Part 8

The Ozier to come to his true profit and season asketh much pruning and trimming, as namely you must kéepe the stocke lowe, and neuer aboue halfe a foote aboue the earth, you must picke them cleane from Mosse, and from the slime and filth, which the ouer-flow of the water will leaue vpon them: you shall prune the small spiers, and make them grow single one by another, and if any shoote out a double stalke, you shall cut it away, you may head them euery second yéere at the fall onely, and though some head them once a yéere, yet it is not so good husbandry, nor will the Ozier be so tough or long lasting. The best seasons for the setting of the Willow, Sallow, or Ozier is, either any part of the Spring or Fall, and the best time to loppe the Willow or Sallow, is in the Spring for fence, and in the Fall for timber or fewell; but the Ozier would be cut at the fall of the leafe onely. And thus much for the bréeding of Wood in the rich champaine Countries.

CHAP. VI.

_Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber._

[Sidenote: What plashing is.]

Hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former Chapter spoken of the planting of all sorts of quick-sets, it is méete now that I shew you how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection. Know then that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age, you shall let it grow on without cutting or pruning, that then although it grow thicke at the top, yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the bottome, that not onely beasts but men may runne through it, and in the end it will dye and come to nothing, which to preuent, it shall be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your Quick-set hedges, in which there is much fine Art and cunning to be vsed. For this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke growth, almost to the outward barke, and then laying it orderly in a sloape manner, as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge, and then with the smaller and more plyant branches, to wreathe and binde in the tops, making a fence as strong as a wall, for the roote which is more then halfe cut in sunder, putting forth new branches, which runne and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes, doe so thicken and fortifie the hedge, that it is against the force of beasts impregnable.

[Sidenote: How to plash:]

[Sidenote: The time of yeare.]

Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge, though diuers Countries differ diuersly in these workes, yet as néere as I can I will shew you that which of the best Husbandmen is the best estéemed. First, for the time of yéere either February or October, is passing good, and the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued.

[Sidenote: The Tooles.]

For the tooles which you shall imploy, they would be a very sharpe nimble Hatchet, a good Bill, and a fine pruning knife. Now for the worke you shall enter into it, first with your Bill you shall cut away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse, or hinder your worke, and then finding the principall stemmes which issue from the maine roote, you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground with your Hatchet, cut the same more then thrée quarters through, so as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke, and some part of the outward sap, and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and downeward: then take those mayne bodies of the quick-set, so cut, and lay them sloape-wise from you, as you would lay a dead hedge, and all the branches which extend from those bodies, and would spread outwardly, you shall likewise cut as before said, and fould them artificially into your head, and euer within a yard or two distance, where a pretie Plant growes straight vp, you shall onely cut off the top equall with the height of your hedge, and so let it stand as a stake, about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches. Now when you come to the top of the hedge, which would commonly not be aboue fiue foote high, you shall take the longest, youngest, and most plyant boughes, and cutting them as afore-said, gently binde in the tops of all the rest, and so make your hedge strong and perfect: and herein is to be noted, that the closer and thicker you lay your hedge (so there be nothing in it superfluous) the stronger and better lasting it will be. Many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedges, but onely to lay the Quick-set and no more: but it is not so husbandly, neither is the hedge of any indurance: many other curiosities there be in the plashing of hedges, but this which I haue alreadie shewed, is sufficient both for the Husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding.

[Sidenote: The profit of Plashing.]

The profit which ariseth from this labour, is the maintenance and defence of fencing, the preseruing and encrease of Quick-set, and a continuance of amitie amongst neighbours, when one liues frée from offending another. It yéeldeth a good Mast for Swine, and with the ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings, repaireth all a mans dead hedges, and brings good store of fewell both to the Brewhouse, Kitchin, and Backhouse.

[Sidenote: The lopping of Timber.]

Next to the plashing, is the lopping of Timber-Trées, which in those Countries which are bare and naked of wood, is of much vse, and though I cannot much commend it, because it oft marreth the bodies of Trées, yet I must allow it for necessary, because it is a néedfull rate, which the Trées pay to their Planters.

[Sidenote: What Lopping is.]

[Sidenote: The season for Lopping.]

This lopping or heading of Trées, is the cutting off of the armes and vppermost branches of Trées, and suffering the body to grow still, and it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres, either at the beginning of the Spring, or at the end of the Fall, as you shall haue occasion to vse the wood, and immediately after the Moone hath new changed.

[Sidenote: How you shall lop Timber.]

Now for the manner of the worke, there is small curiositie to be vsed therein, if your Axe be good and sharpe, for you shall but cut off the armes and boughes, smooth and cleane without nickes, rifts, or gutters, or any thing which may receiue wet, whereby the Trée may be cankred and spoyled. Also in cutting away of the armes, you shall haue a great care rather to cut them away (if it be possible) vpward then downeward, least when you cut them downeward, the waight of the arme sodainly falling downe, riue and teare the barke of the body of the Trée, which is dangerous, and hath béene the spoyle of much Timber: which to preuent, you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue, make a good large nicke vnderneath, and then after cut it downe from aboue, and so the Trée shall receiue no hurt. Also you shall obserue to cut the armes close by the body of the Trée, and neuer to desist till you haue made the place as playne and smooth as may be, for to doe the contrarie, is neyther workmanly, nor the part of any good husband. And thus much touching the plashing of Hedges, and lopping of Trées.

CHAP. VII.

_Of Pasture grounds, their order, profit, and generall vse._

[Sidenote: Diuersities and vse of Pastures.]

Hauing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable Grounds, Gardens, Orchards, and Woods of all kindes, I thinke it most méete (as falling in his due place) here to write of Pasture grounds, which are of two kindes: the first, such Pastures as lye in wood land, mountainous, or colde climes, and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse, and therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of Cattell: the other such as lye in lowe, warme, and fruitfull soyles, and are most fertile and aboundant in encrease, onely imployed to the fatting and féeding of Cattell.

[Sidenote: Of barraine Pastures.]

[Sidenote: Signes of barrainnesse.]

And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture, which being somewhat barraine, is preserued for bréeding, you shall vnderstand that it is generally dispierced ouer all this Kingdome, and particularly into euery Countrey, for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth, such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same, and of those seuerall mixtures I haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of this Booke, which entreateth of errable ground. Then to procéede to my purpose, it is the first office of the Husbandman when he séeth and knoweth the true nature of his earth, and perceiueth from perfect iudgement that it is of very hard encrease, which as the temper and mixture of the soyle assures him, so also he shall better confirme by these fewe signes and Charracters, which I will deliuer: as first, if he sée grasse slow of growth, and that no Spring will appeare before May. If in stead of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, and Honisuckle, you sée your ground furnished with Penigrasse, Bents, and Burnet. If you sée much Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, or if you perceiue the scorching of the Sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it forth: or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of grasse; or if your ground bring forth Lyng, Bracken, Gorse, Whynnes, Broome, Bilburie, or Strawburie: or if your ground be morish, full of quick-myers, mossie or full of blacke Flint, any of these signes make it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease.

[Sidenote: Bettering of soyles.]

[Sidenote: Sowing of good seedes.]

[Sidenote: For abundance of grasse.]

And then as before I said it is the Husbandmans first office to prouide for the bettering and perfecting of his earth, which he shall doe in this sort. First, if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground procéedes from want of good Plants, as from want of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, Honisuckle, Cowslop, and other swéet flowers, then he shall repaire into the fruitfull Countries, and there buy the hay séedes and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers, which he shall euery Spring and fall of the leafe sowe, as thin as may be, vpon such Pastures, as he shall either lay for meddow, or preserue for the latter Spring after Michaelmas. But if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse, but the abundance of grasse, as those husbands doe which liue in or about great Cities, then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for meddow at Candlemasse; or those which he will graze or eate in the first beginning of the Spring, at Michaelmasse before, with the oldest and rottennest meanure he can get, of which the best is the rotten staddell or bottomes of Hay-stackes, or for want of it the meanure of horse-stables, swéepings, and scowrings of yards and barnes, the mudde of olde ditches, or else good Oxe or Cow meanure, any of which will bring forth abundance of grasse.

[Sidenote: The imperfection of meanure.]

Yet thus much I must aduertise the Husbandman, that this meanuring of Pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections, for though it occasion abundance of grasse to growe, yet the meddow or hay which comes thereof, is so ranke, loggie, and fulsome in tast, that a beast taketh no ioy to eate thereof, more then to holde very life and soule together. Also the grasse thus meanured which you intend to graze or eate with your Cattell, is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the roote, that Cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse, roote, and all, which being of strong & ranke sent in the mouth of a beast, maketh him loathe and cast it out againe, and so not striue to eate to be fat, but onely to maintaine life.

[Sidenote: To helpe a slow Spring.]

Now if your Spring be slow, and late in the yéere before your grasse will appeare aboue ground, it is méete then that you enclose your ground, and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke Quick-sets, but also with tall Timber-trées, whose shade and strength may defend many colde blasts from the earth, and adde vnto it a more naturall warmenesse then it had before, for it is onely the coldnesse of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow. Also in this case it is méete that you lay (as the husbandman tearmes it) all such Pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following, in Nouember before, & so not being bitten from that time till Aprill following, no doubt but your spring will be both good and forward. There be others which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe, who although they bite néere to the ground, and leaue little grasse behinde them, yet they so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure, that it will spring after it commeth to rest, much more early and faster then it was wont. So that to conclude in a word, to make a barren ground spring earely, is to kéepe it warme, let it haue long rest, and meanure it well with Shéepe.

[Sidenote: To help Knot-grasse and Speare-grasse.]

If your ground be troubled with Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, it is a signe of too much colde moysture in the earth, and in this case you shall with a great common Plough, made for such a purpose, turne vp great furrowes through your ground, and make them so descend and fall one into another, that not onely the moysture bred in the earth, but that which falls vpon the earth, may haue a swift passage from the same, and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry, all those wéedy kindes of grasse will soone perish.

[Sidenote: To helpe Sun-burning.]

[Sidenote: To helpe quarries of stone.]

If your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the Sunne, then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last soyle we spake of: for as that by too much moysture is made barraine by colde, so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with heate: wherefore the Husbandman shall in this case draw all his draynes, to bring moysture into his ground, which sometimes watring and sometimes ouer-flowing the same, will in the end bring it to a reasonable fertility, for it is a rule, that where there may be ouerflowes, there can seldome be any hurt by Sunne-burning, vnlesse that such soyles be vpon Limestone ground, or néere vnto other quarries of hard stone, which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of the grasse, doth so burne the roote, that the vpper branches cannot prosper. In this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then good, wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry, and partly by the labours of others, who are traded in such commodities, to let forth your ground to Stone-diggers or Lime-makers, who digging the quarries out of the earth, and then filling vp the emptie places with rubbish and other earth, the soyle will in short space become as fruitfull as any other, for it is onely the want of taking roote; or the burning vp of the roote, which makes this kinde of earth barraine.

[Sidenote: To help Ling, Braken, &c.]

Now if your ground bring forth Ling, Braken, Gorse, Whinnes, or such like: you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth, and lay it in the Sunne to dry, in the height or heate of Sommer, and being throughly dried, you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another, then putting fire vnto them, burne them into ashes, which done, spread the ashes, like a meanure, ouer all the ground, and you shall sée those wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground.

[Sidenote: To helpe morishnesse or quick-myers.]

If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers, you shall then by small draynes or trenches draw away the water, and turne it into some lower ditch or current, and so bringing the ground to a stability or firmenesse, there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse, will presently follow after.

[Sidenote: To helpe mossinesse.]

Lastly, if your ground be mossie, and bring forth in stead of grasse onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse, your onely best way to cure the fault, is in the Winter time to tread it much with the féete of Cattell, as by making of Hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground, and so fodring your Cattell about the same, and so yéerely altering the places of your Stackes or Réekes to goe ouer all your ground, & without doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse, and the meanuring of the Cattell, and the expence of Hay-séeds vpon the ground, will soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of barraine grounds.]

Now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds, it is to be vnderstood, that albe by the meanes before shewed, they may be helpt or bettered, yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of Cattell. Whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed, or vniuersall and common: whether they be Woods, Parkes, or Pastures, or Heathes, Mores, Downes, or other wilde and vnlimitted places, and these grounds shall be deuided into thrée parts, the first and most fruitfullest lying lowest, lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame, you shall preserue for meddow, and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same from Candlemasse, vntill the hay be taken from the ground. The second part, you shall graze or eate from Candlemasse till Lammas, which would be that which lieth most plaine and bleake, and most subiect to all weathers. And the third part, which is the warmest and safest, you shall graze from all-Hollantide till Candlemasse, and betwixt Lammas and all-Hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after-crop of your meddowes.

[Sidenote: What Cattell are to be bred.]

Now whereas I speake generally, that these barraine grounds are for the bréede of Cattell, yet you shall vnderstand me particularly, as namely, what Cattell for what soyle, for euery barraine earth will not bring forth Cattell alike, as some will beare a faire Cowe or Oxe, yet but a little Horse: and some will bring forth a very goodly Horse, yet but a very little horned beast, therefore you shall obserue that if your ground lye any thing lowe, or be subiect to much moysture, and so not extreamely barraine, but although the Spring be late, yet after it springeth, it yéeldeth a reasonable bit, this ground is fittest to bréede Cattell vpon, as Cowe, Oxe, and such like: but if it lye high and dry, if it be stonie or mountainous, haue much reflection of the Sunne: or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth, and in the best part of the Spring yéeld but a short, yet swéet bit, this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon: but if it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst, stonie or mossie, so it be replenished with any good store of Vnderwood, then it is fit to bréede small hard Nags vpon, or Geldings of a meaner size, Goates, wilde-Swine, or such like. And lastly, if it be extreame barraine, colde, and dry, and altogether without any kinde of shelter, but subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer, this ground is fit onely to bréede Shéepe vpon, as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of this Kingdome: so that to conclude, you shall beare in your memorie, that where you bréede your beast, would be reasonable bit: where you bréede your Horse good ayre and warmth, and where you bréede your Shéepe, there much spaciousnesse of ground. And thus much briefly for the nature and vse of your barraine grounds.

[Sidenote: Of fertill grounds.]

Now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds, whose very encrease and abundance of grasse, without any other curious relation shewes their fertility, there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering & disposing of them, for being naturally good of themselues, there néedeth little Art to the maintainance of the same, onely to haue an especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them, to the due time of eating them with your Cattell, and to obserue a fit proportion of rest for them, in which they may grow and gather head for the maintainance of such beasts as shall féede vpon them. And to these, as an especiall rule aboue the rest, must be added a carefull diligence not to ouer-stocke or loade your ground with more Cattell then it may conueniently beare, for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull, if it be ouer-prest with multitudes of Cattell, it cannot by any meanes yéeld you the profit of your expectation, but returne you losse and dammage.

[Sidenote: The deuision of rich grounds.]

These fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts, the one pastures, or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of Cattell all the yéere, the other meddowes, from whence you shall gather your Winters prouision of Hay, for the preseruation of your Cattell, which are either for labour or sale in the Market, and of these two parts I will speake seuerally.

[Sidenote: The generall vse of rich grounds.]

Yet before I begin to speake largely of them, it is méete you know the generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds, which is indéede the féeding or fatting vp of Cattell, either for foode in your owne house, or for sale in the Market, to the Butcher, Drouer, or men of such like place or profession. For indéede to bréede much vpon these rich grounds, is neither profitable to the Husbandman, nor is the beaste so bred, either so comely or Market-able, as those bred in the harder soyles, as wée may note in our experience, if we will suruay the bréedes of Cattell in _Gloster_-shire, _Sommerset_-shire, and _Lincoln_-shire, which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding rich and fertile ground: yet if we take view of them, we shall finde that albe they are tall and large, yet they are of slender shape, leane-thighed, crumple-horned, and oft tender and dry skinned, which is a fault very note-worthie amongst Graziers, and indéede are nothing so eyely and Market-able, as those beasts are which are bred in _Yorke_-shire, _Darby_-shire, _Lancashire_, and such like, all which are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds, yet haue goodly, large, and round bodies, close trust, thicke, and well coupled together, faire heads, veluet skinnes, and as the Prouerbe is, are so beautifull in horne and haire, that they are euery mans money, in euery Market. So that I conclude, that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good Cattell, and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of stocke, yet the generall vse, and that which is the greatest profit to the English husbandman, is to graze and féede the same.

[Sidenote: Of Pastures and ordering them.]

Now to procéede to my former purpose, touching that part of rich ground which I call Pasture, because it is onely for féeding, you shall first prouide that they be very well fenced, according to the nature of the Country, either with ditch, pale, rayle, dead hedge, or quicke-growth: you shall also sée that they be well stored with water, that is swéet and wholesome, for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious diseases amongst Cattell. These Pastures must euer be your highest ground, and such as lye safest from inundations. Those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of Nouember, you may féede at Candlemasse following with heilding beasts, or such as are but beginning to féede, but with your fat beasts not till our Ladies day after: those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to at Candlemasse, you may very well féede at May following: those which you giue rest to at May-day, you may féede at Midsommer, for then the spring is swift and plentifull: those you lay at Midsommer, you may féede at Lammas, those you lay at Lammas, you may féede in October, and generally all the Winter following: onely you shall obserue, that those Pastures which lye most in danger of water, or any other casualtie, be first eaten, least by too long delaying an vnseasonable time come, and so you be both preuented of your hope and profit.

[Sidenote: Manner of feeding of cattell.]