This plough of all others I hold to be most ancient, and as being the modell of the first inuention, and at this day is preserued both in France, Germany, & Italy, and no other proportion of Ploughes knowne, both as we perceiue by our experience in séeing them plow, & also by reading of their writings: for neither in Virgil, Columella, Xenophon, nor any olde Writer: nor in Heresbachius, Steuens, nor Libault, being later Writers, finde wée any other Plough bequeathed vnto our memories. Yet it is most certaine, that in many of our English soiles, this Plough is of little profit, as we finde by daily experience both in our clayes, and many of our mixt earths: for in truth this Plough is but onely for light, sandy, or grauelly soiles, as for the most part these forraine Countries are, especially about the sea-coast, or the borders of great Cities, from whence these Writers most generally tooke the presidents for their writings.
Now for the parts of this Plough, it consisteth of the same members which the former Ploughs doe, onely that in stead of the Plough-foote it hath a paire of whéeles. It hath also but one Hale, in such sort as the Plough for the gray or white clay. The beame also of this Plough is much more straight then the former, by which meanes the Skeath is not full so long. Of the plough-Irons. The Irons belonging vnto this Plough are of the fashion of the former Irons, onely they be somewhat lesse, that is to say, the Coulture is not so long, neyther so full bent as that for the red Sand, nor so straight as that for the blacke clay, but as it were holding a meane betwéene both: so likewise the Share is not fully so broad as that for the red sand, nor so narrow as that for the gray clay, but holds as it were a middle size betwéene both, somewhat leaning in proportion to the shape of that for the blacke clay. As for the Plough-slip, Plough-clouts, and other implements which are to defend the wood from the hardnesse of the earth, they are the same, and in the same wise to be vsed as those for the red Sand.
Of the draught. Now for the Draught or Teame which drawes this Plough, they are as in all other Draughts, Oxen or Horses, but for the number thereof they differ much from those which are formerly written of: for you shall vnderstand that in this white sandy soile, which is of all soiles the lightest, eyther two good Horses, or two good Oxen are a number sufficient to plow any Ardor vpon this soile whatsoeuer, as by daily experience we may sée in those countries whose soile consists of this white light Sand, of which wée haue now written: neyther shall the Plow-man vpon this soile néede any person to driue or order his Plough more then himselfe: for the soile being so light and easie to cut, the Plough so nimble, and the Cattell so few and so neare him, hauing euer his right hand at libertie (because his plough hath but onely a left hand Hale) he hath liberty euer to carry a goade or whip in his right hand, to quicken and set forward his Cattell, and also a line which being fastned to the heads of the Beasts, hée may with it euer when hée comes to the lands end, stop them and turne them vpon which hand he pleases. And thus much for the tillage and ordering of this white Sand.
Chap. IX.
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 bréede, meanes to raise good store of Manure, hée 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 indéede 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 wéeding 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 yéere, the same Séedes, 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, hée 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 sée 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 séed which is throwne into it. Secondly, you shall not goe about to gather off the stones which séeme 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 kéepe the sharpnesse of the Frosts and bleake windes from killing the heart or roote of the séedes, and also in the Summer it defends the scorching heate of the Sunne from parching and drying vp the Séede, 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.
Chap. X.
The manner of plowing the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, and the white Clay mixt with white Sand, their Earings, Plough and Implements.
Next to these grauelly soiles, there be also two other compounded earths, as namely, the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, and the white Clay mixt with white sand, which albe they differ in composition of mould, yet they hold one nature in their Tillage and Husbandry: wherefore first to speake of the blacke Clay mixt with red Sand, which (as before I said) is called of Husbandmen an hassell earth, you shall vnderstand that it is a very rich and good soile, very fruitfull both for Corne and Grasse: for Corne, being apt to beare any séede whatsoeuer: and for Grasse, as naturally putting it forth very earely in the yéere, by which your Cattell shall get reliefe sooner then in other soiles of colder nature: for both the blacke and white claies doe seldome flowrish with any store of Grasse before Iune, which is the time of wood-seare, and this soile will boast of some plenty about the beginning of Aprill at the furthest: but for Grasse we shall speake in his proper place.
Of fallowing. Now for his tillage it is thus: you shall about the middest of Ianuary, beginne to fallow that field which you intend that yéere shall lye at rest or tilth, and you shall fallow it in such sort as is specified in the Chapter of the blacke clay: onely you shall raise small furrowes and Plow the land cleane, being sure to open and cast the land downeward if the land lie high and round, otherwise you shall neuer at any time cast the land downe but ridge it vp, that is to say, when you fallow it, you shall cast the first furrow downeward, and so likewise the second, which two furrowes being cleane ploughed, will lay the land open inough, that is, there wilbe no part of the ridge vnploughed: which done, by changing your hand and the gate of your Plough, you shall plough those furrowes backe againe and lay them vpward, and so plough the whole land vpward, also laying it round and high: the reason for this manner of plowing being this, that for as much as this land being mixt of clay and sand, must néedes be a sore binding land, therefore if it should be laid flat, if any great raine or wet should fall, and a present drought follow it, neither should you possibly force your Plough to enter into it and breake it, or being broken should you get so much mould as to couer your Corne and giue the séede comfort, whereas vpon the contrary part, if it be laid high and vpright, it must necessarily be laid hollow and light, in so much that you may both Plough it at your pleasure, and also beget so perfect a mould as any other soile whatsoeuer, both because the wet hath liberty to auoide through the hollownesse, and also because the Sunne and weather hath power to enter and season it, wherefore in conclusion you shall fallow this field downeward if it lye high and vpright, otherwise you shall fallow it vpward as the meanes to bring it to the best Ardor.