THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



193 



" A hand-barrow, wheel-barrow, shovel, and spade, 

 A curry-comb, mane-comb, and whip for a jade.'' 



It was the approved practice in Tusser's days to 

 " sow timely thy white wheat, sow rye in the 

 dust." They were used also to put rye-meal into 

 their wheat-flour : 



" But sow it not mixed to grow so on land. 

 Lest rye tarry wheat till it shed as it stand." 



Thick and thin sowing had even then their 

 respective advocates : 



"Though beans be in sowing but scattered in, 

 Yet wheat, rye, and peason, I love not too thin : 

 Sow barley and dredge with a plentiful hand. 

 Lest weed, stead of seed, overgroweth thy land." 



It is evident that in those days the farmers were 

 not able to grow their corn on many soils where 

 the modern holders find no obstacles. Thus he 

 speaks of the difficulty th^y found in producing 

 barley in the parish of Branthara, in Essex, where 

 he farmed some land ; and, again, he tells us, what 

 will surprise the modern skilful Suffolk farmers — 



"In Suffolk, again, whereas wheat never grew. 

 Good husbandry used, good wheat land I knew." 



And he adds: 



"As gravel and sand is for rye and not wheat." 



He mentions several varieties of wheat then 

 grown by the farmers of the reign of good Queen 

 Bess, such as white and red rivet, white and red 

 pollard, Turkey and grey. But of this last he says : 



" Oats, rye, or else barley, and wheat that is grey. 

 Brings land out of comfort, and soon to decay." 



The land, however, was evidently farmed with 

 little skill : 



" Two crops of a fallow enricheth the plough. 

 Though t'one be of pease, it is land good enow: 

 One crop and a fallow some soil will abide. 

 Where, if ye go further, lay profit aside." 



His directions to the farmer with regard to the 

 treatment of his harvestmen and the poor gleaners, 

 and his warm hopes for the farmer's success, be- 

 tray the excellent benevolent spirit with which he 

 was actuated. He says : 



" Corn carried, let such as be poor go and glean. 

 And after thy cattle, to mouth it up clean ; 

 Then spare it for rowen till Michel be past. 

 To lengthen thy dairy, no better thou hast. 



" In harvest-time, harvest folk, servants and all. 

 Should make altogether good cheer in their hall ; 

 And fill out the black bowl of blythe to their song, 

 And let them be merry all harvest-time long. 



" Once ended thy harvest, let none be beguiled ; 

 Please such as did help thee — man woman, and 



child. 

 Thus doing, with alway, such help as they can ; 

 Thou winnest the praise of the labourmg man. 



" Now look up to God-ward, let tongue never cease 

 In thanking of Him for his mighty increase. 

 Accept my good will— for a proof go and try; 

 The better thou thrivest, the gladder am I." 



The " Book of Husbandry" of Tusser is also 

 interesting from the information it gives us with 

 regard to the customs and habits of the farmers of 

 more than two centuries and a-half since. It is 

 evident that they then lived very much upon salt 

 fish, for in his directions for the farmer's diet, he 

 mentions for Lent herrings and salt fish — at Easter 

 they had veal and bacon — at Martinmas, beef — be- 

 fore the feast of St. John, mackerel — fresh herrings 

 at Michaelmas — at Hallowtide, prats and spurlings 

 — for Christmas fare they seemed to have all the 

 modern standing dishes : 



'• Good bread and good drink, a good fire in the 



hall. 

 Brawn-pudding and souse, and good mustard 



withal ; 

 Beef, mutton, and pork, shred pies of the best. 

 Pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well drest." 



They evidently, however, lived generally very 

 frugally : 



" Where fish is scant and fruit of trees, 

 Supply that want with butter and cheese. 

 Quoth Tusser." 



They bought, in Tusser's time, such stocks of 

 salt fish as would amaze a modern farmer in these 

 protestant days, when, by the increase of green 

 winter food, cattle and sheep are kept easily 

 through the winter, and fresh meat is always to be 

 had. Few farmers would now think of under- 

 taking a journey to buy fish ; yet he directed the 

 farmer of the sixteenth century — 



"When harvest is ended, take shipping or ride. 

 Ling, salt-fish, and herring for Lent to provide ; 

 Get home that is bought, and go stack it up dry. 

 With pease-straw between it, the safer to lie." 



Such was the work of Tusser. That it was po- 

 pular, is evidenced by the rapid succession of 

 copious editions which fell to its lot. If he had 

 spoken in prose, as has been sometimes suggested, 

 he would probably have been more instructive to 

 the few, but he would not have been read by the 

 many. The popular details and histories of nations 

 escaping from rudeness are commonly given in 

 verse ; and many can learn these, who are unable 

 to read. Tusser, therefore, is deserving of the gra- 

 titude of the English farmer ; for his labours 

 tended, in the primitive days of England's agricul- 

 ture, to improve the profession he celebrated in his 

 verses. 



More than half-a-century elapsed, after Tusser's 

 work appeared, before Gervase Markham, in 1620, 

 published his " Farewell to Husbandry" — the 

 most carefully written of his voluminous works. 

 This, as I have before remarked, was entirely de- 

 scriptive of the rural practices of his time. Arti- 

 ficial manures had even then begun to attract 

 attention. For instance, Markham was aware of 

 the fertilizing power of salt; but then he mistook 

 the amount of the necessary quantity to be applied 

 per"aker." He was more correct in his direc- 

 tions for steeping the seed-wheat in brine, made 

 " so strong that it will beare an egge," of which 

 I recipe he very reasonably predicts " that the use 



