_Of the manner of plowing all simple Earths, which are vncompounded._
That many famous and learned men, both in Fraunce, Spaine, Italy and
Germany, haue spent all their best time in shewing vnto the world the
excellencie of their experiences, in this onely renowned Arte of
Husbandry, their large and learned Volumes, most excellently written, in
that kinde, are witnesses: from whence we by translations haue gotten
some contentment, though but small profit; because those forraine
clymates, differing much from ours, both in nature of earth, and temper
of Ayre, the rules and obseruations belonging vnto them can be little
auailable to vs, more then to know what is done in such parts, a thing
more appertaining to our conference then practise. But now, that other
kingdomes may see though wee write lesse yet wee know as much as
belongeth to the office of the English Husbandman, I, though the meanest
of many millions, haue vndertaken to deliuer vnto the world all the true
rudiments, obseruations and knowledges what soeuer, which hath any
affinitie or alliance with English Husbandry. And for as much as the
best and principallest part of Husbandry consisteth in the plowing and
earring of the ground (for in that onely _Adam_ began his first labours)
I thinke it not vnmeete, first to treate of that subiect, proceeding so
from braunch to braunch, till I haue giuen euery one sufficient
knowledge.
To speake then first of the Tilling of Grounds. You shall well
vnderstand, that it is the office of euery good Husbandman before he put
his plough into the earth, truly to consider the nature of his Grounds,
and which is of which quallitie and temper. To proceede then to our
purpose; all soyles what soeuer, in this our kingdome of England, are
reduced into two kindes onely, that is to say, Simple or Compound.
Simple, are those which haue no mixture with others of a contrary
quallitie, as are your stiffe clayes, or your loose sands: your stiffe
clayes are likewise diuers, as a blacke clay, a blew clay, and a clay
like vnto Marble. Your sands are also diuers, as a red sand, a white
sand, a yellow sand, and a sand like vnto dust. Your mixt earths are
where any of these clayes and sands are equally or vnindifferently mixed
together, as shalbe at large declared hereafter. Now as touching the
tilling of your simple clayes, it is to be noted, that the blacke clay,
of all earth, is the most fruitfull, and demandeth from the Husbandman
the least toyle, yet bringeth forth his increase in the greatest
abundance: it will well and sufficiently bring forth three crops, eare
it desire rest: namely, the first of Barly, the second of Pease, and the
third of Wheate: It doth not desire much Manure, for it is naturally of
it selfe so fat, rich, and fruitfull, that if you adde strength vnto his
strength, by heaping Manure or Compasse thereupon, you make it either
blast, and mildew the Corne that growes, with the too much fatnesse of
the earth, or else through his extreame rankenesse, to bring it vp in
such abundance that it is not able to stand vpright when it is shot vp,
but falling downe flat to the ground, and the eares of Corne smothering
one another, they bring forth nothing but light Corne, like an emptie
huske, without a kirnell. The best Manure or Compasse therefore that you
can giue such ground, is then to plow it in orderly and dew seasons, as
thus: you shall begin to fallow, or breake vp this soyle, at the
beginning of May, at which time you shall plow it deepe, & take vp a
large furrow, and if your Lands lye any thing flat, it shalbe meete that
you begin on the ridge of the land, and turne all your furrowes vpward,
but if your Lands lye high and vpright, then shall you begin in the
furrow and turne all your furrowes downeward, which is called of
Husbandmen, the casting downe of Land. This first plowing of ground, or
as Husbandmen tearme it, the first ardor, is called fallowing: the
second ardor, which we call stirring of ground, or sommer stirring, you
shall begin in Iuly, which is of great consequence, for by meanes of it
you shall kill all manner of weedes and thistells that would annoy your
Land. In this ardor you must oft obserue that if when you fallowed you
did set vp your Land, then now when you stirre you must cast downe your
Land, and so contrarily, if before you did cast downe, then now you must
set vp: your third ardor, which is called of Husbandmen, winter
ridgeing, or setting vp Land for the whole yeere, you shall begin at the
latter end of September, and you must euer obserue that in this third
ardor you doe alwaies ridge vp your Land, that is to say, you most turne
euery furrow vpward and lay them as close together as may be, for
should you doe otherwise, that is to say, either lay them flat or
loosely, the winter season would so beat and bake them together, that
when you should sow your seede you would hardly get your plough into the
ground.
Now your fourth and last ardor, which must be when you sow your seede,
you shall begin euer about the midst of March, at least one weeke before
our Ladies day, commonly called the Annunciation of _Mary_, and this
ardor you shall euer plow downeward, laying your ridges very well open,
and you shall euer obserue in this ardor, first to sow your seede, and
then after to plow your ground, turning your seede into the earth, which
is called of Husbandmen, sowing vnderfurrow: as soone as your ground is
plowed you shall harrow it with an harrow whose teeth are all of wood,
for these simple earths are of easie temper and will of themselues fall
to dust, then after you haue thus sowne your ground, if then there
remaine any clots or lumpes of earth vnbroken, you shall let them rest
till after the next shower of raine, at which time you shall either with
a heauie rouler, or the backside of your harrowes, runne ouer your
Lands, which is called the sleighting of ground, and it will not onely
breake such clots to dust, but also lay your Land plaine and smoth,
leauing no impediment to hinder the Corne from sprouting and comming
forth. In this same ordor as you are appointed for this blacke clay, in
this same manner you shall ordor both your blew clay & your clay which
is like vnto marble. Now as touching the plough which is fittest for
these clayes, it must be large and strong, the beame long and well
bending, the head thicke and large, the skeeth broad, strong, and well
sloaping, the share with a very large wing, craueing much earth, and the
coulter long, thicke and very straight.
Now touching those lands which are simple and vncompounded, you shall
vnderstand that euery good Husbandman must begin his first ardor (which
is to fallow them) at the beginning of Ianuary, hee must sooner stirre
them, which is the second ardor, at the latter end of Aprill, he shall
cast them downe againe, which is called foyling of Land, at the
beginning of Iuly, which is the third ardor, and wherein is to be noted,
that how soeuer all other ardors are plowed, yet this must euer be cast
downward: the fourth ardor, which is winter-stirring or winter-ridgeing,
must euer begin at the end of September, and the fift and last ardor
must be performed when you sow your ground, which would be at the
middest of May, at the soonest, and if your leasure and abilitie will
giue you leaue, if you turne ouer your ground againe in Ianuary, it will
be much better, for these sands can neuer haue too much plowing, nor too
much Manure, and therefore for them both, you shall apply them so oft as
your leasure will conueniently serue, making no spare when either the
way or opportunitie will giue you leaue. Now for as much as all sands,
being of a hot nature, are the fittest to bring foorth Rye, which is a
graine delighting in drynesse onely, you shall vnderstand, that then you
shall not need to plow your ground aboue foure times ouer, that is, you
shall fallow, sommer stirre, foyle, and in September sow your Corne: and
as these ardors serue the red sand, so are they sufficient for your
white sand, and your yealow sand also. As touching the ploughes fit for
these light earths, they would be little and strong, hauing a short
slender beame and a crooked; a narrow and thinne head, a slender skeeth,
a share without a wing, a coulter thinne and very crooked, and a paire
of hales much bending forward towards the man; and with this manner of
plough you may plow diuers mixt and compounded earths, as the blacke
clay and red sand, or the red sand and white grauell: and thus much as
touching earths that are simple and vncompounded.