somewhat dangerous therefore Gardiners do use very much Nux vomica which may be had every where with a little butter but take heed of the Dogs Moals likewise do much hurt both to Corn and Pasture and are too much neglected though they may easily be destroyed either with a Moal-spade or by finding their Nests in March which usually are in some extraordinary hills or else by putting a deep pot 〈◊〉 the earth where they run a clicketting in the Spring or by a Moal-trap which the Gardiners frequently use about London c. Also it were good to destroy the Birds called Tom-tits which are great enemies to Bees and fruit Sparrows Finches Snayl Warms c. 7. I cannot but adde to this place the failings in divers particulars in respect of some particular places viz. the planting of Saffron which is very well performed in some parts of Essex Cambridge c. yet altogether unknown in Kent though there are Lands both white and red as they call them with plenty of dung very proper for that purpose and yet this commodity is excellent and further I can adde as a Deficiency that I have never seen nor heard of any thing written on this Subject to any purpose 2. The planting of Hops concerning which Scot in Queen Elizabeths days wrote an excellent Treatise to the which little or nothing hath been added though the best part of an hundred years are since past and much experienced in this kind amongst us for though many fine Gardens have been planted in the Southern parts yet the Northern are deficient so that often-times we are necessitated to have great quantities from Flaunders 3. Liquorice is much planted about Pomfract in York-shire and about London but little that I hear of else-where so that we are sometimes beholding to Spain for it 4. Would is sown in divers parts of Kent not much in other places therefore we are oft beholding to the Western Isles for it 5. Wade which is abundantly sown about Coventry and yet in Kent thought to be a forraign Commodity this is of excellent use and deserveth to be sown every where I might here also adde Madder which is very necessary and scarcely sown any where as also Canary-seeds Carnways which are abundantly sown about Sandwich and Deal in Kent also Rape Cole-seeds c. whose oyl is of great use also of Fruit-trees Gardening Hemp Flax but of these I have largely discoursed before 21. Deficiency is by reason of our sins we have not the blessing of the Lord upon our labours And this the reason that although the Husbandman hath been laborious and diligent in his calling these last years yet our Crops have been thin his Cattel swept away and scarcity and famine hath siezed on all parts of this Land and if we had not been supplyed from abroad we had quite devoured all the creatures of this Island for our sustenance and yet we could not be satisfied but must have devoured one another And therefore to conclude though I desire the Husbandman to be diligent and laborious in his calling yet I counsel him to break off his sins by Repentance to have his eye towards him who is the Giver of every good thing and to pray daily to him for his blessings who giveth freely to them that ask and upbraideth not And although all callings ought to look up to him that is on high yet the Countrey-man especially for he hath a more immediate dependance on him then any other for if the Lord with-hold his fat dew from Heaven or the former or latter Rain it is in vain that the Husbandman rise up early and go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness for we know that it is the Lord that maketh barren places fruitful and he likewise that turneth fruitful Lands into barrenness as the Land of Canaan which was very fruâ—tful even in the time of the Canaanites but now a barren desart and therefore I again desire the Countrey-man to walk as it becometh a Christian in all Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness not to trust or put his confidence in his own labours and good Husbandry but on the Lord that hath made all things for though even Paul himself doth plant and Apollo doth water yet it is only the Lord that giveth increase and plenty which he will not deny to those that fear him for they shall want nothing that is good Lastly for a Corollary I will adde though it doth not so much concern the Husbandman as those of greater Power and Authority That it is a great Deficiency in England that we do not magazine or store up Corn when the Lord sendeth us plenty and therefore at cheap rates as Joseph did in Egypt against dear years for then the Grain is purest the perfectest without Smut Mildew Shrankness or other imperfections and is the best for long preservation this is much used in Poland Dantrigk Italy Holland c. and is found of wonderful importance By this means Holland which soweth little or no Corn seldome or never feeleth a famine though it be incredibly populous and for want of this good policy England which many years aboundeth with Corn is sore bitten therewith as is manifest in these last years in which had not our Neighbours wisely and politickly provided for us we should have famished and devoured one another Further This storing of Corn will save vast Sums of money which in dear years are exported for bread and also well ballance the price of Corn so that the honest Husbandman needs not murmure and be discouraged because that the price is low and Markets scant in plentiful years because then the Magazins are to be restored nor the Artizans be famished by the excessive rate of bread in dear years for then the Magazines are to be exhausted The best way for the wise carrying on of this businesse the Politicians must lay forth but that belongs not to our calling Yet I shall here as I have done in former things gâ— some general hints and leave the rest to those who are wiser And first The City of London which is the mouth of the Island and as I am credibly informed by Meal-men spendeth about 5000 Quarters of Wheat weekly and I suppose it cannot do lesse considering there cannot be lesse then 600000 people therein and about viz. at least an hundred thousand in the 97 Parishes within the Walls and four times as many without the Walls as appeareth by the Bills of Mortality and at least an hundred thousand strangers of all sorts which proportion is lesse then four l. of bread the week for one this place ought I say to have a considerable Magazine for three or six months something hath been done in this kind by our fore-fathers as appeareth by the particular store-houses of the private Companies which store-houses ought to be augmented in number as the Companies yearly are and also the Quantity of Grain because the City daily grows more populous 2. I
it causeth barrenness but the like we may say of Lime Soot Ashes c. yea of Niter it self for I know by experience that under great Pigeon-houses Walnut-trees as Vines Peaches c. will not prosper and I know no other cause then this That too great a quantity of Pigeons dung doth fall down from the Roofe of the house and so the Trees are destroyed Animadversor They in Holland preserve their Dung and Vrine no otherwise then else-where c. They are far more careful then we are in England so that the Sun may not exhaust the vertue nor the rain wash away the strength thereof which I note as a good kind of Husbandry both to be commended and imitated Animadversor Italy sendeth forth little paper as also Holland c. The finest paper we have in England comes from Genoa and Venice yet not so much from the latter place as formerly since the plague there 1630. Much of this paper is gilded with Gold on the edges Holland ships not onely furnish us with a thick strong white paper which is commonly called Dutch paper but also abundantly with a strong brown paper much desired by the Grocers Although at present lesse is imported because we have many Paper-mils lately erected but whither this be made in Holland Friezland in Germany or elsewhere I dispute not The fifth Letter of the Animadversor The Abel Tree is a Popular not a Salix I Thank the Animadversor for reforming my errour for I was informed that it was a kind of Sallow but it seemeth it is a kind of Popular or Aspe and so at length by enquiry I have found it named by Parkinson in his Herbal Animadversor The profit of Silk is not so great as of Corn and Wine to France I do not positively affirm it but onely report it upon the credit of a late French Writer whose name I at present remember not and I am also far from my Library that I cannot turn to him It indeed seemeth to me likewise very probable for I know that Corn and Wine are heavy bulky commodities of low rate Wine sometimes being not much more worth then the Barrel and Corn scarce a Merchandable commodity in any place yea France it selfe sometimes wants it so that a little Silk will ballance these two and France as it is well known hath not onely sufficient for it selfe but many Plushes Velvets and other Manufactures of Silk were in a considerable quantity exported for England till the late prohibition and why may not Silk do that in France it doth in Italy Yea that which all will grant Flax doth for Linnen Canvases c. and are of greater value Animadversor Silk is a stranger to the parts that are nigh Englands Temper King James and his learned Councel in their Letter to the Deputy Lieutenants affirm the contrary and bring this as an Argument to encourage the people to set upon this work Secondly Much Silk is made at Tours yea I am informed that that populous Town doth even totally subsist by it which place is not very much different from Englands temper being not much above two degrees from the South of England and I say again if Silk-worms are come even out of Persia China and those very hot Countreys as far as the heart of France which is very temperate and yet these Worms thrive very well there why may they not come a little farther and why do we not strive to advance them here as well as France yea we find by experience that some few Gentlewomen have bred divers up for their pleasure even as far North as Duckenfield in Cheshire where some quantity of Silk hath been made yet this place is nigh as far North of some places of England As they of Tours Moreover a Lady Virginia F. as I have lately seen in print hath hatched worms in England and then turned them forth to the Mulberry-trees exposed to the cold and moysture of the Air and yet they have done well yea better then those within doors These and other reasons do so far convince me that I cannot but again and again desire ingenious men to proceed in this rich and pleasant work Animadversor Moysture is no way nourishing to these Worms First I say in general that heat and moisture are the two great Causes of Insects where these abound Insects abound where one of these are wanting there are but few engendered And why should we exempt these from the common generation of Insects and consequently if ingendered by these nourished by these according to the old Axiome Ex iis nutrimur ex quibus constamus And 2. We know that the damp moist Woods of Virginia do breed Silk-worms of an incredible bignesse surpassing the Spanish and Italian And likewise that a Lady in England as I have it from a friend whom I dare believe turning the Silk-worms not long after they were hatched into the Mulberry-trees by experience found that they prospered better then those that were kept dry within dore yea in Ireland in the County of Cavan in Vlster the moistest of all places a Gentleman kept divers Silk-worms which prospered very well and therefore I cannot think moisture as moisture any considerable enemy to them for of it self it hath little activity and if these worms shall not thrive in any place I will rather attribute it to cold which is known to be an active quality and the great destroyer of all Insects for we see in England that moist Summers do increase Flies Gnats Butter-flies c. and it is the cold winds and frosts that destroy them yet I will grant that moisture accidentally hurts viz. as it introduceth too much frigidity or if it be too much in their meat it may cause fluxes rottings c. as it doth to Conies Guiny-pigs c. As for Bonveil who hath writ of Silk-worms I have both read him and commend him Libavius also I have and even all his many Volums but in my opinion he hath written Multa sed non Multum Animadversor Sassafras Sarsaparilla and Snake-weed I am sure will not grow to purpose First why not I am sure that Sassafras groweth in the Northern Plantations of New-England even as far North as Sacho where the Snow usually lyeth five moneths and the Winter extream bitter in respect of England and further this Sassafras is not a small plant or shrub easily nipt with the frost but a great Tree so that boards of ten inches Diameter have been made thereof and further where it once groweth hardly to be destroyed so that it much annoyeth the Corn by its young shoots and the Mower in Harvest more then any other Tree that I heard of in that Countrey I was informed that the Native Indians of the place when they lose themselves in the Woods presently run to these small shoots and thereby know which is North and South Indeed I have observed that one side is more speckled then another and perhaps other small shoots
of plants are so but not as yet observed for ought I know of any This Plant is not sufficiently described by Gerrard Johnson Parkinson or any that yet I have seen For first They speak not of any flowers and yet it hath fair white large flowers almost as big as Rosa Canina but I perceived little smell in them though all other parts of this Plant as leaves bark wood and root especially are very odoriferoâ—s Secondly They mention not the seeds which are about the bigness of Bay-berries many of which I sent out of New-England some of which grew in York-Garden at London but through mishap perished Thirdly This tree is not alwayes green as Parkinson Johnson saith but in New-England casteth its leaves Perhaps in Florida it may perpetually be green for I know that in New-England the wild-Bays which is like our common bays in smell and leaves casteth its leaf in Winter as also a kind of â—ir about Casho-bay out of which is extracted a very odoriferous gum and others in like manner c. In New-England divers in the beginning of their plantations used this Plant in their Beer hoping that it would have served both for mault and spice but it deceived their expectations For in my apprehension it giveth a taste not pleasant and also they that accustomed themselves to this drink especially in the Summer found themselves faint and weak not able to endure labour Animadversor 2. Sarsaperilla will not thrive in England c. First Smilax to which this is referred is two-fold 1. Aspera which is not found as yet with us 2. Levis or Convolvulus this groweth naturally wild with us whose leaves though they differ much from the former yet the root is very like as I have seen them compared together and further the vertues also as I have been credibly informed by divers ingenious Apothecaries 2. This Smilax aspera is found not only in Peru c. But also in Virginia as I am informed by divers which is a Countrey whose Winters are far more piercing then in England 3. In New-England I have seen a Plant with good success used for Sarsaperilla which is a plant about one foot and an half high with an upright stalk with some few leaves at the top I at first sight thought it the plant called Herba Gerardi but the root is very like the Sarsaparil commonly used with the pithyness which maketh me to think that there are divers species of these Smilaxes some of which may well thrive and prosper in England especially those that grow in New-England and Virginia but concerning this plant and divers others which grow in new-New-England I cannot give you that account I desire because my seeds and papers unhappily miscarried Animadversor 3. Rattle-snake Grasse will not thrive c. Parkinson an able Botanick saith it flourisheth with us in June and July and therefore what should hinder it from thriving to the purpose 2. Virginia as I said before hath sharper Winters then England and yet there it groweth abundantly in the Woods without cultivation why not with us therefore by good managing and art When I was in New-England I was acquainted with an ancient Gentleman who also was a Scholer and had lived ten years in Virginia who certified me that there were two sorts of Rattle-snake-weeds the greater and the less That which he called the greater I casually had in my hand it was a bulbous plant about the bignesse of a Pigeons egge and â—ilky in the root it grew in the water and the leaves like Pistolochia he told me that this was accounted the best the second is called the lesse and according to Parkinsons description the leaves are like the former but the root is fibrous and this is that which is commonly brought for England and for my part I suppose and upon good grounds that not only the former but also the latter will thrive with us I have oft desired many of my friends and acquaintance to send me this plant and divers others which grow even at their doors but could never prevail so far with them and have far greater hope of the flourishing of this wild plant that of Tobacco either of that which in New-England is called Poak much differing from the Virginian or of that other commonly used and sown in Virginia for they grow not naturally in these places and yet Tobacco so flourisheth in England that it pleaseth the State to take notice of it and by an Act to prohibit it And though I cannot deny but God hath given his peculiar blessings to every Countrey yet it doth not hence follow that nothing which groweth in an hot Countrey will thrive in these more Northern Climates for most of our curious plants as Apricocks Peaches c. Flac. Pernvianus Juca c. came at first from hot Countreys yet thrive well with us yea true Rhenbarb if we will believe Parkinson which formerly hath only grown in the East-Indyes groweth abundantly with us This I am sure if it be not the same it is very like in vertue and daily we find that things brought out of a hot Countrey do flourish with us as lately the great Spanish Cane much used by Weavers and Vintners Master John Tradeskin brought from the Western-Isle and it flourisheth well in his Garden and groweth great and tall Animadversor So of Pines and Cedars c. I wonder that the Animadversor should question the growth of Pines in England seeing they grow commonly in the Plain of Poland as Cromer saith and the Pitch-tree is a kind of Pine growing even in the coldest places In New-England I have seen Pines above four foot Diameter and the length accordingly even in the most Northern places Further these commonly grow in the Gardens about London so concerning Cedars they grow of a very great heighth and bignesse in the Northern parts of new-New-England where show lyeth five or six months and therefore I do not any wayes question their growing with us and do again note that the neglect of these as also of the Fir-tree is a great deficiency in England and to what a straight our State might now be driven for Masts did not New-England furnish us as also for Pitch and Tar is well known And yet these Trees will grow in very barren land and are sweet growers Yea as it appears by our Mosses they have formerly grown in England Further many will stand in a little ground so that I dare boldly aver that one thousand Acres planted with these Trees would in forty years serve this Isle with Masts for ever and help us to great quantities of Pitch and Tar for where these Trees once take they are very hardly destroyed as I have observed in New-England where on an Isle every year in Summer the Planters spent a day or two to cut them down that the place might pasture the better for their young Cattle but these Trees did presently grow again so that they gave over their intentions seeing their
Samuel Hartlib HIS LEGACY OF HUSBANDRY Wherein are bequeathed to the Common-wealth of ENGLAND not onely Braband and Flanders but also many more Outlandish and Domestick Experiments and Secrets of Gabriel Plats and others never heretofore divulged in reference to Universal Husbandry With a Table shewing the general Contents or Sections of the several Augmentations and enriching Enlargements in this Third Edition Psal 144. v. 13 14 15. That our Garners may be full affording all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets That our Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no complaining in our streets Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. London Printed by J. M. for Richard Wodnothe in Leaden-hall Street next to the Golden-Hart 1655. A Table shewing the General Contents or Sections of the Legacie of Husbandry AN Introduction to the Legacy of Husbandry extracted out of the Surveyors Dialogue A large Letter concerning the Defects and Remedies of English Husbandry page 1. The 1. deficiencie concerning Ploughs and Carriages pag. 4 5 6. The 2. deficiencie about digging of Land setting and howing in of Corn pag. 6 7 8. The 3. deficiencie concerning Gardening pag. 8 9 10. The 4. deficiencie in Smut and Mildew pag. 10 11 12 13 14. The 5. deficiencie concerning planting of Apples Pears Cherries and Plums pag. 14 15.16 17 18 19. The 6. deficiencie concerning not improving our Fruits pag. 19 20 21.22 The 7. deficiencie concerning Vines p. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. The 8. deficiencie concerning Hemp and Flax p. 30.31 32 33. The 9. deficiencie concerning Dunging and Manuring lands p. 33 34 35 36 37 38. The 10. deficiency concerning the Non-improvement of our Meadows p. 39 40 41. The 11. deficiencie concerning Wast lands p. 41 42 43 44 45 46. The 12. deficiencie in Woods p. 46 47 48 49 50. The 13. deficiencie of Bees p. 50 51 52 53. The 14. deficiencie concerning Silk-worms p. 53 54 55 56 57 58. A Copy of King James Letter to the Lords Lieutenants of the several Shires of England for the increasing of Mulberry-trees and the breeding of Silk-worms for the making of Silk in England p. 59 60 61 62. Instructions for the increase and planting of Mulberry trees What ground is fit for the Mulberry-seeds how the same is to be ordered and in what sort the seeds are to be sowed therein p. 63 64. When the Plants that are sprung up of the seeds are to be removed and how they are to be planted the first time p. 64. When and how the Plants are to be removed the second time and in what manner they are to be planted where they shall remain p. 64 65. When and how the Eggs of the Silk-worms are to be hatched and how to order the Worms that shall come of them p. 65 66 67. When and how to make fit rooms for the Worms to work their bottoms of Silk in and in what sort the said bottoms are to be used p. 67 68. The 15. deficiencie of the ignorance of the Husbandry of other places p. 68 69 70 71 72. The 16. deficiencie of the ignorance of things taken from the earth and waters of this Island p. 72 73 74 75 76 77. The 17. deficiencie of the vegetables of this Island and their virtues and uses p. 77 78 79 80 81. The 18. deficiencie concrning Animals p. 82 83 84 85. The 19. deficiencie concerning divers things necessary for the good of Cattle p. 85 86 87 88 89. The 20. deficiencie of the want of divers things which are necessary for the accomplishment of Agriculture p. 89 90 91 92. The 21. deficiencie that because of our sins we have not the blessing of God upon our labours p. 92 93. The last deficiencie that we do not magazine or store up Corn when the Lord sendeth us plenty p. 93 94 95. Copies and Extracts of more Letters tending very much to the great improvement not only of Agriculture but true and real Learning and natural Philosophy p. 96 97 98. Queres sent into France about the seed called La Lucern with the Answers to them p. 98 99 100 101 102 103 104. A Copy of a Letter relating a proof or experiment of an strange English Husbandry p. 104 105. A conjectural Essay upon the foregoing Secret or Experiment of an English Husbandry p. 105 106 107. An Extract of a Letter from Amsterdam with another Experiment of a French Husbandry and the Answers to them p. 108 109. Another Letter from Paris discovering the secret of the forenamed French Husbandry p. 110. Another Extract of a Letter from the Low-countries upon the Parisian experiment of Husbandry p. 110 111. Another Letter expressing the reasons why the experimenter of the Barley-corn thinks it not fit or expedient to part with his secret as yet for a common use pag. 111 112 113. A secret practised with very good success in England concerning sowing of Wheat to prevent it from being smutty p. 113. Another secret practised in Germany for the enriching of Meadows p. 113. How to make Rushy ground to bear Grass p. 114. For planting or sowing Walnuts p. 114. Mr. Lanyon's description of the usual manner of planting and transplanting according to that of Flanders of those trees called Abeales imparted for publick Good p. 115 116. Another direction for the planting understand the second planting of the Abel-trees p. 116. New Observations concerning Abel-trees p. 117. Dr. Arnold Boats Annotations upon the Legacy of Husbandry from p. 118. to p. 132. An Answer to the Animadversor on the large Letter of Husbandry from pag. 132 to pag. 172. An Observation concerning a Fish-calender p. 172. The Profitable Mercurius or Mercurius Laetificans from pag. 173. to pag. 182. A Treatise of Gabriel Plats containing certain Notes Observations Experiences and Improvements of Husbandry with the judgement upon them of an experienced Husbandman who hath also brought the Invention of Setting of Corn to greater perfection A Comparison between Ploughing and Sowing of three Acres of Land after the old fashion and Ploughing and Setting of one Acre after the manner declared in the book printed Anno Dom. 1601. by Mr. Maxey Gentleman a great practizer in those daies in the Art of setting of Corn p. 185 186 187 188. Experiments and Improvements for inriching of land by Mr. Plats New Invention or Engine which disperceth the Compost in such manner that it falleth all within the reach of the attractive virtue of the Corn. The first Experiment or Improvement p. 188 189.190 The second Experiment or Improvement wherein is shewed how a rich Compost may be made in form of earth fit to fill up the holes when the Corn is set p. 190. The third Experiment or Improvement where is shewed how a rich Compost may be made in form of earth near to the Sea which may be carried many miles p. 191 192. The fourth
Experiment or Improvement wherein is shewed how a rich Compost may be made in form of earth for the purpose aforesaid which may also be converted into Saltpeter p. 192 193 194. The fifth Experiment or Improvement wherein is shewed how the difference of the nature of land may be found out thereby to fit it with an apt Compost p. 194 195 196. The sixth Experiment or Improvement wherein is shewed how Farm-houses Mannors or Towns may be builded upon high grounds and plentifully furnished with water p. 196 197. The seventh Experiment wherein is shewed how Sellars that are annoyed with Water-springs may be remedied p. 197 198. The eighth Experiment wherein is shewed how the rot in Sheep may be cured p. 198 199 200. The ninth Experiment wherein is shewed how Corn may be preserved in cheap years without corruption so that it may supply the dearth when it cometh p. 200 201 202. The tenth Experiment wherein is shewed the natural cause why the changing of Seed-corn produceth an improvement also certain waies for the melioration of Seeds and Fruits p. 202 203 204. The eleventh Experiment wherein is shewed how rich Compost may be made in great Cities of things formerly cast away p. 204 205. The twelfth Experiment wherein is shewed how any Kingdom may live in great prosperity with half the trouble and charge which now they sustain and yet live in adversity p. 205 206 207 208. The thirteenth Experiment wherein is shewed how Timber for Buildings and Wood for Houshold-stuffe may be provided in short space p. 208 209. The fourteenth Experiment wherein is shewed divers waies concerning Fruit-trees p. 209 210. The fifteenth Observation and Experiment shewing how it may be ordered that Corn shall never be exceeding cheap to the great prejudice of the Farmer nor exceeding dear to the grievance of the buyer p. 210 211 212 213. The sixteenth Experiment shewing how all sublunary substances may be changed one into another 213 214. The first Experiment shewing how Minerals may be turned into Vegetables p. 214. The second Experiment shewing how this Corn may be turned into Animals p. 214 215. The third Experiment shewing how thie Animal may be turned into Vegetable again p. 215. The fourth Experiment shewing how this Vegetable may be turned back into Minerals p. 215 216. The last Experiment shewing how weeping land may be drained where there is no level p. 216. Thus far Mr. Plat's new Treatise A Philosophical Letter concerning Vegetation or the causes of Fruitfulness p. 217 218 219. An extract out of another Philosophical Letter p. 220. Another Letter on the same subject p. 220 221. How the Controversie about Helmont's Assertions mentioned in the fourth Deficiency of the Legacy of Husbandry may be reconciled p. 221 222 223. An observation touching planting of Trees in the Fens p. 223. More observations concerning Fruit-trees and the great benefit of Furzes for keeping Rats and Mice out of Barn-floors or other roomes as likewise Reeks of Corn and Cheese-racks 224 225. An Estimate of the great quantity of Corn that Pidgeons do eat spoyl and destroy in the County of Cambridge and pro rata for every shire of England the one with the other as by due enquiry may be made appear p. 225 226 227. Another Estimate by way of confirmation of destructive Pidgeon-houses p. 227 228. A kind of universal Medicine or the virtues of chewed bread p. 228 229 230 231. The Scotchway of brewing their strongest and best Ale p. 231. How to make Wine out of Corn p. 232. Another process to make Wine of Corn p. 232 233. Some Animadversions upon the fore-going process of making Wine of Corn p. 233. Glauberus's promise or undertaking for making Wine out of Corn p. 234 235. An Advertisement concerning the Mystery of making Wine according to Glaubers undertaking p. 235. How a Meadow about the end of May or beginning of June before the seeds of Grass are ripe may be used p. 235. How much ground in England may be cured that through the predomination of some quality in excess will not sward again or gather a good head of grass for the first 3 4 5 6 or 7 years when laid down after ploughing p. 236. A Letter of a very ingenuous Gentleman Mr. R.H. concerning the Husbandry of Clover-grass p. 236 237. Another Letter shewing the great benefit arising by Clover-grass to the Common-wealth in general p. 238 239. Mr. Crutendens Letter and Certificate p. 239 240. A Letter from Upton 11. Aprilis 1653. Concerning the Husbandry of Clover-seed 240 241. Sir Rich. Westons more special directions for the best ordering of Clover-grass p. 242 243. Some doubts and queres concerning the aforesaid directions propounded in a Letter from Dublin p. 244. The Doubts and Queres in the Letter from Dublin resolved p. 245 246. An Answer to more Queres concerning the Husbandry of Clover-grass p. 246 247. Concerning the Threshing of Clover-seed p. 247. An exact Letter written from Dublin concerning the Husbandry of Clover in Ireland p. 248. An Answer to the foregoing Extract concerning the miscarriage of the Husbandry of Clover in Ireland p. 248 249. An Extract of another Letter in reference to the foregoing Answer p. 250. More Extracts of Letters concerning French Seeds of St. Foin and Lucern p. 250 251. More Queres about Lucern and the seed called Esparcet with the Answers of them p. 252 253. The difference between Esparcet and the other French seeds p. 253 254 The last advertisement concerning Esparcet and the other French seeds p. 254 255. A Letter of Dr. J. S. relating the husbandry of the French Tares or Fetches p. 255 256 257. An observation upon the Husbandry of the French Tares or Fetches p. 257. Another Letter relating the Braband Husbandry of Spurry-seed p. 257 258. The description of the Hop-clover or Trefoil in English Three-leaved Grass p. 259 260. Of the long English grass in Wiltshire p. 260. Some Physical uses of Milk and of curing the black Jaundies c. p. 261. Observations concerning Oyls p. 262 263. How to make better Butter than ordinary without setting the Milk for Cream p. 263. Of Chedder Cheeses where they are made p. 263. Objections answered against propositions of Improvement by Agriculture and other the branches of good Husbandry p. 264 265 266 267. An approved Experiment for the cure of the Fashions in Horses and the Rot in Sheep p. 267. Another approved Experiment for fatting of Hogs and preserving or curing of them from Measels or other diseases p 268. Another excellent remedy against the Rot and other diseases in Sheep and Horses p. 268. Whether a good Lime may be made of Pibble and other stones whereby land may be dunged and enriched p. 268 269. The manner of planting Timber-trees in Cornwel p. 269 270. How to hasten the growth of Timber-trees p. 270. Of Turky-beans to be more frequently planted p. 271. A friendly advice how a hundred and fifty pound may be improved by Husbandry to yeeld a
their second to their third sicknesse increasing the quantity of the leaves according as you perceive the Worms to grow in strength and clear of sicknesse from the third until their fourth sicknesse you may give them leaves thrice every day and the fourth being past you may let them have so many as they will eat alwayes having a care that you give them none but such as are dry and well aired upon a Table or Cloth before they be laid upon them and withal gathered so near as may be at such times as either the Sun or Wind hath cleared them of the dew that falleth upon them For the feeding of Worms you need observe no other order then this lay the Mulberry-leaves upon them and every two or three dayes remove them and make clean their boxes or shelves unlesse in times of their sicknesse for then they are not to be touched the leaves which you take from them when you give them fresh to feed upon you must lay in some convenient place and upon them a few new leaves to which the Worms that lay hidden in the cold will come and then you may passe them with the said new leaves to the rest of the Worms And now lest any thing should be omitted which serves to perfect the discovery of so excellent a benefit I will advise you to be very diligent in keeping clean their Boxes or shelves as being a special means whereby to preserve them wherefore when you intend to do it you shall remove them together with the uppermost leaves whereon they lie unto other boxes or shelves for with your hands you may not touch them till they have throughly undergone their third sickness and then may you passe them gently with clean hands without doing them any harm provided that the party that cometh near them smell not of Garlick Onions or the like The first five weeks of their age you must be very carefull to keep them warm and in time of rain or cold weather to set in the room where they remain a pan with coals burning in it now and then some Juniper Benjamin and such like that yeildeth sweet smells But afterwards unlesse in time of extraordinary cold give them air and take heed of keeping them too hot being alwayes mindfull to store the room with herbs and flowers which are delightful and pleasing to the smell As the worms increase in bignesse you shall disperse them abroad upon more boards or shelves and not suffer them to lie too thick together and if you find any of them broken or of a yellow glistering colour inclining to sicknesse cast them away lest they infect the rest and sort such as are not sick the greatest and strongest by themselves for so the lesser will prosper the better When and how to make fit rooms for the worms to work their bottoms of silk in and in what sort the said bottoms are to be used AS soon as by the clear amber-coloured bodies of your worms you shall perceive them ready to give their silk you must with Heath made very clean or with the branches of Rosemary the stalks of Lavender or such like make Arches between the foresaid shelves Upon the branches and sprigs whereof the worms will fasten themselves and make their bottoms which in fourteen dayes after the worm beginneth to work them you may take away and those which you are minded to use for the best silk you must either presently wind or kill the worms which are within them by laying the said bottoms two or three days in the Sun or in some Oven after the bread baked therein is taken out and the fiercenesse of the heat is alaid The other bottoms which you intend to keep for seed you must lay in some convenient warm place untill the Worms come forth which is commonly some sixteen or twenty dayes from the beginning of their work and as they do come forth you must put them together upon some piece of old Say Grogeran the backside of old Velvet or the like made fast against some wall or hangings in your house There they will ingender and the Male having spent himself falleth down and in short time after dieth as also doth the Female when she hath laid her eggs which eggs when you perceive them upon the Say or Grogeran c. to be of a grayish colour you may take them off gently with a knife and baving put them in a piece of Say or such like keep them in a covered box amongst your woollen cloaths or the like till the year following But not in any moist room for it is hurtful for them neither where there is too much heat lest the worms should be hatched before you can have any food for them The making of a Wheel as likewise the way to winde the said silk from the bottoms can hardly be set down so plainly as to be rightly understood Wherefore when time shall serve there shall be sent into every County of this Kingdom a wheel ready made and a man that shall instruct all such as are desirous to learn the use thereof Till when I shill commend these brief instructions to be carefully considered of all such as are willing either to benefit themselves or their Countrey that being skilful in the Contemplation they may the readier and with lesse errour apply themselves to Action which painful industry with Gods assistance will quickly perfect 15. Deficiency is the ignorance of the Husbandry of other places viz. what seeds what fruits what grasses they use what Ploughs Harrows Gardening-tools they have how still they mannage and improve their lands what cattel they have how they feed and fatten them and how they improve their commodities c. For there is no Countrey where they are such ill Husbandmen but in some particular or other they excel as we see even in the several Counties of this Island every County hath something or other wherein they out-strip their Neighbours And that much profit may arise from hence in this Nation is manifested by that excellent Treatise which is published by you concerning the Husbandry of Flanders wherein are briefly set down divers particulars very useful for us here in England and formerly unknown And without question Franco Spain Italy Holland Poland Germany c. have many excellent things both for Husbandry Physick Mechanicks worth the manifesting and very beneficial to us so likewise there are divers things in our Plantations worth the taking notice of in Husbandry To passe by the Southern Plantations as Barbadoes Antego Saint Croix Christopher Mevis Monforate where the commodities are onely Cotten-wools Sugars Gingers Indicoes which our cold climate will not produce and also Tobacco which groweth also with us about Norwich and elsewhere We will onely fall upon our Northern Plantations Virginia New-England and instance in a few things Why may not the Silk-grass of Virginia the Salsaperilla Sassarfas Rattlâ—snake-weed which is an excellent cordial be beneficial to us as
Diamonds are found about Bristol and Cornwall very large but soft There is a stone near Beaver Castle like a Star In York-shire another like a Serpent petrefied and also other stones round like bullets which being broken have as it were a Serpent in them without an head c. 6. Of all Minerals and Metals Iron-stone is found almost in every County and is profitable where Wood is plentiful the best is found in Laneashire one load and an half making a Tun of Iron it hath been transported into Ireland to mix with poor Mine In Richard the seconds time a Copper-Mine was found in Wenlock in Shrepshire but exhausted in Queen Elizabeth's dayes one was found at Keswick in Cumberland and ately in Staffordshire York-shire and near Barstable in Devonshire on which some Gentlemen intend speedily to work Lead is found in Durham Wales and Devonshire Brimstone in York-shire and Wales Antimony in Staffordshire a silver Mine in Cardiganshire a gold Mine was discovered in Scotland in King James his time and many rich Mines might be discovered in England if that the Kings Prerogative which was to take all Royal Mines to himself viz. Silver Gold Copper were so cerainly abolished that they which should find these Metals in their own Lands might safely dig them But some wil object say that many things are of little worth and profit To these I answer that God hath made nothing in vain every thing hath his peculiar use and though some things seem to be of little worth and contemptible as Sand Loam Chalk yet it hath pleased the wise Creatour to make these things very necessary for mans comfortable subsistence which they that want these things can testifie As for example in New-England where there is no Chalk nor Lime-stone they are compelled to burn Oyster-shels Cockles to make Lime or else they could hardly build any houses The like I may say of Sand and Loam in divers places where they are wanting 2. I say that most of those things I have spoken of are very profitable in one place or other To instance in some of the meaner sort at London Brickmen give 50 li. per Acre onely for Loam to make Bricks and pay 3 li. per Acre of yearly Rent and are to leave the Land worth the same yearly Rent likewise I know a Chalk-cliff in Kent not two Acres of ground valued at many an hundred pound and that one Colum of Chalk which is ten foot square is valued at forty or fifty pound at 8 d. per load The Oker Mines of Oxford and Glocestershire are of great value and so would others of that kind if they could be found so is the Black-lead Mine Also the pits of Clay Marle Coale Turffe c. And therefore I desire all Country men to endeavour to know all sorts of Stones Clays Earths Oares and to teach their Children the use of them that they may know that this sand is for building this Loam is for Bricks this Clay for Pots this Marle for Corn-land and if that they shall find any Stones Earths which they know not that they would lay them up till that they meet with some ingenious man that can inform them The richest Mines of the world have been found out by these means if we will believe Histories And this I am sure of that by this means they may much advance their knowledge and be more profitable to the Publique their Neighbours and also to themselves 17. Deficiency is the ignorance of the Vegetables of this Island and their Vertues and Vses And the first Deficiency that I take notice of is the ignorance of the ordinary seeds which are commonly sown amongst us for usually the Countrey-man contenteth himself with one or two sorts and knoweth no more when as there are very great varieties some of which agree with one sort of ground some with another As for example there are very many sorts of Wheats some called White Wheat some Red Wheat some Bearded which as I have said before is not so subject to Mildews as others others not some sorts with two rows others with four and six some with one ear on a stalk others with double ears or two on the same stalk Red-stalk Wheat of Buckinghamshire Winter Wheat Summer Wheat which is sown abundantly in New-England in April and May and reaped ordinarily in three months and many sorts more Not to trouble my discourse with Spelt Zea Tiphine-Wheat or Olew Far Silâ—go Alica which were used amongst the Ancients but now unknown not onely to the Countrey-man but even to the learnedest Botanicks so I may say that the ordinary Yeoman is ignorant of the diversities of Barley's for there is not onely the ordinary Barley but big sprat-Barley which hath lately been sown in Kent with good profit also Winter-Barley sowen in Winter Barley with four six rows naked Barley which require divers dispositions in Land some delighting in finer others in stiffer grounds So there is also Winter and Summer-Rie and twenty sorts of Pease the ordinary Schew the Raith or Early-ripe Pease the Roncivals Hastivers Hotarses Gray-Pease Green-Pease Pease without skins Sugar-Pease whose shels are sweeter then the Pease it self and have been within these ten years plentifully sowen in Lincoln-shire with profit also Fulham Sandwich-Pease c. which require divers sorts of lands and seasons so also there are divers sorts of Oats white black naked which in New-England serveth well for Oatmel without grinding being beaten as they come out of the Barn Scotch Poland c. Also Buck-wheat Lentiles divers sorts of Tares of Hemp and Flax altogether unknown to most Countrey-men but I hope that hereafter they will be more inquisitive after them for divers of them may be of good use on their lands 2. Deficiency in this kind is that they are ignorant of the Plants and Grasses which naturally grow amongst us and their Uses which likewise were made for to be food for Cattel and also for the service of man This ignorance causeth them to admire and to esteem even as miraculous ordinary and trivial things as for example how it cometh to passe that in one Meadow an Horse thriveth very much and speedily and yet a Bullock will not in that place and contrariwise in a Meadow close by the former the Bullock will thrive and the Horse not so also how it cometh to pass that Conies and Sheep will thrive well where there is scarcely any pasture and yet come to nothing on Commons where there is a greater quantity of pasture which proceedeth from this cause that some kind of Plants are more agreeing and sweeter to one sort of Cattel then to another and every Beast almost hath some Plant or other which they love exceedingly I suppose that the observances of this kind might be very useful in Husbandry These Deficienciâ—s I will draw to three Heads 1. I say that divers Plants not to speak of Fruits because we have already spoken of them that grow
fashions each of them shall make Cheeses not such as they were wont to make at home but as used to be made in the places to which they are come The like may be said of the green cheeses made in Holland Sheeps milk especially those of Gravesand Tessel and Grind all three most excellent ones and yet extreamly differing among themselves And not to go for examples of this further then England it self It were against all reason and experience to think that that notable difference betwixt Suffolke and Cheshire-Cheeses commeth onely from the different way of making it Another thing which I find fault withall in the same Discourse is that the Authour nameth the French Angolots among the excellent sorts of Cheese whereas they are nothing so neither in their qualities nor in their price they being sold for two Sols a piece whereas they use to weigh half a pound I do likewise mislike that he for to instance in the best kinds of Cheese he fetcheth Parmesans and Holland-Cheeses from abroad without taking notice that at home in several parts of the Land and particularly in Mountgomery-shire Cheese is made equal to the best of these kinds and at Chedder in Wiltshire that which in my judgement is far to he preferred before them and to any other Cheese in the world Page 105. I cannot brook that he complaineth England hath but a Systema or a compleat Book of all the parts of Agriculture and reckoneth Markham among them who have writ onely divers small Treatises of it whereas Markham hath comprehended in his works whatever belongeth to any part of Husbandry and Housewifery too with very few and small omissions such as in no wise can rob him of the name of a general writers his works also having that excellency that they are altogether squared for England and go on experience rather then on probabilities and hear-says to the contrary of what our Authour seemed to tax in him as well as in other writers of that kind which maketh me suspect that either he hath not at all been conversant in Mankham's writings or that in reading of him he hath been strangely fore-judged he being in my opinion one of the most excellent of his kind and in many particulars to be preferred before the most excellent of them all It is true what is said page 106. There were among the Ancient Romans some appointed to see that men did tell their Land as they should but that which follows And if they did not to punish them as Enemies to the Publique is too hyperbolically spoken there being a vast difference betwixt punishing one as an enemy to the Publique and a simple fining of him which was all the punishment inflicted for that fault as you may see in the twelfth Chapter of Aulus Gellius his fourth Book In these words page 107. He that turneth fruitful lands into barrennesse as the Land of Canaan very fruitful heretofore but now a barren Desart Our Authour says nothing but what is common in the mouth and pens almost of every body and yet the truth thereof is very questionable as an observant Reader will easily find by the exactest and latest writers of that Countrey among whom Eng. Royer is to be placed in the very first rank By the way of addition to what heretofore I have told you upon that passage of your Legacy which speaks of tame Pheasants be pleased to take notice what I was told this week by an English Gentleman viz. that many years since he hath known tame Pheasants kept in several parts of Buckinghamshire especially in a Village a little beyond Wickham where the people keep abundance for to sell them off to the Poulterers of London And at the same time an English Merchant told me that above 25 years ago he knew some kept at Middleberg in Zealand and that Mr. William Courtine the Brother of Sir William Courtine had above a dozen pair of them The same person also assured me from his own experience that the Inhabitants of the Island Chios keep huge numbers of tame Partridges the which flying abroad most part of the day do not fail to return every night each one to his own home and likewise as oft as they are called by their Keepers if they be any where within hearing of them And he assured me that they do this not onely in the places they are used to but any where insomuch that if any man carry his Partridges twenty or thirty miles from his dwelling and then letting them out of the basket in which he hath brought them throw stones among them expresly for to scatter them so as all of them do run or fly several wayes they will all come to him as soon as he calleth them and let themselves be taken up by him the one after the other And thus I make an end having nothing to say to any thing contained in the following pages of your Legacy the re-printing whereof with those alterations and amendments I have hinted to you I do most earnestly wish for it being indeed a most excellent piece and from the beginning to the end fraught with most excellent observations and experiments An Answer to the Animadversor on the Letter to Mr. Samuel Hartlib of Husbandry TO begin with the first which is about Blacklead and so to take them in order First I affirm and truely that Blacklead is found in Cumberland and not in any other place of England yea not in Europe that I can hear of though I have diligently enquired concerning it To prove this you may read Master Cambden in his description of Cumberland where he is much troubled to find what name the Ancients gave it vtr Pignitica and divers other names hardly understood And 2. I know that out of England it is exported to Holland Germany France Spain and other parts of Europe and and sold at a considerable rate per tun And 3. Little mention is there of this among the late writers as Agricola Kent-man Boot de Boot or Cysalpinus unlesse it be what he calls Creta nigra but because the Animadversor desireth further knowledge of this material I shall briefly relate what I know of it This Mine of Blacklead in Cumberland as I am well informed is in the hand of some few men as Master Bolton and Master Bret who live in Cornhil nigh the Exchange and sell Colours who once in seven years dig as much as they think convenient to serve not to glut the Market and then close the Mine up again I suppose the Dutch Merchant and consequently the Animadversor were mistaken either through the similitude it hath to some kind of Slate which colours the hands blackish as the black Irish Slate used much for bruises and of which kinds I have observed also divers sorts in New-England as in Prudence-Isle and elsewhere but the blacknesse of the Slate hath not that glittering as the black-lead or else from the Ambiguity of the word Black-lead which is not onely taken
the Barley is reaped the same year the Rye or Wheat groweth little till the Barley is off then it will grow thick like grasse all the winter and next year it is reaped it groweth so thick that an horse â—an scarce get through it out of one grain come thirty or forty ears a man on horseback can scarce look over it and the Farmer reapeth an hundred for one by this you may see that what I say is not onely true but also much practised and that with incredible profit and to me the reasons are manifest for the advantages of early sowing are these First The lesser quantity of Seed is necessary Secondly The Corn is well grown and strong before the Winter and therefore more able to endure the nipping frosts which oft killeth Corn newly come up Thirdly It getteth advantage in the Spring of weeds grass wild oats c. which choak much Corn the ground being stocked with Corn so that there is no room for them to grow I know one who having his ground over-run with weeds and wild-oats by sowing Rye early had very good and clear corn But some will object that the strength of the Corn and Ground is exhausted thereby To these I answer First They do not consider the even infinite power of living creatures who will infinitely increase if nourishment fail not as fire will if wood be laid to it and that without wearisomnesse by vertue as I suppose of the divine Benediction in them 2. They are ignorant of the Causes of fertility for I suppose that straw or blade exhausteth ground no more then the boughes and leaves of Trees do which we see is little or nothing in wood continually lopt but to know the true cause of fertility I account difficult yet shall briefly declare some thoughts of mine concerning it in another place Animadversor His Philosophy concerning Moor-logs no wayes receivable JN Moorish places two sorts of wood are found One very black like Ebony and it is a kind of Oak Another sort lesse black or dusky and is a kind of Pine or Fir. In the North of England I have seen it sold publickly being slit in small pieces to light Tobacco it 's not unlike the wood which in New-England is called Candle-wood or Pitch-pine Concerning the blacknesse of these woods I say that it proceedeth from the turfy earth wherein these Trees lye which earths and all other earths as I suppose and subterrany things in their proper places hath an innate power to transmute other extraneous things into their own nature many examples of this hind we see in nature to instance onely in putrifying spirits or juces which transmute not onely wood but also shels bones mettals into their strong nature without destroying the external form so I say this earth endeavoureth to alter or change these Trees into it's turfy nature and I suppose it hath already changed as I suppose the smaller boughs into it's nature and introduced some indispositions into the greater wood for this earth hath a peculiar and more manifest faculty of multiplying then other earths have for when it is exhausted it groweth again as I have heard of divers worthy of credit if so be the water be kept on it all winter and permitted to run forth in the Spring which good Husbandry I have seen practised in divers places and further every one observeth that it presently stops the Channels and Ditches which are cut through this kind of earth and therefore from the Vapours Fumes or Effluvia call them what you will for I think all multiplicative Acts to proceed from such spiritual things and not from bodies and of this earth doth this alteration or blacknesse of the wood proceed as in putrification is seen and not as in putrifaction for the wood is strong firm and oft used for boards and building as to explain my self Smoak will discolour any thing that is long hung up in it but in this there is a vital active multiplicative Energy which worketh not by putrifaction which in smoak is wanting that the Pine is not so soon changed as the Oak it is because it is of a more resinous or oyl nature Pitch Rosin and Turpentine being made out of such Trees and therefore it is not so easily penetrated This is in briefe my Philosophy concerning Moonlog if I am in an errour I will thank him that shall shew me the truth Animadversor Too credulous to Glauber who will make Beer without malting c. Aqua-vitae c. out of Haws Canker-berries c. TO which I answer That Beer may be made of Wheat Barley Pease c. unmalted I question not for it is ordinay to adde Wheat ground or Beans with Malt to make the Beer stronger and with good successe Also Cromer in his Description of Poland saith that they oft make Beer of Wheat ground c. yea I know that Potatoes maketh excellent drink in Barbadoes also in New-England the stalks of Virginian wheat as it is usually called Squashes or Gourds Pumpions boyled make considerable drink Parsnips make that which is accounted rare therefore much more the Grains above mentioned But the great question is Whether Wheat Barley c. malted or unmalted will make most and best Beer or Aqua-vitae Glauber affirms he knows how to make more of Corn unmalted then malted which though I will not positively maintain yet I suppose that I can make it appear that it is not onely possible but probable it is so by divers Arguments besides Glaubers testimony for First An ingenious Chymist of my acquaintance altogether unacquainted with Glauber and his writings hath affirmed to me that he hath oft experimented it and hath proffered wagers even to Brewers concerning this Also De La Brosse Physician to the King of France and Keeper of the Royal Garden at Paris affirmeth that out of twenty of Wheat fermented his way he can draw forth no lesse then three pints and a Chopin of excellent Aqua-vitae which is above three English pottles more by far then any will undertake to draw out of the like quantity of Wheat maulted and further it is without question that some of the vertue of the Barley is drawn away by steeping in water for oft the water at the bottom is very red and also by the sprouting for that usually is dryed up and goes away into dust onely used for the enriching of Corn Lands and further the difference between the weight of Barley and Mault is very considerable Mault being lighter then Barley as I have tryed by a fourth part or thereabout which is certainly a diminution of the flower or strength for the husk is the same in both Further what good this fermenting or maulting doth further then to soften the Grain and make it spungy so that the liquor may more easily penetrate and liquefie the flower or nutritive part thereof into a sweet juice which juice after by fermentation or working doth more seperate it selfe from the grosser parts
be eaten and are the special food for the wild Turkeys in Winter the leaves differ little from the common Oak but are smaller some of these small Oaks being cut up nigh to a Damme made to turn a small river for the iron works I perceived that out of the young twigs which I never before perceived in the old branches many excrescences did break forth sticking close to the bark flattish reddish set in order like buttons on a Dublet the lower-most biggest and so by little and little less and less the bigger sort bigger then Vetches These excrescences likewise grew on every twig double one range opposite to another I in September when the leaves where fallen for sooner I did not perceive them gathered about a pint hoping that this Oak might be of the same nature with the Scarlet Oak though much differing in leaves but my mishap I lost my berries and never since could obtain more For these reason therefore I believe and I hope others will so far as to endeavour by experience to find out whether the Scarlet Oak which is a considerable Plant will thrive amongst us Animadversor I wonder Linden-trees c. Linden-trees are not mentioned as not growing in England for I know that they grow in many places and in Cobham Park in Kent they make the statelyest Walk I ever beheld but Gentlemen only plant them for pleasure Whereas in other places they make Basse Roap of the Bark c. which is no where done in England that I can hear of 6 Letter Amber onely found in Prussia THis will upon strict enquiry be found otherwise for many report Amber to be found also in considerable quantity in Pomerland Cromer also in his discription of Poland saith it is found in divers Lakes with them especially at Piscia also that in other places they usually dig it up also Master Cambden an approved Author for England saith in his description of Norfolk and also Jet and Amber which saith he I willingly omit seeing that there is great store of these things elsewhere along the Coast Also that Jet or black Amber is cast up at Whitbey in Yorkshire Further I have seen long pices of a yellow transparent Stone or Amber found in a Fountain nigh Lake Neagh about six miles from Antrims which the Irish say though vainly that it is found only there on May-day and doe use it superstitiously about divers things Animadversor Sea-Owse will not make Brick c. I have seen Sea-Owse or Mud do it at Dover also in New-England and it it a common practise and if I am not misinformed that sort of Brick which in London is called Flandersbrick much used for scowring brasse c. is made of the same Material Animadversor Salt out of a Sand c. Master Cambden reports it to be at Wyre-water in Lancashire page 753. where you may read it more at large and also the same Author reports that at Butterley in Durham there are saltish stones which serve the people for their use pag. 734. Animadversor Not only the Odour Tast and Colour of Waters to be regarded but other things of greater importance I for my part know not how Countrey-men should discern such transcendent virtues in waters otherwise then by these wayes I know ingeninus men may make separations by putrifactions distillations c. And further I suppose that water is of it selfe most Homogeneus Let Faber speak what he please in his Flydrographo and that all the differences betwixt waters is accidental viz. by the mixture of some vapours Fumes or Saline nature which it receiveth by its long course throw divers Earths Clays Sands Salts Minerals Metals Stones c. and further that this mixture is most commonly perceived by our senses viz. by Colour Taste Odour and would be much more perceived by us if we did drink water continually For the use of things of high taste causeth us that we cannot distinguish things of lower gusts For I have known some who could strangely distinguish waters by their tast and further in England I know no water of any considerable vertue but an ordinary palate may distinguish it from the common waters and usually they are discoloured and have some peculiar odour As for the Mechanical uses of waters why some are fit for Brewing Washing others not I suppose the reason is plain enough but that Flatters cannot make good Hats because the water is not good enough for them or the Dary-maid make good Butter or Cheese c. I think these are but excuses by the which they usually cloak their ignorance or knavery Animadversor I am sure that whosoever shall believe Glanberus viz that in all sand almost Gold is found c. The Animadversor may think what he please but I for my part as I have formerly said think Glanberus very ingenious and a man of excellent experimental knowledge and a man of excellent experimental knowledge and therefore am easily induced to believe it considering that Gold is not only found in the parched sands of Africa India c. but it hath been also found in many Rivers of Europe as Tagus Po c. yea in Scotland Gold is found amongst their sands in divers places some of which I have seen and know two ingenious men who intended to have set up a Mercury Mill as they called it for the separation thereof had not the troubles of these times prevented Golden sands are also found in Ireland in Vlster if the Author of the Natural History of Ireland speak truth Animadversor Little fewel save out of Ditches Ditches an improper word I suppose it not much improper for I never saw either in England Ireland or elsewhere fire as it were fisht out of the water I mean that any place is so saving of their Land and so industrious in sowing their Graffs and Ditches to get fewel as in that Countrey which I note rather as a point of good husbandry to be mistated then to be discommended yet I cannot call Turf more then indifferent good fewel and really must say it is inferiour both to Coal and Wood. Animadversor Durham-Wall c. It is misprinted for Durham-Walls c. These places being sufficient for my purpose I know twenty places more may be added The expression concerning Opium and Opiates I suppose very little too large Animadversor Elephants cannot be of use Master Cambden saith in his Description of Essex that the Romans brought over Elephants to England whose bones being found have astonished many perhaps the bone at Aldermanbury is one of them also in our dayes an Elephant lived many years in England therefore to me its probable they may be as serviceable to us as to other places Animadversor An hard task to people with black Fox c. I suppose the Animadversor means to cause them to encrease with us but I think the contrary for black Foxes are found in Ireland New-England Russia and indeed in all cold Countries therefore I see not why they should
not multiply Musk-Cats likewise divers have kept in London and with good profit c. 7 Letter All Plants sublimed into Insects are not medicinable c. J Do not positively affirm it yet I know it is the opinion of sonie not to be despised further that some have very considerable medicinable vertues it is well known and I have instanced in divers and I suppose that as yet it is altogether unknown whether others have or not Animadversor Rottenness of Sheep known in Ireland c. Rottennesse of Sheep is some times in Spain but not so much known as in England though the Countrey be moister the reasons now I well know for they have not so many base wet Commons as in England and the great Sheep-Masters usually chuse their Sheeps-Walks or Pastures on high dry Lands c. Animadv In Holland Cattle not housed in Summer c. Holland with us is usually taken for the 17 Provinces or at least for the united ones and that Cattel are housed there as well as at Paris you may read at large in Flanders husbandry as also how they give their Cattel Turnips and that they mow their Medows twice or thrice yearly which the Animadversor denyeth How the Hollanders do hoard up or bury grains for that word is proper enough for any thing that is covered in the ground the Animadversor largely describeth and I hope it will be practised about London where in the Summer time they are little worth Animadversor Hogs are not cleanly but love dort c. If Hogs love dirt then why do they not wallow it in Winter as well as in Summer but it is well known that in Winter hogs must lye warm and dry in clean straw or they will not thrive and why is it a greater disparagement to hogs in the Summer to lye in mire that thereby they may cool themselves take away their sweat and destroy their lice by rubbing when the dirt is dry then for other cattel to stand and wallow in muddy waters or for Poultry to dust themselves And further an Hog much abominateth his own dung and therefore will never dung nor pisse in his Sty if the door be open in which particular he excels even all creatures and therefore the Paradox of the Hogs cleanlinesse may be found true As concerning the extraordinary bignesse of Goose livers it is in Italy amongst the Jews where I have eaten of them highly esteemed but at present not much in credit amongst the Italians and to my Palate it is not so excellent a dainty 8. Letter Animad Purchase in his second Tome sets down the making of Caveare c. I Am certain that Purchase himselfe never saw the making of Caveare nor the Merchant perhaps that wrote it and therefore I must question the Process and know that in New-England where there are abundance of Sturgeon whose rows are ordinarily accounted the Material of it yet never any ever so much as attempted to make it though divers Fishmongers were there and attempted to pickle Sturgeon though with ill success for in the ship in which I returned from New-England many Scores of Cags of Sturgeon were sent to London which were all naught and cried about the Strees under the notion of Holy Sturgeon perhaps if Purchases way were known it might encourage some to attempt the making of it If I had Purchase by me I would write it forth and publish it at present his Works are rare and dear The Animadversor doth very well describe the manner of feeding Cows with Turnips p. 113. I hope our Gardiners will take notice of it and practise it for it may be much for their profit and for the advantage of many poor people 9. Letter J Wish also that the breeding of Pheasants as the Animadversor sets down were better known for many poor might get good living thereby as divers do in Bark-shire and about London I know also other Noble men who keep many of these fowls as also a poor man in Ireland who hath a Pheasant Cock and Hen which run amongst his Poultry his Cocks tail of a very great length which live very well and lay eggs as other fowls without further trouble and I question not but others might be made tame also in England 10. Letter COncerning Cheese I have already declared my mind viz. that Parmisans and Angelots which are commonly made in France and Italy are far beyond our Chester or what we commonly make in England 2. Our Cheddar Cheeses are seldom seen unlesse at some Nobles mans table c. and yet I doe not think they excel Parmisans but whither my Palate be a true judge or not I am sure it may be noted as a great deficiency that so little excellent Cheese is made with us seeing so much is made elwhere The cause of this deficiency the Animadversor referreth to the Water as appeareth by his examples But I and I suppose more truely to the good skill and clean handling of the Dairy Maid and also to the difference of pastures for that good or bad Houswifery maketh or marreth Cheese is very well known as also that difference of pastures in respect of sweetnesse and sowrnesse much or little fresh or stale c. causeth also great difference not onely in the quantity but also in the quality of Butter and Cheese But that the difference of water doth cause those alterations I very much question for I know that in Kent whether the Cows drink puddle or pond-water or clean spring or fresh or brackish which in some place they oft do yet the butter and Cheese are the same if the Pastures be alike But if Pastures vary these vary and so likewise I may say of the Housewife I know a Farm within a mile of Gravesend where the Cattel alwayes drink at one common pond in the Yard if they graze on one side of the house the Butter is yellow sweet and good and Cheese also but if on the other the Butter is white sowrish and Cheese naught and yet there is little difference in the pastures to a vulgar eye which hath caused the good Wife to report it as a wounderful strange thing whereas the cause is manifest for the one side hath much Trefoil and lyes on the Chalk the other side is a gravel and produceth usually Gramen Caninum or Couch-grass so we find in sheep which drink not yet both their wool and flesh vary very much in respect of pastures And I suppose that if the pastures mentioned in Holland by the Animadversor were wel viewd by a judicious man the like difference might be found for as I suppose the Waters in Holland differ little the Countrey lying for the most part in one even flatness without Minerals or Metals the Country in Winter over-flown with rain-water in the Summer time most of their waters brackish But if it be otherwise I should be very glad to have some further light and desire ingenious men not to build upon vulgar