plow vp your ground in good large furrowes then hack it very small sand it limeit and meanure it and of all meanures there is not any better for this ground then Oxe dung and ashes well mixt together of which ashes those of Beane-straw Pease-straw or any other straw are best those of Wood or Ferne next those of Charcoale next those of Seacoale or pitcoale are the worst of all Swines dung is not much amisse for this ground for though it be a great breeder of weedes and thystles in good or fertile grounds yet in this cold hard and barren earth it worketh no such effect but is a great comforter and warme moistner of the same After you haue thus made your ground as soone as wheate seede-time cometh which is the latter end of September and beginning of October you shall then with great care plow ouer your ground againe and take great respect that you turne vp your furrowes much deeper then before and that for two especiall causes the first that the new earth may the better mixe with the old earth and those helpes which are added thereunto and secondly that yow may be surer to teare vp the rootes of all the Whinnes from the very bottome of the earth not suffring any part of them to remaine behinde and for this purpose it shall not be amisse to haue an idle Boy or two to follow your Plow and to gather away all the rootes that shall be torne vp or any way else left bare aboue ground which rootes shall be layd on heapes in conuenient places and then after burnt and the ashes thereofspread vpon the ground which will be a very great comfort vnto the seede being a speedy helpe vnto the sprouting thereof and a very warme comforter of the roote after the stemme is spindled aboue ground for in these cold barren earthes nothing doth so much spoile and flay the Corne as the dead coldnesse which lyeth at the roote thereof for in many of these vnfertill places you shall see Corne at the first sowing whilest there is a little strength in the ground sprout in great abundance promising much hope of the profit but when it should spindle and come to much better perfection that poore strength being spent and consumed and the cold and drinesse of the soile hauing as it were ourcome all matter of comfort then presently you shall sec the blade of the Corne turne yellow the stemme or stalke to wither and either put forth no eare at all or else a very poore little empty one being laden with nothing but a most dry chaffie huske without substance But to come againe to our purpose after you haue thus plowed vp your ground the second time you shall then hack it againe and harrow it as was declared in the other former Chapters then you shall take your seede-wheate which hath beene steept either in brine or Sea water and to enery bushell of that seede you shall adde a bushell of Bay salt and mixe them very well together in your Hopper or Sydlop and so sowe them together vpon the ground obseruing to double your casts so ost that you may not faile to cast that true quantitie of seede into the earth which otherwise you would haue done if so be there had beene no mixture at all for to doe otherwise were to deceiue the ground and a handfull of seede so saued would be the losse of a peck in the time of Haruest therefore haue great respect that your ground haue his due for it is no more cost though it be a little labour When your seede is sowen you shall harrow it againe the second time clot it smooth it and sleight it as was before declared in the former Chapters As touching the weeding of this ground it is the leaft labour of all other for the earth being so corrected as is before shewed it will naturally of it selfe put forth no weedes especially if you remember to plow it deepe and be sure to teare vp and gather away all the quick rootes otherwise if that labour be any thing neglected then will it put forth both Whinnes and great store of other rough weedes which as soone as you shall perceiue to appeare you shall presently with your woodden Nyppers pull them vp by the rootes as was at large declared in the fore-going Chapter Now for the generall profit of this ground thus made and prepared it is the same that the two former are that is to say it will beare you good and sufficient Wheate in plentifull abundance for the space of two or three years then Barley a yeare after then Oates three yeares together after the Barley and Pease or Beanes a yeare after the Oates then lastly very good Meadow or Pasture for the space of three or foure yeares after and then you shall begin and dresse it againe as was formerly declared and thus much touching the ordering plowing and sowing of all rough barren Clayes whether simple or compound being laden and ouer-rune with Whinnes and such like CHAP. V. Of the Ordering Tylling and Dressing of all barren Clayes whether simple or else compound which are ouer-runne with Lynge or Heath There followeth now successiuely another sort of barren Earth which indeede is much more sterryll and barren then any of the other formerly written vpon because they out of their owne natures doe beare a certaine kinde of grasse or foode which will relieue ordinary hard store-Cattel whether it be sheepe goats or yong beasts But this earth of which I am now to intreate beareth no grasse at all but only a vilde filthie black-browne weede which we call Lynge or Heath the tender tops whereof Cattell and wilde Deere will sometimes crop yet it is to them but little reliefe and only maintaineth life and no more Now al-be some may obiect vnto me that this kinde of soyle is euer a sandy soile and no Clay as may be seene in most Chasses Forrests and Downes yet I answere that al-be it hold so in generall yet there are diuers Clayes especially in mountainous Countries that are pestered with these kinde of weedes as may be seene in the North and North-West parts of Deuonshire in some parts of Cornewall and in many parts both of North and South Wales and these Clay grounds which are thus offended with these weedes of Lyng or Heath are much more barren and vnfruitfull then the sands because of their much more coldnesse yet those Clayes which are mixed with either blacke sand dun sande or yellow sand and ouerrunne thus with Heath or Lynge are the most barren of all to make any further discription of this Heath or Lyng being a thing so notoriously knowne ouer all this Kingdome I hold it meerely needlesse only to say it is a rough browne weedo shooting out abundance of stalkes from one roote with little darke leaues and flowers on the toppe of a pale reddish colour much inclyning vnto Peach colour at the first
so constantly binde fetter and hold the mold together that it is inpossible for any harrow to breake it in pieces or to gather from it so much mould as may serue to couer the Corne and giue it roote when it is sowen into the same and therefore then this worke of hacking there can be none more necessary or to the Husband-man can bring more ease or profit When therefore you haue thus hackt your Land and distributed the mold into many small pieces you shall then with all expedition marle it which forasmuch as it is no generall or common practise in euery part of this Kingdome I will first tell you what Marle is and then how to finde it digge it and vse it for your best behoofe Marle you shall then vnderstand is a certaine rich stiffe tough Clay of a blewish colour and full of many red veines like Porphery or Marble it is of a tough glewie substance apt to worke and hold together like waxe and chiefly when it is any thing moist but being dryed it mouldereth and breaketh as small as cynders and by these three Carracters colour toughnesse and loosenesse being dryed you shall neuer faile certainely to know it Some are of opinion that this Marle was first found out in Germanie and there put in practise and found of most notable vse calling it by the name of Pytch or a certaine Clay like pitch others that we found it out first heere in England as indeed is most probable because we haue the greatest store and make the greatest vse thereof others that the first knowledge came out of France but that is least credible for neither is it there in much vse nor much mentioned in any of the French Authors especially the antientest or any that writ out of present memory howsoeuer most certaine it is that not any meanure that is in vse with the Husband-man is of more vertue or perfection especially for these loose sandy barrē earths neither of so much goodnesse and continuance for it is hard for any one single and simple meanure to continue aboue three or foure years yet this Marle is knowne to haue continued the ground good for the space of a dozen yeares at the least This Marle is commonly found in the lowest parts of high Countries neere Lakes and small Brookes and in the high parts of lowe Countries vpon the knols of small hils or within the Cly◅ts of high Mountainous banks which bound greater Riuers in◅to conclude you shal seldom finde any of these barren sands but they are either verdged about with Marle grounds or if you will bestowe the labour to digge beyond the depth of the sand you shall not faile to find or Marle or quarrie of stone or both for in some places Marle lyeth very deepe in other some places within a spades grast of the vpper swarth of the earth Therefore it shall be good for you to make proofe of all the most likely parts of your ground to finde out this Marle and as soone as you haue found it out you shall with Mattocks and Spades digge it vp and carry it to your land there laying it in bigge round heapes and setting them within a yard or two one of another thus when you haue filled ouer all your ground which would be done with as great speede as might be for the ancient custome of this Kingdome was when any man went about to Marle his ground all his Tenants Neighbours and friends would come and helpe him to haften on the Worke you shall then spread all those heapes and mixing the Clay well with the Sand you shall lay all smooth and leuell together and heerein is to be obserued that if the land you thus marle shall lye against the side of any great Hill or Mountaine whereby there will be much desent in the ground then you shall by all meanes lay double as much marle sand or other compasse on the toppe of the Hill as on the bottome because the raine and showers which shall fall will euer wash the fatnesse of the earth downe to the lowest parts thereof when your ground is thus marled if you be neere to the Sea-side you shall then also sand it with salt Sea-sand in such sort as was formerly declared only you may forbeare to lay altogether so much vpon this sand ground as you did on the Clay ground because an halfe part is fully sufficient If you cannot come by this salt-Sand then in stead thereof you shall take chalke if any be to be had neere you and that you may lay in more plentifull manner then the sand and albe it is said that chalke is a wearer out of the ground and maketh a rich father yet a poore sonne in this stile it doth not so hold for as it fretteth and wasteth away the goodnesse that is in Clay grounds so it comforteth much strengtheneth these sand earths and this chalke you shall lay in the same manner as you did your marle and in the same manner spread it and leuell it which done you shall then lime it as was before shewed in the Clay grounds yet not so abundantly because also a halfe part will be sufficient after your lyming you shall then meanure it with the best meanure that you haue whether it be dung of Cattell Horse Sheepe Goates straw or other rubbish and that being done and Seede-time drawing on you shall then plow vp your ground againe mixing the new quick earth and the former soyles so well together that there may be little distinguishment betweene them then you shall hack it againe then harrow it and lastly sowe it with good sound and perfit seed and of seedes though Wheate will very well grow vpon this earth yet Rye is the more naturall and certaine in the increase yet according to the strength of the ground you may vse your discretion obseruing that if you sowe Wheate then to steepe it before in brine or salt-Sea-water as was before described but if you sowe Rye then you shall sowe it simply without any helpe except it be Pigeons dung or Bay-salt simple of it selfe in such manner as hath beene before declared either sowing the salt with the Corne or before the Corne as shall seeme best in your owne discretion After your seede is sowen you shall then harrow it againe clot it smooth it and steight it as before shewed in the second Chapter which done after the Corne is shot aboue the earth you shall then looke to the weeding of it being somewhat a little too much subiect to certaine particular weedes as are Hare-bottels wilde Chesse-bolles Gypsy flowers and such like any of which when you see them spring vp you shall immediatly cut them away close by the rootes as for tearing their rootes out of the ground with your Nyppers it is not much materiall for the cutting of them is sufficient and they will hardly euer againe grow or doe you hinderance many other weedes
all mixt earthes and latter soyle all loose hot sands let hearbes you would preserue now runne to seed cut of the stalkes of outlandish flowers and couer the rootes with new earth so well mixt with meanure as may be sel all such Lambes as you feed for the Butcher and still leade forth sand marle lime and other meanure fence vp your Copses gaze your elder vnderwoods and bring home all your field-timber And lastly for your health abstaine from all Physicke bleede not but vpon violent occasion and neither meddle with Wine Women nor other Wantonnesse In the moneth of August apply your Corne haruest sheare downe your Wheat aud Rye mowe your Barley and Oats and make the second returne of your fat Sheepe and Cattel gather all your Sommer greater fruit as Plumes Apples and Peares make your Sommer or sweet Perry and Cider fet slips and scyens of all sorts of Gilly-flowres and other flowres and transplant them that were set the spring before and at the ende of this moneth beginne to winterrigge all fruitfull soyles whatsoeuer gueld your Lambes carry meanure from your doue-coats and put your Swineto the early or first mast And lastly for your health shunne feasts and banquets let phisicke alone hate wine and onely take delight in drinkes that are coole and temperate In the moneth of September reape your Pease Beanes and all other Pulse making a finall end of your haruest now bestow vpon your Wheat land your principall meanure and now sow your Wheat and Rye both in rich and in barren climats now put your swine to mast of all hands gather your winter fruit and make sale of your wooll and other sommer commodities now put off those stocks of bees you meane to sell or take for your owne vse close thatche and dawbde warme all the suruiuing hyues and looke that no droanes mice nor other vermine be in or about them now thatche your stacks and reekes thrash your seed Rye and Wheat and make an end with your cart of all forraine iourneyes Lastly for your health in this moneth vse Phisicke but moderately forbeare fruits that are two pleasant or rotten and as death shunne ryot and surfet In the moneth of October finish vp your Wheat-seed scower ditches and ponds plash and lay hedges and quickset transplant remoue or set all manner of fruit trees of what nature or quality soeuer make your winter cider and perry spare your priuate pastures and eate vp the corne-fields and commons and now make an end of winter-ridging draw furrowes to draine and keep dry your new sowne Corne follow hard the making of your malt reare all such calues as shall fall and weane those foales from your draught mares which the Spring before were foaled now sell al such sheep as you wil not winter giue ouer folding and seperate Lambes from the Ewes which you purpose to keepe for your owne stocke Lastly for your health refuse not any needful physicke at the hands of the learned Physitian vse all moderate sports for any thing now is good which reuiueth the spirits In the moneth of Nouember you may sow either wheat or Rye in exceeding hot soyles you may then remoue all sorts of fruit trees and plant great trees either for shelter or shadow now cut down all sorts of timber for plowes carts axeltrees naues harrowes and other husbandly offices make now the last returne of your grasse fed cattel bring your swine from the maste and feed them for slaughter reare what calues soeuer fall and brake vp all such Hempe and Flaxe as you intend to spinne in the winter season Lastly for your health eatc wholesome and strong meats wel spiced and drest free from rawnesse drinke swect wines and for difiestion euer before cheese preferre good and moderate exercise In the moneth of December put your sheepe and swine to the Pease reeks and fat them for the slaughter and market now kill your small Porks and large Bacons lop hedges and trees saw out your timber for building and lay it to season and if your land be exceeding stiffe and rise vp in an extraordinary furrow then in this moneth begin to plow vp that ground whereon you meane to sow cleane Beanes onely now couer you dainty fruit trees al ouer with canuase and hide al your best flowers from frosts and stormes with rotten old horse litter now draine al your corn-fields and as occasion shal serue so water and keepe moyst your medows now become the Fowler with piece nets and al maner of engin for in this moneth no foule is out of season Now fish for the Carpe the Breame Pyke Tench Barbel Peale and Salmon And lastly for your health eate meates that are hot and nourishing drinke good wine that is neat sprighty and lusty keep thy body wel clad and thy house warme forsake what socuer is flegmatick and banish al care from thy heart for nothing is now more vnwholesome then a troubled spirit Many other obseruations belong vnto the office of our skilful Plowman or Farmar but since they may be imagined too curious too needlesse or too tedious I wil stay my pen with these already rehearsed and thinke to haue written sufficiently touching the application of grounds and office of the Plowman FINIS The Authors Preamble The profit of this Worke. A satisfaction for the truth and goodnesse of the Worke. Nature of Barren Grounds Knowledge of barren Grounds The first inriching of barren Grounds The manner of plowing Hacking of Ground Sanding of Ground Lyming of Ground Meanuring of ground Times for all labours Second plowing Second Hacking First Harrowing Of fowing the Seede The second Harrowing Falts in the earth Ofclotting grounds An other manner of clottting Seuerall seedes seuerall yeares Obiection Answere Ordering Earth where sands wanteth Sowing of Salt The excel lencie of salt Of â—…ping Seede in brine Destroying of weedes â—…urning of Bavte Breaking of the burnt earth Causes of of vnfruitfulnesse An excellent meanure Of Plowing Of diuers meanures Miâ—…ture of mâ—…nures Of weeding Time for weeding Gathering of stones What Whinnes are Paring of Grounds Making of Baites Breaking of Baites Plowing Harrowing Weeding Profits Destroying of heath Another Burning of Baite Of Weeding Plowing Obiection Answere OfMarling What Marle is Of Chalke and thevse The Profits Of destroying Braken. Of Marle Sanding and lyming Plowing and sowing Labours after sowing Weeding Destroying of Twitch and Bryar Meanures Harrowing and other labours Weeding Ground for Fish-ponds Draining of wet grounds Harrowing Weeding Two wayes to inrich earths Of watring grounds Helpes in the watring When and how to water The best season for watring Grounds ill for Hempe or Flaxe Blaoke clay for Hempe c 〈◊〉 Making of ill earth beare hempe c. Weeding Stacking of Graine Crowes and Birds The cure Pygeons The cure To saue Corne reaâ—… to reape Of Pismiers The cure Of Do es The Care Of field Rats and Myce. Of wormes The Cure Of Rye not to be wet Of Snailes The cure Of Grashop pers The cure Of Moales The cure Offences from the influence of the heauens Of smutinesse and mildew The Cure Of haile The cuee â—…ning The cure Ofthunder The Cure Of frosts The cure Mists and fogs The câ—…re Oâ—…sting The cure Corne reapt wet The cure Of wâ—…ht Corne. To know washt corne Obiection The needfull vse ofpreseruing corne Keeping of corne twofold Keeping corne in the eare or in chaffe Keeping of corne out of the eare or drest Of Garners Of hutches The vse of Garners and hutches for malt To preserue wheat To preserue Rye To preserue Beanes Preseruing of Pease or â—…tches Preseruing of Lentils or Lupins Preseruing of Oates Preseruing of oatmell Preseruing of any meal Preseruing of all small seeds Thevse of Graine Pulse at Sea Of Rice and the vsâ—… Wheate and the vse Of Oate-meale and the vse Of Barley and the vse Bucke or the vse Of Pulse and first of Beanes the vse The French Beane The Kydney Beane Common Field beanes thevse Of Pease and the vse Seueral sorts of garden Pease Totransport Graine Transporting graine for trade Transporting graine for victuall Plowing and sowing Mowing Reaping Binding of Barley and Oates Gathering in of graine Ditching Hedging Plashing Deluing Thrashing The particular expence of a day Particular labours of cattell The Carters office Of cattell for draught Ianuary February March April May. June Iuly August September October Nouember December
grow were it not deuoured and eaten vp by these Snailes and such like vermine as so one as it begins to peepe vp or as it were but to open the earth whereby it is driuen backe and forced to dye in the earth for these creatures sucking vpon the tender sweetnesse deprine it both of life and nourishment The cure and preuention for this euillis to take the soot of a Chimney and after your Corne hath been sowne a weeke or ten dayes or within two or three dayes after the first shower of raine which shall fall after the Corne is sowne you shall sow this soot of the Chimney thinIy ouer the land and not a Snayle will indure to come thereon Others vse especially in France and those more fertill Countres to take common Oyle lees and after the Corne hath beene sowne and is ready to appeare aboue ground to sprinkle it all ouer the Lands by which meanes no Snaile or such like creature will indure to come neere the same The next great destroyer of Corne is accounted the Grashopper and he also destroyeth it after it is sprouted appeareth aboue the ground as the Snaile doth but somewhat more greedily for he not onely feedeth on the tender white strings bâ—…t vpon the first greene leaues that appeare also by which meanes the Corne is not able to spring or bring foorth a steme or stalke to beare the eare vpon or ifit doe put forth any yet it it is so small weake and wretched that the eare growing on the same is withered and leane and the graine dry and blasted and no better then chaffe nor is there any Corne that scapeth the destruction of the Grashoper for he generally seedeth on all first on Wheate and Rye because they are the earliest then on Barley and Oates and lastly on Pulse vppon whose leafe and blossom he feedeth whilst the first is sweet and pleasant or the other greene Now the cure or preuention for these Creatures is according to the opinion of some Husband-men to take Wormewood and boyle it well in water 'till the strength of the Wormwood be gone thereinto and then with that water in the month of May to sprinckell all your Corne ouer when the Sunne is rising or setting and not any Grashopper will come neare or anoy the same Others vse in steed of wormwood to boyle Century and to vse the water thereof in the same manner as afore said and findean equall and like proffit in the same but it is most certaine that any bitter decoction whatsoeuer vsed and applyed as aforesaid will not leaue one Grashopper about your fieldes for any bitternesse is such an enemie vnto them that they cannot liue where they feele any taste thereof The last offence of liuing Creatures belonging to Corne or Graine are Moales which not onely feed vpon it after it is sprouted and spindled by eating vp the roots thereof and so consequently by killing the whole Corne but also by their digging and vndermining of the earth doe not root vp the Corne and destroy it in most wonderfull manner for where they make their haunts or are suffered to digge there they will destroy almost halfe an acre in a day neither make they choice either of ground or Grain for all grounds and all Graines are alike if the ground be not too wet or subiect to inundation or ouerflowes as for the most part Corne grounds are not for aboue all things moales cannot indure wet ground or earth of too moyst quality Now the best cure or preuention against these creatures is to find out their trenches and passages which are most plaine and casie to be knowne by the turning vp of the new earth and digging crosse holes in the same to watch either the going forth or the comming backe of the Moale and when you see her cast to strike her with an yron forke made of many graines as eight or fixe at the least and so to kill and destroy them which still is so generally knowne amongst Husbandmen that it is become a trade and occupation amongst them so that it needs no further description the rather in as much as for iii. d. or iiii d. a score you may haue any ground cleansed of Moales whatsoeuer Now there be some others which haue not this art of killing or catching of Moales which onely doe take brimstone and wet stinking straw or any thing els that will make a stinking smoake and putting fire thereto smoake all the places of their haunts and by that meanes driue them all cleane away from the Corne lands many otherpractices they haue but none so good certaine and probable as these already declared Thus far I haue spoken of those offences which proceed from liuing creatures I will now intreat of these which come and grow from the influence of the heauens being malignant vapours which striking into the erathdo alter the sweet pleasant nourishment therof and change in into bitternesse and rottennesse whereby the Corne is either ssaine outright withered and made leane and vnkindly or else the kernell turned to a filthy blacknesse being bitter dry and dusty like vnto smoake which the Husbandman calleth smuttines or mildewing and yet this smuttinesse or mildewing commeth another way as namely by ouerrankenesse or to much fatnesse of the earth and this hapneth most commonly only to wheat for if blacknes happen to any other graine it commeth of blastings or other malice of the starres for ranknesse of the ground in Barley Rye or Oates onely makes them lye flat to the ground the stalke not being able to support the multiplicity of the eares and so by that means the grain wanting his true nourishment growes light withered and of no validity now that this is most easie to be found out the ranknes of the growing corne rising as it were in close bundles together and the deepe blacknesse of the greene blades will with small trauell shew you This to cure and preuent it shall be good before you sow your Graine to sow your land lightly ouer with fine chalke for that will abate his ouer-ranknesse To proceed then to the other imperfections which doe happen from the skies I hold haile in the formost ranke which with his violence beateth downe the Corne flat to the ground and bruiseth the reede so in pieces that the Corne not able to rise vp againe there lyes and rotteth or else withereth to nothing The cure and preuention of this euill according to the opinion of the French Husbandmen is to take the white Vine and to plant it in diuers parts of your Corne-fields and it will deffend the Graine from this annoyance of haile or if your soyle be such as the white vine will not grow therein if then you take but branches therof and strike them in diuers parts of your lands it is thought that no haile will at any time do offence to your corne Others vse to take
but being full blowne they are then a little more whitish You therefore that haue any such ground and desier to bring it to fruitfulnesse and the bearing of good Corne and grasse in a reasonable abundance you shall first with sythes or sharpe hookes but old sythes are the better cut downe all the Heath or Lynge which groweth vpon the earth you intend to conuert to goodnesse so neere the ground as possibly you can then when it is cut downe which would euer be at the beginning of the Month of May you shall let it lye vpon the ground daily tossing and turning it till it become very dry then spreading it all ouer the ground and mixing or couering it with dry straw of any kinde whatsoeuer you shall presently set it on fier in so many seuerall corners of the field that all the seuerall fiers in the end may meete in one point and not leaue any part of the mowen Heath or Lyng vnburnt or any part of the ground vnscortched after this is done and the ground cooled you shall with your flat clotting beetles beate the ashes hard into the ground then you shall take a strong plow with a broad-winged share and an euen colture and you shall plow vp all this ground thus burnt in very large and deepe furrowes by no meanes picking out any of the quicke rootes which shall remaine in the furrowes so turned vp but letting them rest in the earth still then with your hacks and the help of your yron paring-shouell you shall cut vp the furrowes formerly turned vp into short pieces of three foote or three foote and a halfe long and some lesse as occasion shall serue then with these pieces you shall build little hollow hils such as in the former Chapter you made of the vpper swarth of the ground only and then filling the hollownesse with dry heath and dry straw mixt together you shall set euery hill on fier and so burne the very substance of the earth into ashes which will soone be done by reason of the infinite number of rootes and small strings which lie mixt in the earth and the drynesse thereof occasioned by the former burning And this is another kind of burning of Baite much different from all the former and yet to as great end and profit as any whatsoeuer and these hils must as the former be placed one as neere another as is possible so as they may spread and couer ouer the greatest part of the ground and leauiug no more then a good reasonable path to passe betweene hill and hill Now as soone as you haue thus burned all your Baite and that your hils are cold you shall then as was before shewed in the former Chapters with Betels and Shouels breake downe the hils and spread the earth and ashes ouer all the ground which done you shall sand it if the situation of the ground be answerable thereunto and lime it in such sort as was shewed in the second Chapter then when it is lymed and the lime equally spread not more in one place then in another you shall then meanure it with the best meanure you can prouide of which there is none better or more propper for this ground then mans ordure and the rubbish sweepings parings and spytlings of houses mixt together or for want of this because it may not be in so great plenty as other meanures you may take either old Oxe dung or Horse dung or for want of them the old rotten and mouldy staddels or bottomes of Corne-stacks or reedes especially Peasestacks or Beane-stacks prouided that it be thorowly rotten for the lesse rotten it is the worse it is Also the scowrings of common Sewers and especially those through which much of mans vrine doth passe is a most wonderfull and beneficiail meanure for these grounds so are also the scowâ—…ings of sinkes and channels which come from Kitchins and Wash-houses where great store of Brine and salt broth is shed and other greasy fat and putrified substances as also abundance of sope suddes and buck-ashes and other sope and lye washings then which there is no better meanure that can be vsed for these kinde of grounds After your ground is thus perfectly made and meanured and that Wheat-seede time doth draw on which as before was shewed is euer at the latter end of September you shall then plow vp your ground againe in that manner as was shewed for the former earths to wit much deeper then before for you are to vnderstand that this ground being drest as is before declared there will remaine nothing of the furrowes which were first plowed vp but the asâ—…s which being couered with sand lime and meanure the earth will lye plaine and leuell so that of necessitie you must raise vp new furrowes of new earth which being done you shall then with your hacks cut all the new earth into very small pieces mixing them well with the other mould made of sand lyme meanure and ashes then as was before said you shall harrow it to make the mixture so much the better and the mould so much the finer and then if it haue beene sanded you may sowe your Seede-Wheate simply of it selfe without any doubt of the plentifull increase thereof but if it haue not beene sanded then as in the fore going Chapter you shall not only steepe your Seede in Brine as before shewed but also you shall mixe your Seede with Bay-salt and so sowe it into the ground or if at the time of sowing after it is plowed hackt and harrowed youbestow or Pigeons dung or Pullens dung or sheepes dung vpon the Land it will be much better and the Corne will giue a much greater increase Now as soone as your Land is sowen you shall then forthwith harrow it againe and couer the Seede very close then you shall clot it smooth it and sleight it as was before shewed As touching the weeding and cleansing of this earth after the Corne is sprung vp you shall vnderstand that there is great care to be had thereunto for this ground is much subiect vnto weedes and those of the worst kinde fot although for the most part it will be free from all manner of soft and tender weedes as thy stels cockell darnell ketlocks docks rape and such like herball stuffe yet is it much subiect to twitch Bryars which grow at both ends lyng wilde time `and such like any of which as soone as you shall see appeare or peepe aboue the earth you shall presently with your Nippers pull them vp by the rootes and not suffer them in any wise to looke a handfull aboue the ground for if you doe their hardnesse is so great and their rootes so large and fast fixt in the mould that you can by no meanes pull them away without great losse and hurt to the graine pulling vp with them all such rootes of Corne as shall be fixed neere about them for any other weake and superfluous things
countrey where the steepenesse of the hills and narrownesse of the wayes will suffer neither Cart Weine nor Tumbrell to passe in this case you shall keepe Oxen for the plow to till the ground with and Horses to carry pots or hookes the first to carry foorth your meanure and the other to bring home your hay and Corne haruest your fuell and other prouisions which are needfull for your family as they doe both in Cornewall and all other mountainous countries where Carts and weines and such like draughts haue no possible passage Againe it is the office and duty of â—…uery good plowman to know his seuerall labours for euery seuerall moneth through the whole yeare whereby no day nor houre may bee misspent but euery time and season imployed according as his nature requireth as thus for example In the moneth of Ianuary the painefull plowman if he liue in fertile and good soyles as amongst rich stiffe simple cleys he shall first break vp or plow vp his pease earth because it must lye to take baite before it be sowne but if he liue in fruitful wel mixt soyles then in this moneth he shall begin to fallow the field he will lay to rest the yeare following but if he liue vpon hard barren earths of which chiefely I write then in this moneth he shall water his Meadowes and Pasture grounds and he shal draine and make dry his errable grounds especially where he intends to sow Pease Oates or Barley the feed-time following Also he shall stubbe and roote vp all such rough grounds as he intends to sow the yeare following in this Moneth you shall meanure and trime vp you garden moulds you shal comfort with meanure sand or lime or all three mixt together the rootes of all barren fruit trees and also you may cut downe all fuch timber as you would not haue chinke or riue but hold firme and close together onely there will bee losse in the barke for the time is something to earely for it to rise Lastly you may transplant all sorts of Fruit trees the weather being open and the ground cafie you may reare Calues remooue Bees and for your owne health keepe your body warme let good diet and wholesome be your Physition and rather with exercise then sauce increase your appetite In the Moneth of February either set or sowe all sorts of Beanes Pease and other Pulsle and the stiffer your ground is the sooner begin your worke prepare your Garden mould and make it cafie and tender prune and trime all sorts of Fruit trees from mosse cankers and all superfluous branches plasse your hedges and lay you quicksets closse and entire together plant Roses Gooseberies and any fruit that growes vpon small bushes grafâ—… at the latter ende of this moneth vpon yong and tenderstockes but by all meanes ouerlade not the stocks Inauguratâ—…in in this moneth or any other as soone as the barke will rise and also set any slips branches or young syens Lastly for your health take heed of cold forbeare meats that are slimy and flegmatique and if need require or purge bathe or bleed as art shall direct you In the moneth of March make an end of sowing of all sorts of smal pulse and begin to sow Oates Barley and Rye which is called March Rye graft all sorts of fruit trees and with young plants and syens replenish your nurcery couer the roots of all trees that are bared and with fat earth lay them close and warme if any tree grow barren boare holes in his roote and driue hard wedges or pins of oake wood therein and that wil bring fruitfulnesse transplant al sorts of Sommer flowers and giue new comfort of meanure and earth to al early outlandish flowers especially to the crowne Emperiall Tulippos Hyacynth and Narcissus of all shapes and colours cut downe vnderwood for fuel or fencing and looke wel to your cwes for then is the principall time of yeaning And lastly bathe often bleed but vpon extreamity purge not without good counsell and let your dyet be coole and temperate In the moneth of April finish vp all your barley seed and beginne to sowe your hempe and flaxe sow your garden seeds and plant all sorts of herbes finish grafing in the stock but begin your principal inauguration for then the rinde is most plyant and gentle open your hiues and giue the Bees free libertie leaue to succour them with foode and let them labour for their liuing Now cut downe all great Oake timber for now the barke will rise and be in season for the Tanner Now scowre your ditches and gather such meanure as you doe make in the streets and high waies into great heaps together lay your meadowes fleight your corne grounds gather away stones repaire your high waies fet Ozyers and Willowes and cast vp the bankes and munds of all decayed fences Lastly for your health either purge bathe or bleed as you shall haue occasion and vse all wholesomerecreation for them moderate exercise in this moneth there is no better Physicke In the moneth of May sow Barley vpon all light sands and burning grounds so likewise do your hempe and flaxe and also al sorts of tender garden seeds as are Cucumbers and Mellons and all kind of sweet smel ling hearbes and flowers â—…allow your stiffe clayes Sommer-stirre your mixt carthes and foyle al light and loose hot sands In this moneth begin to prepare all barren earths for Wheat and Rye Bourue baite Stubgorsse or Furres and root out Broome and Ferne begin to fould your sheepe lead forth meanure and bringhome fuel and fencing weed your winter corne follow your common workes and put al sorts of cattel to grasse either in pasture or teather put your mares to the horse let nothing be wanting to furnish the Dairy and now put off all your winter-fed fat cattel for now they are scarcest and dearest put young steares and dry kine now to feed at fresh grasse and away with all Pease fed sheepe for the sweetnesse of grasse mutton wil pul downe their prices Lastly for your health vse drinkes that wil coole and purge the blood and al other such Physical precepts as true Arte shall prescribe you But beware of Mountebankes and olde wiues tales the latter hath no ground and the other no truth but apparant cosenage In the moneth of Iune carry sand marle lime and meanure of what kinde soeuer to your land bring home your coales and other necessary fuel fetcht farre off sheare early fat sheepe sow all sorts of tender hearbes cut ranckelow medowes make the first returne of your fat cattel gather early Sommer fruites distil al sorts of plants and hearbs whatsoeuer And lastly for your health vse much exercise thinne dyet and chast thoughts In the moneth of Iuly apply your hay-haruest for a day slackt is many pounds lost chiefly when the weather is vn constant sheare all manner of field-sheepe Sommer-stir rich stiffe grounds foyle