FxiRMERS' REGISTER— TLSSER^S "FIVE HUNDRED POINTES. ■ 



27 



Instead ol' lullowiiig our author's plan, we shall 

 give a short view a^' some of the courses oi^ ma- 

 nagement he recommends. This will enable our 

 readers to perceive more clearly the justness of his 

 doctrines. We may first take notice of the agri- 

 cultural implements then in use. A description of 

 these is given in September, the beginning of the 

 English iarmer's year under the title of 'a digres- 

 sion to husbandry furniture.' Barn utensils are 

 first enumerated, which need not be minutely de- 

 tailed; though upon a reference to the book itself J 

 they will be found to have been complete for the 

 time. The two chief utensils are, ho^vever, want- 

 ing — the lanners and thrashing machine. The 

 stable utensils are next ad\-erted to; and then fol- 

 lows a description of the implements more imme- 

 diately connected with field operations. Both these 

 inventories contain hints which may be found in- 

 structive even to the farmer of the present day. 

 Tiie j)lough, harrows, and roller then in use, are 

 merely named; so no opinion can be given of their 

 consti'uction or fitness for use. In regard to the 

 first, it appears that both chain and swing-ploughs 

 Avere employed; and our autlior recommends 



'Two ploughs and a plough cheine, 2 culters 3 shares, 

 With groundclouts and sideclouts for soile that so tares.' 



Horses and oxen are stated generally to have 

 been employed in agriculture; but nothing is said 

 regarding their comparative utility. He however 

 recommends, with great propriety, that oxen to be 

 used in draught be kept in good condition, and 

 well shod. In regard to summer-fallowing, he re- 

 commends that it receive the first ploughing in 

 January, the second in May, and the thinl in July; 

 afler which to harrow it, and let it remain in that 

 state till it shall be found convenient to 'composse' 

 (dung) it, when it is to be laid up, by which must 

 be meant a fourth and last ploughing. With this 

 treatment the Tallow could not be properly cleaned, 

 the weeds having been allowed to grow from JNIay 

 to July; but as cultivated herbage does not seem 

 to liave been then introduced, this was probably 

 thought profitable management in the circum- 

 stances of the case. We shall take the liberty of 

 quoting our author's sentiments on this subject. 



'JANUARY. 



♦Who breaketh up timely his fallow or ley, 

 sets forward his husbandrie many a way. 



This timely wel ended doth fbrwardly bring 

 not only thy tillage, but all other thing. 



"MAY. 



••In Male atfhe farthest, tvvifallow thy land. 



Much drout may else after cause plough for to stand. 

 This tilth being done, ye have passed the wurst, 



then after who ploweth, plow thou with the furst. 

 'august. 

 'Thy fallow once ended, go strike by and by 



both wheatland and barlie, and so let it lie: 

 And as ye haue leisure go composse the same, 



Wheii up ye do lay it more fruitful to frame.' 



It does not appear that any drilled crops w«re 

 cultivated. Turnips are mentioned merely as a gar- 

 den crop. The crops cultivated are stated to have 

 been — wheat, barley, oats, peas and beans, fitches, 

 rj'e, flax, hemp and hops. Three varieties of 

 wheat are treated of— Avhite, red and gray. Peas, 

 white and gray, are spoken of as being in com- 

 mon cultivtition. No varieties of' oats and barley 

 flre adverted to. No mention is made of any pre- 



jjaration being given to any particular species of 

 seed to prevent disease in the crop; nor is disease 

 at all spoken of. He recommends early sowing, 

 and the selection of the best qualities for seed; and 

 is veiy particular in regard to harrowing and 

 draAving of water furroAvs. Nothing is said of 

 draining, which is rather remarkable. The ad- 

 vice regarding the management of dimg in Feb- 

 ruarj^ is incorrect, though too much sanctioned by 

 the practice of later times; but the mode of apply- 

 ing it is judicious, and too little attended to in the 

 jiresent day. Oji these subjects we shall qtiote 

 our author's words — 



'Who laieth on doong er he laieth on plow, 

 such husbandry useth as thrift cloth allow. 



One month er ye spred it, so stdl let it stand, 

 er ever to plow it, ye take it in hand. 



'Place doong heape alow, by the furrough" along, 

 where water all winter time did it much wrong; 



So make ye the land to be lustie and fat, 



and corne thereon sown to be better for that.' 



But it must be observed, that the dung, applied 

 at other periods of the year, is recommended to be 

 covered in as soon as convenient; and some judi- 

 cious hints are given in I'egard to collecting it. 

 The author is silent on the subject of leases, as 

 well as on that of serfs or bondsmen. The latter 

 had probably been all emancipated before his time, 

 and the fisrliier Avere perhaps Aery rare. 



Soils are not particularly treated of All that is 

 said of them regards their adaptation for particu- 

 lar crops. The author's sentiments on this sub- 

 ject shall be extracted. 

 'Each soil hath no liking of every grain, 



nor barlie and \A"heat is for every \'aine. 

 Yet know I no conntrie so barren of soile^ 



but some kind of corn may be gotten with toile. 

 'As gravel and sand, is for rie and not wheat, 



(oryieideth her burthen, to tone the more great) 

 So peasen and barlie, delight not in sand, 



but rather in claie, or in rottener land. 

 'Gray wheat is the grossest j'et good for the clai, 



though woorst for the market, as fermer may say.' 



The mode of cropping enjoined in the Booke of 

 Husbandrie is, in genera] agreeable to the loile 

 Avhich regulates modern practice. Tavo succes- 

 si\'e white crops are not recommended; but alter- 

 nate white and pulse crojjs, or fidlow, are directed 

 to be taken as the most advantageous. We can- 

 not do our author greater justice than by quoting 

 his OAvn Avords on this subject; from Avhich it will 

 appear, that his mode of cropping Avas, in the cir- 

 cumstances of the times, not only preferable to the 

 plans of cotemporary Avriters, but the best that 

 can be conceived in regard to the arrangement of 

 the crops then cultiA'ated. 

 'Otes, rie, or else barlie, and Avheat that is gray, 



brings laad out of comlbrt, and soon to decay; 

 One after another, no comfort between, 



is crop upon crop, as will quickly be seen. 

 'Still crop upon crop many farmers do take, 



and reap little profit for grcedines sake; [stand. 



Though breadcorne and drinkcorne, such croppers do 



count peason or brank, as a comfort to land. 

 'Some useth at first a good falloAV to make, 



toeoAV thereon barlie, the better to take; 

 Next that to sow pease, and of that to sowe wheat; 



then falloAV again, or lie lay for thy neat. 

 'Where rie or else wheat, either barlie you sow, 



let codAvare be next thereupon for to grow. 

 Thus having two crops, Avhereof codware is ton, 



thou hast tlic loss need to lay cost thereupon. 



