woods which I shall briefly declare with the best 12. Deficiency in Woods way to Remedy the same 1. It 's a great fault that generally through the Island the Woods are destroyed so that we are in many places very much necessitated both for fuel also for timber for building and other uses so that if we had not Coales from New-castle and Boards from Norwey Plough-staves pipe-staves from Prussia we should be brought to great extreamity and many Mechanickes would be necessitated to leave their callings 2. Deficiency is that our Woods are not ordered as they should be but though Woods are especially preserved for timber for building and Shipping yet at this time it 's very rare to see a good Timber-tree in a Wood. 3. That many of our Woods are very thinne and not replenished with such sorts of Wood as are convenient for the place 4. That we fell continually and never plant or take care for posterity These Deficiencies may be thus Remedyed 1. To put in execution the Statutes against grubbing of Woods which are sufficiently severe It 's well knowne we have good lawes but it 's better knowne they are not executed In the Wilde of Kent and Sussex which lies far from the Rivers and Sea and formerly have been nothing but Woods liberty is granted for men to grub what they please for they cannot want firing for themselves and they are so seated that neither firewood nor timber can be transported elsewhere I know a Gentleman who proffered there good Oake-timber at 6. s. 8. d. per tun and the land in those parts in general is very good About Tunbridge there is land which formerly was Wood is now let for 30. s. per Acre so that to keepe such lands for Wood would be both losse to the owner and to the Island But in other parts of the Island it is otherwise and men are much to be blamed for destroying both timber and fuel I have seen at Shooters-hill near London some Woods stubbed up which were good ground for Wood but now are nothing but furze which is a great losse both to the owner and to the Countrey For the land is made worse then it was formerly I conceive there are lands which are as naturally ordained for Woods viz. Mountainous Craggy uneven land as small hills for the Vines and Olives plaine lands for Corne and low moist
themselves and returne laden and perhaps for these very reasons Bees thrive very much in New-England 2. We are Deficient in the ordering of them Not to speake of the negligence of particular men which is very frequent nor to write a general story of the ordering of them because it requireth much paper and Mr. Leveret and Butler especially the latter hath written so exactly and upon his owne experience that little can be added to it onely in a point or 2. I differ from him of the which I will speak briefly 1. That we must take and destroy all the Bees for their Honey and not drive them as they do in Italy once or twice yearly 2. That if a swarme be poore with little Honey that that swarme ought to be taken because it is poore so that the rich stockes are destroyed because they be rich and the poore swarmes because they be poore so that be they rich or be the poore they must be destroyed An Italian reporteth that in the City of Askaly there was a law made that none should destroy a swarme of Bees unlesse he had a just cause accounting it a part of extreame injustice and cruelty to take away without cause both the goods and lives of such good and faithful servants I am credibly informed that an English Gentleman beyond the Seas getteth many 100. l. yearly by keeping Bees after a new and Ingenious Manner which is thus He hath a roome made very warme and close yet with glasse-windowes which he can open at his pleasure to let the Bees fly abroad when he pleaseth where he keepeth his Bees and feedeth them all winter with a sweete composition made of Molessoes Flowers sweete Wine Milke Raisins c. for with such things as these they usually feed the Bees in Italy and oftentimes in summer when the weather is rainy windy or so disposed that the Bees cannot conveniently go abroad he feedeth them at home with divers sweet things and gathereth divers flowers and layeth them amongst them and sticketh up many fresh boughes in divers places of his Roomes that in swarming-time they may settle on them by these meanes he preserveth all his swarmes and gathereth an incredible quantity of Honey and wax and truly this way seemeth to me very probable for 1. We know the Bees even as we say of the Aunts will worke continually even night and day winter and summer if that they were not hindred by darkenesse cold and moisture 2. That Bees do not onely make Honey for I suppose that they have a peculiar propriety of making Honey as the Silk-wormes Silk out of Mildewes or Honey but also out of all sweet things as Sugar Molossoes c. 3. That many sweet things may be had far cheaper than Honey which I suppose the Bees will transmute into perfect Honey This way I conceive would be very advantageous to us in England for the preserving of late swarmes and also for the enriching of old stocks so that we need not destroy them but might drive them from hive to hive and set them to worke againe and truly I think there is no place in the world so convenient for this purpose as England because that though our Winters be long yet they are not very cold but Bees would be stirring in them and further our Summers are so subject to winds and raines that many times there is scarce a fine day in a whole weeke and Further Molossoes Refuse Sugar Sweete Wort Milke c. may be had at reasonable rates I hope ere long to give an exact account of this experiment and desire those who have any Ingenuities in this kind freely to communicate them I have not observed many things more of importance concerning Bees in my travels onely in Italy they make their hives of thinne boards square in 2. or 3. partitions standing either above one another or very close side to side by the which meanes they can the better borrow part of their honey when they please In Germany their hives are made of straw to the which they have a summer-doore as they call it which is nigh the top of the Hive that the Bees when they are laden may the more easily enter and discharge themselves of their burthens 3. We are to blame that we do not imploy our Honeys in making Metheglim It 's true that in Hereford-shire and Wales there is some quantity of this liquor made but for want of good cookery it 's of little worth but usually of a browne colour of an unpleasant taste and as I suppose commonly made of the refuse honey wax dead Bees and such stuffe as they ordinarily make it elsewhere for the good house-wife thinkes any thing good enough for this purpose and that it is pitty to spoyle good Honey by making Meade but I know that if one take pure neate honey and ingeniously clarify and scum and boile it a liquor may be made not inferiour to the best Sack Muskadine c. in colour like to rock-water without ill odour or savour so that some curious Pallates have called it Vin Greco rich and racy Canary not knowing what name to give it for its excellency This would bring very great Profit not onely to the Publique by saving many 1000. l. disbursed for Wines through all the world but would be very advantageous to private families who use to entertaine their friends very Nobly Wines being at present intolerably dear and naught I hope therefore ere long to see it put in execution An excellent drinke not much unlike this may be made of Sugar Molossoes Raisins c. of the which I have already spoken yet think it fit to put you in minde of it againe It 's a great Deficiency here in England that we do 14. Deficiency concerning Silk-wormes not keepe Silke-wormes which in Italy are called Cavalieri for to make Silke I know that is a great Paradox to many but I hope by this short discourse to make this truth to appeare plainly The first original of Silke-wormes by what I reade in Histories is from Persia where in infinite numbers they are still maintained the greatest profits of that great Monarch do arise from hence China also aboundeth very much with Silke In Virginia also the Silke-wormes are found wild amongst the Mulberry-woods perhaps might be managed with great profit in those plantations if Land were not so scarce and deare I suppose this Silke-worme of Virginia is produced by the corruption of the Mulberry-tree as Cochinneale from ficus Indica or Indian figiree for some Ingenious and curious men who have strictly observed the generation of Insects do finde that every plant hath an Insect which groweth out of its corruption as divers sorts of lice from Animals and that these Insects do usually feed on that plant out of which they were made as Lice on the same Animals from whence they were engendred I know a Gentleman here in London who hath 3. or 400. Insects and
of the said plants will be delivered at a smaller rate then they can be affoarded being carried from hence having resolved also in the meane time that there shall be published in print a plaine Instruction and Direction both for the increasing of the said Mulberry-trees the breeding of the Silke-wormes and all other things needful to be understood for the perfecting of a worke every way so commendable and profitable as well to the planter as to those that shall use the Trade Having now made knowne unto you the motives as they stand with the Publique Good wherein every man is interessed because we know how much the example of our owne Deputy-Leintenants and Justices will further this cause if you and other your neighbours will be content to take some good quantities hereof to distribute upon your owne lands we are content to acknowledge thus much more in this Direction of ours that all things of this nature tending to plantations increase of science and workes of industry are things so naturally pleasing to our own disposition as we shall take it for an argument of extraordinary affection towards our person Besides the judgement we shall make of the good dispositions in all those that shall expres in any kinde their ready minds to further the same And shall esteeme that in furthering the same they seeke to further our honour and contentment who having seene in few years space past that our Brother the French King hath since his coming to that Crowne both begun and brought to perfection the making of Silkes in his Countrey where he hath wonne to himselfe honour and to his Subjects a marvellous increase of wealth would account it no little happinesse to us if the same worke which we begun among our people with no lesse zeale to their good then any Prince can have to the good of theirs might in our time produce the fruits which there it hath done whereof we nothing doubt if ours will be found as tractable and apt to further their owne good now the way is shewed them by us their Soveraigne as those of France have been to conforme themselves to the Directions of their King Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the sixteenth of November in the sixt year of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the two and fourtieth 15. Deficiency is the Ignorance of the Husbandry of other 15. Deficiency concerning the Ignorance of the Husbandry of other places places viz. what seeds what Fruits what Grasses they use what Ploughes Harrowes Gardening-tooles they have how ill they manage and improve their lands what cattel they have how they feed and fatten them and how they improve their Commodities c. For there is no Countrey where they are such ill Husband-men but in some particular or other they excell as we see even in the several Counties of this Island every County hath something or other wherein they out-strip their Neighbours And that much profit may arise from hence in this Nation is manifest by that excellent Treatise which is published by you concerning the Husbandry of Flaunders wherein briefly are set down divers particulars very usefull for us here in England and formerly unknowne And without question France Spaine Italy Holland Poland Germany c. have many excellent things both for Husbandry Physick Mechanicks worth the manifesting and very beneficial to us so likewise there are divers things in our plantations worth the taking notice of in Husbandry To passe by the Southerne Plantations as Barbadoes Antego Saint Croix Christopher Mevis Monferate where the Commodities are onely Cotten-woolls Sugars Gingers Indicoes which our cold Climate will not produce and also Tobacco which groweth also with us about Norwich and elsewhere We will onely saile upon our Northerne Plantations Virginia new-New-England and instance in a few things Why may not the Silke-grasse of Virginia the Salsaperilla Sassafras Rattlesnake-weed which is an excellent Cordial be beneficial to us as also their Cedars Pines Plum-trees Cherries great Strawberries and their Locusts which is a prickly plant a swift grower and therefore excellent for Hedges be useful to us So for New-England why should we thinke that the Indian Corne the Marsh-wheate that excellent Rie the Pease which never are eaten with magots the French or Kidney Beanes the Pumpions Squashes Water-Mellons Musk-Mellons Hurtleberries wilde Hemp Fir c. of those parts are altogether uselesse for us as also the Cramberries which are so called by the Indians but by the English Beare-Berries because it 's thought the Beares eat them in winter or Bar-Berries by reason of their fine acid taste like Bar-Berries which is a fruite as big and as red as a Cherry ripe onely in the winter and growing close to the ground in bogs where nothing else will grow They are accounted very good against the Scurvy and very pleasant in Tarts I know not a more excellent and healthfuller fruit But some will object that they will not grow here with us for your forefathers never used them To these I reply and aske them how they know have they tryed Idlenesse never wants an excuse and why might not our forefathers upon the same ground have held their hands in their pockets and have said that Wheate Barly would not have grown amongst us and why should not they have beene discouraged from planting Cherries Hops Licorish Potatoes Apricockes Peaches Melicotones and from sowing Rape-seeds Colliflowers great Clover Canary-seeds c. and many more of this kinde and yet we know that most of these have beene brought to perfection even in our dayes for there is a Vicissitude in all things and as many things are lost which were knowne to our forefathers as well the Purple colour c. as you may read in Pancivoll so many things are found out by us altogether unknowne to them and some things will be left for our posterities for example not to speak of Gun-powder and Printing nor of the New-world and the wonders there which notwithstanding are but of a few 100 years standing I say 20. Ingenuities have been found even in our dayes as Watches Clocks Way-wisers Chaines for Fleas divers Mathematicall Instruments Short-writing Microscopes by the which even the smallest things may be discerned as the egs eyes legs and haire of a Mite in a Cheese likewise the Seleno-scope which discovereth Mountaines in the Moone divers stars and new planets never seene till our dayes But to returne to our purpose I say that in Husbandry it is even so For the Auntients used divers plants which we know not as the Cytisus-tree so much commended for Cattel as also their Medick fodder which Colum. saith endureth 10. years and may be mowen 4. yeares 7. times in a yeare one Acre he esteemeth enough for 3. horses This fodder likewise is accounted very sweete and healthful whereas the plants which are usually called Medicaes with us are Annual plants and have no such rare proprieties So we are ignorant what
that this sand is for building this loame for brickes this clay for pots this Marle for Corn-land and if that they shall finde any Stones Earths which they know not that they would lay them up till that they meet with some ingenious man that can informe them The richest Mines of the world have been found out by these meanes if we will beleeve Histories And this I am sure of that by this meanes they may much advance their knowledge and be more profitable to the Publique their Neighbours and also to themselves 17. Deficiency is the Ignorance of the Vegetables of 17. Deficiency of the Vegetables of this Island their Vertues and Vses this Island and their Vertues and Vses And the first Deficiency that I take notice of is the Ignorance of the ordinary seeds which are commonly sowen amongst us for usually the Countrey-man contenteth himselfe with one or two sorts and knoweth no more when as there are very great varieties some of which agree with one sort of ground some with another as for example there are very many sorts of Wheates some called White Wheate some Red Wheate some Bearded which as I have said before is not so subject to Mildewes as others others not some sorts with 2. rowes others with 4. and 6. some with one eare on a stalke others with double eares or two on the same stalke Redstalke-wheate of Buckinghamshire Winter-Wheat Summer-Wheate which is sowen abundantly in New-England in Aprill and May and reaped ordinarily in 3. moneths and many sorts more Not to trouble my discourse with Spelt Zea Tiphine-Wheate or Olew Far Siligo Alica which were used amongst the Auntients but now unknowne not onely to the Countrey-man but even to the learned-est Botanicks so I may say that the ordinary Yeoman is ignorant of the diversities of Barleys for there is not onely the ordinary Barly but also Big Sprat-Barly which hath lately been sowen in Kent with good profit also Winter Barly sowen in winter Barly with 4. 6. rowes naked Barly which require divers dispositions of land some delighting in finer others in stiffer grounds So there is also Winter and Summer-Rie and 20. sorts of Pease the ordinary sâ—chew the raith or Early-ripe Pease the Roncivals Hastivers Hotarses Gray-Pease Green-Pease Pease without Skins Sugar-Pease whose shels are sweeter then the Pease it selfe and have beene within these 10. years plentifully sowen in Lincolne-shire with profit also Fulham Sandwich-Pease c. which require divers sorts of land and seasons so also there are divers sorts of Oates White black naked which in New-England serveth well for Oatemeal without grinding being beaten as they come out of the barne Scotch Poland c. Also Buckwheate Lentiles divers sorts of Tares of Hempe and Flax altogether unknowne to most Countrey-men but I hope that hereafter they will be more inquisitive after them for divers of them may be of good use on their lands 2. Deficiency in this kinde is that they are ignonorant of the Plants and Grasses which naturally grow amongst us and their Vses which likewise were made for to be food for Cattel and also for the service of man This ignorance causeth them to admire and to esteem even as miraculous ordinary and triviall things as for example how it cometh to passe that in one Meadow an Horse thriveth very much and speedily and yet a Bullocke will not in that place and contrariwise in a Meadow close by the former the Bullock will thrive and the Horse not so also how it cometh to passe that Conyes and Sheepe will thrive well where there is scarcely any Pasture and yet come to nothing on Commons where there is a greater quantity of Pasture which proceedeth from this cause that somekinde of Plants are more agreeing and sweeter to one sort of Cattel then to another and every beast almost hath some Plant or other which they love exceedingly I suppose that the observances of this kinde might be very useful in Husbandry These Deficiencies I will draw to 3. heads 1. I say that divers Plants not to speak of Fruits because we have already spoken of them that grow naturally in our Island may be very serviceable to the Husbandman both for his Pastures Corne-lands To instance in some few we see that divers sorts of wild Vetches Chiches Tares c. grow wild in divers places which though they beare not so great and large crops as some others already used yet who knoweth what they would do if they were manured as other graines and in land proper for them for we see that the transplanting of Plants into Gardens doth very much meliorate or better them and without doubt all those graines which are in use with us were at first picked out of the field and woods and by Ingenious men found useful for man or beast and of late divers have been found not knowne to our Forefathers as Saint Foine Lucerne and why may not we finde divers Grasses Vetches Medicaes Wild Pease c. which as yet are scarce taken notice of 2. There grow divers sorts of wilde Pease but to speak of 2. onely 1. Sort which groweth on the stony beaches of the Sea where there is little or no earth the rootes are many foot deepe in the ground In Queene Maries dayes in a dearth the poor people gathered divers sackes full of them and they were no small reliefe to them who hath tryed whether they would thrive better on better land 2. sort groweth on dry barren land and is commonly called the everlasting Pease which continually groweth out of the same roote In Gardens I have seene it grow 10. yeares together and larger at the 10. years end then at the first I have also seen it flourish on barren grounds where Oates were burnt away who knoweth but these and other Plants may be serviceable if not for man at least to beasts or Pigeons for in new-New-England the great flights of Pigeons are much maintained by these I am sure it were good to make experiments on these and divers others 2. Head is the Ignorance of the Mechanical Vses of Herbs and Trees for even for these Vses most Plants have some peculiar propriety To instance in a few We know that Elme is for Wheels and the best wood for to make Herrings red Oake is for the Shipwright Joyner Tanner Horne-beames Beech for the Millwright Line-tree for base ropes Old Elder without pith is very tough fit for Cogs of wheeles Tooth Pickers Pear-tree for Mathematicall Instruments and Engravers c. Osiers for Baskets Walnut for Gunstockes Aspe for Hoopes Box Ash for a 100. uses and much more might be spoken of this kind if time would permit So likewise divers Plants are for Painters as you may see in Batte's Experiments some for the Dyers but as yet we know but 4. viz. Woade Would Green-wood and Madder amongst 1200. plants and upward which grow wilde with us I could wish some Ingenious man would take the paines to search
ordinarily Dutch Sheepe are very great with greate tales but their wooll is very course not onely because of their course feeding but also because in hot Countries they ordinarily mingle with Goats and therefore in Venice ordinary Porters will scarcely eate any Mutton And here I cannot but relate that all strangers very much wonder at 2. things in our Sheepe not to speak of the finenesse of wooll And 1. That our Sheepe if they be sound seldome or never drink even in Summer though they go on the dryest Chalky lands as it plainly appeareth in Kent where there is scarce water for the great cattel which proceedeth from the moisture of our aire and abundance of Raines and dewes 2. That our Sheepe do not follow their shepherds as they do in all other Countries for the shepherd goeth before and the Sheepe follow like to a pack of dogs this disobedience of our Sheepe doth not happen to us as Papist-Priests tell their simple flocks because we have left their great shepherd the Pope but because we let our Sheep range night and day in our fields without a shepherd which other Countries dare not for feare of Wolves and other ravenous beasts but are compelled to guard them all day with great dogs and to bring them home at night or to watch them in their folds 3. Deficiency in this kind is the neglect of Fish-ponds which are very profitable for Fish usually live by such wormes and flies as are engendred in the ponds and require no charge Concerning the ordering of them and the profit of them Read Mr. Vaughans Golden Grove And surely it would be a great benefit to this Island if we had Fish at reasonable rates I cannot therefore passe by two extreame Abuses which exceedingly destroy Fish and are in no wise to be permitted 1. That divers poore men keepe many Swine and in nets or otherwise catch many bushels of the young fry of Fish and feed their Swine with them 2. That the Fisher-men in the River have the meashes of their nets so straight that they take many sorts of Fish when they are too small and do destroy farre more Fish then they take I hope these Abuses will be reformed with all severity To this head I may add Decoyes which are very frequent in Holland and profitable but very rare with us in England yet may be very profitable and delightful 4. Dificiency is the Ignorance of the Insects of this Island And though it may seeme ridiculous to many to affirme that Magots butterflies should be of any importance yet I desire them to consider that we have our Honey the sweetest of foods from Bees which are cattel of this kinde also all our Silkes Sattins Plushes and bravery from the poore Silke-worme which may be called a Magot Caterpillar or Butter-flie c. the richest of our Colours from the Cocheneile which is one of this sort Gum-lac is made by Aunts some are used for food as Locusts c. as you may reade in Musset's Book de Insectis Many of these likewise are used in Physick as Cantharides Wood-sowes Lice c. Some think that Medicines transcending even the Chymists may be had out of these for every Plant which hath a Medicinal vertue is also sublimed up into this living Quintessence therefore I commend divers ingenious men as Mr. Marshal and others who have collected many hundred sorts of these and I hope they will communicate ere long their experiments to the world 19. Deficiency concerning divers things necessary for the 19. Defiency concerning divers things necessary for the good of Cattel good of Cattel 1. That we are ignorant of the divers Diseases of Cattel their Cures Not to run over all the Diseases of Cattel and their Cures which would be too long and you may read them in Mr. Marram's workes The Countrey-Farmer and others I will instance onely in two which some years sweepe away Cattel as the Plague doth men viz. the Murreine amongst Great Cattel and the Rot amongst Sheep And though divers have wrote concerning the Cures of these Diseases yet we do not finde that effect which we desire and therefore I hope some will attempt to supply this Deficiency and write a good Treatise about the Diseases of Cattel Of these 2. Diseases I shall briefly declare my minde And 1. Of the Murreine which proceedeth from an Inflammation of the blood and causeth a swelling in the throate which in little time suffocateth the cattel The especial Causes of this Disease are an hot and dry season of the year which dryeth up the waters or at least doth so putrefie them that they are unwholesome and also the letting of Carrionly unburied This Disease is thought to be infectious but perhaps it may proceede from one Common Cause as the Rottennesse of Sheepe The best way to keepe your cattel from this Disease is to let them stand in coole places in Summer and to have abundance of good water and speedily to bury all Carion and if any of your Cattel be infected speedily to let them bloud and to give them a good drench c. by these Meanes divers have preserved their cattel when their Neighbours have perished 2. Concerning the Rot of Sheepe not to speake of the Pelt-Rot or Sheepe that are starved but of the Ordinary Rot called by some the White Rot and is a kinde of Dropsey their bellies are full of water and their liver discoloured I have seen out of the livers of Sheepe tending to Rottennesse living creatures leaping like small Flounders which without question in little time will destroy the liver and consequently produce an indisposition not unlike to the Rot. The common people say that these wormes are caused by the over-heatings of Sheepe and that Rottennesse proceedeth from a plant called Cotyledon or Marsh-Penny-wort which is of a very sharpe taste and therefore not likely that Sheepe will eate it but it may be a signe of wet rotten land as broome is of sound and dry land This is certaine that in wet moist years Sheepe dy very much of the Rot and in dry years on the same ground they hold sound and yet I have heard that in Ireland which is farre moister then England Rottennesse of Sheepe is not known It were therefore well worth the labour of an Ingenious man to inquire into the Causes of these Indispositions in Sheepe The Meanes which have been found very effectual for the curing these Diseases are these first to drive your sheepe up to dry lands or to keepe them in the fold till the dew be off the grasse or to feed them some dayes with fine dry hay especially of Salt Meadow or to put them into Salt-Marshes for in those places Sheepe never Rot or to drive them to some salt River and there to wash them and make them drink of the water this will kil the Scab and also the tickes and fasten the wooll but if you have not the conveniencies before said then
but mean and rude and Mr. Wheeler's way much more Ingenious 5. I saw at Wicklesen the manner of your Holland Sluces The ruines also of a Cochlea for the emptying and dreining of water of which Vbaldus hath writ a whole Treatise Likewise a petty kinde of Pinnace with ordinance somewhat like a close Litter but Flat-bottom'd which rowed with wheeles instead of Oares imployed it seemes formerly with admirable successe for the taking in of Crowland and which gave me a proofe of what I for many years have thought possible and of very great use and service and still think it of unknowne value if it were skillfully indeed framed and applyed as it might be 6. The Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolke that made above 10000. l. sterl of a peece of ground not 40. yards square and yet there was neither Mineral or Metall in it He after told me it was onely a sort of fine Clay for the making a choise sort of earthen ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much money for it it 's a story not to be despised 7. His Lordship told me the way of making of Spunke or Touch-wood 8. Mr. H. His Lordship's Bailiff shewed me a small plat of ground scarce an Acre and halfe wherein he assured me he had in one yeare 21. hundred of Hops and falling out then to be scarce in other places he made of that small parcel of ground 9. score l. 9. At Milton I saw a Spring that might have been made big enough to serve a large Towne which my Friend Wheeler had newly discovered and broke up every man opposing him in it and deriding his confidence till he made it appear and ashamed them Hereupon he gave me several marks of knowing and finding out Springs under ground 10 From Springs we converted our discourse to Pipes for the carrying along of water under ground to any House or Towne wherein he imparted some secrets to me both of the fittest Wood and Trees for Pipes and preserving them whole ages from corruption by wayes extreamly rational and not hitherto observed or found out by any 11. This drew on some Discourse of Woods their Differences and several Applications in which he told me many singular Observations 12. After this I saw at Milton an Excellent Modell of a Garden Orchard and Walkes and being further curious my Friend related a Witty Invention he once put in Practise to plant an Orchard in a Moorish place where never grew a Tree 13. I casually met with one Boughton a most singular rare man in carving or cutting out Figures in small or in great of Stone and for that reason servant in ordinary to the late King Who acquainted me of many excellent Ingenious men and promised to seek me at my lodging 14. Being in Camebridge-shire I examined more particularly the Husbandry planting ordering and curing of Saffron Some other things came in my way not without notice But these are the chief My own Improvements and comments upon all which I shall more at large give you when we meet together being alwayes SIR Your's Quere's sent into France about the Seed called La Lucerne WHen one N. N. was last in France being in discourse with Doctor D. concerning Saint Foine he was then told by Doctor D. that for the Improvement of barren grounds there was in those parts of France about Paris another seed that did farre excell that of Saint Foine and that the name of that more excellent seed was La Lucerne I am desired by a friend of mine to whome N. N. related this passage of Doctor D. that by your kindnesse he may be spoken to of this La Lucerne and his direction's desired where the said seed is to be had for what price how much is usually sowed upon an English Acre what time of yeare it is sowen whether it be sowen alone or with any other ordinary Corne and with what Corne and with what kinde of land it best agrees with and finally what other particulars he can direct more then is here set downe The Answer to the Quere's from Paris I Have been with Doctor D. about Lucerne who tells me that it groweth best in wettish grounds that the best time of sowing it in England will be in February at the same time that Oates are sowne with the which also it may be sowen but best alone that to the sowing of an Arpent which is much what the same with an English Acre there will go 12 or 15. l. of the Seed the which useth to be sold here at 8. or 9. sols the pound More Quere's concerning Lucerne I Desire further to know what kind of wet grounds are best for it whether Moorish or clay whether Poore or Rich whether it must be sowen yearly or whether it will continue over a year in the ground and if more then a year then how many years it will continue without being new sowen whether it be onely good for Meadowes or for Pasture and if for Pasture then whether the Sheepe or Cattel be suffered to go upon it or whether it be carried off greene as the Clover-grasse is in Flaunders Lastly for what Cattel it is most proper Another Answer from Paris I Thought to have sent you 9. l. of the seed of Lucerne for the sowing of three Acres Doctor D. having told me as heretofore I told you that 3. l. would sowe an Arpent or Acre But as I was going about it I met with a Gentleman an acquaintance of mine who some yeares since but unknowne to me hitherto hath had some Acres of Meadow of Lucerne upon his Ground to whom having casually spoke of my businesse and told him all that Doctor D. had told me about the Lucerne he answered me that Doctor D. was most grosly mistaken in the quantity of the Seed required for the sowing of an Acre and that it would not take up 3. l. but two whole sacks each sack containing the full loade of a strong Porter after which rate the quantity of Seed for the sowing of 3. Acres would fill a great dry-fat the sending whereof by land would come to excessive great charges and therefore necessarily to be sent by Sea in my opinion You will be pleased to impart these things to your Friend and to let me know his finall resolution upon them the which shall be faithfully accomplished by me and in the meane while I will get him a perfect and full Answer upon all his Quere's not from Doctor D. whom I dare trust no more in this businesse having found him guilty of such grosse mistakes about it but from that other Gentleman who told me he could himself resolve most of those Questions but that for to be the surer he thought it best to conferre first with his Farmer about it You make Apologies for putting me upon these Inquiries but I pray you to believe that at any
time I shall most readily and cheerfully perform any service that shall lie in my power for you or any of your Friends for your sake And I were very unreasonable to think troublesome any thing that you require of me when as continually I put you to so much trouble my selfe The last Answer concerning Lucerne THe information about the Lucerne that I have got from my Friend being a very particular one and containing a very full Answer to all the Questions propounded by your Friend is such as followeth It requireth a rich ground but somewhat loose and light so as a stiffe Clay and such other tough grounds are no waies fit for it The ground must not be over-dry nor over-moist but in a mean yet somewhat more inclining to moisture then to the contrary It must be ploughed three times the first time in October and the second and third towards the Spring Naturally it doth not love Dung and cometh much better in a ground that is sufficiently rich of it self then that which hath been inriched by Dunging and where Dung is made use of it must be very stale and well rotten and long before the sowing-time It cannot endure the cold and therefore must not be sowen till the cold weather and all the danger of it be quite past viz. about the beginning or midst of Aprill The Quantity of the Seed is the Sixth part of Corne that the same ground would require so as only one Bushell of Lucerne is to be sowen on that space of ground which would require six Bushells of Corne. It must be carefully weeded especially in the beginning And to the end that it may take the more firm root some Oates must be mixed with it but in a very small proportion It is to be cut as soon as it beginneth to flower which in the hot Countries Provence Languedock and Spaine it doth five or six times and some years seven and eight times in a Summer but in this Climate it useth to be cut but twice a year about the end of June and about the end of September Being cut it must be turned very oft that it may dry the sooner and be carried off the ground the soonest that may be and it must be kept in close barnes being too tender for to be kept in reeks open to the aire as other Hay It is good for all kind of Cattel Kine Sheep Goats and as well for the young ones Calves Lambs Kids as for the others but above all it agreeth best with Horses It is much more feeding then any other Hay insomuch as any lean beasts will soon grow fat with it and to Milch-beasts it procureth abundance of milke but it must never be given alone especially to beasts that have not been long used to it but must ever be mixed with Straw or with some other Hay for otherwise it over-heateth them and filleth them too much with bloud and that so suddenly as it greatly indangereth their health and their life too which it doth principally to Kine to whom it is more dangerous if too plentifully given then to any other Cattel After the last cutting you may let your Cattell graze on your Lucerne-fields and that all Winter long untill the beginning or middle of March. Of once sowing you will have your Meadow continue good for 10. or 12. years and until 15. and afterwards too it will still continue to bear but the hearb will then notably decay in goodnesse Wherefore it is best to turn in then to some other use Kine must never eate of this hearb green but onely dryed and that moderately too as hath been said But Horses eating their fill of it green in the Spring are purged thereby and grow fat by it in 8. or 10. daies time If one desire to have of the Grain one may let such a proportion of the Meadow as one will grow up to seed after the second cutting any year except the first only and when the seed is ripe the tops of the hearb with the coddes wherein the seed is inclosed must be cut in a dewie morning and put into sheets for fear of loosing the seed and must be beate out with Flails upon the same when that it is well dryed and afterwards the remaining part of the hearb must be mowen close to the ground after which it continueth to sprout out again after the usual manner The Hay on 't will keep good two or three years and one Acre is sufficient to keep three Horses all the year long A Post-script to the last Answer concerning the Lucerne SIR THe Gentleman who had given me the Note about the Lucerne hath told me since two particulars more which he had forgot to put into it The one that not onely to other Cattel but even to Horses with whom that Hay agreeth best of all other beasts it is not to be given but in Winter because that in the Summer it would too much heate their bloud And the other That this Hay must be perfectly well dri'd before it be carried off the ground and to that end turned very often because that being put up with any the least moisture it will quite spoile much more then any other Hay Now these and all the other particulars which I have had from that Gentleman have been confirmed to me by many others And yet within these 2. or 3. days I met with a Physitian of Rochell who assuring me that the Lucerne was very common in his Countrey made me a relation of it agreeing with the former only in these three points viz. That of once sowing it will continue 10 or 12. years That it is cut twice a year serving afterwards for Pasture all Winter And that it wonderfully fatteneth all kind of Cattel but very much different from it in all the others and in some of them point-blank contrary to it For he saith that it is to be sowen in the beginning of March that it desireth a temperate ground but rather dry then wet and no waies fat nor clayish but stony and gravily that it need not be mixed with any other Hay but may be given alone and all the year long in Summer aswell as in Winter not only to Horses but to Cowes and other Cattel He added that the proportion of the seed is the charge of a Porter for four Arpents or French Acres Which particulars I thought good to impart unto you that your Friend comparing them with the other's might make his best profit of them and this Rochellois or Rocheller who hath lived 3. or 4. years in England thinks that the Lucerne will come admirably well in that Countrey NOTE THe meaning of these Words The quantity of the Seed is the sixth part of Corne that the same ground would require is this That whatever quantity of Wheat or Barly an Acre of ground would require of the seed of Lucerne you must take but the sixth part of that quantity of seed of Lucerne so as that
ground which for its sowing requireth six bushells of Corne doth require but one bushel of Lucerne-seed An Arpent de terre which how much it is in English measure COTGRAVE'S Dictionarie will perfectly tell you requireth 10. l. of that seed as several Grain-sellers of whome I went to enquire for it have unanimously told me the seed being exceeding small and to be sowen wonderfully thinly As for Saint Foine or Holy Hay I have seen it grow here about Paris in several places in rich fat grounds and those both high and dry and others low and Marshy It is cut but once a year much-what about the same time of other Hay and a great deal of the seed of it is required for sowing the ground with it But being once sown it lasteth 10. or 12. years as well as Medica or Lucerne wherewith also it correspondeth altogether in its Vertues and Vses A Copy of a Letter relating a Proof or Experiment of an English Husbandry Honoured SIR I desire your acceptance of this small present may be according to the reall worth of the thing not as at first sight it may appear to be viz. straw or stubble This is I assure you no other then the true and reall Experiment of what by the blessing of God the native fertility of our English ground rightly husbanded will bring forth nay I can upon most probable grounds affirm that had I used all the Art and Care which I could and might have done had I not been otherwise taken off it could hardly have failed to have been double treble or quadruple to what it is And it is also most true that any reasonable good ground well mannaged may yield one ten a hundred c. Acres in which there shall be very many superior to the biggest root of these and hardly one inferior to the best but one by which account it will easily appear how much beyond the old way this is the increase there being between two and five quarters on the Acre and the product of this way will be rarely under 10. quarters not rarely 16. or 20. and the same for most graines yet will this dull age as to goodnesse not believe it without some testimony and perhaps scarce suffer themselves to be convinc'd by this so eminent an Experiment wherein it plainly appears That out of one fingle Barly Corne is sprung about 80. Ears of which near 60. had some 38. some 36. 34. 32. 30. and hardly any lesse then 38. which in all is above 2000. for one And truely the charges to be bestowed on a Acre of this sort is no way double to the common way Accept it therefore and reserve it as a real Rarity and a jewell onely fit for a Publique and Pious Spirit as yours is till I shall by Gods assistance be able next yeare to produce you more abundant examples of God's wonderfull power and bounty that offers and man's ingratitude that neglects or refuses such honest meanes of the truest and most justly gotten humane wealth honour and happinesse Your most faithfull and obliged Friend and Servant September 26. 1650. An Extract of A Letter from Amsterdam dated the 28. of November 1650. in answer to the former Communication with an other Experiment of a French Husbandry SIR J am much obliged unto you for sending me the Discourse of the Braband-Husbandry which I have perused Not long ago I was told of certaine Men which would faine have morgaged some thousand Acres of Heathy grounds which lay here and there as Commons But the late Prince of Orange by the advice of his Councel durst not entertain any such Propositions the Lands belonging to the Communalty On the other hand the Vndertakers would not be contented with lesse for imparting of their Secret It appears unto me by all circumstances that it was the same designe of Husbandry with your's the parties if I remember well being Englishmen From Paris I am advertised for certain of one who did last year 1649. ferment one Grain of Wheat which this year hath produced him 114. Eares and within them 6000. Graines which is more then 80. Eares and 600. Graines of your English Friend's This year 1650. he hath a great many fermented and sowen An Answer to the foregoing extract of a Letter from Amsterdam SIR J Have received from you a Relation of a very great and wonderful Production or Increase which your Friend at Amsterdam relates to be done in France I am farre from lessening the admirable greatnesse of that person's skill and successe Only since I find my selfe taken notice of by the same party and the Experiment I made the last year of Barly weighed in the scales with this and found too light I shall take leave to say that besides all difference that is or may be conceived to be betwixt the Soyles that of France hath a manifest advantage in the elevation and powerful operation of the Sun That it is probable he did use all possible Meanes both to the Ground and Seed to make them both fruitful which I did not at all but quite contrarily I chose the worst seed I could procure and my ground was as barren as any whatsoever in the parts adjacent I added nothing to either all I did was after the blade was sprung up And whereas your Friend mentions 600. out of 80. eares those ears contained one with the other at the least 30. single cornes which is 2400. That besides that Wheate is no whit inferior to Barly but rather more inclined of its proper nature to branch and spread It is also allowed as long time againe to grow and therefore may better spread to many ears then Barly That my eares of Barly rated at 30. one with the other which they were at least some having 38. a thing I suppose rarely if ever seen in England before are full as high as his Wheate-eares rated at 52. And the seeming great difference between 2400. and 6000. when looked into will prove not to be in the number of eares which differ no more then as 14. to 10. but in the nature of the Graines there being universally as many more in an eare of Wheate as in an eare of Barly That if as it is most like he in France did onely try conclusions to what height nature might possibly be scrued by Art and that what is here related was the effect of that trial that holds not comparison with mine which is generally practicable without any considerable expence of time or stock more then in the common-way Lastly I affirme in all possible humble reference and submission to God's good pleasure power and providence that when I shall make use of good Seed rightly prepared good Land in right condition all other helps which I know can use I shall not doubt for smaller numbers of the same graine viz. Wheate to produce 200. or 300. eares and in them 10000. 12000. or 15000. cornes and somewhat like that for whole fields together