Chapter IV: Part 4

Nature which is the most perfect worke-mistresse of all things (as all the Philosophers say) but I say our good God out of his most diuine wisedome, hath allotted to euery soyle, if we will note it, through the whole course of this Kingdome, particular profit to sustaine and maintaine it, as to some Mines, to some Timber, and to some fertility of grasse and corne, and where any one of these are, there commonly some of the other is euer wanting, as we sée 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_, 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 figure, 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 he 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.

[Sidenote: How to set all sorts of Quick-set.]

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, bryer 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 first cleane mould, couer all the rootes close and fast, so as they will not shake nor stirre with your hand, then hauing raised the banke of your Dyke, and couered the lowest rowe 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 midst betwéene two of the first, though at least halfe a foote higher: then you shall couer that row 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 banke 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 some 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 be 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 slip 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 those 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 you 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 clean 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.

[Sidenote: Planting of greater Trees.]

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 preserue each in his true proper nature, and doe to them all the rights which is due to their growth, and in that time obserue which kinde of Trées in the generality prospereth best, and agréeth most naturally with the soyle. And of those Trées sée that you flourish your grounds most plentifully, the particular manner of planting whereof is already formerly declared. And hence doth _Kent_ and _Worcester_ shire boast of their fruit, _Windsor_, _Sherwood_ and _Hollam_ shire their Oakes, and other particular Countries their particular commodities.

[Sidenote: Of the setting of Willowes, &c.]

Now for the setting of Willow, Sallow and Oziers, it is a thing so vsuall and common, that it néedeth no great Art in the relation, yet because I would be loath that any omission should be taken for negligence, you shall vnderstand that in setting them you must first respect the place, which would euer be lowe and moyst, the water sometimes washing them, sometimes cooling them, and euer giuing them comfort. Now to speake first of the Willow it would be euer planted vpon bankes, where it may stand more dry then wet, for such prosper best, and endure longest, as for proofe some will continue, twelue, fiftéene nay one and twentie yéeres, where as those which are set close by the water, will hardly endure seueral, but not aboue nine yéeres at the most. Touching their planting, they be set two manner of wayes, but which is the best, is not yet agréed on amongst Husbandmen. The first is to take an Augure full as large in compasse (although much shorter) as that where-with you boare Pumps and with it boare a hole in the earth two-foote, and a halfe déepe, then hauing headed some of the choysest Willowes you haue, take the fairest and straightest of those lops, and then cutting the sloape-wise at both ends and leauing no superfluous twigs cleauing there-vnto, put the bigger end downe very hard into the earth, and then with the mould which came forth, with the Augure ram the earth close and hard about the Set, so as no reasonable strength may shake it. Now there be other Husbandmen which in stéed of the Augure take onely an Oaken or Ash stake, of the bignesse of an vsuall set, and with a Béetell driue it into the ground two foot and a halfe, and then by shaking and opening the earth, pull it out againe & then put in the Set as is before shewed, and beate and tread the earth close there-vnto, and there is no doubt of the well prospering thereof. Now for the defects which Husbandmen finde in these two seuerall plantings. Some say, that the Augure taketh out so much earth, that the Set cannot but stand loose at the roote, and so wanting full hold of the earth, either takes not at all, or continues but a little space. Others say that the driuing in of the stake beates the earth so hard together, that it withstandeth the passage of the tender sprouts, & so killeth the set, but both are deceiued: for these are but suppositions, and experience daily shewes vs, that these are the best and spéediest wayes of setting of all sorts of Willowes that euer any time brought forth, and I haue knowne one man set this way two hundreth Sets in a day, of which not one hath failed, but all prospered. Now for your Sallowes, you shall set them, and chuse the Sets in all poynts as you doe the Willow, onely they would be placed a little néerer the water, for they delight some-what more in moysture, as for the Ozier it would be set like other Quick-set in the side of bankes, so as it may almost touch the water, and as your Willowes or Sallowes would be set a little remote one from another, as namely tenne foote asunder: so these must be set close together, and in thicke rowes one against another: and these Ozier Plants you must cut from their head, being the principall spiers which grow thereon, and then cut off their tops, leauing them not aboue two foote long at the most, and of all other they are the quickest in growing.

[Sidenote: The vse of Willowes, Sallowes, and Oziers.]

And although Willow, Sallow, and Ozyer, are in our lawes estéemed but as wéedes and no Woods, yet they be so profitable, that the Husbandman can hardly misse them, the Willow and Sallow seruing for fence and fewell, to make Harrowes, Cart-saddles, & horse Hames, and the Ozyers, for fish Leapes, or Wéeles for Baskets, Scuttels, Fans to winnow with, and many other things full as necessary: therefore if you haue any marish grounds that are vselesse, bogge-myers, or Ilands in great riuers, let them be imployed to the nourishing of these profitable wéedes, and by making draynes through them to giue the water passage, you shall in small time bring them to earthes of great profit, which consideration were it rightly wayed, there would not be halfe so much wast ground as is in this Kingdome.

[Sidenote: Ordering of the Willow.]

But to my purpose, when you haue planted these Willowes, you shall after euery floud, sée if the water haue driuen any of them away, or displease them, and immediately mend them, and set them vp straight againe. If any Cattell shall pyll or barke them, you shall pull vp such Settes, and place new in their roome. Your Willow set would by no meanes be too long at the first setting, for then will neuer beare a good head, and too short is likewise as vnprofitable, therefore it is held to be fiue foote aboue the earth, is a length sufficient: you may head your Willowes once in thrée yéeres, or fiue at the furthest, and when you sée the bodies waxe hollow, you may cut them downe for the fire, and fixe new Sets in their places.

[Sidenote: Ordering of Ozier.]

The Ozier to come to his true profit and season asketh much pruning and trimming, as namely you must kéepe the stocke lowe, and neuer aboue halfe a foote aboue the earth, you must picke them cleane from Mosse, and from the slime and filth, which the ouer-flow of the water will leaue vpon them: you shall prune the small spiers, and make them grow single one by another, and if any shoote out a double stalke, you shall cut it away, you may head them euery second yéere at the fall onely, and though some head them once a yéere, yet it is not so good husbandry, nor will the Ozier be so tough or long lasting. The best seasons for the setting of the Willow, Sallow, or Ozier is, either any part of the Spring or Fall, and the best time to loppe the Willow or Sallow, is in the Spring for fence, and in the Fall for timber or fewell; but the Ozier would be cut at the fall of the leafe onely. And thus much for the bréeding of Wood in the rich champaine Countries.

CHAP. VI.

_Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber._

[Sidenote: What plashing is.]

Hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former Chapter spoken of the planting of all sorts of quick-sets, it is méete now that I shew you how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection. Know then that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age, you shall let it grow on without cutting or 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 roote 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.

[Sidenote: How to plash:]

[Sidenote: The time of yeare.]

Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge, though diuers Countries differ diuersly in these 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.

[Sidenote: The Tooles.]

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 quick-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 artificially 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 closer 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 hedges, 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.

[Sidenote: The profit of Plashing.]

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.

[Sidenote: The lopping of Timber.]

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.

[Sidenote: What Lopping is.]

[Sidenote: The season for Lopping.]

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.

[Sidenote: How you shall lop Timber.]

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 may be 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._

[Sidenote: Diuersities and vse of Pastures.]

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.

[Sidenote: Of barraine Pastures.]

[Sidenote: Signes of barrainnesse.]

And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture, which being somewhat 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 slow 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.

[Sidenote: Bettering of soyles.]

[Sidenote: Sowing of good seedes.]

[Sidenote: For abundance of grasse.]

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.

[Sidenote: The imperfection of meanure.]

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 meanured 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.

[Sidenote: To helpe a slow Spring.]

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 haue long rest, and meanure it well with Shéepe.

[Sidenote: To help Knot-grasse and Speare-grasse.]

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.

[Sidenote: To helpe Sun-burning.]

[Sidenote: To helpe quarries of stone.]

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.

[Sidenote: To help Ling, Braken, &c.]

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.

[Sidenote: To helpe morishnesse or quick-myers.]

If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers, you shall then by small draynes or trenches draw away the water, and turne it into some lower ditch or current, and so bringing the ground to a stability or firmenesse, there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse, will presently follow after.

[Sidenote: To helpe mossinesse.]

Lastly, if your ground be mossie, and bring forth in stead of grasse onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse, your onely best way to cure the fault, is in the Winter time to tread it much with the féete of Cattell, as by making of Hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground, and so fodring your Cattell about the same, and so yéerely altering the places of your Stackes or Réekes to goe ouer all your ground, & without doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse, and the meanuring of the Cattell, and the expence of Hay-séeds vpon the ground, will soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of barraine grounds.]

Now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds, it is to be vnderstood, that albe by the meanes before shewed, they may be helpt or bettered, yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of Cattell. Whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed, or vniuersall and common: whether they be Woods, Parkes, or Pastures, or Heathes, Mores, Downes, or other wilde and vnlimitted places, and these grounds shall be deuided into thrée parts, the first and most fruitfullest lying lowest, lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame, you shall preserue for meddow, and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same from Candlemasse, vntill the hay be taken from the ground. The second part, you shall graze or eate from Candlemasse till Lammas, which would be that which lieth most plaine and bleake, and most subiect to all weathers. And the third part, which is the warmest and safest, you shall graze from all-Hollantide till Candlemasse, and betwixt Lammas and all-Hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after-crop of your meddowes.

[Sidenote: What Cattell are to be bred.]

Now whereas I speake generally, that these barraine grounds are for the bréede of Cattell, yet you shall vnderstand me particularly, as namely, what Cattell for what soyle, for euery barraine earth will not bring forth Cattell alike, as some will beare a faire Cowe or Oxe, yet but a little Horse: and some will bring forth a very goodly Horse, yet but a very little horned beast, therefore you shall obserue that if your ground lye any thing lowe, or be subiect to much moysture, and so not extreamely barraine, but although the Spring be late, yet after it springeth, it yéeldeth a reasonable bit, this ground is fittest to bréede Cattell vpon, as Cowe, Oxe, and such like: but if it lye high and dry, if it be stonie or mountainous, haue much reflection of the Sunne: or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth, and in the best part of the Spring yéeld but a short, yet swéet bit, this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon: but if it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst, stonie or mossie, so it be replenished with any good store of Vnderwood, then it is fit to bréede small hard Nags vpon, or Geldings of a meaner size, Goates, wilde-Swine, or such like. And lastly, if it be extreame barraine, colde, and dry, and altogether without any kinde of shelter, but subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer, this ground is fit onely to bréede Shéepe vpon, as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of this Kingdome: so that to conclude, you shall beare in your memorie, that where you bréede your beast, would be reasonable bit: where you bréede your Horse good ayre and warmth, and where you bréede your Shéepe, there much spaciousnesse of ground. And thus much briefly for the nature and vse of your barraine grounds.

[Sidenote: Of fertill grounds.]

Now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds, whose very encrease and abundance of grasse, without any other curious relation shewes their fertility, there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering & disposing of them, for being naturally good of themselues, there néedeth little Art to the maintainance of the same, onely to haue an especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them, to the due time of eating them with your Cattell, and to obserue a fit proportion of rest for them, in which they may grow and gather head for the maintainance of such beasts as shall féede vpon them. And to these, as an especiall rule aboue the rest, must be added a carefull diligence not to ouer-stocke or loade your ground with more Cattell then it may conueniently beare, for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull, if it be ouer-prest with multitudes of Cattell, it cannot by any meanes yéeld you the profit of your expectation, but returne you losse and dammage.

[Sidenote: The deuision of rich grounds.]

These fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts, the one pastures, or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of Cattell all the yéere, the other meddowes, from whence you shall gather your Winters prouision of Hay, for the preseruation of your Cattell, which are either for labour or sale in the Market, and of these two parts I will speake seuerally.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of rich grounds.]

Yet before I begin to speake largely of them, it is méete you know the generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds, which is indéede the féeding or fatting vp of Cattell, either for foode in your owne house, or for sale in the Market, to the Butcher, Drouer, or men of such like place or profession. For indéede to bréede much vpon these rich grounds, is neither profitable to the Husbandman, nor is the beaste so bred, either so comely or Market-able, as those bred in the harder soyles, as wée may note in our experience, if we will suruay the bréedes of Cattell in _Gloster_-shire, _Sommerset_-shire, and _Lincoln_-shire, which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding rich and fertile ground: yet if we take view of them, we shall finde that albe they are tall and large, yet they are of slender shape, leane-thighed, crumple-horned, and oft tender and dry skinned, which is a fault very note-worthie amongst Graziers, and indéede are nothing so eyely and Market-able, as those beasts are which are bred in _Yorke_-shire, _Darby_-shire, _Lancashire_, and such like, all which are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds, yet haue goodly, large, and round bodies, close trust, thicke, and well coupled together, faire heads, veluet skinnes, and as the Prouerbe is, are so beautifull in horne and haire, that they are euery mans money, in euery Market. So that I conclude, that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good Cattell, and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of stocke, yet the generall vse, and that which is the greatest profit to the English husbandman, is to graze and féede the same.

[Sidenote: Of Pastures and ordering them.]

Now to procéede to my former purpose, touching that part of rich ground which I call Pasture, because it is onely for féeding, you shall first prouide that they be very well fenced, according to the nature of the Country, either with ditch, pale, rayle, dead hedge, or quicke-growth: you shall also sée that they be well stored with water, that is swéet and wholesome, for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious diseases amongst Cattell. These Pastures must euer be your highest ground, and such as lye safest from inundations. Those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of Nouember, you may féede at Candlemasse following with heilding beasts, or such as are but beginning to féede, but with your fat beasts not till our Ladies day after: those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to at Candlemasse, you may very well féede at May following: those which you giue rest to at May-day, you may féede at Midsommer, for then the spring is swift and plentifull: those you lay at Midsommer, you may féede at Lammas, those you lay at Lammas, you may féede in October, and generally all the Winter following: onely you shall obserue, that those Pastures which lye most in danger of water, or any other casualtie, be first eaten, least by too long delaying an vnseasonable time come, and so you be both preuented of your hope and profit.

[Sidenote: Manner of feeding of cattell.]

In the eating of your Pasture grounds, are many things to be obserued, as first for the féeding of your fat Cattell, you must by all meanes be sure that they haue full bite, which is to say, length of grasse: for cattell, whose tongues are the principall gatherers vp of their foode, neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground, except it be extreame hunger which compels them, and then they take little ioy in their foode. Next you shall oft (as any fit occasion will giue you leaue) remoue and shift them into fresh grounds, and not expect that they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome, but onely as it were scumme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof, and so they will féede both swiftly and throughly: and for that grasse which they shall leaue behinde them, you shall eate it vp after them with your labouring or worke-cattell, and lastly with your shéepe. It is very good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two: for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them, and sometimes to bite after them, there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or liking of each others tastes. After your grasse is fully knit, and hath receiued his whole strength, which wil be at Midsommer, then you may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground till after Lammas, because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse therein, springing from the heate of the Sunnes beames onely. These few obseruations well kept, there is no doubt but your Cattell will féede well to your contentment, then when you sée that they are sufficiently fed, according to the ayme of your purpose, whether it be for the vse of your houshold, or the vse of the Market, you shall forth-with imploy them accordingly, for it is both the losse of time and money, not to put them off by sale or otherwise, so soone as they are come to the end of your desire. For those rich grounds will sometimes make two returnes in the yéere, sometimes thrée, which is a great profit. And I haue heard sometimes of foure, but it is very rare, and the Cattell so returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto féeding, but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through the yéere, it is commodity sufficient.

[Sidenote: How to know a fat Beast.]

Now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill your Cattell when they are fat, except you haue the Art and skill to know the same, you shall obserue these few rules following, and they will sufficiently instruct you in the same. First, when you sée your beast in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and beautifull, each member being comely, and each bone couered, in such sort as a perfect shape requireth, as no eye is so stupid as cannot tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly, you shall then guesse the beast to be well fed, especially when you sée his huckle-bones round and not sharpe, his ribs smooth, not rough, his flankes full, his natch thick, and his cod round. This when you shall perceiue, you shall handle him, and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs, if you féele the skinne loose, and the substance soft vnder your hand, you may be well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly, that is vpon the bones. You shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones, and if that féele, vnder your hand, soft, round and plumpe, you shall be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly, that is, both in flesh and tallow: then you shall handle him at the setting on of his taile, and if that handle bigge, thicke, full, and soft, it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly: then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of his taile, and if they féele soft and loose, it is a signe that he is well fed, both outwardly and inwardly. Lastly, you shall handle his cod and nauell, if it be of an Oxe, and the nauell onely if it be a Cowe, and if they handle thicke, round, soft, great, and plumpe, it is a most assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within. And thus when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner, you shall iudge of the contrary effects. And thus much touching the knowledge of a fat beast.

[Sidenote: Of Meddowes and their ordering.]

Now for the second part of these rich grounds, which are meddowes, they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other, lying low and leuell, and being now and then in the Winter season washt with inundations, yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same: for as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle, to the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth, & bringeth it to barrainnesse, neither is it altogether necessary that euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed, for there be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare meddow in very sufficient manner, & although the lower meddowes doe abound in the plenty of grasse, yet the higher grounds euer beareth the swéeter grasse, and it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that the low meddowes do fill, but the high meddowes do féede, the low are for the Stable, but the high are for the Cratch, and that which is long will maintaine life, but that which is short will bréede milke.

[Sidenote: Preseruation of Meddowes.]

The chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes, is to defend and preserue them from Moales, and such like vermine, which roote vp the earth, and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse. Next, that you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest, & from thence, by small furrowes or draynes, to giue it a frée passage, so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant. Lastly, you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner, both for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow, as also for kéeping Cattell from eating them in the night or other times, which is a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from them: for you shall vnderstand, that if any ouerflow shall come vnto your meddowes after May, it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the grasse, that except very moderate showers fall swiftly, and sodainly, to wash it out againe, the Hay which shall be got of that crop, will both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome, and bréed in your Cattell many dangerous and mortall sicknesses.

[Sidenote: When to lay Meddowes.]

The best times for laying of meddowes to rest, is, if the meddow lye high, as in vp-land Countries, or if the soyle be cold, or the springing thereof slow, at Candlemasse: but if the ground be more warme, temperate, & of some more fertility, then you may lay it at our Ladies day in March: but if the ground be most fruitfull, then if you lay it at May-day, it will be early enough. Also in the laying of your meddowes to rest, you shall consider the state of the ground, as whether it be eaten néere and bare, and with what Cattell, as Horse, Oxen, or Shéepe: if it haue béene eaten bare with Oxen or Horse, then you shall lay it earlier in the yéere, for it will aske a longer time to grow againe: but if it haue béene eaten with Shéepe (although they bite néerest to the ground) yet you may lay it so much later, because the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground, will quickly hasten on the Spring: but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare, but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still, then you may lay them the latest. Also in the laying of meddowes, you shall consider whether they be common or priuate, if they be common meddowes, and that no olde custome binde you to the contrary, you shall lay them to rest earely in the yéere, that recouering a forward Spring, you may cut them so much the sooner, and so haue the better after-crop, and the longer time to eate it: but if your meddow be priuate, and at your owne particular disposing, then you shall lay it according to your owne necessitie, and the goodnes of the soyle, obseruing euer to giue it full time of growth, and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe, for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long (so the weather be seasonable for the withering of it) then to cut it two dayes too soone, because when it is too earely cut, it not onely looseth the strength and goodnesse, but also the substance and waight, and in the drying shrinketh and wasteth to nothing.

[Sidenote: When to mow Meddowes.]

Touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes: If they be laid in a due season, it is held of all the best English husbandmen generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after Midsommer day, as namely about the translation of Thomas, which is euer the seauentéenth day of Iuly, and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin that labour, if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth: but in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth, some being much more hastie then other some: and for as much as some meddow may as well grow too long as too little a time, as in high land Countries, where the heate and reflection of the Sunne will burne and consume away the grasse, if it be not gathered in a due season, I would therefore wish euery good Husbandman about a wéeke before Midsommer, and a wéeke after, to view his meddowes well, and if he sée them turne browne, if the Cock-heads turne downeward and stand not vpright, if the Bels and other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes, if your Honisuckles haue lost their flowers, and the Penigrasse be hard, dry, and withered, then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready to be mowne, and the longer it standeth, the more it will loose of the substance, and when any of the contrary signes appeare, as when the meddow lookes gréene and fresh, the Cock-heads looke vpright, the Bels are close and hard, the Honisuckles flowing and purple, and the Penigrasse soft and moyst, then is your meddow not readie to cut, nor will the Hay that is so gotten be other then soft, fuzzie, and most vnwholsome, no beast taking delight to eate of the same.

[Sidenote: The inclination of the weather.]

Now to these considerations, you shall adde a carefull obseruation of the state and inclination of the weather, and if you finde that the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie, then you shall forbeare to mowe, because that moysture will still maintaine and hold the grasse in his perfect strength so long as it groweth: but if it be once cut downe, then the wet will soone rot and spoile it: but if you find the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall with all spéede cut downe your Hay, for one loade got and brought into the barne without raine, is worth two that hath béene washt, though but with the smallest shower. There be some Husbandmen that in the mowing of their meddowes, will obserue the state of the Moone, and other planetarie coniectures, but they are fitter for those which séeke curiosities more then profit, for mine owne part I would wish euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe, and then to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons, which the rules already set downe will most amply shew him.

[Sidenote: The manner how to mowe Meddowes.]

Now for the manner of mowing your meddowes, although the generall act resteth in the hands of the mower, and that it is hard and impossible, in words, to expresse the Art of the action, nor is it néedfull that euery Husbandman be a mower, yet for those rules which the English Husbandman should know and obserue, I will in no sort omit them. You shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them smooth, plaine, and leuell, and as the Husbandman tearmes it, with such an euen board, that a man may no more but discerne the going in and comming forth of the Sythe: and this shall be done so close and néere vnto the ground, as is possible for the worke-man to get, especially if it be in publique and common meddowes, because the swap and first crop is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne: nay, you shall doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes: for although an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our Husbandmen, to say and beléeue that there is no losse in the sleight and insufficient mowing of priuate meddowes, because say they, what I loose in the Barne, my Cattell findes on the ground, yet they are much deceiued in that opinion, for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut, is no good foode, neither pleasant nor sauorie, but dry, hard, and bitter, and indéede no better then sower fogge, which may fill, but cannot nourish, and who then will be so simple, as not to preferre swéet Hay before such vnsauorie grasse? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse euen, and close by the ground, for it will make the fresh grasse spring vp with more ease, and be much pleasanter in taste.

[Sidenote: How to make Hay.]