but mean and rude and Mr. Wheeler's way much more Ingenious 5. I saw at Wicklesen the manner of your Holland Sluces The ruines also of a Cochlea for the emptying and dreining of water of which Vbaldus hath writ a whole Treatise Likewise a petty kinde of Pinnace with ordinance somewhat like a close Litter but Flat-bottom'd which rowed with wheeles instead of Oares imployed it seemes formerly with admirable successe for the taking in of Crowland and which gave me a proofe of what I for many years have thought possible and of very great use and service and still think it of unknowne value if it were skillfully indeed framed and applyed as it might be 6. The Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolke that made above 10000. l. sterl of a peece of ground not 40. yards square and yet there was neither Mineral or Metall in it He after told me it was onely a sort of fine Clay for the making a choise sort of earthen ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much money for it it 's a story not to be despised 7. His Lordship told me the way of making of Spunke or Touch-wood 8. Mr. H. His Lordship's Bailiff shewed me a small plat of ground scarce an Acre and halfe wherein he assured me he had in one yeare 21. hundred of Hops and falling out then to be scarce in other places he made of that small parcel of ground 9. score l. 9. At Milton I saw a Spring that might have been made big enough to serve a large Towne which my Friend Wheeler had newly discovered and broke up every man opposing him in it and deriding his confidence till he made it appear and ashamed them Hereupon he gave me several marks of knowing and finding out Springs under ground 10 From Springs we converted our discourse to Pipes for the carrying along of water under ground to any House or Towne wherein he imparted some secrets to me both of the fittest Wood and Trees for Pipes and preserving them whole ages from corruption by wayes extreamly rational and not hitherto observed or found out by any 11. This drew on some Discourse of Woods their Differences and several Applications in which he told me many singular Observations 12. After this I saw at Milton an Excellent Modell of a Garden Orchard and Walkes and being further curious my Friend related a Witty Invention he once put in Practise to plant an Orchard in a Moorish place where never grew a Tree 13. I casually met with one Boughton a most singular rare man in carving or cutting out Figures in small or in great of Stone and for that reason servant in ordinary to the late King Who acquainted me of many excellent Ingenious men and promised to seek me at my lodging 14. Being in Camebridge-shire I examined more particularly the Husbandry planting ordering and curing of Saffron Some other things came in my way not without notice But these are the chief My own Improvements and comments upon all which I shall more at large give you when we meet together being alwayes SIR Your's Quere's sent into France about the Seed called La Lucerne WHen one N. N. was last in France being in discourse with Doctor D. concerning Saint Foine he was then told by Doctor D. that for the Improvement of barren grounds there was in those parts of France about Paris another seed that did farre excell that of Saint Foine and that the name of that more excellent seed was La Lucerne I am desired by a friend of mine to whome N. N. related this passage of Doctor D. that by your kindnesse he may be spoken to of this La Lucerne and his direction's desired where the said seed is to be had for what price how much is usually sowed upon an English Acre what time of yeare it is sowen whether it be sowen alone or with any other ordinary Corne and with what Corne and with what kinde of land it best agrees with and finally what other particulars he can direct more then is here set downe The Answer to the Quere's from Paris I Have been with Doctor D. about Lucerne who tells me that it groweth best in wettish grounds that the best time of sowing it in England will be in February at the same time that Oates are sowne with the which also it may be sowen but best alone that to the sowing of an Arpent which is much what the same with an English Acre there will go 12 or 15. l. of the Seed the which useth to be sold here at 8. or 9. sols the pound More Quere's concerning Lucerne I Desire further to know what kind of wet grounds are best for it whether Moorish or clay whether Poore or Rich whether it must be sowen yearly or whether it will continue over a year in the ground and if more then a year then how many years it will continue without being new sowen whether it be onely good for Meadowes or for Pasture and if for Pasture then whether the Sheepe or Cattel be suffered to go upon it or whether it be carried off greene as the Clover-grasse is in Flaunders Lastly for what Cattel it is most proper Another Answer from Paris I Thought to have sent you 9. l. of the seed of Lucerne for the sowing of three Acres Doctor D. having told me as heretofore I told you that 3. l. would sowe an Arpent or Acre But as I was going about it I met with a Gentleman an acquaintance of mine who some yeares since but unknowne to me hitherto hath had some Acres of Meadow of Lucerne upon his Ground to whom having casually spoke of my businesse and told him all that Doctor D. had told me about the Lucerne he answered me that Doctor D. was most grosly mistaken in the quantity of the Seed required for the sowing of an Acre and that it would not take up 3. l. but two whole sacks each sack containing the full loade of a strong Porter after which rate the quantity of Seed for the sowing of 3. Acres would fill a great dry-fat the sending whereof by land would come to excessive great charges and therefore necessarily to be sent by Sea in my opinion You will be pleased to impart these things to your Friend and to let me know his finall resolution upon them the which shall be faithfully accomplished by me and in the meane while I will get him a perfect and full Answer upon all his Quere's not from Doctor D. whom I dare trust no more in this businesse having found him guilty of such grosse mistakes about it but from that other Gentleman who told me he could himself resolve most of those Questions but that for to be the surer he thought it best to conferre first with his Farmer about it You make Apologies for putting me upon these Inquiries but I pray you to believe that at any
in Europe yet it hath no small want of Hay especially about Paris which hath necessitated them to sowe their dry and barren lands with this seed Their manner of sowing it is done most commonly thus When they intend to let their Corne-lands ly because they be out of heart and not situate in a place convenient for manuring then they sowe that land with Oates and these seeds together about equall parts the first year they only mowe off their Oates leaving the Saint Foine to take root and strength that year Yet they may if they please when the year is seasonable mowe it the same year it is sowne but it 's not the best way to do so the year following they mowe it and so do seven years together the ordinary burthen is obout a loade or a load and a halfe in good years upon an Arpent which is an 100. square Poles or Roddes every Pole or Rod being 20. foot which quantity of ground being nigh a 4th part lesse than an English Acre within a league of Paris is usually Rented at 6. or 7. s. After the land hath rested 7. years then they usually break it up and sowe it with Corne till it be out of heart and then sowe it with Saint Foine as formerly for it doth not impoverish land as Annuall Plants do but after seven years the roots of this plant being great and sweet as the roots of Licorish do rot being turned up by the Plough and enrich the Land I have seen it sowne in divers places here in England especially in Cobham-Park in Kent about 4. miles from Gravesend where it hath thriven extraordinary well upon dry Chalky bankes where nothing else would grow and indeed such dry barren land is most proper for it as moist rich land for the great Trefoile or great Clover-Grasse although it will grow indifferently well on all lands and when the other grasses and plants are destroyed by the parching heat of the Sun because their roots are small and shallow this flourisheth very much having very great root and deepe in the ground and therefore not easily to be exsiccated As we have observed Ononis or Rest-Harrow commonly to do on dry lands but if you sowe this on wet land the water soon corrupts the root of it This plant without question would much improve many of our barren lands so that they might be mowen every year once at least 7. years together and yeeld excellent fodder for Cattel if so be that it be rightly managed otherwise it cometh to nothing as I have seen by experience I therefore councel those who sowe this or the great Trefoile or Clover-Grasse or any other sorts of grasses that they observe these Rules 1. That they do make their ground fine and kill all sorts of other grasses and plants otherwise they being native English will by no meanes give way to the French ones especially in this moist climate and therefore they are to be blamed who with one ploughing sowe this or other seeds for the grasse presently groweth up and choaketh them and so by their negligence and ill Husbandry discourageth themselves and others 2. Let them not be too sparing of their seeds for the more they sowe the closer and thicker they will grow and presently fully stock the ground that nothing else can grow And further the seeds which come from beyond the Seas are oftentimes old and much decayed and therefore the more seed is required 3. Not to expect above 7. years profit by it for in that time it will decay and the natural grasse will prevail over it for every plant hath his period some in one year some in 2. others in 3. as the common Thistle and therefore after 7. years let them either plough the land up and sowe it with that same seed again or with other Graine as they do in France 4. Let not sheepe or other cattel bite them the first year that they may be well rooted For these grasses are farre sweeter then the ordinary grasses and cattel will eat them down leaving the other and consequently discourage their growth 5. The best way if men will be at the charge is to make their ground very fine as they do when they are to sowe Barly and harrowe it even and then to howe these seeds in alone without any other graine as the Gardiners do Pease yet not at so great a distance but let them make the ranges about a foot 's breadth one from another and they shall see their grasses flourish as if they were green Pease especially if they draw the howe through them once or twice that summer to destroy all the weeds and grasses And if they do thus the great Clover and other seeds may be mowen even twice the first year as I have experimented in divers small plots of ground There is at Paris likewise another sort of fodder which they call La Lucerne which is not inferior but rather preferred before this Saint Foine for dry and barren grounds which hath been lately brought thither and is managed as the former and truely every day produceth some new things not onely in other Countreys but also in our own And though I cannot but very much commend these plants unto my Countreymen knowing that they may be beneficial to this Nation yet I especially recommend unto them a famous kind of grasse growing in Wilshire 9. miles from Salisbury at Maddington which may better be called one of the wonders of this Land then the Hawthorne-tree at Glassenbury which superstition made so famous for divers of the same kind are found elsewhere You may find this grasse briefly described in a Book called Phytologia Britannica which lately came forth and set down even all the plants which have been found naturally growing in England Gramen Caninum Supinum Longissimum which groweth 9. miles from Salisbury Mr. Tuckers at Maddington where with 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 grasse be sowne in other rich Meadowes it will yeeld extraordinarily though perchance not so much as in its proper place I wonder that those that live there abouts have not tryed to fertilize their other Meadowes with it for it is a peculiar species of grasse and though some Ingenious men have found about 90. species of grasses in this island yet there is none like to this that can by any meanes be brought to such an height and sweetnesse And truly I suppose that the thorough examination of this grasse is a thing of very great importance for the improvement of Meadowes and Pastures and it may excel the great Trefoile Saint Foine La Lucerne 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
time I shall most readily and cheerfully perform any service that shall lie in my power for you or any of your Friends for your sake And I were very unreasonable to think troublesome any thing that you require of me when as continually I put you to so much trouble my selfe The last Answer concerning Lucerne THe information about the Lucerne that I have got from my Friend being a very particular one and containing a very full Answer to all the Questions propounded by your Friend is such as followeth It requireth a rich ground but somewhat loose and light so as a stiffe Clay and such other tough grounds are no waies fit for it The ground must not be over-dry nor over-moist but in a mean yet somewhat more inclining to moisture then to the contrary It must be ploughed three times the first time in October and the second and third towards the Spring Naturally it doth not love Dung and cometh much better in a ground that is sufficiently rich of it self then that which hath been inriched by Dunging and where Dung is made use of it must be very stale and well rotten and long before the sowing-time It cannot endure the cold and therefore must not be sowen till the cold weather and all the danger of it be quite past viz. about the beginning or midst of Aprill The Quantity of the Seed is the Sixth part of Corne that the same ground would require so as only one Bushell of Lucerne is to be sowen on that space of ground which would require six Bushells of Corne. It must be carefully weeded especially in the beginning And to the end that it may take the more firm root some Oates must be mixed with it but in a very small proportion It is to be cut as soon as it beginneth to flower which in the hot Countries Provence Languedock and Spaine it doth five or six times and some years seven and eight times in a Summer but in this Climate it useth to be cut but twice a year about the end of June and about the end of September Being cut it must be turned very oft that it may dry the sooner and be carried off the ground the soonest that may be and it must be kept in close barnes being too tender for to be kept in reeks open to the aire as other Hay It is good for all kind of Cattel Kine Sheep Goats and as well for the young ones Calves Lambs Kids as for the others but above all it agreeth best with Horses It is much more feeding then any other Hay insomuch as any lean beasts will soon grow fat with it and to Milch-beasts it procureth abundance of milke but it must never be given alone especially to beasts that have not been long used to it but must ever be mixed with Straw or with some other Hay for otherwise it over-heateth them and filleth them too much with bloud and that so suddenly as it greatly indangereth their health and their life too which it doth principally to Kine to whom it is more dangerous if too plentifully given then to any other Cattel After the last cutting you may let your Cattell graze on your Lucerne-fields and that all Winter long untill the beginning or middle of March. Of once sowing you will have your Meadow continue good for 10. or 12. years and until 15. and afterwards too it will still continue to bear but the hearb will then notably decay in goodnesse Wherefore it is best to turn in then to some other use Kine must never eate of this hearb green but onely dryed and that moderately too as hath been said But Horses eating their fill of it green in the Spring are purged thereby and grow fat by it in 8. or 10. daies time If one desire to have of the Grain one may let such a proportion of the Meadow as one will grow up to seed after the second cutting any year except the first only and when the seed is ripe the tops of the hearb with the coddes wherein the seed is inclosed must be cut in a dewie morning and put into sheets for fear of loosing the seed and must be beate out with Flails upon the same when that it is well dryed and afterwards the remaining part of the hearb must be mowen close to the ground after which it continueth to sprout out again after the usual manner The Hay on 't will keep good two or three years and one Acre is sufficient to keep three Horses all the year long A Post-script to the last Answer concerning the Lucerne SIR THe Gentleman who had given me the Note about the Lucerne hath told me since two particulars more which he had forgot to put into it The one that not onely to other Cattel but even to Horses with whom that Hay agreeth best of all other beasts it is not to be given but in Winter because that in the Summer it would too much heate their bloud And the other That this Hay must be perfectly well dri'd before it be carried off the ground and to that end turned very often because that being put up with any the least moisture it will quite spoile much more then any other Hay Now these and all the other particulars which I have had from that Gentleman have been confirmed to me by many others And yet within these 2. or 3. days I met with a Physitian of Rochell who assuring me that the Lucerne was very common in his Countrey made me a relation of it agreeing with the former only in these three points viz. That of once sowing it will continue 10 or 12. years That it is cut twice a year serving afterwards for Pasture all Winter And that it wonderfully fatteneth all kind of Cattel but very much different from it in all the others and in some of them point-blank contrary to it For he saith that it is to be sowen in the beginning of March that it desireth a temperate ground but rather dry then wet and no waies fat nor clayish but stony and gravily that it need not be mixed with any other Hay but may be given alone and all the year long in Summer aswell as in Winter not only to Horses but to Cowes and other Cattel He added that the proportion of the seed is the charge of a Porter for four Arpents or French Acres Which particulars I thought good to impart unto you that your Friend comparing them with the other's might make his best profit of them and this Rochellois or Rocheller who hath lived 3. or 4. years in England thinks that the Lucerne will come admirably well in that Countrey NOTE THe meaning of these Words The quantity of the Seed is the sixth part of Corne that the same ground would require is this That whatever quantity of Wheat or Barly an Acre of ground would require of the seed of Lucerne you must take but the sixth part of that quantity of seed of Lucerne so as that
totally destroy the honest and patient Husband-man's labours neither are we troubled with extreame colds which in New-England and other cold Countreyes do oft destroy the Corne. But to returne to our purpose And first briefly to shew you my opinion concerning the Causes of Smuttynesse I desire not to fetch Causes a farre off and to tell you of the sad Conjunctions of Mars and Saturn for I think Quae supraenos belong not to us when as we have enough at home This is certain ethat there are many evident Causes of this corruption of Corn. 1. A moist season about Kerning-time which moisture either corrupteth the roots of the Plant or the nourishment of it or the seed in its Embrio or perhaps in some measure all these 2. Low moist foggy ground for the reasons above mentioned 3. Dung'd land In Vineyards it 's observed that dung causeth more increase in quantity but lesse in goodnesse so that the ill taste of the dung may easily be discerned because wine hath an high taste without question the same happeneth to other Plants although it be not so easily discerned for the ferment or ill odour of the dung cannot be over-mastered by the Plants as wee see also in Animals that corrupt diet causeth unfavory tastes in the flesh so hogs in New found-land were they are nourished by fish may by their tastes be called rather Sea-porpusses then Land-swine 4. The sowing of Smutty Corne oft produceth Smuttynesse the Son like unto the father I account Smutty Corne an imperfect or sick Graine and suppose that by a Microscope the imperfection may be discerned Lastly the sowing of the same seed oft on the same field causeth Smuttynesse because that nitrous juice which is convenient for the nourishment of the Graine hath been exhausted in the precedent years and therefore it is excellent Husbandry every year to change the species of Graine and also to buy your Seed-Corne from places farre distant I am informed of a Gentleman who did sowe some Wheate which came from Spaine where the Graine is usually very hard and flinty and as it were transparent and farre weightier then ours as it appeareth by a measure at Amsterdam which holdeth about 3. bushels and if our Wheat in the Northerne parts weigheth 160. the Southerne Corne weigheth sometimes 180. 200. 220 and had a crop beyond expectation The usuall Cures of Smuttynesse besides those mentioned before are these 1. To lime your ground which warmeth and dryeth the land 2. To lime your Corne which is done thus First slack your lime and then moisten your Corne or lime and stirre them together till your Graine be as big as a small Pease This liming preserveth Corne likewise from birds and wormes and is found a very good Remedy against this disease others make a strong ly with common salt and steepe their Corne in it all night and then draw away their ly for further use which seldome faileth of its desired effect Whether this strong ly doth by its corrosivenes mortify the weake and imperfect Corne so that it will not grow Or whether it be a Remedy to cure the imperfections thereof is worth the enquiry I suppose that this ly doth exsiccate the superfluous humidity which is the cause of this corruption If Corne be brought into the barne very Smutty in Kent they usually thrash it on dry floores planked with boards by which meanes the Smuttynesse is beaten away and sticketh not to the Graine onely a little blacknes appeareth about the eye but if it be thrashed on a moist floore the blacknesse sticketh to the graine which therefore appeareth darke and is sold at a lower rate to the Bakers Mildew is without question an unctuous dew which descendeth from above about Midsommer it aboundeth in dry years as Smuttynesse in moist I cannot thinke that there is ordinarily any Malignity in this dew but it produceth its effect by manifest causes viz. from an oily viscous quality which stoppeth the pores of the husk wherein the Wheate lyeth and depriveth it from the Aire and consequently from nourishment for the Aire is the life of all things I have heard and do beleeve that if you streake any eare of Wheat with oile it will produce the same effect I am sorry that I never tryed that I might better understand the nature of this sad calamity which often undoeth the Industrious Husband-man and causeth great scarcity in this Isle It is to be observed further that Wheat only suffereth considerable damage by Mildew because it lyeth in a chaffy husk which other Graines do not The Grounds most subject to Mildew are these 1. Those that are inclosed with trees and high hedges And truly this is the onely great Inconveniency I find by enclosures 2. Lowe velleyes I have seen very oft in the same field the bankes fine bright Corne and all the lower parts though greater in straw yet little worth by reason of the Mildew 3. Dung made of straw I have observed to dispose much to Mildew and Sheeps-dung to be a kind of Antidote against it as also Pigeons-dung because as I conceive these 2. last sorts abound much in Niter which produceth a firme hard bright Corne not easily to be putrefyed but the other being more oily and Sulphureous causeth a darke Spungy Corn soon corruptible And 2. Because straw is a part of the same kind corrupted which is alwayes in some measure hurtfull to the same species both in Ammals and all Vegetables and therefore rotten sticks or the earth proceeding from them is found hurtful to the roots of trees and trees will hardly grow where the Roots of other trees have formerly been corrupted The Remedyes for this Accident briefly are these Not to speak of Bees who questionlesse make most of their Honey from these Honies or Mildews for they gather very little in comparison of that which falleth 1. The best way is to cut down the trees about your ground and your hedges low that the wind may ventilate your Corne. 2. To sowe early that your Corne may be full Kerned before these Mildewes fall I am informed Sir Jo. Culp that an Ingenious Kt. in Kent did for curiosity sowe Wheate in all moneths of the year and that the Corne sowen in July did produce such an increase that it is almost incredible and truly I think it a great fault in many places that they sowe late for many reasons I am sure in France they usually sowe before Michaelmas 3. Some use and with good profit to draw a line over their Corne and to strike off the Mildew before it be inspissated by the Sun This ought especially to be done before sun-rising 2. men in an hour will easily run over an Acre the Mildewes usually fall like a thick fog or a Misty raine if you go to your Bees you will soon perceive it by their extraordinary labour very early in the morning 4. The use of a kind of bearded Wheate is an excellent Remedy for the beard
vertues of all the rest are comprehended in them as also of the variety of Pears which are incredibly many A Friend of mine neare Gravesend hath lately collected about 200. species I know another in Essex Mr. Ward who hath nigh the same number I heare of another in Worcerster-Shire not inferiour to these in Northamton-Shire I know one who hath likewise collected very many So that I dare boldly say there are no lesse in this Island then 500. species some commended for their early ripenesse some for excellent tastes some for beauty others for greatnes some for great bearers others for good Bakers some for long lasters other for to make Perry c. But to our purpose I say many rare Fruits are neglected to Instance 1. in the Small-nut and Filbird which is not much inferiour to the best and sweetest Almonds 2. The great Damsin or Pruin-Plum which groweth well and beareth full in England 3. Almonds which groweth well and beareth good fruit as I have seen divers bushels on one tree in my brothers Orchard 4. Wal-nuts which is not a fruit to be despised 5. Vines and Mulberries but of these presently in another place I might likewise add Currants Raspeses of which excellent drinkes may be made 6. Quinces of the which I cannot but tell you that a Gentleman at Prichenell in Essex who had a tree from beyond Sea hath the best in England and hath made above 30. pound of a small peece of ground planted with them as I have heard from his own wifes mouth And therefore it is by reason of our ill Husbandry that we have Quinces from Flaunders Smalnuts from Spaine Pruins from France and also Walnuts and Almonds from Italy and Chestnuts which I had almost forgot from Portugall And now I cannot but digresse a little to tell you a strange and true story with my opinion of it In divers places of Kent as at and about Gravesend in the Countrey and elsewhere very many of the prime Timbers of their old barnes and houses are of Chestnut-wood and yet there is scarce a Chestnut-tree within 20. miles of that place and the people altogether ignorant of such trees This sheweth that in former times those places did abound with such timber for people were not so foolish surely in former times to runne up and down the world to procure such huge mastey timbers for barnes and such buildings when as there was plenty of Oakes and Elmes at their doors And further it sheweth that these Trees will grow again with us to a great bignesse This putteth into my minde the story of the moore-logs which are found in divers places of the North of England in moores many foot deepe which logs are long and black and appeare to be a kinde of Firre or Pine and yet in those places people are altogether ignorant of these Trees the Country not producing any of these species The first story of Kent which I know to be true causeth me to wonder the lesse at the latter for I see that a species of wood may be destroyed even totally in a place And 2. I know that in Virginia and New-England that Pines and Firres and Cedars do grow wonderfully thick in such Moores or Swamps and being light wood and easily wrought they are continually used while they last for buildings Further I suppose these Moores are Commons to the which the poore have used to resort for firing and how soon great woods will be consumed by them every one making what havock he pleaseth all men know As concerning their being so deepe in the ground and blacknesse I suppose that when wood was abundant in those places every one did cut what they pleas'd and left what was not for their turnes which being in moist places was soon glutted with moisture and made ponderous by which meanes it soon buried it selfe as ships do on quicksand or perhaps the turffe which hath a peculiar faculty vegetative for where it is exhausted it soon groweth againe in time hath growne over them the people permitting it because that wood once sobb'd in wet is of little use as we see by Piles on the marshes-side scarce any man vouchsafing to carry them home The blacknesse of this wood proceedeth as I suppose from the sooty fume or evaporation of the black turffe which endeavoureth as all earths do to reduce all things into it's own nature which though it be not able fully to accomplish yet it introduceth divers dispositions and qualities as blacknesse in the wood Some suppose that these moore-logs have laine there ever since the flood with whom I will not contend seeing that any wood if it be kept from the Aire continually moist or dry will endure even thousands of yeares without putrefaction 6. Deficiency is the Not-improving of our Fruits for the best ends and purposes Normandy which The 6. deficiency concerning not improving our Fruits produceth but little wine maketh abundance of Cider and Perry which they estimate equally to wine if it be made of good fruit The ordinary Perry is made of Choaky Peares very juicy which growe along by the high-way-sides which are not to be eaten raw In Biscay in Spain where wine is scarce they make Cider of a certaine sweet Apple which hath a little bitternes in it and is like to our snonting the Cider is very good And truly here in England if we would make Cider and Perry of the best sorts of Fruits which is rarely done for we think any fruit good enough for that purpose we might make drinks no wayes inferiour to the French wines which are usually spoyled before they come over the seas to you their spirits soon evaporating There are two wayes of making Cider and Perry one by bruising and beating them and then presently to put them into a vessel to ferment or worke as it is usually called of themselves The other way is to boile the juice with some good spices by which the rawnesse is taken away and then to ferment it with some yest if it worke not of it self this is the best way and I have tasted Cider thus made of an excellent delicate taste Neither let any complaine of the windinesse for it is onely want of use When I had for 2. or 3. years continually drunk wine beyond Sea the strongest beer for 2. or 3. weekes was as windy to me as Cider will be to any and afterward when I went to Paris the wine of that place was as troublesome as English beer for a little time how much wine might be saved and also malt if English-men did take these good courses which other Nations do and consequently how much advantage would this Island reape thereby If I were an house-keeper in the Countrey I would make excellent Beere Ale Cider Perry Metheglin Wine of our own grapes and if my Friends would not drink these they should drinke water or go away a thirst I would scorne to honour France so much as men do
usually and the Spaniard and Italian should not laugh at us and say that we can as well be without bread as their wines Currents c. Thus may many other excellent drinks bemade out of our Fruits not to speak of those which are made of our Graine as Barly Wheate c. yet I must tell you that I know an Ingenious man who can without malting Barly make a drink not inferiour to wine and a greater quantity of Aqua-vitae out of them and with lesse cost then by the ordinary way by a peculiar fermentation of his own which time will discover There is another Ingeuious man who out of Damsins and other fat and sweet plums can make a drinke not inferiour to the best wines and abundance of Aqua-vitae Many Ladies know how to make Cherry Raspes-wines and Sir Hugh Plattes in his Closet for Ladies discloseth many secrets of this kind as also for Conserves Marmalades which are things both delightful and profitable I have a kinsman who can even out of black-berries make a very pleasant drinke which curiosity he is unwilling to publish Glauber an excellent Chymist hath divers secrets of this kind even to the advancing of Hawes Hips Canker-Berries Slowes to excellent Aqua-vitae's drinkes vinegers which he himselfe first invented In Russia in the spring-time it 's an usual custome to pierce the barke of the Birch-trees which at that time will weepe much liquor and yet like children be little the worse this the poor ordinarily drinke for necessity Helmont it 's a pleasant healthful drinke and also the rich men because it 's an excellent preservative against the stone The meanes to advance this profitable and pleasant worke are these 1. To advance Nurceries of all sorts of Peares Apples Plums Cherries which Gentlemen may do for a smal matter and then plant out these trees when they are growne great enough The best and cheapest wayes to raise all Nurcery wares is done thus Plums may be raised either of stones which when you have eaten the plums may be presently pricked into the ground or by Slips which you will find about the old trees Apples may be raised from Kernels Crab kernels are the best which ought to be preserved in dry sand till the spring least they grow mouldy or Crab-stalke may be fetched out of the woods and grafted Some Trees as Sweetings Codlings Quinces will grow very well of slips Cherries are very well raised by stones the Black-Cherries are the best which so soone as you have eaten them are to be howen into Beds made very fine the ranges a foot distant beware least you let them heate and take heed of the mouse I have seen Cherry-stones and Apple-Kernels grow 2. foot and a half in one yeare and consequently in few years they would be fit to be transplanted The Art of Grafting Inoculating a Gentleman will learne in two houres 2. For the advancing of Ingenuities in this kind as that making of Vinous-Drinks out of Apples Plums c. I counsel all Ingenious Gentlemen to try divers experiments in these kinds with these Cautions 1. That he attempt not great quantities at first which perchance will be chargeable and troublesome for by a gallon he may have as much certainly as by a hogshead 2. Not to be discouraged if they succeed not well at first dash for certainly there are many Ingenuities in these fruits which time will discover 3. Proceed by fermentation for every liquour which will ferment hath a vinous spirit in it without fermentation even the best fruits will have none Lastly fermentation is done either in liquido or humido and herein consists some Mystery I have forgot to speake of Apricocks Peaches Melicotores which are fine pleasant fruits yet very dangerous and therefore called by the Italians Mazzofrancese that is Kill-Frenchman and wish Ladies and others to take heed of surfeiting by these and some other dangerous plums I cannot without much tediousnesse relate the diverse sorts of Vines which are even Infinite The 7. deficiency concerning Vines Rome having in it usually 40. or 50. sorts of Vines and all very good Other places of Italy Spaine and France have also great varieties I therefore passe them by as also the manner of managing of them because it is described in the Countrey-Farme and also by Bonovil a Frenchman who at the command of King James wrote a short treatise of Vines and Silk-wormes for the instruction of the plantations of Virginia I shall onely according to my method shew you the Deficiencies amongst us in this particular plant and the best Remedies for it And first although I thinke that the wine is the great blessing of God which Hot Countreys especially enjoy as temperate Countryes do Milke Butter Cheese in abundance and the coldest and Barrennest Fowle Fish in an incredible number God of his goodnes distributing some peculiar blessings to every Countrey Notwithstanding I dare say it 's probable that Vineyards have formerly flourished in England that we are to blame that so little is attempted to revive them againe There are many places in Kent called by the names of Vineyards and the ground 's of such a Nature that it seemeth probable they have been such I heare further by divers people of credit that by records it appeareth that the tithes of wine in Glocestershire was in divers Parishes considerably great but at length Gascony coming into the hands of the English from whence cometh the most of the strong French wine call'd high-Countrey-wine and customes being small wine was imported into England from thence better and cheaper then we could make it and it was thought convenient to discourage Vineyards here that the greater trade might be driven with Gascoine and many ships might finde imployment thereby Some fond Astrologers have conceited that the earth being growne older and therefore colder hath caused the sun to descende many degrees lower to warme and Cherish it and one argument which they bring for this opinion is that Vines and Silke-wormes are found in those Countreyes wherein former times they were unknowne But if these fond men had considered the good Husbandry in these times with the blessing of God on it they had not run into such foolish imaginations This is true indeed that the Roman souldiers who had Alsatia given them to live in which is one of the best and most Southerne places of Germany mutined because they thought it so cold that Vines would not grow there and that therefore they should be deprived of that delectable liquor whereas we find at this present day Vines flourishing many hundred miles more towards the North both in France Loraine and Germany and that they are crept down even to the latitude of England for the Renish-wines grew within a degree of the West-Southern places of this Isle Paris is not 2. degrees South of us yet Vines grow three score miles on this side Paris at Beaumont yea the Vines of these places are the
Kent they make walls burn lime c. 2. Kind is a small unctuous Chalke this is the Chalke for land the other helpeth little onely it maketh the plough go easier in stiffe lands broomy land is accounted the best land for Chalke and lime but it helpeth other lands also especially if you Chalke your ground and let it ly a year or 2. which is the way used in Kent that it may be matured and shattered by the sun and raine otherwise if it be turned in presently it is apt to ly in great clods as I have seen it 20. years after Chalke also sweetneth pasture but doth not much increase it and killeth rushes and broome 2. Lime which is made of divers sorts of stones is an excellent thing for most Lands and produceth a most pure graine 160. bushels is usually laid on an Acre but I suppose that if men did lay but halfe the dung on the ground as they usually do as also lime and Chalke and dung and lime it oftener it would be better Husbandry for much dung causeth much weeds and causeth Corn to lodge and too much Chalke doth too much force the land so that after some good crops it lyeth barren many yeares It 's good Husbandry likewise to lay down lands before they be too much out of heart for they will soone recover otherwise not 3. Ordinary Dung which every one knoweth but let it not be exposed to the Sun too much nor let it ly in an high place for the raine will waste away it's fatnesse It 's observeable that earth the more it is exposed to the Sun it 's the better as we see that land is much bettered by oft ploughings for the Sun and dew engender a nitrous fatnesse which is the cause of fertility but dung is exhausted by the Sun as it appeareth by the foldings of Sheepe which profit little if it be not presently turned in therefore a Shepherd if his time would permit should turne up the ground with an howe for to sowe Turneps as Gardiners do I have seen Ordinary Dung on dry lands in dry years to do hurt and it oft causeth weeds and trumpery to grow 4. Marle It 's of divers kinds some stony some soft some white some yellewish but most commonly blew It 's in most places in England but not knowne by all the best markes to know it is to expose it to the Aire and to see if the Sun or Rain cause it to shatter and if it be unctuous or rather to take a load or 2. and lay it on the midst of your fields and to try how it mendeth your lands It 's excellent for Corne and Pasture especially on dry lands In Essex the scourings of their ditches they call Marle because it looketh blew like it it helpeth their lands well 5. Snaggreet which is a kind of earth taken out of the Rivers full of small shels It helpeth the barren lands in divers parts of Surrey I beleeve it 's found in all Rivers It were well if in other parts of England they did take notice of it 6. Owse out of marsh ditches hath been found very good for white Chalky land as also Sea-mud Sea-Owse is used in divers parts of Kent and Sussex 7. Sea-weeds 8. Mr. Carew in his Survey of Cornwall relateth that they use a fat Sea-sand which they carry up many miles in sacks and by this they have very much improved their barren lands It were worth the while to try all manner of Sea-sands for I suppose that in other places they have a like fertilizing fatnesse 9. Folding of Sheepe especially after the Flaunders manner viz. under a covert in which earth is strewed about 6. inches thick on which they set divers nights then more earth must be brought and strewed 6. inches thick and the Sheepe folded on it and thus they do continually Winter and Summer I suppose a shepherd with one horse will do it at his spare houres and indeed sooner then remove his fold and this folding is to be continued especially in Winter and doth the Sheepe good because they ly warme and dry and truly if I am not mistaken by this meanes we may make our Sheepe to enrich all the barren dry lands of England 10. Ashes of any kind Seacoale-ashes with horsedung the Gardiners of London much commend for divers uses It 's great pitty that so many thousand loads are throwne into waste places and do no good 11. Soote is also very good being sprinkled on ground but it 's too deer if it be of wood for it 's worth 16. d. or 2. s. a bushel 12. Pigeons or Hens-dung is incomparable one load is worth 10. loads of other dung therefore it 's usually sowne on Wheate that lyeth a far off and not easy to be helped it 's extraordinary likewise on a Hop-garden 13. Malt-dust is exceedingly good in Corne-land blood for trees also shavings of hornes 14. Some commend very much the sweeping of a Ship of Salt or drossey salt and brine it 's very probable because it killeth the wormes and all fertility proceedeth from salt 15. I have seen in France poore men cut up Heath and the Turffe of the ground and lay them on an heape to make mould for their barren lands Brakes laid in a moist place and rotted are used much for Hop-grounds and generally all things that will rot if they were stones would make dung 16. In New-England they fish their ground which is done thus In the spring about April there cometh up a fish to the fresh Rivers called an Alewife because of it's great belly and is a kind of shade full of bones these are caught in wiers and sold very cheape to the planters who usually put one or two cut in peeces into the hill where their Corne is planted called Virginia-Wheate for they plant it in hills 5. graines in an hill almost as we plant Hops in May or June for it will not endure frosts and at that distance it causeth fertility extraodinary for two years especially the first for they have had 50. or 60. bushels on an Acre and yet plough not their land and in the same hills do plant the same Corne for many years together and have good crops besides abundance of Pumpions and French or Kidney beanes In the North parts of New-England where the fisher-men live they usually fish their ground with Cods-heads which if they were in England would be better imployed I suppose that when sprats be cheap men might mend their Hop-grounds with them and it would quit cost but the dogs will be apt to scrape them up as they do in New-England unles one of their legs be tyed up 17. Vrine In Holland they as carefully preserve the Cowes urine as the dung to enrich their land old urine is excellent for the Roots of trees Columella in his book of Husbandry saith that he is an ill husband that doth not make 10. loads of dung for every great beast in his
lands for Pasture which lands if they be stubbed do much prejudice the Common-wealth 2. That all Woods should have such a Number of Timber-trees per Acre according to the Statute There is a good law for that purpose but men delude both themselves and the law that they every felling cut downe the standers which they left the felling before least perchance they should grow to be Timber and leave 12. small standers that they might seeme to fulfill in some measure the Statute but it 's a meere fallacy and causeth the Statute to faile of it's principal end which is to preserve Timber 3. The best Remedy against thinnesse of woods is to plash them and spread them abroad and cover them partly in the ground as every Countreyman can direct by this meanes the wood will soone grow rough and thick It 's good Husbandry likewise to fill your woods with swift growers as Ashes Sallow Willow Aspe which are also good for Hop-poles Hoopes Sycamore is also a swift grower In Flaunders they have a kinde of Salix called by them Abell-tree which speedily groweth to be timber 4. That some law be made that they which fell should also plant or sowe In Biscay there is a law if that any cut downe a Timber-tree he must plant 3. for it which law is put into execution with severity otherwise they would soon be undone for the Countrey is very mountainous and barren and dependeth wholly on Iron Mines and on Sbipping their Woods are not copsed there but onely Pollards which they lop when occasion serveth I know one who was bound by his Land-Lord to plant so many trees yearly which according he did but alwayes in such places that they might not grow In France neare to the borders of Spaine they sowe Ashkey which when they grow to such a greatnesse that they may be slit into 4 quarters big enough to make Pikes then they cut them downe I have seen divers Acres together thus planted hence come the excellent Pikes called Spanish-Pikes Some Gentlemen have sowen Acornes it 's a good way to encrease Woods Though the time is long I doubt not but every one knoweth that it 's excellent to plant Willowes along the waters side and Ashe s nigh their houses for firing for they are good peeces of Husbandry and it 's pitty that it 's not more put in practice There is a Gentleman in Essex who hath planted so many Willowes that he may lop â—000 every year if others were as Ingenious we should not want fire-wood Osiers planted in low morish grounds do advance land from 5. s. per Acre to 40. s. 50. s. 3. l. and upward it 's much used Westward of London these Osiers are of great use to Basket-makers There is a sort of small Osier or willow at Saint Omars in Flaunders which groweth on Islands which floate up and downe it s farre lesse then that which the Westerne men call Eights with this they make their curious fine Baskets this plant is worth the procuring being so nigh John Tredescat hath some plants of it There is a plant likewise in England called the sweete Willowes it 's not onely good for shade and firing but as I am informed the leaves do not soure the grasse but that the cattel will eat them sooner than Hay if this be so it may be of singular use for Meadowes 5. That those things which mightily destroy Woods may be restrained as Iron-workes are therefore the State hath very well done to pull downe divers Iron-workes in the Forrest of Deane that the Timber might be preserved for Shipping which is accounted the toughest in England and when it is dry as hard as Iron the Common-people did use to say that in Q. Eliz. days the Spaniard sent an Ambassador purposely to get this Wood destroyed how true this is I know not but without question it 's admirable Wood for Shipping and generally our English Oake is the best in the world for Shipping because it 's of a great graine and therefore strong but the Oakes of other Countreyes have a finer grain and more fit for Wainscot and in this kinde our Forefathers have been very provident for we have an Act of long standing prohibiting Iron-workes within 20. miles of London and within 3. miles of the River of Thames though you may finde Iron-stone in divers places as in the great gravil-pit at Woolwhich There are some Ingenious men who lately have got a Patent for making Iron with Sea-coale I hope they will accomplish their desires for it would wonderfully advance this Island and save Wood. There are 2. faults in Sea-coale in respect of melting Iron-oare 1. That it is apt to bake together or cake 2. It hath a sulphurious fumein it which is an enemy to Metal and consumeth it as we see by our Iron-Bars in Windowes at London so that the Metalline nature of the Iron-stone is much wasted by it and that which remaineth is very brittle and will be Could-shire I know that by the mixture of Coale beaten with loame and throughly dryed one if not both of these Inconveniencies may be taken away In the Duke of Cleveland's Countrey they use halfe Turffe halfe Charcoale There is a way by making a kinde of Barter with Loame Vrine c. which will cause Charcoale to last very long as I am informed but these discourses belong to another place It 's a great Deficiency here in England without 13. Deficiency of Bees question that we have no more Bees considering that they are neither chargeable requiring onely a few strawes for an house nor troublesome and this Island may maintaine ten times as many for though a place may be over-stocked with these Animals as with the greater yet I know no part of this land that is so and I know divers places which would maintaine many 100 hives yet scarce one to be seen 2. Our Honey is the best in the world and Wax a staple Commodity Further we know that cold Countreyes not comparable to ours as Moscovia have farre greater quantity than we have so that it 's incredible what quantity is found in the Woods if the story of the man be true who fell up even to the eares in Honey and had there perished had not a Beare on which he caught hold pulled him out Now I have enquired how it cometh to passe that there is so great store of Honey in Moscovia considering the Winters are extreame cold and also very long and I am credibly informed that first the spring when it beginneth cometh extraordinary fast that the dayes are very long and the Summers farre dryer then ours here in England so that the Bees are not hindred by continual showers as they are some yeares here in this Isle and lastly that the Countrey aboundeth much with Firs and Pine-trees which the Inhabitants usually cut that the Gumme Rosinous or Turpentine substance may sweate forth to which places the Bees do come and presently fill