Obiection. Now in as much as the ignorant Husbandman may very easiely imagine that I reckon vp his labours too thicke, and therein leaue him no leasure for his necessarie businesses, especially because I appoint him to foile his land from the middest of Iuly, till the middest of August, which is both a busie time for his Hay haruest, and also for his Rye shearing.
Answere. To this I make answere, that I write not according to that which poore men are able (for it were infinit to looke into estates) but according as euery good Husband ought, presupposing that he which will liue by the Plough, ought to pursue all things belonging vnto the Plough, and then he shall finde that there is no day in the yéere, but the Saboth, but it is necessarie that the Plough be going: yet to reconcile the poore and the rich together, they shall vnterstand, that when I speake of Plowing in the time of Haruest, I doe not meane that they should neglect any part of that principall Worke, which is the true recompence of their labour: but because whilst the dew is vpon the ground, or when there is either raine or mizling there is then no time for Haruest Worke, then my meaning is that the carefull Husbandman shall take those aduantages, and rising earelier in the mornings, be sure to be at his Plough two howers before the dew be from the ground, knowing that the getting but of one hower in the day compasseth a great worke in a month, neither shall hée néede to feare the ouer toiling of his cattell, sith at that time of the yéere Grasse being at greatest plenty, strongest and fullest of hart, Corne scattered almost in euery corner, and the mouth of the beast not being muzeld in his labour, there is no question but he will indure and worke more then at any other season.
Of Winter ridging. In the beginning of Nouember, you shall beginne to Winter-ridge your fallow, or tilth-field, which in all points shalbe done according to the forme described in the former soiles: for that Ardor of all other neuer altereth, because it is as it were a defence against the latter spring, which else would fill the lands full of wéedes, and also against the rigor of Winter, and therefore it doth lay vp the furrow close together, which taking the season of the frost, winde, and [weather, makes] the mould ripe, mellow, and light: and the limitation for this Ardor, is from the beginning of Nouember, vntill the middest of December.
Of the Plough. Now as touching the Plough which is best and most proper for this redde-sand, it differeth nothing in shape and composure of members from that Plough which is described for the blacke Clay, hauing necessarily two hales, because the ground being loose and light, the Plough will with great difficulty hold land, but with the least disorder be euer ready to runne into the furrow, so that a right hand hale is most necessarie for the houlding of the plough euen, onely the difference of the two Ploughes consisteth in this, that the plough for this red-sand, must be much lesse then the plough for the blacke Clay houlding in the sizes of the timber the due proportion of the plough for the white or gray clay, or if it be somewhat lesse it is not amisse, as the head being eightéene inches, the maine beame not aboue foure foote, and betwéene the hinder part of the rest, and the out-most part of the plough head in the hinder end not aboue eight inches. Of the coulture. Now for the Plough-Irons which doe belong vnto this plough, the Coulture is to be made circular, in such proportion as the coulture for the gray, or white clay, and in the placing, or tempering vpon the Plough it is to be set an inch at least lower then the share, that it may both make way before the share, and also cut déeper into the land, to make the furrow haue more easie turning.
Of the share. Now for the share, it differeth in shape from both the former shares, for it is neither so large nor out-winged, as that for the gray Clay, for this share is onely made broad to the Plough ward, and small to the point of the share, with onely a little peake and no wing [according] to this figure.
The share.
These Plough-irons, both coulture and share, must be well stéeled and hardned at the points, because these sandy soiles being full of moisture and gréete, will in short space weare and consume the Irons, to the great hinderance and cost of the Husbandman, if it be not preuented by stéele and hardning, which notwithstanding will waste also in these soiles, so that you must at least twise in euery Ardor haue your Irons to the Smith, and cause him to repaire them both with Iron and stéele, besides these Irons, of coulture and share, Of the plough-slip. you must also haue a long piece of Iron, which must be iust of the length of the Plough head, and as broad as the Plough head is thicke, and in thicknesse a quarter of an inch: and this piece of Iron must be nailed vpon the outside of the Plough head, next vnto the land, onely to saue the Plough head from wearing, for when the Plough is worne it can then no longer hould the land, and this piece of Iron is called of Husbandmen the Plough-slip and presenteth this figure.
The Plough-slip.
