venture to give some hints that some more able Pen may engage in this difficult Question which strikes at the Root of Nature and may unlock some of her choycest treasures The Lord Bacon hath gathered stubble as he ingeniously and truly affirms for the bricks of this foundation but as yet I have not seen so much as a solid foundation plainly laid by any on which an ingenious man might venture to raise a noble Fabrick I acknowledge the burthen too heavy for my shoulders I will not deny but that we have good Husbands who dung and Marle their Meadows and Pasture-land and throw down all Mole and Ant-hills and with their Spud-staffe cut up all thistles and weeds and that they likewise straw ashes on their Grounds to kill the Mosse and salt for the Wormes and they doe very well but yet there are many who are negligent in these particulars for the which they are blame-worthy but the Deficiencies of which I intend to speak of are these following Cato one of the wisest of the Romans saith that Pratum est quasi paratum alwayes ready and prepared and preferreth Meadows before the Olive-Gardens although the Spaniards bequeath Olive-trees to their children as we do cottages or Vines or Corn because Meadows bring in a certain profit without labour and pains But the other requireth much cost and paines and are subject to Frosts Mildew Haile Locusts to the which for the honour of Meadows I may adde that the stock of Meadows is of greater value and the Commodities which arise from them are divers and of greater value then Corn as Butter Cheese Tollow Hides Beef Wool and therefore I may conclude that England abounding in Pastures more then other Countreys is therefore richer and I know what others think I care not that France Acre for Acre is not comparable to it Fortescue Chancelour of England saith that we get more in England by standing still then the French by working but to speak of the Deficiencies amongst us 1. We are to blame that we have neglected the great Clover-grass Saint Foine Lucerne 2. That we do not float our lands as they do in Lumbard where they mowe their Lands three or four times yearly which consist of the great Clover-grass Here are the excellent Parmisane Cheeses made and indeed these Pastures far exceed any other places in Italy yea in Europe We here in England have great opportunities by Brooks and Rivers in all places to do so but we are negligent yet we might hereby double if not treble our profits kill all rushes c. But he that desireth to know the manner how to do this and that profit that will arise thereby let him read Mr. Blithes Book of Husbandry lately printed 3. That when we lay downe Land for Meadow or Pasture we doe not sowe them with the Seeds of fine sweet grasse Trefoils and other excellent herbs Concerning this you may read a large Treatise of the Countrey-Farmer for if the Land be rich it will put forth weeds and trumpery and perhaps a kind of soure grasse little worth if it be poor ye shall have thistles May-weed and little or no grasse for a year or two I know a Gentleman who at my entreaty sowed with his Oats the bottome of his Hay-mow and though his Land were worne out of heart and naturally poor yet he had that year not onely a Crop of Oats but he might if it had pleased him have mowen his grasse also but he spared it which was well done till the next year that it might make a Turffe and grow stronger By this Husbandry Lands might be well improved especially if men did consider the diversity of grasses which are ninety sorts and three and twenty of Trefoil I know a place in Kent which is a white Chalky Down which ground is sometimes sown with Corn a year or two and then it resteth as long or longer when it is laid down it maintaineth many great Sheep and very lusty so that they are even fit for the Butcher and yet there doth scarce appear any thing that they can eat which hath caused divers to wonder as if they had lived on Chalk-stones but I more seriously considering the matter throughly viewed the ground and perceived that the ground naturally produceth a small Trefoil which it seemeth is very sweet and pleasant it 's commonly called Trifolium luteum or Lupilinum that is yellow or Hop-Trefoil and I am perswaded if that the Seed of this Trefoil were preserved and sowne with Oates when they intend to lay it down it would very much advance the Pasture of that place therefore I desire all Ingenious men seriously to consider the nature of the Trefoils which are the sweetest of grasses and to observe on what grounds they naturally grow and also the nature of other grasses which as I have said before are no less then ninety sorts naturally growing in this Isle some on watry places some on dry some on clay others on sand chalk c. Some on fruitful places others in barren by the which means I suppose a solid foundation might be laid for the advancing of Pasture-lands of all sorts through this Island for I know some plants as the Orchis call'd Bee-flower c. which will thrive better on the Chalky barren banks then in any Garden though the Mould be never so rich and delicate and the Gardiner very diligent in cherishing of it and why may not the same propriety be in grasses for we see diverse beuty grasses to thrive espcially on barren places where scarce any thing else will grow I must again and again desire all men to take notice of the wonderfull grass which groweth near Salisbury and desire them to try it on their rich Meadows It 's a common saying that there are more waste lands in England in many particulars then in all Europe besides considering the quantity of land I dare not say this is true but hope if it be so that it will be mended For of late much hath been done for the advancement of these kinds of land yet there are as yer great Deficiencies In the times of Papistry all in this Island were either Souldiers or Scholars Scholars by reason of the great honours priviledges and profits the third part of the Kingdom belonging to them and Souldiers because of the many and great Wars with France Scotland Ireland Wales And in those times Gentlemen thought it an honour to be carelesse and to have Houses Furniture Diet Exercises Apparel c. yea all things at home and abroad Souldier-like Musick Pictures Perfumes Sawces unlesse good stomacks were counted perhaps unjustly too effeminate In Queen Elizabeth's dayes Ingenuities Curiosities and Good Husbandry began to take place and then Salt-Marshes began to be fenced from the Seas and yet many were neglected even to our dayes as Holhaven in Essex Axtel-holme Isle nigh York-shire many 1000 of Acres have lately been gained from the Sea in Lincolne-shire and as
do not only make Honey for I suppose that they have a peculiar propriety of making Honey as the Silk-worms Silk out of Mildews or Honey but also out of all sweet things as Sugar Molossoes c. 3. That many sweet things may be had far cheaper then Honey which I suppose the Bees will transmute into perfect Honey This way I conceive would be very advantageous to us in England for the preserving of late swarms and also for the enriching of old stocks so that we need not destroy them but might drive them from hive to hive and set them to work again and truly I think there is no place in the World so convenient for this purpose as England because that though our Winters be long yet they are not very cold but Bees would be stirring in them and further our Summers are so subject to winds and rains that many times there is scarce a fine day in a whole Week and further Molossoes Refuse-Sugar Sweet-Woort Milk c. may be had at reasonable rates I hope ere long to give an exact account of this experiment and desire those who have any Ingenuities in this kind freely to communicate them I have not observed many things more of importance concerning Bees in my travels onely in Italy they make their Hives of thin boards square in two ar three partitions standing either above one another or very close side to side by the which means they can the better borrow part of their honey when they please In Germany their hives are made of straw to the which they have a summer-door as they call it which is nigh the top of the Hive that the Bees when they are laden may the more easily enter and discharge themselves of their burthens 3. We are to blame that we do not imploy our Honeys in making Metheglin It 's true that in Herefordshire and Wales there is some quantity of this liquor made but for want of good cookery it 's of little worth but usually of a browne colour of an unpleasant taste and as I suppose commonly made of the refuse honey wax dead Bees and such stuffe as they ordinarily make it else-where for the good house-wife thinks any thing good enough for this purpose and that it is pity to spoyl good Honey by making Mead but I know that if one take pure neat Honey and ingeniously clarifie and scum and boyl it a liquour may be made not inferiour to the best Sack Muskadine c. in colour like to Rock-water without ill odour or savour so that some curious Pallats have called it Vin-Greco rich and racy Canary not knowing what name to give it for it's excellency This would bring very great Profit not onely to the Publique by saving many a thousand pound disbursed for Wines through all the world but would be very advantageous to private families who use to entertain their friends very nobly Wines being at present intolerably dear and naught I hope therefore ere long to see it put in execution An excellent drink not much unlike this may be made of Sugar Molossoes Raisins c. of the which I have already spoken yet think it fit to put you in mind of it again It 's a great Deficiency here in England that we do not keep Silk-wormes which in Italy are called Cavalieri for to make Silke I know that is a great Paradox to many but I hope by this short discourse to make this truth to appear plainly The first original of Silk-wormes by what I read in Histories is from Persia where in infinite numbers they are still maintained and the greatest profits of that great Monarch do arise from hence China also aboundeth very much with Silke In Virginia also the Silk-worms are found wilde amongst the Mulberry-woods and perhaps might be managed with great profit in those Plantations if hands were not so scarce and dear I suppose this Silk-worme of Virginia is produced by the corruption of the Mulberry-tree as Cochinneal from Ficus Indica or Indian-figtree for some ingenious curious men who have strictly observed the generation of Insects do find that every Plant hath an Insect which groweth out of its corruption as divers sorts of lice from Animals and that these Insects do usually feed on that Plant out of which they were made as Lice on the same Animals from whence they were engendred I know a Gentleman here in London who hath three or four hundred Insects and can give a very good account of their original feedings And also Mr. Moriney in Paris hath a large Book of the same subject But to return to our purpose I say that we had Silkworms first from Persia In Justinian's time about 1000 or 1100 years ago some Monks presented a few to him at Constantinople where in his time they began to plant Mulberies from thence it came to Italy about three or four hundred years since for the Auncient Writers of Husbandry as Cato Pallad Columell do not so much as mention these creatures and at length these have passed over the Mountains into France within an hundred years where they flourish so much that if we will believe our own Authours they bring greater profit then the Wine and Corn of that large Countrey But be it so or no I know that France hath Silk enough to maintain their excesse of apparel and to export Plushes Velvets c. Now then if that these worms can thrive not onely in the parched Persia but also in Greece Italy yea in France which differeth not much from the temper of England why should we think that they are confined to that place and must move no further Northward for they have come many an hundred miles towards the North why not one hundred or two more And further we see that Mulberries which is their food thrive here as well as in any place But some will object that our Air is too cold and moist To which I answer 1. That those who write of Silkworms say that you must take heed that you make not the place too hot for too much heat may destroy and therefore that you must set the windows open to let in the cold Aire 2. We know that Moistnesse of Aire rather increaseth Insects and nourisheth them Indeed if Moisture hurteth it 's because that it too much corrupteth their food and causeth a flux amongst them but this is easily prevented as I shall shew you anon But to be short it is not onely my opinion that Silkworms will thrive here but the solid judgement of King James and his Council confirmeth the same as you may see by his letter to the Deputy-Lievtenants of every County wherein also many weighty reasons are contained to convince men of the same which Letter followeth anon with the Instructions for the increase and planting of Mulberry-Trees Printed by Eliaz. Edgar in the year 1609. Lastly We find by experience that Silk-worms will thrive here and therefore the matter is out of
her other labour I mean extraordinary labour If young poor Maid-servants will imitate her industry I will tell them the whole Secret to the intent that besides the benefit to the publick every one may get her self a considerable portion and to the end that many may be industrious in this laudable way and that many thousands may remember me in their good wishes I will first speak a good word for them to all generations to come to wit that such an one which by her wit industry and providence getteth her self a portion of twenty or forty pounds which she may easily doe in a certain number of years not very many deserveth as good a marriage as one that hath an hundred pounds given her by her parents and friends And to the end that this may not seem to be a ridiculous relation I will shew the reasons of it and also the experience and lastly declare the several materials which I taught her to reserve As for the reasons they are thus discovered viz. the vegetable spirit of the world by which all things do encrease and multiply is sometimes cloathed with a gross and earthly foeculencie as in dung and more in some dung than in other somtimes it is more purified from its earthly foeculency and then it is far more effectual as we see by experience in London that a load of shavings of horn is sold for shillings or three pound a load wollen rags is sold for thirty or forty shillings when as a load of common dung is sold for a penny and many times for nothing but carriage away Now I proceed to declare the several materials which I taught her to reserve As for the linnen rags she reserved those before I knew her and sold them yearly to the Paper-Mils and I seeing her industry thought it a good deed to advise her to reserve all the shreads and rags of woollen cloath as well old as new all the shreads and pieces of leather of all kinds as well old as new all the horns and hoofs of beasts of beasts of all kinds whether shaven or not that came in her way all the hair either in Barbers shops or Tanners yards or at the houses of Butchers and Cooks where they scalde many hogs and pigs and fondly cast away the hair and to take up all the old shooes and peeces of leather which happened in her way as she went about her ordinary occasions and to work as often as she could at the houses of Taylors Shoomakers Sadlers c. For I have found by experience that a load of the best common dung will not produce corn worth above twenty shillings at three crops unlesse corn be very dear and if it be far carried then the labour rent and seed will consume the gains whereas a load of any of these materials formerly mentioned will produce Wheat and other corn worth above ten pound though the price be reasonable These things being well considered there is a great reason why these materials should not be fondly cast away to the common dunghill in great Cities or other places whereas the greatest part thereof is utterly lost and though some of them goe to the dunghill yet they serve onely to enrich land which lieth near to great Cities where there is no need of them whereas being reserved by themselves they will quit the cost to be carried twenty or thirty miles and so make land fertile which beareth not halfe the quantitie for want of dung And whereas I have found by experience that a load of any manner of seeds whatsoever doth contain as much of the vegetable spirit of the world as ten loads of common dung I could wish that all such young men-servants as have no Stocks nor Trades should get them services in great Innes or to be Bayliffs of Husbandry to great men and to reserve all the hay seeds that come within their reach and all the soot that is swept down out of the chimneys that they can get and once in a year to get so much blood at any Butchers or Poulterers houses as will make them into a paste and then to adde so much Cow-dung dryed to them as being tempered with urine will be sufficient to make the whole masse apt to be formed into the form of bricks loaves or cheeses and then they are to be layd up in a dry place till they be throughly rotten and that a small quantity thereof being made into powder will not produce any thing suddenly being spread in a garden or other open place where the rain may fall upon it without the help of new seed and then though their common dung will yeeld no price at all in that place but rather they are forced to pay money to have it carryed away yet this will give them a large price after that the virtue thereof is known And if any such men-servants have meanes to farm certain Acres of barren land which lieth so remote from dung that the annual rent thereof is little then by setting of Wheat or other Grain by my directions in my book formerly mentioned they may make one quarter or one pounds worth of corn to yeeld forty quarters or forty pounds worth of corn in lesse time than one year and as much over and above as shall pay all charges and workmen nobly and also as much rent as any ordinary Farmer can afford to give yearly for it by which means he may in a few yeares get a considerable Stock and be as likely to thrive as he that hath twice so much given him by his parents or friends And I could wish all such men to marry with such women as by their wit industry and providence have gotten themselves portions by my directions in this lâ—ttle Book and let others which have portions given do the like and try conclusions whether of them thriveth better If â—ny one should be seen to cast away good bread when so many poor people want it then all the world would cry shame upon him but why should not the casting away of any of these materials fondly be reputed a more heynous sin when as they will produce divers times their weight of as good bread as any Prince eateth I have seen by experience that Salt-peter is the most rich compost in the world to multiply Corn and I have seen fifty pounds worth of Salt-peter extracted out of a vault at Dowgate not very spacious which was formerly an house of office and not emptied till the matter was throughly rotten why may not the same thing be done by Art which was formerly done by Nature and Accident I have been credibly informed that such a work is ordinarily done in the Kingdome of China and also at the City of Paris in France and I see no reason why English men should not have as much wit they If any man hath convenient room to build two houses of office and to close up the one whilst he useth the other then there
the former and truly every day produceth some new things not only in other Countreys but also in our own And though I cannot but very much commend these plants unto my Countrymen knowing that they may be beneficial to this Nation yet I especially recommend unto them a famous kind of grass growing in Wiltshire 9 miles from Salisbury at Maddington which may better be called one of the wonders of this land then the Hawthorn-tree at Glassenbury which superstition made so famous for divers of the same kind are found elsewhere You may find this grass briefly described in a Book called Phytologia Britannica which lately came forth and sets down even all the plants which have been found naturally growing in England Gramen Caninum Supinum Longissimum which groweth 9 miles from Salisbury at Mr. Tuckers at Madington wherewith they fat hogs and which is 24 foot long a thing almost incredible yet commonly known to all that shire Now without question if the seed of this grass be sown in other rich Meadows it will yeild extraordinarily though perchance not so much as in its proper place I wonder that those that live thereabouts have not tryed to fertilize their other Meadows with it for it is a peculiar species of grass and though some ingenious men have sound about 90 species of grasses in this Island yet there is none like to this that can by any means be brought to such an height and sweetness And truly I suppose that the through examination of this grass is a thing of very great importance for the improvement of Meadows and Pastures and it may excel the Great Trefoile Saint Foine La-Lucern or any exotick plant whatsoever And though I am very unwilling to exceed the bounds of an Epistle yet I cannot but certifie you wherein the Husbandry of this Nation in other particulars as I suppose is greatly deficient which I will do as briefly as may be and likewise how ingenious men may find Remedies for these deficiencies First He would do the honest and painfull Husbandman a very great pleasure and bring great profit to this Nation who could facilitate the going of the plough and lighten our ordinary Carriages I wonder that so many excellent Mechanicks who have beaten their brains about the perpetuall Motion and other curiosities that they might find the best wayes to ease all Motions should never so much as honour the Plough which is the most necessary Instrument in the world by their labour and studies I suppose all know that it would be an extraordinary benefit to this Countrey if that 1 or 2 horses could plough and draw as much as 4 or 6 and further also that there is no small difference in ploughs and waggons when there is scarce any sure rule for the making of them and every Countrey yea almost every County differs not onely in the ploughs but even in every part Some with wheels others without some turning the Rest as they call it as in Kent Picardy and Normandy others not some having Coulters of one fashion others of another others as the Dutch having an iron wheel or circle for that purpose some having their shears broad at point some not some being round as in Kent others flat some tying their horses by the tail as in Ireland So likewise Waggons and Carts differ some using 4 wheels others 2 only some carrying timber on 2 wheels in a Cart others with 4 wheels and a long pole only between which is the best way some plough with 2 horses only as in Norfolk and beyond Seas in France Italy where I never saw above 3 horses in a plough and one onely to hold and drive But in Kent I have seen 4 6 yea 12 horses and oxen which variety sheweth that the Husbandman who is ordinarily ignorant in Mechanicks is even at his wits end in this Instrument which he must necessarily use continually Surely he should deserve very well of this Nation and be much honoured by all that would set down exact Rules for the making of this most necessary yet contemned Instrument and for every part thereof for without question there are as exact Rules to be laid down for this as for Shipping and other things And yet in Shipping how have we within these 6 years out-stripped our selves and gone beyond all Nations for which Art some deserve Eternal honour And why may we not in this I know a Gentleman who now is beyond Seas where he excels even the Hollanders in their own businesse of draining who promiseth much in this kind and I think he is able to perform it I could wish he were called on to make good his promise In China it is ordinary to have waggons to pass up and down without horses or oxen with Sails as Ships do and lately in Holland a waggon was framed which with ordinary Sails carried 30 people 60 English miles in 4 hours I know some excellent Scholars who promise much by the means of Horizontal sails viz to have 3 or 4 Ploughs together which shall likewise both sowe and harrow without horses or oxen I dare not being ignorant in these high speculations engage my self to do much thereby but wish these Gentlemen whom I know to be extreamly ingenious would attempt something both for the satisfying of themselves and others There is an ingenious Yeoman of Kent who hath two ploughs fastened together very finely by the which he plougheth two furrows at once one under another and so stirreth up the land 12 or 14 inches deep which in deep land is good Near Greenwich there liveth an Honourable Gentleman who hath excellent Corn and yet plougheth his land with one horse when as usually through Kent they use 4 and 6. These things shew that much may be done in this kind and I hope some in these active times will undertake and accomplish this work of so great importance There is a Book long since printed made by Sir Hugh Plattes the most curious man of his time called Adams Art revived wherein is shewed the great benefit which would accrue to this Nation if all land which were sit to be digg'd were so ordered and their corn set Mr. Gab. Plattes likewise hath written much of this kind and promiseth that men shall reap 100 for one all charges born which are very great That this may be true he bringeth some probable Reasons supposing that less then a peck of Wheat will set an Acre I dare not promise so much as these Gentlemen do neither can I commend Mr. Gab. Plattes setting Instrument For I know there are many difficulties in it which he himself could never wade through but concerning digging and setting and howing in of corn these things I dare maintain 1. That it is a deficiency in Husbandry that it is used no more 2. That one good digging because it goeth deeper then the Plough and buryeth all weeds killeth the grasses is as good as three Ploughings and if the land
his own grounds and the seeds proper for it and seldome pierceth into the bowels of the earth yet if we consider that out of the earth he hath Marle Lime Stone Chalk for the enriching his lands and also Loam and Sand for his buildings often times fuel for fire c. it will plainly appear that it is necessary for him to know all subterrany things and to be a Petty-Phylosopher and that the knowledge of these things will be very beneficial for him And here I cannot but take notice of a great deficiency amongst us viz. that we have not the natural history of all the Sands Earth Stones Mines Minerals c. which are found in this Island it would not only advance Husbandry but also many other Mechanick Arts and bring great profit to the publick I hope some ingenious man will at length undertake this task for the Lord hath blessed this Island with as great variety as any place that is known as shall in part appear anon and it may be proved by that great variety which is found near the Spaw-waters in Knaresborough as Doctor Dean relateth in his Book called the English Spaw Or the glory of Knaresborough springing from several famous Fountains there adjacent called the Vitriol sulphurous and dropping Wells and also other Mineral waters whose words are these Here is found not onely white and yellow Marle Plaister Oker Rudd Rubrick Freestone an hard Greet-stone a soft Reddish-stone Iron-stone Brimstone Vitriol Niter Allum Lead and Copper and without doubt divers mixtures of these but also many other Minerals might perhaps be found out by the diligent search and industry of those who would take pains to labour a little herein Printed at York by Thomas Broad being to be sold in his shop at the lower end of Stone-gate near to Common-Hall Gates 1649. This Letter will not permit me to make a compleat Natural History of the things of this Isle yet I shall relate divers things which may be as hints to set some others to work which I have found in Mr. Cambden and others and shall briefly instruct the Husbandman what he ought to take notice of for his own and others good And first if he live nigh the Sea let him take notice of those things the Sea casteth up for it hath even with us and also in Ireland cast up Amber-greece which is worth so much Gold with the which not long since a Fisherman of Plymouth greased his boots not knowing what it was sometimes it casteth up Jet and Amber as at Whitbey often times In former times we had Oysters which had very fair great Pearls in them of good worth and at this time some of them are found in Denbighshire Coperas-stone likewise is found along by the Sea-Coasts of Kent Essex Sussex Hampshire out of the which Corporas is made a thing very useful for Dyers Curriers c. Further Sea-weeds are not to be slighted for in Jersey they have no other fuel amongst them and here in England it is burnt to make Kelp for Glassemen and is also very good manure for divers Lands also Sea-owse is not onely good to lay on Land but at Dover and other places the Inhabitants make Brick thereof called Flanders-Bricks c. Sea-sands in Cornwall do very much enrich their Lands and in Lancashire out of a certain kind of Sand they extract Salt c. 2. Let him take notice of all sorts of Waters which issue forth of the earth differing from the ordinary in Colour Odour Taste for it is well known how advantagious these waters are often-times not only to particular men but also to the Countrey about yea to the whole Island as appeareth by the waters of Tunbridge in Kent and of Epsham in Surrey Knaresborough c. Spaw in York-shire and by the Allum-waters in Newenham in Warwick-shire like Milk in taste and colour and are excellent for the Stone and wounds and also it appeareth by the salt Fountains in Worcestershire and Cheshire which furnish all those parts with an excellent fine white salt by the hot Bathes in Summersetshire and the luke-warm waters by Bristol c. At Pitchford in Shropshire is a Fountain which casteth forth liquid Bitumen which the people use for Pitch c. 3. Let him not despise the sorts of Sands which he findeth for some Sands are for buildings as the rough sorts others for scowring others for casting fine metals as Highgate-sand others for the Glasse-men as a sand lately found in Sussex In Scotland there is a sand which containeth a considerable quantity of Gold and in divers Countreys fine Gold aboundeth very much in sands and if we may believe an excellent Dutch Chymist there is scarce any sand without it 4. Let him take notice of the Earth Loams Clayes c. which have divers and necessary uses as first the stiffest Clays as Newcastle and Nonsuch are for the Glassemens Pots for Crucibles melting-pots the lesse stiffe for ordinary Earthen wares Brewers Tiles Bricks c. white Clay is for Tobacco-pipes Marle of divers colours and stiffness is excellent for Husband-men Fullers-Earth is found in Kent Surrey and lately in divers other places for the great benefit of the Clothier Rub and Rubrick in York-shire as also divers other in Oxford and Glocestershire excellent for Painters c. Turffe for firing may be found in most parts of this Isle if people were industrious necessity now and then compelleth them to be inquisitive as it did lately at Oxford and Kent where it is found in good quantity In Holland they have little fuel save what is taken out of their ditches and therefore it is truely said that their firing is as it were fish'd out of the water and it 's indifferent good fuel Coals are found in very many places yet divers places are in great want of them 5. Let him take notice of the several stones found in this Isle as of Freestones for building Cobbels and rough hard stones for paving Tomb-stones soft sandy stones commonly called fire-stones because they will endure strong fires and therefore fit for Iron furnaces and this propriety these soft stones have that when they are white hot a steele instrument will scarce touch them to hurt them Alabaster is found at Burton on the Trent and in Staffordshire and at Titbury Castle excellent Marble at Snothil in Herefordshire a course Marble near Oxford in Kent also at Purbrick in Dorsetshire Milstones in Auglesey in Flintshire Darbyshire Lime-stones Chalk in very many places for divers uses Allum-stone is found in Anglesey but especially at Gisborrow in York-shire where the Allum works are which serve this Island Lapu Cslaminaris is lately found in Somersetshire by the which Copper is made brasse Manganese for those that make white glasse lately found in the North the best Emery for polishing Iron in Jersey Plaister at Knaresborough Black-lead in Cumberland and no where else in Europe There is a stone in Durham out of which they make salt
can In the Duke of Flâ—rences Countrey near Pisa are many of them 3. The honest and patient Asse which was very much used in the old time for carriage as the Horse for War and the Ox for the Plough and in many Countreys at this time they will eat Thistles and live even with nothing They may save poor men who are not able to keep an Horse because he is a great feeder much labour 4. Mules which is a very strong and proud beast and will carry far more then an Horse and are more sure footed I suppose that they might be serviceable to the Carriers here as they are beyond the Seas In Ireland before the War a Gentleman G. R. had divers even in the North and found them serviceable Five Camels which will carry great burthens their hair is the ground of Mo-hair Six Dromedaries which go swiftly c. Seven Black Foxes may be profitable whose skins have been sold from 20 l. per skin to 90 l. I might adde divers more of this kind as Musk-Cats Sables Martines Minkes Musk-Squash Guiney-Pigs and a sort of Cony which some few have in Hampshire whose Fur is worth 2 s. 6 d. or 3 s. per skin being little inferiour to Beaveâ— c. but for brevities sake I passe them over as also divers sorts of Fowls of good use as a kind of Duck with a crooked bill which layeth constantly as Hens do as also Hawks of divers sorts of good value which perhaps the Countrey-man loveth not because they are enemies to his Poultry 2. Deficiency is That we doe not endeavour to advance the best kinds of the Cattel which are amongst us And 1. To begin with Horses The French-man that writeth a Book called the Treasure-Polick saith that in England in Queen Elizabeth's days we had not above three or four thousand Horse worth any thing for the War and those onely in Noble-mens stables which thing perhaps did the more encourage the Spaniard to invade us but at this time we are known to have very many thousand of Horse not inferiour to the best in the world yet I suppose that we might much meliorate our breed by Spanish Jenneti Barbary c. And we are not so careful to encrease good horses as we should be 2. We are too negligent in our Kine that we advance not the best species for some sorts give abundance of milk and better then others some sorts are larger more hardy and will sooner fat c. Lancashire and some few Northern Counties are the onely places where they are a little careful in these particulars 3. We are not curious in procuring the best sorts of sheep for greatnesse soundnesse and fine wool I wonder that some Sheep-masters have not procured of those exceeding fine-wooled sheep of Spain whose wool costeth the Merchant nigh 10 s. per pound before it is exported I suppose that it would for a time mend our wool if not continue so for ever for these sheep were first carried forth out of England if we may believe stories Spain not affording such sheep before Dutch-sheep are reported to have two or three Lambs ordinarily Turky-sheep are very great with great tails but their wool is very course not onely because of their course feeding but also because in hot Countreys they ordinarily mingle with Goats and therefore in Venice ordinary Porters will scarce eat any Mutton And here I cannot but relate that all strangers very much wonder at two things in our sheep not to speak of the fineness of wool And 1. That our sheep if they be sound seldome or never drink even in Summer though they go on the driest Chalky lands as it plainly appeareth in Kent where there is scarce water for the great Cattel which proceedeth from the moisture of our air and abundance of rain and dews 2. That our sheep do not follow their shepheards as they do in all other Countries for the shepheard goeth before and the sheep follow like to a pack of dogs this disobedience of our sheep doth not happen to us as Papists Priests tell their simple flocks because we have left their great shepheard the Pope but because we let our sheep range night and day in our fields without a shepheard which other Countries dare not for fear of Wolves and other ravenous beasts but are compelled to guard them all day with great dogs and to bring them home at night or to watch them in their folds 3. Deficiency in this kind is the neglect of Fish-ponds which are very profitable for Fish usually live by such worms and flies as are ingendred in the ponds and require no charge Concerning the ordering of them and profit of them read Master Dubravin's Book of Fish-ponds translated out of Latin into English And another short Treatise called Certain experiments concerning Fish practised by John Taverner Gentleman and by him published for the benefit of others And surely it would be a great benefit to this Island if we had Fish at reasonable rates I cannot therefore passe by two extream abuses which exceedingly destroy Fish and are in no wise to be permitted 1. That divers poor men keep many Swine and in nets or otherwise catch many bushels of the young fry of Fish and feed their Swine with them 2. That the Fisher-men in the River have the Meashes of their nets so straight that they take many sorts of Fish when they are too small and so destroy the young fry I hope these abuses will be reformed with all severity To this Head I may adde Decoys which are very frequent in Holland and profitable but very rare with us in England yet it may be very profitable and delightful 4. Deficiency is the ignorance of the Insects of this Island And though it may seem ridiculous to many to affirm that Magots Butterflies should be of any importance yet I desire them to consider that we have our Honey the sweetest of foods from Bees which are Cattel of this kind also our Silks Sattins Plushes and bravery from the poor Silk-worm which may be called a Magot Caterpillar or Butter-fly c. the richest of our colours from the Cocheneile which is one of this sort Gum-lac is made by Ants some are used for food as Locusts c. as you may read in Musset's Book de Insectis Many of these likewise are used in Physick as Cantharides Wood-sowes Lice c. Some think that Medicines transcending even in the Chymists may be had out of these for every Plant which hath a Medicinal vertue is also sublimed up into this living Quintessence and therefore I commend divers ingenious men as Mr. Marshal and others who have collected many hundred sorts of these and I hope they will communicate ere long their experiments to the world 19. Deficiency concerning divers things necessary for the good of Cattel 1. That we are ignorant of divers Diseases of Cattel and their Cures Not to run over all the diseases of Cattel and their
not thrive In Bermudas they have a peculiar way of fattening their cattel not used any where else that I know which is with Green-Fennel that groweth in that Island plentifully There is a Plant in Essex called Myrchis or Cow-pursley which groweth fast and early in the Spring which they give their cattel at the beginning of the year and they eat it well It is an ill custom that is used almost every where to let hogs lie in their dirt and dung when they are fattening for all creatures generally do hate and abhor their own dung and an hog iâ— cleanliest of all creatures and will never dung nor stale in his stie if he can get forth which other creatures will and though he tumble in the dirt in Summer yet that is partly to cool himself and partly to kill his lice for when the dirt is dry he rubbeth it off and destroyeth the lice thereby Sir Hugh Platts in his writings setteth down divers ingenious ways of fattening Poultry c. and more may be found out daily The Jews have a peculiar way of fattening Geese with Milk Figs Raisins and other sweet things by which they make the liver of an extraordinary greatnesse and is a dish much valued by them as it was also among the old Romans In Moor-fields there is one that keepeth many hundreds of Conies with grains and bran and some others who keep the great laying Ducks with these things and blood to their great advantage I have seen a Book translated out of French which teacheth how to gain divers hundred pounds per annum by fifty pound stock in Hens I suppose about London where Eggs are so dear great profit might be made by them Turkeys might be kept with good profit where there are many Meadows as in Suffolk In Barkshire many keep tame Pheasants and have gained well thereby 3. We do not know how to improve the Commodities proceeding from Cattel to the highest as for example our ordinary butter might be better sented and tasted some Ladies have fine ingenuities in this kind We cannot make Cheese comparable to the Parmisan nor so good as the Angelots of France our ordinary Cheese is not comparable to the Holland Cheeses where also divers sorts of Cheeses are made of divers colours but I cannot much commend their green Cheeses which are made of that colour by Sheeps-dung c. but I hope in short time our good Hous-wifes will scorn that any shall excel them 20. Dâ—ficiency Is the want of divers things which are necessary for the accomplishment of Agriculture As 1. That we have not a Systema or compleat Book of all the parts of Agriculture Till the latter end of Queen Elizabeths days I suppose that there was scarce a book wrote of this subject I never saw or heard of any About that time Tusser made his verses and Scot wrote about an Hop-garden Gougè translated some things Lately divers small Treatises have been made by divers as Sir Hugh Platts Gab Platts Markâ—am Blith and Butler who do well in divers things but their books cannot be called compleat books as you may perceive by divers particular things not so much as mentioned by them The Countrey-Farmer translated out of French is enough if not more then enough but it is no ways framed or squared for us here in England and I fear the first Authors went on probabilities and hear-says rather then experience I hope some ingenious man will be encouraged to undertake a work so necessary and commendable 2. Deficiency is That Gentlemen try so few experiments for the advance of this honest and laborious calling when as many experiments might be made for a small matter for half a Pole square will give as certain a demonstration as an Acre and a Pottle as an Hogshead I hope in time there will be erected a Colledge of Experiments not only for this but also other Mechanical Arts. 3. Deficiency is That Gentlemen and Farmers do not meet and communicate secrets in this kind but keep what they have experimented themselves or known from others as Sybils leaves I mean as rare secrets not to be communicated I hope that we shal see a more coÌ„municative spirit amongst us ere long And Sir I cannot but desire you if you have any things more in your hands of Gabriel Platts or any mens else that you would with speed publish them 4. Deficiency is That we want a place to the which men may resort for to find such ingenious men as may be serviceable for their ends and purposes and also know where to find such seeds and plants as they desire as the great Clove-grass Saint Foiâ— La. Lucern c. 5. Deficiency is That men do usually covet great quantities of land yet cannot manage a little well There were amongst the ancient Romans some appointed to see that men did till their lands as they should do and if they did not to punish them as enemies to the Publique perhaps such a law might not be amiss with us for without question the Publique suffereth much by private mens negligences I therefore wish men to take Columel's Counsel which is Laudato in gentia Rura Exiguum Colito For Melior est â—ulta exiguitas c. as another saith or as we say in English A little Farm well tilled is to be preferred for then we should not see so much wast land but more industry greater crops and more people imployed then are at this present to the great profit of the Common-wealth I know a Gentleman who yearly letting more and more of that land he used to keep in his hands yet confesseth his Barns are fuller because he more diligently manageth what remaineth 6. I will adde that either through the negligence or ignorance of most men the enemies of the laborious Husbandmen are not destroyed viz. Crows Rooks which pluck up in light land presently after the Corn speareth much Corn and also devour much Corn when ripe these are destroyed either by shooting or by breaking their eggs in the Spring or at least may be scared with a little smoak or with a few feathers Larks also do much hurt which may be taken in snares or by day-nets Low-belling c. What Corn is in the barn and also in the field Mice and Rats oft-times destroy much which are easily destroyed either by Weasils which are far better then Cats though somewhat mischievous to eggs and poultry for two of them will speedily clear a Ship though troubled with many hundreds and therefore I know divers Masters of Ships very inquisitive for them proffering five shillings for one with many thanks so that it would be very beneficial both to Ships and also to those who would take the pains to breed them tame as many do in Ireland for their pleasure Rats also may well be destroyed by Rats-bane which is white Arsenick or with Sublimate and Butter But these things will hardly be procured from the Apothecaries because they are
Lucerne certainly went beyond this but that they used the one and the other according to the nature of their ground besides that that ground which was allotted to the Lucerne should be for many years for once having got root it was not so easily eradicate and so not fit for any other use but that the field of La Romagna might be changed according to pleasure besides the ground which was fit or La Lucerne was not for La Romayne è contrà For Lucern required more humide places and La Romagne more dry This is the substance of what I remember passed betwixt that Gentleman and me which how true it is I dare not promise because having it but from one hand and that a stranger to me but thus much I remember that some York-shire men in the Army in England were more glad to find a field of Fetches to feed their horses on then if they had found both Hay and Oats and that they have often to my seeing left excellent grass to seek after these Fetches Sir I think it will not be amisse in the further inquiry of this to see the affinity between the Vicia or Aphaca the Lens and the Ervum for all of them according to Dioscor have that fatning quality and truly I cannot well tell which of these certainly is La Romayn though I incline to think that it is the Vicia or Aphaca for being in a Coach I was too negligent to go out and remark it more narrowly but may be easily known of any whom you may inquire of Thus I pray God to blesse you in all your noble indeavours and so I shall continue to pray Sir Your most devoted to serve you An Observation upon the Husbandry of the French Tares or Fetches THe Forther herb about which you have communicated unto me Dr. S. notable observation is certainly the Vicia or Fetches the which I have seen cultivated in divers parts of France and of Holland But it was never my luck yet to learn any particulars about the properties and use thereof If I do at any time hereafter you shall be sure to hear of it Having written thus far I am told by divers that the Vicia or fetches are sown for to give the dried grain of it to horses in the same manner as Beans but that they never knew the green herbs to be used for them or any other cattel in the nature of fodder Another Letter relating the Braband Husbandry of Spurry-seed SIR THe Spurry-seed which you have gotten out of the Low-Countries grew no doubt in light ground And accordingly if it were mine it should again be sowen in the lightest ground I had Though for trials sake I might perhaps bestow a handfull or two upon every sort of ground neer me The times of sowing it are twice in a Summer The first time is not very early I should not adventure to sow Dutch seed in England before the middle of May least being a stranger it should take it unkindly to meet with cold May mornings and discourage me In June and July it will be in flower and in August the seed is usually ripe The second time of sowing is after Rie-harvest when the Brabant-husbandman presently ploughs up his ground and sows it with Spurry-seed that it may grow up and serve his Kine after all late-grasse and Rowens be eaten up even till New-years day So that this latter sowing yeelds no seed but is eaten up green and the provision for seed is made by the former sowing It will be good in this first triall to sow it in several parts of the same ground in different proportions and to mark which thrives best As also in the same ground and with the same proportion of seed to try what difference of increase there is between the seed newly thresht out and thrown into new ploughed ground and that seed which is at the same time a year old It is ordinary in Brabant to sell away their May-butter and to make their Winter-provision for themselves and their more knowing customers in the end of the year For many of them prefer Spurry-seed before May-butter I suppose the principal reason is because it is not so apt to grow rank with that Summer heat which May-butter must indure in June July and August I have known some Brabant Husbandmen sow Tolls that is small round Turneps among their Spurry in the latter seed-time as being also good to increase the milk in their Kine Some Brabant women give Spurry to their Hens that will catch it from one another as they do Chick-weed They beleeve that it makes them lay the more Eggs. Spurry is by some esteemed a sure remedy for a cut or green wound if it be bruised green and layed to the cut c. In Latine its called Spergula The Description of the Hop Clover or Trefoil in English Three Leaved Grasse THis Three Leaved Grasse will grow half a yard in length or more and at every two Inches it hath a knot with Leaves and a Bunch of Seed which is black almost like Onion Seed both the Grasse and the Hay made thereof is finer and sweeter then the great Clover It will grow in any Ground and being once planted it will shed so much Seed that it need never be planted again Jt may be sowen with Corn or without as they do the great Clover or being sprinkled in Meadows it will exceedingly mend the Hay both in burthen and goodnesse Such as are desirous to buy any of this Three Leaved Grasse or Lucern Spurry Clover-grasse and Sinkfoile Seeds what quantity they please may have them at Thomas Brown 's Shop at the Red Lyon in Soper-lane where they may likewise see some of the Hay made of this three Leaved Grasse Of the long English grass in Wiltshire THe long grasse in Wiltshire mentioned in the Legacy is occasioned by reason of a spacious Sheep-Common adjoyning For that every hasty shower washeth off the Soil of the Common and bringeth it into a little Meadow beneath which maketh it incredibly fruitfull Some Physical uses of Milk and of curing the Black Jaundies c. I Thought to have imparted unto you the Secret how to preserve Milk from sowring but I must refer it to a person of singular Honour Piety and Experimental learning who had made some trial of it but hath not yet fully satisfied his minde about it When that is done I know you will have it before any other the Gentleman being wholly devoted not onely by this but many other very Noble and useful Experiments to promote the good of Mankind As for Doctor Ziegler's Germane Book written purposely on the subject of Milk when I visited him at Zurich he shewed it me not fair written for the Press It will not be great unless he resolve to an much of his own experience For he tells mee that being miserably infected with the Black-Jaundies in Prussia and having been purged by the Physicians of that
Country with above 30 several sorts of purgations even the most viblent that they could think of he found himself never the better Whereupon he resolved to take no more of their counsel but to try some conclusions of his own And with the sole use of Milk he was perfectly cured Besides he tells me that he hath several times finding himself in some indisposition prevented the returning of some hereditary diseases in himself by abstaining from all manner of meat and drink and living upon meer Milk sometime for fourteen days together And I remember heretofore I have heard him say that Milk is hurtfull with other meats but alone it is of unknown vertue How much of this and the like he will say in his Book I know not Some other things he said at the same time which I meant to have added here but I must defer them at present Observations concerning Oyles I Gave Dr. Zeigler occasion to shew me Balsamum Samaritanum as he called it He seemed to say that Paeracelsus first gave it that name in memory of the Samaritan in the Parable Luke 10.33 For this Balsam he said was made of meer Oyl and Wine boyled together without any other ingredient But said he whosoever shall goe about to boyl them together shall find it troublesom if he never saw any practice of that kind before I told him that some Atheistical heads say that Luke might be a good Physician but he was but a bad Chirurgion if he knew not that Oyl must not be put into wounds The Doctor answered that the Objectors were no great Chirurgions if they did not know that Oyl was hurtful onely in those wounds that reached to some bone for then the Oyl would make the bones cariosa But said he if such a thing happen caries ossium may be cured by Chymical salts From this I gave him occasion to speak further concerning Oyl He told me that when he was in Italy he understood that some families there were wont to preserve Oyl from Generation to Geneaation and to divide it equally amongst the children or neerest kinsmen of the deceased He had spoken with one Italian Gentleman that said hee had about two ounces of Oyl that was three hundred yeares old I asked him what serious use there was of such old Oyl besides the vanity of boasting of such Antiquities He said that new Oyl hath a saltnesse in it which makes it unsit for many uses but time destroyes that saltnesse and makes it able to perform such offects as some of the Antients have reported of it They say that divers who were esteemed dead have been annointed with old Oyl in the five principal pulse-places and revived And said he I am apt to think that the Extreme Unction now adaies applyed to men at the last gasp had its first rise from that Experiment for I would thank any man that could tell me what kinde of Oyl it was that is mentioned James 5.14 An Apothechary of Padua proffered to sell me Oyl which he said was fifty years old but I bought none of him partly for the greatnesse of the price that he demanded and partly for the uncertainty whether it were indeed so old as he pretended How to make better Butter than ordinary without setting the Milk for Cream THe Milk so soon as it is come from the Cow must be strained then churned as usually Cream is done Also the Cheese made of the Buttor-milk wil be better than the best two meal Cheeses that you ever did eat And one pound of this Butter shal be worth a pound and a half of your best Butter which is made of Cream Probatum by a Gentlewoman a great Huswise dwelling in the Isle of Ely Of Chedder Cheeses where they are made THe Legacy of Husbandry mentioneth the best Cheese to be made at Chedder in Wiltshire I suppose it may be a mistake except there be two Chedders For Chedder is a place in Sommertshire between Mendip hils and Axbridge I suppose it is bet one Parish or not much more and that a great part of it is a Moor called Chedder Moor. I have been at Mendip Hils and seen this Chedder lying much lower was told that the best Cheese in Engl. was made there and that it was sold there at six pence a pound that usually they made great Cheeses from twenty pound to a hunnred and twenty pound in weight and that it was usual when one made a Cheese to borrow all the Milk of his neighbours about him and that some did borrow as much milk in one day as they were a month in paying back again Objections answered against Propositions of Improvement by Agriculture and other the Branches of good Husbandry THat if this Art Trade or Profession of Husbandry were indeed so beneficial so profitable as many pretend why then are there not more Rich men of that sort And why doe so many Farmers or Tenants in this Nation live so poorly and beggarly that they seem rather the Landlords slaves or servants then tenants since all they get saving their own very mean subsistence goes to the paying of their rent To this it 's answered First that that the position is in its self a mistake there being more that mannage these rural affairs Rich than of any sort of people or profession in the Nation besides by far Secondly It 's affirmed that the most noble Families in the Nation have been either raised or upheld by the Plough c. For it is observable that nothing more enables a Person or Nation than Hospitality this for all that becomes the bain the destruction of many great Families when the bountifull hand is alone but when the one is as industrious by these very wayes of good Husbandry to provide or bring in as the other is to give or let out that man onely is the good Houskeeper that man onely is the constant Friend to the poor and his neighbours that man only is the wise Bee that knows how to gather and give the honey without defacing the fair flower of his estate which he alwaies leaves to his posterity well encreased whereas the other seldome dies undestroyed Thirdly It 's affirmed that there are at this time very many Grasiers Sheep-masters and Corn-masters in this Naâ—ion of very vast estates and those accrued in their own times by their own endeavours in these waies of good husbandry Fourthly Suppose it were not so as it 's granted in the more common and general account it is not yet the fault is not in the Profession but in the Practice and Persons for the more common mean and vulgar sort of Tenants or Husbandmen improperly so called have onely some general rude imperfect and in many cases much irrational Rules or Customes rather which their as ignorant Fore-fathers left them from which they can no more be weaned than a dull sturdy Asse can be gotten to mend his pace And they are generally so averse to all new practises that