_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 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 yeere, I meane at Christmas) it
is thus:
{SN: Of sowing of Pease and Beanes.}
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 yeere, 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 seedes-man to sow the land with
single casts, as was shewed vpon the blacke clay, with this caution,
that the greater your seede 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.
{SN: Of sowing of Barley.}
After the beginning of March, you shall beginne to sow your Barley vpon
that ground which the yeere 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 baukes 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.
{SN: Of sowing Oates.}
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 neede
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 feeding of all manner of
Poultry. The time for sowing of your Barley and Oates, is from 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.
{SN: Of Fallowing.}
{SN: Of sleighting Barley.}
About the middest of Aprill you shall beginne to fallow that part of
your ground, which you entend shall take rest that yeere, 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 betweene 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 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.
{Illustration: 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 beetels, 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.
{SN: Of Summer-stirring.}
{SN: Of weeding.}
{SN: Of stone gathering.}
Your Barley being thus laide smooth, you shall then follow your other
necessary businesses, as preparing of your fewell, and other needements
for houshould, vntill the beginning of Iune, at which time you shall
beginne to Summer-stirre your fallow field, which shalbe 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 Cornefields, that is to say: first into your Wheate and Rye field,
and if there you shall finde any store of weedes, as Thistell, Darnell,
Tare-Cockle, or such like, you shall with weede-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 Villages, 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 weeded your Wheate and Rye, you shall then
weede 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.
{SN: Of foyling.}
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 weede, 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 wilbe when the
seede is sowne into it: And the season for the foiling of this soile is
from the midst of Iuly till the midst of September.
{SN: Of Manuring.}
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 seede
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 Sheepes
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.
{SN: The vse of Pigion or Pullen-dung.}
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 Seede-time, and at no other season. This manure
is of the same nature that sheepes manure is, and doth last but onely
for one yeere, 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.
{SN: Of sowing Wheate.}
After your land is foild, 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 choice of seede, and euery obseruation being all one:
for Wheate 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, see 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 Seede, and also obserue to helpe it
with manure, or else sheepes folding, in such manner as is described in
the former Chapter, where I spake of the sowing of Wheate, Rye, and
Maslin.
{SN: Of winter-ridging.}
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 yeere: 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 yeeres worke is made perfect and
compleate.
{SN: Obseruations.}
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 fluxes or colde moistures, neyther binding
or strangling the Seede, 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 drowning, in
this case you shall lay your lands large and high, with high ridges and
deepe furrowes, as generally you see 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 weedes, then you shall lay
your land in little stiches, that is to say, not aboue three or foure
furrowes at the most together, as is generally seene in Middlesex,
Hartford-shire, Kent and Surrey: for by that meanes neither shall the
land binde and choake the Corne, nor shall the weede 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.
{SN: Of the Plough.}
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 exceeding much from that of which we spake concerning the
blacke clay: I, and in such sort, that there is but small alliance or
affinitie betweene 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.
{Illustration: 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 Plow-man 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 you must neuer turne the shelboard, because the rising wing
of the Share will so defend it, that it will euer last as long as the
Plough-head, without change or turning.
Now for the Irons belonging vnto this Plough, which is the Share and
Coulture, there is more difference in them then in the Plough: for to
speake first of the Share, whereas the former Share for the blacke clay,
was made broad, plaine, and with a large wing, this Share must be made
narrow, sharpe, and small, with no wing at all, hauing from the vpper
part thereof, close by the shelboard, a certaine rising wing, or broad
piece of Iron, which comming vp and arming that part of the shelboard
which turnes ouer the land, defends the wood from the sharpe mould,
which hauing the mixture of pible stone in it, would otherwise in lesse
then one dayes worke consume the shelboard vnto nothing, forcing the
Plow-man to much trouble and double cost. The fashion of the Share is
presented in this Figure following.
{Illustration: The Share.}
This Share is onely made that it may take a small furrow, and so by
breaking the earth oftner then any other Share, causeth the land to
yeeld a good and plentifull mould, and also keepe it from binding or
choaking the seede when it is cast into it.
Now for the Coulture, it differeth from the former Coulture both in
breadth and thicknesse, but especially in compasse: for whereas the
former Coulture for the blacke clay, was made straight, narrow, and
thicke, this must be compassed like an halfe bent bow: it must be
broader then three fingers, and thinner then halfe an inche, according
to this Figure.
{Illustration: The Coulture.}
Now when these Irons, the Shelboard, and other implements are fixed vnto
the Plough, you shall perceiue that the Plough will carry the proportion
of this Figure following.
{Illustration: The Plough for the gray Clay.}
Hauing thus shewed you the substance, difference, and contraries of
these two Ploughs, which belong to these two seuerall clayes, the blacke
and gray, you shall vnderstand that there is no clay-ground whatsoeuer,
which is without other mixture, but one of these Ploughs will
sufficiently serue to eare and order it: for all clayes are of one of
these tempers.
{SN: The vse and handling.}
Now for the vse and manner of handling or holding this Plough, it
differeth nothing in particular obseruation from the vse and handling
of the Plough formerly described, more then in the largenesse and
smalnesse of the furrowes: for as before I said, whereas the blacke clay
must be raised with a great furrow, and a broad stitch, this gray clay
must be raised with a small furrow, and a narrow stitch: and although
this plough haue nothing but a left hand Hale, yet considering the
Plough-staffe, vpon which the Plow-man resteth his right hand, it is all
one as if he had a right. And indeede, to make your knowledge the more
perfect, you shall know that these gray clayes are generally in their
owne natures so wet, tough, and slimy, and doe so clogge, cleaue, and
choake vp the Plough, that hee which holds it shall haue enough to doe
with his right hand onely to clense and keepe the Plough from choaking,
insomuch that if there were another Hale, yet the Plow-man should haue
no leasure to hold it.
{SN: Of the draught or Teame.}
Now for the Draught or Teame which should draw this Plough, they ought
in all points, as well in strength as tryuing to be the same with those
before shewed for the vse of the blacke clay: as namely, eyther Oxen or
Horse, or Horse and Oxen mixt together, according to the custome of the
soile wherein the Plow-man liues, or his abilitie in prouision,
obseruing euer to keepe his number of beasts for his Plough certaine,
that is to say, for fallowing, and Pease-earth, neuer vnder sixe, and
for all other Ardors foure at the least. And thus much for the plowing
of this gray or white clay.