differ not in their ordering from these already declared CHAP. V. Of diuers sorts of Sallet-Hearbes their manner of sowing and ordering AMongst the many numbers of Sallet-Hearbes I thinke it not amisse to beginne first with Lettuce which of all other whose vertue is helde in the leafe is most delicate tender and pleasant the ground then in which it most delighteth is that which is most fertile best laboured and of the finest mould being soft loose and more enclining to moysture then drinesse it may be sowne in any moneth of the yeare from February to Nouember it is very quick of growth and will appeare aboue the earth in foure dayes after the sowing it would at first be sowne thicke and carefully kept with morning and euening watrings if the season be dry but not otherwise after it is growne and faire spread aboue the earth which will be in a moneths space or there-abouts you shall chuse out the fairest and goodliest plants and taking them vp with the earth and all about their rootes replant or remoue them to a new bed of fresh mould and there set them a foote distance one from another and fixe their rootes fast and hard into the ground then couer or presse them downe with Tyle or Slate stones to make them spread and not spring vpward by which meanes the leaues will gather together and cabbadge in a thicke and good order for it is to be vnderstood that the oftner you remoue your Lettuce the fairer and closer they wil cabbage There be diuers which obserue to remoue Lettuce as soone as sixe leaues are sprung aboue the ground but I like better to remoue them when they begin to spindle they are most estéemed in the moneths of Aprill May and Iune for in Iuly they are supposed to carrie in them a poysonous substance Next the Lettuce I preferre the hearbe Spynage which delighteth in a well-dunged earth and may be sowne in Aprill March September or October it would not be mixed with other séedes because it prospereth best alone Sparagus ioyeth in a fertill moist ground the mould being made light which couers it and the ground well dunged the Spring is the best time to sowe it and it must be sowne in long furrowes or trenches made with your finger and not vniuersally spread ouer the bed as other séeds are it loueth moysture but may not endure the wet to lye long vpon it and therefore the beds would a little descend it must not be remoued till the rootes be so feltred together that they hinder the new branches from springing vp which commonly is two yeares Colworts or Cabbadge séede delighteth in any well husbanded handed ground and may be sowen in all sorts and seasons as Lettuce is and must also in the like manner be remoued after the principall leaues are come forth which will make them to gather together and cabbadge the better and as they may be sowen in any season of the yeare so likewise they may be remoued at all seasons likewise except the frost or other vnseasonable weather hinder you and although some men will not allow it to be sowen in clay grounds grauell chalke or sand yet they are deceiued for if the earth be well ordred they will grow plentifully onely you must obserue when you remoue them to let them haue earth roome enough Sage is in Gardens most common because it is most wholesome and though it may be better set from the slip then sowen in the séede yet both will prosper it loueth any well drest ground and may be sowen either in February March September or October it loueth also to grow thick and close together and will of it selfe ouercome most wéedes it asketh not much dung neither too great care 〈◊〉 watring onely it would be oft searched for Toaâ—es and other venemous things will delight to lye vnder it the more Sunne and ayre it hath the better it is Purslane is a most excellent Sallet hearbe and loueth â— fertile soile and though it may be sowen almost in any moneth yet the warmest is the best as Aprill May Iune or Septemb. Buck ashes are an excellent meanure for them and for most Sallet hearbs else but aboue all they loue dry dust and house-swéepings they are apt to shed their séede whence it comes that a ground once possest of them will seldome want them they may also be remoued and will prosper much the better Artychokes loue a fat earth and may be sowen in February or March the Moone encreasing the séedes must not be sowen together but set one by one a good distance asunder they must lye somewhat déepe and be firmely couered yet if you can procure them I rather with you rather to set them from Slips or young Plants then sowe them from the séedes for they doe so naturally loue the earth that you can hardly slip so wast a leafe from an Artychoke as will not take roote if you sowe the séede you must be carefull to wéede and water them well for the first leaues are very tender also if you remoue them after their first springing the fruit will be bigger and better Garlicke is best in September and Nouember to be set from the cloue in about the borders of beds or other séedes halfe a foote one from another and in February March and Aprill to be sowen from the séede it must be ordered as you order Onyon séede it loues not much wet nor extreame drought onely it desires a good mould which is rich and firme yet not too much dunged Raddish loueth a fertile ground that is well dunged chiefly with mans ordure that is déepe trencht and hath an easie and light mould and the séedes would be placed either in rowes or about the borders of beds as you doe Garlicke the manner of sowing it is with a dibble or round sticke to make a hole into the ground almost a foote déepe and then into that hole to put not aboue two séedes at the most and then close the hole vp againe and let the holes be foure fingers one from another it may be sowen in most months of the yéere if the frost hinder not and to make the roote large tender and to kéepe the branch from séeding you shall as it springs crop off the principall leaues which grow against the heart of the root to tread them downe into the earth after they haue fast roote is good also Nauew if the earth haue any small goodnesse in it will grow plentifully neither is offended with any ayre onely the mould would be loose and rough for otherwise it many times turneth to Rape the séede naturally commeth vp very thicke therefore it is expedient to remoue them and plant them thinner for that best preserueth their natures they may be sowne in February March Aprill September or October Parsneps or Carrets are of one and the selfe nature they delight in a good
great is the vse of Timber whose particulars I néede not rehearse and so insufferable is the want when we are any way pinched with the same And hence it springeth that our olde auncestors whose vertues would God we would in some small measure imitate when they found any hard and barraine earth such as was vnapt for grasse or at least such as barâ— but grasse that would kéepe life not comfort life they presently plowed it vp and sowed thereon Acornes Ash-keyes Maple knots Béech apples Hawes Slowes Nuts Bullis and all other séeds of trees in innumerable quantity as may appeare by the Forrests of Del la mere Sherwood Kings wood and many other within this kingdome of huge great spaciousnes and compasse from whom when the wood is spoiled the soyle serueth to little or no purpose except it be the kéeping aliue of a few poore shéepe which yéeld but little profit more then their carkasse Thus euen from the first age of the world hath our forefathers béene euer most carefull to preserue and encrease wood and for mine owne part I haue euer obserued in all those places where I haue séene Woods decayed and destroyed that the charge of stubbing and other necessaries allowed those lands haue neuer againe yéelded the former profit for the greatest exhaustment that euer I saw of wood ground was to bring it to tenne shillings an Arte when it was conuerted to pasture and being kept to wood it was worth euery seauentéenth yéere one and twenty pound A simple Auditor may cast the account of this profit but such is our gréedinesse that for our instant vse we little respect the good of ours or our neighbours But it is no part of my Bookes method to call offences to question but onely to right the Husbandman in his 〈◊〉 to ordinarie profit Know then that there is nothing more profitable to the Husbandman then the encreasing and nourishing of wood from whence as our common lawes termes it springs these thrée bootes or necessary commodities to wit House-boote Plowe-boote and Fire-boote without the first we haue neither health couert ease nor safety from sauage beasts without the second we cannot haue the fruits of the earth nor sustenance for our bodies nor without the last can we defend off the sharp Winters or maintaine life against the numbing colds which would confound vs. The consideration of these thrée things only might enduce vs to the preseruation of this most excellent commodity but the other infinite necessities vses which we make of wood as shipping by which we make our selues Lords of the Seas fencing which is the bond of concord amongst neighbours solution trial of Mines from whence springs both our glory in peace and our strength in warre with a world of others sutable vnto them should be motiues vnresistable to make vs with all diligence hast to the most praise-worthy labour of planting wood in euery place and corner where it may any way conueniently be receiued If then the Husbandman shall liue in a high barraine Countrey for low-valleyes marshes or such grounds as are subiect to inundations seldome nourish wood well or in a soyle though not vtterly barraine yet of so hard and sower encrease that the hearbage doth in the profit but in small quantity I would wish him after a generall triall of his earth to deuide it into thrée equall parts the first and the fruitfullest I would haue him preserue for pasture for his Cattell of all kindes the second and next in fertility for corne being no more then those cattell may till and the last most barraine to imploy for wood which though he stay long for the profit yet will pay the interest double And this ground thus chosen for wood I would haue him plowe vp from the swarth about the latter end of Februarie and if it be light earth as either sand grauell or a mixt hazel earth then immediatly to sow it with Acornes Ash-keyes Elme Maple knots Béech-apples Chesnuts Ceruisses Crabs Peares Nuts of all kindes Hawes Hips Bullice Slowes and all manner of other wood séeds whatsoeuer and as soone as they are sowne with strong Oxe harrowes of iron to harrow and breake the earth in such fort that they may be close and safely couered And in the plowing of this earth you must diligently obserue to turne vp your furrowes as déepe as is possible that the séede taking strong and déepe roote may the better and with more safety encrease and defend it selfe against stormes and tempests whereas if the roote be but weakely fixed the smallest blasts will shake the Trées and make them crooked wrythen and for small vse but fire onely After you haue harrowed your earth and laide your séede safe you shall fence your ground about with a strong and large fence as hedge ditch pale or such like which may kéepe out all manner of foure-footed bâ—asts for comming within the same for the space of tenne yéeres after for you shall vnderstand that if any cattell shall come where young wood is péeping aboue the earth or whilst it is young tender and soft they will naturally crop and brouse vpon the same and then be sure that the wood which is so bitten will neuer prosper or spring vp to any height but turne to bushie shrubs and ill-fauoured tufts pestring the ground without any hope of profit whereas if it be defended and kept safe the space of tenne yéeres at the least it will after defend it selfe and prosper in despight of any iniurie and then after that date you may safely turne your cattell into the same and let them graze at pleasure and surely you shall finde it a great reliefe for your young beast as your yearling Haiffers Bullocks Colts Fâ—â—lies and such like for I would not wish you to let any elder cattell come within the same because the grasse though it be long yet it is sower and scowring and by that meanes will make your cattell for labour weake and vnhealthie whether it be Oxe or Horse and for much-Kine it will instantly dry vp their milke but for idle heilding beasts whose profit is comming after it will serue sufficiently Now if the earth whereon you sowe your wood be a stiffe clay ground and onely barraine through the extreamitie of colde wet or such like as is séene in daily experience you shall then plowe vp the ground at the end of Ianuarie in déepe furrowes as is before rehearsed and then let it rest till it haue receiued two or thrée good Frosts then after those Frosts some wet as either snow or raine and then the next faire season after sowe it as afore-said and harrow it and you shall sée the mould breake and couer most kindely which without this baite and order it would not doe then fence it as afore-said and preserue it from cattell for tenne yéeres after And here is to be noted that one Oake growing vpon a clay ground is
Plants they haue cropt and hauing spied them with his wood Bill presently cut the Plants so brouzed close by the bottomes of the last shuts and then they will newly put forth againe as well as if they had neuer béene hindred which done he shall finde out where the cattell brake in and then mend the same so well and sufficiently that it may preuent the like mischiefe Also if these young springs shall stand néere vnto Forrests or elder Woods which are full of wilde Deare and be no purfewes belonging vnto the same the Woodward then shall neuer walke without a little dogge following him with which he shall chase such Deare out of his young springs because it is to be vnderstood that the brouzing of Deare is as hurtfull to young wood as that of any other cattell whatsoeuer And thus much touching the ordering and gouernment of vnder-woods with their sales and the nourishing vp of greater Timber CHAP. III. Of High-Woods and their Plantation HIgh Woods are those which containe onely Trées for Timber and are not pestred or imbraced with the vnder growth of small brush wood such as Hazels White-thorne Sallowes and Poplar are these for the most part consist of Oakes Ash Elme Béech Maple and such like growing so remote and seperate one from another that although their tops and branches méete and as it were infolde one within another yet at the rootes a man may walke or ride about them without trouble These high Woods had their first beginnings from the séede as was before declared and nourisht from age to age amongst the vnder-woods which when men began to want foode for their bréede-Cattell and that from the super-abundance of young Woods they found some might conueniently be spared they forth-with in stead of cutting downe their young wood aboue the earth began to digge it vp by the rootes and with stubbe Axes to teare the meane sinewes from the ground so that it might not renew or encrease againe and then leuelling the earth and laying it smooth and plaine to leaue nothing standing but the tall Timber trées betwéene which the grasse had more libertie to growe and Cattell more abundance to féede on and all be not so long and well able to fill the mouth as that which growes in the thicke springs yet much more swéet and better able to nourish any thing that shall graze vpon the same by reason that the Sunne and Frosts hauing more frée power to enter into the ground the earth is so much the better seasoned and bringeth forth her encrease with more swéetnesse Some are of opinion that these high Woods may as well be planted as sowne and that many of them from the first beginning haue béene so to which opinion I consent in part for doubtlesse I am perswaded that many small Groues of Ash Elme Béech and Poplar haue béene planted for we sée in our daily experience and the new walkes in More-fields by London are a perfect testimonie that such Plantations may be without trouble or danger but for the Oake to be taken vp and replanted is very hard and very seldome in vse neither shall a man in an whole Age sée any Oake remoued come to perfecâ—â—on or goodnesse but growe crooked knottie and at the best but for the vse of fewell onely but for the other before rehearsed you may remoue them when they are a dozen yeares of age and plant them where you please and if the earth haue in it any goodnesse at all they will take rest and grow both spéedily and plentifully And since I am thus farre entred into the plantation of Woods I will shew you how you shall plant and remoue euery Trée in his due manner and season And first for the planting of the Elme which is an excellent Trée for shadow and the adorning of walkes or dwelling houses you shall make choise of those Plants which are straightest soundest the barke euen and vâ—twound and at least eightéene or twenty inches in compasse these you shall digge out of the ground roote and all then at the top of the head about thrée fingers vnder the knot where the maine armes seuerally issue forth you shall a little slope-wise cut the head cleane off them and mixing clay and a little horse-dung or fine ashes together couer the head round about there-with then ouer the same wrap Moâ—se or fine Hay and binde it about with faâ—t clouen Oziers or some such like bands then with a sharpe pruning Bill cut euery seuerall branch of the roote withâ—â— a finger or two of the stocke which done and the roote pickt cleane you shall make a hole to be digged in the place where you meane to plant the Elme iust of that depth the hole was from whence you digged out the Elme that so much and no more of the Elme may be hidden in the earth then was formerly at his remouing and this hole you shall make spacious and easie and that the mould be soft and loose both vnderneath and round about the roote of the Elme which done you shall place your Elme in the same straight and vpright without either swaruing one way or other which for your better certaintie you may proue either with plumbe leuell or other instrument which being perfected you shall with rich fresh mould well mixt with olde meanure couer and ram the same fast in the earth in such sort that no reasonable strength may moue or shake it and all this worke must be done in the encrease of the Moone either in the moneth of October or at the latter end of Ianuary but the latter end of Ianuarie is euer helde the best and safest for there is no question but you shall sée flourishing Trées the next Summer after and in this sort you may likewise remoue either Béech Witcher or Popler bestowing them either in Groues Walkes Hedge-rowes or other places of shadow as shall séeme best to your contentment for their natures being alike their growthes and flourishings haue little difference Now for the replanting or remouing the Ash though not much yet there is some difference for it is not at the first so spéedie a putter forth and flourisher as the others be but for the first yeare laboureth more to bestow and fixe his roote in the earth then to spread forth his vpper branches and although some Woodwards are of opinion that so much as the Ash is aboue the ground so much hée will be vnder before he begin to flourish outwardly yet experience doth find it erronious for though it be for the first yéere a little flower then other Trées yet when it beginneth to flourish it will ouer-take the spéediest grower Therefore when you do intend to plant Ashes for a spéedy profit you shall not according to the olde custome chuse the smooth small long Plants which are hardly thrée inches in compasse and haue put out hardly any branches and are such as grow from the rootes of elder
know that Roses may as well be sowne from the séede as planted from the roote Syen or branch onely they are the slower in comming vp more tender to nourish and much longer in yéelding forth their flowers yet for satisfaction sake and where necessitie vrgeth if of force or pleasure you must sowe it from the séede you shall chuse a ruffish earth loose and well dunged and you shall cast vp your beds high and narrow the moneth which is fit for their sowing is September and they must be couered not aboue foure fingers déepe they must be defended well all the Winter from frosts and stormes and then they will beare their flowers plentifully all the next Spring following yet this is to be noted that all Roses which rise from the séede simply their flowers will be single like the Eglantine or Cyphanie therefore after your plants are two yéeres olde you must graft one into another as you doe other fruit and that will make them double and thicke also you must remember that those yellow small séedes which are in the midst of the Rose are not true Rose séedes but those which lye hid in the round peare knob vnder the Rose which as soone as the leaues are fallen away will open and shew the séede And thus much touching the sowing of all sorts of Roses which is for experience and knowledge sake onely for indéede the true vse and property of the Rose is to be planted in short slips about fourtéene inches long and the small tassels of the roote cut away they would be set halfe a foote into the ground in the same manner as you set ordinary Quick-set and of like thicknesse rather a little slope-wise then vpright and though some thinke March the best season yet doubtlesse September is much better for hauing the roote confirmed all the Winter they will beare the sooner and better all the Sommer following you must be carefull to plant them in faire weather and as néere as you can vnder shelter as by the sides of walls and such like couert where the Sunne may reflect against them and if they be planted on open beds or borders then you must with Poales and other necessaries support and hold them vp least the winde shake their rootes and hinder their growing The red Rose is not fully so tender as the Damaske neither is it so pleasant in smell nor doubleth his leaues so often yet it is much more Phisicall and oftner vsed in medicine it is likewise fitter to be planted then sowen and the earth in which it most ioyeth would be a little rough or grauelly and the best compasse you can lay vnto it is rubbish or the sweeping of houses the moneths to sowe or plant it in is March or September the time to prune and cut away the superfluous branches is euer the midst of October The white Rose is of lesse smell then the red and will grow in a harder ground his vse is altogether in Phisicke as for sore eyes and such like it will grow into a Trée of some bigge substance and is seldome hurt with frosts stormes or blastings it would likewise be planted from the roote against some high wall either in the moneth of February or March and the oftner you plant and replant it the doubler and larger the flower will be for the earth it much skilleth not because it will grow almost in euery ground onely it delights most in the shadow and would be seldome pruned except you finde many dead branches The Cinamon Rose is for the most part sowen and not planted whence it comes that you shall euer sée the leaues single and little the delicacie thereof being onely in the smell which that you may haue most fragrant and strong you shall take a vessell of earth being full of small holes in the bottome and sides and fill it with the richest earth you can get being made fine and loose then take Damaske Rose séedes which are hard and sound and steepe them foure and twenty houres in Cinamon water I doe not meane the distilled water but faire Conduit water in which good store of Cinamon hath bin stéeped or boyled or milk wherin good store of Cinamon hath bin dissolued and then sow those séedes into the Pot and couer them almost thrée fingers déepe then morning and euening till they appeare aboue the earth water them with that water or milke in which the séedes were stéeped then when they are sprung vp a handfull or more aboue the ground you shall take them vp mould and all and hauing drest a border or bed for the purpose plant them so as they may grow vp against some warme wall or pale and haue the Sunne most part of the day shining vpon them and you shall be sure to haue Roses growing on them whose smell will be wonderfull pleasant as if they had béene spiced with Cinamon and the best season of sowing these is euer in March at high noone day the weather shining faire and the winde most calme Now if you would haue these Roses to grow double which is an Act yet hid from most Gardners you shall 〈◊〉 Michaelmasse take the vppermost parts of the Plants from the first knot and as you graft either Plumme or Apple so graft one into another and couer the heads with earth or clay tempered with Cinamon-water and they will not onely grow double but the smell will be much swéeter and looke how oft you will graft and 〈◊〉 graft them so much more double and double they will proue The Prouince Rose is a delicate flower for the eye more then the nose for his oft grafting abateth his smell but doubleth his leafe so oft that it is wonderfull therefore if you will haue them large and faire you shall take the fairest Damaske Roses you can get and graft them into the red Rose and when they haue shot out many branches then you shall graft each seuerall branch againe with new grafts of another grafted Damaske Rose and thus by grafting graft vpon graft you shall haue as faire and well coloured Prouince Roses as you can wish or desire and thus you may doe either in the Spring or fall at your pleasure but the fall of the leafe is euer helde the best season Now if your Roses chaunce to loose their smels as it all happeneth through these double graftings you shall then plant Garlicke heads at the rootes of your Roses and that will bring the pleasantnesse of their sent vnto them againe Now for your generall obseruations you shall remember that it is good to water your Roses morning and euening till they be gathered you shall rather couet to plant your Roses in a dry ground then a wette you shall giue them much shelter strong support and fresh dung twise at the least euery yeare when the leafe is fallen you shall cutte and prune the branches and when the buds appeare you then begin your
worth any fiue which growes vpon the sand for it is more hard more tough and of much longer indurance not so apt to teare ryue or consume either with Lyme Rubbish or any casuall moysture whence it comes that euer your Ship-wrights or Mill-wrights desire the clay Oake for their vse and the Ioyner the sand Oake for smoothnesse and waynscote And thus much for the sowing of Wood and his generall vses CHAP. II. The deuision of vnder-Woods their sale and profit WHosoeuer be a Lord or Master of much vnder-wood which is indéede young spring-wood of all kindes growing thicke and close together either from the séede as is declared in the former Chapter or from the rootes of former salles the first being a profit begotten by him selfe the other a right left by purchase or inheritance and desire as it is the dutie of euery vertuous husband to make his best and most lawfullest profit thereof hauing not left vnto him any president of former commodity In this case you shall suruay the whole circuit of your wood with euery corner and angle there vnto belonging and then as your abilitie and the quantity of your ground shall afford you shall deuide your whole wood either into twelue seauentéene or one and twenty parts of equall Acres Roodes or Rods and euery yeare you shall sell or take to your owne vse one of those parts so that one following yearely after another our sales may continue time out of minde and you shall imploy as you please so much wood euery yeare of either twelue seauentéene or one and twenty yeares growth And in this you shal note that the sale of one and twenty doth farre excéede that of seauentéene and that of seauentéene as farre that of twelue but in this it is quantity and your necessity that must direct you and not my demonstration for there be fewe Husbands but know that an Acre of one and twenty yéeres growth may be worth twenty nay thirty pounds that of seauentéene worth eight or ten pounds and that of twelue fiue and sixe pounds according to the goodnesse of the wood insomuch that the longer a man is able to stay the greater sure is his profit but fewell and fence must of necessity be had and if a man haue but twelue acres of wood I sée not but he must be forced to take euery yéere one acre for his owne reliefe and if hée take more hée must either necessarily spoyle all or driue himselfe into extreame want in fewe yeares following and therefore it is méete that euery good husband shape his garment according to his cloath and onely take plenty where plenty is yet with this husbandly caution that euer the elder your sale is the richer it is as you may perceiue by the well husbanded Woods of many Bishoprickes in this land which are not cut but at thirtie yeares growth When you haue made your deuisions according to your quantity you shall begin your sale at an out-side where cariages may enter without impeachment to the springs you intend not to cut and a pole or halfe pole according to the quantity of ground you shall preserue being next of all to the outmost fence to repaire the ring fences of your Wood and to seperate the new sale from the standing Wood and this amongst Woodwards is called Plash-pole Then at the latterend of Ianuarie you may begin to cut downe your vnder-wood and sell it either by acres roodes perches poles roddes or dozens according to the quantitie of your earth or the abilitie of your buyers And in this sale I cannot set you downe any certaine price because true iudgement and the goodnesse of your wood must onely giue you direction things being euer valewed according to their worth and substance and this sale or the cutting downe of vnder-wood you may continue from the latter end of Ianuarie till midde Aprill at which time the leafe begins to bud forth or somewhat longer if necessitie vrge you the like you may also doe from the beginning of September at which time the leafe beginnes to shed till the middest of Nouember Now for the manner of cutting downe your vnderwoods although the lawes of the Kingdome shew you what dutie you shall performe therein what Timber you shall preserue and how néere each Weauer shall stand one to another yet I would wish you both for your owne and the Common-wealths sake to performe somewhat more then that to which you are by law compelled therefore you shall giue direction to your wood fallers that when they shall méete with any faire and straight well growne sapling Oake Elme Ash or such like to preserue them and let them stand still being of such fit distance one from another that they may not hinder or trouble each other in their growing and when you shall finde vpon a cluster many faire Plants or Saplings you shall view which is the fairest of them all and it preserue onely and the rest cut away that it may prosper the better also if you finde any faire and well growne fruit Trées as Peares Chesnuts Seruisses and such like you shall let them stand and cleare them from the droppings of the taller trées and you shall finde the profit make you recompence Now for the generall cutting vp of the wood you shall cut it about sixe inches aboue the ground and drawing your strokes vpward cut the wood slope-wise for that is best to hasten on the new Spring and those Weauers or young which you preserue and suffer to growe still you shall prune and trimme as you passe by them cutting away all â—â—perfluous branches twigges and young spyers which shall grow either néere vnto the roote or vpon any part of the boale which is fit to be preserued for Timber and if you shall finde that the earth haue by any casualty forsaken the root and left it bare which is hurtfull to the growth of the Trée you shall lay fresh earth vnto it and ram the same hard and fast about it Thus when you haue made an end of cutting downe your sale and that the wood is cleansed and carried away and all the loose and scattered stickes raked vp into seuerall heapes and caried away also for it is the part of euerie good husband and Woodward not to sée any wood lye and rot vpon the ground you shall then with the vnder-wood preserued in the Plash-pole deuide by a strong hedge this new cut downe sale from the other elder growne wood and for tenne yéeres as before is spoken not suffer any foure-footed beast to come within the same from which rule you shall learne this lesson that it is the Woodwards duty euery day to looke ouer all his young Springs and if by any mischance or negligence cattell shall happen to breake into them as many times they doe then shall he not onely driue forth or impound such Cattell but also suruay how farre and which
one of these are there commonly some of the other is euer wanting as we 〈◊〉 daily in our experience and for as much as in the fruitfull and fertill soyles of this land of which wée estéeme the wealthie vales as that of Essam White horse Beluoire â— and many others the best there is euer great scarsitie of Wood the very wealthinesse of the soyle it selfe almost denying to beare such burden because for the most part the stifnesse of those clayes is contrary to their growth yet for as much as the necessitie and vse of Wood is so great and valuable I would perswade euery good and worthy Husbandman to endeauour himselfe with all his vtmost power and strength to plant wood in euery conuenient place round about him and not to take the rules of the ignorant for his lesson that sith neuer any did grow there therefore neuer any will grow there for it is absurd and foolish nor to say because my auncestors haue neuer done it why should I attempt it These arguments are made from a false â—â—gure and the Husbandman must remember that his dutie is industrie and encrease not altogether imitation and president and he must as seriously finde out new and néerer profits as hold those he hath learned and therefore â—e shall endeauour by all commendable labour to haue euer about him whatsoeuer is necessarie for his vse but you will peraduenture aunswere me that to plant Woods in these rich soyles were very much losse because the fertilitie thereof will yéeld a much better profit To this I reply that I would not haue you plant any spacious piece of ground with wood but onely your ditches hedges and such wast earthes as almost denie any other profit and that the want of wood in those places may not discourage you to imagine that wood will not grow there Doe but view the cytes of euery Towne in those rich Countries the seates of Noblemen Gentlemens houses and the Parks which commonly are adioyning there-vnto and you shall hardly sée any of them without the fellowship acquaintance of some wood which in times past hath béene planted either for defence or pleasure and from thence collect that if wood will grow with my next neighbour then why not with me so long as the soyle doth not alter But Labor vincit omnia improbus True industrie was neuer fruitlesse Then for the generall good both of your selfe your neighbours looke that you replenish all your ditches ring fences with good store of Quick-set that is to say all that lye high out of the danger of water with White-thorne Black-thorne and Bryer and those which are low subiect to washing with Willowes Sallowes and Ozyers Now for as much as it is not enough to say vnto the Husbandman do this but that I must also shew the manner of doing thereof I will shew you briefly how to set all manner of Quick-sets and first for the white-thorne black-thorne bryeâ— or such like which must stand frée from inundation you shal when you enclose any piece of ground after you haue markt out the true breadth of your dyke vpon the in-side thereof and close by the verdge of the dyke cut with your spade a little trough halfe a foote or there-abouts in breadth depth in which trough or small gutter you shall lay the rootes of the first rowe of your Quick-sets so as the top ends may looke vpward a little bend in towards the ditch these quick-sets you shall place within lesse then a foot one of another then with your spade beginning to make your ditch you shall with the 〈◊〉 cleane mould couer all the rootes close and fast so as they will not shake nor stirre with your hand then hauing râ—â—sed the banke of your Dyke and couered the lowest 〈◊〉 of Quick-set more then halfe a foote and broken the earth so as it may lye close and handsome together you shall then after the same manner lay another rowe of Quick-set ouer the first I meane not one Quick-set directly ouer another but the second rowe placed as it were in the midâ—â— betwéene two of the first though at least halfe a fâ—â—te higher then you shall couer that rowe like the former and ouer it place a third which shall stand directly opposite and ouer the first so that in their growth the middle rowe shall as it were grow betwéene two of the lowest and two of the highest and then vpon this vppermost rowe lay the remainder of your earth and make your barke perfect and in this sort finishing one yard of the Ditch after another you shall at length bring your labour to the end of your desire Now in this labour you are to obserue somâ— speciall things as first to looke well vpon your Sets before you put them into the ground and be sure that they be gréene young and vntainted then that the rootes 〈◊〉 cleane and no small thréeds or iagges hanging about them And lastly that they stand vpright and not aboue foure or fiue inches without the earth at the most then shall you looke well to the making of your banke and lay the earth so as it may not flip or fall backe into the Dyke so as the raine may wash away the mould and leaue the rootes bare but let all things be done strongly and artificially The best seasons for this worke is the moneths of February March and Aprill or September October and some part of Nouember if the weather be dry aboue head when you haue set your Quick-set you shall make a dead hedge vpon the top of the new banke to kéepe thâ—se Cattell which are within your ground from breaking forth or hurting the Quick-set and another small fence on the lowe verdge of the Dyke which is outward to kéepe those cattell which graze without from running into the dyke and hurting the quick-set Now after a spring and fall is past you shall suruay all your quick-set and wéede it cleane from all manner of filthinesse that doth choake or stifle it and scratching the fresh mould about it giue comfort to the roote then if yoâ— perceiue that any of your Sets be dead you shall plucke them vp and place new in the roome and if any be blasted in part and not cleane killed you shall cut away so much as is blasted and let the rest remaine you shall looke well to the Caterpiller and other wormes which mightily deuoure Quick-sets especially in these fat Countries and if you finde any taint of them destroy them as is shewed you in a former Chapter After your Quick-set is come to the age of thrée yéeres and that the banke is setled and swarth growne thereon you shall then within the body of your hedges plant all manner of great Trées as Ash Béech Maple and such like and also all manner of fruit Trées as Aples Peares Plums Wardens and such like and in the first thrée yéeres be very carefull to
pruning that then although it grow thicke at the top yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the bottome that not onely beasts but men may runne through it and in the end it will dye and come to nothing which to preuent it shall be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your Quick-set hedges in which there is much fine Art and cunning to be vsed For this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke growth almost to the outward barke and then laying it orderly in a sloape manner as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge and then with the smaller and more plyant branches to wreathe and binde in the tops making a fence as strong as a wall for the roofe which is more then halfe cut in sunder putting forth new branches which runne and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes doe so thicken and fortifie the hedge that it is against the force of beasts impregnable Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge though diuers Countries differ diuersly in those workes yet as néere as I can I will shew you that which of the best Husbandmen is the best estéemed First for the time of yéere either February or October is passing good and the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued For the tooles which you shall imploy they would be a very sharpe nimble Hatchet a good Bill and a fine pruning knife Now for the worke you shall enter into it first with your Bill you shall cut away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse or hinder your worke and then finding the principall stemmes which issue from the maine roote you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground with your Hatchet cut the same more then thrée quarters through so as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke and some part of the outward sap and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and downeward then take those mayne bodies of the 〈◊〉 set so cut and lay them sloape-wise from you as you would lay a dead hedge and all the branches which extend from those bodies and would spread outwardly you shall likewise cut as before said and fould them 〈…〉 into your head and euer within a yard or two distance where a pretie Plant growes straight vp you shall onely cut off the top equall with the height of your hedge and so let it stand as a stake about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches Now when you come to the top of the hedge which would commonly not be aboue fiue foote high you shall take the longest youngest and most plyant boughes and cutting them as afore-said gently binde in the tops of all the rest and so make your hedge strong and perfect and herein is to be noted that the â—â—eser and thicker you lay your hedge so there be nothing in it superfluous the stronger and better lasting it will be Many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedgeâ— but onely to lay the Quick-set and no more but it is not so husbandly neither is the hedge of any indurance many other curiosities there be in the plashing of hedges but this which I haue alreadie shewed is sufficient both for the Husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding The profit which ariseth from this labour is the maintenance and defence of fencing the preseruing and encrease of Quick-set and a continuance of amitie amongst neighbours when one liues frée from offending another It yéeldeth a good Mast for Swine and with the ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings repaireth all a mans dead hedges and brings good store of fewell both to the Brewhouse Kitchin and Backhouse Next to the plashing is the lopping of Timber-Trées which in those Countries which are bare and naked of wood is of much vse and though I cannot much commend it because it oft marreth the bodies of Trées yet I must allow it for necessary because it is a néedfull rate which the Trées pay to their Planters This lopping or heading of Trées is the cutting off of the armes and vppermost branches of Trées and suffering the body to grow still and it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres either at the beginning of the Spring or at the end of the Fall as you shall haue occasion to vse the wood and immediately after the Moone hath new changed Now for the manner of the worke there is small curiositie to be vsed therein if your Axe be good and sharpe for you shall but cut off the armes and boughes smooth and cleane without nickes rifts or gutters or any thing which may receiue wet whereby the Trée maybe cankred and spoyled Also in cutting away of the armes you shall haue a great care rather to cut them away if it be possible vpward then downeward least when you cut them downeward the waight of the arme sodainly falling downe riue and teare the barke of the body of the Trée which is dangerous and hath béene the spoyle of much Timber which to preuent you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue make a good large nicke vnderneath and then after cut it downe from aboue and so the Trée shall receiue no hurt Also you shall obserue to cut the armes close by the body of the Trée and neuer to desist till you haue made the place as playne and smooth as may be for to doe the contrarie is neyther workmanly nor the part of any good husband And thus much touching the plashing of Hedges and lopping of Trées CHAP. VII Of Pasture grounds their order profit and generall vse HAuing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable Grounds Gardens Orchards and Woods of all kindes I thinke it most méete as falling in his due place here to write of Pasture grounds which are of two kindes the first such Pastures as lye in wood land mountainous or colde climes and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse and therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of Cattell the other such as lye in lowe warme and fruitfull soyles and are most fertile and aboundant in encrease onely imployed to the fatting and féeding of Cattell And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture which being some-what barraine is preserued for bréeding you shall vnderstand that it is generally dispierced ouer all this Kingdome and particularly into euery Countrey for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same and of those seuerall mixtures I haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of this Booke which entreateth of errable ground Then to procéede to my purpose it is the first office of the Husbandman when he séeth and knoweth the true nature of his earth and perceiueth from perfect iudgement that it is of very hard encrease which as the temper and mixture
of the soyle assures him so also he shall better confirme by these fewe signes and Charracters which I will deliuer as first if he sée grasse flow of growth and that no Spring will appeare before May. If in stead of Clouer grasse Dandylion and Honisuckle you sée your ground furnished with Penigrasse Bents and Burnet If you sée much Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse or if you perceiue the scorching of the Sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it forth or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of grasse or if your ground bring forth Lyng Bracken Gorse Whynnes Broome Bilburie or Strawburie or if your ground be morish full of quick-myers mossie or full of blacke Flint any of these signes make it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease And then as before I said it is the Husbandmans first office to prouide for the bettering and perfecting of his earth which he shall doe in this sort First if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground procéedes from want of good Plants as from want of Clouer-grasse Dandylion Honisuckle Cowslop and other swéet flowers then he shall repaire into the fruitfull Countries and there buy the hay séedes and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers which he shall euery Spring and fall of the leafe sowe as thin as may be vpon such Pastures as he shall either lay for meddow or preserue for the latter Spring after Michaelmas But if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse but the abundance of grasse as those husbands doe which liue in or about great Cities then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for meddow at Candlemasse or those which he will graze or eate in the first beginning of the Spring at Michaelmasse before with the oldest and rottennest meanure he can get of which the best is the rotten staddell or bottomes of Hay-stackes or for want of it the meanure of horse-stables swéepings and scowrings of yards and barnes the mudde of olde ditches or else good Oxe or Cow meanure any of which will bring forth abundance of grasse Yet thus much I must aduertise the Husbandman that this meanuring of Pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections for though it occasion abundance of grasse to growe yet the meddow or hay which comes thereof is so ranke loggie and fulsome in tast that a beast taketh no ioy to eate thereof more then to holde very life and soule together Also the grasse thus meanure which you intend to graze or eate with your Cattell is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the roote that Cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse roote and all which being of strong ranke sent in the mouth of a beast maketh him loathe and cast it out againe and so not striue to eate to be fat but onely to maintaine life Now if your Spring be slow and late in the yéere before your grasse will appeare aboue ground it is méete then that you enclose your ground and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke Quick-sets but also with tall Timber-trées whose shade and strength may defend many colde blasts from the earth and adde vnto it a more naturall warmenesse then it had before for it is onely the coldnesse of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow Also in this case it is méete that you lay as the husbandman tearmes it all such Pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following in Nouember before so not being bitten from that time till Aprill following no doubt but your spring will be both good and forward There be others which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe who although they bite néere to the ground and leaue little grasse behinde them yet they so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure that it will spring after it commeth to rest much more early and faster then it was wont So that to conclude in a word to make a barren ground spring earely is to kéepe it warme let it 〈◊〉 long rest and meanure it well with Shéepe If your ground be troubled with Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse it is a signe of too much colde moysture in the earth and in this case you shall with a great common Plough made for such a purpose turne vp great furrowes through your ground and make them so descend and fall one into another that not onely the moysture bred in the earth but that which falls vpon the earth may haue a swift passage from the same and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry all those wéedy kindes of grasse will soone perish If your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the Sunne then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last soyle we spake of for as that by too much moysture is made barraine by colde so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with heate wherefore the Husbandman shall in this case draw all his draynes to bring moysture into his ground which sometimes watring and sometimes ouer-flowing the same will in the end bring it to a reasonable fertility for it is a rule that where there may be ouerflowes there can seldome be any hurt by Sunne-burning vnlesse that such soyles be vpon Limestone ground or néere vnto other quarries of hard stone which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of the grasse doth so burne the roote that the vpper branches cannot prosper In this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then good wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry and partly by the labours of others who are traded in such commodities to let forth your ground to Stone-diggers or Lime-makers who digging the quarries out of the earth and then filling vp the emptie places with rubbish and other earth the soyle will in short space become as fruitfull as any other for it is onely the want of taking roote or the burning vp of the roote which makes this kinde of earth barraine Now if your ground bring forth Ling Braken Gorse Whinnes or such like you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth and lay it in the Sunne to dry in the height or heate of Sommer and being throughly dried you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another then putting fire vnto them burne them into ashes which done spread the ashes like a meanure ouer all the ground and you shall sée those wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers you shall then by small draynes or trenches draw 〈◊〉 the water and turne it into some lower ditch or 〈◊〉 and so bringing the ground to a stability or firmenesse there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse will presently follow after