24.0 The Natural Hiftory 



and laying the Earth ftill upwards to the ridge') by which means 

 both Land and Corn lie dryer, warmer, and healthier, and the 

 Succeeding Crop becomes more free from weeds. After it is thus 

 prepared, they fow hw\thWheat,wh\ch is its proper grain ; and if 

 it be a ftrong ftiff Clay, with that they call Cone-wheat : and the 

 next year after (it being accounted advantagious in all tillage to 

 change thegrain) with Beans ; and then ploughing in the bean- 

 brufiat All- Saints, the next year with Barly; and amongft the 

 feveral forts of that grain, if the Land be rank, with that they 

 call [prat -Barly ; and then the fourth year it lies fallow, when they 

 give it Summer tilth again, and fow it with Winter Corn as before. 

 But at moft places where their Land is call into three Fields, it lies 

 fallow in courfe every third year, and is fown but two : the firft 

 with Wheat, if the Land be good, but if mean with Mifcellan, and 

 the other with Barly and Pulfe promifcuonfly. And at (omeplaces 

 where it lies out of their hitching, i. e. their Land for Pulfe, they 

 fow it but every fecond year, and there ufually two Crops Wheat, 

 and the third Barly, always being careful to lay it up by ridging 

 againft winter ; Clay Lands requiring to be kept high, and to lie 

 warm and dry, ftill allowing for Wheat and Barly three plowings y 

 and fomtimes four, but for other grains feldom more than one. 

 When at any time they fow Peas on this Land, the beft Husband- 

 men will chufe the Vale-gray as moft proper for it ; and if Fetches, 

 the Gore or Pebble-vetch : But if focold a weeping Clay that unfit 

 for thefe, then they improve it with Ray-grafs. 



59. As for the Chalk- lands of the Chiltern-hills, though it re- 

 quires not to be laid in ridges in refpeft of drynefs, yet of warmth 

 it doth: when defigned for Wheat, which is but feldom, they 

 give it the fame tillage with Clay, only laying it mfour or fix fur- 

 row' d Lands, and foiling it with the beft mould, or dung but half 

 rotten, to keep it from binding,wh\ch are its moft proper manures ; 

 and fo for common Barly and winter Vetches, with which it is much 

 more frequently fown, thefe being found the more Suitable grains. 

 But if it be of that pooreft fort they call white-land, nothing is fo 

 proper as ray-grafs mixt with Non-fuch, or Melilot Trefoil, accord- 

 ing as prefcribedin Chap. 6. . 33. 



60. If the Land be of that fort they call Maumy, confiding of 

 a mixture of White-clay and Chalk, and fomwhat of Sand, which 

 caufes it to work fo fhort if any thing dry, it is commonly fown 



with 



