much the more he must be carefull to make his furrowes lesse and to lay them the closer together also in as much as this soile through his naturall warmth and temperate moisture is excéeding apt to bring forth much wéede especially Brakes Ling Brambles and such like therefore the Plow-man shall be very carefull to plow all his furrowes very cleane without baukes or other impediments by which may be ingendred any of these inconueniences After you haue thus broke vp and fallowed your fallow or tilth-field the limitation of which time is from the middest of Ianuary vntill the middest of February you shall then at the middest of February when the clay-men begin to sow their Beanes and Pease goe with your plough into your other fallow-field which all the yéere before hath laine fallow and already receiued at your hands at least foure seuerall Ardors as Fallowing Summer-stirring Foyling and Winter-rigging and there you shall plow all that field ouer the fift time which is called the Spring-foyling and in this Ardor you shall plow all your lands vpward in such sort as when you Winter-ridge it by which meanes you shall plow vp all those wéedes which haue sprung forth in the Winter season For you must vnderstand that in these light hot sandy soiles there is a continuall spring though not of good fruits yet of wéeds quicks and other inconueniences for it is a rule amongst Husbandmen that warme soiles are neuer idle that is they are euer bringing forth something Now the limitation for this Ardor is from the middest of Februarie vntill the middest of March at which time you shall by comparing former experience with your present iudgement take into your consideration the state goodnesse and powerfulnesse of your land I meane especially of this fallow-field which hath laine fallow the yéere before and hath now receiued fiue Ardors and if you finde any part of it either for want of good ordoring in former times or for want of manure in the present yéere to be growne to leane and out of hart that you feare it hath not strength enough to beare Barley you shall then at this time being the middest of March sow such land with Rye which of Husbandmen is called the sowing of March-Rye and this Rye is to be sowne and harrowed in such sort as you did sow it vpon the clay soiles that is to say aboue furrow and not vnder furrow except the land be very full of quickes that is of Brakes Ling Brambles Dockes or such like and then you shall first with a paire of Iron harrowes that is with harrowes that haue Iron téeth first of all harrow the land ouer and by that meanes teare vp by the rootes all those quickes and so bring them from the land which done you shall sow the land ouer with Rye and then plow it downeward which is vnder furrow as soone as it is plowed you shall then with a paire of Iron Harrowes harrow it all ouer so excéedingly that the mould may be made as fine and the land lie as smooth as is possible Now because I haue in the former Chapters spoke of Harrowes and harrowing yet haue not deliuered vnto you the shape and proportion thereof and because both the woodden harrow and the Iron harrow haue all one shape and differ in nothing but the téeth onely I thinke it not amisse before I procéede any further to shew you in this Figure the true shape of a right Harrow The Harrow The parts of this Harrow consisteth of buls staues and téeth of buls which are broad thicke pieces eyther of well seasoned Willow or Sallow being at least three inches euery way square into which are fastned the téeth of staues which are round pieces of well seasoned Ash being about two inches and a halfe about which going thorow the buls holde the buls firmely in equall distance one from the other and of téeth which are either long pinnes of wood or Iron being at least fiue inches in length which are made fast and set slope-wise through the buls Now you shall vnderstand that Harrowes are of two kindes that is single and double the single Harrow is called of Husbandmen the Horse-harrow and is not aboue foure foote square the double Harrow is called the Oxe-harrow and it must be at least seauen foote square and the téeth must euer be of Iron Now whereas I spake of the Horse-harrow and the Oxe-harrow it is to be vnderstood that the single Harrow doth belong to the Horse because Horses drawing single doe draw each a seuerall Harrow by himselfe albeit in the common vse of harrowing we couple two horses euer together and so make them draw two single Harrowes but Oxen not being in good Husbandry to be separated because euer two must draw in one yoake therefore was the double Harrow deuised containing in substance and worke as much as two single Harrowes Now for the vse of Harrowes The woodden Harrow which is the Harrow with woodden téeth is euer to be vsed vpon clay grounds and light grounds which through drynesse doth grow loose and fals to mould of it owne nature as most commonly Sand grounds doe also and the Iron Harrow which is the Harrow with Iron téeth is euer to be vsed vpon binding grounds such as through drynesse grow so hard that they will not be sundered and through wet turne soone to mire and loose durt Now whereas there be mingled earths which neither willingly yéeld to mould nor yet bindes so sore but small industry breaks it of which earth I shall speake hereafter to such grounds the best Husbands vse a mixture that is to say one woodden Harrow and one Iron Harrow that the woodden Harrow turning ouer and loosening the loosest mould the Iron Harrow comming after may breake the stiffer clots and so consequently turne all the earth to a fine mould And thus much for Harrowes Now to returne to my former purpose touching the tillage of this red Sand if as before I said you finde any part of your fallow-field too weake to beare Barley then is your March-Rye a graine which will take vpon a harder earth but if the ground be too weake either for Barley or Rye for both those Séedes desire some fatnesse of ground then shall you spare plowing it at all vntill this time of the yéere which is mid-March and then you shall plow it and sow it with either the smallest Pease you can get or else with our true English Fitches which by forraine Authors are called Lentles that is white Fitches or Lupines which are red Fitches for all these thrée sorts of Pulse will grow vpon very barraine soiles and in their growth doe manure and make rich the ground yet your Pease desire some hart of ground your Lentles or white Fitches lesse and your Lupines or red Fitches the least of all as being apt to grow vpon the barrainest soile so likewise your
and other characters I haue shewed in a former Chapter wherefore for his manner of plowing obseruing my first methode which is to beginne with the beginning of the yéere I meane at Christmas it is thus If you finde that any of this white or gray clay lying wet haue lesse mixture of stone or chaulke in it and so consequently be more tough as it doth many times fall out and that vpon such land that yéere you are to sow your Pease and Beanes for as in the former blacke clay so in this gray clay you shall begin with your Pease-earth euer then immediately after Plow-day you shall plow vp such ground as you finde so tough in the selfe-same manner as you did plow the blacke clay and so let it lye to baite till the frost haue seasoned it and then sow it accordingly But if you haue no such tough land but that it holdes it owne proper nature being so mixt with small stones and chaulke that it will breake in reasonable manner then you shall stay till the latter end of Ianuary at what time if the weather be seasonable and inclining to drynesse you shall beginne to plow your Pease-earth in this manner First you shall cause your séedes-man to sow the land with single casts as was shewed vpon the blacke clay with this caution that the greater your séede is that is the more Beanes you sow the greater must be your quantitie and being sowne you shall bring your plough and beginning at the furrow of the land you shall plow euery furrow downeward vpon the Pease and Beanes which is called sowing of Pease vnder furrow and in this manner you shall sow all your Pease and Beanes which is cleane contrary to your blacke clay Besides whereas vpon the stiffe clay it is conuenient to take as large furrowes as you please vpon this kinde of gray clay you shall take as small furrowes as is possible Now the reason for this manner of plowing your Pease-earth is because it is a light kinde of breaking earth so that should it be sowne according to the stiffe blacke clay it would neuer couer your Pease but leaue them bare both to be destroyed by the Fowles of the ayre and the bitternesse of the weather As soone as your Pease and Beanes are risen a fingers length aboue the earth then if you finde that any of your lands doe lye very rough and that the clods be great it shall not be amisse to take a payre of woodden Harrowes and harrow ouer all your rough lands the benefit whereof is this that it will both breake the hard clots and so giue those Pease leaue to sprout through the earth which before lay bound in and drowned and also lay your lands smooth and cleane that the Mowers when they come to mowe your Pease and Beanes shall haue better worke and mowe them with more ease and much better to the owners profit For you must vnderstand that where you sow Beanes there it is euer more profit to mowe them with Sythes then to reape them with Hookes and much sooner and with lesse charge performed The limitation of time for this Ardor of earing is from the latter end of Ianuary vntill the beginning of March not forgetting this rule that to sow your Pease and Beanes in a shower so it be no beating raine is most profitable because they as Wheat take delight in a fresh and a moyst mould After the beginning of March you shall beginne to sow your Barley vpon that ground which the yéere before did lye fallow and is commonly called your tilth or fallow field and if any part of it consist of stiffe and tough ground then you shall vpon such ground sow your Barley vnder furrow in such manner and fashion as I described vnto you for the sowing of your stiffe blacke clay but if it be as for the most part these gray and white clayes are of a much lighter and as it were fussie temper then you shall first plow your land vpward cleane and well without baâ—kes or stiches and hauing so plowed it you shall then sow it with Barley that is to say with double casts I meane bestowing twise so many casts of Barley as you would doe if you were to sow it with Pease And as soone as you haue sowne your Barley you shall take a payre of woodden Harrowes and harrow it as small as is possible and this is called sowing aboue furrow Now if you haue any land which eyther through the badnesse of the soyle or for want of manure is more barrayne and hard to bring forth then generally the rest of your land is then you shall not bestow Barley thereupon but sow it with Oates in such manner and fashion as is appointed for the sowing of Pease that is to say if it be stiffe ground you shall sow it aboue furrow if it be light ground then you shall sow it vnder furrow knowing this for a rule that the barraynest ground will euer beare indifferent Oates but if the ground haue any small hart then it will beare Oates in great abundance neither néede you to be very precise for the oft plowing of your ground before you sow your Oates because Oates will grow very well if they be sowne vpon reasonable ground at the first plowing whence it comes to passe that many Husbandmen doe oft sow their Oates where they should sow their Pease and in the same manner as they doe sow their Pease and it is held for a rule of good husbandry also because if the ground be held any thing casuall for Pease it is better to haue good Oates then naughty Pease besides your Oates are both a necessary graine in the house as for Oate-meale for the pot for Puddings and such like and also for the stable for Prouender and the féeding of all manner of Poultry The time for sowing of your Barley and Oates is from the first of March till the first of Aprill obseruing euer to sow your Oates first and your Barley after for it being onely a Summer graine would participate as little as may be with any part of the Winter About the middest of Aprill you shall beginne to fallow that part of your ground which you entend shall take rest that yéere and so become your fallow or tilth-field And in fallowing this gray or white clay you shall obserue all those rules and ceremonies which are formerly described for the fallowing of the stiffe blacke clay knowing that there is in this worke no difference betwéene the blacke clay and the gray clay but both to be plowed after one manner that is to say to haue all the furrowes cast downeward and the ridges of the lands laid largely open and of a good depth onely the furrowes which you turne vpon this gray clay must be much smaller and lesse then those which you turne vpon your stiffe blacke clay because this earth is more naturally inclined to binde and
Pease doe manure barraine ground well your Lentles better and your Lupines the best of all Now for the nature and vse of these graines the Pease as all Husbandmen know are both good for the vse of man in his bread as are vsed in Leicester shire Lincolne-shire Nottingham-shire and many other Countries and also for Horses in their Prouender as is vsed generally ouer all England for Lentles or white Ftches or the Lupines which are redde Fitches they are both indifferent good in bread for man especially if the meale be well scalded before it be knodden for otherwise the sauour is excéeding rancke or else they are a very good foode being sodden in the manner of Leapâ—-Pease especially at Sea in long iourneyes where fresh meate is most exceeding scarce so that rather then your land should lye idle and bring forth no profit I conclude it best to sow these Pulses which both bring forth commoditie and also out of their owne natures doe manure and inrich your ground making it more apt and fit to receiue much better Séede For the manner of sowing these thrée sorts of Pulse you shall sow them euer vnder furrow in such sort as is described for the sowing of Pease and Beanes vpon the white or gray clay which is of indifferent drinesse and apt to breake Now the limitation for this Ardor or â—éede time is from the middest of March till the middest of Aprill then from the middest of Aprill till the middest of May you shall make your especiall worke to be onely the leading forth of your Manure to that field which you did fallow or lay tilth that present yéere immediatelie after Christmas and of which I first spake in this Chapter And herein is to be vnderstood that the best and principallest Manure for this redde-sand is the ouldest Manure of beasts which can begotten which you shall know by the excéeding blacknesse and rottennesse thereof being in the cutting both soft and smooth all of one substance as if it were well compact morter without any shew of straw or other stuffe which is vnrotted for this dung is of all the fattest and coolest and doth best agrée with the nature of this hot sand Next to the dung of beasts is the dung of Horses if it be old also otherwise it is somewhat of the hottest the rubbish of old houses or the swéepings of flowres or the scowrings of old Fish-ponds or other standing waters where beasts and horses are vsed to drinke or be washt or wherevnto the water and moisture of dunghills haue recourse are all good Manures for this redde-sand as for the Manure of Shéepe vpon this redde-sand it is the best of all in such places as you meane to sow Rie but not fully so good where you doe intend to sow your Barley if it be a cold moist redde-sand which is seldome found but in some particular low countries then it doth not amisse to Manure it most with Shéepe or else with Chaulke Lime or Ashes of which you can get the greatest plentie if this soile be subiect to much wéede and quickes as generally it is then after you haue torne vp the wéedes and quickes with Harrowes you shall with rakes rake them together and laying them in heapes vpon the land you shall burne them and then spreading the ashes they will be a very good Manure and in short space destroy the wéedes also likewise if your land be much ouergrowne with wéedes if when you sheare your Rie you leaue a good long stubble and then mowing the stubble burne it vpon the land it is both a good Manure and also a good meanes to destroy the wéedes After your Manure is lead forth and either spread vpon the lands or set in great heapes so as the land may be couered ouer with Manure for it is to be obserued that this soile must be throughly Manured then about the middest of May which is the time when this worke should be finished you shall repaire with your Plough into the other fallow field which was prepared the yéere before for this yéeres Barley there you shall sow it all ouer with Barley aboue furrow that is to say you shall first Plough it then sow it and after Harrow it making the mould as fine and smooth as may be which is done with easie labour because this sand of it owne nature is as fine as ashes Now the limitation for this séede time is from the middest of May till the middest of Iune wherein if any man demaund why it should not be sowne in March and Aprill according as it is sowne in the former soiles I answere that first this redde-sand cannot be prepared or receiue his full season in weather and earings before this time of the yéere and next that these redde-sands by how much they are hotter and drier then the other claies by so much they may wel stay the longer before they receiue their séede because that so much the sooner the seede doth sprout in them also the sooner ripen being kept warmer at the roote then in any could soile whatsoeuer As soone as the middest of Iune approacheth you shall then beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow field and to turne your Manure into your land in such sort as you did vpon your clay soiles for this Ardor of Summer-stirring altereth in no soile and this must be done from the middest of Iune till the middest of Iuly for as touching sleighting clotting or smoothing of this Barley field it is seldome in vse because the finenesse of the sand will lay the land smooth inough without sleighting yet if you finde that any particular land lieth more rough then the rest it shall not be amisse if with your backe Harrowes you smooth it a little within a day or two after it is sowne From the middest of Iuly vntill the middest of August you shall foile and throw downe your fallow field againe if your lands lie well and in good order but if any of your lands doe lie in the danger of water or by vse of Plowing are growne too flat both which are hinderances to the growth of Corne then when you foile your lands you shall Plow them vpward and so by that meanes raise the ridges one furrow higher After you haue foiled your land which must be about the middest of August then will your Barley be ready to mowe for these hot soiles haue euer an earely haruest which as soone as it is mowne and carried into the Barne forthwith you shall with all expedition carry forth such Manure as you may conueniently spare and lay it vpon that land from whence you receiued your Barley which is most barraine and if you want cart Manure you shall then lay your fould of Séepe thereupon and as soone as it is Manured you shall immediately Plow both it the rest which Ardor should be finished by the middest of September and so suffered to rest vntill
The beame also of this Plough is much more straight then the former by which meanes the Skeath is not full so long The Irons belonging vnto this Plough are of the fashion of the former Irons onely they be somewhat lesse that is to say the Coulture is not so long neyther so full bent as that for the red Sand nor so straight as that for the blacke clay but as it were holding a meane betwéene both so likewise the Share is not fully so broad as that for the red sand nor so narrow as that for the gray clay but holds as it were a middle size betwéene both somewhat leaning in proportion to the shape of that for the blacke clay As for the Plough-slip Plough-clouts and other implements which are to defend the wood from the hardnesse of the earth they are the same and in the same wise to be vsed as those for the red Sand. Now for the Draught or Teame which drawes this Plough they are as in all other Draughts Oxen or Horses but for the number thereof they differ much from those which are formerly written of for you shall vnderstand that in this white sandy soile which is of all soiles the lightest eyther two good Horses or two good Oxen are a number sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile whatsoeuer as by daily experience we may sée in those countries whose soile consists of this white light Sand of which wée haue now written neyther shall the Plow-man vpon this soile néede any person to driue or order his Plough more then himselfe for the soile being so light and easie to cut the Plough so nimble and the Cattell so few and so neare him hauing euer his right hand at libertie because his plough hath but onely a left hand Hale he hath liberty euer to carry a goade or whip in his right hand to quicken and set forward his Cattell and also a line which being fastned to the heads of the Beasts hée may with it euer when hée comes to the lands end stop them and turne them vpon which hand he pleases And thus much for the tillage and ordering of this white Sand. CHAP. IX The manner of plowing the Grauell with Pible stones or the Grauell with Flint their Earings Plough and implements HAuing in the plainest manner I can written sufficiently already of the foure simple and vncompounded soiles to wit two Clayes blacke and gray and two Sands red and white it now rests that I also giue you some perfect touch or taste of the mixt or compounded soiles as namely the grauell which is a kinde of hard sand clay and stone mixt together and of Grauels there be two kindes that is to say one that is mixt with little small Pible stones as in many parts of Middlesex Kent and Surry and the Grauell mixt with broad Flints as in many parts of Hartford-shire Essex and sundry such places These Grauels are both in generall subiect to much barrainnesse espcially if they be accompanied with any extraordinary moisture yet with the good labour of plowing and with the cost of much Manure they are brought to reasonable fruitfulnesse where it comes to passe that the Plow-man which is master of such a soile if either he liue not neare some Citie or Market-towne where great store of Manure by the concourse of people is daily bred and so consequently is very cheape or else haue not in his owne store and bréede meanes to raise good store of Manure hée shall seldome thriue and prosper thereupon Now although in these grauell soiles there is a diuersity of mixture as the one mingled with small Pibles which indéede is the worst mixture the other with broad Flints which is the better signe of fruitfulnesse yet in their order of tillage or Earings in their wéeding and cleansing and in all other ardors and obseruations they differ nothing at all the beginning and ending of each seuerall worke being all one Now for the manner of worke belonging vnto these two soiles it altereth in no respect nor obseruation eyther in Plough plowing manuring weeding or any other thing whatsoeuer from that of the white sand the same times of the yéere the same Séedes and the same Earings being euer to be obseruedâ— wherefore at shall 〈…〉 to write so amply of these soiles as of the other because being all one with the white Sand without aâ—teration it were but to write one thing twise and therefore I referre the Reader to the former Chapter and also the Husbandman that shall liue vpon either of these soiles onely with these few caueats First that for the laying his lande hée shall lay them in little small stitches that is not hauing aboue foure furrowes laid together as it were for one land in such sort as you sée in Hartford-shire Essex Middlesex Kent and Surry for this soile being for the most part subiect to much moisture and hardnesse if it should be laid in great lands according to the manner of the North parts it would ouer-burden choake and confound the séed which is throwne into it Secondly you shall not goe about to gather off the stones which séeme as it were to couer the lands both because the labour is infinite and impossible as also because those stones are of good vse and as it were a certaine Manuring and helpe vnto the ground for the nature of this Grauell being colde and moist these stones doe in the winter time defend and kéepe the sharpnesse of the Frosts and bleake windes from killing the heart or roote of the séedes and also in the Summer it defends the scorching heate of the Sunne from parching and drying vp the Séede which in this grauelly soile doth not lie so well couered as in other soyles especially if this kinde of earth be inuironed with any great hils as most commonly it is the reflection whereof makes the heate much more violent And lastly to obserue that there is no manure better or more kindly for this kinde of earth then Chaulke white Marle or Lyme for all other matters whatsoeuer the former Chapter of the white Sand will giue you sufficient instructions CHAP. X. The manner of plowing the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand and the white Clay mixt with white Sand their Earings Plough and Implements NExt to these grauelly soiles there be also two other compounded earths as namely the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand and the white Clay mixt with white sand which albe they differ in composition of mould yet they hold one nature in their Tillage and Husbandry wherefore first to speake of the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand which as before I said is called of Husbandmen an hassell earth you shall vnderstand that it is a very rich and good soile very fruitfull both for Corne and Grasse for Corne being apt to beare any séede whatsoeuer and for Grasse as naturally putting it forth very earely in the yéere by which your Cattell shall get reliefe
plow this Pease-earth euer vpward that is you shall beginne on the ridge of the land turne all your furrowes vp one against another except your lands lye too high which seldome can be séene and then you shall begin at the furrow cast downe your land Now when you haue plowed all your Pease-ground you shall let it so lye till it haue receiued diuers Frosts some Raine and then a fayre season which betwixt plow-day and Saint Valentines day you shal be sure to inioy and this is called The letting of Land lye to baite for without this rest and these seasons it is impossible to make these Clayes harrow or yéelde any good mould at all After your Land hath receiued his kindely baite then you shall cast in your séede of Beanes or Pease but in my conceit an equall mixture of them is the best séede of all for if the one faile the other will be sure to hit and when your land is sowne you shall harrow it with a harrow that hath woodden téeth The next Ardor after this is the sowing of your Barley in your fallow field the next is the fallowing of your ground for Barley the next yéere the next Ardor is the Summer-stirring of that which you fallowed the next is the foyling of that which you Summer-stirde and the last is the Winter rigging of that which you soil'd of all which Ardors and the manner of Plowing them with their seasons I haue written sufficiently in the first Chapter of the next part where I speake of simple earths vncompounded Now whereas I told you before that these clayes were heauy worke for your Cattell it is necessary that I shew you how to ease them and which way they may draw to their most aduantage which onely is by drawing in beare-geares an inuention the skilfull Husbandman hath found out wherein foure horses shall draw as much as sixe and sixe as eight being geard in any other contrary fashion Now because the name onely bettereth not your knowledge you shall heare behould the figure and manner thereof Now you shall vnderstand the vse of this Figure by the figures therein contayned that is to say the figure 1 presenteth the plough-cleuisse which being ioyned to the plough-beame extendeth with a chaine vnto the first Toastrée and touching this Cleuisse you shall vnderstand that it must be made with thrée nickes in the midst thereof that if the Plough haue too much land giuen it in the making that is if it turne vp too much land then the chaine shall be put in the outwardmost nicke to the land side that is the nicke towards your right hand but if it take too little land then it shall be put in the nicke next the furrow that is towards the right hand but if it goe euen and well then you shall kéepe it in the middâ—e nicke which is the iust guide of true proportion And thus this Cleuisse is a helpe for the euill making or going of a plough 2 Is the hind-most Toastrée that is a broad piece of Ash woode thrée inches broad which going cresse the chaine hath the Swingletrées fastned vnto it by which the horses draw Now you shall vnderstand that in this Toastrée is great helpe and aduantage for if the two horses which draw one against the other be not of equall strength but that the one doth ouer-draw the other then you shall cause that end of the Toastrée by which the weaker horse drawes to be longer from the chaine then the other by at least halfe a foote and that shall giue the weaker horse such an aduantage that his strength shall counterpoyse with the stronger horse Now there be some especiall Husbandmen that finding this disaduantage in the Toastrée and that by the vncertaine shortening and lenthening of the Toastrée they haue sometimes more disaduantaged the strong horse then giuen helpe to the weake therefore they haue inuented another Toastrée with a double chaine and a round ring which is of that excellent perfection in draught that if a Foale draw against an olde horse yet the Foale shall draw no more then the abilitie of his owne strength each taking his worke by himselfe as if they drew by single chaines Now because this Toastrée is such a notable Implement both in Plough Cart or Waine and so worthy to be imitated of all good husbands I thinke it not amisse to shew you the figure thereof The Toastree with double chaines 3 The Swingletrées being pieces of Ash wood cut in proportion afore-shewed to which the Treates by which the horses draw are fastned with strong loopes 4 The Treates by which the horses draw being strong cords made of the best Hempe 5 The place betwéene the Treats where the horses must stand 6 The Hames which girt the Câ—llers about to which the other end of the Treats are fastned being compassed pieces of wood eyther cleane Ash or cleane Oake 7 The round Withes of wood or broad thongs of leather to put about the horses necke to beare the maine chayne from the ground that it trouble not the horses in their going 8 The Single-linckes of Iron which-ioyne the Swingle-trées vnto the Toastrées 9 The Belly-bands which passe vnder the belly of the horse and are made fast to both sides of the Treates kéeping them downe that when the horse drawes his coller may not choake him being made of good small line or coard 10 The Backe-bands which going ouer the horses backe and being made fast to both sides of the Treates doe hold them so as when the horses turne the Treates doe not fall vnder their féete Thus I haue giuen you the perfect portraiture of a well yoakt Plough together with his Implements and the vse of them being the best which hath yet béene found out by any of our skilfullest English Husbandmen whose practise hath béene vpon these déepe stiffe blacke clayes Now you shall vnderstand that for the number of Cattell to be vsed in these ploughes that in fallowing your land and plowing your Pease-earth eight good Cattell are the best number as being the strongest and within the compasse of gouernment whereas more were but troublesome and in all your other Ardors sixe good beasts are sufficient yet if it be so that eyther want of abilitie or other necessity vrge you shall know that fixe beasts will suffice eyther to fallow or to plow Pease-earth and foure beasts for euery other Ardor or caring and lesse then this number is most insufficient as appeares by daily experience when poore men kill their Cattell onely by putting them to ouer-much labour And thus much touching the plowing of the blacke clay CHAP. VI. The manner of plowing the white or gray Clay his Earings Plough and Instruments NOW as touching the white or gray clay you shall vnderstand that it is of diuers and sundry natures altering according to his tempers of wet or drynesse the wet being more tough and the dry more brittle his mixture
cleaue together then that of the blacke clay The time for fallowing of this ground is from the middest of Aprill vntill the middest of May at what time you shall perceiue your Barley to appeare aboue the ground so that then you shall beginne to sleight and smooth it but not with backe Harrowes as was described for the blacke clay because this gray clay being not so fat and rich but more inclined to fastnesse and hardnesse therefore it will not sunder and breake so easily as the other wherefore when you will smooth or sleight this ground you shall take a round piece of wood being in compasse about at least thirty inches and in length sixe foote hauing at each end a strong pinne of Iron to which making fast two small poales by which the horse shall draw yet in such sort that the round piece of wood may roule and turne about as the horse drawes it and with this you shall roule ouer all your Barley and by the waight of the round piece of wood bruise and breake all the hard clots asunder This is called amongst Husbandmen a Rouler and is for this purpose of sleighting and smoothing of grounds of great vse and profit Now you shall vnderstand that you must not at any time sleight or smooth your Corne but after a shower of Raine for if the mould be not a little moistned the rouler will not haue power to breake it Now for as much as this rouler is of so good vse and yet not generally vsed in this kingdome I thinke it not amisse to shew you the figure thereof The great Rouler As soone as you haue roulled ouer your Barley laid it so smooth as you can with your rouler if then you perceiue any hard clots such as the rouler cannot breake then you shal send forth your seruants with long clotting béetels made broad and flat and with them you shall breake asunder all those hard clots and so lay your Barley as smooth and cleane as is possible the profit whereof you shall both finde in the multiplying of your Corne and also in the sauing of your sithes from breaking at such time as you shall come to mowe your Corne and gather in your Haruest Your Barley being thus laide smooth you shall then follow your other necessary businesses as preparing of your fewell and other néedements for houshould vntill the beginning of Iune at which time you shall beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow field which shal be done in all points after the same manner as you did Summer-stirre your blacke Clay that is to say you shall beginne in the ridge of the land and as when you fallowed your land you turned your furrowes downeward so now in Summer-stirring you shall turne your furrowes vpward and close the ridge of you land againe As soone as this Ardor is finished or when the vnseasonablenesse of the weather as either too much wet or too much drynesse shall hinder you from Plowing you shall then looke into your Cornâ— fielâ—s that is to say first into your Wheate and Rye fiâ—â—d and if there you shall finde any store of wéedes as Thistell Darnell Tare Cockle or such 〈◊〉 you shall with 〈◊〉 hookes or nippers of woode cut or plucke them vp by the rootes and also if you finde any annoyance of stones which hinders the growth of your Corne as generally it happens in this soyle you shall then cause some Boyes and Girles or other waste persons to gather them vp and lay them in heapes at the lands ends to be imployed either about the mending of high wayes or other occasions and for this purpose their is a generall custome in most Uillages that euery houshoulder is bound to send out one seruant to be imployed about this businesse whence it comes to passe that it is called common worke as being done at the generall charge of the whole Parish After you haue wéeded your Wheate and Rye you shall then wéede your Barley also which being finished about the midst of Iuly you shall then beginne to looke into your medowes and to the preparing of your Hay haruest Now at such time as either the vnseasonablenesse of the weather or the growth of your grasse shall hinder you from following that businesse of Haruest you shall then looke into your fallow or tilth field againe and whereas before at your Summer-stirring you Plowed your land vpward now you shall beginne to foile that is to say you shall cast your land downe againe and open the ridge and this Ardor of all other Ardors you must by no meanes neglect vpon the gray white clay because it being most subiect vnto wéede and the hardest to bring to a fine mould this Ardor of all others doth both consume the one and makes perfect the other and the drier season you doe foile your land in the better it is and the more it doth breake and sunder the clots in pieces for as in Summer-stirring the greater clots you raise vp and the rougher your land lies the better it is because it is a token of great store of mould so when you foile the more you breake the clots in pieces the better season will your land take and the richer it wil be when the séede is sowne into it And the season for the foiling of this soile is from the midst of Iuly till the midst of September Now albe I haue omitted the Manuring of this land in his due place as namely from the midst of Aprill till the end of May yet you shall vnderstand that of all other things it is not in any wise to be neglected by the carefull Husbandman both because the soyle being not so rich as the blacke Clay will very hardly bring forth his séede without Manure and also because it is for the most part subiect vnto much wet and stones both which are signes of cold and barrainenesse Now for those Manures which are best and most proper for this soile you shall vnderstand that all those which I formerlie described for the blacke Claies as namely Oxe or Cowes dung Horse dung and Shéepes dung are also very good for this soile and to be vsed in the same manner as is specified in the former Chapter but if you haue not such store of this Manure as will serue to compasse your whole land you shall then vnderstand that the blacke mud or durt which lies in the bottome of olde ponds or else standing lakes is also a very good manure for this soile or else straw which is spread in high-wayes and so rotted by the great concourse or vse of much trauelling and after in the Spring-time shouelled vp in great heapes is a good manure for this earth but if you finde this soile to be subiect to extraordinary wet and coldnesse you shall then know that the ashes eyther of wood coale or straw is a very good manure for it But aboue all other and then which there is
no manure more excellent for cold barraine clayes of this nature the Pigions dung or the dung of houshold Pullen as Capons Hennes Chickens Turkies and such like so there be no Goose-dung amongst it is the best of all other but not to be vsed in such sort as the other manures that is to say to be laid in great heapes vpon the land or to be spread from the Cart vpon the land for neyther is there such abundance of such manure to be gotten nor if there were it would not be held for good husbandrie to make lauish hauocke of a thing so precious You shall then know that for the vse of Pigion or Pullen-dung it is thus you shall first with your hand breake it as small as may be and then put it into the Hopper in such sort as you put your corne when you sow it and then looke how you sow your corne in such sort you shall sow your Pigion or Pullen-dung which done you shall immediately put your Barley into the same Hopper and so sow it after the Pigions or Pullen-dung by which you are to vnderstand that this kinde of manuring is to be vsed onely in Séede-time and at no other season This manure is of the same nature that shéepes manure is and doth last but onely for one yéere onely it is much hotter as being in the greatest extremitie of heate Now if it happen that you cannot get any of this Pigions or Pullen-dung because it is scarce and not in euery mans power if then you take Lime and sow it vpon your land in such sort as is before said of the Pigions-dung and then sow your corne after it you shall finde great profit to come thereon especially in colde wet soiles such as for the most part these gray white clayes are After your land is soild which worke would be finished by the middest of September then you shall beginne to sow your Wheate Rye and Maslin which in all things must be done as is before set downe for the blacke clay the choise of séede and euery obseruation being all one for Wheat not taking delight in a very rich ground doth prosper best vpon this indifferent soile Whence it comes that in these gray white clayes you shall for the most part sée more Wheate sowne then any other Graine whatsoeuer But as touching your Rye and Maslin that euer desires a rich ground and a fine mould and therefore you shall make choise of your better earth for that Séede and also obserue to helpe it with manure or else shéepesâ—folding in such manner as is described in the former Chapter where I spake of the sowing of Wheate Rye and Maslin As soone as you haue sowne your Wheate Rye and Maslin you shall then about the latter end of October beginne to Winter ridge or set vp your land for the whole yéere which you shall doe in all points as you doe vpon the blacke clay without any change or alteration And the limitation for this Ardor is from the latter end of October vntill the beginning of December wherein your yéeres worke is made perfect and compleate Now you shall vnderstand that although I haue in this generall sort passed ouer the Ardors and seuerall Earings of this white or gray clay any of which are in no wise to be neglected yet there are sundry other obseruations to be held of the carefull Husbandman especially in the laying of his land as thus if the soile be of good temper fruitfull drie and of a well mixed mould not being subiect to any naturall spring or casting forth of moisture but rather through the natiue warmth drying vp all kinde of flures or colde moistures neyther binâ—ing or strangling the Séede nor yet holding it in such loosenesse that it loose his force of increasing in this case it is best to lay your lands flat and leuell without ridges or furrowes as is done in many parts of Cambridge-shire some parts of Essex and some parts of Hartford-shire but if the clay be fruitfull and of good temper yet either by the bordering of great hils the ouer-flow of small brookes or some other casuall meanes it is subiect to much wet or drâ—wning in this case you shall lay your lands large and high with high ridges and déepe furrowes as generally you sée in Lincolne-shire Nottingham-shire Huntington-shire and most of the middle Shires in England But if the land be barraine colde wet subiect to much binding and doth bring forth great store of wéedes then you shall lay your land in little stiches that is to say not aboue thrée or foure furrowes at the most together as is generally séene in Middlesex Hartford-shire Kent and Surrey for by that meanes neither shall the land binde and choake the Corne nor shall the wéede so ouer-runne it but that the Husbandman may with good ease helpe to strengthen and clense it the many furrowes both giuing him many passages whereby he may correct those enormities and also in such sort conuaying away the water and other moistures that there cannot be made any land more fruitfull Now to speake of the Plough which is best and most proper for this gray or white clay of which we now speake you shall vnderstand that it differeth excéeding much from that of which we spake concerning the blacke clay I and in such sort that there is but small alliance or affinitie betwéene them as thus for example First it is not so large and great as that for the blacke clay for the head thereof is not aboue twentie inches in length and not aboue one inch and a halfe in thicknesse the maine beame thereof is not aboue fiue foot long the rest is broader by an inch and more then that for the blacke clay this Plough also hath but one hale that is onely the left hand Hale for the Plough-staffe or Aker-staffe serueth euer in stead of the right hand Hale so that the Rough-staues are fixed the vpper vnto the shelboard and the neather vnto the Plough-rest as for your better vnderstanding you may perceiue by this figure The Plough with one Hale Now you shall vnderstand that the especiall care which is to be held in the making of this Plough is that it be wide and open in the hinder part that it may turne and lay the furrowes one vpon another whereas if it should be any thing straitned in the hinder part considering that this clay naturally is somewhat brittle of it selfe and that the furrowes which you plow must of necessitie be very narrow and little it were not possible so to lay them but that they would fall downe backe againe and inforce the Plowman to lose his labour Also you shall vnderstand that whereas in the former plough which is for the blacke clay you may turne the shelboard that is when the one end is worne you may eftsoones turne the other and make it serue the like season in this Plough
the beginning of October at which time you shall beginne to sow all that field ouer with Rye in such sort as hath béene spoken of in former places Now in as much as the ignorant Husbandman may very easiely imagine that I reckon vp his labours too thicke and therein leaue him no leasure for his necessarie businesses especially because I appoint him to foile his land from the middest of Iuly till the middest of August which is both a busie time for his Hay haruest and also for his Rye shearing To this I make answere that I write not according to that which poore men are able for it were infinit to looke into estates but according as euery good Husband ought presupposing that he which will liue by the Plough ought to pursue all things belonging vnto the Plough and then he shall finde that there is no day in the yéere but the Saboth but it is necessarie that the Plough be going yet to râ—concile the poore and the rich together they shall vnderstand that when I speake of Plowing in the time of Haruest I doe not meane that they should neglect any part of that principall worke which is the true recompence of their labour but because whilst the dew is vpon the ground or when there is either raine or mizling there is then no time for Haruest worke then my meaning is that the carefull Husbandman shall take those aduantages and rising earelier in the mornings be sure to be at his Plough two howers before the dew be from the ground knowing that the getting but of one hower in the day compasseth a great worke in a month neither shall hée néede to feare the ouer toiling of his cattell sith at that time of the yéere Grasse being at greatest plenty strongest and fullest of hart Corne scattered almost in euery corner and the mouth of the beast not being muzeld in his labour there is no question but he will indure and worke more then at any other season In the beginning of Nouember you shall beginne to Winter-ridge your fallow or tilth-field which in all points shal be done according to the forme described in the former soiles for that Ardor of all other neuer altereth because it is as it were a defence against the latter spring which else would fill the lands full of wéedes and also against the rigor of Winter and therefore it doth lay vp the furrow close together which taking the season of the frost winde and weathe rmakes the mould ripe mellow and light and the limitation for this Ardor is from the beginning of Nouember vntill the middest of December Now as touching the Plough which is best and most proper for this redde-sand it differeth nothing in shape and composure of members from that Plough which is described for the blacke Clay hauing necessarily two hales because the ground being loose and light the Plough will with great difficulty hold land but with the least disorder be euer ready to runne into the furrow so that a right hand hale is most necessarie for the houlding of the plough euen onely the difference of the two Ploughes consisteth in this that the plough for this red-sand must be much lesse then the plough for the blacke Clay houlding in the sizes of the timber the due proportion of the plough for the white or gray clay or if it be somewhat lesse it is not amisse as the head being eightéene inches the maine beame not aboue foure foote and betwéene the hinder part of the rest and the out-most part of the plough head in the hinder end not aboue eight inches Now for the Plough-Irons which doe belong vnto this plough the Coulture is to be made circular in such proportion as the coulture for the gray or white clay and in the placing or tempering vpon the Plough it is to be set an inch at least lower then the share that it may both make way before the share and also cut déeper into the land to make the furrow haue more easie turning Now for the share it differeth in shape from both the former shares for it is neither so large nor out-winged as that for the gray Clay for this share is onely made broad to the Plough ward and small to the point of the share with onely a little peake and no wing accoridng to this figure The share These Plough-irons both coulture and share must be well stéeled and hardned at the points because these sandy soiles being full of moisture and gréete will in short space weare and consume the Irons to the great hinderance and cost of the Husbandman if it be not preuented by stéele and hardning which notwithstanding will waste also in these soiles so that you must at least twise in euery Ardor haue your Irons to the Smith and cause him to repaire them both with Iron and stéele besides these Irons of coulture and share you must also haue a long piece of Iron which must be iust of the length of the Plough head and as broad as the Plough head is thicke and in thicknesse a quarter of an inch and this piece of Iron must be nailed vpon the outside of the Plough head next vnto the land onely to saue the Plough head from wearing for when the Plough is worne it can then no longer hould the land and this piece of Iron is called of Husbandmen the Plough-slip and presenteth this figure The Plough-slip Ouer and besides this Plough-slip their are certaine other pieces of Iron which are made in the fashion of broad thinne plates and they be called Plough clouts and are to be nailed vpon the shelboard to defend it from the earth or furrow which it turneth ouer which in very short space would weare the woode and put the Husbandman to double charge Thus hauing shewed you the parts members and implements belonging to this Plough it rests that I procéede vnto the teame or draught for to speake of the vse and handling of this Plough it is néedelesse because it is all one with those Ploughes of which I haue spoken in the former Chapters and he which can hould and handle a Plough in stiffe clayes must néedes except he be excéeding simple hould a Plough in these light sands in as much as the worke is much more easie and the Plough a great deale lesse chargeable Now for the Draught or Teame they ought to be as in the former Soiles Oxen or Horses yet the number not so great for foure Beasts are sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile nay thrée Horses if they be of reasâ—nable strength will doe as much as fixe vpon either of the Clay-soiles as for their attire or Harnessing the Beare-geares before described are the best and most proper And thus much concerning this red Sand wherein you are to take this briefe obseruation with you that the Graines which are best to be sowne vpon it are onely Rye Barley
cut vp all such wéedes cleane although both your Share and Coulture misse them you shall haue the rest of your Plough in the vnder part which strokes alongst the earth filled all full of dragges of Iron that is of olde crooked nailes or great tenter-hookes such as vpon the putting downe of your right hand when you come néere a wéed shall catch hold thereof and teare it vp by the rootes as at this day is vsed be many particular Husbands in this Kingdome whose cares skils and industries are not inferiour to the best whatsoeuer About the middest of September you shall beginne to sow your Wheate and Rye vpon your fallow field which Graine vpon this soile is to be reckoned the most principall and you shall sow it in the same manner that is described in the former Chapters wherein your especiallest eare is the choise of your séede for in this soile your whole-straw Wheate nor your great Pollard taketh any delight neither your Organe for all those thrée must haue a firme and astrong mould but your Chilter-wheate your Flaxen-wheate your White-pollard and your Red-wheate which are the Wheates which yéeld the purest and finest meale although they grow not in so great abundance are the séedes which are most proper and naturall for this soile As for Rye or Maslin according to the goodnesse of the ground so you shall bestow your séede for it is a generall rule that wheresoeuer your Wheate growes there will euer Rye grow but Rye will many times grew where Wheate will not prosper and therefore for the sowing of your Rye it must be according to the temper of the earth and the necessitie of your houshold for Wheate being a richer graine then Rye if you be assured that your ground will beare Wheate well it is small Husbandrie to sow more Rye or Maslin then for your house but if it be too hot for Wheate and kindly for Rye then it is better to haue good Rye then ill Wheate Now for the sowing of your Rye or Maslin in this soile it differeth nothing from the former soiles either in plowing or any other obseruation that is to say it must be plowed aboue furrow for Rye being the most tender graine it can neither abide the waight of earth nor yet moisture the one as it were burying and the other drowning the vigour and strength of the séede About the beginning of Nouember you shall Winter-ridge your fallow field I meane that part which you doe preserue for Barley for the other part is furnished with séede and this Winter-ridging differeth nothing from the Winter ridging of other soiles onely you shall a little more precisely obserue to set vp your lands more straight and high then in other soiles both to defend them from wet which this soile is much subiect vnto because commonly some great riuer is neare it and also for the preseruing of the strength and goodnesse of the Manure within the land which by lying open and vnclosed would soone be washt forth and consumed Now sith I haue here occasion so speake something of the draining of lands and the kéeping of them from the annoyance of superfluous wet whether it be by invndation or otherwise you shall vnderstand that it is the especiall office and dutie of euery good Husbandman not onely in this soile but in all other whatsoeuer to haue a principall respect to the kéeping of his land dry and to that end hée shall diligently as soone as he hath Winter-rigged his land take a carefull view how his lands lie which way the descent goes from whence annoyance of water may possibly come and so consequently from those obseruations with a Spade or strong Plough of extraordinary greatnesse draw certaine déepe furrowes from descent vnto descent by which meanes all the water may be conuayed from his lands eyther into some common Sewer Lake Brooke or other maine Riuer and to this end it is both a rule in the common Lawes of our Land and a laudable custome in the Common-wealth of euery Towne that for as much as many Townes haue their lands lie in common that is to say mixed neighbour with neighbour few or none hauing aboue two or three lands at the most lying together in one place therefore euery man shall ioyne and make their water-furrowes one from another vntill such time as the water be conuayed into some common issue as well hée whose lands lie without all danger as he that is troubled with the greatest annoyance and herein euery one shall beare his particular charge which is an Act of great vertue and goodnesse Now for the Plough which is to plow this white sand it doth differ nothing in size proportion and vse of handling from the Plough described for the red Sand onely it hath one addition more that is to say at the further end of the maine Beame of the Plough where you fire your Plough-foote there you shall place a little paire of round whéeles which bearing the Beame vpon a loose mouing Axletrée being iust the length of two furrows and no more doth so certainly guide the Plough in his true furrow that it can neither lose the land by swaruing as in these light soiles euery Plough is apt to doe nor take too much land eyther by the gréedinesse of the Plough or sharpnesse of the Irons neither can it drownd through the easie lightnesse of the earth nor runne too shallow through the fussinesse of the mould but the whéeles being made of a true proportion which should not be aboue twelue inches from the centre the Plough with a reasonable hand of gouernment shall runne in a direct and euen furrow the proportion of which Plough is contained in this Figure The Plough with Wheeles This Plough of all others I hold to be most ancient and as being the modell of the first inuention and at this day is preserued both in France Germany Italy and no other proportion of Ploughes knowne both as we perceiue by our experience in séeing them plow also by reading of their writings for neither in Virgil Columella Xenophon nor any olde Writer nor in Heresbachius Steuens nor Libault being later Writers finde wée any other Plough bequeathed vnto our memories Yet it is most certaine that in many of our English soiles this Plough is of little profit as we finde by daily experience both in our clayes and many of our mixt earths for in truth this Plough is but onely for light sandy or grauelly soiles as for the most part these forraine Countries are especially about the sea-coast or the borders of great Cities from whence these Writers most generally tooke the presidents for their writings Now for the parts of this Plough it consisteth of the same members which the former Ploughs doe onely that in stead of the Plough-foote it hath a paire of whéeles It hath also but one Hale in such sort as the Plough for the gray or white clay
sooner then in other soiles of colder nature for both the blacke and white claies doe seldome flowrish wish any store of Grasse before Iune which is the time of woodsâ—are and this soile will boast of some plenty about the beginning of Aprill at the furthest but for Grasse we shall speake in his proper place Now for his tillage it is thus you shall about the middest of Ianuary beginne to fallow that field which you intend that yéere shall lye at rest or tilth and you shall fallow it in such sort as is specified in the Chapter of the blacke clay onely you shall take small furrowes and Plow the land cleane being sâ—re to open and cast the land downeward if the land lie high and round otherwise you shall neuer at any time cast the land downe but ridge it vp that is to say when you fallow it you shall cast the first furrow downeward and so likewise the second which two furrowes being cleane ploughed will lay the land open inough that is there wil be no part of the ridge vnploughed which done by changing your hand and the gate of your Plough you shall plough those furrowes backe againe and lay them vpward and so plough the whole land vpward also laying it round and high the reason for this manner of plowing being this that for as much as this land being mixt of clay and sand must néedes be a sore binding land therefore if it should be laid flat if any great raine or wet should fall and a present drought follow it neither should you possibly force your Plough to enter into it and breake it or being broken should you get so much mould as to couer your Corne and giue the séede comfort whereas vpon the contrary part if it be laid high and vpright it must necessarily be laid hollow and light in so much that you may both Plough it at your pleasure and also beget so perfect a mould as any other soile whatsoeuer both because the wet hath liberty to auoide through the hollownesse and also because the Sunne and weather hath power to enter and season it wherefore in conclusion you shall fallow this field downeward if it lye high and vpright otherwise you shall fallow it vpward as the meanes to bring it to the best Ardor Now for this fallow field it must euer be made where the yéere before you did reape your Pease in case you haue but thrée fields or where you did reape your Wheate Rye and Maslin in case you haue foure fields according to the manner of the blacke clay About the middest of February which is within a day or two of Saint Valentines day if the season be any thing constant in fairenesse and drinesse you shall then beginne to sow your Pease for you must vnderstand that albeit this soile will beare Beanes yet they are nothing so naturall for it as Pease both because they are an hungry séede and doe much impaire and wast the ground and also because they prosper best in a fat loose and tough earth which is contrary to this hard and drie soile but especially if you haue foure fields you shall forbeare to sow any Beanes at all least you loose two commodities that is both quantitie of graine because Beanes are not so long and fruitfull vpon this earth as vpon the clayes and the Manuring of your ground which Pease out of their owne natures doe both by the smoothering of the ground and their owne fatnesse when your Beanes doe pill and sucke the hart out of the earth Now for the manner of sowing your Pease you shall sow them aboue furrow that is first plough the land vpward then immediately sow your Pease and instantly after Harrow them the Plough the Séedes-man and the Harrower by due course following each other anâ— so likewise you may sow Oates vpon this soile About the middest of March which is almost a fortnight before our Lady day you shall beginne to sow your Barley which Barley you shall sow neither vnder-furrow nor aboue but after this order first you shall plow your land downeward beginning at the furrow and so assending vpward to the ridge of the land which as soone as you haue opened you shall then by pulling the plough out of the earth and laying the shelboard crosse the ridge you shall fill the ridge in againe with the same mould which you plowed vp this done your sédes-man shall bring his Barley and sow the land aboue furrow after the land is sowne you shall then Harrow it as small as may be first with a paire of woodden Harrowes and after with a paire of Iron Harrowes or else with a double Oxe Harrow for this earth being somewhat hard and much binding will aske great care and dilligence in breaking After your Barley is sowne you shall about the latter end of Aprill beginne to smooth and sleight your land both with the backe Harrowes and with the rouler and looke what clots they faile to breake you shall with clotting beetles beate them asunder making your mould as fine and laying your land as smooth as is possible About the middest of May you shall if any wet fall beginne to Summer-stirre your land or if no wet fall you shall doe your indeauour to Summer-stirre your land rather aduenturing to breake two ploughes then to loose one day in that labour knowing this that one land Summer-stird in a dry season is better then thrée Summer-stird in a wet or moist weather both because it giues the earth a better temper and kils the wéedes with more assurednesse and as I speake of Summer-stirring so I speake of all other Ardors that the drier they are done the better they are euer done and in this season you shall also gather the stones from your ground Now it may be obiected that if it be best to plough in drie seasons it is then-best to fallow also in a dry season and by that meanes not to beginne to fallow vntill the beginning of May as is prescribed for the blacke clay and so to deferre the Summer-stirring till the next month after sith of necessitie Ianuary must either be wet or else vnkindely To this I make answere that most true it is that the land which is last fallowed is euer the best and most fruitfull yet this mixt earth which is compound of sand and clay is such a binding earth that if it be not taken and fallowed in a moist time of the yéere as namely in Ianuary or February but suffered to lye till May at which time the drought hath so entered into him that the greatest part of his moisture is decaied then I say the nature of the ground is such and so hard that it wil be impossible to make any plough enter into it so that you shall not onely aduenture the losse of that speciall Ardor but also of all the rest which should follow after and so consequently loose
the profit of your land where contrary wise if you fallow it at the beginning of the yéere as in Ianuary and February albe they be wet yet shall you lay vp your furrowes and make the earth more loose by which meanes you shall compasse all the other Earings which belong to your soile for to speake briefely late fallowing belongs vnto claies which by drought are made loose and light and earely fallowings vnto mixt soiles such as these which by drinesse doe ingender and binde close together About the middest of Iune you shall beginne to wéede your Corne in such sort as hath béene before described in the former Chapters and although this soile naturally of it selfe if it haue receiued his whole Ardor in due seasons and haue béene Ploughed cleane according to the office of a good Husband doth neither put forth Thistle or other wéede yet if it want either the one or the other it is certaine that it puts them forth in great abundance for by Thistles and wéedes vpon this soile is euer knowne the goodnesse and dilligence of the Husbandman About the middest of Iuly you shall beginne to foile your land in such sort also as hath béene mentioned in the former Chapters onely with this obseruation that if any of your lands lie flat you shall then in your foiling plough those lands vpward and not downeward holding your first precept that in this soile your lands must lie high light and hollow which if you sée they doe then you may if you please in your foiling cast them downeward because at Winter ridging you may set them vp againe Now for as much as in this Chapter I haue hitherto omitted to speake of Manuring this soile you shall vnderstand that it is not because I hold it so rich that it néedeth no Manure but because I know there is nothing more néedfull vnto it then Manure in so much that I wish not the Husbandman of this ground to binde himselfe vnto any one particular season of the yéere for the leading forth of his Manure but to bestow all his leasurable houres and rest from other workes onely vpon this labor euen through the circuit of the whole yéere knowing this most precisely that at what time of the yéere so euer you shall lay Manure vpon this earth it will returne much profit As for the choise of Manures vpon this soile they are all those whatsoeuer of which I haue formerly intreated in any of the other Chapters no Manure whatsoeuer comming amisse to this ground prouided that the Husbandman haue this respect to lay vpon his moystest and coldest ground his hottest Manures and vpon his hottest and driest earth his coolest and moistest Manures the hot Manures being Shéepes-dung Pigions-dung Pullen-dung Lyme Ashes and such like the coole being Oxe-dung Horse-dung the scowrings of Ponds Marle and such like About the middest of September you shall beginne to Winter-ridge your Land which in all points you shall doe according as is mentioned in the former Chapters of the Clayes for in this Ardor there is neuer any difference onely this one small obseruation that you may aduenture to Winter-ridge this mixt earth sooner then any other for many of our best English Husbandmen which liue vpon this soile doe hold this opinion that if it be Winter-ridged so earely in the yéere that through the vertue of the latter spring it put forth a certaine gréene wéede like mosse being short and soft that the land is so much the better therefore being as they imagine both fed and comforted by such a slender expression which doth not take from the land any hart but like a warme couering doth ripen and make mellow the mould and this cannot be effected but onely by earely Winter-ridging At the end of September you shall beginne to sow your Wheate Rye and Maslin all which Graines are very naturall good and profitable vpon this soile and are to be sowne after the same manner and with the same obseruations which are specified in the former Chapter of the blacke clay that is to say the Wheate vnder furrow and vnharrowed the Rye and Maslin aboue furrow and well harrowed And herein is also to be remembred all those precepts mentioned in the Chapter of the blacke Clay touching the diuision of the fields that is to say if you haue three fields you shall then sow your Wheate Rye and Maslin in your fallow-field and so saue both the Foyling and double manuring of so much earth but if you haue foure fields then you shall sow those graines vpon that land from whence the same yéere you did reape your Pease your Wheate hauing no other Manure then that which came by the Pease your Rye hauing if possible eyther Manure from the Cart or from the Folde in such sort as hath béene shewed in the Chapter of the blacke Clay and this of Husbandmen is called Inam-wheate or Inam-rye that is white corne sowne after white-corne as Barley after Barley or hard-corne after hard-corne which is wheate after Pease Now for the Plough which is most proper for this soile it is to be made of a middle size betwixt that for the blacke Clay and that for the red Sand being not all out so bigge and vnwieldy as the first nor so slender and nimble as the latter but taking a middle proportion from them both you shall make your Plough of a competent fitnesse As for the Irons the Share must be of the same proportion that the Share for the red Sand is yet a little thought bigger and the Coulture of the fashion of that Coulture onely not full so much bent but all-out as sharpe and as long and these Irons must be euer well maintained with stéele for this mixt earth is euer the hardest and weareth both the Plough and Irons soonest and therefore it is agréed by all Husbandmen that this Plough must not at any time want his Plough-slip except at the first going of the Plough you shall finde that it hath too much land that is to say by the crosse setting on of the beame that it runneth too gréedily into the land which to helpe you shall let your Plough goe without a plough-slip till the plough-head be so much worne that it take no more but an ordinary furrow and then you shall set on your Plough-slips and Plough clouts also but I write this in case there be imperfection in the Plough which if it be otherwise then this obseruation is néedlesse Now for the Teame or Draught which shall draw this Plough they are as the former Oxen or Horses and their number the same that is prescribed for the blacke Clay as namely eight or sixe Beasts for Pease-earth for Fallowing and Summer-stirring and sixe or foure for all other Ardors for you must vnderstand that this mixt and binding soile through his hardnesse and glutenous holding together is as hard to plow as any clay-soile whatsoeuer and in some
Pollard Wheat that such Wheat will often mildew and turne as blacke as soote which onely showeth too much richnesse and fatnesse in the earth which the white clay mixt with red sand hath neuer beene séene to doe especially so long as it is vsed in any Husbandly fashion neither will the white clay mixt with red sand indure to be deuided into foure fields that is to say to beare thrée seuerall crops one after another as namely Barly Pease and Wheat without rest which the blacke clay mixt with white sand many times doth and thereby againe showeth his better fruitfulnesse neuerthelesse in generalitie I would not wish any good Husbandman and especially such as haue much tillage to deuide either of these soyles into any more then thrée fields both because hee shall case himselfe and his Cattell of much toyle shall not at any time loose the best seasons for his best workes and make his commodities and fruit of his hands labours by many degrées more certaine You shall also vnderstand that both these soyles are very much binding especially the white clay with red sand both because the clay procéeding from a chaukie and limie substance and not hauing in it much fatnesse or fertillitie which occasioneth seperation being mixt with the red sand which is of a much more hardnesse and aptnesse to knit together with such tough matter it must necessarilie binde and cleaue together and so likewise the blacke clay from whence most naturally procéedeth your best lime-stone being mixt with white sand doth also binde together and stifle the séede if it be not preuented by good Husbandry You shall therefore in the plowing and earring of these two soyles obserue two especiall notes the first that by no meanes you plow it in the wet that is in any great glut of raine for if you either lay it vp or cast it downe when it is more like morter then earth if then any sun-shine or faire weather doe immediately follow vpon it it will so drie and bake it that if it be sowne neither will the séede haue strength to sprout thorrow it nor being in any of your other summer ardors shall you by any meanes make your plough enter into it againe when the season falleth for other plowing The second that you haue great care you lay your Land high and round that the furrowes as it were standing vpright one by another or lying light and hollow one vpon another you may with more ease at any time enter in your plough and turne your moulde which way you please either in the heate of Sommer or any other time of the yéere whatsoeuer◠Now as touching the plough which is most best and proper for these soyles it would be the same in sise which is formerly directed for the red sand onely the Irons must be altered for the Coulter would be more long sharpe and bending and the share so narrow sharpe and small as can conueniently be made according as is formerly expressed that not hauing power to take vp any broad furrow the furrowes by reason of there slendernesse may lye many and those many both hollow light and at any time easily to be broken As for the Teame which is best to worke in this soyle they may be either Horses or Oxen or Oxen and Horse mixt together according to the Husbandmans abillitie but if hée be a Lord of his owne pleasure and may commaund and haue euery thing with is most apt and proper then in these two soyles I preferre the Teame of Horses single rather then Oxen especially in any winter or moist ardor because they doe not tread and foyle the ground making it mirie and durtie as the Oxe doth but going all in one furrow doe kéepe the Land in his constant firmenesse As touching the clotting sleighting wéeding and dressing of these two soyles they differ in nothing from the former mixt earths but desire all one manner of dilligence and thus much for these two soyles the blacke clay mixt with white sand and the white clay with white red sand CHAP. III. A comparison of all the former soyles together and most especiall notes for giuing the ignorant Husbandman perfect vnderstanding of what is written before THe reason why I haue thus at large discoursed of euery seuerall soyle both simple and compounded is to show vnto the industrious Husbandman the perfect and true reason of the generall alteration of our workes in Husbandry through this our Realme of England for if all our Land as it is one kingdome were likewise of one composition mixture and goodnesse it were then excéeding preposterous to sée those diuersities alterations I and euen contrary manners of procéedings in Husbandry which are daily and hourely vsed but euery man in his owne worke knowes the alteration of clymates Yet for so much as this labour of Husbandry consisteth not for the most part in the knowing and vnderstanding breast but in the rude simple and ignorant Clowne who onely knoweth how to doe his labour but cannot giue a reason why he doth such labour more then the instruction of his parents or the custome of the Countrie where it comes to passe and I haue many times séene the same to mine admiration that the skillfullest Clowne which is bred in the clay soyles when hée hath béene brought to the sandy ground hée could neither hould the plough temper the plough nor tell which way in good order to driue the Cattell the heauinesse of the one labour being so contrary to the lightnesse of the other that not hauing a temperance or vnderstanding in his hands hée hath béene put euen vnto his wittes ends therefore I thinke it conuenient in this place by a slight comparison of soyles together to giue the simplest Husbandman such direct plaine rules that he shall with out the study of his braines attaine to absolute knowledge of euery seuerall mixture of earth and albeit hée shall not be able distinctly to say at the first that it is compounded of such and such earths yet hée shall be very able to deliuer the true reason and manner how such ground of what nature soeuer shall be Husbanded and titled Therefore to begin the Husbandman is to vnderstand that generally there are but two soyles for him to regard for in them consisteth the whole Arte of Husbandry as namely the open and loose earth and the close and fast binding earth and these two soyles being meare opposites and contraries most necessarily require in the Husbandman a double vnderstanding for there is no soyle of what simplicitie or mixture soeuer it be but it is either loose or fast Now to giue you my meaning of these two words loose and fast it is that euery soyle which vpon parching and dry weather euen when the Sunne beames scorcheth and as it were baketh the earth if then the ground vpon such excéeding drought doe moulder and fall to dust so that whereas before when it did retaine moisture it was heauie tough