9
Ground compassed wel and a following[2] yeare,
(if wheat or thy barlie too ranke doo appeare)
Now eat it with sheepe or else mowe it ye may,
for ledging, and so, to the birds for a pray.
¶ Wéeding.
10
In Maie get a weede hooke, a [crotch] and a gloue,[E309]
and weed out such weedes as the corne doth not loue:
For weeding of winter corne now it is best,
but June is the better for weeding the rest.
Ill wéeds.
11
The May weed doth burn[E310] and the thistle doth [freat],[E311]
the fitchis[3] pul downward,[E312] both rie and the wheat.
The brake and the cockle[E313] be noisome too much,
yet like vnto [boddle][E314] no weede there is such.
¶
12
Slack neuer thy weeding, for dearth nor for cheape,
the corne shall reward it er euer ye reape.
And specially where ye doo trust for to [seede],[4]
let that be well vsed, the better to speede.
Sowing of branke.
13
In Maie is good sowing, thy buck[E315] or thy branke,[E316]
that black is as pepper, and smelleth so ranke.
It is to thy land, as a comfort or [muck],
and al thing it maketh as fat as a buck.
14[5]
Sowe buck after barlie, or after thy wheat,
a peck to a roode (if the measure be great);
Three earthes see ye giue it, and sowe it aboue,
and harrow it finelie if buck ye doo loue.