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diff --git a/22973.txt b/22973.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd3d6f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/22973.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6840 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The English Husbandman, by Gervase Markham + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The English Husbandman + The First Part: Contayning the Knowledge of the true Nature + of euery Soyle within this Kingdome: how to Plow it; and + the manner of the Plough, and other Instruments + +Author: Gervase Markham + +Release Date: October 12, 2007 [EBook #22973] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ENGLISH HUSBANDMAN *** + + + + +Produced by Louise Pryor, Jonathan Ingram and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Transcriber's note + +Spellings are inconsistent, especially the use of ee and ee. Notes of +changes that have been made for obvious misprints, and of other +anomalies, are at the end of this etext. + +There are many sidenotes in the original. They are indicated thus: +{SN: }, and have been grouped together at the start of the paragraph +in which they appear.] + + + + + THE + ENGLISH + HVSBANDMAN. + + * * * * * + + _The first Part_: + CONTAYNING + the Knowledge of the true Nature + of euery Soyle within this Kingdome: + how to Plow it; and the manner of the + Plough, and other Instruments + belonging thereto. + + _TOGETHER WITH THE_ + Art of Planting, Grafting, and Gardening + after our latest and rarest fashion. + + A worke neuer written before by any Author: + and now newly compiled for the benefit + of this KINGDOME. + + _By_ G. M. + + _Bramo assai, poco, spero nulla chieggio._ + +_LONDON:_ Printed by _T. S._ for _Iohn Browne_, and are to be sould at +his shop in Saint _Dunstanes_ Church-yard. + +1613. + + + + + TO THE RIGHT + HONOVRABLE, + and his singular good Lord, + the Lord _Clifton_, Baron of + Layton. + + +It was a custome (right Honorable, and my most singular good Lord) both +amongst the auntient _Romans_, and also amongst the wise +_Lacedemonians_, that euery idle person should giue an account of the +expence of his howers: Now I that am most idle, and least imployed in +your Familie, present here vnto your Lordships hands an account of the +expence of my idle time, which how well, or ill, it is, your Noble +wisedome must both iudge and correct; onely this I am acertain'd, that +for the generall rules and Maximes of the whole worke, they are most +infallibly true, and perfectly agreeing with our English climate. Now if +your Lordship shall doubt of the true tast of the liquor because it +proceedeth from such a vessell as my selfe, whom you may imagine vtterly +vnseasoned vvith any of these knowledges, beleeue it (my most best Lord) +that for diuers yeeres, wherein I liued most happily, I liued a +Husbandman, amongst Husbandmen of most excellent knowledge; during all +which time I let no obseruation ouer-slip me: for I haue euer from my +Cradle beene naturally giuen to obserue, and albe I haue not that oylie +tongue of ostentation which loueth euer to be babling all, and somewhat +more then it knoweth, drawing from ignorance admiration, and from +wisedome laughter, filling meale-times with much vnprofitable noyse; yet +I thanke my maker I haue a breast which containeth contentment inough +for my selfe, and I hope much benefit for the whole Kingdome; how euer +or whatsoeuer it is, it is all your Lordships, vnder the couert of whose +fauourable protection if it may finde grace it is the vttermost aime +whereunto my wishes aspire, nor shall I feare the malignitie of the +curious, for it is not to them but the honest plaine English Husbandman, +I intend my labours, vvhose defender you haue euer beene, and for whose +Honorable prosperitie both they and I will continually pray. + + _Your honours in all + seruiceable humblenesse_, + + G. M. + + + + +The Epistle to the generall and gentle Reader. + + +Although (generall reader) the nature of this worst part of this last +age hath conuerted all things to such vildnesse that whatsoeuer is +truely good is now esteemed most vitious, learning being derided, +fortitude drawne into so many definitions that it consisteth in meere +words onely, and although nothing is happy or prosperous, but meere +fashion & ostentation, a tedious fustian-tale at a great mans table, +stuft with bigge words, with out sence, or a mimicke Iester, that can +play three parts in one; the Foole, the Pandar and the Parasit, yet +notwithstanding in this apostate age I haue aduentured to thrust into +the world this booke, which nothing at all belongeth to the silken +scorner, but to the plaine russet honest Husbandman, for whose +particular benefit, and the kingdomes generall profit, I haue with much +paine, care, and industry, passed through the same. Now for the motiues +which first drew me to vndertake the worke, they were diuers: as first, +when I saw one man translate and paraphrase most excellently vpon +_Virgils Georgickes_, a worke onely belonging to the Italian climbe, & +nothing agreeable with ours another translates _Libault & Steuens_, a +worke of infinit excellency, yet onely proper and naturall to the +French, and not to vs: and another takes collections from _Zenophon_, and +others; all forrainers and vtterly vnacquainted with our climbes: when +this I beheld, and saw with what good liking they were entertained of +all men; and that euery man was dumbe to speake any thing of the +_Husbandry_ of our owne kingdome, I could not but imagine it a worke most +acceptable to men, and most profitable to the kingdome, to set downe the +true manner and nature of our right English _Husbandry_, our soyle being +as delicate, apt, and fit for increase as any forraine soyle whatsoeuer, +and as farre out-going other kingdomes in some commoditie, as they vs in +other some. Hence, and from these considerations, I began this worke, of +which I haue here sent thee but a small tast, which if I finde accepted, +according to mine intent, I will not cease (God permitting mee life) to +passe through all manner of English _Husbandry_ and _Huswifery_ whatsoeuer, +without omission of the least scruple that can any way belong to either +of their knowledges. Now gentle reader whereas you may be driuen to some +amazement, at two titles which insue in the booke, namely, a former part +before the first, and the first part, you shall vnderstand that those +first sheetes were detained both from the Stationer and me, till the +booke was almost all printed; and my selfe by extreame sicknesse kept +from ouer-viewing the same, wherefore I must intreate your fauour in +this impression and the rather in as much as there wanteth neither any +of the words or matter whatsoeuer: _Farewell_. + + Thine + _G. M._ + + + + + A + FORMER PART, + before the first Part: Being an absolute perfect Introduction into + all the Rules of true Husbandry; and must first of all be read, or + the Readers labour will be frustrate. + + + + +CHAP. I. + +_The Proem of the Author. What a Husbandman is: His Vtilitie and +Necessitie._ + + +It is a common Adage in our English speech, that a man generally seene +in all things can bee particularly perfect or compleate in none: Which +Prouerbe there is no question will both by the curious and enuious be +heauily imposed vpon my backe, because in this, and other workes, I haue +delt with many things of much importance, and such as any one of them +would require a whole liues experience, whereas neither my Birth, my +Education, nor the generall course of my life can promise no +singularitie in any part of those Artes they treate of: but for +suggestions (the liberty whereof the wisedome of Kings could neuer +bridle) let them poison themselues with their owne gall, they shall not +so much as make me looke ouer my shoulder from my labour: onely to the +curteous and well meaning I giue this satisfaction, I am but onely a +publique Notary, who record the most true and infallible experience of +the best knowing Husbands in this land. + +Besides, I am not altogether vnseene in these misteries I write of: for +it is well knowne I followed the profession of a Husbandman so long my +selfe, as well might make mee worthy to be a graduate in the vocation: +wherein my simplicitie was not such but I both obserued well those which +were esteemed famous in the profession, and preserued to my selfe those +rules which I found infallible by experience. _Virgill_ was an excellent +Poet, and a seruant, of trusty account, to _Augustus_, whose court and +study-imployments would haue said he should haue little knowledge in +rurall businesse, yet who hath set downe more excellently the manner of +Italian Husbandry then himselfe, being a perfect lanthorne, from whose +light both Italie and other countries haue seene to trace into the true +path of profit and frugallitie? _Steuens_ and _Libault_, two famous +Phisitions, a profession that neuer medleth with the Plough, yet who +hath done more rarely! nay, their workes are vtterly vncontrolable +touching all manner of french Husbandry whatsoeuer; so my selfe although +by profession I am onely a horse-man, it being the predominant outward +vertue I can boast of, yet why may not I, hauing the sence of man, by +the ayde of obseruation and relation, set downe all the rules and +principles of our English Husbandry in as good and as perfect order as +any of the former? there is no doubt but I may and this I dare bouldly +assure vnto all Readers that there is not any rule prescribed through +this whole worke, but hath his authoritie from as good and well +experienced men, in the Art of which the rule treateth, as any this +kingdome can produce: neither haue I beene so hasty, or willing, to +publish this part as men may imagining, for it is well knowne it hath +laine at rest this many yeeres, and onely now at the Instigation of +many of my friends is bolted into the world, to try the censure of wits, +and to giue aide to the ignorant Husbandman. Wherefore to leaue off any +further digression, I will fall to mine intended purpose: and because +the whole scope of my labour hath all his aime and reuerence to the +English Husbandman, I will first shew you what a Husbandman is. + +{SN: The definition of a Husbandman.} +A Husbandman is he which with discretion and good order tilleth the +ground in his due seasons, making it fruitfull to bring forth Corne, and +plants, meete for the sustenance of man. This Husbandman is he to whom +God in the scriptures giueth many blessings, for his labours of all +other are most excellent, and therefore to be a Husbandman is to be a +good man; whence the auntients did baptise, and wee euen to this day doe +seriously obserue to call euery Husbandman, both in our ordinary +conference and euery particular salutation, goodman such a one, a title +(if wee rightly obserue it) of more honour and vertuous note, then many +which precede it at feasts and in gaudy places. + +{SN: The Vtillitie of the Husbandman.} +A Husbandman is the Maister of the earth, turning sterillitie and +barrainenesse, into fruitfulnesse and increase, whereby all common +wealths are maintained and upheld, it is his labour which giueth bread +to all men and maketh vs forsake the societie of beasts drinking vpon +the water springs, feeding vs with a much more nourishing liquor. The +labour of the Husbandman giueth liberty to all vocations, Arts, +misteries and trades, to follow their seuerall functions, with peace and +industry, for the filling and emptying of his barnes is the increase and +prosperitie of all their labours. To conclude, what can we say in this +world is profitable where Husbandry is wanting, it being the great Nerue +and Sinew which houldeth together all the ioynts of a Monarchie? + +{SN: Of the necessitie of a Husbandman.} +Now for the necessitie, the profit inferreth it without any larger +amplification: for if of all things it be most profitable, then of all +things it must needs be most necessary, sith next vnto heauenly things, +profit is the whole aime of our liues in this world: besides it is most +necessary for keeping the earth in order, which else would grow wilde, +and like a wildernesse, brambles and weeds choaking vp better Plants, +and nothing remayning but a Chaos of confusednesse. And thus much of the +Husbandman his vtillity and necessitie. + + + + +CHAP. II. + +_Of the situation of the Husbandmans house; the necessaries there to +belonging, together with the modell thereof._ + + +Since couerture is the most necessariest thing belonging vnto mans life, +and that it was the first thing that euer man inuented, I thinke it not +amisse first to beginne, before I enter into any other part of +Husbandry, with the Husbandmans house, without which no Husbandry can be +maintained or preserued. And albeit the generall Husbandman must take +such a house as hee can conueniently get, and according to the custome +and abillitie of the soyle wherein he liueth, for many countries are +very much vnprouided of generall matter for well building: some wanting +timber, some stone, some lime, some one thing, some another: yet to that +Husbandman whom God hath enabled with power both of riches and euery +other necessary fit to haue all things in a comely conuenientnesse about +him, if he desire to plant himselfe decently and profitable, I would +then aduise him to chuse for his situation no high hill, or great +promontary (the seate of Princes Courts) where hee may be gazed vpon by +the eye of euery traueller, but some pretty hard knole of constant and +firme earth, rather assending then descending, free from the danger of +water, and being inuironed either with some pretty groues, of tall +young spiers, or else with rowes of greater timber, which besids the +pleasure and profit thereof (hauing wode so neare a mans dore) the +shelter will be most excellent to keepe off the bleaknesse of the sharpe +stormes and tempests in winter, and be an excellent wormestall for +cattell in the summer. This house would be planted, if possible, neare +to some riuer, or fresh running brooke, but by no meanes vpon the verge +of the riuer, nor within the danger of the ouerflow thereof: for the one +is subiect to too much coldnesse and moisture, the other to danger. You +shall plant the face, or forefront, of your house vpon the rising of the +Sunne, that the vigor of his warmth may at no time depart from some part +thereof, but that as he riseth on the oneside so he may set on the +other. You shall place the vpper or best end of your house, as namely, +where your dining Parlor and cheifest roomes are, which euer would haue +their prospect into your garden, to the South, that your buttery, +kitching and other inferiour offices may stand to the North, coldnesse +bringing vnto them a manifold benefit. Now touching the forme, fashion, +or modell of the house, it is impossible almost for any man to prescribe +a certaine forme, the world is so plentifull in inuention and euery mans +minde so much adicted to nouelty and curiouity, yet for as much as it is +most commended by the generall consent of all the auntients, and that +from the modell of that proportion may be contracted and drawne the most +curious formes that are almost at this day extant, I will commend vnto +you that modell which beareth the proportion of the Roman _H._ which as +it is most plaine of all other, and most easie for conuaiance, so if a +man vpon that plaine song, (hauing a great purse) will make descant, +there is no proportion in which he may with best ease show more +curiositie, and therefore for the plaine Husbandmans better +vnderstanding I will here shew him a _facsimile_ (for to adde a scale +were needlesse in this generall worke, all men not being desirous to +build of one bignesse) & this it is: + +{Illustration} + +Here you behould the modell of a plaine country mans house, without +plaster or imbosture, because it is to be intended that it is as well to +be built of studde and plaster, as of lime and stone, or if timber be +not plentifull it may be built of courser woode, and couered with lime +and haire, yet if a man would bestow cost in this modell, the foure +inward corners of the hall would be conuenient for foure turrets, and +the foure gauell ends, being thrust out with bay windowes might be +formed in any curious manner: and where I place a gate and a plaine +pale, might be either a tarrisse, or a gatehouse: of any fashion +whatsoeuer, besides all those windowes which I make plaine might be made +bay windowes, either with battlements, or without, but the scope of my +booke tendeth onely to the vse of the honest Husbandman, and not to +instruct men of dignitie, who in Architecture are able wonderfully to +controle me; therefore that the Husbandman may know the vse of this +_facsimile_, he shall vnderstand it by this which followeth. + +_A._ Signifieth the great hall. + +_B._ The dining Parlor for entertainment of strangers. + +_C._ An inward closset within the Parlor for the Mistrisses vse, for +necessaries. + +_D._ A strangers lodging within the Parlor. + +_E._ A staire-case into the roomes ouer the Parlor. + +_F._ A staire-case into the Good-mans roomes ouer the Kitchin and +Buttery. + +_G._ The Skreene in the hall. + +_H._ An inward cellar within the buttery, which may serue for a Larder. + +_I._ The Buttery. + +_K._ The Kitchin, in whose range may be placed a bruing lead, and +conuenient Ouens, the bruing vessels adioyning. + +_L._ The Dairy house for necessary businesse. + +_M._ The Milke house. + +_N._ A faire sawne pale before the formost court. + +_O._ The great gate to ride in at to the hall dore. + +_P._ A place where a Pumpe would be placed to serue the offices of the +house. + +{Illustration: This figure signifieth the dores of the house.} + +{Illustration: This figure signifieth the windowes of the house.} + +{Illustration: This figure signifieth the Chimnies of the house.} + +Now you shall further vnderstand that on the South side of your house, +you shall plant your Garden and Orchard, as wel for the prospect thereof +to al your best roomes, as also because your house will be a defence +against the Northerne coldnesse, whereby your fruits will much better +prosper. You shall on the West side of your house, within your inward +dairy and kitchin court, fence in a large base court, in the midst +whereof would be a faire large Pond, well ston'd and grauelled in the +bottome, in which your Cattell may drinke, and horses when necessitie +shall vrge be washt: for I doe by no meanes alow washing of horses after +instant labour. Neere to this Pond you shall build your Doue-coate, for +Pigions delight much in the water: and you shall by no meanes make your +Doue-house too high, for Pigions cannot endure a high mount, but you +shall build it moderately, cleane, neate, and close, with water +pentisses to keepe away vermine. On the North side of your base-court +you shall build your Stables, Oxe-house, Cow-house, and Swine-coates, +the dores and windowes opening all to the South. On the South side of +the base-court, you shall builde your Hay-barnes, Corne-barnes, +pullen-houses for Hennes, Capons, Duckes, and Geese, your french Kilne, +and Malting flowres, with such like necessaries: and ouer crosse betwixt +both these sides, you shall build your bound houels, to cary your Pease, +of good and sufficient timber, vnder which you shall place when they are +out of vse your Cartes, Waynes, Tumbrels, Ploughs, Harrowes, and such +like, together with Plough timber, and axletrees: all which would very +carefully be kept from wet, which of all things doth soonest rot and +consume them. And thus much of the Husbandmans house, and the +necessaries there to belonging. + + + + +CHAP. III. + +_Of the seuerall parts and members of an ordinarie Plough, and of the +ioyning of them together._ + + +If a workeman of any trade, or mistery, cannot giue directions how, and +in what manner, the tooles where with he worketh should be made or +fashioned, doubtlesse hee shall neuer worke well with them, nor know +when they are in temper and when out. And so it fareth with the +Husbandman, for if hee know not how his Plough should be made, nor the +seuerall members of which it consisteth, with the vertue and vse of +euery member, it is impossible that euer hee should make a good furrow, +or turne ouer his ground in Husbandly manner: Therefore that euery +Husbandman may know how a well shaped Plough is made, he shall +vnderstand that the first member thereof, as being the strongest and +most principallest peece of timber belonging to the same, is called the +Plough-beame, being a large long peece of timber much bending, according +to the forme of this figure. + +{Illustration} + +This beame hath no certaine length nor thicknesse, but is proportioned +according to the ground, for if it be for a clay ground the length is +almost seauen foote, if for any other mixt or lighter earth, then fiue +or sixe foote is long inough. + +The second member or part of the Plough, is called the skeath, and is a +peece of woode of two foote and a halfe in length, and of eight inches +in breadth, and two inches in thicknesse: it is driuen extreamly hard +into the Plough-beame, slopewise, so that ioyned they present this +figure. + +{Illustration} + +The third part is called the Ploughes principall hale, and doth belong +to the left hand being a long bent peece of woode, some what strong in +the midst, and so slender at the vpper end that a man may easily gripe +it, which being fixed with the rest presenteth this figure. + +{Illustration} + +The fourth part is the Plough head, which must be fixed with the sheath +& the head all at one instant in two seuerall mortisse holes: it is a +flat peece of timber, almost three foote in length if it be for clay +ground, otherwise shorter, of breadth seauen inches, and of thicknesse +too inches and a halfe, which being ioyned to the rest presenteth this +figure. + +{Illustration} + +The fift part is the Plough spindels, which are two small round pieces +of woode, which coupleth together the hales, as in this figure. + +{Illustration} + +The sixt part is the right hand hale, through which the other end of the +spindels runne, and is much slenderer then the left hand hale, for it is +put to no force, but is onely a stay and aide to the Plough houlder when +hee cometh to heauy, stiffe, and strong worke, and being ioyned with the +rest presenteth this figure. + +{Illustration} + +The seauenth part is the Plough-rest, which is a small peece of woode, +which is fixt at one end in the further nicke of the Plough head, and +the other end to the Ploughs right-hand hale, as you may see by this +figure. + +{Illustration} + +The eight part is called the shelboard, and is a broad board of more +then an inche thicknesse, which couereth all the right side of the +Plough, and is fastned with two strong pinnes of woode through the +sheath, and the right-hand hale, according to this figure. + +{Illustration} + +The ninth part is the coulture, which is a long peece of Iron, made +sharpe at the neather end, and also sharpe on one side and being for a +stiffe clay it must be straight without bending, which passeth by a +mortisse-hole through the beame, and to this coulture belongeth an Iron +ring, which windeth about the beame and keepeth it in strength from +breaking as may appeare by this figure. + +{Illustration} + +The tenth part of a compleate Plough, is the share; which is fixed to +the Plough head, and is that which cutteth and turneth vp the earth: if +it be for a mixt earth then it is made without a wing, or with a very +small one, but if it be for a deepe, or stiffe clay, then it is made +with a large wing, or an outward point, like the figure following. + +{Illustration} + +The eleuenth part of a perfect Plough is called the Plough foote, and is +through a mortisse-hole fastned at the farre end of all the beame with a +wedge or two, so as the Husbandman may at his discretion set it higher +or lower, at his pleasure: the vse of it is to giue the Plough earth, or +put it from the earth, as you please, for the more you driue it +downeward, the more it raiseth the beame from the ground, and maketh the +Irons forsake the earth, and the more you driue it vpward the more it +letteth downe the beame, and so maketh the Irons bite the sorer; the +figure whereof is this. + +{Illustration} + +Thus haue you all the parts and members of a Plough, and how they be +knit and ioyned together, wherein I would wish you to obserue to make +your Plough-wright euer rather giue your Plough land then put her from +the land, that is, rather leaning towards the earth and biting sore, +then euer slipping out of the ground: for if it haue two much earth the +Husbandman may help it in the houlding, but if it haue too little, then +of necessitie it must make foule worke: but for as much as the error and +amends lye both in the office of the Plough-wright, I will not trouble +the Husbandman with the reformation thereof. + +Now you shall vnderstand that there is one other thing belonging to the +Plough, which albe it be no member thereof, yet is it so necessary that +the Husbandman which liueth in durty and stiffe clayes can neuer goe to +Plough without it, and it is called the Aker-staffe, being a pretty +bigge cudgell, of about a yarde in length, with an Iron spud at the end, +according to this figure: + +{Illustration} + +This Akerstaffe the Husbandman is euer to carry within his Plough, and +when at any time the Irons, shelboard, or Plough, are choaked with durt, +clay, or filth, which will cling about the ould stubble, then with this +Akerstaffe you shall put the same off (your Plough still going) and so +keepe her cleane and smooth that your worke may lye the handsomer; and +this you must euer doe with your right hand: for the Plough choaketh +euer on the shelboard side, and betweene the Irons. And thus much +touching the perfect Plough, and the members thereof. + + + + +CHAP. IIII. + +_How the Husbandman shall temper his Plough, and make her fit for his +worke._ + + +A Plough is to a Husbandman like an Instrument in the hand of a +Musition, which if it be out of tune can neuer make good Musicke, and so +if the Plough, being out of order, if the Husbandman haue not the +cunning to temper it and set it in the right way, it is impossible that +euer his labour should come to good end. + +It is very necessary then that euery good Husbandman know that a Plough +being perfectly well made, the good order or disorder thereof consisteth +in the placing of the Plough-Irons and the Plough-foote. Know then, that +for the placing of the Irons, the share would be set to looke a little +into the ground: and because you shall not bruise, or turne, the point +thereof, you shall knocke it fast vpon the head, either with a crooked +Rams-horne, or else with some piece of soft Ash woode: and you shall +obserue that it stand plaine, flat, and leuell, without wrying or +turning either vpward or downeward: for if it runne not euen vpon the +earth it will neuer make a good furrow, onely as before I said, the +point must looke a little downeward. + +Now, for the coulture, you must place it slopewise through the beame, so +as the point of it and the point of the share may as it were touch the +ground at one instant, yet if the coulture point be a little thought the +longer it shall not be amisse: yet for a more certaine direction and to +try whether your Irons stand true I or no, you shall take a string, and +measure from the mortisse-hole through which the coulture passeth, to +the point of the coulture, and so keeping your vpper hand constant lay +the same length to the of point your share, and if one measure serue +them both right, there being no difference betweene them, then the Irons +stand true for their length, otherwise they stand false. + +Now your coulture albe it stand true for the length, yet it may stand +either too much to the land, or too much from the land, either of which +is a great errour, and will keepe the Plough from going true: your +coulture therefore shall haue certaine wedges of ould dry Ash woode, +that is to say, one before the coulture on the vpper side the beame, and +another on the land side, or left side, the coulture on the vpper side +the beame also; then you shall haue another wedge behinde the coulture +vnderneath the beame, and one on the furrow side, or right side, the +beame vnderneath also. Now, if your coulture haue too much land, then +you shall driue in your vpper side wedge and ease the contrary: if it +haue too little land, then you shall contrarily driue in your right side +vnder wedge and ease the other: If your coulture stand too forward, then +you shall driue in your vpper wedge which standeth before the coulture; +and if it stand too backward and too neere your share, then you shall +driue in your vnder wedge which standeth behinde the coulture: if your +coulture standeth awry any way, then are either your side wedges too +small, or else not euen and plaine cut, which faults you must amend, and +then all will be perfect. Now, when your Irons are iust and truely +placed, then you shall driue in euery wedge hard and firme, that no +shaking or other straine may loosen them: as for the Plough foote it +also must haue a wedge or two, which when your Plough goeth right and to +your contentment (for the foote will keepe it from sinking or rising) +then you shall also driue them in hard, that the foote may not stirre +from the true place where you did set it. And that these things when a +man commeth into the field may not be to seeke, it is the office of +euery good Husbandman neuer to goe forth with his Plough but to haue his +Hatchet in a socket, fixt to his Plough beame, and a good piece of hard +wedge woode, in case any of your wedges should shake out and be lost. + +{SN: Of holding the Plough.} +When your Plough is thus ordered and tempered in good manner, and made +fit for her worke, it then resteth that you know the skill and +aduantages in holding thereof, which indeed are rules of much +diuersitie, for if it be a stiffe, blacke clay which you Plow, then can +you not Plow too deepe, nor make your furrowes too bigge: if it be a +rich hassell ground, and not much binding, then reasonable furrowes, +laid closse, are the best: but if it be any binding, stony, or sandy +ground, then you cannot make your furrowes too small. As touching the +gouerning of your Plough, if you see shee taketh too much land, then you +shall writh your left hand a little to the left side and raise your +Plough rest somewhat from the ground: if shee taketh too little earth, +then you shall raise vp your left hand, and carry your Plough as in a +direct line: If your Plough-Irons forbeare and will not bite on the +earth at all, then it is a signe that you hang too heauy on the Plough +hales, raising the head of the Plough from the ground, which errour you +must amend, and of the two rather raise it vp behind then before, but to +doe neither is best, for the Plough hale is a thing for the hand to +gouerne, and not to make a leaning stocke of: And thus much touching the +tempring of the Plough and making her fit for worke. + + + + +CHAP. V. + +_The manner of Plowing the rich, stiffe, blacke Clay, his Earings, +Plough, and other Instruments._ + + +Of all soyles in this our kingdome there is none so rich and fruitfull, +if it be well handled and Husbanded, as is that which we call the +stiffe, blacke, Clay, and indeed is more blacker to looke on then any +other soyle, yet some times it will turne vp very blewish, with many +white vaines in it, which is a very speciall note to know his +fruitfulnesse; for that blewish earth mixt with white is nothing else +but very rich Marle, an earth that in Cheshire, Lanckashire, and many +other countries, serueth to Manure and make fat their barrainest land in +such sort that it will beare Corne seauen yeeres together. This blacke +clay as it is the best soyle, well Husbanded, so it is of all soyles the +worst if it be ill Husbanded: for if it loose but one ardor, or +seasenable Plowing, it will not be recouered in foure yeeres after, but +will naturally of it selfe put forth wilde Oates, Thistels, and all +manner of offensiue weedes, as Cockle, Darnell, and such like: his +labour is strong, heauy, and sore, vnto the cattell that tilleth it, but +to the Husbandman is more easie then any other soyle, for this asketh +but foure times Plowing ouer at the most, where diuers other soyles aske +fiue times, and sixe times, as shalbe shewed hereafter. But to come to +the Plowing of this soyle, I hold it meete to beginne with the beginning +of the yeere, which with Husbandmen is at Plow-day, being euer the first +Munday after the Twelft-day, at which time you shall goe forth with your +draught, & begin to plow your Pease-earth, that is, the earth where you +meane to sow your Pease, or Beanes: for I must giue you to vnderstand, +that these Clayes are euer more naturall for Beanes then Pease, not but +that they will beare both alike, only the Husbandman imployeth them more +for Beanes, because pease & fitches wil grow vpon euery soyle, but +Beanes wil grow no where but on the clayes onely. This Pease-earth is +euer where barley grew the yeere before, & hath the stubble yet +remayning thereon. You shal plow this Pease-earth euer vpward, that is, +you shall beginne on the ridge of the land, & turne all your furrowes +vp, one against another, except your lands lye too high (which seldome +can be seene) and then you shall begin at the furrow, & cast downe your +land. + +Now, when you haue plowed all your Pease-ground, you shall let it so +lye, till it haue receiued diuers Frosts, some Raine, and then a fayre +season, which betwixt plow-day and Saint _Valentines_ day you shalbe +sure to inioy: and this is called, _The letting of Land lye to baite_: +for without this rest, and these seasons, it is impossible to make these +Clayes harrow, or yeelde any good mould at all. After your Land hath +receiued his kindely baite, then you shall cast in your seede, of +Beanes, or Pease: but in my conceit, an equall mixture of them is the +best seede of all, for if the one faile, the other will be sure to hit: +and when your land is sowne you shall harrow it with a harrow that hath +woodden teeth. + +The next Ardor after this, is the sowing of your Barley in your fallow +field: the next is the fallowing of your ground for Barley the next +yeere: the next Ardor is the Summer-stirring of that which you fallowed: +the next is the foyling of that which you Summer-stirde: and the last is +the Winter rigging of that which you foil'd: of all which Ardors, and +the manner of Plowing them, with their seasons, I haue written +sufficiently in the first Chapter of the next part; where I speake of +simple earths vncompounded. + +Now whereas I told you before that these clayes were heauy worke for +your Cattell, it is necessary that I shew you how to ease them, and +which way they may draw to their most aduantage, which onely is by +drawing in beare-geares, an inuention the skilfull Husbandman hath found +out, wherein foure horses shall draw as much as sixe, and sixe as eight, +being geard in any other contrary fashion. Now because the name onely +bettereth not your knowledge, you shall heare behould the figure and +manner thereof. + +{Illustration} + +Now you shall vnderstand the vse of this Figure by the figures therein +contayned, that is to say, the figure + +(1) presenteth the plough-cleuisse, which being ioyned to the +plough-beame, extendeth, with a chaine, vnto the first Toastree: and +touching this Cleuisse, you shall vnderstand, that it must be made with +three nickes in the midst thereof, that if the Plough haue too much land +giuen it in the making, that is, if it turne vp too much land, then the +chaine shall be put in the outwardmost nicke to the land side, that is, +the nicke towards your right hand: but if it take too little land, then +it shall be put in the nicke next the furrow, that is, towards the right +hand: but if it goe euen and well, then you shall keepe it in the middle +nicke, which is the iust guide of true proportion. And thus this +Cleuisse is a helpe for the euill making or going of a plough. + +(2) Is the hind-most Toastree, that is, a broad piece of Ash woode, +three inches broad, which going crosse the chaine, hath the Swingletrees +fastned vnto it, by which the horses draw. Now you shall vnderstand that +in this Toastree is great helpe and aduantage: for if the two horses +which draw one against the other, be not of equall strength, but that +the one doth ouer-draw the other, then you shall cause that end of the +Toastree by which the weaker horse drawes, to be longer from the chaine +then the other, by at least halfe a foote, and that shall giue the +weaker horse such an aduantage, that his strength shall counterpoyse +with the stronger horse. Now there be some especiall Husbandmen that +finding this disaduantage in the Toastree, and that by the vncertaine +shortening, and lenthening of the Toastree, they haue sometimes more +disaduantaged the strong horse, then giuen helpe to the weake, therefore +they haue inuented another Toastree, with a double chaine, and a round +ring, which is of that excellent perfection in draught, that if a Foale +draw against an olde horse, yet the Foale shall draw no more then the +abilitie of his owne strength, each taking his worke by himselfe, as if +they drew by single chaines. Now because this Toastree is such a notable +Implement both in Plough, Cart, or Waine, and so worthy to be imitated +of all good husbands, I thinke it not amisse to shew you the figure +thereof. + +{Illustration: The Toastree with double chaines.} + +(3) The Swingletrees, being pieces of Ash wood cut in proportion +afore-shewed, to which the Treates, by which the horses draw, are +fastned with strong loopes. + +(4) The Treates by which the horses draw, being strong cords made of the +best Hempe. + +(5) The place betweene the Treats, where the horses must stand. + +(6) The Hames, which girt the Collers about, to which the other end of +the Treats are fastned, being compassed pieces of wood, eyther cleane +Ash, or cleane Oake. + +(7) The round Withes of wood, or broad thongs of leather, to put about +the horses necke, to beare the maine chayne from the ground, that it +trouble not the horses in their going. + +(8) The Single-linckes of Iron, which ioyne the Swingle-trees vnto the +Toastrees. + +(9) The Belly-bands, which passe vnder the belly of the horse, and are +made fast to both sides of the Treates, keeping them downe, that when +the horse drawes, his coller may not choake him: being made of good +small line or coard. + +(10) The Backe-bands, which going ouer the horses backe, and being made +fast to both sides of the Treates, doe hold them, so as when the horses +turne, the Treates doe not fall vnder their feete. + +{SN: How many beasts in a plough.} +Thus I haue giuen you the perfect portraiture of a well yoakt Plough, +together with his Implements, and the vse of them, being the best which +hath yet beene found out by any of our skilfullest English Husbandmen, +whose practise hath beene vpon these deepe, stiffe, blacke clayes. Now +you shall vnderstand, that for the number of Cattell to be vsed in these +ploughes, that in fallowing your land, and plowing your Pease-earth, +eight good Cattell are the best number, as being the strongest, and +within the compasse of gouernment, whereas more were but troublesome, +and in all your other Ardors, sixe good beasts are sufficient, yet if it +be so, that eyther want of abilitie, or other necessity vrge, you shall +know that sixe beasts will suffice eyther to fallow, or to plow +Pease-earth, and foure beasts for euery other Ardor or earing: and lesse +then this number is most insufficient, as appeares by daily experience, +when poore men kill their Cattell onely by putting them to ouer-much +labour. And thus much touching the plowing of the blacke clay. + + + + +CHAP. VI. + +_The manner of plowing the white or gray Clay, his Earings, Plough, and +Instruments._ + + +Now as touching the white or gray clay, you shall vnderstand that it is +of diuers and sundry natures, altering according to his tempers of wet +or drynesse: the wet being more tough, and the dry more brittle: his +mixture and other characters I haue shewed in a former Chapter, +wherefore for his manner of plowing (obseruing my first methode, which +is to beginne with the beginning of the yeere, I meane at Christmas) it +is thus: + +{SN: Of sowing of Pease and Beanes.} +If you finde that any of this white or gray clay, lying wet, haue lesse +mixture of stone or chaulke in it, and so consequently be more tough, as +it doth many times fall out, and that vpon such land, that yeere, you +are to sow your Pease and Beanes: for as in the former blacke clay, so +in this gray clay you shall begin with your Pease-earth euer: then +immediately after Plow-day, you shall plow vp such ground as you finde +so tough, in the selfe-same manner as you did plow the blacke clay, and +so let it lye to baite till the frost haue seasoned it, and then sow it +accordingly. But if you haue no such tough land, but that it holdes it +owne proper nature, being so mixt with small stones and chaulke, that it +will breake in reasonable manner, then you shall stay till the latter +end of Ianuary, at what time, if the weather be seasonable, and +inclining to drynesse, you shall beginne to plow your Pease-earth, in +this manner: First, you shall cause your seedes-man to sow the land with +single casts, as was shewed vpon the blacke clay, with this caution, +that the greater your seede is, (that is, the more Beanes you sow) the +greater must be your quantitie: and being sowne, you shall bring your +plough, and beginning at the furrow of the land, you shall plow euery +furrow downeward vpon the Pease and Beanes: which is called sowing of +Pease vnder furrow: and in this manner you shall sow all your Pease and +Beanes, which is cleane contrary to your blacke clay. Besides, whereas +vpon the stiffe clay it is conuenient to take as large furrowes as you +please, vpon this kinde of gray clay you shall take as small furrowes as +is possible. Now the reason for this manner of plowing your Pease-earth, +is, because it is a light kinde of breaking earth, so that should it be +sowne according to the stiffe blacke clay, it would neuer couer your +Pease, but leaue them bare, both to be destroyed by the Fowles of the +ayre, and the bitternesse of the weather. As soone as your Pease and +Beanes are risen a fingers length aboue the earth, then if you finde +that any of your lands doe lye very rough, and that the clods be great, +it shall not be amisse, to take a payre of woodden Harrowes, and harrow +ouer all your rough lands, the benefit whereof is this, that it will +both breake the hard clots, and so giue those Pease leaue to sprout +through the earth, which before lay bound in and drowned, and also lay +your lands smooth and cleane, that the Mowers when they come to mowe +your Pease and Beanes, shall haue better worke, and mowe them with more +ease, and much better to the owners profit. For you must vnderstand that +where you sow Beanes, there it is euer more profit to mowe them with +Sythes, then to reape them with Hookes, and much sooner, and with lesse +charge performed. The limitation of time for this Ardor of earing, is +from the latter end of Ianuary vntill the beginning of March, not +forgetting this rule, that to sow your Pease and Beanes in a shower, so +it be no beating raine is most profitable: because they, as Wheat, take +delight in a fresh and a moyst mould. + +{SN: Of sowing of Barley.} +After the beginning of March, you shall beginne to sow your Barley vpon +that ground which the yeere before did lye fallow, and is commonly +called your tilth, or fallow field: and if any part of it consist of +stiffe and tough ground, then you shall, vpon such ground, sow your +Barley vnder furrow, in such manner and fashion as I described vnto you +for the sowing of your stiffe blacke clay: but if it be (as for the most +part these gray and white clayes are) of a much lighter, and as it were, +fussie temper, then you shall first plow your land vpward, cleane and +well, without baukes or stiches: and hauing so plowed it, you shall then +sow it with Barley, that is to say, with double casts, I meane, +bestowing twise so many casts of Barley, as you would doe if you were to +sow it with Pease. And as soone as you haue sowne your Barley, you shall +take a payre of woodden Harrowes, and harrow it as small as is possible: +and this is called sowing aboue furrow. + +{SN: Of sowing Oates.} +Now if you haue any land, which eyther through the badnesse of the +soyle, or for want of manure, is more barrayne, and hard to bring forth +then generally the rest of your land is, then you shall not bestow +Barley thereupon, but sow it with Oates, in such manner and fashion as +is appointed for the sowing of Pease, that is to say, if it be stiffe +ground you shall sow it aboue furrow, if it be light ground, then you +shall sow it vnder furrow, knowing this for a rule, that the barraynest +ground will euer beare indifferent Oates, but if the ground haue any +small hart, then it will beare Oates in great abundance: neither neede +you to be very precise for the oft plowing of your ground before you sow +your Oates, because Oates will grow very well if they be sowne vpon +reasonable ground, at the first plowing: whence it comes to passe that +many Husbandmen doe oft sow their Oates where they should sow their +Pease, and in the same manner as they doe sow their Pease, and it is +held for a rule of good husbandry also: because if the ground be held +any thing casuall for Pease, it is better to haue good Oates then +naughty Pease: besides, your Oates are both a necessary graine in the +house, as for Oate-meale, for the pot, for Puddings, and such like, and +also for the stable, for Prouender, and the feeding of all manner of +Poultry. The time for sowing of your Barley and Oates, is from from the +first of March till the first of Aprill, obseruing euer to sow your +Oates first, and your Barley after, for it being onely a Summer graine, +would participate as little as may be with any part of the Winter. + +{SN: Of Fallowing.} +{SN: Of sleighting Barley.} +About the middest of Aprill you shall beginne to fallow that part of +your ground, which you entend shall take rest that yeere, and so become +your fallow or tilth-field. And in fallowing this gray or white clay, +you shall obserue all those rules and ceremonies, which are formerly +described for the fallowing of the stiffe blacke clay, knowing that +there is in this worke no difference betweene the blacke clay, and the +gray clay, but both to be plowed after one manner, that is to say, to +haue all the furrowes cast downeward, and the ridges of the lands laid +largely open, and of a good depth, onely the furrowes which you turne +vpon this gray clay must be much smaller and lesse then those which you +turne vpon your stiffe blacke clay, because this earth is more naturally +inclined to binde and cleaue together then that of the blacke clay. The +time for fallowing of this ground, is from the middest of Aprill vntill +the middest of May: at what time you shall perceiue your Barley to +appeare aboue the ground, so that then you shall beginne to sleight and +smooth it: but not with backe Harrowes, as was described for the blacke +clay, because this gray clay being not so fat and rich, but more +inclined to fastnesse and hardnesse, therefore it will not sunder and +breake so easily as the other: wherefore when you will smooth or sleight +this ground, you shall take a round piece of wood, being in compasse +about at least thirty inches, and in length sixe foote, hauing at each +end a strong pinne of Iron, to which making fast two small poales, by +which the horse shall draw, yet in such sort that the round piece of +wood may roule and turne about as the horse drawes it: and with this you +shall roule ouer all your Barley, and by the waight of the round piece +of wood bruise and breake all the hard clots asunder. This is called +amongst Husbandmen a Rouler, and is for this purpose of sleighting and +smoothing of grounds of great vse and profit. Now you shall vnderstand +that you must not at any time sleight or smooth your Corne, but after a +shower of Raine, for if the mould be not a little moistned the rouler +will not haue power to breake it. + +Now for as much as this rouler is of so good vse and yet not generally +vsed in this kingdome, I thinke it not amisse to shew you the figure +thereof. + +{Illustration: The great Rouler.} + +As soone as you haue roulled ouer your Barley, & laid it so smooth as +you can with your rouler, if then you perceiue any hard clots, such as +the rouler cannot breake, then you shal send forth your seruants with +long clotting beetels, made broad and flat, and with them you shall +breake asunder all those hard clots, and so lay your Barley as smooth +and cleane as is possible: the profit whereof you shall both finde in +the multiplying of your Corne and also in the sauing of your sithes +from breaking, at such time as you shall come to mowe your Corne, and +gather in your Haruest. + +{SN: Of Summer-stirring.} +{SN: Of weeding.} +{SN: Of stone gathering.} +Your Barley being thus laide smooth, you shall then follow your other +necessary businesses, as preparing of your fewell, and other needements +for houshould, vntill the beginning of Iune, at which time you shall +beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow field, which shalbe done in all +points after the same manner as you did Summer-stirre your blacke Clay, +that is to say, you shall beginne in the ridge of the land, and as when +you fallowed your land you turned your furrowes downeward, so now in +Summer-stirring, you shall turne your furrowes vpward and close the +ridge of you land againe. As soone as this Ardor is finished, or when +the vnseasonablenesse of the weather, as either too much wet, or too +much drynesse shall hinder you from Plowing, you shall then looke into +your Cornefields, that is to say: first into your Wheate and Rye field, +and if there you shall finde any store of weedes, as Thistell, Darnell, +Tare-Cockle, or such like, you shall with weede-hookes, or nippers of +woode, cut, or plucke them vp by the rootes; and also if you finde any +annoyance of stones, which hinders the growth of your Corne, as +generally it happens in this soyle, you shall then cause some Boyes and +Girles, or other waste persons, to gather them vp and lay them in heapes +at the lands ends, to be imployed either about the mending of high wayes +or other occasions, and for this purpose their is a generall custome in +most Villages, that euery houshoulder is bound to send out one seruant +to be imployed about this businesse: whence it comes to passe, that it +is called common worke, as being done at the generall charge of the +whole Parish. After you haue weeded your Wheate and Rye, you shall then +weede your Barley also, which being finished about the midst of Iuly, +you shall then beginne to looke into your medowes and to the preparing +of your Hay haruest. + +{SN: Of foyling.} +Now at such time as either the vnseasonablenesse of the weather, or the +growth of your grasse shall hinder you from following that businesse of +Haruest, you shall then looke into your fallow or tilth field againe, +and whereas before at your Summer-stirring you Plowed your land vpward, +now you shall beginne to foile, that is to say, you shall cast your land +downe againe, and open the ridge: and this Ardor of all other Ardors you +must by no meanes neglect vpon the gray, white clay, because it being +most subiect vnto weede, and the hardest to bring to a fine mould, this +Ardor of all others, doth both consume the one and makes perfect the +other, and the drier season you doe foile your land in, the better it +is, and the more it doth breake and sunder the clots in pieces: for as +in Summer-stirring the greater clots you raise vp, and the rougher your +land lies the better it is, because it is a token of great store of +mould, so when you foile, the more you breake the clots in pieces the +better season will your land take, and the richer it wilbe when the +seede is sowne into it: And the season for the foiling of this soile is +from the midst of Iuly till the midst of September. + +{SN: Of Manuring.} +Now albe I haue omitted the Manuring of this land in his due place, as +namely, from the midst of Aprill, till the end of May, yet you shall +vnderstand that of all other things it is not in any wise to be +neglected by the carefull Husbandman, both because the soyle being not +so rich as the blacke Clay, will very hardly bring forth his seede +without Manure, and also because it is for the most part subiect vnto +much wet, and stones, both which are signes of cold and barrainenesse. +Now for those Manures, which are best and most proper for this soile, +you shall vnderstand that all those which I formerlie described for the +blacke Claies, as namely, Oxe or Cowes dung, Horse dung and Sheepes +dung, are also very good for this soile, and to be vsed in the same +manner as is specified in the former Chapter: but if you haue not such +store of this Manure as will serue to compasse your whole land, you +shall then vnderstand, that the blacke mud, or durt which lies in the +bottome of olde ponds, or else standing lakes, is also a very good +manure for this soile, or else straw which is spread in high-wayes, and +so rotted by the great concourse or vse of much trauelling, and after in +the Spring-time shouelled vp in great heapes, is a good manure for this +earth: but if you finde this soile to be subiect to extraordinary wet +and coldnesse, you shall then know that the ashes eyther of wood, coale, +or straw, is a very good manure for it. But aboue all other, and then +which there is no manure more excellent for cold barraine clayes of this +nature, the Pigions dung, or the dung of houshold Pullen, as Capons, +Hennes, Chickens, Turkies, and such like, so there be no Goose-dung +amongst it, is the best of all other: but not to be vsed in such sort as +the other manures, that is to say, to be laid in great heapes vpon the +land, or to be spread from the Cart vpon the land, for neyther is there +such abundance of such manure to be gotten, nor if there were, it would +not be held for good husbandrie to make lauish hauocke of a thing so +precious. + +{SN: The vse of Pigion or Pullen-dung.} +You shall then know that for the vse of Pigion or Pullen-dung, it is +thus: you shall first with your hand breake it as small as may be, and +then put it into the Hopper, in such sort as you put your corne when you +sow it: and then looke how you sow your corne, in such sort you shall +sow your Pigion or Pullen-dung: which done, you shall immediately put +your Barley into the same Hopper, and so sow it after the Pigions or +Pullen-dung: by which you are to vnderstand that this kinde of manuring +is to be vsed onely in Seede-time, and at no other season. This manure +is of the same nature that sheepes manure is, and doth last but onely +for one yeere, onely it is much hotter, as being in the greatest +extremitie of heate. Now if it happen that you cannot get any of this +Pigions or Pullen-dung, because it is scarce, and not in euery mans +power, if then you take Lime and sow it vpon your land in such sort as +is before said of the Pigions-dung, and then sow your corne after it, +you shall finde great profit to come thereon, especially in colde wet +soiles, such as for the most part, these gray white clayes are. + +{SN: Of sowing Wheate.} +After your land is foild, which worke would be finished by the middest +of September, then you shall beginne to sow your Wheate, Rye, and +Maslin, which in all things must be done as is before set downe for the +blacke clay, the choice of seede, and euery obseruation being all one: +for Wheate not taking delight in a very rich ground, doth prosper best +vpon this indifferent soile. Whence it comes that in these gray white +clayes, you shall for the most part, see more Wheate sowne then any +other Graine whatsoeuer. But as touching your Rye and Maslin, that euer +desires a rich ground and a fine mould, and therefore you shall make +choise of your better earth for that Seede, and also obserue to helpe it +with manure, or else sheepes folding, in such manner as is described in +the former Chapter, where I spake of the sowing of Wheate, Rye, and +Maslin. + +{SN: Of winter-ridging.} +As soone as you haue sowne your Wheate, Rye, and Maslin, you shall then +about the latter end of October, beginne to Winter ridge, or set vp your +land for the whole yeere: which you shall doe in all points, as you doe +vpon the blacke clay, without any change or alteration. And the +limitation for this Ardor is, from the latter end of October vntill the +beginning of December, wherein your yeeres worke is made perfect and +compleate. + +{SN: Obseruations.} +Now you shall vnderstand, that although I haue in this generall sort +passed ouer the Ardors and seuerall Earings of this white or gray clay, +any of which are in no wise to be neglected: yet there are sundry other +obseruations to be held of the carefull Husbandman, especially in the +laying of his land: as thus, if the soile be of good temper, fruitfull, +drie, and of a well mixed mould, not being subiect to any naturall +spring or casting forth of moisture, but rather through the natiue +warmth drying vp all kinde of fluxes or colde moistures, neyther binding +or strangling the Seede, nor yet holding it in such loosenesse, that it +loose his force of increasing, in this case it is best to lay your +lands flat and leuell, without ridges or furrowes, as is done in many +parts of Cambridge-shire, some parts of Essex, and some parts of +Hartford-shire: but if the clay be fruitfull and of good temper, yet +either by the bordering of great hils, the ouer-flow of small brookes, +or some other casuall meanes it is subiect to much wet or drowning, in +this case you shall lay your lands large and high, with high ridges and +deepe furrowes, as generally you see in Lincolne-shire, +Nottingham-shire, Huntington-shire, and most of the middle Shires in +England. But if the land be barraine, colde, wet, subiect to much +binding, and doth bring forth great store of weedes, then you shall lay +your land in little stiches, that is to say, not aboue three or foure +furrowes at the most together, as is generally seene in Middlesex, +Hartford-shire, Kent and Surrey: for by that meanes neither shall the +land binde and choake the Corne, nor shall the weede so ouer-runne it, +but that the Husbandman may with good ease helpe to strengthen and +clense it, the many furrowes both giuing him many passages, whereby he +may correct those enormities, and also in such sort conuaying away the +water and other moistures, that there cannot be made any land more +fruitfull. + +{SN: Of the Plough.} +Now to speake of the Plough which is best and most proper for this gray +or white clay, of which we now speake, you shall vnderstand that it +differeth exceeding much from that of which we spake concerning the +blacke clay: I, and in such sort, that there is but small alliance or +affinitie betweene them: as thus for example: + +First, it is not so large and great as that for the blacke clay: for the +head thereof is not aboue twentie inches in length, and not aboue one +inch and a halfe in thicknesse, the maine beame thereof is not aboue +fiue foot long, & the rest is broader by an inch and more then that for +the blacke clay: this Plough also hath but one hale, & that is onely the +left hand Hale: for the Plough-staffe, or Aker-staffe serueth euer in +stead of the right hand Hale, so that the Rough-staues are fixed, the +vpper vnto the shelboard, and the neather vnto the Plough-rest, as for +your better vnderstanding you may perceiue by this figure. + +{Illustration: The Plough with one Hale.} + +Now you shall vnderstand that the especiall care which is to be held in +the making of this Plough, is, that it be wide and open in the hinder +part, that it may turne and lay the furrowes one vpon another: whereas +if it should be any thing straitned in the hinder part, considering that +this clay naturally is somewhat brittle of it selfe, and that the +furrowes which you plow must of necessitie be very narrow and little, it +were not possible so to lay them, but that they would fall downe backe +againe, and inforce the Plow-man to lose his labour. Also you shall +vnderstand that whereas in the former plough, which is for the blacke +clay, you may turne the shelboard, that is, when the one end is worne, +you may eftsoones turne the other, and make it serue the like season: in +this Plough you must neuer turne the shelboard, because the rising wing +of the Share will so defend it, that it will euer last as long as the +Plough-head, without change or turning. + +Now for the Irons belonging vnto this Plough, which is the Share and +Coulture, there is more difference in them then in the Plough: for to +speake first of the Share, whereas the former Share for the blacke clay, +was made broad, plaine, and with a large wing, this Share must be made +narrow, sharpe, and small, with no wing at all, hauing from the vpper +part thereof, close by the shelboard, a certaine rising wing, or broad +piece of Iron, which comming vp and arming that part of the shelboard +which turnes ouer the land, defends the wood from the sharpe mould, +which hauing the mixture of pible stone in it, would otherwise in lesse +then one dayes worke consume the shelboard vnto nothing, forcing the +Plow-man to much trouble and double cost. The fashion of the Share is +presented in this Figure following. + +{Illustration: The Share.} + +This Share is onely made that it may take a small furrow, and so by +breaking the earth oftner then any other Share, causeth the land to +yeeld a good and plentifull mould, and also keepe it from binding or +choaking the seede when it is cast into it. + +Now for the Coulture, it differeth from the former Coulture both in +breadth and thicknesse, but especially in compasse: for whereas the +former Coulture for the blacke clay, was made straight, narrow, and +thicke, this must be compassed like an halfe bent bow: it must be +broader then three fingers, and thinner then halfe an inche, according +to this Figure. + +{Illustration: The Coulture.} + +Now when these Irons, the Shelboard, and other implements are fixed vnto +the Plough, you shall perceiue that the Plough will carry the proportion +of this Figure following. + +{Illustration: The Plough for the gray Clay.} + +Hauing thus shewed you the substance, difference, and contraries of +these two Ploughs, which belong to these two seuerall clayes, the blacke +and gray, you shall vnderstand that there is no clay-ground whatsoeuer, +which is without other mixture, but one of these Ploughs will +sufficiently serue to eare and order it: for all clayes are of one of +these tempers. + +{SN: The vse and handling.} +Now for the vse and manner of handling or holding this Plough, it +differeth nothing in particular obseruation from the vse and handling +of the Plough formerly described, more then in the largenesse and +smalnesse of the furrowes: for as before I said, whereas the blacke clay +must be raised with a great furrow, and a broad stitch, this gray clay +must be raised with a small furrow, and a narrow stitch: and although +this plough haue nothing but a left hand Hale, yet considering the +Plough-staffe, vpon which the Plow-man resteth his right hand, it is all +one as if he had a right. And indeede, to make your knowledge the more +perfect, you shall know that these gray clayes are generally in their +owne natures so wet, tough, and slimy, and doe so clogge, cleaue, and +choake vp the Plough, that hee which holds it shall haue enough to doe +with his right hand onely to clense and keepe the Plough from choaking, +insomuch that if there were another Hale, yet the Plow-man should haue +no leasure to hold it. + +{SN: Of the draught or Teame.} +Now for the Draught or Teame which should draw this Plough, they ought +in all points, as well in strength as tryuing to be the same with those +before shewed for the vse of the blacke clay: as namely, eyther Oxen or +Horse, or Horse and Oxen mixt together, according to the custome of the +soile wherein the Plow-man liues, or his abilitie in prouision, +obseruing euer to keepe his number of beasts for his Plough certaine, +that is to say, for fallowing, and Pease-earth, neuer vnder sixe, and +for all other Ardors foure at the least. And thus much for the plowing +of this gray or white clay. + + + + +CHAP. VII. + +_The manner of plowing the red-Sand, his Earings, Plough, and Implements._ + + +Next vnto these Clayes, which are soiles simple and vncompound, as being +perfect in their owne natures, without the helpe of other mixtures, I +place the Sand soiles, as being of like qualitie, not borrowing any +thing but from their owne natures, nor breeding any defects more then +their owne naturall imperfections: and of Sands, sith the red Sand is +the best and most fruitfull, therefore it is fit that it take prioritie +of place, and be here first spoken of. + +You shall then vnderstand that this red Sand, albeit it is the best of +Sands, yet it is the worst of many soiles, as being of it selfe of such +a hot and drie nature, that it scorcheth the seede, and dryeth vp that +nutriment and fatnesse which should occasion increase: whereby it comes +to passe, that the Barley which growes vpon this red Sand is euer more +yealow, leane and withered, then that which growes vpon the clayes or +other mixt earths. This Sand especially taketh delight in Rye, because +it is a Graine which loues warmth aboue all other, and yet +notwithstanding, if it be well ordered, manured and plowed, it will +bring forth good store of Barley, albeit the Barley be not so good as +Clay-Barley, either for the colour, or for the yeeld, whether it be in +meale or in Malt. + +{SN: Of Fallowing.} +Now for the manner of Earing or plowing this redde Sand, it differeth +much from both the former soyles, insomuch that for your better +vnderstanding, I must in many places alter my former methode, yet so +little as may be, because I am loath to alter or clogge the memory of +the Reader: wherefore to pursue my purpose. As soone as Christmas is +ended, that is to say, about the middest of Ianuary, you shall goe with +your Plough into that field where the Haruest before did grow your Rye, +and there you shall in your plowing cast your lands downe-ward, and open +the ridges well, for this yeere it must be your fallow field: for as in +the former soiles, wee did diuide the fields either into three parts, +that is, one for Barley and Wheate, another for Pease, and the third +fallow, which is the best diuision: or into foure parts, that is, one +for Wheate and Rye, another for Barley, a third for Pease, and a fourth +fallow, which is the worst diuision and most toilesome, so in this red +Sand soile, we must euer diuide it into three parts, that is, one for +Barley, another for Rye, and a third fallow. For this Sand-soile being +hot, drie, and light, will neither bring forth good Beanes nor good +Pease, and therefore that Ardor is in this place but onely to be spoke +of by way of discourse in vrgent necessitie. + +Wherefore (as before I said) about the middest of Ianuary you shall +beginne to lay fallow that field, where formerly did grow your Rye, the +manner of plowing whereof differeth nothing from the manner of plowing +the clayes before written of, onely that the discretion of the Plow-man +must thus farre forth gouerne him, that in as much as this soile is +lighter, dryer, and of a more loose temper, by so much the more he must +be carefull to make his furrowes lesse, and to lay them the closer +together: & also in as much as this soile, through his naturall warmth +and temperate moisture, is exceeding apt to bring forth much weede, +especially Brakes, Ling, Brambles, and such like, therefore the Plow-man +shall be very carefull to plow all his furrowes very cleane, without +baukes or other impediments by which may be ingendred any of these +inconueniences. + +{SN: Of Spring-foyling.} +After you haue thus broke vp and fallowed your fallow or tilth-field, +the limitation of which time is from the middest of Ianuary vntill the +middest of February, you shall then at the middest of February, when the +clay-men begin to sow their Beanes and Pease, goe with your plough into +your other fallow-field, which all the yeere before hath laine fallow +and already receiued at your hands at least foure seuerall Ardors; as +Fallowing, Summer-stirring, Foyling, and Winter-rigging; and there you +shall plow all that field ouer the fift time, which is called the +Spring-foyling: and in this Ardor you shall plow all your lands vpward, +in such sort as when you Winter-ridge it, by which meanes you shall plow +vp all those weedes which haue sprung forth in the Winter season. For +you must vnderstand that in these light, hot, sandy soiles, there is a +continuall spring (though not of good fruits) yet of weeds, quicks, and +other inconueniences: for it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that warme +soiles are neuer idle, that is, they are euer bringing forth something. + +{SN: Of Sowing March-Rye.} +Now the limitation for this Ardor is from the middest of Februarie +vntill the middest of March, at which time you shall, by comparing +former experience with your present iudgement, take into your +consideration the state, goodnesse, and powerfulnesse of your land, I +meane especially of this fallow-field, which hath laine fallow the yeere +before, and hath now receiued fiue Ardors: and if you finde any part of +it, either for want of good ordoring in former times, or for want of +manure in the present yeere, to be growne so leane and out of hart, that +you feare it hath not strength enough to beare Barley, you shall then at +this time, being the middest of March, sow such land with Rye, which of +Husbandmen is called the sowing of March-Rye: and this Rye is to be +sowne and harrowed in such sort as you did sow it vpon the clay soiles, +that is to say, aboue furrow, and not vnder furrow, except the land be +very full of quickes, that is, of Brakes, Ling, Brambles, Dockes, or +such like, and then you shall first with a paire of Iron harrowes, that +is, with harrowes that haue Iron teeth, first of all harrow the land +ouer, and by that meanes teare vp by the rootes all those quickes, and +so bring them from the land: which done, you shall sow the land ouer +with Rye, and then plow it downeward which is vnder furrow: & as soone +as it is plowed, you shall then with a paire of Iron Harrowes harrow it +all ouer so exceedingly, that the mould may be made as fine, and the +land lie as smooth as is possible. + +{SN: Of the harrow.} +Now because I haue in the former Chapters spoke of Harrowes and +harrowing, yet haue not deliuered vnto you the shape and proportion +thereof, and because both the woodden harrow and the Iron harrow haue +all one shape, and differ in nothing but the teeth onely, I thinke it +not amisse before I proceede any further to shew you in this Figure the +true shape of a right Harrow. + +{Illustration: The Harrow.} + +The parts of this Harrow consisteth of buls, staues, and teeth: of buls, +which are broad thicke pieces eyther of well seasoned Willow, or Sallow, +being at least three inches euery way square, into which are fastned the +teeth: of staues, which are round pieces of well seasoned Ash, being +about two inches and a halfe about, which going thorow the buls, holde +the buls firmely in equall distance one from the other: and of teeth, +which are either long pinnes of wood or Iron, being at least fiue +inches in length, which are made fast, and set slope-wise through the +buls. + +{SN: The diuersitie of Harrowes.} +Now you shall vnderstand that Harrowes are of two kindes, that is, +single and double: the single Harrow is called of Husbandmen the +Horse-harrow, and is not aboue foure foote square: the double Harrow is +called the Oxe-harrow, and it must be at least seauen foote square, and +the teeth must euer be of Iron. Now whereas I spake of the Horse-harrow +and the Oxe-harrow, it is to be vnderstood that the single Harrow doth +belong to the Horse, because Horses drawing single, doe draw each a +seuerall Harrow by himselfe, albeit in the common vse of harrowing, we +couple two horses euer together, and so make them draw two single +Harrowes: but Oxen not being in good Husbandry to be separated, because +euer two must draw in one yoake, therefore was the double Harrow +deuised, containing in substance and worke as much as two single +Harrowes. + +{SN: The vse of Harrowes.} +Now for the vse of Harrowes. The woodden Harrow which is the Harrow with +woodden teeth, is euer to be vsed vpon clay grounds and light grounds, +which through drynesse doth grow loose, and fals to mould of it owne +nature, as most commonly Sand grounds doe also: and the Iron Harrow +which is the Harrow with Iron teeth, is euer to be vsed vpon binding +grounds, such as through drynesse grow so hard that they will not be +sundered, and through wet turne soone to mire and loose durt. Now +whereas there be mingled earths, which neither willingly yeeld to mould, +nor yet bindes so sore, but small industry breaks it, of which earth I +shall speake hereafter, to such grounds the best Husbands vse a mixture, +that is to say, one woodden Harrow, and one Iron Harrow, that the +woodden Harrow turning ouer and loosening the loosest mould, the Iron +Harrow comming after, may breake the stiffer clots, and so consequently +turne all the earth to a fine mould. And thus much for Harrowes. + +{SN: Of the sowing of Pulse.} +{SN: Of Pease, Lentles, and Lupines.} +Now to returne to my former purpose touching the tillage of this red +Sand: if (as before I said) you finde any part of your fallow-field too +weake to beare Barley, then is your March-Rye, a graine which will take +vpon a harder earth: but if the ground be too weake either for Barley or +Rye, (for both those Seedes desire some fatnesse of ground) then shall +you spare plowing it at all vntill this time of the yeere, which is +mid-March, and then you shall plow it, and sow it with either the +smallest Pease you can get, or else with our true English Fitches, which +by forraine Authors are called _Lentles_, that is, white Fitches, or +_Lupines_, which are red Fitches: for all these three sorts of Pulse +will grow vpon very barraine soiles, and in their growth doe manure and +make rich the ground: yet your Pease desire some hart of ground, your +_Lentles_, or white Fitches, lesse, and your _Lupines_, or red Fitches, +the least of all, as being apt to grow vpon the barrainest soile: so +likewise your Pease doe manure barraine ground well, your _Lentles_ +better and your _Lupines_ the best of all. + +Now for the nature and vse of these graines, the Pease as all Husbandmen +know, are both good for the vse of man in his bread, as are vsed in +Leicester-shire, Lincolne-shire, Nottingham-shire, and many other +Countries: and also for Horses in their Prouender, as is vsed generally +ouer all England: for _Lentles_, or white Fitches, or the _Lupines_ +which are redde Fitches, they are both indifferent good in bread for +man, especially if the meale be well scalded before it be knodden (for +otherwise the sauour is exceeding rancke) or else they are a very good +foode being sodden in the manner of Leaps-Pease, especially at Sea, in +long iourneyes where fresh meate is most exceeding scarce: so that +rather then your land should lye idle, and bring forth no profit, I +conclude it best to sow these Pulses, which both bring forth commoditie, +and also out of their owne natures doe manure and inrich your ground, +making it more apt and fit to receiue much better Seede. + +For the manner of sowing these three sorts of Pulse: you shall sow them +euer vnder furrow, in such sort as is described for the sowing of Pease +and Beanes vpon the white or gray clay which is of indifferent drinesse +and apt to breake. + +{SN: Of Manuring.} +Now the limitation for this Ardor or seede time, is from the middest of +March, till the middest of Aprill: then from the middest of Aprill, till +the middest of May, you shall make your especiall worke, to be onely the +leading forth of your Manure to that field which you did fallow, or lay +tilth that present yeere immediatelie after Christmas, and of which I +first spake in this Chapter. And herein is to be vnderstood, that the +best and principallest Manure for this redde-sand, is the ouldest Manure +of beasts which can be-gotten, which you shall know by the exceeding +blacknesse and rottennesse thereof, being in the cutting both soft and +smooth, all of one substance, as if it were well compact morter, without +any shew of straw or other stuffe which is vnrotted, for this dung is of +all the fattest and coolest, and doth best agree with the nature of this +hot sand. Next to the dung of beasts, is the dung of Horses if it be old +also, otherwise it is somewhat of the hottest, the rubbish of old +houses, or the sweepings of flowres, or the scowrings of old Fish-ponds, +or other standing waters where beasts and horses are vsed to drinke, or +be washt, or wherevnto the water and moisture of dunghills haue recourse +are all good Manures for this redde-sand: as for the Manure of Sheepe +vpon this redde-sand, it is the best of all in such places as you meane +to sow Rie, but not fully so good where you doe intend to sow your +Barley: if it be a cold moist redde-sand (which is seldome found but in +some particular low countries) then it doth not amisse to Manure it most +with Sheepe, or else with Chaulke, Lime, or Ashes, of which you can get +the greatest plentie: if this soile be subiect to much weede and +quickes, as generally it is, then after you haue torne vp the weedes and +quickes with Harrowes, you shall with rakes, rake them together, and +laying them in heapes vpon the land, you shall burne them and then +spreading the ashes they will be a very good Manure, and in short space +destroy the weedes also; likewise if your land be much ouergrowne with +weedes, if when you sheare your Rie you leaue a good long stubble, and +then mowing the stubble burne it vpon the land, it is both a good Manure +and also a good meanes to destroy the weedes. + +{SN: Of sowing Barley.} +After your Manure is lead forth and either spread vpon the lands, or set +in great heapes, so as the land may be couered ouer with Manure (for it +is to be obserued that this soile must be throughly Manured) then about +the middest of May, which is the time when this worke should be +finished, you shall repaire with your Plough into the other fallow +field, which was prepared the yeere before for this yeeres Barley, & +there you shall sow it all ouer with Barley aboue furrow, that is to +say, you shall first Plough it, then sow it, and after Harrow it, making +the mould as fine and smooth as may be, which is done with easie labour, +because this sand of it owne nature is as fine as ashes. + +{SN: Of Summer-stirring.} +{SN: Of sleighting.} +Now the limitation for this seede time, is from the middest of May, till +the middest of Iune, wherein if any man demand why it should not be +sowne in March and Aprill, according as it is sowne in the former +soiles, I answere, that first this redde-sand cannot be prepared, or +receiue his full season in weather, and earings, before this time of the +yeere, and next that these redde-sands, by how much they are hotter and +drier then the other claies, by so much they may wel stay the longer +before they receiue their seede, because that so much the sooner the +seede doth sprout in them, & also the sooner ripen being kept warmer at +the roote then in any could soile whatsoeuer. As soone as the middest of +Iune approacheth, you shall then beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow +field, and to turne your Manure into your land, in such sort as you did +vpon your clay soiles, for this Ardor of Summer-stirring altereth in no +soile, and this must be done from the middest of Iune, till the middest +of Iuly, for as touching sleighting, clotting, or smoothing of this +Barley field, it is seldome in vse, because the finenesse of the sand +will lay the land smooth inough without sleighting: yet if you finde +that any particular land lieth more rough then the rest, it shall not be +amisse, if with your backe Harrowes you smooth it a little within a day +or two after it is sowne. + +{SN: Of Foiling.} +{SN: Of sowing Rye.} +From the middest of Iuly vntill the middest of August, you shall foile +and throw downe your fallow field againe, if your lands lie well and in +good order, but if any of your lands doe lie in the danger of water, or +by vse of Plowing are growne too flat, both which are hinderances to the +growth of Corne, then when you foile your lands you shall Plow them +vpward, and so by that meanes raise the ridges one furrow higher. After +you haue foiled your land, which must be about the middest of August, +then will your Barley be ready to mowe, for these hot soiles haue euer +an earely haruest, which as soone as it is mowne and carried into the +Barne, forthwith you shall with all expedition carry forth such Manure +as you may conueniently spare, and lay it vpon that land from whence you +receiued your Barley, which is most barraine: and if you want cart +Manure, you shall then lay your fould of Sheepe thereupon, and as soone +as it is Manured, you shall immediately Plow both it & the rest, which +Ardor should be finished by the middest of September, and so suffered to +rest vntill the beginning of October, at which time you shall beginne to +sow all that field ouer with Rye in such sort as hath beene spoken of in +former places. + +{SN: Obiection.} +Now in as much as the ignorant Husbandman may very easiely imagine that +I reckon vp his labours too thicke, and therein leaue him no leasure for +his necessarie businesses, especially because I appoint him to foile his +land from the middest of Iuly, till the middest of August, which is both +a busie time for his Hay haruest, and also for his Rye shearing. + +{SN: Answere.} +To this I make answere, that I write not according to that which poore +men are able (for it were infinit to looke into estates) but according +as euery good Husband ought, presupposing that he which will liue by the +Plough, ought to pursue all things belonging vnto the Plough, and then +he shall finde that there is no day in the yeere, but the Saboth, but it +is necessarie that the Plough be going: yet to reconcile the poore and +the rich together, they shall vnterstand, that when I speake of Plowing +in the time of Haruest, I doe not meane that they should neglect any +part of that principall Worke, which is the true recompence of their +labour: but because whilst the dew is vpon the ground, or when there is +either raine or mizling there is then no time for Haruest Worke, then my +meaning is that the carefull Husbandman shall take those aduantages, and +rising earelier in the mornings, be sure to be at his Plough two howers +before the dew be from the ground, knowing that the getting but of one +hower in the day compasseth a great worke in a month, neither shall hee +neede to feare the ouer toiling of his cattell, sith at that time of the +yeere Grasse being at greatest plenty, strongest and fullest of hart, +Corne scattered almost in euery corner, and the mouth of the beast not +being muzeld in his labour, there is no question but he will indure and +worke more then at any other season. + +{SN: Of Winter ridging.} +In the beginning of Nouember, you shall beginne to Winter-ridge your +fallow, or tilth-field, which in all points shalbe done according to the +forme described in the former soiles: for that Ardor of all other neuer +altereth, because it is as it were a defence against the latter spring, +which else would fill the lands full of weedes, and also against the +rigor of Winter, and therefore it doth lay vp the furrow close together, +which taking the season of the frost, winde, and weather makes the mould +ripe, mellow, and light: and the limitation for this Ardor, is from the +beginning of Nouember, vntill the middest of December. + +{SN: Of the Plough.} +{SN: Of the coulture.} +Now as touching the Plough which is best and most proper for this +redde-sand, it differeth nothing in shape and composure of members from +that Plough which is described for the blacke Clay, hauing necessarily +two hales, because the ground being loose and light, the Plough will +with great difficulty hold land, but with the least disorder be euer +ready to runne into the furrow, so that a right hand hale is most +necessarie for the houlding of the plough euen, onely the difference of +the two Ploughes consisteth in this, that the plough for this red-sand, +must be much lesse then the plough for the blacke Clay houlding in the +sizes of the timber the due proportion of the plough for the white or +gray clay, or if it be somewhat lesse it is not amisse, as the head +being eighteene inches, the maine beame not aboue foure foote, and +betweene the hinder part of the rest, and the out-most part of the +plough head in the hinder end not aboue eight inches. Now for the +Plough-Irons which doe belong vnto this plough, the Coulture is to be +made circular, in such proportion as the coulture for the gray, or white +clay, and in the placing, or tempering vpon the Plough it is to be set +an inch at least lower then the share, that it may both make way before +the share, and also cut deeper into the land, to make the furrow haue +more easie turning. + +{SN: Of the share.} +Now for the share, it differeth in shape from both the former shares, +for it is neither so large nor out-winged, as that for the gray Clay, +for this share is onely made broad to the Plough ward, and small to the +point of the share, with onely a little peake and no wing according to +this figure. + +{Illustration: The share.} + +{SN: Of the plough-slip.} +These Plough-irons, both coulture and share, must be well steeled and +hardned at the points, because these sandy soiles being full of moisture +and greete, will in short space weare and consume the Irons, to the +great hinderance and cost of the Husbandman, if it be not preuented by +steele and hardning, which notwithstanding will waste also in these +soiles, so that you must at least twise in euery Ardor haue your Irons +to the Smith, and cause him to repaire them both with Iron and steele, +besides these Irons, of coulture and share, you must also haue a long +piece of Iron, which must be iust of the length of the Plough head, and +as broad as the Plough head is thicke, and in thicknesse a quarter of an +inch: and this piece of Iron must be nailed vpon the outside of the +Plough head, next vnto the land, onely to saue the Plough head from +wearing, for when the Plough is worne it can then no longer hould the +land, and this piece of Iron is called of Husbandmen the Plough-slip and +presenteth this figure. + +{Illustration: The Plough-slip.} + +{SN: Of Plough clouts.} +Ouer and besides this Plough-slip, their are certaine other pieces of +Iron which are made in the fashion of broad thinne plates, and they be +called Plough clouts, and are to be nailed vpon the shelboard, to defend +it from the earth or furrow which it turneth ouer, which in very short +space would weare the woode and put the Husbandman to double charge. + +{SN: The houlding of the Plough.} +Thus hauing shewed you the parts, members, and implements, belonging to +this Plough, it rests that I proceede vnto the teame or draught: for to +speake of the vse and handling of this Plough, it is needelesse, because +it is all one with those Ploughes, of which I haue spoken in the former +Chapters, and he which can hould and handle a Plough in stiffe clayes +must needes (except he be exceeding simple) hould a Plough in these +light sands, in as much as the worke is much more easie and the Plough a +great deale lesse chargeable. + +{SN: Of the draught.} +Now for the Draught or Teame, they ought to be as in the former Soiles, +Oxen or Horses, yet the number not so great: for foure Beasts are +sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile, nay, three Horses if they +be of reasenable strength will doe as much as sixe vpon either of the +Clay-soiles: asfor their attire or Harnessing, the Beare-geares, before +described, are the best and most proper. And thus much concerning this +red Sand, wherein you are to take this briefe obseruation with you, that +the Graines which are best to be sowne vpon it, are onely Rye, Barley, +small Pease, _Lentles_ and _Lupines_, otherwise called Fitches, and the +graines to which it is aduerse, are Wheat, Beanes and Maslin. + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + +_The manner of plowing the white Sand, his Earings, Plough, and +Implements._ + + +Next vnto this red Sand, is the white sand, which is much more barraine +then the red Sand, yet by the industry of the Husbandman in plowing, and +by the cost of Manure it is made to beare corne in reasonable plentie. +Now of white Sands there be two kindes, the one a white Sand mixt with a +kinde of Marle, as that in Norffolke, Suffolke, and other such like +places butting vpon the Sea-coast: the other a white Sand with Pible, as +in some parts of Surrey, about Ancaster in Lincolne shire, and about +Salisbury in Wil-shire. + +{SN: Of the white Sand with Pible.} +Now for this white Sand with Pible, it is the barrainest, and least +fruitfull in bringing forth, because it hath nothing but a hot dustie +substance in it. For the manner of Earing thereof, it agreeth in all +points with the redde Sand, the Ardors being all one, the Tempers, +Manurings and all other appurtenances: the Seede also which it delights +in is all one with the red Sand, as namely, Rye, Barley, Pease and +Fitches. Wherefore who so shall dwell vpon such a soile, I must referre +him to the former Chapter of the red Sand, and therein he shall finde +sufficient instruction how to behaue himselfe vpon this earth: +remembring that in as much as it is more barraine then the red Sand, by +so much it craueth more care and cost, both in plowing and manuring +thereof, which two labours onely make perfect the ill ground. + +{SN: Of the white Sand with Marle.} +Now for the white Sand which hath as it were a certaine mixture, or +nature of Marle in it, you shall vnderstand that albeit vnto the eye it +be more dry and dustie then the red Sand, yet it is fully as rich as the +red Sand: for albe it doe not beare Barley in as great plenty as the red +Sand, yet it beareth Wheate abundantly, which the red Sand seldome or +very hardly bringeth forth. + +{SN: Of Fallowing.} +Wherefore to proceede to the Earings or tillage of this white Marly +sand, you shall vnderstand that about the middest of Ianuary is fit time +to beginne to fallow your field which shall be tilth and rest for this +yeere: wherein by the way, before I proceede further, you shall take +this obseruation with you, that whereas in the former soiles I diuided +the fields into three & foure parts, this soile cannot conueniently, if +it be well husbanded, be diuided into any more parts then two, that is +to say, a fallow field, and a Wheat-field: in which Wheate-field if you +haue any land richer then other, you may bestow Barley vpon it, vpon the +second you may bestow Wheat, vpon the third sort of ground Rye, and vpon +the barrainest, Pease or Fitches: and yet all these must be sowne within +one field, because in this white sand, Wheate and Rye will not grow +after Barley or Pease, nor Barley and Pease after Wheate or Rye. Your +fields being then diuided into two parts, that is, one for corne, the +other for rest, you shall as before I said, about the middest of Ianuary +beginne to fallow your Tith-field, which in all obseruations you shall +doe according as is mentioned for the red sand. + +{SN: Of sowing Pease.} +About the middest of March, if you haue any barraine or wasted ground +within your fallow field, or if you haue any occasion to breake vp any +new ground, which hath not beene formerly broake vp, in eyther of these +cases you shall sow Pease or Fitches thereupon, and those Pease or +Fitches you shall sow vnder furrow as hath beene before described. + +{SN: Of Spring-fallowing.} +About the middest of Aprill you shall plow your fallow-field ouer +againe, in such manner as you plowed when you fallowed it first: and +this is called Spring-fallowing, and is of great benefit because at that +time the weedes and quickes beginning to spring, nay, to flowrish, by +reason that the heate of the climbe puts them forth sooner then in other +soyles, if they should not be plowed vp before they take too strong +roote, they would not onely ouer-runne, but also eate out the hart of +the Land. + +{SN: Of sowing Barley.} +About the middest of May you shall beginne to sow your Barley vpon the +richest part of your old fallow-field, which at the Michaelmas before, +when you did sow your Wheate, and Rye, and Maslin, you did reserue for +that purpose: and this Barley you shall sow in such sort as is mentioned +in the former Chapter of the red Sand, in so much that this Ardor being +finished, which is the last part of your Seede-time, your whole field +shall be furnished eyther with Wheate, if it hold a temperate fatnesse, +or with Wheate and Barley, if it be rich and richer, or with Wheate, +Barley and Pulse, if it be rich, poore or extreame barraine: and the +manner of sowing all these seuerall seedes is described in the Chapters +going before. + +{SN: Of Summer-stirring.} +About the middest of Iune you shall beginne to Summer-stirre your +fallow-field, in such sort as was spoken of in the former Chapters +concerning the other soiles: for in this Ardor there is no alteration of +methode, but onely in gouernment of the Plough, considering the +heauinesse and lightnesse of the earth. During this Ardor you shall +busily apply your labour in leading forth your Manure, for it may at +great ease be done both at one season, neyther the Plough hindering the +Cart, nor the Cart staying the Plough: for this soile being more light +and easie in worke then any other soile whatsoeuer, doth euer preserue +so many Cattell for other imployment that both workes may goe forward +together, as shall be shewed when wee come to speake of the Plough, and +the Teame which drawes it. + +{SN: Of Manuring.} +Now as touching the Manures most fit for this soyle, they be all those +of which we haue formerly written, ashes onely excepted, which being of +an hot nature doe scald the Seede, and detaine it from all +fruitfulnesse, being mixt with this hot soile, so is likewise Lyme, and +the burning of stubble: other Manures are both good and occasion much +fertilitie, as being of a binding and coole nature, and holding together +that loosenesse which in his too much separation taketh all nutriment +from the earth. + +{SN: Of Weeding.} +After you haue ledde forth your Manure, and Summer-stird your Land, you +shall then about the beginning of Iulie looke into your Corne-field, and +if you perceiue any Thistles, or any other superfluous weedes to annoy +your Corne, you shall then (as is before said) either cut, or plucke +them vp by the rootes. + +{SN: Of Foyling.} +About the middest of August you shall beginne to foile or cast downe +your fallow-field againe, and in that Ardor you shall be very carefull +to plow cleane and leaue no weedes vncut vp: for in these hot soiles if +any weedes be left with the least roote, so that they may knit and bring +forth seede, the annoyance thereof will remaine for at least foure +yeeres after, which is a double fallowing. And to the end that you may +cut vp all such weedes cleane, although both your Share and Coulture +misse them, you shall haue the rest of your Plough in the vnder part +which strokes alongst the earth filled all full of dragges of Iron, that +is, of olde crooked nailes or great tenter-hookes, such as vpon the +putting downe of your right hand when you come neere a weed shall catch +hold thereof and teare it vp by the rootes, as at this day is vsed be +many particular Husbands in this kingdome, whose cares, skils, and +industries are not inferiour to the best whatsoeuer. + +{SN: Of Sowing Wheate and Rye.} +{SN: The choise of Seede.} +About the middest of September, you shall beginne to sow your Wheate and +Rye vpon your fallow field, which Graine vpon this soile is to be +reckoned the most principall: and you shall sow it in the same manner +that is described in the former Chapters, wherein your especiallest care +is the choise of your seede: for in this soile your whole-straw Wheate, +nor your great Pollard taketh any delight, neither your Organe, for all +those three must haue a firme and a strong mould: but your +Chilter-wheate, your Flaxen-wheate, your White-pollard, and your +Red-wheate, which are the Wheates which yeeld the purest and finest +meale, (although they grow not in so great abundance) are the seedes +which are most proper and naturall for this soile. As for Rye or Maslin, +according to the goodnesse of the ground so you shall bestow your seede: +for it is a generall rule, that wheresoeuer your Wheate growes, there +will euer Rye grow, but Rye will many times grow where Wheate will not +prosper; and therefore for the sowing of your Rye, it must be according +to the temper of the earth, and the necessitie of your houshold: for +Wheate being a richer graine then Rye, if you be assured that your +ground will beare Wheate well, it is small Husbandrie to sow more Rye or +Maslin then for your house: but if it be too hot for Wheate, and kindly +for Rye, then it is better to haue good Rye, then ill Wheate. Now for +the sowing of your Rye or Maslin in this soile, it differeth nothing +from the former soiles, either in plowing or any other obseruation, that +is to say, it must be plowed aboue furrow: for Rye being the most tender +graine, it can neither abide the waight of earth, nor yet moisture; the +one, as it were, burying, and the other drowning the vigour and strength +of the seede. + +{SN: Of Winter-ridging.} +About the beginning of Nouember you shall Winter-ridge your fallow +field, I meane that part which you doe preserue for Barley (for the +other part is furnished with seede) and this Winter-ridging differeth +nothing from the Winter ridging of other soiles, onely you shall a +little more precisely obserue to set vp your lands more straight and +high then in other soiles, both to defend them from wet, which this +soile is much subiect vnto, because commonly some great riuer is neare +it, and also for the preseruing of the strength and goodnesse of the +Manure within the land which by lying open and vnclosed would soone be +washt forth and consumed. + +{SN: Of the clensing of lands, or drawing of water-furrowes.} +Now sith I haue here occasion to speake something of the draining of +lands, and the keeping of them from the annoyance of superfluous wet, +whether it be by invndation or otherwise, you shall vnderstand that it +is the especiall office and dutie of euery good Husbandman, not onely in +this soile, but in all other whatsoeuer, to haue a principall respect to +the keeping of his land dry, and to that end hee shall diligently (as +soone as he hath Winter-rigged his land) take a carefull view how his +lands lie, which way the descent goes from whence annoyance or water may +possibly come, and so consequently from those obseruations, with a Spade +or strong Plough, of extraordinary greatnesse, draw certaine deepe +furrowes from descent vnto descent, by which meanes all the water may be +conuayed from his lands, eyther into some common Sewer, Lake, Brooke, or +other maine Riuer: and to this end it is both a rule in the common Lawes +of our Land, and a laudable custome in the Common-wealth of euery Towne, +that for as much as many Townes haue their lands lie in common, that is +to say, mixed neighbour with neighbour, few or none hauing aboue two or +three lands at the most lying together in one place, therefore euery man +shall ioyne, and make their water-furrowes one from another, vntill such +time as the water be conuayed into some common issue, as well hee whose +lands be without all danger, as he that is troubled with the greatest +annoyance, and herein euery one shall beare his particular charge: which +is an Act of great vertue and goodnesse. + +{SN: Of the Plough.} +Now for the Plough which is to plow this white sand it doth differ +nothing in size, proportion, and vse of handling from the Plough +described for the red Sand, onely it hath one addition more, that is to +say, at the further end of the maine Beame of the Plough, where you +fixe your Plough-foote, there you shall place a little paire of round +wheeles, which bearing the Beame vpon a loose mouing Axletree, being +iust the length of two furrows and no more, doth so certainly guide the +Plough in his true furrow that it can neither lose the land by swaruing +(as in these light soiles euery Plough is apt to doe) nor take too much +land, eyther by the greedinesse of the plough or sharpnesse of the +Irons, neither can it drownd through the easie lightnesse of the earth, +nor runne too shallow through the fussinesse of the mould, but the +wheeles being made of a true proportion, which should not be aboue +twelue inches from the centre, the Plough with a reasonable hand of +gouernment shall runne in a direct and euen furrow: the proportion of +which Plough is contained in this Figure. + +{Illustration: The Plough with Wheeles.} + +This plough of all others I hold to be most ancient, and as being the +modell of the first inuention, and at this day is preserued both in +France, Germany, & Italy, and no other proportion of Ploughes knowne, +both as we perceiue by our experience in seeing them plow, & also by +reading of their writings: for neither in _Virgil_, _Columella_, +_Xenophon_, nor any olde Writer: nor in _Heresbachius_, _Steuens_, nor +_Libault_, being later Writers, finde wee any other Plough bequeathed +vnto our memories. Yet it is most certaine, that in many of our English +soiles, this Plough is of little profit, as we finde by daily experience +both in our clayes, and many of our mixt earths: for in truth this +Plough is but onely for light, sandy, or grauelly soiles, as for the +most part these forraine Countries are, especially about the sea-coast, +or the borders of great Cities, from whence these Writers most generally +tooke the presidents for their writings. + +{SN: Of the plough-Irons.} +Now for the parts of this Plough, it consisteth of the same members +which the former Ploughs doe, onely that in stead of the Plough-foote it +hath a paire of wheeles. It hath also but one Hale, in such sort as the +Plough for the gray or white clay. The beame also of this Plough is much +more straight then the former, by which meanes the Skeath is not full so +long. The Irons belonging vnto this Plough are of the fashion of the +former Irons, onely they be somewhat lesse, that is to say, the Coulture +is not so long, neyther so full bent as that for the red Sand, nor so +straight as that for the blacke clay, but as it were holding a meane +betweene both: so likewise the Share is not fully so broad as that for +the red sand, nor so narrow as that for the gray clay, but holds as it +were a middle size betweene both, somewhat leaning in proportion to the +shape of that for the blacke clay. As for the Plough-slip, +Plough-clouts, and other implements which are to defend the wood from +the hardnesse of the earth, they are the same, and in the same wise to +be vsed as those for the red Sand. + +{SN: Of the draught.} +Now for the Draught or Teame which drawes this Plough, they are as in +all other Draughts, Oxen or Horses, but for the number thereof they +differ much from those which are formerly written of: for you shall +vnderstand that in this white sandy soile, which is of all soiles the +lightest, eyther two good Horses, or two good Oxen are a number +sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile whatsoeuer, as by daily +experience we may see in those countries whose soile consists of this +white light Sand, of which wee haue now written: neyther shall the +Plow-man vpon this soile neede any person to driue or order his Plough +more then himselfe: for the soile being so light and easie to cut, the +Plough so nimble, and the Cattell so few and so neare him, hauing euer +his right hand at libertie (because his plough hath but onely a left +hand Hale) he hath liberty euer to carry a goade or whip in his right +hand, to quicken and set forward his Cattell, and also a line which +being fastned to the heads of the Beasts, hee may with it euer when hee +comes to the lands end, stop them and turne them vpon which hand he +pleases. And thus much for the tillage and ordering of this white Sand. + + + + +CHAP. IX. + +_The manner of plowing the Grauell with Pible stones, or the Grauell with +Flint, their Earings, Plough, and implements._ + + +Hauing in the plainest manner I can written sufficiently already of the +foure simple and vncompounded soiles, to wit, two Clayes, blacke and +gray, and two Sands, red and white, it now rests that I also giue you +some perfect touch or taste of the mixt or compounded soiles, as namely, +the grauell which is a kinde of hard sand, clay and stone mixt together: +and of Grauels there be two kindes, that is to say, one that is mixt +with little small Pible stones, as in many parts of Middlesex, Kent, and +Surry: and the Grauell mixt with broad Flints, as in many parts of +Hartford-shire, Essex, and sundry such places. These Grauels are both, +in generall, subiect to much barrainnesse, especially if they be +accompanied with any extraordinary moisture, yet with the good labour of +plowing, and with the cost of much Manure, they are brought to +reasonable fruitfulnesse, where it comes to passe that the Plow-man +which is master of such a soile, if either he liue not neare some Citie +or Market-towne, where great store of Manure, by the concourse of +people, is daily bred, and so consequently is very cheape, or else haue +not in his owne store and breede, meanes to raise good store of Manure, +hee shall seldome thriue and prosper thereupon. Now although in these +grauell soiles there is a diuersity of mixture, as the one mingled with +small Pibles, which indeede is the worst mixture, the other with broad +Flints, which is the better signe of fruitfulnesse: yet in their order +of tillage or Earings, in their weeding and cleansing, and in all other +ardors and obseruations, they differ nothing at all, the beginning and +ending of each seuerall worke being all one. + +Now for the manner of worke belonging vnto these two soiles, it altereth +in no respect nor obseruation eyther in Plough, plowing, manuring, +weeding, or any other thing whatsoeuer, from that of the white sand, the +same times of the yeere, the same Seedes, and the same Earings being +euer to be obserued, wherefore it shall be needlesse to write so amply +of these soiles as of the former, because being all one with the white +Sand, without alteration, it were but to write one thing twice, and +therefore I referre the Reader to the former Chapter, and also the +Husbandman that shall liue vpon either of these soiles, onely with these +few caueats: First, that for the laying his lands, hee shall lay them in +little small stitches, that is, not hauing aboue foure furrowes laid +together, as it were for one land, in such sort as you see in +Hartford-shire, Essex, Middlesex, Kent and Surry: for this soile being +for the most part subiect to much moisture and hardnesse, if it should +be laid in great lands, according to the manner of the North parts, it +would ouer-burden, choake and confound the seed which is throwne into +it. Secondly, you shall not goe about to gather off the stones which +seeme as it were to couer the lands, both because the labour is infinite +and impossible, as also because those stones are of good vse, and as it +were a certaine Manuring and helpe vnto the ground: for the nature of +this Grauell being colde and moist, these stones doe in the winter time, +defend and keepe the sharpnesse of the Frosts and bleake windes from +killing the heart or roote of the seedes, and also in the Summer it +defends the scorching heate of the Sunne from parching and drying vp the +Seede, which in this grauelly soile doth not lie so well couered, as in +other soyles, especially if this kinde of earth be inuironed with any +great hils (as most commonly it is) the reflection whereof makes the +heate much more violent. And lastly, to obserue that there is no manure +better or more kindly for this kinde of earth then Chaulke, white Marle, +or Lyme: for all other matters whatsoeuer the former Chapter of the +white Sand, will giue you sufficient instructions. + + + + +CHAP. X. + +_The manner of plowing the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, and the white +Clay mixt with white Sand, their Earings, Plough and Implements._ + + +Next to these grauelly soiles, there be also two other compounded +earths, as namely, the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, and the white +Clay mixt with white sand, which albe they differ in composition of +mould, yet they hold one nature in their Tillage and Husbandry: +wherefore first to speake of the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, which +(as before I said) is called of Husbandmen an hassell earth, you shall +vnderstand that it is a very rich and good soile, very fruitfull both +for Corne and Grasse: for Corne, being apt to beare any seede +whatsoeuer: and for Grasse, as naturally putting it forth very earely in +the yeere, by which your Cattell shall get reliefe sooner then in other +soiles of colder nature: for both the blacke and white claies doe +seldome flowrish with any store of Grasse before Iune, which is the +time of wood-seare, and this soile will boast of some plenty about the +beginning of Aprill at the furthest: but for Grasse we shall speake in +his proper place. + +{SN: Of fallowing.} +Now for his tillage it is thus: you shall about the middest of Ianuary, +beginne to fallow that field which you intend that yeere shall lye at +rest or tilth, and you shall fallow it in such sort as is specified in +the Chapter of the blacke clay: onely you shall raise small furrowes and +Plow the land cleane, being sure to open and cast the land downeward if +the land lie high and round, otherwise you shall neuer at any time cast +the land downe but ridge it vp, that is to say, when you fallow it, you +shall cast the first furrow downeward, and so likewise the second, which +two furrowes being cleane ploughed, will lay the land open inough, that +is, there wilbe no part of the ridge vnploughed: which done, by changing +your hand and the gate of your Plough, you shall plough those furrowes +backe againe and lay them vpward, and so plough the whole land vpward, +also laying it round and high: the reason for this manner of plowing +being this, that for as much as this land being mixt of clay and sand, +must needes be a sore binding land, therefore if it should be laid flat, +if any great raine or wet should fall, and a present drought follow it, +neither should you possibly force your Plough to enter into it and +breake it, or being broken should you get so much mould as to couer your +Corne and giue the seede comfort, whereas vpon the contrary part, if it +be laid high and vpright, it must necessarily be laid hollow and light, +in so much that you may both Plough it at your pleasure, and also beget +so perfect a mould as any other soile whatsoeuer, both because the wet +hath liberty to auoide through the hollownesse, and also because the +Sunne and weather hath power to enter and season it, wherefore in +conclusion you shall fallow this field downeward if it lye high and +vpright, otherwise you shall fallow it vpward as the meanes to bring it +to the best Ardor. + +Now for this fallow field it must euer be made where the yeere before +you did reape your Pease, in case you haue but three fields, or where +you did reape your Wheate, Rye, and Maslin, in case you haue foure +fields, according to the manner of the blacke clay. + +{SN: Of sowing Pease.} +About the middest of February, which is within a day or two of Saint +_Valentines_ day, if the season be any thing constant in fairenesse and +drinesse, you shall then beginne to sow your Pease, for you must +vnderstand that albeit this soile will beare Beanes, yet they are +nothing so naturall for it as Pease, both because they are an hungry +seede and doe much impaire and wast the ground, and also because they +prosper best in a fat, loose, and tough earth, which is contrary to this +hard and drie soile: but especially if you haue foure fields, you shall +forbeare to sow any Beanes at all, least you loose two commodities, that +is, both quantitie of graine (because Beanes are not so long and +fruitfull vpon this earth, as vpon the clayes) and the Manuring of your +ground, which Pease out of their owne natures doe, both by the +smoothering of the ground and their owne fatnesse, when your Beanes doe +pill and sucke the hart out of the earth. + +Now for the manner of sowing your Pease, you shall sow them aboue +furrow, that is, first plough the land vpward, then immediately sow your +Pease, and instantly after Harrow them, the Plough, the Seedes-man, and +the Harrower, by due course, following each other, and so likewise you +may sow Oates vpon this soile. + +{SN: Of sowing Barley.} +About the middest of March, which is almost a fortnight before our Lady +day, you shall beginne to sow your Barley, which Barley you shall sow +neither vnder-furrow nor aboue, but after this order: first, you shall +plow your land downeward, beginning at the furrow and so assending +vpward to the ridge of the land, which as soone as you haue opened, you +shall then by pulling the plough out of the earth, and laying the +shelboard crosse the ridge, you shall fill the ridge in againe with the +same mould which you plowed vp: this done, your seedes-man shall bring +his Barley and sow the land aboue furrow: after the land is sowne, you +shall then Harrow it as small as may be, first with a paire of woodden +Harrowes, and after with a paire of Iron Harrowes, or else with a double +Oxe Harrow, for this earth being somewhat hard and much binding, will +aske great care and dilligence in breaking. + +{SN: Of sleighting.} +After your Barley is sowne, you shall about the latter end of Aprill +beginne to smooth and sleight your land, both with the backe Harrowes +and with the rouler, and looke what clots they faile to breake, you +shall with clotting beetles beate them asunder, making your mould as +fine and laying your land as smooth as is possible. + +{SN: Of Summer-stirring.} +About the middest of May, you shall, if any wet fall, beginne to +Summer-stirre your land, or if no wet fall, you shall doe your indeauour +to Summer-stirre your land, rather aduenturing to breake two ploughes, +then to loose one day in that labour, knowing this, that one land +Summer-stird in a dry season, is better then three Summer-stird in a wet +or moist weather, both because it giues the earth a better temper, and +kils the weedes with more assurednesse, and as I speake of +Summer-stirring, so I speake of all other Ardors, that the drier they +are done the better they are euer done: and in this season you shall +also gather the stones from your ground. + +{SN: Obiection.} +Now it may be obiected, that if it be best to plough in drie seasons, it +is then best to fallow also in a dry season, and by that meanes not to +beginne to fallow vntill the beginning of May, as is prescribed for the +blacke clay, and so to deferre the Summer-stirring till the next month +after, sith of necessitie Ianuary must either be wet or else vnkindely. + +{SN: Answere.} +To this I make answere, that most true it is, that the land which is +last fallowed is euer the best and most fruitfull, yet this mixt earth +which is compound of sand and clay, is such a binding earth, that if it +be not taken and fallowed in a moist-time of the yeere, as namely, in +Ianuary or February, but suffered to lye till May, at which time the +drought hath so entered into him, that the greatest part of his moisture +is decaied, then I say, the nature of the ground is such and so hard, +that it wilbe impossible to make any plough enter into it, so that you +shall not onely aduenture the losse of that speciall Ardor, but also of +all the rest which should follow after, and so consequently loose the +profit of your land: where contrary wise if you fallow it at the +beginning of the yeere, as in Ianuary, and February, albe they be wet, +yet shall you lay vp your furrowes and make the earth more loose, by +which meanes you shall compasse all the other Earings which belong to +your soile: for to speake briefely, late fallowing belongs vnto claies, +which by drought are made loose and light, and earely fallowings vnto +mixt soiles, such as these which by drinesse doe ingender and binde +close together. + +{SN: Of weeding.} +About the middest of Iune, you shall beginne to weede your Corne, in +such sort as hath beene before described in the former Chapters: and +although this soile naturally of it selfe (if it haue receiued his whole +Ardor in due seasons, and haue beene Ploughed cleane, according to the +office of a good Husband) doth neither put forth Thistle or other weede, +yet if it want either the one or the other, it is certaine that it puts +them forth in great abundance, for by Thistles and weedes, vpon this +soile, is euer knowne the goodnesse and dilligence of the Husbandman. + +{SN: Of Foiling.} +About the middest of Iuly, you shall beginne to foile your land, in such +sort also as hath beene mentioned in the former Chapters, onely with +this obseruation that if any of your lands lie flat, you shall then, in +your foiling, plough those lands vpward and not downeward, holding your +first precept that in this soile, your lands must lie high, light, and +hollow, which if you see they doe, then you may if you please in your +foiling cast them downeward, because at Winter ridging you may set them +vp againe. + +{SN: Of Manuring.} +Now for as much as in this Chapter I haue hitherto omitted to speake of +Manuring this soile, you shall vnderstand that it is not because I hold +it so rich that it needeth no Manure, but because I know there is +nothing more needfull vnto it then Manure, in so much that I wish not +the Husbandman of this ground to binde himselfe vnto any one particular +season of the yeere for the leading forth of his Manure, but to bestow +all his leasurable houres and rest from other workes onely vpon this +labor, euen through the circuit of the whole yeere, knowing this most +precisely, that at what time of the yeere so euer you shall lay Manure +vpon this earth it will returne much profit. + +As for the choise of Manures vpon this soile they are all those +whatsoeuer, of which I haue formerly intreated in any of the other +Chapters, no Manure whatsoeuer comming amisse to this ground: prouided +that the Husbandman haue this respect to lay vpon his moystest and +coldest ground his hottest Manures, and vpon his hottest and driest +earth his coolest and moistest Manures: the hot Manures being +Sheepes-dung, Pigions-dung, Pullen-dung, Lyme, Ashes, and such like: the +coole being Oxe-dung, Horse-dung, the scowrings of Ponds, Marle, and +such like. + +{SN: Of Winter-ridging.} +About the middest of September you shall beginne to Winter-ridge your +Land, which in all points you shall doe according as is mentioned in the +former Chapters of the Clayes: for in this Ardor there is neuer any +difference, onely this one small obseruation, that you may aduenture to +Winter-ridge this mixt earth sooner then any other: for many of our best +English Husbandmen which liue vpon this soile doe hold this opinion, +that if it be Winter-ridged so earely in the yeere, that through the +vertue of the latter spring it put forth a certaine greene weede like +mosse, bring short and soft, that the land is so much the better +therefore, being as they imagine both fed and comforted by such a +slender expression which doth not take from the land any hart, but like +a warme couering doth ripen and make mellow the mould, and this cannot +be effected but onely by earely Winter-ridging. + +{SN: Of Sowing of Wheate, Rye, and Maslin.} +At the end of September you shall beginne to sow your Wheate, Rye, and +Maslin, all which Graines are very naturall, good, and profitable vpon +this soile, and are to be sowne after the same manner, and with the same +obseruations which are specified in the former Chapter of the blacke +clay, that is to say, the Wheate vnder furrow, and vnharrowed, the Rye +and Maslin aboue furrow, and well harrowed. And herein is also to be +remembred all those precepts mentioned in the Chapter of the blacke +Clay, touching the diuision of the fields, that is to say, if you haue +three fields, you shall then sow your Wheate, Rye and Maslin in your +fallow-field, and so saue both the Foyling and double manuring of so +much earth: but if you haue foure fields, then you shall sow those +graines vpon that land from whence the same yeere you did reape your +Pease; your Wheate hauing no other Manure then that which came by the +Pease, your Rye hauing, if possible, eyther Manure from the Cart, or +from the Folde, in such sort as hath beene shewed in the Chapter of the +blacke Clay, and this of Husbandmen is called Inam-wheate or Inam-rye, +that is, white-corne sowne after white-corne, as Barley after Barley, or +hard-corne after hard-corne, which is wheate after Pease. + +{SN: Of the plough.} +Now for the Plough which is most proper for this soile it is to be made +of a middle size betwixt that for the blacke Clay, and that for the red +Sand, being not all out so bigge and vnwieldy as the first, nor so +slender and nimble as the latter, but taking a middle proportion from +them both, you shall make your Plough of a competent fitnesse. + +{SN: Of the plough-Irons.} +As for the Irons, the Share must be of the same proportion that the +Share for the red Sand is, yet a little thought bigger, and the Coulture +of the fashion of that Coulture, onely not full so much bent, but +all-out as sharpe and as long: and these Irons must be euer well +maintained with steele, for this mixt earth is euer the hardest, and +weareth both the Plough and Irons soonest, and therefore it is agreed +by all Husbandmen that this Plough must not at any time want his +Plough-slip, except at the first going of the Plough you shall finde +that it hath too much land, that is to say, by the crosse setting on of +the beame, that it runneth too greedily into the land, which to helpe, +you shall let your Plough goe without a plough-slip, till the +plough-head be so much worne, that it take no more but an ordinary +furrow, and then you shall set on your Plough-slips and Plough clouts +also: but I write this in case there be imperfection in the Plough, +which if it be otherwise, then this obseruation is needlesse. + +{SN: Of the Teame.} +Now for the Teame or Draught which shall draw this Plough, they are as +the former, Oxen or Horses, and their number the same that is prescribed +for the blacke Clay, as namely, eight or sixe Beasts for Pease-earth, +for Fallowing, and Summer-stirring, and sixe or foure for all other +Ardors: for you must vnderstand that this mixt and binding soile, +through his hardnesse, and glutenous holding together, is as hard to +plow as any clay-soile whatsoeuer, and in some speciall seasons more by +many degrees. + +{SN: Of the white clay with white Sand.} +Now for the white clay mixt with white sand, it is an earth much more +barraine, then this former mixt earth, and bringeth forth nothing +without much care, diligence, and good order: yet, for his manner of +Earings, in their true natures euery way doe differ nothing from the +Earings of this blacke clay and red Sand, onely the Seede which must be +sowne vpon this soile differeth from the former: for vpon this soile in +stead of Barley you must sow most Oates, as a Graine which will take +much strength from little fertilitie: and in stead of Rye you shall sow +more Wheate and more Pease, or in stead of Pease then you shall sow +Fitches of eyther kinde which you please, and the increase will be +(though not in abundance, yet) so sufficient as shall well quit the +Plow-mans labour. + +{SN: Of Manuring.} +Now for the Manuring of this ground, you shall vnderstand that Marle is +the chiefest: for neyther will any man suppose that this hard soile +should bring vp cattell sufficient to manure it, nor if it would, yet +that Manure were not so good: for a barraine clay being mixt with a most +barraine sand, it must consequently follow that the soile must be of all +the barenest, insomuch that to giue perfect strength and life vnto it, +there is nothing better then Marle, which being a fat and strong clay, +once incorporated within these weake moulds, it must needes giue them +the best nourishment, loosening the binding substance, and binding that +weaknesse which occasioneth the barrainnesse: but of this Marle I shall +haue more occasion to speake hereafter in a particular Chapter, onely +thus much I must let you vnderstand, that this soile, albe it be not +within any degree of praise for the bringing forth of Corne, yet it is +very apt and fruitfull for the breeding of grasse, insomuch that it will +beare you corne for at least nine yeeres together (without the vse of +any fallow or Tilth-field) if it be well marled, and immediately after +it will beare you very good breeding grasse, or else reasonable Medow +for as many yeeres after, as by daily experience we see in the Countries +of Lancaster and Chester. So that the consequence being considered, this +ground is not but to be held indifferent fruitfull: for whereas other +soiles afore shewed (which beare abundance of Graine) are bound to be +manured once in three yeeres, this soile, albe it beare neither so rich +graine, nor so much plenty, yet it needes marling not aboue once in +sixteene or eighteene yeeres: and albe Marle be a Manure of the greatest +cost, yet the profit by continuance is so equall that the labour is +neuer spent without his reward, as shall more largely appeare hereafter. + +{SN: Of the Plough.} +As touching the Plough, it is the same which is mentioned in the other +soile of the blacke Clay, and red Sand, altering nothing eyther in +quantitie of timber, or strength of Irons: so that to make any large +description thereof, is but to double my former discourses, and make my +writings tedious. + +For to conclude briefely, these two soiles differ onely but in fatnesse +and strength of nature, not in Earing, or plowing, so that the labours +of tillage being equall there is not any alteration more then the true +diligence of much manuring, which will breede an affinitie or alyance +betwixt both these soiles. And thus much for this blacke Clay and red +Sand, or white Clay and white Sand. + + + + +{Illustration} + + THE + FIRST PART + OF THE ENGLISH + Husbandman: + Contayning, the manner of plowing and Manuring all sorts of Soyles, + together with the manner of planting and setting of Corne. + + + + +CHAP. I. + +_Of the manner of plowing all simple Earths, which are vncompounded._ + + +That many famous and learned men, both in Fraunce, Spaine, Italy and +Germany, haue spent all their best time in shewing vnto the world the +excellencie of their experiences, in this onely renowned Arte of +Husbandry, their large and learned Volumes, most excellently written, in +that kinde, are witnesses: from whence we by translations haue gotten +some contentment, though but small profit; because those forraine +clymates, differing much from ours, both in nature of earth, and temper +of Ayre, the rules and obseruations belonging vnto them can be little +auailable to vs, more then to know what is done in such parts, a thing +more appertaining to our conference then practise. But now, that other +kingdomes may see though wee write lesse yet wee know as much as +belongeth to the office of the English Husbandman, I, though the meanest +of many millions, haue vndertaken to deliuer vnto the world all the true +rudiments, obseruations and knowledges what soeuer, which hath any +affinitie or alliance with English Husbandry. And for as much as the +best and principallest part of Husbandry consisteth in the plowing and +earring of the ground (for in that onely _Adam_ began his first labours) +I thinke it not vnmeete, first to treate of that subiect, proceeding so +from braunch to braunch, till I haue giuen euery one sufficient +knowledge. + +To speake then first of the Tilling of Grounds. You shall well +vnderstand, that it is the office of euery good Husbandman before he put +his plough into the earth, truly to consider the nature of his Grounds, +and which is of which quallitie and temper. To proceede then to our +purpose; all soyles what soeuer, in this our kingdome of England, are +reduced into two kindes onely, that is to say, Simple or Compound. +Simple, are those which haue no mixture with others of a contrary +quallitie, as are your stiffe clayes, or your loose sands: your stiffe +clayes are likewise diuers, as a blacke clay, a blew clay, and a clay +like vnto Marble. Your sands are also diuers, as a red sand, a white +sand, a yellow sand, and a sand like vnto dust. Your mixt earths are +where any of these clayes and sands are equally or vnindifferently mixed +together, as shalbe at large declared hereafter. Now as touching the +tilling of your simple clayes, it is to be noted, that the blacke clay, +of all earth, is the most fruitfull, and demandeth from the Husbandman +the least toyle, yet bringeth forth his increase in the greatest +abundance: it will well and sufficiently bring forth three crops, eare +it desire rest: namely, the first of Barly, the second of Pease, and the +third of Wheate: It doth not desire much Manure, for it is naturally of +it selfe so fat, rich, and fruitfull, that if you adde strength vnto his +strength, by heaping Manure or Compasse thereupon, you make it either +blast, and mildew the Corne that growes, with the too much fatnesse of +the earth, or else through his extreame rankenesse, to bring it vp in +such abundance that it is not able to stand vpright when it is shot vp, +but falling downe flat to the ground, and the eares of Corne smothering +one another, they bring forth nothing but light Corne, like an emptie +huske, without a kirnell. The best Manure or Compasse therefore that you +can giue such ground, is then to plow it in orderly and dew seasons, as +thus: you shall begin to fallow, or breake vp this soyle, at the +beginning of May, at which time you shall plow it deepe, & take vp a +large furrow, and if your Lands lye any thing flat, it shalbe meete that +you begin on the ridge of the land, and turne all your furrowes vpward, +but if your Lands lye high and vpright, then shall you begin in the +furrow and turne all your furrowes downeward, which is called of +Husbandmen, the casting downe of Land. This first plowing of ground, or +as Husbandmen tearme it, the first ardor, is called fallowing: the +second ardor, which we call stirring of ground, or sommer stirring, you +shall begin in Iuly, which is of great consequence, for by meanes of it +you shall kill all manner of weedes and thistells that would annoy your +Land. In this ardor you must oft obserue that if when you fallowed you +did set vp your Land, then now when you stirre you must cast downe your +Land, and so contrarily, if before you did cast downe, then now you must +set vp: your third ardor, which is called of Husbandmen, winter +ridgeing, or setting vp Land for the whole yeere, you shall begin at the +latter end of September, and you must euer obserue that in this third +ardor you doe alwaies ridge vp your Land, that is to say, you most turne +euery furrow vpward and lay them as close together as may be, for +should you doe otherwise, that is to say, either lay them flat or +loosely, the winter season would so beat and bake them together, that +when you should sow your seede you would hardly get your plough into the +ground. + +Now your fourth and last ardor, which must be when you sow your seede, +you shall begin euer about the midst of March, at least one weeke before +our Ladies day, commonly called the Annunciation of _Mary_, and this +ardor you shall euer plow downeward, laying your ridges very well open, +and you shall euer obserue in this ardor, first to sow your seede, and +then after to plow your ground, turning your seede into the earth, which +is called of Husbandmen, sowing vnderfurrow: as soone as your ground is +plowed you shall harrow it with an harrow whose teeth are all of wood, +for these simple earths are of easie temper and will of themselues fall +to dust, then after you haue thus sowne your ground, if then there +remaine any clots or lumpes of earth vnbroken, you shall let them rest +till after the next shower of raine, at which time you shall either with +a heauie rouler, or the backside of your harrowes, runne ouer your +Lands, which is called the sleighting of ground, and it will not onely +breake such clots to dust, but also lay your Land plaine and smoth, +leauing no impediment to hinder the Corne from sprouting and comming +forth. In this same ordor as you are appointed for this blacke clay, in +this same manner you shall ordor both your blew clay & your clay which +is like vnto marble. Now as touching the plough which is fittest for +these clayes, it must be large and strong, the beame long and well +bending, the head thicke and large, the skeeth broad, strong, and well +sloaping, the share with a very large wing, craueing much earth, and the +coulter long, thicke and very straight. + +Now touching those lands which are simple and vncompounded, you shall +vnderstand that euery good Husbandman must begin his first ardor (which +is to fallow them) at the beginning of Ianuary, hee must sooner stirre +them, which is the second ardor, at the latter end of Aprill, he shall +cast them downe againe, which is called foyling of Land, at the +beginning of Iuly, which is the third ardor, and wherein is to be noted, +that how soeuer all other ardors are plowed, yet this must euer be cast +downward: the fourth ardor, which is winter-stirring or winter-ridgeing, +must euer begin at the end of September, and the fift and last ardor +must be performed when you sow your ground, which would be at the +middest of May, at the soonest, and if your leasure and abilitie will +giue you leaue, if you turne ouer your ground againe in Ianuary, it will +be much better, for these sands can neuer haue too much plowing, nor too +much Manure, and therefore for them both, you shall apply them so oft as +your leasure will conueniently serue, making no spare when either the +way or opportunitie will giue you leaue. Now for as much as all sands, +being of a hot nature, are the fittest to bring foorth Rye, which is a +graine delighting in drynesse onely, you shall vnderstand, that then you +shall not need to plow your ground aboue foure times ouer, that is, you +shall fallow, sommer stirre, foyle, and in September sow your Corne: and +as these ardors serue the red sand, so are they sufficient for your +white sand, and your yealow sand also. As touching the ploughes fit for +these light earths, they would be little and strong, hauing a short +slender beame and a crooked; a narrow and thinne head, a slender skeeth, +a share without a wing, a coulter thinne and very crooked, and a paire +of hales much bending forward towards the man; and with this manner of +plough you may plow diuers mixt and compounded earths, as the blacke +clay and red sand, or the red sand and white grauell: and thus much as +touching earths that are simple and vncompounded. + + + + +CHAP. II. + +_Of the manner of plowing the blacke clay mixt with white sand, and the +white clay mixt with red sand: their Earrings, Plough, and Implements._ + + +As touching the mixture of these two seuerall soyles, that is to say, +the blacke clay with white sand, and the white clay with red sand, they +differ not in the nature of plowing, sowing, or in Manuring, from the +soyle which is mixt of a blacke clay and red sand, of which I haue +sufficiently intreated before: onely thus much you shall vnderstand, +that the blacke clay mixt with white sand is so much better and richer +then the white clay mixt with red sand, by as much as the blacke clay is +better then the white clay: and although some Husbandmen in our Land, +hould them to be both of one temper and goodnesse, reasoning thus, that +by how much the blacke clay is better then the white, by so much the red +sand is better then the white sand, so that what the mixture of the one +addeth, the mixture of the other taketh away, and so maketh them all one +in fruitfulnesse and goodnesse: but in our common experience it doth not +so fall out, for wee finde that the blacke clay mixt with white sand, if +it be ordered in the forme of good Husbandry, that is to say, be plowed +ouer at least foure times, before it come to be sowne, and that it be +Manured and compassed in Husbandly fashion, which is to allow at least +eight waine-load to an Aker, that if then vpon such Land you shall sow +either Organe Wheat (in the south parts called red Wheat) or flaxen, or +white Pollard Wheat, that such Wheat will often mildew, and turne as +blacke as soote, which onely showeth too much richnesse and fatnesse in +the earth, which the white clay mixt with red sand hath neuer beene +seene to doe, especially so long as it is vsed in any Husbandly +fashion, neither will the white clay mixt with red sand indure to be +deuided into foure fields, that is to say, to beare three seuerall +crops, one after another, as namely, Barly, Pease, and Wheat, without +rest, which the blacke clay mixt with white sand many times doth, and +thereby againe showeth his better fruitfulnesse: neuerthelesse, in +generalitie I would not wish any good Husbandman, and especially such as +haue much tillage, to deuide either of these soyles into any more then +three fields, both because hee shall ease himselfe and his Cattell of +much toyle, shall not at any time loose the best seasons for his best +workes, and make his commodities, and fruit of his hands labours, by +many degrees more certaine. + +You shall also vnderstand, that both these soyles are very much binding, +especially the white clay with red sand, both because the clay, +proceeding from a chaukie and limie substance, and not hauing in it much +fatnesse or fertillitie (which occasioneth seperation) being mixt with +the red sand, which is of a much more hardnesse and aptnesse to knit +together, with such tough matter, it must necessarilie binde and cleaue +together, and so likewise the blacke clay, from whence most naturally +proceedeth your best limestone, being mixt with white sand, doth also +binde together and stifle the seede, if it be not preuented by good +Husbandry. + +You shall therefore in the plowing and earring of these two soyles, +obserue two especiall notes; the first, that by no meanes you plow it in +the wet, that is, in any great glut of raine: for if you either lay it +vp, or cast it downe, when it is more like morter then earth, if then +any sunshine, or faire weather, doe immediately follow vpon it, it will +so drie and bake it, that if it be sowne, neither will the seede haue +strength to sprout thorrow it, nor being in any of your other summer +ardors, shall you by any meanes make your plough enter into it againe, +when the season falleth for other plowing. The second, that you haue +great care you lay your Land high and round, that the furrowes, as it +were standing vpright one by another, or lying light and hollow, one +vpon another, you may with more ease, at any time, enter in your plough, +and turne your moulde which way you please, either in the heate of +Sommer, or any other time of the yeere whatsoeuer. + +Now as touching the plough, which is most best and proper for these +soyles, it would be the same in sise which is formerly directed for the +red sand, onely the Irons must be altered, for the Coulter would be more +long, sharpe, and bending, and the share so narrow, sharpe, and small as +can conueniently be made, according as is formerly expressed, that not +hauing power to take vp any broad furrow, the furrowes by reason of +there slendernesse may lye many, and those many both hollow, light and +at any time easily to be broken. + +As for the Teame which is best to worke in this soyle, they may be +either Horses or Oxen, or Oxen and Horse mixt together, according to the +Husbandmans abillitie, but if hee be a Lord of his owne pleasure and may +commaund, and haue euery thing which is most apt and proper, then in +these two soyles, I preferre the Teame of Horses single, rather then +Oxen, especially in any winter or moist ardor, because they doe not +tread and foyle the ground making it mirie and durtie as the Oxe doth, +but going all in one furrow, doe keepe the Land in his constant +firmenesse. + +As touching the clotting, sleighting, weeding, and dressing of these two +soyles, they differ in nothing from the former mixt earths, but desire +all one manner of dilligence: and thus much for these two soyles the +blacke clay mixt with white sand, and the white clay with white red +sand. + + + + +CHAP. III. + +_A comparison of all the former soyles together, and most especiall notes +for giuing the ignorant Husbandman perfect vnderstanding, of what is +written before._ + + +The reason why I haue thus at large discoursed of euery seuerall soyle, +both simple and compounded, is to show vnto the industrious Husbandman, +the perfect and true reason of the generall alteration of our workes in +Husbandry, through this our Realme of England: for if all our Land, as +it is one kingdome, were likewise of one composition, mixture, and +goodnesse, it were then exceeding preposterous to see those diuersities, +alterations, I, and euen contrary manners of proceedings in Husbandry, +which are daily and hourely vsed: but euery man in his owne worke knowes +the alteration of clymates. Yet for so much as this labour of Husbandry, +consisteth not for the most part in the knowing and vnderstanding +breast, but in the rude, simple, and ignorant Clowne, who onely knoweth +how to doe his labour, but cannot giue a reason why he doth such labour, +more then the instruction of his parents, or the custome of the +Countrie, where it comes to passe (and I haue many times seene the same +to mine admiration) that the skillfullest Clowne which is bred in the +clay soyles, when hee hath beene brought to the sandy ground, hee could +neither hould the plough, temper the plough, nor tell which way in good +order to driue the Cattell, the heauinesse of the one labour being so +contrary to the lightnesse of the other, that not hauing a temperance, +or vnderstanding in his hands, hee hath beene put euen vnto his wittes +ends; therefore I thinke it conuenient, in this place, by a slight +comparison of soyles together, to giue the simplest Husbandman such +direct & plaine rules that he shall with out the study of his braines, +attaine to absolute knowledge of euery seuerall mixture of earth: and +albeit hee shall not be able distinctly to say at the first that it is +compounded of such and such earths, yet hee shall be very able to +deliuer the true reason and manner how such ground (of what nature +soeuer) shall be Husbanded and tilled. + +Therefore to begin the Husbandman, is to vnderstand, that generally +there are but two soyles for him to regard, for in them consisteth the +whole Arte of Husbandry: as namely, the open and loose earth, and the +close and fast binding earth, and these two soyles being meare opposites +and contraries, most necessarily require in the Husbandman a double +vnderstanding, for there is no soyle, of what simplicitie or mixture +soeuer it be, but it is either loose or fast. + +Now to giue you my meaning of these two words, _loose_ and _fast_, it +is, that euery soyle which vpon parching and dry weather, euen when the +Sunne beames scorcheth, and as it were baketh the earth, if then the +ground vpon such exceeding drought doe moulder and fall to dust, so that +whereas before when it did retaine moisture it was heauie, tough, and +not to be seperated, now hauing lost that glewinesse it is light, loose, +and euen with a mans foote to be spurnd to ashes, all such grounds are +tearmed loose and open grounds, because at no time they doe binde in or +imprison the seede (the frost time onely excepted, which is by +accidence, and not from the nature of the soyle:) and all such grounds +as in their moisture or after the fall of any sodaine raine are soft, +plyable, light, and easie to be wrought, but after when they come to +loose that moistnesse and that the powerfulnesse of the Sunne hath as it +were drid vp their veynes, if then such earths become hard, firme, and +not to be seperated, then are those soyles tearmed fast and binding +soyles, for if there ardors be not taken in their due times, and their +seede cast into them in perfect and due seasons, neither is it possible +for the Plowman to plow them, nor for the seede to sprout through, the +earth being so fastned and as it were stone-like fixt together. Now +sithence that all soyles are drawne into these two heads, fastnes, and +loosenesse, and to them is annexed the diuersitie of all tillage, I will +now show the simple Husbandman which earths be loose, and which fast, +and how without curiositie to know and to distinguish them. + +Breifely, all soyles that are simple and of themselues vncompounded, as +namely, all claies, as blacke, white, gray, or blew, and all sands, as +either red, white, or blacke, are open and loose soyles: the claies +because the body and substance of them being held together by moistnes, +that moisture being dryed vp, their strength and stifnesse decayeth, and +sands by reason of their naturall lightnesse, which wanting a more moist +and fixt body to be ioyned with them doe loose all strength of binding +or holding together. Now all mixt or compound earths (except the +compositions of one and the same kinds, as clay with clay, or sand with +sand) are euer fast and binding earths: for betwixt sand and clay, or +clay & grauell, is such an affinitie, that when they be mixt together +the sand doth giue to the clay such hardnesse and drynesse, and the clay +to the sand such moisture and coldnesse, that being fixt together they +make one hard body, which through the warmth of the Sunne bindeth and +cleaueth together. But if it be so that the ignorance of the Husbandman +cannot either through the subtiltie of his eye sight, or the +obseruations gathered from his experience, distinguish of these soyles, +and the rather, sith many soyles are so indifferently mixt, and the +colour so very perfect, that euen skill it selfe may be deceiued: as +first to speake of what mixture some soyles consist, yet for as much as +it is sufficient for the Husbandman to know which is loose and which is +binding, hee shall onely when he is perplext with these differences, vse +this experiment, hee shall take a good lumpe of that earth whose +temperature hee would know, and working it with water and his wet +hands, like a peece of past, he shall then as it were make a cake +thereof, and laying it before an hot fire, there let it lye, till all +the moisture be dried & backt out of it, then taking it into your hands +and breaking it in peeces, if betweene your fingers it moulder and fall +into a small dust, then be assured it is a loose, simple, and +vncompounded earth, but if it breake hard and firme, like a stone, and +when you crumble it betweene your fingers it be rough, greetie, and +shining, then be assured it is a compounded fast-binding earth, and is +compounded of clay and sand, and if in the baking it doe turne red or +redish, it is compounded of a gray clay and red sand, but if it be +browne or blewish, then it is a blacke clay & white sand, but if when +you breake it you finde therein many small pibles, then the mixture is +clay and grauell. Now there be some mixt soyles, after they are thus +bak't, although they be hard and binding, yet they will not be so +exceeding hard and stone-like as other soyles will be, and that is where +the mixture is vnequall, as where the clay is more then the sand, or the +sand more then the clay. + +When you haue by this experiment found out the nature of your earth, and +can tell whether it be simple or compounded, you shall then looke to the +fruitfulnesse thereof, which generally you shall thus distinguish. +First, that clayes, simple and of themselues vncompounded, are of all +the most fruitfull, of which, blacke is the best, that next to clayes, +your mixt earths are most fertill, and the mixture of the blacke clay +and red sand, called a hasell earth, is the best, and that your sands +are of all soyles most barraine, of which the red sand for profit hath +euer the preheminence. + +Now for the generall tillage and vse of these grounds, you shall +vnderstand that the simple and vncompounded grounds, being loose and +open (if they lye free from the danger of water) the Lands may be layd +the flattest and greatest, the furrowes turned vp the largest and +closest, and the plough and plough-Irons, most large and massie, onely +those for the sandy grounds must be more slender then those for the +clayes and much more nimble, as hath beene showed before. Now for the +mixt earths, you shall lay your Lands high, round, and little, set your +furrowes vpright, open, and so small as is possible, and make your +plough and plow Irons most nimble and slender, according to the manner +before specified: and thus I conclude, that hee which knoweth the loose +earth and the binding earth, can either helpe or abate the strength of +the earth, as is needfull, and knowes how to sorte his ploughes to each +temper, knowes the ground and substance of all tillage. + + + + +CHAP. IIII. + +_Of the planting or setting of Corne, and the profit thereof._ + + +Not that I am conceited, or carried away with any nouelty or strange +practise, vnusually practised in this kingdome, or that I will ascribe +vnto my selfe to giue any iudiciall approbation or allowance to things +mearely vnfrequented, doe I publish, within my booke, this relation of +the setting of Corne, but onely because I would not haue our English +Husbandman to be ignorant of any skill or obscure faculty which is +either proper to his profession, or agreeable with the fertillitie and +nature of our clymates, and the rather, since some few yeeres agoe, this +(as it then appeared secret) being with much admiration bruted through +the kingdome, in so much that according to our weake accustomed +dispositions (which euer loues strange things best) it was held so +worthy, both for generall profit and perticular ease, that very fein +(except the discreet) but did not alone put it in practise, but did euen +ground strong beleifes to raise to themselues great common-wealthes by +the profits thereof; some not onely holding insufficient arguments, in +great places, of the invtilitie of the plough, but euen vtterly +contemning the poore cart Iade, as a creature of no necessitie, so that +Poulters and Carriers, were in good hope to buy Horse-flesh as they +bought egges, at least fiue for a penie; but it hath proued otherwise, +and the Husbandman as yet cannot loose the Horses seruice. But to +proceede to the manner of setting or planting of Corne, it is in this +manner. + +{SN: Of setting Wheate.} +Hauing chosen out an aker of good Corne ground, you shall at the +beginning of March, appoint at least sixe diggers or laborers with +spades to digge vp the earth gardenwise, at least a foote and three +inches deepe (which is a large spades graft) and being so digged vp, to +rest till Iune, and then to digge it ouer againe, and in the digging to +trench it and Manure it, as for a garden mould, bestowing at least +sixteene Waine-load of Horse or Oxe Manure vpon the aker, and the Manure +to be well couered within the earth, then so to let it rest vntill the +beginning of October, which being the time for the setting, you shall +then digge it vp the third time, and with rakes and beetells breake the +moulde somewhat small, then shall you take a board of sixe foot square, +which shalbe bored full of large wimble holes, each hole standing in +good order, iust sixe inches one from another, then laying the board +vpon the new digged ground, you shall with a stick, made for the +purpose, through euery hole in the board, make a hole into the ground, +at least fore inches deepe, and then into euery such hole you shall drop +a Corne of Wheate, and so remouing the board from place to place, goe +all ouer the ground that you haue digged, and so set each seuerall Corne +sixe inches one from another, and then with a rake you shall rake ouer +and couer all the holes with earth, in such sort that they may not be +discerned. And herein you are to obserue by the way that a quarte of +Wheate will set your aker: which Wheate is not to be taken as it falles +out by chance when you buy it in the market, but especially culd and +pickt out of the eare, being neither the vppermost Cornes which grow in +the toppes of the eares, nor the lowest, which grow at the setting on of +the stalke, both which, most commonly are light and of small substance, +but those which are in the midst, and are the greatest, fullest, and +roundest. + +{SN: Of setting Barly, or Pease.} +Now in the selfe-same sort as you dresse your ground for your Wheate, in +the selfe same manner you shall dresse your ground for Barly, onely the +first time you digge it shalbe after the beginning of May, the second +time and the Manuring about the midst of October, wherein you shall note +that to your aker of Barly earth, you shall alow at least foure and +twentie Waine-load of Manure, and the last time of your digging and +setting shalbe at the beginning of Aprill. + +Now for the dressing of your earth for the setting of Pease, it is in +all things answerable to that for Barly, onely you may saue the one +halfe of your Manure, because a dosen Waine-load is sufficient, and the +time for setting them, or any other pulse, is euer about the midst of +February. + +{SN: Of the profit of setting Corne.} +Now for the profit which issueth from this practise of setting of Corne, +I must needs confesse, if I shall speake simply of the thing, that is, +how many foulds it doubleth and increaseth, surely it is both great and +wonderfull: and whereas ingenerall it is reputed that an aker of set +Corne yeeldeth as much profit as nine akers of sowne Corne, for mine +owne part I haue seene a much greater increase, if euery Corne set in an +aker should bring forth so much as I haue seene to proceede from some +three or foure Cornes set in a garden, but I feare me the generalitie +will neuer hould with the particular: how euer, it is most certaine that +earth in this sort trimmed and inriched, and Corne in this sort set and +preserued, yeeldeth at least twelue-fold more commoditie then that which +by mans hand is confusedly throwne into the ground from the Hopper: +whence it hath come to passe that those which by a few Cornes in their +gardens thus set, seeing the innumerable increase, haue concluded a +publique profit to arise thereby to the whole kingdome, not looking to +the intricacie, trouble, and casualtie, which attends it, being such and +so insupportable that almost no Husbandman is able to vndergoe it: to +which we need no better testimony then the example of those which hauing +out of meare couetousnesse and lucre of gaine, followed it with all +greedinesse, seeing the mischiefes and inconueniences which hath +incountred their workes, haue euen desisted, and forgotten that euer +there was any such practise, and yet for mine owne part I will not so +vtterly condemne it, that I will depriue it of all vse, but rather leaue +it to the discretion of iudgement, and for my selfe, onely hould this +opinion, that though it may very wel be spared from the generall vse of +Wheat and Barly in this kingdome, yet for hastie-Pease, French Beanes, +and such like pulse, it is of necessary imployment, both in rich and +poore mens gardens. And thus much for the setting of Corne. + + + + +CHAP. V. + +_Of the choice of seede-Corne, and which is best for which soyle._ + + +Hauing thus showed vnto you the seuerall soyles and temperatures of our +English land, together with the order of Manuring, dressing and tillage +of the same, I thinke it meete (although I haue in generall writ +something already touching the seede belonging to euery seuerall earth) +now to proceede to a particular election and choice of seede-Corne, in +which there is great care and diligence to be vsed: for as in Men, +Beasts, Fowle, & euery mouing thing, there is great care taken for the +choice of the breeders, because the creatures bred doe so much +participate of the parents that for the most part they are seene not +onely to carry away their outward figures and semblances, but euen their +naturall conditions and inclinations, good issuing from good, and euill +from euill: so in the choise of seede-Corne, if their be any neglect or +carelessenesse, the crop issuing of such corrupt seede must of force +bring forth a more corrupt haruest, by as much as it exceedeth in the +multiplication. + +{SN: The choise of seede Wheate.} +To proceede therefore to the choise of seede-Corne, I will begin with +Wheate, of which there are diuers kindes, as your whole straw Wheate, +the great browne Pollard, the white Pollard, the Organe or red Wheate, +the flaxen Wheate, and the chilter Wheate. Your whole straw Wheate, and +browne Pollard, are knowne, the first, by his straw, which is full of +pith, and hath in it no hollownesse (whence it comes that Husbandmen +esteeme it so much for their thacking, allowing it to be as good and +durable as reede:) the latter is knowne by his eare, which is great, +white, and smooth, without anes or beard vpon it: in the hand they are +both much like one to another, being of all Wheates the biggest, +roundest and fullest: they be somewhat of a high colour, and haue vpon +them a very thicke huske, which making the meale somewhat browne causeth +the Baker not all together to esteeme them for his purest manchet, yet +the yeeld of flower which cometh from them is as great and greater then +any other Wheate whatsoeuer. These two sortes of Wheate are to be sowne +vpon the fallow field, as crauing the greatest strength and fatnesse of +ground, whence it comes that they are most commonly seene to grow vpon +the richest and stiffest blacke clayes, being a graine of that strength +that they will seldome or neuer mildew or turne blacke, as the other +sortes of Wheate will doe, if the strength of the ground be not abated +before they be throwne into the earth. Now for the choise of these two +Wheates, if you be compelled to buy them in the market, you must regard +that you buy that which is the cleanest and fairest, being vtterly +without any weedes, as darnell, cockell, tares or any other foulnesse +whatsoeuer: you shall looke that the Wheate, as neare as may be, hould +all of one bignesse and all of one colour, for to beholde it contrary, +that is to say, to see some great Cornes, some little, some high +coloured, some pale, so that in their mixture they resemble changeable +taffata, is an apparant signe that the Corne is not of one kinde but +mixt or blended, as being partly whole-straw, partly Pollard, partly +Organe, and partly Chelter. For the flaxen, it is naturally so white +that it cannot be mixt but it may easily be discerned, and these mixt +seedes are neuer good, either for the ground or the vse of man. Againe +you shall carefully looke that neither this kinde of Wheate, nor any +other that you buy for seede be blacke at the ends, for that is a signe +that the graine comming from too rich a soyle was mildewed, and then it +will neuer be fruitfull or proue good seede, as also you shall take care +that it be not too white at the ends, showing the Corne to be as it were +of two colours, for that is a signe that the Wheate was washt and dried +againe, which vtterly confoundeth the strength of the Corne and takes +from it all abilitie of bringing forth any great encrease. Now if it be +so that you haue a crop of Wheate of your owne, so that you haue no need +of the market, you shall then picke out of your choisest sheafes, and +vpon a cleane floare gently bat them with a flaile, and not thresh them +cleane, for that Corne which is greatest, fullest, and ripest, will +first flie out of the eare, and when you haue so batted a competent +quantitie you shall then winnow it and dresse it cleane, both by the +helpe of a strong winde and open siues, and so make it fit for your +seede. + +I haue seene some Husbands (and truely I haue accounted them both good +and carefull) that haue before Wheate seede time both themselues, wiues, +children, and seruants at times of best leasure, out of a great Wheate +mow or bay, to gleane or pull out of the sheafes, eare by eare, the most +principall eares, and knitting them vp in small bundells to bat them and +make their seede thereof, and questionlesse it is the best seede of all +other: for you shall be sure that therein can be nothing but the +cleanest and the best of the Corne, without any weedes or foulnesse, +which can hardly be when a man thresheth the whole sheafe, and although +some men may thinke that this labour is great and troblesome, especially +such as sowe great quantities of Wheate, yet let them thus farre +encourage themselues, that if they doe the first yeere but gleane a +bushell or two (which is nothing amongst a few persons) and sowe it vp +on good Land, the encrease of it will the next yeere goe farre in the +sowing the whole crop: for when I doe speake of this picking of Wheate, +eare by eare, I doe not intend the picking of many quarters, but of so +much as the increase thereof may amount to some quarter. + +Now there is also another regarde to be had (as auailable as any of the +former) in chusing of your seede Wheate, and that is to respect the +soyle from whence you take your seede, and the soyle into which you put +it, as thus. + +If the ground whereon you meane to sowe your Wheat be a rich, blacke, +clay, stiffe and full of fertillitie, you shall then (as neare as you +can) chuse your seede from the barrainest mixt earth you can finde (so +the Wheate be whole-straw or Pollard) as from a clay and grauell, or a +clay and white sand, that your seede comming from a much more barraine +earth then that wherein you put it, the strength may be as it were +redoubled, and the encrease consequently amount to a higher quantitie, +as we finde it proueth in our daylie experience; but if these barraine +soyles doe not afforde you seede to your contentment, it shall not then +be amisse (you sowing your Wheate vpon fallow or tilth ground) if you +take your seede-Wheate either from an earth of like nature to your owne, +or from any mixt earth, so that such seede come from the niams, that is, +that it hath beene sowne after Pease, as being the third crop of the +Land, and not from the fallow or tilth ground, for it is a maxiome +amongst the best Husbands (though somewhat proposterous to common sence) +bring to your rich ground seede from the barraine, and to the barraine +seede from the rich, their reason (taken from their experience) being +this, that the seede (as before I said) which prospereth vpon a leane +ground being put into a rich, doth out of that superfluitie of warmth, +strength and fatnesse, double his increase; and the seede which commeth +from the fat ground being put into the leane, hauing all the vigour, +fulnesse and iuyce of fertilnes, doth not onely defend it selfe against +the hungrinesse of the ground but brings forth increase contrary to +expectation; whence proceedeth this generall custome of good Husbands in +this Land, that those which dwell in the barraine woode Lands, heathes +and high mountaine countries of this kingdome, euer (as neere as they +can) seeke out their seede in the fruitfull low vales, and very gardens +of the earth, & so likewise those in the vales take some helpes also +from the mountaines. + +Now for your other sortes of Wheate, that is to say, the white Pollard +and the Organe, they are graines nothing so great, full, and large, as +the whole straw, or browne Pollard, but small, bright, and very thinly +huskt: your Organe is very red, your Pollard somewhat pale: these two +sorts of Wheate are best to be sowne vpon the third or fourth field, +that is to say, after your Pease, for they can by no meanes endure an +ouer rich ground, as being tender and apt to sprout with small moisture, +but to mildew and choake with too much fatnesse, the soyles most apt for +them are mixt earths, especially the blacke clay and red sand, or white +clay and red sand, for as touching other mixtures of grounds, they are +for the most part so barraine, that they will but hardly bring forth +Wheate vpon their fallow field, and then much worse vpon a fourth field. +Now for any other particular choise of these two seedes, they are the +same which I shewed in the whole straw, and great Pollard. As for the +flaxen Wheate, and chilter Wheate, the first, is a very white Wheate +both inward and outward, the other a pale red or deepe yellow: they are +the least of all sorts of Wheate, yet of much more hardnes and +toughnesse in sprouting, then either the Organe or white Pollard, and +therefore desire somewhat a more richer soyle, and to that end they are +for the most part sowne vpon fallow fields, in mixt earths, of what +natures or barrainenesse soeuer, as is to be seene most generally ouer +all the South parts of this Realme: and although vncompounded sands out +of their owne natures, doe hardly bring forth any Wheate, yet vpon some +of the best sands and vpon the flintie grauels, I haue seene these two +Wheates grow in good abundance, but being seldome it is not so much to +be respected. + +{SN: The choise of seede Rye.} +After your Wheate you shall make choise of your Rie, of which there is +not diuers kindes although it carrie diuers complections, as some +blackish, browne, great, full and long as that which for the most part +growes vpon the red sand, or red clay, which is three parts red sand +mixt with blacke clay, and is the best Rie: the other a pale gray Rie, +short, small, and hungry, as that which growes vpon the white sand, or +white clay and white sand, and is the worst Rie. Now you shall +vnderstand that your sand grounds are your onely naturall grounds for +Rie, as being indeede not principally apt for any other graine, +therefore when you chuse your Rie for seede, you shall chuse that which +is brownest, full, bould, and longest, you shall haue great care that it +be free from weedes or filth, sith your sand grounds, out of their owne +naturall heat, doth put forth such store of naughtie weeds, that except +a man be extraordinarily carefull, both in the choise and dressing of +his Rie, he may easily be deceiued and poyson his ground with those +weedes, which with great difficultie are after rooted out againe. Now +for your seedes to each soyle, it is euer best to sow your best sand-Rie +vpon your best clay ground, and your best clay-Rie vpon your best sand +ground, obseruing euer this generall principle, not onely in Rie, but +euen in Wheat, Barly, Pease and other graine of account, that is, euer +once in three yeeres, to change all your seede, which you shall finde +both to augment your encrease and to returne you double profit. + +{SN: The choise of seede-Barly.} +Now for the choise of your seede-Barly, you shall vnderstand, that for +as much as it is a graine of the greatest vse, & most tendernesse, +therefore there is the greatest diligence to be vsed in the election +thereof. Know then that of Barly there be diuers sorts, as namely, that +which wee call our common Barly, being long eares with two rankes of +Corne, narrow, close, and vpright: another called spike or +batteldore-Barly, being a large eare with two rankes of Corne, broad, +flat, and in fashion of a batteldore: and the third called beane-Barly, +or Barly big, being a large foure-square eare, like vnto an eare of +Wheate. + +Of these three Barlyes the first is most in vse, as being most apt and +proper to euery soyle, whether it be fruitfull or barraine, in this our +kingdome, but they haue all one shape, colour and forme, except the +soyle alter them, onely the spike-Barly is most large and plentifull, +the common Barly hardest and aptest to grow, and the beane-Barly least, +palest, & tenderest, so that with vs it is more commonly seene in +gardens then in fields, although in other Countries, as in Fraunce, +Ireland, and such like, they sowe no other Barly at all, but with vs it +is of no such generall estimation, and therefore I will neither giue it +precedencie nor speake of it, otherwise then to referre it to the +discreation of him who takes delight in many practises: but for the +common Barly, or spike-Barly, which our experience findes to be +excellent and of great vse, I will knit them in one, and write, my full +opinion of them, for their choise in our seede. You shall know then that +when you goe into the market to chuse Barly for your seede, you shall to +your best power elect that which is whitest, fullest, and roundest, +being as the ploughman calles it, a full bunting Corne, like the nebbe +or beake of a Bunting, you shall obserue that it be all of one Corne, +and not mingled, that is, clay Barly, and sand Barly together, which you +shall distinguish by these differences: the clay Barly is of a palish, +white, yellow colour; smoth, full, large, and round, and the sand Barly +is of a deepe yellow, browne at the neather end, long, slender, and as +it were, withered, and in generall no sand Barly is principall good for +seede: but if the Barly be somewhat of a high colour, and browne at the +neather end, yet notwithstanding is very full, bould, and bigge, then it +is a signe that such Barly comes not from the sand, but rather from an +ouer fat soyle, sith the fatnesse of the earth doth euer alter the +complection of the Barly; for the whiter Barly euer the leaner soyle, +and better seede: you shall also obserue, that there be not in it any +light Corne, which is a kinde of hungry graine without substance, which +although it filleth the seeds-mans hand, yet it deceiueth the ground, +and this light Corne will commonly be amongst the best Barly: for where +the ground is so rich that it bringeth forth the Barly too rankely, +there the Corne, wanting power to stand vpon roote, falleth to the +ground, and so robde of kindly ripening, bringeth forth much light and +insufficient graine. Next this, you shall take care that in your +seede-Barly there be not any Oates, for although they be in this case +amongst Husbandmen accounted the best of weede, yet are they such a +disgrace, that euery good Husband will most diligently eschew them, and +for that cause onely will our most industrious Husbands bestow the +tedious labour of gleaning their Barly, eare by eare, by which +gleanings, in a yeere, or two, they will compasse their whole seede, +which must infallibly be without either Oates or any weede whatsoeuer: +and although some grounds, especially your richest blacke clayes, will +out of the abundance of their fruitfulnesse (as not induring to be Idle) +bring forth naturally a certaine kinde of wilde Oates, which makes some +ignorant Husbands lesse carefull of their seede, as supposing that those +wilde ones are a poisoning to their graine, but they are infinetly +deceiued: for such wilde Oates, wheresoeuer they be, doe shake and fall +away long before the Barly be ready, so that the Husbandman doth carry +of them nothing into the Barne, but the straw onely. Next Oates, you +must be carefull that there be in your Barly no other foule weede: for +whatsoeuer you sow, you must looke for the increase of the like nature, +and therefore as before I said in the Wheate, so in the Barly, I would +wish euery good Husband to imploy some time in gleaning out of his Mow +the principall eares of Barly, which being batted, drest, and sowne, by +it selfe, albeit no great quantitie at the first, yet in time it may +extend to make his whole seede perfect, and then hee shall finde his +profit both in the market, where hee shall (for euery vse) sell with the +deerest, and in his owne house where he shall finde his yeeld redoubled. + +Now for fitting of seuerall seedes to seuerall soyles, you shall +obserue, that the best seede-Barly for your clay field, is ninam Barly, +sowne vpon the clay field, that is to say, Barly which is sowne where +Barly last grew, or a second crop of Barly: for the ground hauing his +pride abated in the first croppe, the second, though it be nothing neere +so much in quantitie, yet that Corne which it doth bring forth is most +pure, most white, most full, and the best of all seedes whatsoeuer, and +as in case of this soyle, so in all other like soyles which doe hould +that strength or fruitfulnesse in them that they are either able of +themselues, or with some helpe of Manure in the latter end of the yeere, +to bring forth two croppes of Barly, one after the other: but if either +your soyle deny you this strength, or the distance of place bereaue you +of the commoditie thereof, then you shall vnderstand that Barly from a +hasell ground is the best seede, for the clay ground, and Barly from the +clay ground is the best seede, not onely for the hasell earth, but euen +for all mixt earths whatsoeuer, and the Barly which proceedes from the +mixt earths is the best seede for all simple and vncompounded sands or +grauells, as wee finde, both by their increasings and dayly experience. + +{SN: The choise of seede-Beanes, Pease, and Pulse.} +Now for the choise of seede-Beanes, Pease, or other Pulse, the scruple +is nothing neere so great as of other seedes, because euery one that +knowes any graine, can distinguish them when hee sees them: besides they +are of that massie waight, and so well able to indure the strength of +the winde, that they are easie to be seuered from any weede or filth +whatsoeuer: it resteth therefore that I onely giue you instruction how +to imploy them. + +You shall vnderstand therefore, that if your soyle be a stiffe, blacke, +rich, clay, that then your best seede is cleane Beanes, or at the least +three partes Beanes, and but one part Pease: if it be a gray, or white +clay, then Beanes and Pease equally mixt together: if the best mixt +earths, as a blacke clay and red sand, blacke clay and white sand, or +white clay and red sand, then your seede must be cleane Pease onely: if +it be white clay and white sand, blacke clay and blacke sand, then your +seede must be Pease and Fitches mixt together: but if it be grauell or +sand simple, or grauell and sand compounded, then your seede must be +either cleane Fitches, cleane Bucke, or cleane Tares, or else Fitches, +Bucke and Tares mixt together. + +{SN: The choise of seede-Oates.} +Now to conclude with the choise of your Oates. You shall vnderstand that +there be diuers kindes of them, as namely, the great long white Oate, +the great long blacke Oate, the cut Oate, and the skegge: the two first +of these are knowne by their greatnesse and colours, for they are long, +full, bigge, and smooth, and are fittest to be sowne vpon the best of +barraine grounds, for sith Oates are the worst of graine, I will giue +them no other prioritie of place. The next of these, which is the cut +Oate, it is of a pale yealow colour, short, smooth, and thicke, the +increase of them is very great, and they are the fittest to be sowne +vpon the worst of best grounds, for most commonly where you see them, +you shall also see both good Wheate, good Barly, and good Beanes and +Pease also. Now for the skegge Oate, it is a little, small, hungry, +leane Oate, with a beard at the small end like a wilde Oate, and is good +for small vse more then Pullen onely: it is a seede meete for the +barrainest and worst earth, as fit to grow but there where nothing of +better profit will grow. And thus much for those seedes which are apt +and in vse in our English soyles: wherein if any man imagine me guiltie +of errour, in that I haue omitted particularly to speake of the seede of +blend-Corne, or Masline, which is Wheate and Rye mixt together, I +answere him, that sith I haue shewed him how to chuse both the best +Wheate and the best Rye, it is an easie matter to mixe them according to +his owne discretion. + + + + +CHAP. VI. + +_Of the time of Haruest and the gathering in of Corne._ + + +{SN: The getting in of Masline.} +{SN: The getting in of Wheate.} +Next vnto plowing, it is necessary that I place Reaping, sith it is the +end, hope, and perfection of the labour, and both the merit and +incouragement which maketh the toyle both light and portable: then to +proceede vnto the time of Haruest. You shall vnderstand that it is +requisite for euery good Husband about the latter end of Iuly, if the +soyle wherein he liueth be of any hot temper, or about the beginning of +August, if it be of temperate warmth, with all dilligence constantly to +beholde his Rye, which of all graines is the first that ripeneth, and if +he shall perceiue that the hull of the eare beginneth to open, and that +the blacke toppes of the Corne doth appeare, he may then be assured that +the Corne is fully ripe, and ready for the Sickle, so that instantly he +shall prouide his Reapers, according to the quantitie of his graine: for +if hee shall neglect his Rye but one day more then is fit, it is such a +hasty graine, that it will shale forth of the huske to the ground, to +the great losse of the Husbandman. When hee hath prouided his shearers, +which he shall be carefull to haue very good, he shall then looke that +neither out of their wantonnesse nor emulation, they striue which shall +goe fastest, or ridd most ground, for from thence proceedeth many errors +in their worke, as namely, scattering, and leauing the Corne vncut +behind them, the cutting the heads of the Corne off so that they are not +possible to be gathered, and many such like incommodities, but let them +goe soberly and constantly, and sheare the Rye at least fourteene inches +aboue the ground. Then he must looke that the gatherers which follow the +Reapers doe also gather cleane, & the binders binde the Sheafes fast +from breaking, then if you finde that the bottomes of the Sheafes be +full of greenes, or weedes, it shall not be amisse to let the Sheafes +lye one from another for a day, that those greenes may wither, but if +you feare any Raine or foule weather, which is the onely thing which +maketh Rye shale, then you shall set it vp in Shockes, each Shocke +containing at least seauen Sheafes, in this manner: first, you shall +place foure Sheafes vpright close together, and the eares vpwards, then +you shall take other three Sheafes and opening them and turning the +eares downeward couer the other foure Sheafes that stoode vpwards, and +so let them stand, vntill you may with good conueniencie lead them home, +which would be done without any protraction. Next after your cleane Rye, +you shall in the selfe-same sort reape your blend-Corne, or Masline: and +albeit your Wheate will not be fully so ripe as your Rye, yet you shall +not stay your labour, being well assured that your Rye is ready, because +Wheate will harden of it selfe after it is shorne, with lying onely. +After you haue got in your Rye and blend-Corne, you shall then looke +vnto your cleane Wheate, and taking heare and there an eare thereof, +rubbe them in your hand, and if you finde that the Corne hath all +perfection saue a little hardning onely, you shall then forthwith set +your Reapers vnto it, who shall sheare it in all things as they did +sheare your Rye, onely they shall not put it in Shockes for a day or +more, but let the Sheafes lye single, that the winde and Sunne may both +wither the greenes, and harden the Corne: which done, you shall put the +Sheafes into great Shockes, that is to say, at least twelue or +foureteene Sheafes in a Shocke, the one halfe standing close together +with the eares vpward, the other halfe lying crosse ouerthwart those +eares, and their eares downeward, and in this sort you shall let your +Wheate stand for at least two dayes before you lead it. + +Now it is a custome in many Countries of this kingdome, not to sheare +their Wheate, but to mow it, but in my conceit and in generall +experience, it is not so good: for it both maketh the Wheate foule, and +full of weede, and filleth vp a great place with little commoditie, as +for the vse of thacking, which is the onely reason of such disorderly +cutting, there is neither the straw that is shorne, nor the stubble +which is left behinde, but are both of sufficiencie inough for such an +imployment, if it passe through the hands of a workman, as we see in +dayly experience. + +{SN: The getting in of Barly.} +Next to your Wheate, you shall haue regard to your Barly, for it +sodainely ripeneth, and must be cut downe assoone as you perceiue the +straw is turned white, to the bottome, and the eares bended downe to the +groundward. Your Barly you shall not sheare, although it is a fashion in +some Country, both because it is painefull and profitlesse, but you +shall Mowe it close to the ground, and although in generall it be the +custome of our kingdome, after your Barly is mowen and hath lyne a day +or two in swathe, then with rackes to racke it together, and make it +into great cockes, and so to leade it to the Barne, yet I am of this +opinion that if your Barly be good and cleane without thistles or +weedes, that if then to euery sitheman, or Mower you alot two followers, +that is to say, a gatherer, who with a little short rake and a small +hooke shall gather the Corne together, and a binder, who shall make +bands and binde vp the Barly in smale Sheafes, that questionlesse you +shall finde much more profit thereby: and although some thinke the +labour troublesome and great, yet for mine owne part, I haue seene very +great croppes inned in this manner, and haue seene two women, that with +great ease, haue followed and bound after a most principall Mower, which +made me vnderstand that the toyle was not so great as mine imagination; +and the profit ten-fold greater then the labour: but if your Corne be +ill Husbanded, and full of thistles, weedes, and all filthinesse, then +this practise is to be spared, and the loose cocking vp of your Corne is +much better. Assoone as you haue cleansed any Land of Barly, you shall +then immediatly cause one with a great long rake, of at least thirtie +teeth, being in a sling bound bauticke-wise crosse his body, to draw it +from one end of the Land to the other, all ouer the Land, that he may +thereby gather vp all the loose Corne which is scattered, and carry it +where your other Corne standeth, obseruing euer, as your cheifest rule, +that by no meanes you neither leade Barly, nor any other graine +whatsoeuer, when it is wet, no although it be but moistned with the dew +onely: for the least dankishnesse, more then the sweate which it +naturally taketh, will soone cause it to putrifie. + +{SN: The getting in of Oates.} +Now for the gathering in of your Oates, they be a graine of such +incertaintie, ripening euer according to the weather, & not after any +setled or naturall course, that you are to looke to no constant season, +but to take them vpon the first show of ripenesse, and that with such +diligence that you must rather take them before, then after they be +ripe, because if they tarry but halfe a day too long, they will shed +vpon the ground, & you shal loose your whole profit. The time then +fittest to cut your Oates is, assoone as they be somewhat more then +halfe changed, but not altogether changed, that is, when they are more +then two parts white, and yet the greene not vtterly extinguished, the +best cutting of them is to mow them (albeit I haue seene them shorne in +some places) & being mowen to let them dry and ripen in the swathe, as +naturally they will doe, and then if you bind them vp in Sheafes, as you +should binde your Barly, it is best: for to carry them in the loose +cocke, as many doe, is great losse and hindrance of profit. + +{SN: The getting in of Pulse.} +After you haue got in your white Corne, you shall then looke vnto your +Pulse, as Beanes, Pease, Fitches, and such like, which you shall know to +be ready by the blacknesse of the straw: for it is a rule, whensoeuer +the straw turnes, the Pulse is ripe. If then it be cleane Beanes, or +Beanes and Pease mixt, you shall mowe them, and being cleane Beanes rake +them into heapes, and so make them vp into cockes, but if they be mixt +you shall with hookes fould the Beanes into the Pease, and make little +round reapes thereof, which after they haue beene turned and dryed, you +may put twenty reapes together, and thereof make a cocke, and so lead +them, and stacke them: but if they be cleane Pease, or Pease and +Fitches, then you shall not mowe them, but with long hookes cut them +from the ground, which is called Reaping, and so foulding them together +into small reapes, as you did your Pease and Beanes, let them be turned +and dryed, and so cocked, and carried either to the Barne, stacke, or +houell. + +Now hauing thus brought in, and finished your Haruest, you shall then +immediately mowe vp the stubble, both of your Wheate, Rye, and Masline, +and with all expedition there-with thacke, and couer from Raine and +weather, all such graine as for want of house-roome, you are compeld to +lay abroad, either in stacke, or vpon houell: but if no such necessitie +be, and that you haue not other more necessary imployment for your +stubble, it shall be no part of ill Husbandry to let the stubble rot +vpon the Land, which will be a reasonable Manuring or fatting of the +earth. + +Now hauing brought your Corne into the Barne, it is a lesson needlesse +to giue any certaine rules how to spend or vtter it forth, sith euery +man must be ruled according to his affaires, and necessitie, yet sith in +mine owne experience I haue taken certaine setled rules from those who +haue made themselues great estates by a most formall and strickt course +in their Husbandry, I thinke it not amisse to show you what I haue noted +from them, touching the vtterance and expence of their graine: first, +for your expence in your house, it is meete that you haue euer so much +of euery seuerall sort of graine thresht, as shall from time to time +maintaine your family: then for that which you intend shall returne to +particular profit, you shall from a fortnight before Michaelmas, till a +fortnight after, thresh vp all such Wheate, Rye, & Masline, as you +intend to sell for seede, which must be winnowed, fand, and drest so +cleane as is possible, for at that time it will giue the greatest price; +but as soone as seede-time is past, you shall then thresh no more of +those graines till it be neare Midsummer, but begin to thresh vp all +such Barly as you intend to conuert and make into Malt, and so from +Michaelmas till Candlemas, apply nothing but Malting, for in that time +graine is euer the cheapest, because euery Barne being full, some must +sell for the payment of rents, some must sell to pay seruants wages, and +some for their Christmas prouisions: in which time Corne abating and +growing scarse, the price of necessitie must afterwards rise: at +Candlemas you shall begin to thresh all those Pease which you intend to +sell for seede, because the time being then, and euery man, out of +necessitie, inforced to make his prouision, it cannot be but they must +needes passe at a good price and reckoning. + +After Pease seede-time, you shall then thresh vp all that Barly which +you meane to sell for seede, which euer is at the dearest reckoning of +any graine whatsoeuer, especially if it be principally good and cleane. +After your seede-Barly is sould, you may then thresh vp all such Wheate, +Rye, and Masline, as you intend to sell: for it euer giueth the greatest +price from the latter end of May vntill the beginning of September. In +September you shall begin to sell your Malt, which being old and hauing +lyne ripening the most part of the yeere, must now at the latter end of +the yeere, when all old store is spent, and the new cannot be come to +any perfection, be most deare, and of the greatest estimation: and thus +being a man of substance in the world, and able to put euery thing to +the best vse, you may by these vsuall obseruations, and the helpe of a +better iudgement, imploy the fruits of your labours to the best profit, +and sell euery thing at the highest price, except you take vpon you to +giue day and sell vpon trust, which if you doe, you may then sell at +what vnconscionable reckoning you will, which because such vnnaturall +exactions neither agree with charitie, nor humanitie, I will forbeare to +giue rules for the same, and referre euery man that is desirous of such +knowledge, to the examples of the world, wherein he shall finde +presidents inough for such euill customes. And thus much for the first +part of this worke, which containeth the manner of Plowing and tillage +onely. + + + + + THE SECOND PART + OF THE FIRST BOOKE OF + the English Husbandman, + Contayning the Art of Planting, Grafting and Gardening, either for + pleasure or profit; together with the vse and ordering of Woodes. + + + + +CHAP. I. + +_Of the Scyte, Modell, Squares, and Fashion of a perfect Orchard._ + + +Although many authors which I haue read, both in Italian, French, and +Dutch, doe make a diuersitie and distinguishment of Orchardes, as +namely, one for profit, which they fashion rudely and without forme, the +other for delight, which they make comely, decent, and with all good +proportion, deuiding the quarters into squares, making the alleyes of a +constant breadth, and planting the fruit-trees in arteficiall rowes: yet +for as much as the comelinesse and well contriuing of the ground, doth +nothing abate, but rather increase the commoditie, I will therefore +ioyne them both together, and make them onely but one Orchard. Now for +the scyte and placing of this Orchard, I haue in the modell of my +Country house, or Husbandmans Farme, shewed you where if it be possible +it should stand, and both what Sunne & ayre it should lye open vpon: but +if the scyte or ground-plot of your house will not giue you leaue to +place your Orchard according to your wish, you shall then be content to +make a vertue of necessitie, and plant it in such a place as is most +conuenient, and nearest alyed to that forme before prescribed. + +{Illustration} + +Now when you haue found out a perfect ground-plot, you shall then cast +it into a great large square, which you shall fence in either with a +stone or bricke wall, high, strong pale, or great ditch with a +quicke-set hedge, but the wall is best and most durable, and that wall +would haue vpon the inside within twelue or fourteene foote on of +another, Iames or outshoots of stone or bricke, betweene which you may +plant and plash those fruit-trees which are of greatest tendernesse, the +South and West Sunne hauing power to shine vpon them. + +When you haue thus fenc'st in this great square, you shall then cast +foure large alleyes, at least fourteene foote broad, from the wall round +about, and so likewise two other alleyes of like breadth, directly +crosse ouerthwart the ground-plot, which will deuide the great square +into foure lesser squares, according to the figure before set downe. + +The figure 1. sheweth the alleyes which both compasse about, and also +crosse ouer the ground-plot, and the figure 2. sheweth the foure +quarters where the fruit-trees are to be planted. + +Now if either the true nature and largnesse of the ground be sufficient, +or your owne abilitie of pursse so great that you may compasse your +desires in these earthly pleasures, it shall not be amisse, but a matter +of great state, to make your ground-plot full as bigge againe, that is +to say, to containe eight large quarters, the first foure being made of +an euen leuell, the other foure being raysed at least eight foote higher +then the first, with conuenient stayres of state for ascending to the +same, to be likewise vpon another euen leuell of like forme, and if in +the center of the alleyes, being the mid-point betweene the squares, +might be placed any quaint fountaines or any other antique standard, the +platforme would be more excellent and if vpon the ascent from one leuell +to another there might be built some curious and arteficiall banquetting +house, it would giue luster to the Orchard. + +Now for the planting and furnishing of these quarters: you shall +vnderstand that if your Orchard containe but foure quarters, then the +first shalbe planted with Apple-trees of all sorts, the second with +Peares and Wardens of all sorts, the third with Quinces & Chesnutes, the +fourth with Medlars & seruices. Against the North side of your Orchard +wall against which the South sunne reflects, you shall plant the +Abricot, Verdochio, Peach, and Damaske-plumbe: against the East side of +the wall, the whit Muskadine Grape, the Pescod-plumbe, and the +Emperiall-plumbe: against the West side the grafted Cherries, and the +Oliue-tree: and against the South side the Almond, & Figge tree. Round +about the skirts of euery other outward or inward alley, you shall +plant, the Wheate-plumbe, both yealow & redde, the Rye-plumbe, the +Damson, the Horse-clog, Bulleys of all kindes, ordinary french Cherryes, +Filberts, and Nuts of all sorts, together with the Prune-plumbe, and +other such like stone fruits. But if your Orchard be of state and +prospect, so that it containe eight quarters or more (according to the +limitation of the earth) then you shall in euery seuerall quarter plant +a seuerall fruit, as Apple-trees in one quarter, Peares in another, +Quinces in another, Wardens in another, and so forth of the rest. Also +you shall obserue in planting your Apples, Peares, and Plumbes, that you +plant your summer or early fruit by themselues, and the Winter or long +lasting fruit by themselues. Of Apples, your Ienitings, Wibourns, +Pomederoy, and Queene-Apples are reckoned the best earely fruits, +although their be diuers others, and the Pippin, Peare-maine, +Apple-Iohn, and Russetting, your best Winter and long lasting fruit, +though there be a world of other: for the tastes of Apples are infinite, +according to there composition and mixture in grafting. Of Peares your +golden Peare, your Katherine-Peare, your Lording, and such like, are the +first, and your stone-Peare, Warden-Peare, and choake-Peare, those which +indure longest. And of Plumbes the rye-plumbe is first, your +Wheate-plumbe next, and all the other sorts of plumbes ripen all most +together in one season, if they haue equall warmth, and be all of like +comfortable standing. + +{Illustration} + +Now for the orderly placing of your trees, you shall vnderstand that +your Plumbe-trees (which are as it were a fence or guard about your +great quarters) would be placed in rowes one by one, aboue fiue foote +distance one from another, round about each skirt of euery alley: your +Apple-trees & other greater fruit which are to be planted in the +quarters, would be placed in such arteficiall rowes that which way +soeuer a man shall cast his eyes yet hee shall see the trees euery way +stand in rowes, making squares, alleyes, and deuisions, according to a +mans imagination, according to the figure before, which I would haue +you suppose to be one quarter in an Orchard, and by it you may easily +compound the rest: wherein you shall vnderstand that the lesser prickes +doe figure your Plumbe-trees, & the greater prickes your Apple trees, +and such other large fruit. + +Now you shall vnderstand that euery one of these great trees which +furnish the maine quarter, shall stand in a direct line, iust twelue +foote one from another, which is a space altogether sufficient inough +for there spreading, without waterdropping or annoying one another; +prouided that the Fruiterer, according to his duty, be carefull to +preserue the trees vpright and to vnderprope them when by the violence +of the winde they shall swarue any way. Vpon the ascent or rising from +one leuell to another, you may plant the Barberry-trees, Feberries, and +Raspberries, of all sorts, which being spreading, thorny and sharpe +trees, take great delight to grow thicke and close together, by which +meanes often times they make a kinde of wall, hedge, or fencing, where +they stand. + +Hauing thus shewed you the ground-plot and proportion of your Orchard, +with the seuerall deuisions, ascents, and squares, that should be +contained therein, and the fruits which are to furnish euery such square +and deuision, and their orderly placing, it now rests that you +vnderstand that this Orchard-plot, so neare as you can bring it to +passe, doe stand most open and plaine, vpon the South and West sunne, +and most defended from the East and North windes and bitternesse, which +being obserued your plot is then perfect and absolute. + +Now forasmuch as where nature, fruitfulnesse, and situation doe take +from a man more then the halfe part of his industrie, and by a direct +and easie way doth lead him to that perfection which others cannot +attaine to without infinit labour and trauell: and whereas it is nothing +so commendable to maintaine beautie, as to make deformitie beautifull, I +will speake something of the framing of Orchard-plots there where both +nature, the situation, and barrainnesse, doe vtterly deny the enioying +of any such commoditie, as where the ground is vneuen, stonie, sandy, or +in his lownesse subiect to the ouerflow of waters, all being apparant +enemies to these places of pleasure and delight. First, for the +vneuennesse of the ground, if that be his vttermost imperfection, you +shall first not onely take a note with your eye, but also place a marke +vpon the best ascent of the ground to which the leuell is fittest to be +drawne, and then plowing the ground all ouer with a great common plough, +by casting the furrowes downward, seeke to fill in and couer the lesser +hollownesses of the ground, that their may not any thing appeare but the +maine great hollowes, which with other earth which is free from stones, +grauell, or such like euils, you shall fill vp and make leuell with that +part where your marke standeth, and being so leuelled, forthwith draw +the plot of your Orchard: but if the ground be not onely vneuen but also +barraine, you shall then to euery loade of earth you carry to the +leuelling adde a loade of Manure, either Oxe Manure, or Horse Manure, +the rubbish of houses, or the clensings of olde ditches, or standing +pooles, and the earth will soone become fertill and perfect; but if the +ground be stonie, that is, full of great stones, as it is in Darbishire +about the Peake or East Mores, for small pibbles or small lime-stones +are not very much hurtfull, then you shall cause such stones to be digd +vp, and fill vp the places where they lay either with marle, or other +rich earth, which after it hath beene setled for a yeere or two you +shall then plough, and leuell it, and so frame forth the plot of your +Orchard. If the ground be onely a barraine sand, so that it wanteth +strength either to maintaine or bring forth, you shall then first digge +that earth into great trenches, at least foure foote deepe, and filling +them vp with Oxe Manure, mixe it with the sand, that it may change some +part of the colour thereof and then leuelling it fashion out your +Orchard. But lastly, and which is of all situations the worst, if you +haue no ground to plant your Orchard vpon, but such as either through +the neighbourhood of riuers, descent of Mountaines, or the earths owne +naturall quallitie in casting and vomiting out water and moysture, is +subiect to some small ouerflowes of water, by which you cannot attaine +to the pleasure you seeke, because fruit-trees can neuer indure the +corruption of waters, you shall then in the dryest season of the yeere, +after you haue marked out that square or quantitie of ground which you +intend for your Orchard, you shall then cast therein sundry ditches, at +least sixteene foote broad, and nine foote deepe, and not aboue twelue +foote betwixt ditch and ditch, vpon which reserued earth casting the +earth that you digged vp, you shall raise the banckes at least seauen +foote high of firme earth, and keepe in the top the full breadth of +twelue foote, with in a foote or little more: and in the casting vp of +these bankes you shall cause the earth to be beaten with maules and +broad beetels that it may lye firme, fast, and leuell, and after these +bankes haue rested a yeere or more, and are sufficiently setled, you may +then at the neather end of the banke, neare to the verge of the water +plant store of Osyers, which will be a good defence to the banke, and +vpon the top and highest part of the banke you shall plant your Orchard +and fruit-trees, so that when any inundation of water shall happen, the +ditches shalbe able inough to receiue it; or else making a passage from +your Orchard into some other sewer, the water exceeding his limits may +haue a free current or passage: besides these ditches being neatly kept, +and comforted with fresh water, may make both pleasant and commodious +fish-ponds. Also you must be carefull in casting these bankes that you +doe not place them in such sort that when you are vpon one you cannot +come to the other, but rather like a maze, so that you may at pleasure +passe from the one to the other round about the ground, making of diuers +bankes to the eye but one banke in substance, and of diuers ponds in +appearance, but one in true iudgement. And thus much for the plot or +situation of an Orchard. + + + + +CHAP. II. + +_Of the Nurserie where you shall set all manner of Kernels, and Stones, +for the furnishing of the Orchard._ + + +Although great persons, out of their greatnesse and abilitie, doe buy +their fruit trees ready grafted, and so in a moment may plant an Orchard +of the greatest quantitie, yet sith the Husbandman must raise euery +thing from his owne indeauours, and that I onely write for his profit, I +therefore hould it most conuenient to beginne with the nursery or +store-house of fruits, from whence the Orchard receiueth his beauty and +riches. + +This Nursery must be a piece of principall ground, either through Art or +Nature, strongly fenced, warme, and full of good shelter: for in it is +onely the first infancy and tendernesse of fruit-trees, because there +they are first kernells, or stones, after sprigs, and lastly trees. + +Now for the manner of chusing, sowing, and planting them in this +nursery, I differ some thing from the french practise, who would chuse +the kernells from the cider presse, sow them in large bedds of earth, +and within a yeere after replant them in a wilde Orchard: now for mine +owne part, though this course be not much faulty, yet I rather chuse +this kinde of practise, first: to chuse your kernells either of Apples, +Peares, or Wardens, from the best and most principallest fruit you can +taste, for although the kernell doe bring forth no other tree but the +plaine stocke vpon which the fruit was grafted, as thus, if the graft +were put into a Crab-stocke the kernell brings forth onely a Crab-tree, +yet when you taste a perfect and delicate Apple, be assured both the +stocke and graft were of the best choise, and so such kernells of best +reckoning. When you haue then a competent quantitie of such kernells, +you shall take certaine large pots, in the fashion of milke-boules, all +full of hoales in the bottome, through which the raine and superfluous +moysture may auoyde, and either in the Months of March or Nouember (for +those are the best seasons) fill the pots three parts full of the +finest, blackest, and richest mould you can get, then lay your kernells +vpon the earth, about foure fingars one from another, so many as the +vessell can conueniently containe, and then with a siue sift vpon them +other fine moulds almost three fingars thicke, and so let them rest, +filling so many pots or vessells as shall serue to receiue your +quantitie of kernells of all sorts. Now if any man desire to know my +reason why I rather desire to set my kernells rather in vessells then in +beds of earth, my answere is, that I haue often found it in mine +experience, that the kernell of Apples, Peares, Quinces, and such like, +are such a tender and dainty seede that it is great oddes but the wormes +will deuoure and consume them before they sprout, who naturally delight +in such seedes, which these vessels onely doe preuent: but to proceede. + +After your kernells are sprouted vp and growne to be at least seauen or +eight inches high, you shall then within your nursery digge vp a border +about two foote and an halfe broad, more then a foote deepe, and of such +conuenient length as may receiue all your young plants, and hauing made +the mould fine and rich with Manure, you shall then with your whole hand +gripe as much of the earth that is about the plant as you can +conueniently hould, and so take both the plant and the mould out of the +vessell, and replant it in the new drest border: and you shall thus doe +plant after plant, till you haue set euery one, and made them firme and +fast in the new mould: wherein you are to obserue these two principles, +first that you place them at least fiue foote one from another, and +secondly, that such kernells as you set in your vessels in March, that +you replant them in borders of earth in Nouember following, and such as +you set in Nouember to replant in March following, and being so +replanted to suffer them to grow till they be able to beare grafts, +during which time you shall diligently obserue, that if any of them +chance to put forth any superfluous branches or cyons, which may hinder +the growth of the body of the plant, that you carefully cut them away, +that thereby it may be the sooner inabled to beare a graft: for it is +euer to be intended that whatsoeuer proceedeth from kernells are onely +to be preserued for stockes to graft on, and for no other purpose. + +Now for the stones of Plumbes, & other stone fruit, you shall vnderstand +that they be of two kindes, one simple and of themselues, as the +Rye-plumbe, Wheate-plumbe, Damson, Prune-plumbe, Horse-clogge, Cherry, +and such like, so that from the kernells of them issueth trees of like +nature and goodnesse: the other compounded or grafted plumbes, as the +Abricot, Pescod, Peach, Damaske, Verdochyo, Emperiall, and such like, +from whose kernells issueth no other trees but such as the stockes were +vpon which they were grafted. Now, for the manner of setting the first, +which are simple and vncompounded, you shall digge vp a large bedde of +rich and good earth a month or more before March or Nouember, and hauing +made the mould as fine as is possible, you shall flat-wise thrust euery +stone, a foote one from another, more then three fingars into the mould, +and then with a little small rake, made for the purpose, rake the bedde +ouer and close vp the holes, and so let them rest till they be of a +yeeres groath, at which time you shall replant them into seuerall +borders, as you did your Apple-tree plants and others. + +Now for the kernells of your compounded or grafted Plumbes, you shall +both set them in beddes and replant them into seuerall borders, in the +same manner as you did the other kernells of Plumbes, onely you shall +for the space of eight and forty houres before you set them steepe them +in new milke, forasmuch as the stones of them are more hard, and with +greater difficulty open and sprout in the earth, then any other stone +whatsoeuer: and thus hauing furnished your Nursery of all sorts of +fruits and stockes, you shall when they come to full age and bignesse +graft them in such order as shalbe hereafter declared. + + + + +CHAP. III. + +_Of the setting or planting of the Cyons or Branches of most sorts of +Fruit-trees._ + + +As you are to furnish your nursery with all sorts of kernells and +stones, for the breeding of stockes where on to graft the daintiest +fruits you can compasse, so shall you also plant therein the cyons and +branches of the best fruit trees: which cyons and branches doe bring +forthe the same fruit which the trees doe from whence they are taken, +and by that meanes your nursery shall euer afford you perfect trees, +wherewith either to furnish your owne grounds, or to pleasure your +neighbours. And herein by the way you shall vnderstand that some trees +are more fit to be set then to be sowne, as namely, the Seruice-tree, +the Medler, the Filbert and such like. Now for the Seruice-tree, hee is +not at all to be grafted, but set in this wise: take of the bastard +cyons such as be somewhat bigger then a mans thumbe, and cutting away +the branches thereof, set it in a fine loose moulde, at least a foote +deepe, and it will prosper exceedingly, yet the true nature of this tree +is not to be remoued, and therefore it is conuenient that it be planted +where it should euer continue: in like manner to the Seruice-tree, so +you shall plant the bastard cyons of the Medlar-tree either in March or +October, and at the waine of the moone. + +Now for the Filbert, or large Hassell-nut, you shall take the smallest +cyons or wands, such as are not aboue two yeeres groath, being full of +short heauie twigges, and grow from the roote of the maine tree, and set +them in a loose mould, a foote deepe, without pruning or cutting away +any of the branches, and they will prosper to your contentment. Now for +all sorts of Plumbe-trees, Apple-trees or other fruit-trees which are +not grafted, if you take the young cyons which grow from the rootes +cleane from the rootes, and plant them either in the spring, or fall, in +a fresh and fine mould, they will not onely prosper, but bring forth +fruit of like nature and qualitie to the trees from whence they were +taken. + +Now for your grafted fruit, as namely, Apples, Plumbes, Cherryes, +Mulberries, Quinces, and such like, the cyons also and branches of them +also will take roote and bring forth fruit of the same kinde that the +trees did from whence they were taken: but those cyons or branches must +euer be chosen from the vpper parts of the trees, betwixt the feast of +all-Saints and Christmas, they must be bigger then a mans finger, +smooth, straight, and without twigges: you shall with a sharpe chissell +cut them from the body or armes of the tree with such care, that by no +meanes you raise vp the barke, and then with a little yealow waxe couer +the place from whence you cut the cyon: then hauing digged and dunged +the earth well where you intend to plant them, and made the mould easie, +you shall with an Iron, as bigge as your plant, make a hoale a foote +deepe or better, and then put in your cyon and with it a few Oates, long +steept in water, and so fixe it firme in the mould, and if after it +beginneth to put forth you perceiue any young cyons to put forth from +the root thereof, you shall immediatly cut them off, & either cast them +away or plant them in other places, for to suffer them to grow may +breede much hurt to the young trees. Now where as these cyons thus +planted are for the most part small and weake, so that the smallest +breath of winde doth shake and hurt their rootes, it shalbe good to +pricke strong stakes by them, to which, fastning the young plant with a +soft hay rope it may the better be defended from stormes and tempests. + +Next to these fruit-trees, you shall vnderstand that your bush-trees, +as Barberryes, Gooseberryes, or Feberryes, Raspberryes, and such like, +will also grow vpon cyons, without rootes, being cut from their maine +rootes in Nouember, & so planted in a new fresh mould. And here by the +way I am to giue you this note or caueat, that if at any time you finde +any of these cyons which you haue planted not to grow and flourish +according to your desire, but that you finde a certaine mislike or +consumption in the plant, you shall then immediatly with a sharpe knife +cut the plant off slope-wise vpward, about three fingars from the +ground, and so let it rest till the next spring, at which time you shall +beholde new cyons issue from the roote, which will be without sicknesse +or imperfection; and from the vertue of this experiment I imagine the +gardners of antient time found out the meanes to get young cyons from +olde Mulberry-trees, which they doe in this manner: first, you must take +some of the greatest armes of the Mulberry-tree about the midst of +Nouember, and with a sharpe sawe to sawe them into bigge truncheons, +about fiueteene inches long, and then digging a trench in principall +good earth, of such depth that you may couer the truncheons, being set +vp on end, with Manure and fine mould, each truncheon being a foote one +from another, and couerd more then foure fingars aboue the wood, not +fayling to water them whensoeuer neede shall require, and to preserue +them from weeds and filthinesse, within lesse then a yeeres space you +shall behold those truncheons to put forth young cyons, which as soone +as they come to any groath and be twigged, then you may cut them from +the stockes, and transplant them where you please, onely the truncheons +you shall suffer to remaine still, and cherish them with fresh dunge, +and they will put forth many moe cyons, both to furnish your selfe and +your friends. And thus much for the planting and setting of cyons or +branches. + + + + +CHAP. IIII. + +_Of the ordinary and accustomed manner of Grafting all sorts of +Fruit-trees._ + + +{SN: The mixing of Stockes and Grafts.} +As soone as your nursery is thus amply furnished of all sorts of +stockes, proceeding from kernells and of all sorts of trees proceeding +from cyons, branches or vndergrowings, and that through strength of +yeeres they are growne to sufficient abilitie to receiue grafts, which +is to be intended that they must be at the least sixe or eight inches in +compasse, for although lesse many times both doth and may receiue +grafts, yet they are full of debilitie and danger, and promise no +assurance to the worke-mans labour, you shall then beginne to graft your +stockes with such fruits as from art and experience are meete to be +conioyned together, as thus: you shall graft Apples vpon Apples, as the +Pippin vpon the great Costard, the Peare-maine vpon the Ienetting, and +the Apple-Iohn or blacke annet vpon the Pomewater or Crab-tree: to +conclude, any Apple-stocke, Crab-tree, or wilding, is good to graft +Apples vpon, but the best is best worthy. So for Peares, you shall graft +them vpon Peare stockes, Quinces vpon Quinces or Crab-trees, and not +according to the opinion of the frenchman, vpon white thorne or willow, +the Medlar vpon the Seruice-tree, and the Seruice vpon the Medlar, also +Cherryes vpon Cherryes, & Plumbes vpon Plumbes, as the greater Abricots +vpon the lesser Abricots, the Peach, the Figge, or the Damson-tree, and +to speake generally without wasting more paper, or making a long +circumstance to slender purpose, the Damson-tree is the onely principall +best stocke whereupon to graft any kinde of Plumbe or stone fruit +whatsoeuer. + +{SN: The choise of Grafts.} +After you haue both your stockes ready, and know which grafts to ioyne +with which stockes, you shall then learne to cut and chuse your grafts +in this manner: looke from what tree you desire to take your grafts, you +shall goe vnto the very principall branches thereof, and looke vp to the +vpper ends, and those which you finde to be fairest, smoothest, and +fullest of sappe, hauing the little knots, budds, or eyes, standing +close and thicke together, are the best and most perfect, especially if +they grow vpon the East side of the tree, whereon the Sunne first +looketh; these you shall cut from the tree in such sort that they may +haue at least three fingars of the olde woode ioyning to the young +branch, which you shall know both by the colour of the barke, as also by +a little round seame which maketh as it were a distinction betwixt the +seuerall growths. Now you shall euer, as neere as you can, chuse your +grafts from a young tree, and not from an olde, and from the tops of the +principall branches, and not from the midst of the tree, or any other +superfluous arme or cyon; now if after you haue got your grafts you haue +many dayes Iourneys to carry them, you shall fould them in a few fresh +mouldes, and binde them about with hay, and hay ropes, and so carry them +all day, and in the night bury them all ouer in the ground and they will +containe their goodnesse for a long season. + +{SN: How to graft in the Cleft.} +Hauing thus prepared your grafts, you shall then beginne to graft, which +worke you shall vnderstand may be done in euery month of the yeere, +except Nouember and October, but the best is to beginne about Christmas +for all earely and forward fruit, and for the other, to stay till March: +now hauing all your implements and necessaryes about you, fit for the +Grafting, you shall first take your grafts, of what sort soeuer they be, +and hauing cut the neather ends of them round and smoth without raysing +of the barke, you shall then with a sharp knife, made in the proportion +of a great pen-knife slice downe each side of the grafts, from the seame +or knot which parts the olde woode from the new, euen to the neather +end, making it flat and thinne, cheifely in the lowest part, hauing +onely a regardfull eye vnto the pith of the graft, which you may by no +meanes cut or touch, and when you haue thus trimmed a couple of grafts, +for moe I doe by no meanes alow vnto one stocke, although sundry other +skilfull workmen in this Art alow to the least stocke two grafts, to the +indifferent great three, and to the greatest of all foure, yet I affirme +two are sufficiently inough for any stocke whatsoeuer, and albeit they +are a little the longer in couering the head, yet after they haue +couered it the tree prospereth more in one yeere then that which +contayneth foure grafts shall doe in two, because they cannot haue sap +inough to maintaine them, which is the reason that trees for want of +prosperitie grow crooked and deformed: but to my purpose. When you haue +made your grafts ready, you shall then take a fine thinne sawe, whose +teeth shalbe filed sharpe and euen, and with it (if the stocke be +exceeding small) cut the stocke round off within lesse then a foote of +the ground, but if the stocke be as bigge as a mans arme, then you may +cut it off two or three foote from the ground, and so consequently the +bigger it is the higher you may cut it, and the lesser the nearer vnto +the earth: as soone as you haue sawne off the vpper part of the stocke, +you shall then take a fine sharpe chissell, somewhat broader then the +stocke, and setting it euen vpon the midst of the head of the stocke +somewhat wide of the pith, then with a mallet of woode you shall stricke +it in and cleaue the stocke, at least foure inches deepe, then putting +in a fine little wedge of Iron, which may keepe open the cleft, you +shall take one of your grafts and looke which side of it you intend to +place inward, and that side you shall cut much thinner then the out +side, with a most heedfull circumspection that by no meanes you loosen +or rayse vp the barke of the graft, cheifly on the out side, then you +shall take the graft, and wetting it in your mouth place it in one side +of the cleft of the stocke, and regard that the very knot or seame which +goes about the graft, parting the olde woode from the new, do rest +directly vpon the head of the stocke, and that the out side of the +graft doe agree directly with the out side of the stocke, ioyning barke +vnto barke, and sappe vnto sappe, so euen, so smooth, and so close, that +no ioyners worke may be discerned to ioyne more arteficially: which +done, vpon the other side of the stocke, in the other cleft, you shall +place your other graft, with full as much care, diligence, and euery +other obseruation: when both your grafts are thus orderly and +arteficially placed, you shall then by setting the haft of your chissell +against the stocke, with all lenitie and gentlenesse, draw forth your +wedge, in such sort that you doe not displace or alter your grafts, and +when your wedge is forth you shall then looke vpon your grafts, and if +you perceiue that the stocke doe pinch or squize them, which you may +discerne both by the straitnesse and bending of the outmost barke, you +shall then make a little wedge of some greene sappy woode, and driuing +it into the cleft, ease your grafts, cutting that wedge close to the +stocke. When you haue thus made both your grafts perfect, you shall then +take the barke of either Apple-tree, Crab-tree or Willow-tree, and with +that barke couer the head of the stocke so close that no wet or other +annoyance may get betwixt it and the stocke, then you shall take a +conuenient quantitie of clay, which indeede would be of a binding +mingled earth, and tempering it well, either with mosse or hay, lay it +vpon the barke, and daube all the head of the stocke, euen as low as the +bottome of the grafts, more then an inch thicke, so firme, close, and +smooth as may be, which done, couer all that clay ouer with soft mosse, +and that mosse with some ragges of wollen cloath, which being gently +bound about with the inward barkes of Willow, or Osyar, let the graft +rest to the pleasure of the highest: and this is called grafting in the +cleft. + +{SN: Notes.} +Now there be certaine obseruations or caueats to be respected in +grafting, which I may not neglect: as first, in trimming and preparing +your grafts for the stocke: if the grafts be either of Cherry, or +Plumbe, you shall not cut them so thinne as the grafts of Apples, +Quinces, or Medlars, because they haue a much larger and rounder pith, +which by no meanes must be toucht but fortefied and preserued, onely to +the neather end you may cut them as thinne as is possible, the pith +onely preserued. + +Secondly, you shall into your greatest stockes put your greatest grafts, +and into your least, the least, that there may be an equall strength and +conformitie in their coniunction. + +Thirdly, if at any time you be inforced to graft vpon an olde tree, that +is great and large, then you shall not graft into the body of that tree, +because it is impossible to keepe it from putrifaction and rotting +before the grafts can couer the head, but you shall chuse out some of +the principall armes or branches, which are much more slender, and graft +them, as is before shewed, omitting not dayly to cut away all cyons, +armes, branches, or superfluous sprigs which shall grow vnder those +branches which you haue newly grafted: but if there be no branch, small +or tender inough to graft in, then you shall cut away all the maine +branches from the stocke, and couering the head with clay and mosse, let +it rest, and within three or foure yeeres it will put forth new cyons, +which will be fit to graft vpon. + +Fourthly, if when you either sawe off the top of your stocke, or else +cleaue the head, you either raise vp the barke or cleaue the stocke too +deepe, you shall then sawe the stocke againe, with a little more +carefulnesse, so much lower as your first errour had committed a fault. + +Fiftly, you shall from time to time looke to the binding of the heads of +your stockes, in so much that if either the clay doe shrinke away or the +other couerings doe losen, by which defects ayre, or wet, may get into +the incission, you shall presently with all speede amend and repaire it. + +Lastly, if you graft in any open place where cattell doe graze, you +shall not then forget as soone as you haue finisht your worke to bush or +hedge in your graft, that it may be defended from any such negligent +annoyance. And thus much for this ordinary manner of grafting, which +although it be generall and publike to most men that knoweth any thing +in this art, yet is it not inferiour, but the principallest and surest +of all other. + + + + +CHAP. V. + +_Of diuers other wayes of grafting, their vses and purposes._ + + +Although for certainty, vse, and commodity, the manner of grafting +already prescribed is of sufficiency inough to satisfie any constant or +reasonable vnderstanding, yet for nouelty sake, to which our nation is +infinitly addicted, and to satisfie the curious, who thinke their +iudgements disparaged if they heare any authorised traueller talke of +the things which they haue not practised, I will proceede to some other +more quaint manners of grafting, and the rather because they are not +altogether vnnecessary, hauing both certainety in the worke, pleasure in +the vse, and benefit in the serious imploying of those howers which else +might challenge the title of idlenesse, besides they are very well +agreeing with the soyles and fruits of this Empyre of great Brittaine +and the vnderstandings of the people, for whose seruice or benefit, I +onely vndergoe my trauell. + +You shall vnderstand therefore, that there is another way to graft, +which is called grafting betweene the barke and tree, and it is to be +put in vse about the latter end of February, at such time as the sappe +beginnes to enter into the trees: and the stockes most fit for this +manner of grafting are those which are oldest and greatest, whose graine +being rough and vneuen, either through shaking or twinding, it is a +thing almost impossible to make it cleaue in any good fashion, so that +in such a case it is meete that the grafter exercise this way of +grafting betwixt the barke and the tree, the manner whereof is thus. + +{SN: Grafting betweene the barke.} +First, you shall dresse your grafts in such sort as was before discribed +when you grafted in the cleft, onely they shall not be so long from the +knot or seame downeward by an inch or more, neither so thicke, but as +thinne as may be, the pith onely preserued, and at the neather end of +all you shall cut away the barke on both sides, making that end smaller +and narrower then it is at the ioynt or seame, then sawing off the head +of the stocke, you shall with a sharpe knife pare the head round about, +smooth and plaine, making the barke so euen as may be, that the barke of +your grafts and it may ioyne like one body, then take a fine narrow +chissell, not exceeding sharpe, but somewhat rebated, and thrust it hard +downe betwixt the barke and the tree, somewhat more then two inches, +according to the iust length of your graft, and then gently thrust the +graft downe into the same place, euen close vnto the ioynt, hauing great +care that the ioynt rest firme and constant vpon the head of the stocke, +and thus you shall put into one stocke not aboue three grafts at the +most, how euer either other mens practise, or your owne reading doe +perswade you to the contrary. After your grafts are fixt and placed, you +shall then couer the head with barke, clay, and mosse, as hath beene +formerly shewed: also you shall fasten about it some bushes of thorne, +or sharpe whinnes, which may defend and keepe it from the annoyance of +Pye-annats, and such like great birds. + +There is another way of grafting, which is called grafting in the +scutchion, which howsoeuer it is esteemed, yet is it troublesome, +incertaine, and to small purpose: the season for it is in summer, from +May till August, at what time trees are fullest of sappe and fullest of +leaues, and the manner is thus: take the highest and the principallest +branches of the toppe of the tree you would haue grafted, and without +cutting it from the olde woode chuse the best eye and budding place of +the cyon, then take another such like eye or budde, being great and +full, and first cut off the leafe hard by the budde, then hollow it with +your knife the length of a quarter of an inch beneath the budde, round +about the barke, close to the sappe, both aboue and below, then slit it +downe twice so much wide of the budde, and then with a small sharpe +chissell raise vp the scutchion, with not onely the budde in the midst +but euen all the sappe likewise, wherein you shall first raise that side +which is next you, and then taking the scutchion betweene your fingars, +raise it gently vp without breaking or brusing, and in taking it off +hould it hard vnto the woode, to the end the sappe of the budde may +abide in the scutchion, for if it depart from the barke and cleaue to +the woode, your labour is lost, this done you shall take another like +cyon, and hauing taken off the barke from it, place it in the others +place, and in taking off this barke you must be carfull that you cut not +the woode, but the barke onely, and this done you shall couer it all +ouer with redde waxe, or some such glutenous matter; as for the binding +of it with hempe and such trumpery it is vtterly dissalowed of all good +grafters: this manner of grafting may be put in practise vpon all manner +of cyons, from the bignesse of a mans little fingar to the bignesse of a +slender arme. + +{SN: Grafting with the Leafe.} +Not much vnlike vnto this, is the grafting with the Leafe, and of like +worth, the art whereof is thus: any time betwixt midst May, vntill the +midst of September, you shall chuse, from the toppe of the sunne-side of +the tree, the most principall young cyon you can see, whose barke is +smoothest, whose leaues are greatest, and whose sappe is fullest, then +cutting it from the tree note the principall leafe thereof, and cut away +from it all the woode more then about an inch of each side of the leafe, +then cutting away the vndermost part of the barke with your knife, take +peece meale from the barke all the woode and sappe, saue onely that +little part of woode and sappe which feedeth the leafe, which in any +wise must be left behind, so that the graft will carry this figure. + +{Illustration} + +Then goe to the body, arme, or branch of that tree which you intend to +graft, which is to be presupposed must euer haue a smooth and tender +barke, and with a very sharpe knife slit the barke, two slits at least, +two inches long a peece, and about halfe an inch or more distance +betweene the two slits: then make another slit crosse-wise ouerthwart, +from long slit to long slit, the figure whereof will be thus: + +{Illustration} + +Then with your knife raise the barke gently from the tree, without +breaking, cracking, or brusing: then take your graft, and putting it +vnder the barke lay it flat vnto the sappe of the tree, so as that +little sappe which is left in the leafe, may without impediment cleaue +to the sappe of the tree, then lay downe the barke close againe and +couer the graft, and with a little vntwound hempe, or a soft wollen +list, binde downe the barke close to the graft, and then couer all the +incisions you haue made with greene waxe: by this manner of grafting you +may haue vpon one tree sundry fruits, as from one Apple-tree, both +Pippins, Peare-maines, Russettings and such like, nay, you may haue vpon +one tree, ripe fruit all summer long, as Ienettings from one branch, +Cislings from another, Wibourns from another, Costards and Queene-Apples +from others, and Pippens and Russettings, from others, which bringeth +both delight to the eye, and admiration to the sence, and yet I would +not haue you imagine that this kinde of grafting doth onely worke this +effect, for as before I shewed you, if you graft in the cleft (which is +the fastest way of all grafting) sundry fruits vpon sundry armes or +bowes, you shall likewise haue proceeding from them sundry sorts of +fruits, as either Apples, Plumbes, Peares or any other kind, according +to your composition and industry; as at this day we may dayly see in +many great mens Orchards. + +{SN: Grafting on the toppes of trees.} +There is yet another manner of grafting, and it is of all other +especially vsed much in Italy, and yet not any thing disagreeable with +our climate, and that is to graft on the small cyons which are on the +toppes of fruit trees, surely an experience that carryeth in it both +dificulty and wonder, yet being put to approbation is no lesse certaine +then any of the other, the manner whereof is thus: you shall first after +you haue chosen such and so many grafts as you doe intend to graft, and +trimd them in the same manner as you haue beene taught formerly for +grafting within the cleft, you shall then mount vp into the toppe of the +tree, vpon which you meane to graft, and there make choise of the +highest and most principallest cyons (being cleane barkt and round) +that you can perceiue to grow from the tree, then laying the graft, and +the cyon vpon which you are to graft, together, see that they be both of +one bignesse and roundnesse: then with your grafting knife cut the cyon +off betweene the olde woode and the new, and cleaue it downe an inch and +an halfe, or two inches at the most: then put in your graft (which graft +must not be cut thinner on one side, then on the other, but all of one +thicknesse) and when it is in, see that the barke of the graft both +aboue and below, that is, vpon both sides, doe ioyne close, euen, and +firme with the barke of the branch or cyon, and then by foulding a +little soft towe about it, keepe them close together, whilst with clay, +mosse, and the in-most barke of Osyars you lappe them about to defend +them from ayre, winde, and tempests. And herein you shall obserue to +make your graft as short as may be, for the shortest are best, as the +graft which hath not aboue two or three knots, or buddes, and no more. +You may, if you please, with this manner of grafting graft vpon euery +seuerall cyon, a seuerall fruit, and so haue from one tree many fruits, +as in case of grafting with the leafe, and that with much more speede, +by as much as a well-growne graft is more forward and able then a weake +tender leafe. And in these seuerall wayes already declared, consisteth +the whole Art and substance of Grafting: from whence albeit many curious +braines may, from preuaricating trickes, beget showes of other fashions, +yet when true iudgement shall looke vpon their workes, he shall euer +finde some one of these experiments the ground and substance of all +their labours, without which they are able to doe nothing that shall +turne to an assured commoditie. + +{SN: The effects of Grafting.} +Now when you haue made your selfe perfect in the sowing, setting, +planting and grafting of trees, you shall then learne to know the +effects, wonders, and strange issues which doe proceede from many quaint +motions and helpes in grafting, as thus: if you will haue Peaches, +Cherryes, Apples, Quinces, Medlars, Damsons, or any Plumbe whatsoeuer, +to ripen earely, as at the least two months before the ordinary time, +and to continue at least a month longer then the accustomed course, you +shall then graft them vpon a Mulberry stocke: and if you will haue the +fruit to tast like spice, with a certaine delicate perfume, you shall +boyle Honey, the powder of Cloues and Soaxe together, and being cold +annoynt the grafts there-with before you put them into the cleft, if you +graft Apples, Peares, or any fruit vpon a Figge-tree stocke, they will +beare fruit without blooming: if you take an Apple graft, & a Peare +graft, of like bignesse, and hauing clouen them, ioyne them as one body +in grafting, the fruit they bring forth will be halfe Apple and halfe +Peare, and so likewise of all other fruits which are of contrary tastes +and natures: if you graft any fruit-tree, or other tree, vpon the Holly +or vpon the Cypresse, they will be greene, and keepe their leaues the +whole yeere, albeit the winter be neuer so bitter. + +If you graft either Peach, Plumbe, or any stone-fruit vpon a Willow +stocke, the fruit which commeth of them will be without stones. + +If you will change the colour of any fruit, you shall boare a hole +slope-wise with a large auger into the body of the tree, euen vnto the +pith, and then if you will haue the fruit yealow you shal fill the hole +with Saferne dissolued in water: if you will haue it redde, then with +Saunders, and of any other colour you please, and then stoppe the hole +vp close, and couer it with red or yealow waxe: also if you mixe the +coulour with any spice or perfume, the fruit will take a rellish or tast +of the same: many other such like conceits and experiments are practised +amongst men of this Art, but sith they more concerne the curious, then +the wise, I am not so carefull to bestow my labour in giuing more +substantiall satisfaction, knowing curiosity loues that best which +proceedes from their most paine, and am content to referre their +knowledge to the searching of those bookes which haue onely strangnesse +for their subiect, resolued that this I haue written is fully sufficient +for the plaine English husbandman. + + + + +CHAP. VI. + +_Of the replanting of Trees, and furnishing the Orchard._ + + +As soone as your seedes, or sets, haue brought forth plants, those +plants, through time, made able, and haue receiued grafts, and those +grafts haue couered the heads of the stockes and put forth goodly +branches, you shall then take them vp, and replant them, (because the +sooner it is done the better it is done) in those seuerall places of +your Orchard which before is appointed, and is intended to be prepared, +both by dungging, digging, and euery orderly labour, to receiue euery +seuerall fruit. And herein you shall vnderstand, that as the best times +for grafting are euery month (except October and Nouember) and at the +change of the moone, so the best times for replanting, are Nouember and +March onely, vnlesse the ground be cold and moist and then Ianuary, or +February must be the soonest all wayes, excepted that you doe not +replant in the time of frost, for that is most vnholsome. + +{SN: The taking vp of trees.} +Now when you will take vp your trees which you intend to replant in your +Orchard, you shall first with a spade bare all the maine branches of the +roote, and so by degrees digge and loosen the earth from the roote, in +such sort that you may with your owne strength raise the young tree from +the ground, which done, you shall not, according to the fashion of +Fraunce, dismember, or disroabe the tree of his beauties, that is to +say, to cut off all his vpper branches and armes, but you shall +diligently preserue them: for I haue seene a tree thus replanted after +the fall of the leafe to bring forth fruit in the summer following: but +if the tree you replant be olde then it is good to cut off the maine +branches with in a foote of the stocke, least the sappe running vpward, +and so forsaking the roote too sodainely doe kill the whole tree. + +When you haue taken your tree vp, you shall obserue how, and in what +manner, it stoode, that is, which side was vpon the South and receiued +most comfort from the sunne, and which side was from it and receiued +most shadow and bleaknesse, and in the same sort as it then stoode, so +shall you replant it againe: this done you shall with a sharpe +cutting-knife, cut off all the maine rootes, within halfe a foote of the +tree, onely the small thriddes or twist-rootes you shall not cut at all: +then bringing the plant into your Orchard, you shall make a round hole +in that place where you intend to set your tree (the rankes, manner, +distance and forme whereof hath beene all ready declared, in the first +Chapter:) and this hole shalbe at least foure foote ouerthwart euery +way, and at least two foote deepe, then shall you fill vp the hole +againe, fifteene inches deepe, with the finest blacke mould, tempered +with Oxe dunge that you can get, so that then the hole shalbe but nine +inches deepe, then you shall take your tree and place it vpon that +earth, hauing care to open euery seuerall branch and thrid of the roote, +& so to place them that they may all looke downe into the earth, and not +any of them to looke backe and turne vpward: then shall you take of the +earth from whence your tree was taken, and tempering it with a fourth +part of Oxe dunge and slekt sope-asshes (for the killing of wormes) +couer all the roote of your tree firmely and strongly: then with greene +soddes, cut and ioyned arteficially together, so sodde the place that +the hole may hardly be discerned. Lastly take a strong stake, and +driuing it hard into the ground neare vnto the new planted tree, with +either a soft hay rope, the broad barke of Willow, or some such like +vnfretting band, tye the tree to the stake, and it will defend it from +the rage of winde and tempests, which should they but shake or trouble +the roote, being new planted, it were inough to confound and spoyle the +tree for euer. + +Now, although I haue vnder the title and demonstration of replanting +one tree giuen you a generall instruction for the replanting of all +trees whatsoeuer, yet, for as much as some are not of that strength and +hardnesse to indure so much as some others will, therefore you shal take +these considerations by the way, to fortefie your knowledge with. + +First, you shall vnderstand that all your dainty and tender grafted +Plumbes, and fruits, as Abricots, Peaches, Damaske-Plumbes, Verdochyos, +Pescods, Emperialls, and diuers such like, together with Orrenges, +Cytrons, Almonds, Oliues, and others, which indeede are not familiar +with our soyles, as being nearer neighbours to the sunne, doe delight in +a warme, fat, earth, being somewhat sandy, or such a clay whose +coldnesse by Manure is corrected, and therefore here with vs in the +replanting of them you cannot bestow too much cost vpon the mould: as +for the Damson, and all our naturall english Plumbes, they loue a fat, +cold, earth, so that in the replanting of them if you shall lay too much +dunge vnto their roote, you shall through the aboundant heate, doe great +hurt vnto the tree. The cherry delighteth in any clay, so that vpon such +soyle you may vse lesse Manure, but vpon the contrary you cannot lay too +much. The Medlar esteemeth all earths alike, and therefore whether it be +Manured or no it skilles not, sunne and shadow, wet and drinesse, being +all of one force or efficacy. The Peare and Apple-tree delights in a +strong mixt soyle, and therfore indureth Manure kindly, so doth also the +Quince and Warden: lastly the Filbert, the Hasell, and the Chesnut, loue +cold, leane, moist, and sandy earths, in so much that there is no +greater enimy vnto them then a rich soyle: so that in replanting of them +you must euer seeke rather to correct then increase fertillity. + +You shall also vnderstand that all such fruit-trees as you doe plant +against the walles of your Orchard (of which I haue spoken already & +deciphered out their places) you shall not suffer to grow as of +themselues, round, and from the wall, but at the times of pruning and +dressing of them (which is euer at the beginning of the spring and +immediately after the fall) you shall as it were plash them, and spread +them against the wall, foulding the armes in loopes of leather, and +nayling them vnto the wall: and to that end you shall place them of such +a fit distance one from another, that they may at pleasure spread and +mount, without interruption: the profit whereof is at this day seene +almost in euery great mans Orchard: and although I haue but onely +appointed vnto the wall the most quaint fruits of forraine nations; yet +there is no fruit of our owne, but if it be so ordered it will prosper +and bring forth his fruit better and in greater abundance. And thus much +for the replanting of trees and furnishing of a well proportioned +Orchard. + + + + +CHAP. VII. + +_Of the Dressing, Dungging, Proyning, and Preseruing of Trees._ + + +Sith after all the labour spent of ingendring by seede, of fortefying +and inabling by planting, and of multiplying by grafting it is to little +or no purpose if the trees be not maintained and preserued by dressing, +dungging and proyning, I will therefore in this place shew you what +belongs to that office or duty, and first, for the dressing of trees: +you shall vnderstand that it containeth all whatsoeuer is meete for the +good estate of the tree, as first, after your tree is planted, or +replanted, if the season shall fall out hot, dry, and parching, insomuch +that the moisture of the earth is sucked out by the atraction of the +Sunne, and so the tree wanteth the nutriment of moisture, in this case +you shall not omit euery morning before the rising of the sunne, and +euery euening after the set of the sunne, with a great watring-pot +filled with water, to water & bath the rootes of the trees, if they be +young trees, and newly planted, or replanted, but not otherwise: for if +the trees be olde, and of long growth, then you shall saue that labour, +and onely to such olde trees you shall about the midst of Nouember, with +a spade, digge away the earth from the vpper part of the rootes and lay +them bare vntill it be midde-March, and then mingling such earth as is +most agreeable with the fruit and Oxe-dunge and sope-ashes together, so +couer them againe, and tread the earth close about them: as for the +vncouering of your trees in summer I doe not hold it good, because the +reflection of the sunne is somewhat too violent and dryeth the roote, +from whence at that time the sappe naturally is gone: you shall also +euery spring and fall of the leafe clense your fruit trees from mosse, +which proceeding from a cold and cankerous moisture, breedeth dislike, +and barrainenesse in trees: this mosse you must take off with the backe +of an olde knife and leaue the barke smooth, plaine, and vnraced: also +if you shall dunge such trees with the dunge of Swine, it is a ready way +to destroy the mosse. + +{SN: Proyning of Trees.} +After you haue drest and trimmed your trees, you shall then proyne them, +which is to cut away all those superfluous branches, armes, or cyons, +which being either barraine, bruised or misplaced, doe like drones, +steale-away that nutriment which should maintaine the better deseruing +sinewes, and you shall vnderstand that the best time for proyning of +trees, is in March and Aprill, at which time the sappe assending vpward, +causeth the trees to budde: the branches you shall cut away are all such +as shall grow out of the stocke vnderneath the place grafted, or all +such as by the shaking of tempests shall grow in a disorderly and ill +fashioned crookednesse, or any other, that out of a well tempered +iudgement shall seeme superfluous and burdensome to the stocke from +whence it springs, also such as haue by disorder beene brooken, or +maimed, and all these you shall cut away with a hooke knife, close by +the tree, vnlesse you haue occasion by some misfortune to cut away some +of the maine and great armes of the tree, and then you shall not vse +your knife for feare of tearing the barke, but taking your sawe you +shall sawe off those great armes close by the tree, neither shall you +sawe them off downeward but vpward, least the waight of the arme breake +the barke from the body: And herein you shall also vnderstand that for +as much as the mischances which beget these dismembrings doe happen at +the latter end of Summer, in the gathering of the fruit, and that it is +not fit such maymed and broken boughes hang vpon the tree till the +Spring, therefore you shall cut them off in the Winter time, but not +close to the tree by almost a foote, and so letting them rest vntill the +spring, at that time cut them off close by the tree. Now if you finde +the superfluitie of branches which annoy your trees to be onely small +cyons, springing from the rootes of the trees, as it often hapneth with +all sorts of Plumbe-trees, Cherry-trees, Nut-trees, and such like, then +you shall in the winter, bare the rootes of those trees, and cut off +those cyons close by the roote: but if your trees be broused or eaten by +tame-Deare, Goates, Sheepe, Kine, Oxen, or such like, then there is no +help for such a misfortune but onely to cut off the whole head and graft +the stocke anew. + +{SN: Of Barke-bound.} +Next to the proyning of trees, is the preseruing, phisicking, and curing +of the diseases of trees: to which they are subiect as well as our +naturall bodyes: and first of all, there is a disease called +Barke-bound, which is when the barke, through a mislike and leperous +drynesse, bindeth in the tree with such straitnesse that the sappe being +denied passage the body growes into a consumption: it is in nature like +vnto that disease which in beasts is called hide-bound, and the cure is +thus: at the beginning of March take a sharpe knife, and from the toppe +of the body of the tree, to the very roote, draw downe certaine slits, +or incissions, cleane through the barke, vnto the very sappe of the +tree, round about the tree, & then with the backe of your knife open +those slits and annoint them all through with Tarre, and in short space +it will giue libertie vnto the tree to encrease & grow: this disease +commeth by the rubbing of cattell against the tree, especially Swine, +who are very poyson vnto all plants. + +{SN: Of the Gall.} +There is another disease in fruit-trees, called the Gall, and it eateth +and consumeth the barke quit away, and so in time kills the tree: the +cure is to cut and open the barke which you see infected, and with a +chissell to take away all that is foule and putrefied, and then to +clappe Oxe dunge vpon the place, and it will helpe it, and this must be +done euer in winter. + +{SN: Of the Canker.} +The Canker in fruit trees is the consumption both of the barke and the +body, & it commeth either by the dropping of trees one vpon another, or +else when some hollow places of the tree retaineth raine water in them, +which fretting through the barke, poysoneth the tree: the cure is to cut +away all such boughes as by dropping breede the euill, and if the hollow +places cannot be smooth and made euen, then to stoppe them with clay, +waxe, and sope-ashes mixt together. + +{SN: Of worme-eaten barkes.} +If the barkes of your trees be eaten with wormes, which you shall +perceiue by the swelling of the barke, you shall then open the barke and +lay there-vpon swines dunge, sage, and lime beaten together, and bound +with a cloath fast to the tree, and it will cure it: or wash the tree +with cowes-pisse and vinegar and it will helpe it. + +{SN: Of Pismiers and Snailes.} +If your young trees be troubled with Pismiers, or Snailes, which are +very noysome vnto them, you shall take vnsleckt lime and sope-ashes and +mingling them with wine-lees, spread it all about the roote of the trees +so infected, and annoint the body of the tree likewise therewith, and it +will not onely destroy them but giue comfort to the tree: the soote of a +chimney or Oake sawe-dust spread about the roote will doe the same. + +{SN: Of Caterpillers, and Earewigges.} +If Caterpillers doe annoy your young trees, who are great deuourers of +the leaues and young buddes, and spoylers of the barke, you shall, if it +be in the summer time, make a very strong brine of water and salt, and +either with a garden pumpe, placed in a tubbe, or with squirts which +haue many hoales you shall euery second day water and wash your trees, +and it will destroy them, because the Caterpiller naturally cannot +indure moisture, but if neuerthelesse you see they doe continue still +vpon your trees in Winter, then you shall when the leaues are falne away +take dankish straw and setting it on fire smeare and burne them from the +tree, and you shall hardly euer be troubled with them againe vpon the +same trees: roules of hay layd on the trees will gather vp Earewigges +and kill them. + +{SN: Of the barrainenesse of Trees.} +If your trees be barraine, and albeit they flourish and spread there +leaues brauely, yet bring forth no fruit at all, it is a great +sicknesse, and the worst of all other: therefore you shall vnderstand it +proceedeth of two causes: first, of two much fertillitie, and fatnesse +of the ground, which causeth the leafe to put forth and flourish in such +vnnaturall abundance, that all such sappe and nutriment as should knit +and bring forth fruit, turnes onely vnto leafe, cyons, and vnprofitable +branches, which you shall perceiue both by the abundance of the leaues +and by the colour also, which will be of a more blacker and deeper +greene, and of much larger proportion then those which haue but their +naturall and proper rights: and the cure thereof is to take away the +earth from the roote of such trees and fill vp the place againe with +other earth, which is of a much leaner substance: but if your tree haue +no such infirmitie of fatnesse, but beareth his leaues and branches in +good order and of right colour and yet notwithstanding is barraine and +bringeth forth little or no fruit, then that disease springeth from some +naturall defect in the tree, and the cure thereof is thus: first, you +shall vnbare the roote of the tree, and then noting which is the +greatest and principallest branch of all the roote, you shall with a +great wimble boare a hole into that roote and then driue a pinne of olde +dry Ashe into the same (for Oake is not altogether so good) and then +cutting the pinne off close by the roote, couer all the head of the +pinne with yealow waxe, and then lay the mould vpon the roote of the +tree againe, and treade it hard and firmely downe, and there is no +doubte but the tree will beare the yeere following: in Fraunce they vse +for this infirmitie to boare a hoale in the body of the tree +slope-wise, somewhat past the hart, and to fill vp the hoale with life +honey and Rose-water mixt together, and incorporated for at least +xxiiij. howers, and then to stoppe the hole with a pinne of the one +woode: also if you wash the rootes of your trees in the drane water +which runneth from your Barley when you steepe it for Malt, it will cure +this disease of barrainenesse. + +{SN: Of the bitternesse of Fruit.} +If the fruit which is vpon your trees be of a bitter and sootie tast, to +make it more pleasant and sweet you shall wash your tree all ouer with +Swines dunge and water mixt together, & to the rootes of the trees you +shall lay earth and Swines dunge mixt together, which must be done in +the month of Ianuary and February onely, and it will make the fruit tast +pleasantly. And thus much for the dressing and preseruing of trees. + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + +_Of the Vine, and of his ordering._ + + +For as much as the nature, temperature, and clymate, of our soyle is not +so truely proper and agreeing with the Vine as that of Fraunce, Italy, +Spaine, and such like, and sith wee haue it more for delight, pleasure, +and prospect, then for any peculyar profit, I will not vndertake +_Monsiuer Lybaults_ painefull labour, in discribing euery curious +perfection or defect that belongs thereunto, as if it were the onely +iewell and commoditie of our kingdome, but onely write so much as is +fitting for our knowledge touching the maintaynance, increase, and +preseruation thereof, in our Orchards, Gardens, and other places of +recreation. + +{SN: Of planting or setting the Vine.} +First then to speake of the planting or setting of the Vine, your +greatest diligence must be to seeke out the best plants, and if that +which is most strange, rare, great and pleasant be the best, then is +that grape which is called the Muskadine, or Sacke grape, the best, and +haue their beginning either from Spaine, the Canary Ilands, or such like +places: next to them is the French grape, of which there be many kindes, +the best whereof is the grape of Orleance, the next the grape of +Gascoynie, the next of Burdeaux, and the worst of Rochell, and not any +of these but by industry will prosper in our English gardens: when +therefore you chuse your plants, you shall chuse such of the young cyons +as springing from the olde woode, you may in the cutting cut at least a +ioynt or two of olde woode with the young: for the olde will take +soonest, and this olde woode must be at least seauen or eight inches +long, and the young cyon almost a yard, and the thicker and closer the +ioynts of the young cyon are, so much the better they are: and the fit +time for cutting and gathering these sets are in midde-Ianuary, then +hauing prepared, digged, and dunged your earth the winter before, you +shall at the latter end of Ianuary take two of these sets, or plants, +placing them according to this figure: + +{Illustration} + +And lay them in the earth slope-wise, at least a foote deepe, leauing +out of the earth, vncouered, not aboue foure or fiue ioynts, at the +most, and then couer them with good earth firmely, closely, and +strongly, hauing regard to raise those cyons which are without the earth +directly vpward, obseruing after they be set, once in a month to weede +them, and keepe them as cleane as is possible: for nothing is more +noysome vnto them then the suffocating of weeds: also you shall not +suffer the mould to grow hard or bind about the rootes, but with a small +spade once in a fortnight to loosen and breake the earth, because there +rootes are so tender that the least straytning doth strangle and +confound them. If the season doe grow dry, you may vse to water them, +but not in such sort as you water other plants, which is to sprinckle +water round about the earth of the rootes, but you shall with a round +Iron made for the purpose somewhat bigger then a mans fingar, make +certaine holes into the earth, close vpon the roote of the Vine, and +powre therein either water, the dregges of strong-Ale, or the lees of +Wine, or if you will you may mixe with the lees of Wine either +Goats-milke, or Cowes-milke, and power it into the holes and it will +nourish the Vine exceedingly, and not the Vine onely, but all sorts of +dainty grafted Plumbes, especially Peaches. + +{SN: Of proyning the Vine.} +Now for proyning the Vine, you shall vnderstand that it is euer to be +done after the fall of the leafe, when the sappe is desended downeward, +for if you shall proyne, or cut him, either in the spring, or when the +sappe is aloft, it will bleede so exceedingly, that with great +difficulty you shall saue the body of the tree from dying: and, in +proyning of the Vine you shall obserue two things, the first, that you +cut away all superfluous cyons and branches, both aboue and below, which +either grow disorderly aboue, or fruitlessely below, and in cutting them +you shall obserue, neither to cut the olde woode with the young cyon, +nor to leaue aboue one head or leader vpon one branch: secondly, you +shall in proyning, plash and spread the VINE thinnely against the wall, +giuing euery seuerall branch and cyon his place, and passage, and not +suffer it to grow loosely, rudely, or like a wilde thorne, out of all +decency and proportion: for you must vnderstand that your Grapes doe +grow euer vpon the youngest cyons, and if of them you shall preserue too +many, questionlesse for want of nourishment they will lose their vertue, +and you your profit. Now if your Vine be a very olde Vine, and that his +fruit doth decay, either in quantitie or proportion; if then you finde +he haue any young cyons which spring from his roote, then when you +proyne him you shall cut away all the olde stocke, within lesse then an +handfull of the young cyons, and make them the leaders, who will prosper +and continue in perfection a long time after, especially if you trimme +the rootes with fresh earth, and fresh dunge. Againe, if you be carefull +to looke vnto your Vine, you shall perceiue close by euery bunch of +grapes certaine small thridde-like cyons, which resemble twound wyars, +curling and turning in many rings, these also take from the grapes very +much nutriment, so that it shall be a labour very well imployd to cut +them away as you perceiue them. + +{SN: Experiments of the Vine.} +Now from the Vine there is gathered sundry experiments, as to haue it +tast more pleasant then the true nature of the grape, and to smell in +the mouth odoriferously, or as if it were perfumed, which may be done in +this sort: Take damaske-Rose-water and boyle therein the powder of +Cloaues, Cynamon, three graines of Amber, and one of Muske, and when it +is come to be somewhat thicke, take a round goudge and make a hole in +the maine stocke of the Vine, full as deepe as the hart thereof, and +then put therein this medicine, then stopping the hole with Cypresse, or +Iuniper, lay greene-waxe thereupon, and binde a linnen cloath about it, +and the next grapes which shall spring from that Vine will tast as if +they were preserued or perfumed. + +If you will haue grapes without stones, you shall take your plants and +plant the small ends downeward and be assured your desire is attained. + +The Vine naturally of himselfe doth not bring forth fruit till it haue +beene three yeeres planted: but if euening and morning for the first +month you will bath his roote with Goats-milke or Cowes-milke, it will +beare fruit the first yeere of his planting. Lastly, you may if you +please graft one Vine vpon another, as the sweet vpon the sower, as the +Muskadine grape, or greeke, vpon the Rochell or Burdeaux, the Spanish, +or Iland grape, on the Gascoyne, and the Orleance vpon any at all: and +these compositions are the best, and bring forth both the greatest and +pleasantest grapes: therefore whensoeuer you will graft one grape vpon +another, you shall doe it in the beginning of Ianuary, in this sort: +first, after you haue chosen and trimmed your grafts, which in all sorts +must be like the grafts of other fruits, then with a sharpe knife, you +shall cleaue the head of the Vine, as you doe other stockes and then put +in your graft, or cyon, being made as thinne as may be and see that the +barkes and sappes ioyne euen and close together, then clay it, mosse it, +and couer it, as hath beene before declared. + +{SN: The medicining of the Vine.} +If your Vine grow too ranke and thicke of leaues, so that the sappe doth +wast it selfe in them, and you thereby lose the profit of the fruit, you +shall then bare all the rootes of the Vine, and cast away the earth, +filling vp the place againe with sand & ashes mingled together: but if +the Vine be naturally of it selfe barraine, then with a goudge you shall +make a hole halfe way through the maine body of the Vine, and driue into +the hole a round pible stone, which although it goe straitly in, yet it +may not fill vp the hole, but that the sicke humour of the Vine may +passe thorrow thereat: then couer the roote with rich earth, and Oxe +dunge mixt together, and once a day for a month water it with olde +pisse, or vrine of a man, and it will make the tree fruitfull: if the +Vine be troubled with Wormes, Snailes, Ants, Earewigges, or such like, +you shall morning and euening sprinckle it ouer with cowes-pisse and +vinegar mixt together & it will helpe it: & thus much for ordering the +Vine. + + + + +CHAP. IX. + +_The office of the Fruiterrer, or the Gatherer, and keeper, of Fruit._ + + +After you haue planted euery seuerall quarter, allye, and border within +your Orchard, with euery seuerall fruit proper vnto his place, and that +you haue placed them in that orderly and comely equipage which may giue +most delight to the eye, profit to the tree, and commendations to the +workeman, (according to the forme and order prescribed in the first +Chapter) and that now the blessing of the highest, time, and your +indeuours hath brought forth the haruest and recompence of your trauell, +so that you behould the long-expected fruit hang vpon the trees, as it +were in their ripenesse, wooing you to plucke, tast, and to deliuer them +from the wombes of their parents, it is necessary then that you learne +the true office of the Fruiterer, who is in due season and time to +gather those fruits which God hath sent him: for as in the husbanding of +our grayne if the Husbandman be neuer so carefull, or skilfull, in +ploughing, dungging, sowing, weeding and preseruing his crop, yet in the +time of haruest be negligent, neither regarding the strength or ripnesse +thereof, or in the leading and mowing respects not whether it be wet or +dry, doth in that moments space loose the wages of his whole yeeres +trauell, getting but durt from durt, and losse from his negligence: so +in like case houlds it with all other fruits, if a man with neuer so +great care and cost procure, yet if he be inrespectiue in the gathering, +all his former businesse is vaine and to no purpose; and therefore I +hould nothing more necessary then the relation of this office of the +Fruiterer, which is the consummation and onely hope of our cost, and +diligence, teaching vs to gather wisely what wee haue planted wearily, +and to eate with contentment what we haue preserued with care. + +{SN: Of gathering and preseruing Cherries.} +Know then, that of all fruits (for the most part) the Cherry is the +soonest ripe, as being one of the oldest children of the summer, and +therefore first of all to be spoken of in this place, yet are not all +Cherries ripe at one instant, but some sooner then other some, according +to the benefit of the Sunne, the warmth of the ayre, and the strength of +sappe in the branch on which the Cherry hangeth: they are a fruit tender +and pleasant, and therefore much subiect to be deuoured and consumed +with Byrds of the smallest kindes, as Sparrowes, Robins, Starlings, and +such like, especially the Iay, and the Bull-finch, who deuoure them +stones and all, euen so fast as they rypen: for preuention whereof; if +you haue great abundance of Cherry trees, as maine holts that be either +one or many akers in compasse, you shall then in diuers places of your +holts, as well in the midst, as out-corners, cause to be errected vp +certaine long poales of Fyrre, or other woode, which may mount somewhat +aboue the toppes of the trees, and one the toppes of those poales you +shall place certaine clappe-milles made of broken trenchers ioyned +together like sayles, which being moued and carryed about with the +smallest ayre, may haue vnderneath the sayles a certaine loose little +board, against which euery sayle may clap and make a great noyse, which +will afright and scare the Byrds from your trees: these milles you shall +commonly see in Husbandmens yards placed on their stackes or houells of +Corne, which doth preserue them from fowle and vermine: but for want of +these clap-milles you must haue some boy or young fellow that must euery +morning from the dawning of the day till the Sunne be more then an houre +high, and euery euening from fiue of the clocke till nine, runne vp and +downe your ground, whooping, showtying, and making of a great noyse, or +now and then shooting of some Harquebush, or other Peece: but by no +meanes to vse slings or throwing of stones, least by the miscarriage of +his hand hee either beate downe the fruit or bruise the trees. In this +sort hauing preserued your Cherries from destruction, you shall then +know there ripenesse by their colours, for euer those which are most +red, are most ripe, and when you see any that are ripe, you shall take a +light ladder, made either of fyrre or sallow, and setting it carefully +against the branches, so as you neither bruise them nor the fruit, you +shall gather those you finde ripe, not taking the fruit from the stalke, +but nipping the stalke and fruit both together from the tree: also you +shall be carefull in gathering to handle or touch the Cherry so little +as may be, but the stalke onely, especially if your hands be hot, or +sweaty, for that will change the colour of your Cherries, and make them +looke blacke: if there be any ripe Cherries which hang out of the reach +of your hands, then you shall haue a fine small gathering hooke of +woode, whose bout shall be made round, and smooth, for nipping the barke +of the branches, and with it you shall gently pull vnto you those +branches you cannot reach: you shall also haue a little round basket of +almost a foote deepe, made with a siue bottome, hauing a handle thwarte +the toppe, to which a small hooke being fastned, you shall with that +hooke hang the basket by you on some conuenient cyon, and as you gather +the Cherries, gently lay them downe into the same, and when you haue +filled your basket you shall descend and empty it into larger great +baskets made of the same fashion, with siue bottomes, and hauing +vnderneath two broad lathes or splinters, at least three fingers broad a +peece, within foure inches one of the other, and going both one way +crosse ouerthwart the basket, that if either man or woman shall carry +them vpon their heads, which is the best manner of cariage, then the +splinters may defend the bottome of the basket from the head of the +party, and keepe the Cherries from hurt or bruising, and if you haue +occasion to carry your Cherries farre, and that the quantitie grow +beyond the support of a man, then you shall packe them in hampers or +panniers made with false bottoms like siues, and finely lyned on the +out side with white straw, and so being closely trust on each side a +Horses-backe, to carry them whether you please. You shall by no meanes +suffer your Cherries to lye in any great or thicke heapes one vpon +another, but vntill you sell them, or vse them, lay them as thinne as +may be, because they are apt of themselues to sweat and catch heate, and +that heate doth soone depriue them of the glory of their colour. When +you gather any Cherries to preserue, you shall gather those which are +the greatest, the ripest, you shall pull them from their stalkes one by +one, and vse them at furthest within xxiiij. howers after the time they +are gotten. + +{SN: The gathering of stone Fruit.} +{SN: Of gathering hard Plumbes.} +{SN: Of keeping of Plumbes.} +For the gathering of Plumbes in generall, it is in the same manner as +you did gather your Cherries, both with such a like ladder, such a like +hooke, and such like vessels, onely some more speciall obseruations are +to be obserued in gathering your dainty grafted Plumbes, then of the +others, which are of a more hard and induring nature. You shall know +then that for gathering of Abricots, Peaches, Date-Plumbes, and such +like grafted Plumbes, you shall duely consider when they are perfectly +ripe, which you shall not iudge by their dropping from the tree, which +is a signe of ouer-much ripnesse, tending to rottennesse, but by the +true mixture of their colour, and perfect change from their first +complexion: for when you shall perceiue that there is no greenenesse nor +hardnesse in their out-sides, no, not so much as at the setting on of +the stalke, you may then iudge that they are ready to be gathered, and +for a perfecter tryall thereof you may if you please, take one which you +thinke ripest from the tree, and opening it if you see the stone comes +cleane and dry away and not any of the in-part of the fruit cleauing +vnto it, then you may assure your selfe that the fruit is ready to be +gathered, which you shall with great deligence and care gather, not by +any meanes laying one Plumbe vpon another, but each seuerally by +another, for these dainty Plumbes are naturally so tender that the least +touch, though of themselues, doth bruise them, and occasion +rottennesse. Now when you haue gathered them, if either you haue desire +to send them any iourney, as in gratulation to your friends, or for +other priuate commoditie, you shall take some close, smooth, boxe, +answerable to the store of fruit you are to send, and first line it +within all ouer with white paper, then lay your Plumbes one by one all +ouer the bottome of the boxe, then couering them all ouer with white +paper, lay as many moe vpon the toppe of them, and couer them likewise +with paper, as before, and so lay row vpon row with papers betweene +them, vntill the boxe be sufficiently filled, and then closing it vp +sende it whether you please, and they will take the least hurt, whereas +if you should line the boxe either with hay or straw, the very skinnes +are so tender that the straw would print into them and bruise them +exceedingly, and to lay any other soft thing about them, as either wooll +or bumbast, is exceeding euill, because it heateth the Plumbes, and +maketh them sweat, through which they both loose their colour and rot +speedily. As touching the gathering of Plumbes when they are hard, and +to ripen them afterward by laying them vpon nettles, to which consenteth +the most of our London-Fruiterrers, I am vtterly against the opinion, +because I both know Nature to be the perfectest worke-Mistris, and where +she is abridged of her power there euer to follow disorders and +imperfections, as also that when such things are done, as it were +through an ouer-hasty constraint, there cannot proceede any thing but +abortiuenesse, and a distastfull rellish: from whence I thinke it comes +to passe that in London a man shall very seldome tast a delicate or well +rellisht Plumbe, vnlesse it be from such as hauing fruit of their owne, +make no commoditie thereof more then their owne pleasures: yet thus much +I would perswade euery one, that if they haue moe Plumbes ripe at once +then they can vse, or spend, that then after they are gathered, to +spread them thinnely vpon Nettles or Vine-tree leaues, and it will +preserue them sound and well coloured a long time together, but if your +store be so superabundant that in no reasonable time you can spend +them, then what you doe not preserue, or make Godiniake, or Maruulade +of, the rest you shall take and sprinkling them ouer with sweet-worte, +or growt, and then laying them one by one (yet so as they may not touch +one another) vpon hurdles or fleakes made of wands, or twigges, and put +them into an Ouen after bread or Pyes haue beene taine thereout, and so +leasurely dry them, and they will not onely last, but tast pleasantly +all the yeere after: and in this sort you may vse all kindes of Plumbes, +or Peares, whatsoeuer. Now for the gathering of the other ordinary sorts +of vngrafted Plumbes, which haue both much stronger rindes, and are +lesse subiect to rotting, you shall gather them, carry, or transport +them, in the same manner that you did your Cherries, onely in these, as +in all other sorts of fruit whatsoeuer, you shall not omit neuer to +gather, or pull them from the tree, till the dewe be dryed cleane both +from the grasse and from the trees, and that the day be dry, faire, and +full of sunne-shine: for the least wet or moisture doth canker and rot +the fruit. + +{SN: Of the gathering of Peares.} +As touching the gathering of Peares, though sundry Fruiterrers obserue +sundry wayes in gathering them, as some making more hast then +good-speed, as either to haue the first tast, or the first profit, some +vsing more negligence, thincking their store so great it will neuer be +consumed, and some so curious that they will not gather till the Peares +fall into their bosomes, all which are dispraiseable fashions, yet I for +my part would euer aduise all diligent husbands to obserue a +mediocritie, and take the fittest season for the gathering of his fruit: +as thus for example. If because you are vnexperienced or vnacquainted +with the fruit you doe not know the due time of his ripening, you shall +obserue the colour of the Peare, and if you see it doe alter, either in +part, or in all, you shall be assured the fruit is neare ripening, for +Peares doe neuer change their colours, but when they doe desire to be +taken from the tree: and of all fruit the Peare may be gathered the +hardest, because both his owne naturall heate and peculiar quallittie +will ripen him best with lying: yet to be more strongly fortefied in the +knowledge of the ripenesse of your fruit, and because it is better to +get a day too late, then an hower to earely, you shall before you gather +your Peares, whether they be Summer fruit or Winter fruit, or whether +you meane to spend them soone or preserue them long, take one of them +from the tree, which is neither the ripest nor the greenest, but betwixt +both, and cut it through the midst with your knife, not longwise, but +ouerthwart, and then looke into the coare where the kirnells lye, and if +it be hollow so as the kirnells lye as it were hollow therein, the +neather ends thereof being turned either blacke, or blackish, albeit the +complexion of the Peare be little, or not at all altered, yet the Peares +haue their full growth, and may very well be gathered: then laying them +either vpon a bedde of ferne, or straw, one vpon another, in great +thicknesse, their owne naturall heate will in short space ripen them, +which you shall perceiue both by the speedy changing of their colour, & +the strength of their smell, which will be exceeding suffocating, which +as soone as you perceiue, you shall then spread them thinner and +thinner, vntill they be all ripe, and then lay them one by one, in such +sort as they may not touch one another, and then they will last much the +longer, you shall also after they be ripe, neither suffer them to haue +straw nor ferne vnder them, but lay them either vpon some smooth table, +boards or fleakes of wands, and they will last the longer. + +{SN: Of transporting, or carrying of Peares farre.} +If you be to carry or transport Peares farre, you shall then gather them +so much the sooner, and not suffer any ripe one to be amongst them, and +then lyning great wicker baskets (such as will hould at least quarters a +peece) finely within with white-straw, fill them vp with Peares, and +then couer them with straw, and corde them aboue, and you may either +transport them by land or Sea, whether you please, for they will ripen +in their cariage: but when you come to your place of residence, then you +must needs vnpacke them and spread them thinner, or else they will rot +and consume in a sodaine. + +{SN: Of gathering diuersly.} +There be sundry wayes of gathering Peares, or other fruit, as namely, to +climbe into the tree and to haue a basket with a line fastned thereto, +and so when it is filled to let it downe, and cause it to be emptied, +which labour though some of our southerne Fruiterers doe not much +commend, yet for mine owne part I doe not see much errour therein, but +that it is both allowable and conuenient, both because it neither +bruiseth the fruit, nor putteth the gatherer to any extraordinary +labour, onely the imaginary euill is, that by climbing vp into the tree, +hee that gathereth the fruit may indanger the breaking, slipping, and +disbranching of many of the young cyons, which breedeth much hurt and +damage to the tree, but iudgement, and care, which ought to be +apropriate to men of this quallitie, is a certaine preuenter of all such +mischeifes. Now for such as in gathering of their fruit doe euery time +that the basket is full bring it downe themselues from the tree, and +empty it by powring the fruit rudely, and boystrously forth, or for +beating of fruit downe with long poales, loggets, or such like, they are +both most vilde and preposterous courses, the first being full of too +much foolish and carelesse trouble, the latter of too much disorder, & +cruelty, ruyning in a moment what hath beene many yeeres in building: as +for the climbing the tree with a ladder, albeit it be a very good way +for the gathering of fruit, yet if it be neuer so little indiscreetly +handled, it as much hazardeth the breaking and bruising both of the +fruit and the small cyons, as either climbing the tree, or any other way +whatsoeuer. + +{SN: The gathering of Apples.} +Now for the gathering of your Apples: you shall vnderstand that your +summer fruit, as your Ieniting, Wibourne, and such like, are first to be +gathered, whose ripenesse, you may partly know by the change of colour, +partly by the pecking of Birds, but cheifely by the course formerly +discribed for your knowledge of the ripenesse of the Peare, which is the +hollownesse of coare, and liberty of the kirnell onely, and when you +doe perceiue they are ripe, you shall gather them in such wise as hath +beene declared for the gathering of your Peares, without respecting the +state of the Moone, or any such like obseruation, but when you come to +gather your Winter-fruit, which is the Pippin, Peare-maine, Russetting, +Blacke-annat, and such like, you shall in any wise gather them in the +wane of the Moone, and, as before I said, in the dryest season that may +be, and if it be so that your store be so great that you cannot gather +all in that season, yet you shall get so much of your principall fruit, +the youngest and fairest, as is possible to be gotten, and preserue it +for the last which you intend either to spend, or vtter. Now for the +manner of gathering your Apples I doe not thinke you can amend or +approue a better way then that which hath beene discribed for the +gathering of Peares, yet some of our late practitioners (who thinke +themselues not cunning if they be not curious) dislike that way, and +will onely haue a gathering apron, into which hauing gathered their +fruit, they doe empty it into larger vessells: this gathering apron is a +strong peece of Canuas at least an ell euery way, which hauing the vpper +end made fast about a mans necke, & the neather end with three loopes, +that is, one at each corner, & one in the midst, through which you shall +put a string, and binde it about your waste, in so much that both the +sides of your apron being open you may put your fruit therein with which +hand you please: this manner of gathering Apples is not amisse, yet in +my conceit the apron is so small a defence for the Apples, that if it +doe but knocke against the boughes as you doe moue your selfe, it cannot +chuse but bruise the fruit very much, which ought euer to be auoyded: +therefore still I am of this opinion, there is no better way, safer, nor +more easie, then gathering them into a small basket, with a long line +thereat, as hath beene before declared in the gathering of Peares. Now +you shall carefully obserue in empting one basket into another, that you +doe it so gently as may be, least in powring them out too rudely the +stalkes of the fruit doe pricke one another, which although it doe +appeare little or nothing at the first, yet it is the first ground, +cause, and beginning of rottennesse, and therefore you shall to your +vttermost power gather your Apples with as small stalkes as may be, so +they haue any at all, which they must needes haue, because that as too +bigge stalkes doth pricke and bruise the fruit, so to haue none at all +makes the fruit rot first in the place where the stalke should be: you +shall also keepe your fruit cleane from leaues, for they being greene +and full of moisture, when by reason of their lying close together they +beginne to wither they strike such an heate into the Apples, that they +mil-dew and rot instantly. + +{SN: Of Fallings.} +{SN: Of carriage and keeping Fruit.} +As touching your Fallings, which are those Apples which fall from your +trees, either through too much ripenesse, or else through the violence +of winde, or tempests, you shall by no meanes match them, or mixe them, +with your gathered fruit, for they can by no meanes last or indure so +long, for the latter which falleth by force of winde, wanting the true +nourishment of the earth and the kindly ripening vpon the tree, must +necessarily shrinke wither, and grow riuelled, so that your best course +is to spend them presently, with all speede possible: for the other +which hath too much ripenesse from the earth, and the tree, though it be +much better then the other, yet it cannot be long lasting, both because +it is in the falling bruised, and also hath too much ripenesse, which is +the first steppe to rottennesse, so that they must likewise be spent +with all expedition. For the carriage of your Apples, if the place be +not farre whether you should carry them, you shall then in those large +baskets into which you last emptied them, carry them vpon cole-staues, +or stangs, betwixt two men, and hauing brought them carefully into your +Apple-loft, power them downe gently vpon bedds of ferne or straw, and +lay them in reasonable large heapes, euery sort of Apples seuerall by +themselues, without mixture, or any confusion: and for such Apples as +you would haue to ripen soone, you shall couer them all ouer with ferne +also, but for such as you would haue take all possible leasure in +ripening, those you shall lay neither vpon ferne, nor straw, but vpon +the bare boards, nay, if you lay them vpon a plaster floare (which is of +all floares the coldest) till Saint Andrewes tide, it is not amisse, but +very profitable, and the thinner you lay them so much the better. Now if +you haue any farre iourney to carry your Apples, either by land, or by +water, then trimming and lyning the insides of your baskets with ferne, +or wheat-straw wouen as it were cleane through the basket, you shall +packe, couer, and cord vp your Apples, in such sort as you did your +Peares, and there is no danger in the transportation of them, be it by +shippe, cart, waggon, or horse-backe. If you be inforced to packe sundry +sorts of Apples in one basket, see that betwixt euery sort you lay a +diuision of straw, or ferne, that when they are vnpackt, you may lay +them againe seuerally: but if when they are vnpackt, for want of roome +you are compeld to lay some sorts together, in any wise obserue to mixe +those sorts together which are nearest of taste, likest of colour, and +all of one continuance in lasting: as for the packing vp of fruit in +hogsheads, or shooting them vnder hatches when you transport them by +Sea, I like neither of the courses, for the first is too close, and +nothing more then the want of ayre doth rot fruit, the other is subiect +to much wet, when the breach of euery Sea indangereth the washing of the +Apples, and nothing doth more certainely spoyle them. The times most +vnseasonable for the transporting of fruit, is either in the month of +March, or generally in any frosty weather, for if the sharpe coldenesse +of those ayres doe touch the fruit, it presently makes them looke +blacke, and riuelled, so that there is no hope of their continuance. + +The place where you shall lay your fruit must neither be too open, nor +too close, yet rather close then open, it must by no meanes be low vpon +the ground, nor in any place of moistnesse: for moisture breedes +fustinesse, and such naughty smells easily enter into the fruit, and +taint the rellish thereof, yet if you haue no other place but some low +cellar to lay your fruit in, then you shall raise shelues round about, +the nearest not within two foote of the ground, and lay your Apples +thereupon, hauing them first lyned, either with sweet Rye-straw, +Wheate-straw, or dry ferne: as these vndermost roomes are not the best, +so are the vppermost, if they be vnseeld, the worst of all other, +because both the sunne, winde, and weather, peircing through the tiles, +doth annoy and hurt the fruit: the best roome then is a well seeld +chamber, whose windowes may be shut and made close at pleasure, euer +obseruing with straw to defend the fruit from any moist stone wall, or +dusty mudde wall, both which are dangerous annoyances. + +{SN: The seperating of Fruit.} +Now for the seperating of your fruit, you shall lay those nearest hand, +which are first to be spent, as those which will last but till +Alhallontide, as the Cisling, Wibourne, and such like, by themselues: +those which will last till Christmas, as the Costard, Pome-water, +Queene-Apple, and such like: those which will last till Candlemas, as +the Pome-de-roy, Goose-Apple, and such like, and those which will last +all the yeere, as the Pippin, Duzin, Russetting, Peare-maine, and such +like, euery one in his seuerall place, & in such order that you may +passe from bed to bed to clense or cast forth those which be rotten or +putrefied at your pleasure, which with all diligence you must doe, +because those which are tainted will soone poyson the other, and +therefore it is necessary as soone as you see any of them tainted, not +onely to cull them out, but also to looke vpon all the rest, and deuide +them into three parts, laying the soundest by themselues, those which +are least tainted by themselues, and those which are most tainted by +themselues, and so to vse them all to your best benefit. + +Now for the turning of your longest lasting fruit, you shall know that +about the latter end of December is the best time to beginne, if you +haue both got and kept them in such sort as is before sayd, and not mixt +fruit of more earely ripening amongst them: the second time you shall +turne them, shall be about the end of February, and so consequently once +euery month, till Penticost, for as the yeere time increaseth in heate +so fruit growes more apt to rot: after Whitsontide you shall turne them +once euery fortnight, alwayes in your turning making your heapes thinner +and thinner; but if the weather be frosty then stirre not your fruit at +all, neither when the thaw is, for then the fruit being moist may by no +meanes be touched: also in wet weather fruit will be a little dankish, +so that then it must be forborne also, and therefore when any such +moistnesse hapneth, it is good to open your windowes and let the ayre +dry your fruit before it be turned: you may open your windowe any time +of the yeere in open weather, as long as the sunne is vpon the skye, but +not after, except in March onely, at what time the ayre and winde is so +sharpe that it tainteth and riuelleth all sorts of fruits whatsoeuer. + +{SN: To keepe Fruit in frost.} +If the frost be very extreame, and you feare the indangering your fruit, +it is good to couer them somewhat thicke with fine hay, or else to lay +them couered all ouer either in Barley-chaffe, or dry Salte: as for the +laying them in chests of Iuniper, or Cipresse, it is but a toy, and not +worth the practise: if you hang Apples in nettes within the ayre of the +fire it will keepe them long, but they will be dry and withered, and +will loose their best rellish. + +{SN: Of Wardens.} +Now for the gathering, keeping, ordering, and preseruing of Wardens, +they are in all sorts and in all respects to be vsed as you doe vse your +Peares, onely you are to consider that they are a fruit of a much +stronger constitution, haue a much thicker skinne, and will endure much +harder season: neither ought you to seeke to ripen them in hast, or +before the ordinary time of their owne nature, and therefore to them you +shall vse neither straw, ferne, nor hay, but onely dry boards to lay +them vpon, and no otherwise. + +{SN: Of Medlars and Seruices.} +For your Medlars, you shall gather them about the midst of October, +after such time as the frost hath nipt and bitten them, for before they +will not be ready, or loosen from the stalke, and then they will be +nothing ripe, but as hard as stones, for they neuer ripen vpon the tree, +therefore as soone as you haue gathered them, you shall packe them into +some close vessell, and couer them all ouer, and round about, with +thicke woollen cloathes, and about the cloathes good store of hay, and +some other waight of boards, or such like vpon them, all which must +bring them into an extreame heate, without which they will neuer ripen +kindely, because their ripenesse is indeed perfect rottennesse: and +after they haue layne thus, at least a fornight, you shall then looke +vpon them, and turning them ouer, such as you finde ripe you shall take +away, the rest you shall let remaine still, for they will not ripen all +at once, and those which are halfe ripe you shall also remoue into a +third place, least if you should keepe them together, they should +beginne to grow mouldy before the other were ready; and in the selfe +same manner as you vse your Medlars, so you shall vse your Seruices, and +they will ripen most kindely: or if you please to sticke them betwixt +large clouen stickes, and to sprinckle a little olde beare vpon them, +and so set them in a close roome, they will ripen as kindely as any +other way whatsoeuer. + +{SN: Of Quinces.} +Now for Quinces, they are a fruit which by no meanes you may place neare +any other kinde of fruit, because their sent is so strong and peircing, +that it will enter into any fruit, and cleane take way his naturall +rellish: the time of their gathering is euer in October, and the meetest +place to lay them in is where they may haue most ayre, so they may lye +dry (for wet they can by no meanes indure,) also they must not lye +close, because the smell of them is both strong & vnwholsome: the beds +whereon they must lye must be of sweet straw, and you must both turne +them and shift them very often, or else they will rot speedily: for the +transporting or carying them any long iourney, you must vse them in all +things as you vse your Peares, & the carriage will be safe. + +{SN: Of Nuts.} +For Nuts, of what sort soeuer they be, you shall know they are ripe as +soone as you perceiue them a little browne within the huske, or as it +were ready to fall out of the same, the skill therefore in preseruing of +them long from drynesse, is all that can be desired at the Fruiterers +hands: for as touching the gathering of them, there is no scruple to be +obserued, more then to gather them cleane from the tree, with the helpe +of hookes and such like, for as touching the bruising of them, the shell +is defence sufficient. After they be gathered, you shall shale them, and +take them cleane out of their huskes, and then for preseruing them from +either Wormes or drynesse, it shall be good to lay them in some low +cellar, where you may couer them with sand, being first put into great +bagges or bladders: some french-men are of opinion that if you put them +into vessels made of Wal-nut-tree, and mixe Iuy-berries amongst them, it +will preserue them moist a long time: others thinke, but I haue found it +vncertaine, that to preserue Nuts in Honey will keepe them all the yeere +as greene, moist, and pleasant, as when they hung vpon the tree: The +Dutch-men vse (and it is an excellent practise) to take the crusht +Crabbes (after your verdiuyce is strained out of them) and to mixe it +with their Nuts, and so to lay them in heapes, and it will preserue them +long: or otherwise if they be to be transported, to put them into +barrells and to lay one layre of crusht Crabbes, and another of Nuts, +vntill the barrell be filled, and then to close them vp, and set them +where they may stand coole. But aboue all these foresayd experiments, +the best way for the preseruing of Nuts is to put them into cleane +earthen pots, and to mixe with them good store of salt and then closing +the pots close, to set them in some coole cellar, and couer them all +ouer with sand, and there is no doubt but they will keepe coole, +pleasant, and moist, vntill new come againe, which is a time fully +conuenient. + +{SN: Of Grapes.} +Now to conclude, for the keeping of Grapes, you shall first vnderstand +that the best time for their gathering is in the wane of the Moone, and +about the midst of October, as for the knowledge of his ripenesse it is +euer at such time as his first colour is cleane altered, for all Grapes +before they be ripe are of a deepe, thicke, greene, colour, but after +they be ripe, they are either of a blewish redde, or of a bright shining +pale greene. Now for the preseruing them for our english vse, which is +but onely for a fruit-dish at our Tables, for neither our store, nor our +soyle, affords vs any for the wine-presse, some thinke it good, after +they are gotten, to lay them in fine dry sand, or to glasse them vp in +close glasses, where the ayre cannot peirce, will keepe them long, both +full, plumpe, and sweet, but in my conceit the best course is after they +are gotten to hang them vpon strings bunch by bunch, in such places of +your house as they may take the ayre of the fire, and they will last +longest, and keepe the sweetest. + + + + +CHAP. X. + +_Of the making of Cyder, or Perry._ + + +Cyder is a certaine liquor or drinke made of the iuyce of Apples, and +Perrye the like, made of Peares, they are of great vse in France, and +very wholsome for mans body, especially at the Sea, and in hot +Countries: for they are coole and purgatiue, and doe preuent burning +agues: with vs here in England Cyder is most made in the West parts, as +about Deuon-shire & Cornwaile, & Perry in Worcester-shire, +Glocester-shire, & such like, where indeede the greatest store of those +kindes of fruits are to be found: the manner of making them is, after +your fruit is gotten, you shall take euery Apple, or Peare, by it selfe, +and looking vpon them, picke them cleane from all manner of filthinesse, +as bruisings, rottennesse, worme-eating, and such like, neither leaue +vpon them any stalkes, or the blacke buddes which are and grow vpon the +tops of the fruit, which done you shall put them in to some very cleane +vessell, or trough, and with beetells, made for the purpose, bruise or +crush the Apples or Peares in peeces, & so remoue them into other cleane +vessells, till all the fruit be bruised: then take a bagge of +hayre-cloath, made at least a yard, or three quarters, square, and +filling it full of the crusht fruit, put it in a presse of woode, made +for the purpose, and presse out all the iuyce and moisture out of the +fruit, turning and tossing the bagge vp and downe, vntill there be no +more moisture to runne forth, and so baggefull after baggefull cease not +vntill you haue prest all: wherein you are especially to obserue, that +your vessells into which you straine your fruit be exceeding neate, +sweet, and cleane, and there be no place of ill fauour, or annoyance +neare them, for the liquour is most apt, especially Cyder, to take any +infection. As soone as your liquor is prest forth and hath stoode to +settle, about twelue houres, you shall then turne it vp into sweet +hogsheads, as those which haue had in them last, either White-wine or +Clarret, as for the Sacke vessell it is tollerable, but not excellent: +you may also if you please make a small long bagge of fine linnen +cloath, and filling it full of the powder of Cloues, Mace, Cynamon, +Ginger, and the dry pils of Lemons, and hang it with a string at the +bung-hole into the vessell, and it will make either the Cyder, or Perry, +to tast as pleasantly as if it were Renish-wine, and this being done you +shall clay vp the bung-hole with clay and salt mixt together, so close +as is possible. And thus much for the making of Perry or Cyder. + + + + +CHAP. XI. + +_Of the Hoppe-garden, and first of the ground and situation thereof._ + + +{SN: Fit ground for Hoppes.} +That the Hoppe is of great vse and commoditie in this kingdome, both the +Beare, which is the generall and perfect drinke of our Nation, and our +dayly traffique, both with France, the low-Countries, and other nations, +for this commoditie, is a continuall testimony, wherefore the first +thing to be considered of in this worke, is the goodnesse and aptnesse +of the ground for the bringing forth of the fruit thereof, wherein I +thus farre consent with Maister _Scot_, that I doe not so much respect +the writings, opinions, and demonstrations, of the Greeke, Latine, or +French authors, who neuer were acquainted with our soyles, as I doe the +dayly practise and experience which I collect, both from my owne +knowledge, and the labours of others my Countrymen, best seene and +approued in this Art: therefore to come to my purpose, you shal +vnderstand that the light sand, whether it be redde or white, being +simple and vnmixed is most vnfit for the planting of Hoppes, because +that through the barrainenesse, it neither hath comfort for the roote, +nor through his seperate lightnesse, any strong hould to maintaine and +keepe vp the poales: likewise the most fertill rich, blacke clay, which +of all soyles is the best and most fruitfull, is not to be allowed for a +Hoppe garden, because his fatnesse and iuyce is so strong that the roote +being as it were ouer-fedde, doth make the branches bring forth leaues +in such infinite abundance that they leaue neither strength nor place +for the fruit, either to knit, or put forth his treasure, as I haue +seene by experience in many places: as for the earth which is of a +morish, blacke, wet nature, and lyeth low, although I haue often times +seene good Hoppes to grow thereupon, being well trencht, and the hils +cast high to the best aduantage, yet it is not the principall ground of +all others, because it is neuer long lasting, but apt to decay and grow +past his strength of bearing. The grounds then which I haue generally +seene to beare the best Hoppes, and whose natures doe the longest +continue with such fruit, are those mixt earthes which are clayes with +clayes, as blacke with white, or clayes and sands of any sorts, wherein +the soyle is so corrected as neither too much fatnesse doth suffocate, +nor too much leannesse doth pine: for I had euer rather haue my +Hoppe-garden desire increase, then continually labour in abatement. And +although some doe exceedingly condemne the chauke-ground for this vse, +yet I haue not at any time seene better Hoppes, or in more plenty, then +in such places, as at this day may be seene in many places about +Hartford-shire. To conclude, though your best mixt earths bring forth +the best Hoppes, yet there is no soyle, or earth, of what nature soeuer +it be (if it lye free from inundation) but will bring forth good Hoppes, +if it be put into the hands of an experienced workman. + +{SN: Of the Situation.} +Now, for the situation or site of your Hoppe-garden: you shall so neare +as you can place it neare some couer or shelter, as either of hils, +houses, high-walles, woodes or trees, so those woodes or trees be not so +neare that they may drop vpon your Hoppe hils, for that will kill them: +also the nearer it is planted to your dwelling house it is somuch the +better, both because the vigilance of your owne eye is a good guarde +thereunto, and also the labours of your work-Maister will be more +carefull and diligent. A Hop-garden as it delighteth much in the +pleasantnesse of the sunne, so it cannot endure by any meanes, the +sharpenesse of the windes, frosts, or Winter weather, and therefore your +onely care is your defence and shelter. For the bignesse of your ground, +it must be ordered according to your abillitie or place of trade for +that commoditie, for if you shall haue them but for your owne vse, then +a roode or two roodes will be inough, albeit your house keeping match +with Nobillitie: but if you haue them for a more particuler profit, +then you may take an Aker, two or three, according to your owne +discretion; wherein you shall euer keepe these obseruations: that one +mans labour cannot attend aboue two thousand fiue hundred hils, that +euery roode will beare two hundred and fiftie hils, euery hill beare at +least two pounds and an halfe of Hoppes, (which is the iust quantitie +that will serue to brew one quarter of Malt) and that euery hundred +waight of Hoppes, is at the least, in a reasonable yeere, worth +foure-nobles the hundred: so that euery roode of ground thus imployed, +cannot be lesse worth, at the meanest reckoning, then sixe pounds by the +yeere: for if the ground be principall good for the purpose, and well +ordered, the profit will be much greater, in as much as the bells of the +Hoppes will be much greater, full, and more waighty: And thus much for +the ground and situation. + + + + +CHAP. XII. + +_Of the ordering of the Garden, and placing of the Hils._ + + +As soone as you haue chosen out your platforme of ground, you shal +either by ploughing, or digging, or by both, make it as flat & leuell as +is possible, vnlesse it be any thing subiect vnto water, and then you +shall giue it some small desent, and with little trenches conuaye the +water from annoying it: you shall also the yeere before you either make +hill or plant it with Hoppe-rootes, sowe it all ouer with hempe, which +will not onely kill, and stifle all sorts of weeds, but also rot the +greene-swarth, and make the mould mellow, and apt to receiue the rootes +when they come to be planted. + +Now, as soone as your ground is thus prepared, you shall then take a +line, and with it measure your ground ouerthwart, and to euery hill +allow at least three foote of ground euery way, and betwixt hill and +hill, at the least sixe foote distance: and when you haue marked thus +the number of thirty or forty places, where your hils shall be placed, +intending euer that the time of yeere for this worke must be about the +beginning of Aprill, you shall then in the center, or midde part of +these places made for the site of your hils, digge small square holes of +a foote square each way, and a full foote deepe, and in these holes you +shall set your Hoppe-rootes, that is to say, in euery hole at least +three rootes, and these three rootes you shall ioyne together in such +wise that the toppes of them may be of one equall height, and agreeing +with the face or vpper part of the earth, you shall set them straight +and vpright, and not seperating them, as many doe, and setting at each +corner of the hole a roote, neither shall you twist them, and set both +ends vpward, nor lay them flat or crosse-wise in the earth, neither +shall you make the hils first and set the rootes after, nor immediately +vpon the setting cast great hils vpon them, all which are very vilde +wayes for the setting of Hoppes, but, as before I sayd, hauing ioyned +your rootes together, you shall place them straight and vpright, and so +holding them in one hand, with the other put the moulds close, firme, +and perfectly about them, especially to each corner of the hole, which +done you shall likewise couer the sets themselues all ouer with fine +moulds, at least two fingers thicke, and in this sort you shall plant +all your garden quite ouer, making the sites for your hill to stand in +rowes and rankes, in such order that you may haue euery way betweene the +hils small alleyes and passages, wherein you may goe at pleasure from +hill to hill, without any trouble or annoyance, according to that forme +which I haue before prescribed touching the placing of your Apple-trees +in each seuerall quarter in your Orchard: and herein you are to +vnderstand, that in this first yeere of planting your Hoppe-garden you +shall by no meanes fashion or make any great hils, but onely raise that +part of the earth where your plants are set, some two or three fingers +higher then the ordinary ground. + +{SN: The choise of Rootes.} +Now, before I proceede any further, I thinke it not amisse to speake +some thing touching the choise, gathering and trimming of Hoppe-rootes: +wherefore you shall vnderstand that about the latter end of March is the +best gathering of Hoppe-rootes, which so neare as you can you shall +select out of some garden of good reputation, which is both carefully +kept, and by a man of good knowledge, for there euery thing being +preserued in his best perfection, the rootes will be the greatest and +most apt to take: and in the choise of your rootes you shall euer chuse +those which are the greatest, as namely, such as are at the least three +or foure inches about, & ten inches long, let euery roote containe about +three ioynts, and no more, and in any case let them be the cyons of the +last yeeres growth: if they be perfectly good they haue a great greene +stalke with redde streakes, and a hard, broad, long, greene, bell; if +they be otherwise, as namely, wilde-Hoppes, then they are small and +slender, like thriddes, their colour is all redde, euen when it is at +least three yards high, whereas the best Hoppe carieth his reddish +colour not three foote from the earth. Now hauing gotten such rootes as +are good and fit for your purpose, if the season of the weather, or +other necessitie hinder you from presently setting them, you shall then +either lay them in some puddle, neare to your garden, or else bury them +in the ground, vntill fit time for their planting: and of the two it is +better to bury them then lay them in puddle, because if you so let them +lye aboue xxiiij. houres, the rootes will be spoyled. + +Now after you haue in manner aforeshewed, planted your garden with +rootes, it shall not be amisse, if the place be apt to such annoyance, +to pricke vpon the site of euery hill a few sharpe Thornes to defend +them from the scratching of poultry, or such like, which euer are busie +to doe mischeife: yet of all house-fowle Geese be the worst, but if your +fence be as it ought, high, strong, and close, it will both preuent +their harme and this labour. + +{SN: Of Poales.} +Next vnto this worke is the placing of Poales, of which we will first +speake of the choise thereof, wherein if I discent from the opinion of +other men, yet imagine I set downe no Oracle, but referre you to the +experience or the practise, and so make your owne discreation the +arbiter betweene our discentions. It is the opinion of some, that +Alder-poales are most proper and fit for the Hoppe-garden, both that the +Hoppe taketh, as they say, a certaine naturall loue to that woode, as +also that the roughnesse of the rinde is a stay & benefit to the growth +of the Hoppe: to all which I doe not disagree, but that there should be +found Alder-poales of that length, as namely, xvj. or xviij. foote long, +nine, or ten, inches in compasse, and with all rush-growne, straight, +and fit for this vse, seemeth to mee as much as a miracle, because in my +life I haue not beheld the like, neither doe I thinke our kingdome can +afford it, vnlesse in some such especiall place where they are purposely +kept and maintained, more to shew the art of their maintenance, then the +excellency of their natures: in this one benefit, and doutlesse where +they are so preserued, the cost of their preseruation amounteth to more +than the goodnesse of their extraordinary quallitie, which mine author +defends to the contrary, giuing them a larger prerogatiue, in that they +are cheaper to the purse, more profitable to the plant, and lesse +consumption to the common-wealth: but I greatly doubt in the +approbation, and therefore mine aduise is not to rely onely vpon the +Alder, and for his preheminence imagine all other poales insufficient: +but be assured that either, the Oake-poale, the Ashe, the Beeche, the +Aspe, or Maple, are euery way as good, as profitable, and by many +degrees much longer lasting. + +{SN: The proportion of the Poale.} +{SN: Of cutting and erecting Poales.} +Now, if it be so that you happen to liue in the champian Country, as for +the most part Northampton shire, Oxford-shire, some parts of Leycester +and Rutland are, or in the wet and low Countries, as Holland, and Kesten +in Lincolne-shire, or the Ile of Elye in Cambridge-shire, all which +places are very barraine of woode, and yet excellent soyles to beare +Hoppes, rather then to loose the commoditie of the Hoppe-garden I wish +you to plant great store of Willowes, which will afforde you poales as +sufficient as any of the other whatsoeuer, onely they are not so long +lasting, and yet with carefull and dry keeping, I haue seene them last +full out seauen yeeres, a time reasonably sufficient for any young +woode, for such a vse. Thus you see the curiositie is not very great of +what woode so euer your poale be, so it be of young and cleane growth, +rush-growne, (that is to say, biggest at the neather end) eighteene +foote in length, and ten inches in compasse. These poales you shall cut +and prepare betwixt the feast of Al-Saints, and Christmas, and so pile +them vp in some dry place, where they may take no wet, vntill it be +midde-Aprill, at which time (your Hoppes being shot out of the ground at +least three quarters of a yarde, so that you may discerne the principall +cyons which issue from the principall rootes) you shall then bring your +poales into the garden, and lay them along in the alleyes, by euery hill +so many poales as shall be sufficient for the maine branches, which +happely the first yeere will not be aboue two or three poales at the +most to a hill, but in processe of time more, as foure or fiue, +according to the prosperitie of the plants, and the largenesse of the +hils. After you haue thus layd your poales, you shall then beginne to +set them vp in this sort: first, you shall take a gaue-locke, or crow of +iron, and strike it into the earth so neare vnto the roote of the Hoppe +as is possible, prouided alwayes that you doe not bruise, or touch the +roote, and so stroake after stroake, cease not striking till you haue +made a hoale at least two foote deepe, and make them a little slantwise +inward towards the hill, that the poales in their standing may shoote +outwards and hould their greatest distance in the toppes: this done you +shall place the poales in those hoales, thus made with the iron crow, +and with another peece of woode, made rammer-wise, that is to say, as +bigge at the neather end as the biggest part of the poale, or somewhat +more, you shall ramme in the poales, and beate the earth firme and hard +about them: alwayes prouided, that you touch not any branch, or as +little as you may beate with your rammer within betweene the poales, +onely on the out-side make them so fast that the winde, or weather, may +not disorder or blow them downe: then lay to the bottome of euery poale +the branch which shall ascend it, and you shall see in a short space, +how out of their owne natures, they will imbrace and climbe about them. + +Now, if it happen after your Hoppes are growne vp, yet not come to their +full perfection, that any of your poales chance to breake, you shall +then take a new poale, and with some soft greene rushes, or the inmost +greene barke of an Alder-tree, tye the toppe of the Hoppe to the toppe +of the new poale, then draw the broken poale out of the Hoppe (I meane +that part which being broken lyeth vpon the ground) and as you saw it +did winde about the olde poale (which is euer the same way that the +sunne runnes) so you shall winde it about the new poale: then loosening +the earth a little from the neather part of the broken poale, you may +with your owne strength pull it cleane out of the earth, and place the +new poale in his roome. Now, there be some which are exceeding curious +in pulling vp these olde poales, and rather then they will shake the +earth, or loosen the mould, they will make a paire of large pincers, or +tarriers of iron, at least fiue foote long with sharpe teeth, and a +clasping hooke to hould the teeth together, when they haue taken fast +hould vpon the poale so neare the earth as is possible, and then laying +a peice of woode vnder the tarriers, and poysing downe the other ends to +rest the poale out of the earth without any disturbance, the modell or +fashion of which instrument is contained in this figure: + +{Illustration} + +This instrument is not to be discommended, but to be held of good vse, +either in binding grounds where the earth hardneth and houldeth the +poale more then fast, or in the strength and heate of summer, when the +drynesse of the mould will by no meanes suffer the poale to part from +it: but otherwise it is needlesse and may without danger be omitted. + +As soone as you haue sufficiently set euery hill with poales, and that +there is no disorder in your worke, you shall when the Hoppes beginne to +climbe, note if their be any cyons or branches which doe forsake the +poales, and rather shoote alongst the ground then looke vp to their +supporters, and all such as you shall so finde, you shall as before I +sayd, either with soft greene rushes, or the greene barke of Elder, tye +them gently vnto the poales, and winde them about, in the same course +that the sunne goes, as oft as conueniently you can: and this you shall +doe euer after the dew is gone from the ground, and not before, and this +must be done with all possible speede, for that cyon which is the +longest before it take vnto the poale is euer the worst and brings forth +his fruit in the worst season. + +{SN: Of the Hils.} +Now, as touching the making of your hils, you shall vnderstand that +although generally they are not made the first yeere, yet it is not +amisse if you omit that scruple, and beginne to make your hils as soone +as you haue placed your poales, for if your industry be answerable to +the desert of the labour, you shall reape as good profit the first +yeere, as either the second or the third. To beginne therefore to make +your hils, you shall make you an instrument like a stubbing Hoe, which +is a toole wherewith labourers stubbe rootes out of decayed woode-land +grounds, onely this shall be somewhat broader and thinner, somewhat in +fashion (though twice so bigge) vnto a Coopers Addes, with a shaft at +least foure foote long: some onely for this purpose vse a fine paring +spade, which is euery way as good, and as profitable, the fashion of +which is in this figure. + +{Illustration} + +With this paring spade, or hoe, you shall pare vp the greene-swarth and +vppermost earth, which is in the alleyes betweene the hils, and lay it +vnto the rootes of the Hoppes, raising them vp like small Mole-hils, and +so monthly increasing them all the yeere through, make them as large as +the site of your ground will suffer, which is at least foure or fiue +foote ouerthwart in the bottome, and so high as conueniently that height +will carry: you shall not by any meanes this first yeere decay any cyons +or branches which spring from the hils, but maintaine them in their +growth, and suffer them to climbe vp the poales, but after the first +yeere is expired you shall not suffer aboue two or three cyons, at the +most, to rise vpon one poale. After your hils are made, which as before +I sayd would be at least foure or fiue foote square in the bottome, and +three foote high, you shall then diligently euery day attend your +garden, and if you finde any branches that being risen more then halfe +way vp the poales, doe then forsake them and spread outward, dangling +downe, then you shall either with the helpe of a high stoole, on which +standing you may reach the toppe of the poale, or else with a small +forckt sticke, put vp the branch, and winde it about the poale: you +shall also be carefull that no weeds or other filthinesse grow about the +rootes of your Hoppes to choake them, but vpon the first discouery to +destroy them. + + + + +CHAP. XIII. + +_Of the gathering of Hoppes, and the preseruing of the Poales._ + + +Touching the gathering of Hoppes you shall vnderstand that after Saint +_Margarets_ day they beginne to blossome, if it be in hot and rich +soyles, but otherwise not till Lammas: likewise in the best soyles they +bell at Lammas, in the worst at Michaelmas, and in the best earth they +are full ripe at Michaelmas, in the worst at Martillmas; but to know +when they are ripe indeede, you shall perceiue the seede to loose his +greene colour, and looke as browne as a Hares backe, wherefore then you +shall with all dilligence gather them, and because they are a fruit that +will endure little or no delay, as being ready to fall as soone as they +be ripe, and because the exchange of weather may breede change in your +worke, you shall vpon the first aduantage of faire weather, euen so +soone as you shall see the dewe exhaled and drawne from the earth, get +all the ayde of Men, Women, and children which haue any vnderstanding, +to helpe you, and then hauing some conuenient empty barne, or shedde, +made either of boards or canuas, neare to the garden, in which you shall +pull your Hoppes, you shall then beginne at the nearest part of the +garden, and with a sharpe garden knife cut the stalkes of the Hoppes +asunder close by the toppes of the hils; and then with a straite forke +of iron, made broad and sharpe, for the purpose, shere vp all the +Hoppes, and leaue the poales naked. Then hauing labouring persons for +the purpose, let them cary them vnto the place where they are to be +puld; and in any case cut no more then presently is caryed away as fast +as they are cut, least if a shower of raine should happen to fall, and +those being cut and taking wet, are in danger of spoyling. You shall +prouide that those which pull your Hoppes be persons of good discretion, +who must not pull them one by one, but stripe them roundly through their +hands into baskets, mixing the young budds and small leaues with them, +which are as good as any part of the Hoppe whatsoeuer. After you haue +pulled all your Hoppes and carried them into such conuenient dry roomes +as you haue prepared for that purpose, you shall then spread them vpon +cleane floares, so thinne as may be, that the ayre may passe thorrow +them, least lying in heapes they sweat, and so mould, before you can +haue leasure to dry them. After your Hoppes are thus ordered, you shall +then cleanse your garden of all such Hoppe-straw, and other trash, as in +the gathering was scattered therein: then shall you plucke vp all your +Hoppe-poales, in manner before shewed, and hauing either some dry +boarded house, or shed, made for the purpose, pile then one vpon +another, safe from winde or weather, which howsoeuer some that would +haue their experience, like a Collossus, seeme greater then it is, doe +disalow, yet it is the best manner of keeping of poales, and well worthy +the charge: but for want of such a house, it shall not be amisse to take +first your Hoppe-straw, and lay it a good thicknesse vpon the ground, +and with sixe strong stakes, driuen slant-wise into the earth, so as the +vppermost ends may be inward one to another, lay then your Hoppe-poales +betweene the stakes, and pile them one vpon another, drawing them +narrower and narrower to the top, and then couer them all ouer with more +Hoppe-straw, and so let them rest till the next March, at which time +you shall haue new occasion to vse them. + +{SN: Winter businesse.} +As soone as you haue piled vp your Hoppe-poales, dry and close, then you +shall about mid-Nouember following throw downe your hils, and lay all +your rootes bare, that the sharpenesse of the season may nip them, and +keepe them from springing too earely: you shall also then bring into the +garden olde Cow-dunge, which is at least two yeeres olde, for no new +dunge is good, and this you shall lay in some great heape in some +conuenient place of the garden vntill Aprill, at which time, after you +haue wound your Hoppes about your poales, you shall then bestow vpon +euery hill two or three spade-full of the Manure mixt with earth, which +will comfort the plant and make it spring pleasantly. + +After your hils are puld downe, you shall with your garden spade, or +your hoe, vndermine all the earth round about the roote of the Hoppe, +till you come to the principall rootes thereof, and then taking the +youngest rootes in your hand, and shaking away the earth, you shall see +how the new rootes grow from the olde sets, then with a sharpe knife cut +away all those rootes as did spring the yeere before, out of your sets, +within an inch and an halfe of the same, but euery yeere after the first +you shall cut them close by the olde rootes. Now, if you see any rootes +which doe grow straight downward, without ioynts, those you shall not +cut at all, for they are great nourishers of the plant, but if they grow +outward, or side-wayes, they are of contrary natures, and must +necessarily be cut away. If any of your Hoppes turne wilde, as oft it +happens, which you shall know by the perfect rednesse of the branch, +then you shall cut it quite vp, and plant a new roote in his place. +After you haue cut and trimmed all your rootes, then you shall couer +them againe, in such sort as you were taught at the first planting them, +and so let them abide till their due time for poaling. + + + + +CHAP. XIIII. + +_Of drying, and not drying of Hoppes, and of packing them when they are +dried._ + + +Although there be much curiositie in the drying of Hoppes as well in the +temperature of heate (which hauing any extremitie, as either of heate, +or his contrary, breedeth disorder in the worke) as also in the framing +of the Ost or furnace after many new moulds and fashions, as variable as +mens wits and experiences, yet because innouations and incertainty doth +rather perplexe then profit, I will shunne, as much as in me lyeth, from +loading the memory of the studious Husbandman with those stratagems +which disable his vnderstanding from the attaining of better perfection, +not disalowing any mans approued knowledge, or thinking that because +such a man can mend smoking Chimnyes, therefore none but hee shall haue +license to make Chimnyes, or that because some men can melt Mettall +without winde, therefore it shall be vtterly vnlawfull to vse bellowes: +these violent opinions I all together disacknowledge, and wish euery one +the liberty of his owne thoughts, and for mine English Husband, I will +shew him that way to dry his Hoppes which is most fit for his profit, +safe, easie, and without extraordinary expences. + +First then to speake of the time which is fittest for the drying of your +Hoppes, it is immediately as soone as they are gotten, if more vrgent +occasions doe not delay the businesse, which if they happen, then you +haue a forme before prescribed how to preserue them from mouldinesse and +putrifaction till you can compasse fit time to effect the worke in. The +manner of drying them is vpon a Kilne, of which there be two sorts, that +is to say, an English Kilne, and a French Kilne: the English Kilne being +composed of woode, lath, and clay, and therefore subiect to some danger +of fire, the French, of bricke, lime, and sand, and therefore safe, +close, and without all perill, and to be preferred much before the +other: yet because I haue hereafter more occasion to speake of the +nature, fashion, and edifice of Kilnes in that part of this Volumne +where I intreate of Malting, I will cease further to mention them then +to say that vpon a Kilne is the best drying your Hoppes, after this +manner, hauing finely bedded your Kilne with Wheate-straw, you shall lay +on your hayre cloath, although some disallow it, but giue no reason +therefore, yet it cannot be hurtfull in any degree, for it neither +distasteth the Hoppes, nor defendeth them from the fire, making the +worke longer then it would, but it preserueth both the Hoppes from +filthynesse, and their seede from losse: when your hayre-cloath is +spread, you shall cause one to deliuer you vp your Hoppes in baskets, +which you shall spread vpon the cloath, all ouer the Kilne, at the least +eight inches thicke, and then comming downe, and going to the hole of +the Kilne, you shall with a little dry straw kindle the fire, and then +maintaining it with more straw, you shall keepe a fire a little more +feruent then for the drying of a kilne-full of Malt, being assured that +the same quantitie of fuell, heate, and time, which dryeth a kilne-full +of Malt, will also dry a kilne-full of Hoppes, and if your Kilne will +dry twenty strikes, or bushels of Malt at one drying, then it will dry +forty of Hoppes, because being layd much thicker the quantitie can be no +lesse then doubled, which is a speede all together sufficient, and may +very well serue to dry more Hoppes then any one man hath growing in this +kingdome. + +Now, for as much as some men doe not alow to dry Hoppes with straw, but +rather preferre woode, and of woode still to chuse the greenest, yet I +am of a contrary opinion, for I know by experience that the smoake which +proceedeth from woode, (especially if it be greene woode) being a strong +and sharpe vapour, doth so taint and infect the Hoppes that when those +Hoppes come to be brewed with, they giue the drinke a smoakie taste, +euen as if the Malt it selfe had beene woode-dryed: the vnpleasantnesse +whereof I leaue to the iudgement of them that haue trauelled in +York-shire, where, for the most part, is nothing but woode-dryed Malt +onely. + +That you may know when your Hoppes are dry inough, you shall take a +small long sticke, and stirring the Hoppes too and fro with it, if the +Hoppes doe russell and make a light noyse, each as it were seperating +one from another, then they are altogether dry inough, but if in any +part you finde them heauy or glewing one to another, then they haue not +inough of the fire: also when they are sufficiently and moderately dryed +they are of a bright-browne colour, little or nothing altered from that +they held when they were vpon the stalke, but if they be ouer dryed, +then their colour will be redde: and if they were not well ordered +before they were dryed, but suffered either to take wet or mould, then +they will looke blacke when they are dry. + +{SN: Of the drying Hoppes.} +There be some which are of opinion that if you doe not dry your Hoppes +at all, it shall be no losse, but it is an errour most grose, for if +they be not dryed, there is neither profit in their vse, nor safty in +preseruing them. + +As soone as your Hoppes are sufficiently dryed, you shall by the +plucking vp of the foure corners of your hayre-cloath thrust all your +Hoppes together, and then putting them into baskets, carry them into +such dry places as you haue prepared of purpose to lay them in, as +namely, either in dry-fats, or in garners, made either of plaster, or +boards: and herein you shall obserue to packe them close and hard +together, which will be a meanes that if any of them be not dry, yet the +heate they shall get by such lying will dry them fully and make them fit +for seruice. + +{SN: Of packing Hoppes.} +Now to conclude, if your store of Hoppes be so great that you shall +trade or make Marchandize of them, then either to conuay them by land or +Sea, it is best that you packe them into great bagges of canuas, made in +fashion of those bagges which woole-men vse, and call them pockets, but +not being altogether so large: these bagges you shall open, and either +hang vp betweene some crosse-beames, or else let downe into some lower +floare, and then putting in your Hoppes cause a man to goe into the +bagge and tread downe the Hoppes, so hard as is possible, pressing downe +basket-full after basket-full, till the bagge be filled, euen vnto the +toppe, and then with an extraordinary packe-thriede, sowing the open end +of the bagge close together, let euery hollow place be crammed with +Hoppes, whilst you can get one hand-full to goe in, and so hauing made +euery corner strong and fast, let them lye dry till you haue occasion +either to shippe or cart them. And thus much for the ordering of Hoppes, +and their vses. + + + + +CHAP. XV. + +_The office of the Gardiner, and first of the Earth, Situation, and +fencing of a Garden for pleasure._ + + +There is to be required at the hands of euery perfect Gardiner three +especiall vertues, that is to say, _Diligence_, _Industry_, and _Art_: +the two first, as namely, _Diligence_ (vnder which word I comprehend his +loue, care, and delight in the vertue hee professeth) and _Industry_ +(vnder which word I conclude his labour, paine, and study, which are the +onely testimonies of his perfection) hee must reape from Nature: for, if +hee be not inclined, euen from the strength of his blood to this loue +and labour, it is impossible he should euer proue an absolute gardiner: +the latter, which containeth his skill, habit, and vnderstanding in what +hee professeth, I doubt not but hee shall gather from the abstracts or +rules which shall follow hereafter in this Treatise, so that where +nature, and this worke shall concurre in one subiect, there is no doubt +to be made, but the professor shall in all points, be able to discharge +a sufficient dutie. + +Now, for as much as all our antient and forraine writers (for wee are +very sleightly beholding to our selues for these indeauours) are +exceeding curious in the choise of earth, and situation of the plot of +ground which is meete for the garden: yet I, that am all English +Husbandman, and know our soyles out of the worthinesse of their owne +natures doe as it were rebell against forraine imitation, thinking their +owne vertues are able to propound their owne rules: and the rather when +I call into my remembrance, that in all the forraine places I haue +seene, there is none more worthy then our owne, and yet none ordered +like our owne, I cannot be induced to follow the rules of Italie, +vnlesse I were in Italie, neither those of France, vnlesse I dwelt in +France, nor those of Germany except in Germany I had my habitation, +knowing that the too much heate of the one, or the too much coldnesse of +the other, must rather confound then help in our temperate climate: +whence it comes, that our english booke-knowledge in these cases is both +disgraced and condemned, euery one fayling in his experiments, because +he is guided by no home-bredde, but a stranger; as if to reade the +english tongue there were none better then an Italian Pedant. This to +auoide, I will neither begge ayde nor authoritie from strangers, but +reuerence them as worthies and fathers of their owne Countries. + +{SN: Of the ground.} +To speake therefore first of the ground which is fit for the garden, +albeit the best is best worthy, the labour least, and the profit most +certaine, yet it is not meete that you refuse any earth whatsoeuer, both +because a garden is so profitable, necessary, and such an ornament and +grace to euery house and house-keeper, that the dwelling place is lame +and maymed if it want that goodly limbe, and beauty. Besides, if no +gardens should be planted but in the best and richest soyles, it were +infinite the losse we should sustaine in our priuate profit, and in the +due commendations, fit for many worthy workmen, who haue reduced the +worst and barrainest earths to as rare perfection and profit as if they +had beene the onely soyles of this kingdome: and for mine owne part, I +doe not wonder either at the worke of Art or Nature, when I behould in a +goodly, rich, and fertill soyle, a garden adorned with all the delights +and delicacies which are within mans vnderstanding, because the naturall +goodnesse of the earth (which not induring to be idle) will bring forth +whatsoeuer is cast into her: but when I behould vpon a barraine, dry, +and deiected earth, such as the Peake-hils, where a man may behould Snow +all summer, or on the East-mores, whose best hearbage is nothing but +mosse, and iron stone, in such a place, I say, to behould a delicate, +rich, and fruitfull garden, it shewes great worthinesse in the owner, +and infinite Art and industry in the workeman, and makes me both admire +and loue the begetters of such excellencies. + +But to returne to my purpose touching the choise of your earth for a +garden, sith no house can conueniently be without one, and that our +English Nation is of that great popularitie, that not the worst place +thereof but is abundantly inhabited, I thinke it meete that you refuse +no earth whatsoeuer to plant your garden vpon, euer obseruing this rule, +that the more barraine it is, the more cost must be bestowed vpon it, +both in Manuring, digging, and in trenching, as shall be shewed +hereafter, and the more rich it is, lesse cost of such labour, and more +curiositie in weeding, proyning, and trimming the earth: for, as the +first is too slow, so the latter is too swift, both in her increase and +multiplication. + +Now, for the knowledge of soyles, which is good, and which is badde, I +haue spoken sufficiently already in that part which intreateth of +Tillage, onely this one caueat I will giue you, as soone as you haue +markt out your garden-plot, you shall turne vp a sodde, and taking some +part of the fresh mould, champe it betweene your teeth in your mouth, +and if it taste sweetish then is the mould excellent good and fit to +receiue either seedes or plants, without much Manuring, but if it taste +salt or bitter, then it is a great signe of barrainenesse, and must of +necessitie be corrected with Manure: for saltnesse sheweth much +windinesse, which choaketh and stifleth the seede, and bitternesse that +vnnaturall heate which blasteth it before it sprout. + +{SN: Of the situation.} +Now, for the situation of the garden-plot for pleasure, you shall +vnderstand that it must euer be placed so neare vnto the dwelling house +as is possible, both because the eye of the owner may be a guard and +support from inconueniences, as also that the especiall roomes and +prospects of the house may be adorned, perfumed, and inriched, with the +delicate proportions, odorifferous smells, and wholsome ayres which +shall ascend and vaporate from the same, as may more amply be seene in +that former Chapter, where modelling forth the Husbandmans house, I shew +you the site and place for his Garden, onely you must diligently +obserue, that neare vnto this garden doe not stand any houells, stackes +of hay, or Corne, which ouer-pearing the walls, or fence, of the same, +may by reason of winde, or other occasion, annoy the same with straw, +chaffe, seedes, or such like filthinesse, which doth not onely blemish +the beauty thereof, but is also naturally very hurtfull and cankerous to +all plants whatsoeuer. Within this garden plot would be also either some +Well, Pumpe, Conduit, Pond, or Cesterne for water, sith a garden, at +many times of the yeere, requireth much watering: & this place for water +you shall order and dispose according to your abillitie, and the nature +of the soyle, as thus: if both your reputation, and your wealth be of +the lowest account, if then your garden aford you a plaine Well, comely +couered, or a plaine Pump, it shall be sufficient, or if for want of +such springs you digge a fayre Pond in some conuenient part thereof, or +else (which is much better) erect a Cesterne of leade, into which by +pippes may discend all the raine-water which falls about any part of the +house, it will serue for your purpose: but if God haue bestowed vpon you +a greater measure of his blessings, both in wealth & account, if then +insteade of either Well, Pumpe, Pond, or Cesterne, you erect Conduits, +or continuall running Fountaines, composed of Antique workes, according +to the curiositie of mans inuention, it shall be more gallant and +worthy: and these Conduits or water-courses, you may bring in pippes of +leade from other remote or more necessary places of water springs, +standing aboue the leuell of your garden, as euery Artist in the +profession of such workes can more amply declare vnto you, onely for mee +let it be sufficient to let you vnderstand that euery garden would be +accompanied with water. + +Also you shall haue great care that there adioyne not vnto your +garden-plot any common-shewers, stinking or muddy dikes, dung-hils, or +such like, the annoyance of whose smells and euill vapors doth not onely +corrupt and breede infection in man, but also cankereth, killeth and +consumeth all manner of plants, especially those which are most +pleasant, fragrant, and odorifferous, as being of tenderest nature and +qualitie: and for this cause diuers will not alow the moating of +garden-plots about, imagining that the ouer great moistnesse thereof, +and the strong smells which doe arise from the mudde in the Summer +season, doe corrupt and putrifie the hearbes and plants within the +compasse of the same, but I am not altogether of that opinion, for if +the water be sweet, or the channell thereof sandy or grauelly, then +there is no such scruple to be taken: but if it be contrary, then it is +with all care to be auoyded, because it is euer a Maxime in this case, +that your garden-plot must euer be compassed with the pleasantest and +sweetest ayre that may be. + +The windes which you shall generally defend from your garden, are the +Easterne windes and the Northerne, because they are sharpest, coldest, +and bring with them tempers of most vnseasonablenesse, & albeit in +Italie, Spaine, and such like hot Countries, they rather defend away the +Westerne and Southerne winde, giuing free passage to the East and North, +yet with England it may not be so, because the naturall coldenes of our +Climate is sufficient without any assistance to further bitternesse, +our best industry being to be imployed rather to get warmth, which may +nourish and bring forth our labours, then any way to diminish or weaken +the same. + +This plot of ground also would lye, as neare as you can, at the foote or +bottome of an hill, both that the hill may defend the windes and sharpe +weather from the same, as also that you may haue certaine ascents or +risings of state, from leuell to leuell, as was in some sort before +shewed in the plot for the Orchard, and shall be better declared in the +next Chapter. + +{SN: Of fencing the garden.} +Now lastly for the fencing or making priuate the garden-plot, it is to +be done according to your abillitie, and the nature of the climate +wherein you liue: as thus, if your reuenewes will reach thereunto, and +matter be to be got, for that purpose, where you liue, then you shall +vnderstand that your best fence is a strong wall, either of Bricke, +Ashler, rough-Stone, or Earth, of which you are the best-owner, or can +with least dammage compasse: but for want either of earth to make +bricke, or quarries out of which to get stone, it shall not then be +amisse to fence your garden with a tall strong pale of seasoned Oake, +fixt to a double parris raile, being lined on the inside with a thicke +quicke-set of white-Thorne, the planting whereof shall be more largely +spoken of where I intreate of fencing onely. But if the place where you +liue in, be so barraine of timber that you cannot get sufficient for the +purpose, then you shall make a studde wall, which shall be splinted and +lomed both with earth and lime, and hayre, and copt vpon the toppe (to +defend away wet) either with tile, slate, or straw, and this wall is +both beautifull, and of long continuance, as may be seene in the most +parts of the South of this kingdome: but if either your pouerty or +climate doe deny you timber for this purpose, you shall then first make +a small trench round about your garden-plot, and set at least foure +rowes of quicke-set of white-Thorne, one aboue another, and then round +about the outside, to defend the quick-set, make a tall fence of dead +woode, being either long, small, brushy poales prickt into the earth, +and standing vpright, and so bound together in the wast betweene two +other poales, according to the figure set downe, + +{Illustration} + +being so high that not any kinde of Pullen may flie ouer the same, or +else an ordinary hedge of common woode, being beyrded vpon the toppe +with sharpe Thornes, in such wise that not any thing may dare to +aduenture ouer it: and this dead fence you shall repaire and maintaine +as occasion shall require from time to time, till your quicke-set be +growne vp, and, by continuall plashing and interfouldings, be made able +and sufficient to fence and defend your garden, which will be within +fiue or seauen yeeres at the most, and so continue with good order for +euer. And thus much for the situation of gardens. + + + + +CHAP. XVI. + +_Of the fashion of the garden-plot for pleasure, the Alleyes, Quarters, +Digging and Dungging of the same._ + + +{SN: The fashion.} +After you haue chosen out and fenced your garden-plot, according as is +before sayd, you shall then beginne to fashion and proportion out the +same, sith in the conuayance remaineth a great part of the gardiners +art. And herein you shall vnderstand that there be two formes of +proportions belonging to the garden, the first, onely beautifull, as the +plaine, and single square, contayning onely foure quarters, with his +large Alleyes euery way, as was discribed before in the Orchard: the +other both beautifull and stately, as when there is one, two or three +leuelled squares, each mounting seauen or eight steppes one aboue +another, and euery square contayning foure seuerall Quarters with their +distinct and seuerall Alleyes of equall breadth and proportion; placing +in the center of euery square, that is to say, where the foure corners of +the foure Quarters doe as it were neighbour and meete one another, +either a Conduit of antique fashion, a Standard of some vnusuall deuise, +or else some Dyall, or other Piramed, that may grace and beautifie the +garden. And herein I would haue you vnderstand that I would not haue you +to cast euery square into one forme or fashion of Quarters or Alleyes, +for that would shew little varytie or inuention in Art, but rather to +cast one in plaine Squares, another in Tryangulars, another in +roundalls, & so a fourth according to the worthinesse of conceite, as in +some sort you may behould by these figures, which questionlesse when +they are adorned with their ornaments, will breed infinite delight to +the beholders. + +{Illustration: The Plaine Square.} + +{Illustration: The Square Triangular or circular.} + +{Illustration: The Square of eight Diamonds.} + +From the modell of these Squares, Tryangles, and Rounds, any +industrious braine may with little difficulty deriue and fashion to +himselfe diuers other shapes and proportions, according to the nature +and site of the earth, which may appeare more quaint and strange then +these which are in our common vse, albeit these are in the truth of +workmanship the perfect father and mother of all proportions whatsoeuer. + +{SN: The ordering of Alleyes.} +Now, you shall vnderstand that concerning the Alleyes and walkes in this +garden of pleasure, it is very meete that your ground, being spacious +and large, (which is the best beauty) that you cut through the midst of +euery Alley an ample and large path or walke, the full depth of the +roote of the greene-swarth, and at least the breadth of seauen or eight +foote: and in this path you shall strow either some fine redde-sand, of +a good binding nature, or else some fine small grauell, or for want of +both them you may take the finest of your pit-coale-dust, which will +both keepe your Alleyes dry and smooth, and also not suffer any grasse +or greene thing to grow within them, which is disgracefull, if it be +suffered: the French-men doe vse, to couer their Alleyes, either with +the powder of marble, or the powder of slate-stone, or else paue them +either with Pit-stone, Free-stone, or Tiles, the first of which is too +hard to get, the other great cost to small purpose, the rather sith our +owne grauell is in euery respect as beautifull, as dry, as strong, and +as long lasting: Onely this heedfulnesse you must diligently obserue, +that if the situation of your garden-plot be low and much subiect to +moisture, that then these middle-cut paths or walkes must be heightned +vp in the midst, and made in a proportionall bent or compasse: wherein +you shall obserue that the out most verdges of the walke must be leuell +with the greene-swarth which holded in each side, and the midst so truly +raised vp in compasse, that the raine which falles may haue a passage to +each side of the greene-swarth. Now, the lesse this compasse is made (so +it auoyde the water, and remaine hard) the better it is, because by +that meanes both the eye shall be deceiued (which shewes art in the +workman) and the more leuell they are, the more ease vnto them which +shall continually walke vpon them. + +{SN: Obiection.} +Now, if any shall obiect, why I doe not rather couet to haue these +Alleyes or walkes rather all greene, then thus cut and deuided, sith it +is a most beautifull thing to see a pleasant greene walke, my answere is +this, that first the mixture of colours, is the onely delight of the eye +aboue all other: for beauty being the onely obiect in which it ioyeth, +that beautie is nothing but an excellent mixture, or consent of colours, +as in the composition of a delicate woman the grace of her cheeke is the +mixture of redde and white, the wonder of her eye blacke and white, and +the beauty of her hand blewe and white, any of which is not sayd to be +beautifull if it consist of single or simple colours: and so in these +walkes, or Alleyes, the all greene, nor the all yealow cannot be sayd to +be most beautifull, but the greene and yealow, (that is to say, the +vntroade grasse, and the well knit grauell) being equally mixt, giue the +eye both luster and delight beyonde all comparison. + +Againe, to keepe your walkes all greene, or grassy, you must of force +either forbeare to tread vpon them, (which is the vse for which they +were onely fashioned,) or treading vpon them you shall make so many +pathes and ilfauored wayes as will be most vglie to the eye: besides the +dewe and wet hanging vpon the grasse will so annoy you, that if you doe +not select especiall howers to walke in, you must prouide shooes or +bootes of extraordinary goodnesse: which is halfe a depriuement of your +liberty, whereas these things of recreation were created for a contrary +purpose. + +Now, you shall also vnderstand that as you make this sandy and smooth +walke through the midst of your Alleyes, so you shall not omit but leaue +as much greene-swarth, or grasse ground of eache side the plaine path as +may fully counteruaile the breadth of the walke, as thus for example: if +your sandy walke be sixe foote broad, the grasse ground of each side +it, shall be at least sixe foote also, so that the whole Alley shall be +at least eighteene foote in breadth, which will be both comely and +stately. + +{SN: Of the Quarters.} +Your Alleyes being thus proportioned and set forth, your next worke +shall be the ordering of your Quarters, which as I sayd before, you may +frame into what proportions you please, as into Squares, Tryangles and +Rounds, according to the ground, or your owne inuention: and hauing +marked them out with lines, and the garden compasse, you shall then +beginne to digge them in this manner: first, with a paring spade, the +fashion whereof is formerly shewed, you shall pare away all the +greene-swarth, fully so deepe as the roote of the grasse shall goe, and +cast it away, then with other digging spades you shall digge vp the +earth, at least two foote and a halfe, or three foote deepe, in turning +vp of which earth, you shall note that as any rootes of weedes, or other +quickes shall be raised or stirred vp, so presently with your hands to +gather them vp, and cast them away, that your mould may (as neare as +your dilligence can performe it) be cleane from either wilde rootes, +stones, or such like offences: & in this digging of your Quarters you +shall not forget but raise vp the ground of your Quarters at least two +foote higher then your Alleyes, and where by meanes of such reasure, you +shall want mould, there you shall supply that lacke by bringing mould +and cleane earth from some other place, where most conueniently you may +spare it, that your whole Quarter being digged all ouer, it may rise in +all parts alike, and carry an orderly and well proportioned leuell +through the whole worke. + +{SN: Of Dunging.} +The best season for this first digging of your garden mould is in +September: and after it is so digged and roughly cast vp, you shall let +it rest till the latter end of Nouember, at what time you shall digge it +vp againe, in manner as afore sayd, onely with these additions, that you +shall enter into the fresh mould, halfe a spade-graft deeper then +before, and at euery two foote breadth of ground, enlarging the trench +both wide and deepe, fill it vp with the oldest and best Oxe or +Cow-Manure that you can possibly get, till such time that increasing +from two foote to two foote, you haue gone ouer and Manured all your +quarters, hauing a principall care that your dunge or Manure lye both +deepe and thicke, in so much that euery part of your mould may +indifferently pertake and be inriched with the same Manure. + +{SN: Diuersitie of Manures.} +Now, you shall vnderstand that although I doe particularly speake but of +Oxe or Cow-Manure, because it is of all the fattest and strongest, +especially being olde, yet their are diuers respects to be had in the +Manuring of gardens: as first, if your ground be naturally of a good, +fat, blacke, and well tempered earth, or if it be of a barraine, sandy, +hot, yet firme mould, that in either of these cases your Oxe, Cow, or +beast Manure is the best & most sufficient, but if it be of a colde, +barraine, or spewing mould then it shall be good to mixe your Oxe-dunge +with Horse-dunge, which shall be at least two yeeres olde, if you can +get it, otherwise such as you can compasse: if your ground be good and +fertill yet out of his drynesse in the summer-time it be giuen to riue +and chappe as is seene in many earths; you shall then mixe your +Oxe-dunge well with Ashes, orts of Lime, and such like: lastly, if your +earth be too much binding and colde therewithall, then mixe your +Oxe-dunge with chalke or marle and it is the best Manure. And thus much +for the generall vse of earths. + +Now, for perticular vses you shall vnderstand that for Hearbs or Flowers +the Oxe and Horse-dunge is the best, for rootes or Cabbages, mans ordure +is the best, for Harty-chockes, or any such like thisly-fruit, +Swines-dunge is most sufficient, and thus according to your setled +determination you shall seuerally prouide for euery seuerall purpose, +and so, God assisting, seldome faile in your profit. And this dunge you +shall bring into your garden in little drumblars or wheele-barrowes, +made for the purpose, such as being in common vse in euery Husbandmans +yarde it shall be needlesse here either to shew the figure or +proportion thereof. And thus much for the fashion, digging, and dunging +of gardens. + + + + +CHAP. XVII. + +_Of the adornation and beautifying of the Garden for pleasure._ + + +The adornation and beautifying of gardens is not onely diuers but almost +infinite, the industry of mens braines hourely begetting and bringing +forth such new garments and imbroadery for the earth, that it is +impossible to say this shall be singular, neither can any man say that +this or that is the best, sith as mens tastes so their fancies are +carried away with the varietie of their affections, some being pleased +with one forme, some with another: I will not therefore giue +preheminence to any one beauty, but discribing the faces and glories of +all the best ornaments generaly or particularly vsed in our English +gardens, referre euery man to the ellection of that which shall best +agree with his fancy. + +{SN: Of Knots and Mazes.} +To beginne therefore with that which is most antient and at this day of +most vse amongst the vulgar though least respected with great ones, who +for the most part are wholy giuen ouer to nouelties: you shall +vnderstand that Knots and Mazes were the first that were receiued into +admiration, which Knots or Mazes were placed vpon the faces of each +seuerall quarter, in this sort: first, about the verdge or square of the +quarter was set a border of Primpe, Boxe, Lauandar, Rose-mary, or such +like, but Primpe or Boxe is the best, and it was set thicke, at least +eighteene inches broad at the bottome & being kept with cliping both +smooth and leuell on the toppe and on each side, those borders as they +were ornaments so were they also very profitable to the huswife for the +drying of linnen cloaths, yarne, and such like: for the nature of Boxe +and Primpe being to grow like a hedge, strong and thicke, together, the +Gardiner, with his sheares may keepe it as broad & plaine as himselfe +listeth. Within this border shall your knot or maze be drawne, it being +euer intended that before the setting of your border your quarter shall +be the third time digged, made exceeding leuell, and smooth, without +clot or stone, and the mould, with your garden rake of iron, so broken +that it may lye like the finest ashes, and then with your garden mauls, +which are broad-boards of more then two foote square set at the ends of +strong staues, the earth shall be beaten so hard and firme together that +it may beare the burthen of a man without shrinking. And in the beating +of the mould you shall haue all diligent care that you preserue and +keepe your leuell to a hayre, for if you faile in it, you faile in your +whole worke. + +{Illustration} + +Now for the time of this labour, it is euer best about the beginning of +February, and indifferent, about the midst of October, but for the +setting of your Primpe, or Boxe-border, let the beginning of Nouember be +your latest time, for so shall you be sure that it will haue taken +roote, and the leafe will flourish in the spring following: at which +time your ground being thus artificially prepared, you shall begin to +draw forth your knot in this manner: first, with lines you shall draw +the forme of the figure next before set downe, and with a small +instrument of iron make it vpon the earth. + +{Illustration} + +Which done, from the order and proportion of these lines you shall draw +your single knots or plaine knots of the least curiositie, as may +appeare by this figure, being one quarter of the whole Knot: euer +proportioning your Trayles and windings according to the lines there +discribed, which will keepe your worke in iust proportion. + +But if you desire to haue knots of much more curiositie being more +double and intricate, then you shall draw your first lines after this +proportion here figured, pinning downe euery line firme to the earth +with a little pinne made of woode. + +{Illustration} + +Which done you shall draw your double and curious knots after the manner +of the figure following, which is also but one quarter of the whole +knot, for looke in what manner you doe one knot in like sort will the +other three quarters succeede, your lines keeping you in a continuall +euen proportion. + +{Illustration} + +And in this manner as you draw these knots, with the like helps and +lines also you shall draw out your Mazes, and laborinths, of what sort +or kind soeuer you please, whether they be round or square. But for as +much, as not onely the _Country-farme_, but also diuers other translated +bookes, doe at large describe the manner of casting and proportioning +these knots, I will not persist to write more curiously vpon them, but +wish euery painefull gardiner which coueteth to be more satisfied +therein, to repaire to those authors, where hee shall finde more large +amplifications, and greater diuersities of knots, yet all tending to no +more purpose then this which I haue all ready written. + +Now, as soone as you haue drawne forth and figured your knot vpon the +face of your quarter, you shall then set it either with Germander, +Issoppe, Time or Pinke-gilly-flowers, but of all hearbes Germander is +the most principall best for this purpose: diuers doe vse in knots to +set Thrift, and in time of need it may serue, but it is not so good as +any of the other, because it is much subiect to be slaine with frost, +and will also spread vpon the earth in such sort that, without very +painefull cutting, it will put your knot out of fashion. + +{SN: Yeallow.} +{SN: White.} +{SN: Blacke.} +{SN: Red.} +{SN: Blew.} +{SN: Greene.} +Now there is another beautifying or adorning of Gardens, and it is most +generally to be seene in the gardens of Noblemen and Gentlemen, which +may beare coate-armor, and that is, instead of the knots and mazes +formerly spoken of, to draw vpon the faces of your quarters such Armes, +or Ensines, as you may either beare your selfe, or will preserue for the +memory of any friend: and these armes being drawne forth in plaine +lines, you shall set those plaine shadowing lines either with Germander, +Issop, or such like hearbes: and then for the more ample beautie +thereof, if you desire to haue them in their proper and liuely colours +(without which they haue but one quarter of their luster) you shall +vnderstand that your colours in Armory are thus to be made. First, for +your mettalls: you shall make your Yeallow, either of a yeallow clay, +vsually to be had almost in euery place, or the yeallowest sand, or for +want of both, of your Flanders Tile, which is to be bought of euery +Iron-monger or Chandelor; and any of these you must beate to dust: for +your White you shall make it of the coursest chalke beaten to dust, or +of well burnt plaister, or, for necessity, of lime, but that will soone +decay: your Blacke is to be made of your best and purest coale-dust, +well clensed and sifted: your Red is to be made of broken vselesse +brickes beaten to dust, and well clensed from spots: your Blew is to be +made of white-chalke, and blacke coale dust mixed together, till the +blacke haue brought the white to a perfect blewnes: lastly your Greene, +both for the naturall property belonging to your Garden, as also for +better continuance and long lasting, you shall make of Camomill, well +planted where any such colour is to be vsed, as for the rest of the +colours, you shall sift them, and strow them into their proper places, +and then with a flat beating-Beetell you shall beate it, and incorporate +it with the earth, and as any of the colours shall decay, you shall +diligently repaire them, and the luster will be most beautifull. + +There is also another beautifying of gardens, which although it last not +the whole yeere, yet it is most quaint, rare, and best eye-pleasing, and +thus it is: you shall vpon the face of your quarter draw a plaine double +knot, in manner of billet-wise: for you shall vnderstand that in this +case the plainest knot is the best, and you shall let it be more then a +foote betwixt line and line (for in the largenesse consists much beauty) +this knot being scored out, you shall take Tiles, or tileshreds and fixe +them within the lines of your knot strongly within the earth, yet so as +they may stand a good distance aboue the earth and this doe till you +haue set out all your knot with Tile: then precisely note the seuerall +passages of your knot, and the seuerall thrids of which it consisteth, +and then betwixt your tiles, (which are but as the shadowing lines of +your knot) plant in euery seuerall third, flowers of one kinde and +colour, as thus for example: in one thrid plant your carnation +Gilly-flower, in another your great white Geli flower, in another your +mingle-coloured Gilly-flower, and in another your blood-red +Gilly-flower, and so likewise if you can compasse them you may in this +sort plant your seueral coloured Hyacinths, as the red, the blew, and +the yealow, or your seuerall coloured _Dulippos_, and many other Italian +and french flowers: or you may, if you please, take of euery seuerall +plant one, and place them as afforesaid; the grace of all which is, that +so soone as these flowers shall put forth their beauties, if you stand a +little remote from the knot, and any thing aboue it, you shall see it +appeare like a knot made of diuers coloured ribans, most pleasing and +most rare. + +Many other adornations and beautifyings there are which belong to the +setting forth of a curious garden, but for as much as none are more +rare or more esteemed then these I haue set downe, being the best +ornaments of the best gardens of this kingdome, I thinke them tastes +sufficient for euery husbandman, or other of better quality which +delighteth in the beauty and well trimming of his ground. + + + + +CHAP. XVIII. + +_How for the entertainment of any great Person, in any Parke, or other +place of pleasure, where Sommer-bowers are made, to make a compleat +Garden in two or three dayes._ + + +If the honest English husbandman, or any other, of what quallity soeuer, +shall entertaine any Noble personage, to whom hee would giue the delight +of all strange contentment, either in his Parke, or other remote place +of pleasure, neere vnto Ponds, Riuer, or other waters of cleerenesse, +after hee hath made his arbors and Summer-bowers to feast in, the +fashion whereof is so common that euery labourer can make them, hee +shall then marke out his garden-plot, bestowing such sleight fence +thereon as hee shall thinke fit: then hee shall cast forth his alleys, +and deuide them from his quarters, by paring away the greene-swarth with +a paring spade, finely, and euen, by a direct line (for a line must euer +be vsed in this worke) then hauing store of labourers (after the +vpper-most swarth is taken away) you shall cast vp the quarters, and +then breaking the mould and leuelling it, you shall make sad the earth +againe, then vpon your quarters you shall draw forth either Knots, +Armes, or any other deuise which shall be best pleasing to your fancie, +as either knots with single or double trayles, or other emblemicall +deuise, as Birds, Beasts, and such like: and in your knots where you +should plant hearbes, you shall take greene-sods of the richest grasse, +and cutting it proportionably to the knot, making a fine trench, you +shall lay in your sod, and so ioyning sod to sod close and arteficially, +you shall set forth your whole knot, or the portrayture of your armes, +or other deuise, and then taking a cleane broome that hath not formerly +beene swept withall, you shall brush all vncleanenesse from the grasse, +and then you shall behold your knot as compleat, and as comely as if it +had beene set with hearbes many yeeres before. Now for the portrayture +of any liuing thing, you shall cut it forth, ioyning sod vnto sod, and +then afterward place it into the earth. Now if within this plot of +ground which you make your garden piece there be either naturall or +arteficiall mounts or bankes vpon them, you may in this selfe-same +manner with greene sods set forth a flight, either at field or riuer, or +the manner of hunting of any chase, or any story, or other deuise that +you please, to the infinit admiration of all them which shall behold it: +onely in working against mounts or bankes you must obserue to haue many +small pinnes, to stay your worke and keepe your sods from slipping one +from another, till such time as you haue made euery thing fast with +earth, which you must rame very close and hard: as for Flowers, or such +like adorments, you may the morning before, remoue them with their earth +from some other garden, and plant them at your best pleasure. And thus +much for a garden to be made in the time of hasty necessity. + + + + +CHAP. XIX. + +_How to preserue Abricots, or any kinde of curious +outlandish-stone-fruit, and make them beare plentifully be the Spring or +beginning of Summer neuer so bitter._ + + +I haue knowne diuers Noblemen, Gentlemen & men of vnder quallitie, that +haue beene most laborious how to preserue these tender stone-fruits from +the violence of stormes, frost and windes, and to that end haue beene at +great cost and charges yet many times haue found much losse in their +labours, wherefore in the end, through the practise of many experiments, +this hath beene found (which I will here set downe) the most approuedst +way to make them beare without all kinde of danger. After you haue +planted your Abricot, or other delicate fruit, and plasht him vp against +a wall in manner as hath beene before declared, you shall ouer the tops +of the trees all along the wall, build a large pentisse, of at least +sixe or seauen foote in length: which pentisse ouer-shaddowing the +trees, will, as experience hath found out, so defend them, that they +will euer beare in as plentifull manner as they haue done any particular +yeere before. There be many that will scoffe, or at least, giue no +credit to this experiment, because it carrieth with it no more +curiositie, but I can assure thee that art the honest English +Husbandman, that there is nothing more certaine and vnfallible, for I +haue seene in one of the greatest Noblemens gardens in the kingdome, +where such a pentisse was made, that so farre as the pentisse went, so +farre the trees did prosper with all fruitfulnesse, and where the +pentisse ended, not one tree bare, the spring-time being most bitter and +wonderfull vnseasonable. + +Now I haue seene some great Personages (whose pursses may buy their +pleasures at any rate) which haue in those pentisses fixed diuers strong +hookes of Iron, and then made a canuasse of the best Poldauie, with most +strong loopes, of small corde, which being hung vpon the Iron hookes, +hath reacht from the pentisse to the ground, and so laced with corde and +small pulleys, that like the saile of a ship it might be trust vp, and +let downe at pleasure: this canuasse thus prepared is all the Spring and +latter end of Winter to be let downe at the setting of the Sunne, and to +be drawne vp at the rising of the Sunne againe. The practise of this I +referre to such as haue abillitie to buy their delight, without losse, +assuring them that all reason and experience doth finde it most probable +to be most excellent, yet to the plaine English Husbandman I giue +certaine assurance that the pentisse onely is sufficient enough and will +defend all stormes whatsoeuer. And thus much for the preseruation and +increase of all tender Stone-fruit, of what nature, or climbe bred, +soeuer. + + + + +CHAP. XX. + +_How to make Grapes grow as bigge, full, and as naturally, and to ripen +in as due season, and be as long lasting as either in Fraunce or Spaine._ + + +Diuers of our English Gardiners, and those of the best and most +approued'st iudgements, haue beene very industrious to bring Grapes, in +our kingdome, to their true nature and perfection: and some great +persons I know, that with infinit cost, and I hope prosperous successe, +hath planted a Vineyard of many Acres, in which the hands of the best +experienced french-men hath beene imploied: but for those great workes +they are onely for great men, and not for the plaine English Husbandman, +neither will such workes by any meanes prosper in many parts of our +kingdome, especially in the North parts: and I that write for the +generall vse, must treate of vniuersall Maximes: therefore if you desire +to haue Grapes in their true and best kinde, most earely and longest +lasting, you shall in the most conuenient part of your garden, which is +euer the center or middle point thereof, build a round house, in the +fashion of a round Doue-coate, but many degrees lower, the ground worke +whereof shalbe aboue the ground two or three brickes thickenesse, vpon +this ground-plot you shall place a groundsell, and thereon, fine, yet +strong studs, which may reach to the roofe: these studs shalbe placed +better then foure foote one from another, with little square bars of +woode, such as you vse in glasse windowes, two betwixt euery two studs, +the roofe you may make in what proportion you will, for this house may +serue for a delicate banqueting house, and you may either couer it with +Leade, Slate or Tile, which you please. Now, from the ground to the top, +betweene the studs, you shall glase it, with very strong glasse, made in +an exceeding large square pane, well leaded and cimented. This house +thus made, you shall obserue that through the bricke worke there be +made, betweene euery two studs, square holes, cleane through into the +house; then on the out-side, opposite against those holes, you shall +plant the roote of your Vine, hauing beene very carefull in the election +and choise thereof: which done, as your Vine groweth you shall draw it +through those holes, and as you vse to plash a Vine against a wall, so +you shall plash this against the glasse window, on the in-side, and so +soone as it shall beginne to beare Grapes you shall be sure to turne +euery bunch, so that it may lye close to the glasse, that the reflection +of the Sunne heating the glasse, that heate may hasten on the ripening, +& increase the groath of your Grapes: as also the house defending off +all manner of euill weather, these Grapes will hang ripe, vnrotted or +withered, euen till Christmas. Thus haue I giuen you a tast of some of +the first parts of English Husbandry, which if I shall finde +thankefully accepted, if it please God to grant mee life, I will in my +next Volumne, shew you the choise of all manner of Garden Hearbes and +Flowers, both of this and other kingdomes, the seasons of their +plantings, their florishings and orderings: I will also shew you the +true ordering of Woodes, both high and low, as also the breeding and +feeding of all manner of Cattell, with the cure of all diseases incident +vnto them, together with other parts of Husbandry, neuer before +published by any Author: this I promise, if God be pleased: to whom be +onely ascribed the glory of all our actions, and whose name be praised +for euer. Amen. + + * * * * * + +FINIS. + + + + +[Transcriber's notes + +The following changes have been made and anomalies noted. + + + A Former Part + + Chap. II. + + 'adicted to nouelty and curiouity' changed to + 'adicted to nouelty and curiousity' + + Chap. III. + + 'Plough houlder when hee cometh to' scan is unclear + + 'two much earth' probable misprint for + 'too much earth' + + Chap. IIII. + + 'the of point your share' changed to + 'the point of your share' + + Chap. V. + + 'of that which you soil'd:' changed to + 'of that which you foil'd:' + + Chap. VI. + + 'the ridge of you land againe.' probable misprint for + 'the ridge of your land againe.' + + 'Tare-Cockle, or such like,' scan is unclear + + 'After your land is soild,' changed to + 'After your land is foild,' + + Chap. VII. + + 'and if you ffnde' changed to 'and if you finde' + + 'Manure of beasts which can be-gotten' probable misprint for + 'Manure of beasts which can be gotten' + + 'your fould of Seepe' changed to 'your fould of Sheepe' + + 'frost, winde, and weathe,rmakes' changed to + 'frost, winde, and weather, makes' + + 'no wing accoridng' changed to 'no wing according' + + Chap. IX. + + 'much barrainnesse, espcially' changed to + 'much barrainnesse, especially' + + 'it shall be needlesse to write' scan is unclear + + + The First Part + + Chap. I. + + 'you most turne euery furrow' probable misprint for + 'you must turne euery furrow' + + 'hee must sooner stirer' changed to + 'hee must sooner stirre'. Scan is unclear. + + Chap. II. + + 'euery thing with is most apt' changed to + 'euery thing which is most apt' + + Chap. III. + + 'their naturall lighnesse' changed to + 'their naturall lightnesse' + + 'as hath, beene showed before' changed to + 'as hath beene showed before' + + Chap. IIII. + + 'it is most, certaine' changed to + 'it is most certaine' + + 'Cornes in their gardens thus, set seeing' changed to + 'Cornes in their gardens thus set, seeing' + + Chap. V. + + 'vpon the or fourth field' changed to + 'vpon the third or fourth field' + + 'is ninam Barly,' probable misprint for + 'is niam Barly,' + + Chap. VI. + + 'as we see in dayly experience,' changed to + 'as we see in dayly experience.' + + + The Second Part of the First Booke + + Chap. I. + + 'perfect ground-plot, you' scan is unclear + + 'twelue or fourteene foote on of another,' + probable misprint for + 'twelue or fourteene foote one of another,' + + 'thorny and sharpe, trees,' changed to + 'thorny and sharpe trees,' + + Chap. IIII. + + 'you shall tak one of your grafts' + changed to + 'you shall take one of your grafts' + + Chap. V. + + 'Grafting betweene the barke.' scan is unclear in sidenote + + 'not aboue tree grafts at the most' changed to + 'not aboue three grafts at the most' + + 'Grafting on the toppes of trees.' scan is unclear in sidenote + + 'and to contincu' changed to + 'and to continue' + + Chap. VI. + + 'Of the replanting of Trees, and furnishing the Orchard,' + changed to + 'Of the replanting of Trees, and furnishing the Orchard.' + + Chap. VII. + + 'it is a ready away' changed to + 'it is a ready way' + + 'two much fertillitie' probable misprint for + 'too much fertillitie' + + 'steepe it Mfor alt' changed to + 'steepe it for Malt' + + Chap. VIII. + + 'for any peculyar pofit' changed to + 'for any peculyar profit' + + Chap. IX. + + 'and growriuelled' changed to + 'and grow riuelled' + + 'they can by meanes indure,' changed to + 'they can by no meanes indure,' + + Chap. XI. + + 'then contiunally labour' changed to + 'then continually labour' + + Chap. XII + + 'Of Poales.' scan is unclear in sidenote + + Chap. XIIII + + 'dry more Hoppes then any one man' scan is unclear + + Chap. XVII. + + 'then betwxit your tiles' changed to + 'then betwixt your tiles' + + Chap. XVIII. + + 'CHAP: XVIII.' changed to + 'CHAP. XVIII.' + + 'single or double trayles,' scan unclear + + Chap. XIX. + + 'to the pliane English Husbandman' changed to + 'to the plaine English Husbandman' + +] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The English Husbandman, by Gervase Markham + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ENGLISH HUSBANDMAN *** + +***** This file should be named 22973.txt or 22973.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/9/7/22973/ + +Produced by Louise Pryor, Jonathan Ingram and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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