_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, especially 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 breede, meanes to raise good store of Manure,
hee 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 indeede 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 weeding 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 yeere, the same Seedes, and the same Earings being
euer to be obserued, wherefore it shall be needlesse to write so amply
of these soiles as of the former, because being all one with the white
Sand, without alteration, it were but to write one thing twice, 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 lands, hee 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 see 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 seed which is throwne into
it. Secondly, you shall not goe about to gather off the stones which
seeme 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 keepe the sharpnesse of the Frosts and bleake windes from
killing the heart or roote of the seedes, and also in the Summer it
defends the scorching heate of the Sunne from parching and drying vp the
Seede, 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.