and in other places Rumsey-marsh in Kent consisting of 45000 Acres and upwards as Cambden relateth is of some antiquity where the land is usually let for 30 s per Acre and yet 1 d per week constantly is pay'd through the whole levil for the maintenance of the wall and now and then 2 d whereas ordinary salts are accounted dear at 5 s or 6 s per Acre so that the improvement is very considerable the same I may say of Fens especially that great Fen of Lincoln-shire Cambridge Huntingdon consisisting as I am informed of 380000 Acres which is now almost recovered and a friend of mine told me very lately that he had profered a marke per Acre for 900 Acres together to sowe Rape on which formerly was scarcely valued at 12 d per Acre very great therefore is the improvement af draining of lands and our negligence very great that they have been wast so long and as yet so continue in divers places for the improving of a Kingdome is better than the conquering of a new one 2 I see likewise no small faults in this land by having so many Chases and Forrests where brambles brakes furzes do grow when as these trumperies might be cut up and pot-ashes made of them and the ground imployed profitably for Corne or Pasture I know a Forrest by Brill in Buckingham-shire taken in and the land is usually let being now wel enclosed for 4 or 5 Nobles per Acre 3 Sort of waste-waste-land is dry heathy Commons I know that poor people wil cry out against me because I call these waste lands but it 's no matter I desire Ingenious Gentlemen seriously to consider whether or no these lands might not be improved very much by the Husbandry of Flaunders viz. by sowing Flax Turneps great Clover-Grasse if that Manure be made by folding Sheep after the Flaunders way to keep it in heart 2 Whether the Rottennesse and Scabbinesse of Sheepe Murrein of Cattel Diseases of Horses and in general all diseases of Cattel do not especially proceed from Commons 3 If the rich men who are able to keep great stocks are not great gainers by them 4 Whether Commons do not rather make poore by causing idlenesse than maintain them and such poor who are trained up rather for the Gallowes or beggery than for the Common-wealths service 5 How it cometh to passe that there are fewest poor where there are fewest Commons as in Kent where there is scarce six Commons in the County of a considerable greatnesse 6 How many do they see enriched by the Commons and if their Cattel be not usually swept away by the Rot or starved in some hard winters 7 If that poor men might not imploy 2 Acres enclosed to more advantage than twice as much in a Common And Lastly if that all Commons were enclosed and part given to the Inhabitants and part rented out for a stock to set all the poor on work in every County I determine nothing in this kind but leave the determination for wiser heads 4 Parkes Although I cannot but reckon Parks amongst lands which are not improved to the full but perceive considerable waste by them by brakes bushes brambles c. growing in divers places and therefore wish there were fewer in this Island yet I am not so great an enemy to them as most are for there are very great Uses of them as 1 For the bringing up of young cattel 2 For the maintaining of Timber so that if any have occasion to use a good piece of Timber either for a Mil-post or a Keel of a Ship or other special uses whither can they go but to a Parke 3 The skins of the Deere are very useful and their flesh excellent Food Not to speak of the Medicinall Uses nor of Acorns for hogs c. But some wil object that the plough never goeth there To the which I answer It 's no matter for I cannot but say as Fortescue Chancellor to Henry 6 doth That God hath given us such a fruitful land that without labour we have plenty whereas France must digge and delve for vvhat they have And I suppose that I could maintaine two things vvhich 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 Wool 1 Because that the Commodities from Cattel are farre 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 a populous as any part of France and I am certain that Holland Friezeland Zealand Flaunders and Lombardy which rely altogether on Pastures are the most populous places in Europe But some wil object and say that a shepheard and a dog formerly hath destroyed divers villages To this I answer that we wel knovv vvhat a shepheard and a dog can do viz. look to tvvo or three hundred sheep at the most and that tvvo or three hundred Acres vvil maintain them or the land is extreamly barren and that these tvvo or three hundred Acres being barren wil scarcely maintaine a Plough vvhich is but one man and tvvo boys vvith the horses and that the mowing reaping and threshing of this Corne and other vvorke about vvil scarcely maintaine three more vvith work through the vvhole yeare But hovv many people may be employed by the Wool of tvvo or three hundred 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-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 wil deny that it doth so now for formerly we were so unwise as to send over our Wool to Antwerpe and other places where they were Manufactured by which meanes one pound oft brought 10 unwrought to them but we set now our own poor 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-Countreys and our Commodities by Wool do cloy the Merchants 5 Rushy-lands Blith telleth us good Remedies for these Inconveniencies viz. making deep trenches oft mowings Chalking Liming Dunging and Ploughing I know where hungry guests Horses soone make an end of them 6 Furze broom heath these can hardly be so destroyed but at length they wil up againe for God hath given a
will briefly tell what I have seen In Italy through all Lombardy which is for the most part plain and Champian their Vines grow in their hedges on Walnut-trees for the most part in which fields they speak of three harvests yearly viz. 1 Winter-Corn 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-wheat Frumentone or that which we call Virginia-Wheat Turneps which they sowe in July when their Winter-corne is cut and reaped they reape in October In France their Vines grow thâ—â—e manner of wayes in Provence they cut the Vine about two 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 tye them to short poles as we do hops In France they usually make trenches or small ditches about three or four foot from one another and therein plant their Vines about one and a half deep 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 poure 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 vve say worke together 12 or 14 dayes and usually they put one 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 avvay the pleasant brisk taste In France so soon as they have pressed out their liquor vvith their feet they put it in hogsheads and after in their presse squeese out vvhat they can out of the graspe which serveth to fill up their hogsheads while they worke which is usually three or four 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 means their wines worke extraordinarily and do digest themselves the better This course we must also take here in England some years for it helpeth the rawnesse of all liquours very much There is an Ingenious Dutchman who hath a secret which as yet he wil not reveal how to help 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 bloud lime used with moderation He also knovveth how to make soure grapes produce good wine I suppose his vvay to be this all juice of grapes nevvly expressed is svveet and vvhich may by it selfe alone be made into a sweet syrupe vvhich the French call Racineè further in the Evaporation of liquors vvhich have not fermented or vvrought 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 adde 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 neglect of fishing the greatest shame to this Narion 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 labour cost or skill than other seeds And further that the materials made from these are extreamly necessary for how miserable should wee 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 wil more seriously be considered by those at the Helme of our State I will freely and plainly relate how this Deficiency may easily be Remedied according to my judgment 1 To compel 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 poor 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 bruts to understand their own good In King Edward the 6 days somthing was enacted to this purpose as I am informed In Henry the eighth days there was a law enacted that every man should sow 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 compel men to til 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 vvithout cause that Enclosing is an Improvement and so concerning Hempe and Flax I say if they vvere once accustomed to sovve them they vvould 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 farre greater quantities of Flax is sown then formerly 2 It were convenient that every Parish through the Nation should have a stock to set their poor to work 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 down and will not worke for if all know that they may have work at home and earne more
In Essex the scourings of their ditches they call Marle because it looketh blew like it it helpeth their lands vvel 5 Snaggreet vvhich is a kind of earth taken out of the Rivers ful of small shels It helpeth the barren lands in divers parts of Surrey I beleeve it 's found in all Rivers It vvere vvell if in other parts of England they did take notice of it 6 Owse out of marsh ditches hath been found very good for vvhite Chalky land as also Sea-mud and 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 vvhich they carry up many miles in sacks and by this they have very much improved their barren lands It vvere vvorth the vvhile to try all manner of Sea-sands for I suppose that in other places they have a like fertilizing fatnesse 9 Folding of Sheep especially after the Flaunders manner viz. under a covert in vvhich earth is strevved about 6 inches thick on vvhich they set divers nights then more earth must be brought and strevved 6 inches thick and the Sheep folded on it and thus they do continually Winter and Summer I suppose a shepheard vvith one horse vvil 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 Sheep good because they lye vvarme and dry and truly if I am not mistaken by this means vve may make our Sheep to enrich all the barren dry lands of England 10 Ashes of any kind Seacoale-ashes vvith horsedung the Gardiners of London much commend for divers uses It 's great pitty that so many thousand loads are throvvn into vvast places and do no good 11 Soote is also very good being sprinkled on ground but it 's too dear if it be of wood for it 's vvorth 16 d or 2 s a bushel 12 Pigeons or Hens-dung is incomparable one load is vvorth 10 loads of other dung and therefore it 's usually sovvne on Wheate that lyeth afarre off and not easie to be helped it 's extraordinary likevvise on a Hop-garden 13 Male-dust is exceedingly good in Corn-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 vvormes 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 vvill rot if they vvere stones vvould make dung 16 In New-England they fish their ground vvhich 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 vviers and sold very cheap to the planters vvho usually put one or tvvo cut in pieces into the hill vvhere their Corne is planted called Virginia-Wheate for they plant it in hils 5 graines in an hill almost as we plant Hops in May or June for it wil not endure frosts and at that distance it causeth fertility extraordinary 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 hils do plant the same Corne for many years together and have good crops besides abundance of Pompions 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 unlesse 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 believe there are many ill husbands by this account I know a vvoman who liveth 5 miles South of Canterbury who saveth in a pail all the droppings of the houses I meane the urine and when the pail is full sprinkleth it on her Meadow which causeth the grasse at first to look yellovv but after a little time it grovves vvonderfully that many of her neighbours vvondered at it and vvere like to accuse her of vvitch-craft 18 Woollen raggs vvhich Hartford-shire-men use much and Oxford-shire and many other places they do very vvell in thinne Chalky land in Kent for tvvo or three years It 's a fault in many places that they neglect these as also Linnen raggs or Ropes-ends of the vvhich vvhite and brovvn paper is made for it 's strange that vve 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 vvord it should come from Denbigh-shire is the cutting up of all the turffe of a Meadow vvith an instrument sharpe on both sides vvhich a man vvith violence thrusts before him and then lay the turffe on heapes and vvhen it is dry they burn it and spread it on the ground The charge is usually four Nobles vvhich the goodnesse of a crop or tvvo repayeth 20 Mixture of lands Columella an old vvriter saith that his Grandfather used to carry sand on clay and on the contrary to bring clay on sandy grounds and vvith good successe the Lord Bacon thinking much good may be done thereby for if Chalke be good for loamy land vvhy should not loame be good for Chalky banks 21 I may adde Enclosure as an Improvement of land not onely because that men vvhen their grounds are enclosed may imploy them as they please but because it giveth vvarmth and consequently fertiliey There is one in London vvho promised to mend lands much by vvarmth onely and vve see that if some fevv stickes lye together and give a place vvarmth hovv speedily that grasse vvil grovv 22 Steeping of Graines The Ancients used to steep Beanes in salt-water and in Kent it 's usual to steep Barly when they sow late that it may grovv the faster and also to take away the soile for vvild Oates Cockle and all save Drake vvil svvimme as also much of the light Corne vvhich to take avvay is very good If you put Pigeons-dung into the vvater and let it steep all night it may be as it vvere halfe a
dunging take heed of steeping Pease too long for I have seen them sprout in three or four houres 23 Is the sowing of Course and cheap Graine and vvhen they are grovvne to plough them in For this purpose the Auncients did use LUPINES a plant vvel knovvne to our Gardiners and in Kent sometimes Tares are sovven vvhich vvhen the Cattel have eaten a little of the tops they turn them in vvith very good Improvement for their ground I wil not deny but that we have good Husbands who dung and Marle their Meadowes and Pasture-land and throw down all Mole and Ant-hils and with the their spud-staffe cut up all thistles and weeds and that they likewise straw ashes on their grounds to kil 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 vve do cottages or Vines or Corn because Meadows bring in a certain 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 adde that the stock of Meadows 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 Wool and therefore I may conclude that England abounding in Pastures more than other Countreys is therefore richer and I know what others think I care not that in France Acre for Acre is not comparable to it Fortescue Chancelor of England saith that we get more in England by standing still than 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 Lumbardy where they mowe their lands three or four times yearly which consist of the great Clover-grasse Here are the excellent Parmisane Cheeses made and indeed these Pastures farre exceed any other places in Italie yea in Europe We here in England have great opportunities by brooks and Rivers in all places to do so but we are negligent yet we might hereby double if not treble our profits kill all rushes c. But he that desireth to know the manner how to do this and that profit that wil arise thereby let him read Mr. Blithes Book of Husbandry lately printed 3 That when we lay down land for Meadow or Pasture we doe not sowe them with the seeds of fine sweet grasse Trefoiles and other excellent herbes Concerning this you may read 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 poor ye shal have thistles May-weed and little or no grasse for a year or two 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 poor 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 wel done til the next year that it might make a turffe and grow stronger By this Husbandry lands might be wel 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 Corn a year or two and then it resteth as long or longer when it is laid down it maintaineth many great Sheep and very lusty so that they are even fit for the Butcher and yet there doth scarce appear any thing that they can eate which hath 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 ground naturally produceth a small Trefoile which it seemeth is very sweet and pleasant it 's commonly called Trifolium luteum or Lupilinum that is yellow or Hop-Trefoile and I am perswaded if that the seed of this Trefoile were preserved and sowen with dates when they intend to lay it down it would very much advance the Pasture of that place therefore I desire all Ingenious men seriously to consider the nature of the Trefoiles which are the sweetest of grasses and to observe on vvhat grounds they naturally grovv and aso the nature of other grasses which as I have said before are no lesse than 90 sorts naturally growing in this Isle some on watry places some on dry some on clay others on sand chalk c some on fruitful places others in barren by the which meanes I suppose a solid foundation might be laid for the advancing the Paesture-lands of all sorts through this Island for I know some plants as the Orchis call'd Bee-flower c. which wil thrive better on the Chalky barren banks than in any garden though the mould be never so rich and delicate and the Gardiner very diligent in cherishing of it and why may not the same propriety be in grasses for we see diverse benty grasses to thrive especially on barren places where scarce any thing else wil grow I must againe and againe desire all men to take notice of the wonderful grasse which groweth near Salisbury and desire them to try it on their Rich Meadowes It 's a common saying that there are more waste lands in England in these particulars than in all Europe besides considering the quantity of land I dare not say this is true but hope if it be so that it it will be mended For of late much hath been done for the advancement of these kinds of land yet there are as yet great Deficiencies In the times of Papistry all in this Island were either Souldiers or Scholars Scholars by reason of the great honours privileges and profits the third part of the Kingdome belonging to them and Souldiers because of the many and great warres with France Scotland Ireland Wales And in those times Gentlemen thought it an honour to be carelesse and to have houses furniture diet exercises apparell c. yea all things at home and abroad Souldier-like Musick Pictures Perfumes Sawces unlesse good stomacks were counted perhaps unjustly too effeminate In Queen Elizabeth's dayes Ingenuities Curiosities and Good Husbandry began to take place and then Salt Marshes began to be fenced from the Seas and yet many were neglected even to our dayes as Hollhaven in Essex Axtel-holme Isle in York-shire many 1000 of Acres have lately been gained from the Sea in Lincolne-shire and as yet more are to be taken in there
THE COMPLEAT Husband-man OR A discourse of the whole Art OF HUSBANDRY BOTH Forraign and Domestick Wherein many rare and most hidden secrets and experiments are laid open to the view of all for the enriching of these NATIONS Unto which is added A Particular discourse of the Naturall History and Hubandry of IRELAND By SAMUEL HARTLIB Esq LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Edward Brewster at the Crane in Paul's Church-yard 1659. TO THE READER Courteaus Reader THe Discourse which I did formerly publish concerning the Brabant-Husbandry was somwhat imperfect nor was the Author thereof then known unto me but since I have learned who the Author was I have also lighted upon a more perfect Copie which I intend to offer to the Publique in a Second Edition that such as have entertained that first offer with liking and acceptance may finde the benefit of a clearer and fuller satisfaction in that which shall further be imparted unto them And to the end that Ingenuity and Industry may want no encouragement in the mean time accept of these Enlargements upon the same Subject wherein you wil finde diverse other wayes and no lesse if not more profitable then that which was left by Sir RICHARD WESTON the Author of the Brabant-Husbandry as a Legacie to his Sons whose Introduction to that Discourse I have here premised to this to bespeak thee in his words to his Sons and to gain thy affections more fully to these ways of advantaging both thy selfe and the Publique And I could wish that God would put it in the heart of those Worthies that manage the Publique Trust that by their Influence and Authority these and such like Meanes of Industry may not be left wholly to the uncertain disorderly lazy undertakings of private men so as not to have an eye over them and over that which in their proceedings doth so mainly appeare to be a Publique Concernment Therefore let us all joine to intreat and petition them that in order to the Publique and Generall Welfare of this Common-wealth these two things at least may bee thought upon and setled 1 In respect of the known untowardnes of the major part of the people who being wonderfully wedded to old customes are not easily wonne to any new course though never so much to their own profit that two or more fit persons of approved skill and integrity may be made Publique Stewards or Surveyors one of the Husbandry the othet of the Woods of this Common-wealth and impowered to oversee and take care of the preservation of what is and by all good improvement to procure and provide for what is wanting to the present age and except some such Expedients be used it is more then likely will be wanting to succeeding ages 2 That according to the usual custome of Flaunders a Law may be made of letting and hiring Leases upon improvement where the manner is That the Farmer covenanteth on his part to improve the land to such or such a greater Rent by an orderly and excellent management of Husbandry as well as building The Landlord on the other side covenanteth on his part at the expiration of the said Lease to give so many years purchase of the Improvement according to the agreement which is 3 or 4 years or somtimes more or to give out of it such a parcell or moity of Ground As if land formerly going for 6. s an Acre be upon improvement worth 10. s or 13. s 4. d an Acre The Landlord is to give 4. or 5. s upon every Acre more or lesse according to the agreement If it please God to blesse these Motions and that accordingly the Nationall Husbandry of this Common-wealth be improved we may hope through Gods blessing to see better dayes and to be able to beare necessary and Publique burdens with more ease to our selves and benefit to Humane Society then hitherto we could attain unto Which more and more to advance in reference to a Publique and Universal Interest as subordinate to Higher things and which though lesse visible and sensible are more permanent and to truly Rationall and Spirituall Husbandmen as perceptible shall be the uncessant prayers and endeavours of Thy faithfull Servant Samuel Hartlib Sir RICHARD WESTON late of Sutton in the County of Surrey his Legacie to his Sons c. Anno Dom. 1645. My Sonnes I Have left this short ensuing Treatise to you as a Legacy if I shall not live my self to shew you what therein is written by examples which I know instruct far more then precepts yet precepts from a dying Father instructing of his Children what he hath seen and known and received information of from witnesses free from all exceptions should make such an impression on them as at least to believe their Father writ what he thought was true And therfore suppose those things worthy to be put in practise by them which he himselfe would have done if it had pleased God to have granted him life and liberty especially seeing the matter it self which is required by him to be done is in shew so profitable and so easie to be effected with so little charge considering the great gain that is proposed by it that not any thing can restrain a rational man from triall thereof but not giving credit to the Relator The whole Discourse shews you how to improve barren heathy land how to raise more then ordinary profit thereof by such wayes and means as are not practised in England but as commonly in some parts of Brabant Flaunders as the Husbandry of Wheat Rie is here By that means you may nobly augment your estates and will receive so much the more profit praise by how with more industry diligence you govern your affairs and wil not only be imitated but also honoured by your Neighbours when they shal see your labours prosper so far as to convert barren heathy ground left un-husbanded for many ages into as commodious arable land with Pastures and Meadows as any be in this Kingdome And certainly that man is worthy of praise and honour who being possessed of a large barren Demeasne constrains it by his labour and industry to produce extraordinary fruits which redounds not only to his own particular profit but also to the Publique benefit Cato saith It is a great shame to a man not to leave his Inheritance greater to his Successors then he received it from his Predecessors and that he despiseth the liberality of God who by slothfulnesse loseth that which his land may bring forth as not seeming willing to reap the fruits which God hath offered him Nay he threatens the crime of high treason to those that do not augment their Patrimony so much as the Increase surmounts the Principall It is a thing much celebrated by Antiquity thought the noblest way to gather Wealth for to employ ones Wit Money upon his Land and by that means to augment his estate If you observe the cōmon
course of things you will find that Husbandry is the End which Men of all estates in the world do point at For to what purpose do Souldiers Scholars Lawyers Merchants and men of all Occupations and Trades toyl and labour with great affection but to get Money and with that money when they have gotten it but to purchase Land and to what end doe they buy that land but to receive the fruits of it to live and how shall one receive the fruits of it but by his own Husbandry or a Farmers so that it appears by degrees that what course soever a man taketh in this world at last he commeth to Husbandry which is the most common Occupation amongst men the most naturall and Holy being commanded by the mouth of God to our First Fathers There is care diligence requisite in Husbandry as there is in all the Actions of the World and therefore as a Captain hath a Lieutenant to command his Souldiers in his absence or for his ease So must you provide some able honest man to whom you will commit the execution of such things as you your selves cannot do without too much labour whereof you must often take an account and confer with him as occasion shall require about your businesse that nothing may be left undone for want of providence To such a man you must give good wages with intent to advance your own gain and take the more ease by reason of his honesty and knowledge You will finde this Husbandry after you have once had experience of it to be very pleasing to you and so exceeding profitable that it will make you diligent For no man of any Art or Science except an Alchymist ever preteÌ„ded so much gain any other way as you shall see demonstrated in this ensuing Treatise The Usurer doubles but his principall with Interest upon Interest in 7 years but by this little Treatise you shall learn now to doe more then treble your principle in one years compass And you shall see how an Industrious man in Brabant Flaunders would bring 500 acres of barren heathy land that was not worth at the most above 5. l a year to be worth 700. l a year in lesse time then 7 years I know no reason why the like may not be done in England for we are under as good a Climate as they are Our heathy Land that is neither Sand nor Loam is as good a soile as their barren ground is We have not only Dung to enrich our Land but also Lime and Marle of which they know not the use where they sowe their gainfullest Commodities mentioned in this ensuing Treatise nor of any other Manure but only Dung. In fine I am certain there is none of their Commodities but grow in England as they doe in Brabant and Flaunders but ours are not of the same kinde as theirs nor put to the same use What cannot be vented at home may as well be vented from hence into Holland as the like commodities are from Flaunders thither I will say no more of this Subject in the Preface only it remains to tell you that you must not expect either Eloquence or Method in this ensuing Treatise but a true Story plainly set forth in the Last Will Testament of your Father which he would have you execute but before all things to be sure you lay the Foundation of your Husbandry upon the Blessing of Almighty God continually imploring his divine aid assistance in all your labours for it is God that gives the increase and believing this as the Quintessence and soul of Husbandry Primum quaerite Regnum Dei postea haec omnia adjicientur vobis These things being briefly promised I will leave the rest to this short ensuing Treatise and commit you all with a Fathers Blessing to the Protection and Providence of Almighty God Thus far Sir RICHARD VVESTONS Introduction to the discouâ—se of BRABANT HUSBANDRY which is shortly to be published in a Sâ—cond Edition corrected and enlarged A large Letter concerning the Defects and Remedies of English Husbandry written to Mr. Samuel Hartlib SIR ACcording to your desires I have sent you what I have observed in France about the sowing of a seed called commonly Saint-Foine which in English is as much to say as Holy-Hay by reason as I suppose of the excellency of it It 's called by Parkinson in his Herball where you may see a perfect description of it Onobrychis Vulgaris or Cocks head because of it's flower or Medick Fetchling By some it is called Polygala because it causeth cattel to give abundance of milke The plant most like unto it and commonly known being frequently sowne in gardens is that which is called French Honey-suckle and is a kind of it though not the same France although it be supposed to want the fewest things of any Province 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 Corn-lands ly because they be out of heart and not situate in a place convenient for manuring then they sowe that land with Oats and these seeds together about equall parts the first year they onely 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 about a load or a load a halfe in good years upon an Arpent which is an 100 square Poles or Rods 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 corn till it be out of heart and then sowe it with Saint Foine as formerly for it doth not impoverish land as Annual 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 sown 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 banks 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 Glover-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 deep in the ground and therefore not easily to be exsiccated
most necessary yet contemned Instrument and for every part thereof for without question there are as exact Rules to be laid down for this as for Shipping and other things And yet in Shipping how have vve vvithin these 6 yeers out-stripped our selves and gone beyond all Nations for vvhich Art some deserve eternal honour And vvhy may vve not in this I knovv a Gentleman vvho novv is beyond seas vvhere he excels even the Hollanders in their ovvn businesse of draining vvho promiseth much in this kinde and I think he is able to performe it I could vvish he vvere called on to make good his promise In China it is ordinary to have vvaggons to passe up and dovvn vvithout horses or oxen vvith sails as ships do and lately in Holland a vvaggon vvas framed vvhich vvith ordinary sails carryed 30 people 60 English miles in 4 houres I knovv some excellent Scholars vvho promise much by the means of Horizontall sails viz. to have 3 or 4 Ploughs to go together vvhich shal likevvise both sovve and harrovv I dare not being ignorant in these high speculations engage my self to do much thereby but wish these gentlemen whom I know to be extreamly ingenious would attempt something both for the satisfying of themselves and others There is an ingenious Yeoman of Kent who hath 2 ploughs fastened together very finely by the which he plougheth 2 furrowes at once one under another and so stirreth up the land 12 or 14 inches deep which in deep land is good Neer Greenwich there liveth an Honourable Gentleman who hath excellent Corn on barren land and yet plougheth his land with one horse when as usually through Kent they use 4 and 6. These things shevv that much may be done in this kinde and I hope some in these active times vvil undertake and accomplish this vvork of so great importance There is a Book long since Printed made by Sir Hugh Plattes the most curious man of his time called Adams Art revived vvherein is shevved the great benefit vvhich vvould accrue to this Nation if all land vvhich vvere fit to be digg'd vvere so ordered and their corn set Mr. Gab. Plattes likevvise hath vvritten much of this kinde and promiseth that men shal reap 100 for one all charges born vvhich are very great That this may be true he bringeth some probable Reasons supposing that lesse then a peck of Wheat vvil set an Acre I dare not promise so much as these Gentlemen do neither can I commend Mr. Gab. Plattes setting Instrument For I knovv their are many difficulties in it vvhich he himselfe could never vvade through but concerning digging and setting and hovving in of Corne these things I dare maintain 1 That it is a deficiency in Husbandry that it is used no more 2 That one good digging because it goeth deeper than the Plough and buryeth all vveeds killeth the grasses is as good as three Ploughings and if the Land be mellovv not much more chargeable 3 That it vvould imploy many 1000 of people that a third part of the seed might be saved As I have found by experience that all the vveeds and grasses might be more easily destroyed thereby and the ground better accommodated for other crops and to conclude the crop considerably greater Yet thus much I must further say concerning setting of Graine That great Beans are even of necessity to be set and that small Beans in Surrey and other places are likewise set with profit for the reasons above mentioned that to set Pease unlesse Hastevers Oates Barley is a thing even ridiculous that Wheat although in divers grounds it may be set with profit yet to howe it in as the Gardiners speak as they do Pease though not at the same distance but about a foot the ranges one from another is better then setting for these Reasons 1 Because to set Corn is an infinite trouble and charge and if it be not very exactly done which children neither can nor wil do and these must be the chief setters wil be very prejudicious 2 If worms frost ill weather or fowles destroy any part of your seed which they wil do your crop is much impared 3 The ground cannot be so well weeded and the mould raised about the roots by the howe Which 3 inconveniencies are remedied by the other way Further I dare affirme that after the ground is digged or ploughed and harrowed even it 's better to howe Wheat in then to sowe it after the common way because that the weeds may be easily destroyed by running the howe through it in the Spring and the mould raised about the roots of the Corne as the Gardiners do with Pease it would save much Corne in dear years and for other Reasons before mentioned Yea it is not more chargeable for a Gardiner wil howe in an Acre for 5 s and after in the spring for lesse money runne it over with a howe and cut up all the weeds and raise the mould vvhich charges are not great and you shal save above a bushel of seed vvhich in dear years is more vvorth then all your charges Further 1 s 6 d an Acre for the sovving and harrowing of an Acre in Kent is accounted a reasonable price but if any fear charges let him use a Drill-Plough I therefore cannot but commend the howing in of wheat as an excellent piece 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 and 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 Grain of Corne as Wheat Barley c. it usually produceth 300 or 400 as I have tryed yet if you sowe Wheat after the ordinary way 6. or 8. for one is accounted a good crop what beccometh 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 sown which nature hath destinated for the Hens and Chickens being without any considerable vegetative faculty 2 Womes Frosts Floods Crowes and Larkes which every one doth not consider to 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 choak one another Most of these Inconveniencies are to be remedyed by this vvay of setting and hovving in of Corn. Gardening though it be a vvonderfull improver of lands as it plainly appears by this that they give extraordinary rates for land viz. from 40 s per Acre to 9 pound and dig and hovve and dung their land vvhich costeth very much Yet I knovv divers vvhich by
2 or 3 Acres of land maintain themselves and family and imploy other about their ground and therefore their ground must yield a vvonderfull increase or else it could not pay charges yet I suppose there are many Deficiencies in this calling 1 Because it is but of fevv years standing in England and therefore not deeply rooted About 50 years ago about vvhich time Ingenuities first began to flourish in England This Art of Gardening began to creep 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 or early ripe Rape 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 spoil 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 Town within lesse 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 others places both in the North and West of England where the name of Gardening and Howing is scarcely known 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 Cows 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 Queen Elizabeths time we had not onely our Gardiners ware from Holland but also Cherries from Flaunders Apples from France Saffron Licorish from Spain 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 wil not grow whereas now it is known 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 Onnions very many coming to England from Flaunders Spain Madder for dying cometh from Zurick-Sea by Zealand we have Red Roses from France Anice-seeds Fennel-seeds Cumine Caraway Rice from Italy which without question would grow very well in divers moist lands in England yea Sweet Marjorame Barley and Gromwell seed Virga Aureae 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 Pears Cherries Vines Chestnuts Almonds but Gentlemen are necessitated to send to London many hundred 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 Corne especially Smut and Mildew to instance in these two onely which oftentimes bring great calamities to these Nations Smut in wet years Mildews in dry These distempers in Corne are not onely in our Countrey but also in other places A learned Authour saith that Smuttynesse of corne which maketh it smell like a Red Herring was not known in France till about 1530 at which time the great foul disease began to break forth which he conceiveth from hence to have some originall as also the camp-disease Mildews are very great in the Kingdome of Naples which oft stick to the sithes of those that mowe grasse Corn and God be thanked we are not troubled with Locusts which is a great flying Grasse-hopper nor Palmer-worms which is a kind of great black Cater-piller nor with great hail in summer nor with great drought which stifleth the eare in the stalk which Calamities in hot Countreys do very oft totally destroy the honest and patient Husbandman's labours neither are we troubled with extream colds which in New-England and other cold Countreys do oft destroy the Corne. But to return to our purpose And first briefly to shew you my opinion concerning the Causes of Smuttynesse I desire not to fetch Causes afarre off and to tell you of the sad Conjunctions of Mars and Saturn for I think Quae suprae nos belong not to us when as we have enough at home This is certain that there are many evident causes of this corruption of Corn. 1 A moist season about Kerning-time which moisture either corrupteth the roots of the Plant or the nourishment of it or the seed in its Embrio or perhaps in some measure all these 2 Low moist foggy ground for the reasons above mentioned 3 Dung'd land In Vineyards it 's observed that dung causeth more increase in quantity but lesse in goodnesse so that the ill-tast of the dung may easily be discerned because wine hath an high taste vvithout question the same happeneth to other Plants although it be not so easily discerned for the ferment or ill odour of the dung cannot be over-mastered by the Plants as vve see also in Animals that corrupt diet causeth unsavory tasts in the flesh so hogs in New-found-land where they are nourished by fish may by their tasts be called rather Sea-porpusses then Land-swine 4 The sovving of Smutty Corne oft produceth Smuttynesse the son like unto the father I account Smutty Corn an imperfect or sick Graine and suppose that by a Microscope the imperfection may be discerned Lastly the sovving of the same seed oft on the same field causeth Smuttynesse because that nitrous jewce vvhich is convenient for the nourishment of the Grain hath been exhasted in the precedent years and therefore it is excellent Husbandry every year to change the species of Grain and also to buy your Seed-Corn from places farre distant I am informed of a Gentleman vvho did sovve some Wheat which came from Spain vvhere the Grain is usually very hard and flinty and as it vvere transparent and farre vveightier than ours as it appeareth by a measure at Amsterdam vvhich holdeth about 3 bushels and if our Wheat in the Northern parts vveigheth 160. the Southern Corn weigheth sometimes 180 200 220 and had a crop beyond expectation The
me yet I have heard it by so many that I believe it to be true Namely that an Orchard of 30 Acres of Cherries produced 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 Earl of Leicester's Gardiner in Queen Elizabeths time first began to plant Flemish Cherries in those parts which in his time did spread into 16 other Parishes and vvere at that time sold at greater rates then novv yet I knovv that 10 or 15 pound an Acre hath been given for Cherries more for Pears and Apples 2 There is a great Deficiency in the ordering of Orchards in that they are not vvell 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 vvill ill husbands bestovv dunging digging or any other cost on Orchards vvhich if they did might pay half their rents in some places One told me for a secret a Composition for to make Trees bear much and excellent fruit vvhich vvas this First in an old tree to split his root then to apply a Compost made of Pigeons-dung lees of vvine or stale Urine and a little Brimstone to destroy the vvormes it hath some probability of truth for by experience I knovv that a bushell of Pigeons-dung hath caused a tree to grovv and bear vvhich for divers years before stood at a stand but concerning the splitting the roots I know not what to say Some old Authours affirm this ought to be done because that the roots may as well be hide-bound as other parts of the tree and not able to attract his nourishment and when the Root is split it will speedily send forth divers small fibrous roots which are the principall Attractors It were good that some vvould give us an account exact of this Experiment But some wil object against Orchards that they spoil 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 Southern parts of England any Apples or Pears 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 knovv not 2 The Inconveniencies 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 rank and file and then plough their lands many years and sowe them with Corn till the Orchard beginneth to bear fruit 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 grown by 14 dayes in the spring than the Medows and therefore very serviceable 2 In Parching Summers here is plenty when other places have scarcity 3 They are great shelters for Cattle especially sheep who will in those places in great snowes scrape up meat 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 like an ungrateful man to thrust them up to the hedge for they afford curious walks for pleasure food for Cattle both in the Spring early and also in the parching Summer and nipping snowy Winter They afford fuel for the fire and also shades from the heat physick for the sick 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 knowledg 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 near Gravesend hath lately collected about 200 species I know another in Essex Mr. Ward who hath nigh the same number I hear of another in Worcester-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 greatnesse some for great bearers others for good Bakers some for long lasters others for to make Perry c. But to our purpose I say many rare fruits are neglected to Instance 1 In the Small-nut or 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 Walnuts which is not a fruit to be despised 5 Vines and Mulberries but of these presently in another place I might likewise adde Currants Raspeses of which excellent drinks may be made 6 Quinces of the which I cannot but tel you that a Gentleman at Prichenel in Essex who had a tree from beyond Sea hath the best in England and hath made above 30 pound of a small piece 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 Small-nuts from Spain 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 massey timbers for barnes and such buildings when as there was plenty of Oakes and Elmes at their doors
within doores honestly then by running rogueing up and down 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 inconveniencies 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 learn a calling by the which they may get an honest livelyhood and I dare say their Assessements for the poor would not be so frequent nor the poor so numerous and the benefit which redounds to the Nation would be very great 4 The charitable deeds of our forefathers ought to be enquired after that they be not misplaced as usually they are but be really bestowed for the good of the poor that are laborious as in London is begun and if there be any that will not work 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 return to my discourse I say that sowing Hempe and Flax will be very beneficiall 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 knovv in England where thread is made and though nigh a thousand 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 questionlesse Hempe will flourish and exsiccate the ground for Hempe desireth stiffe moist land as Flax light and dry and likewise 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 cattle will not touch them neither doth it fear the plunderer either in the field or barn 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 half 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 sown because it sets many poor to work I wish it were encouraged more in the North than it is because there is many poor who could willingly take pains and though spinning of linnen be but a poor work yet it is light and may be called Womens recreation and in France and Spain the best Citizens wives think it no disgrace to go about spinning with their Rocks and though in some part the poor think it nothing to earn 4 or 6 d er day and will as soon stand with their hands in their pockets as worke cheap 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 beneficiall to this Nation and save many thousand pounds I may say 100 thousands which are exported 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 Canvases 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 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 down 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 Caesars time as he himself 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 lye a year or two which is the way used in Kent that it may be matured and shattered by the sunne and raine otherwise if it be turned in presently it is apt to lye in great clods as I have seene it twenty years after Chalke also sweetneth pasture but doth not much increase it and killeth rushes and broom 2 Lime which is made of divers sorts of stones is an excellent thing for most Lands and produceth a most pure grain 160 bushels is usually laid on an Acre but I suppose that if men did lay but half the dung on the ground as they usually do as also lime and Chalk 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 years It 's good Husbandry likewise to lay down lands before they be too much out of heart for they will soon recover otherwise not 3 Ordinary Dung which every one knoweth but let it not be exposed to the Sun too much nor let it lye in an high place for the rain wil waste away it's fatnesse It 's observable 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 folding of Sheep 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 vveeds and trumpery to grovv 4 Marle It 's of divers kinds some stony some soft some vvhite some yellovvish but most commonly blew It 's in most places in England but not known 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 two 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
peculiar propriety to every kinde of earth to produce some peculiar kinds of Plants which it wil observe even to the worlds end unlesse by Dung Marle Chalke you alter even the very nature of the earth In Gallitia in Spaine where such barren lands do very much abound they do thus first they grub them up as clean as they can of the greater Roots and branches they make fire-wood the smaller sticks are either imployed in fencing or else are burnt on the ground afterwards the land being ploughed twice at least they sowe Wheate and usually the crop is great which the Landlord and Tenant divide according to a compact then the ground resteth and in 3 or 4 yeares the Furze or broom wil recover their former growth which the painful Husband-man grubbeth and doeth with it as formerly I set this down 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 and when he dyes must pay one or two yeares rent But these are not in the power of the poor Husbandman to remedy I therefore passe them by yet hope that in little time we shal 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 wil 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 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 and Pipe-staves from Prussia we should be brought to great extremity 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 sell 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 known 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 their good Oak-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 Are so that to keep such lands for Wood would be both losse to the owner and to the Island But in other parts of the Island it is othervvise 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 vvhich vvere good ground for Wood but novv are nothing but furze vvhich is a great losse both to the owner and to the Countrey For the land is made vvorse then it vvas formerly I conceive there are Lands vvhich are as naturally ordained for Woods viz. Mountainous Craggy uneven land as small hils for the Vines and Olives plain lands for Corne and low moist lands for Pasture vvhich lands if they be stubbed do much prejudice the Common-wealth 2 That all Woods should have such a Number of Timber-trees per Acre according to the Statute There is a good lavv for that purpose but men delude both themselves and the lavv that they every felling cut dovvn the standers vvhich they left the folling before least perchance they should grovv to be Timber and leave 12 small standers that they might seem to fulfil in some measure the Statute but it 's a meer fallacie and causeth the Statute to fail of it's principal end vvhich is to preserve Timber 3 The best Remedy against thinnesse of woods is to plash them and spread them abroad and cover them partly in the ground as every Countreyman can direct by this meanes the wood vvil soone grovv rough and thick It 's good Husbandry likevvise to fil your woods vvith swift growers as Ashes Sallow Willow Aspe which are also good for Hop-poles Hoopes Sycamore is also a swift grower In Flaunders they have a kinde of Salix called by them Abell-tree which speedliy groweth to be timber 4 That some law be made that they which fel should also plant or sowe In Biscay there is a law if that any cut down a Timber-tree he must plant three for it which law is put into execution with severity otherwise they would soon be undone for the Countrey is very mountainous and barren and dependeth wholly on Iron Mines and on Shipping their Woods are not copsed there but onely Pollards which they lop when occasion serveth I know one who was bound by his Land-Lord to plant so many trees yearly which according he did but alwayes in such places that they might not grow In France near to the borders of Spaine they sowe Ashkey which when they grow to such a greatnesse that they may be slit into four quarters and big enough to make Pikes then they cut them down and I have seen divers Acres together thus planted hence come the excellent Pikss called Spanish-Pikes Some Gentlemen have sowen Acornes and it 's a good way to encrease Woods Though the time is long I doubt not but every one knoweth that it 's excellent to plant Willowes along the waters side and Ashes nigh their houses for firing for they are good pieces of Husbandry and it 's pitty that it 's not more put in practise There is a Gentleman in Essex who hath planted so many Willowes that he may lop 2000 every year if others were as Ingenious we should not want fire-wood Osiers planted in low morish grounds do advance land from 5 s per Acre to 40 s 50 s 3 l and upward it 's much used Westward of London these Osiers are of great use to Basket-makers There is a sort of small Osier or Willow at Saint Omars in
fire-stones because that they will endure strong fires and therefore fit for Iron furnaces and this propriety these soft stones have that when they are white hot a steel instrument will scarce touch them to hurt them Alabaster is found at Burton on the Trent and in Staffordshire and a Titbury-Castle excellent Marble at Snothil in Hereford-shire a course Marble near Oxford in Kent also at Purbrick in Dorsetshire Milstones in Anglesey in Flintshire Darbyshire Lime-stones Chalk in very many places for divers uses Allum-stone is found in Anglesey but especially at Gisborrow in Yorkeshire where the Allum works are which serve this Island Lapis Claminaris is lately found in Somersetshire by the which Copper is made brasse Manganese for those that make white glasse lately found in the North the best Emery for pollishing Iron in Jersey Plaister at Knaresborough Black lead in Cumberland and no where else in Europe There is a stone in Durham out of which they make salt Diamonds are found about Bristol and Cornwall very large but soft There is a stone near Beaver Castle like a Star In Yorkshire another like a Serpent petrefied and also other stones round like bullets which being broken have as it were a Serpent in them without an head c. 6. Of all Minerals and Metals Iron-stone is found almost in every County and is profitable where Wood is plentiful the best is found in Lancashire one load and a half making a Tun of Iron it hath been transported into Ireland to mix with poor Mine In Richard the 2. time a Copper-Mine was found in Wenlock in Shrop-shire but exhausted in Queen Elizabeths dayes one was found at Keswick in Cumberland and lately in Stafford shire York-shire and near Barstable in Devon-shire on which some Gentlemen intend speedily to work Lead is found in Durham-wall and Devonshire Brimstone in Yorkshire and Wales Antymony in Staffordshire a silver Mine in Cardiganshire a gold Mine was discovered in Scotland in King James his time and many rich Mines might be discovered in England if that the Kings prerogative which was to take all Royal Mines to himself viz. Silver Gold and Copper were so certainly abolished that they which should find these Metals in their own Lands might safely digg them But some will object and say that many things are of little worth and profit To these I answer that God hath made nothing in vain every thing hath his peculiar use and though some things seem to be of little worth and contemptible as Sand Loame Chalke yet it hath pleased the wise Creator to make these things very necessary for mans comfortable subsistance which they that want these things can testifie As for example in New-England where there is no Chalk nor Lime-stone they are compelled to burn Oyster-shells Cockles to make Lime or else they could hardly build any houses The like I may say of Sand and Loam in divers places where they are wanting 2. I say that most of those things I have spoken of are very profitable in one place or other To instance in some of the meaner sort at London Brick-men give 50 l per Acre only for Loam to make Bricks and pay 3 l per Acre of yearly Rent and are to leave the Land worth the same yearly Rent likewise I know a Chalk cliffe in Kent not two Acres of ground valued at many 100 l and that one Colum of Chalk which is 10. foot square is valued at 40 or 50 l at 8 d per load The Oker Mines of Oxford and Gloucestershire are of great value and so would others of that kind if they could be found so is the Black-lead Mine Also the pits of Clay Marle Coale Turffe c. And therefore I desire all Countrey-men to endeavour to know all sorts of Stones Clayes Earths Oares and to teach their Children the use of them that they may know that this sand is for building this Loam for Bricks this Clay for Pots this Marle for Corn-land and if that they shall find any Stones Earths which they know not that they would lay them up till that they meet with some ingenious man that can inform them The richest Mines of the world have been found out by these meanes if we will believe Histories And this I am sure of that by this means 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 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 himself 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 Wheat some Red Wheat some Bearded which as I have said before is not so subject to Mildews as others others not some sorts with 2. rowes others with 4. and 6. some with one eare on a stalk others with double eares or 2. on the same stalk red stalk Wheat of Buckinghamshire Winter Wheat Summer Wheat which is sowen abundantly in New-England in April and May and reaped ordinarlly in 3. moneths and many sorts more Not to trouble my discourse with Spelt Zea Tiphine-Wheat or Olew Far Siligo Alica which were used amongst the Auntients but now unknown not only to the Countreyman but even to the learnedest Botanicks so I may say that the ordinary Yeoman is ignorant of the diversities of Barley's for there is not only 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 in Land some delighting in finer others in stiffer grounds So there is also Winter and Summer-Rie and 20. sorts of Pease the ordinary Schew 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 self and have been within these 10. years plentifully sowen in Lincoln-shire with profit also Fulham Sandwich-Pease c. which require divers sorts of land and seasons so also there are divers sorts of Oats white black naked which in New England serveth well for Oatmeal without grinding being beaten as they come out of the barn Scotch Poland c. Also Buck-wheat Lentiles divers sorts of Tares of Hemp and Flax altogether unknown to most Countrey-men but I hope that hereafter rhey wil be more inquisitive after them for divers of them may be of good use on their lands 2. Defficiency in this kind is that they are ignorant of the Plants and Grasses which naturally grow among us and their Uses which likewise were made for to be food for Cattel and also for the service of man This ignorance causeth them to
parts of France about Paris another seed that did far excel that of Saint Foin and that the name of that more excellent seed was La Lucern I am desired by a friend of mine to whom N. N. related this passage of Doctour D. that by your kindnesse he may be spoken to of this La Lucern and his directions desired where the said seed is to be had for what price how much is usually sowed upon an English Acre what time of the year it s sowen whether it be sowen alone or with any other ordinary Corn and with what Corn and with what kind of land it best agrees and finally what other particulars he can direct more then is hete set down The Answer to the Queres from Paris I Have been with Doctour D. about Lucern 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 Oats are sown 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 Lucern I Desire further to know what kind of wet grounds are best for it whether Moorish or Clay whether poor or rich 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 only good for Meadowes or for Pasture and if for pasture then whether the sheep or Cattel be suffered to go upon it or whether it be carried off green as the Clover-grasse is in Flanders Lastly for what Cattel it is most proper Another Answer from Paris I Thought to have sent you 9 l of the seed of Lucern 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 years since but unknown to me hitherto hath had some Acres of Meadow of Lucern upon his ground to whom having casually spoke of my business and told him all that Doctor D. had told me about the Lucern he answered me that Dr. 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 load 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 final resolution upon them the which shall be faithfully accomplished by me and in the mean while I will get him a perfect and full answer upon all his Quere's not from Dr. D. whom I dare trust no more in this business 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 confer first with his Farmer about it You make Apologies for putting me upon these Inqueries but I pray you to believe that at any time I shall most readily and chearfully 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 self The last Answer concerning Lucern THe information about the Lucern 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-wayes 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 rhe cold weather and all the danger of it be quite past viz. about the beginning or midst of April The Quantity of the seed is the sixth part of Corn that the same ground would require so as only one Bushel of Lucern is to be sown on that space of ground which would require 6. Bushels of Corn. It must be carefully weeded especially in the beginning And to the end that it may take the more firm root some Oats 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 Spain it doth 5. or 6. times and some years 7. or 8. times in a Summer but in this Climate it useth to be cut twice a year about the end of Iune and about the end of Septemb. 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 Barns being too tender for to be kept in Reeks open to the Aire as other Hay It is good for all kind of Cattel as 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 the Milch-beasts it procureth abundance of milk 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 blood and that so suddenly as it greatly indangererh 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 Cattel graze on your Lucern-fields and that all Winter long until 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 goodness Wherefore it is best to turn it
punishment inflicted for that fault as you may see in the twelvth Chapter of Aulus Gellius his fourth Book In these words pag. 107. he that turneth fruitfull Lands into barrennesse as the land of Canaan very fruitfull heretofore but now a barren Desart Our Author saies nothing but what is common in the mouth and pens of almost every body and yet the truth thereof is very questionable as an observant Reader will easily finde by the exactest and latest writers of that Countrey among whom Eug. Royer is to be placed in the very first ranke And thus I make an end having nothing to say to any thing conteined in the following pages of your Legacy the reprinting whereof with those alterations and amendments I have hinted to you I doe most earnestly wish for it being indeed a most excellent piece and from the beginning to the end fraught with most excellent observations and experiments FINIS Page 98. line 12. Mr. Vaughan's Golden Grove should not have been named at all as containing onely certain Georgica Animi matters of Morality and nothing at all concerning the ordering of Fish-ponds and the profit of them of which Dubravius de Piscinis hath written on purpose in the Latine Tongue AN INTERROGATORY Relating more particularly to the HVSBANDRY And Naturall History of IRELAND Prov. 14. Verse 22. Doe they not erre that devise evill but mercie and truth shall be to them that devise good ⧠Printed for Richard Wodenothe MDCLII THE ALPHABET of Interrogatories A. Apricocks WHether any thing common in gardens in whose gardens how long since they were brought in first and by whom Acorns Whether any store be in the Woods of Ireland as to feed any great Herds of Swine and whether they ripen as kindly as in England Acres Difference of Irish and English Acres how many feet and perches go to an Acre how many inches to a foot and how many Acres to a plow-Plow-land Ale What the best manner of brewing it and wherein it dâ—ffers from the English Ale Alder. Whether any great store of them any where to what uses the timber of it is put Almonds Whether any trees in Ireland whether they bear any fruit at all and whether it come to any Perfection Allum Whether any found in Ireland where what quantity how refined Ambergreece Upon what parts of the coast any hath been found when by whom in what quantity what sorts wherein and how much differing from the best Ants Pismires Whether in any such quantities as to cause annoyance and waste of graines what means used to destroy them Apples Whether any great plenty any where what sorts Artichoaks How long known in Ireland by whom brought in since when come to be plentiful Ash tree Where most plentiful in how much time from the seed they will grow to perfect trees to what uses their timber is put Ashes Where used in stead of dung in what quantity what time of the year what good it doth Asses By whom any were brought over at any time what numbers how they thrived and whether they did procreate B. Badgers Where any are what store how they lodge themselves what they feed upon what hurt they do how hunted how they do to defend or save themselves how many they whelp what their skins are worth and to what use put whether any body do eat their flesh Bacon The whole ordering of it and the best ways Bay-trees Whether any store any where and of any great bignesse whether at any time they bear ripe berries Barley In which parts of the land most sown in what grounds how manured what proportion upon each Acre what increase what is the seed-time whether commonly bread be made of it any where Barnacles Where any are in what numbers how sold when they come in and go out whether any such thing be as Barnacles ingendred in shels out of rotten wood upon what coasts any such thing hath been observed when by whom where in what manner how long ere they come to any perfection whether they ingender at all what colour they are of what bignesse what they feed on Barred-harbours Where any are how spacious how many foot of water upon the barre at full sea how many at low water Barrel What different sorts of barrels usual in Ireland how they differ what inferiour measure they containe how many of them go to an hogshead and a tun what proportion they bear to the London-measures Barren-ground What sorts of ground absolutely barren not at all or hardly to be made profitable in what Counties and Baronies any be and of what extent Base Where any taken what store when in season Bats Whether and where any store of them what hurt at any time done by them to man or beast particulars of their breeding and feeding how taken and destroyed Beans In which parts most sowen on what grounds and how manured with what increase and for what uses how much seed put to each Acre when sowen Beare Wherein differing from barley where most sowen at what time a year on what ground and how manured what proportion for each Acre what increase for what uses whether any difference in goodnesse betwixt Beare and Beare and what difference Beefe What quantities of beefe were wont yearly to be made by the Merchants in Dublin and other Port-towns what it would cost them the barrel and what they would sell it beyond seas and in what places Beech-trees Where any grow what store whether they bear nuts and ripe ones what uses made of the wood Beere How brewed in Ireland what several ways which the best how to make it lasting Bees Where most kept where any store of wilde ones what grounds and herbs they most delight in how looked to what hives when they begin to make honey when they give over how much honey and wax ordinarily in one hive when they take out the honey whether they take all or leave some for them to feed on during winter what vermine they are obnoxious to and how preserved from them when the young swarmes are taken and how hived Beetles What particulars observed concerning their nature breeding feeding Birch-trees Where any are what store of them how sowen in what time they will grow to perfection what use made of them Birdlime Where any made in Ireland what quantity in what manner Birds What sorts of birds every where what plenty what goodnesse when in season how taken their natures breeding feeding what sorts of them are constantly in Ireland at all times and what sorts do come and go at scertain seasons Birds of Prey What sorts in any place what store what hurt they do how taken and destroyed how made tame Blackbirds Where any store when in season and how long when their breeding-time their feeding ways of taking them at what rates sold the dosen whether any different sorts of them and wherein they differ Bloomeries The fashion of them charges of making one how many people necessary to attend them what quantity
sands before or vvithin them the shape of them Hawks What sorts of Havvks in Ireland where they breed vvhat store hovv and vvherin they differ from each other the manner of the slights of each of them and at vvhat games each of them best and hovv to be nurtured Heads Capes Description of all the principal heads of the Coast their height spaciousnesse vvhether of bare rock heathie grassie vvhether steep or vvith a strand before them hovv far distant from the next places of note Herbs What gardens stored vvith rare and choice herbs and vvith vvhat store Heaths Where any grear Heaths vvhat extent vvhether in Champion or Mountain vvhether altogether barren or some vvays improvable vvho hath reduced Heaths into profitable lands vvhat scopes vvith vvhat helps and to vvhat advantages Heath-cocks See Growses Hedge-hogs Where they breed in any great numbers vvhat they feed on vvhat harm they do vvhat vvays used to take them hovv they ingender and hovv numerously vvhether their flesh eaten by any vvhat use made of their skins Hedging Hempe Where any great quantities sovvn upon vvhat ground and hovv manured vvhat hurt or good it doth to the ground the vvhole manner of ordering hempe Hernshaws Hens Where any be what store when in season what paticulars have been observed about their nature breeding feeding c. Herrings On what places of the Coast taken what time a year what quantities how sold the mease the whole manner of salting and re-salting them what are the signes of their being out of season what windes and weather best for taking them Hides What quantities yearly used to be sent forth at what rates Hills What Countreys all hillie Hoary-frosts What hurt done by them to fruit corne grasse c. Hobbies What their peculiar quality size what store of the race left and where Hogs Hollie Where any great store groweth and to a perfect bignesse what use made of the wood of the rind Honey What quantities made in such or such a Countie what sorts what goodnesse Hops Where any hop gardens when and by whom planted what yearly profit they yield Of what goodnesse the Irish hops Horses What good races in Ireland where and whose where any great steeds kept by whom upon what grounds how long Mares are with foale vvhether ever they foale more then one at once at vvhat years they use to give over Diseases ordinarily incident to horses the causes prevention and cures of them Horseleeches Hounds I. Iackdaws What store of them in Ireland where most vvhat harm they do their nature and breeding Ice Islands Description of the Islands upon the coast and in the Loghs their number bignesse vvhat kind of soile and vvhat they bear vvhat trees on them vvhat hills brooks rocks in them Iron Iron-mines Where any Iron-mines are of vvhat sorts rock-mâ—ne vvhite-mine or bog-mine hovv found out and hovv digg'd especially the bog-mine and rock-mine vvhich mines the richest and hovv much oare vvill yield a tun of iron vvhat kind of iron each sort of Mine giveth Iron-works Where any are and vvhose vvhen and by whom made the charges of making one and of maintaining one vvhat yearly profit they yield hovv much iron they melt in tvventy foure houres what proportion of charchoale is laid to the oare in vvhat order they are put into the furnace hovv far the furnace is filled vvhat store of men imployed about one work and in what several offices The manner of melting and hammering the iron at the forges and with how much waste Juniper-trees Whether any grow in Ireland and where K. Kine See Cows What the best grounds and grasse for Kine to feed on what dâ—seases incident to Kine and the ways to prevent and cure them Kites What store in Ireland what places they breed what ways used to destroy them Knives Where any good ones made where they have the steel how they temper them what waters best for to harden them c. L. Lambs The manner of rearing them Lampreys Where any be what store how taken when in season how they breed and ingender Lands Leeks Larks Observations concerning their nature and properties when in season Leather Lettice Leeches See Horse-leeches Licoris Leeks Where any groweth what quantity what goodnesse Lice Lime Limestone What several sorts of kilnes used for lime and what sorts of fiering the whole manner of burning lime and the charges of it whether any differences of limestone in colour brittlenesse c. where they use lime for the inriching of the ground what quantity to an Acre what time a yeare Lightning Lind-trees Whether any grow in Ireland where and by whom planted Ling. Where any taken what quantity what time a year the manner of salting it the shape of the fish Lisards Observations of their nature and properties Loghs What Loghs in every Province and County of what depth length breadth compasse what Islands in them and what sorts of fish Lobsters In what places they are plentiful when in season what time of the year they cast their coat and how long it is before they get a new one M. Maccamboy Whether there be such a thing at all that this herb should purge the body meerly by external touch or whether it be a fable what particular observations have been taken for or against it the shape of the herb and in what place it groweth Macarels On what parts of the coasts they are taken in any great plenty when they come to be in season and how long Madder Whether any be planted in Ireland where what quantities how manured and ordered Maggot apies See Pies Maggots Maids A kind of scate or thorn-back In what parts to be had what quantity what time a year their nature and properties Mallards See Ducks Malt. Manuring The several ways of manuring the ground with all the particulars of each kind and where used Marble What sorts are found in what places in what ground champion mountain or hill vvhat soile over head how deep they dig for it the charges of digging it Marle Where any is found in what County and Baronie of each Province how long since it was found and by whom what ground over head and how deep the depth of the Marle it self the nature and colour on 't upon what grounds they use it what time a year how many loads to an Acre and at what charges what grains marled land wilt bear and how many years together how to be used afterwards and whether it may be used more then once upon the same piece of ground and with what effect Marshmallows Whether any grow of themselves where what store Mastiffs What store of them in Ireland their several natures and properties Match Where any made in Ireland of the whole manner of making it Measures What several measures usuall in Ireland for the measuring of Land Corne Beere Wine Fish c. Meaws sea-meaws Where any store what use made of them their nature and properties whether there be any different kinds of
then to some other use Kine must never eat of this Hearb green but only 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. dayes 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 Codds 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 beat 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 thereof wil keep good 2. or 3. years and one Acre is sufficient to keep 3. Horses all the year long A Post-script to the last Answer concerning the Lucern SIR THe Gentleman who had given me the note about the Lucern 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 heat their bloud And the other that this hay must be perfectly well dried 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 spoil much more then any other Hay Now these and all the other particulars which I have had from the Gentleman have been confirmed to me by many others And yet within these 2. or 3. dayes I met with a Physition of Rochel who assuring me that the Lucerne was very common in his Countrey made me a relation of it agreeing with the former onely in these 3. 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 wayes 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 as well as 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 others might make his best profit of them and this Rochellois or Rocheller who hath lived three or four years in England thinks that Lucern will come admirably well in that Country NOTE THe meaning of these words The quantity of the Seed is the sixth part of Corn that the same ground would require is this That whatever quantity of Wheat or Barley an Acre of ground would require of the seed of Lucern you must take but the sixth part of that quantity of the seed of Lucern so as that ground which for its sowing requireth six bushels of Corn doth require but one bushel of Lucern-seed An Arpent deterre which how much it is in English measure Cotgrave's Dictionary will perfectly tell you requireth 10. l. of that seed as several Grain-sellers of whom I went to inquire for it have unanimously told me the seed being exceeding small and to be sowen wonderfully thinl As for Saint Foin 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 sowen it lasteth 10 or 12 years as well as Medica or Lucern wherewith also it correspondeth altogether in its Vertues and Uses 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 real 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 real 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 good ground well managed may yeeld one ten a hundred c. Acres in which there shall be very many superior to the biggest root of these and hardly one inferiour 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 grains 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 single Barley Corn is sprung about 80 Ears of which near 60 had some 36 34 32 30. and hardly any lesse then 38. which in all is above 2000 for one And truly the charges to be bestowed on an acre of this sort is no ways double to the common way Accept it therefore and reserve it as a real rarity and a jewel onely fit for a Publick and Pious spirit as yours is till I shall by Gods assistance be able next year to produce you more abundant examples of Gods wonderfull power and bounty that offers and mans ingratitude that neglects or refuses such honest means of the truest and most justly gotten humane wealth honour and happinesse Your most faithful 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 another experimennt of a French Husbandry SIR I 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 certain men which would fain 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 Commonalty On the other hand the undertakers would not be contented with lesse for imparting of their Secret It appears unto me by all circumstances that it was the same design of Husbandry with yours the parties if I remember well being Englishmen From Paris I am advertized for certain of one who did last year 1649 ferment one grain of Wheat which this year hath produced him 114 Ears and within them 6000 Grains which is more then 80 Ears and 600 Grains of your English friends This year 1650. he hath a great many fermented and sowen An Answer to the foregoing extract of a Letter from Amsterdam SIR I 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 far from lessening the admirable greatness of that person's skill and success Only since I find my self 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 means 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 eares contained one with the other at the least 30 single Corns which is 2400. That besides that Wheat is no whit inferior to Barly but rather more inclined to its proper nature to branch and spread it is also allowed as long time again to grow and therefore may better spread to many eares then Barly That my ears 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 Wheat ears 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 Grains there being universally as many more in an eare of wheat as in an eare of Barly That if as it is most like he in France did only 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 affirm in all possible humble reverence and submission to Gods good pleasure power and providence that when I shall make use of good feed rightly prepared good Land in right condition and all other helps which I know and can use I shall not doubt for smaller numbers of the same grain viz. Wheat to produce 200. or 300. eares and in them 10000. 12000. or 15000. Corns and somewhat like that for whole fields together and that here in England howsoever let us alwayes remember to give all possible praise to God whose blessing only makes rich SIR I am your faithful Friend and Servant Another Letter from Paris discovering the secret of the forenamed French Husbandry SIR J Do with much impatience desire the Treatise or Discourse published by you about the Braband-Husbandry and do very much admire the industry of that English Gentleman your friend who hath found out the wayes of making Corn multiply so prodigiously The Parisian Experimenter of Corns multiplication I know not but a friend of mine very well acquainted with him assureth me to have had the following description of his secret from himself and to have seen the experience of it very fully in the year 1649. not in any great quantity but in a Garden only for trials sake Pour into quick or unslack't Lime as much water as sufficeth to make it swim four inches above the water And unto â—0 l of the said water powred off mix one pound of Aqua-vitae and in that liquor steep or soak Wheat or Corn 24. hour which being dryed in the Sun or in the Aire steep again in the said liquor 24. hours more and do it likewise the third time Afterward sowe them at great distances the one from the other about the distance of a foot between each grain So one grain will produce 30.36.38.42.52 eares and those very fruitful with a tall stalk equalling the statute of a man in height Another Extract of a Letter from the Lowe-Countries SIR THese are to give you special thanks for communication of the Parisian Experimentors Secret Water if he meanes cold water poured into quick or unslackt Lime cannot work much in one hour upon the Lime but if it be boiled with it and that the water be poured alwayes afresh upon the Lime then it will come to be strong at last that an Egg may swim in it as I learn'd by tradition from Dr. Hartmannus but could never make any tryal of it for want of unslack't Lime in the place where I live This perhaps may be yet better but experience goes beyond reason in these cases The often macerating or steeping and drying of grains I like very well I have only according to Mr. Gabr. Platt's directions steeped them 24. hours in turned or tainted Rain-water and Cow-dung and afterwards sowen them thus wet which on Sandy grounds hath produced such goodly Corn as if it had been very good Land Some here use Salt-Peter which also doth much good but is found likewise in Sheeps-Dung as may appear by its fertility I have lost the Book of Husbandry of Mr. Plats which was called A Discovery of infinite Treasure hidden since the Worlds beginning Whereunto all men of what degree soever are friendly invited to be sharers with the Discoverer For having lent the same to a friend that it might be translated into High-Dutch I could never see it again I am told it is out of print But if you could help me to another you would do me a pleasure I have nothing to add for the present but that the Genius of this Age is very much bent to advance Husbandry and that in all Countries I hear there are found Gentlemen that study professedly these improvements more then in former times I rest alwayes SIR Yours Another Letter expressing the reasons why the Experimenter of the Barley-Corn thinks it not fit or expedient to part with his secret as yet for a more common use SIR I Find dayly more and more that