_Of the manner of plowing the blacke clay mixt with white sand, and the
white clay mixt with red sand: their Earrings, Plough, and Implements._
As touching the mixture of these two seuerall soyles, that is to say,
the blacke clay with white sand, and the white clay with red sand, they
differ not in the nature of plowing, sowing, or in Manuring, from the
soyle which is mixt of a blacke clay and red sand, of which I haue
sufficiently intreated before: onely thus much you shall vnderstand,
that the blacke clay mixt with white sand is so much better and richer
then the white clay mixt with red sand, by as much as the blacke clay is
better then the white clay: and although some Husbandmen in our Land,
hould them to be both of one temper and goodnesse, reasoning thus, that
by how much the blacke clay is better then the white, by so much the red
sand is better then the white sand, so that what the mixture of the one
addeth, the mixture of the other taketh away, and so maketh them all one
in fruitfulnesse and goodnesse: but in our common experience it doth not
so fall out, for wee finde that the blacke clay mixt with white sand, if
it be ordered in the forme of good Husbandry, that is to say, be plowed
ouer at least foure times, before it come to be sowne, and that it be
Manured and compassed in Husbandly fashion, which is to allow at least
eight waine-load to an Aker, that if then vpon such Land you shall sow
either Organe Wheat (in the south parts called red Wheat) or flaxen, or
white 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
seene 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 three 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
three fields, both because hee shall ease 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 degrees 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,
proceeding 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
proceedeth your best limestone, being mixt with white sand, doth also
binde together and stifle the seede, 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 sunshine, or faire weather, doe immediately follow vpon it, it will
so drie and bake it, that if it be sowne, neither will the seede 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 yeere 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 hee be a Lord of his owne pleasure and may
commaund, and haue euery thing which 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 keepe the Land in his constant
firmenesse.
As touching the clotting, sleighting, weeding, 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.