2^,6 ' The Natural Hiflory 



And in refpeft of the foil, they conftantly choofe Corn that grew 

 on landoi a quite different nature from that it is to be /own on ; 

 but in general,, they defire it from land that is weW'm heart, and 

 rich in its kind. If they are to fow wheat upon tillage,zhey choofe 

 wheat fown before upon bean Stubs, and when they fow upon peas 

 or bean Hubs, wheat fown before on tillage ; for Clay ground they 

 have their feed from Red-land or Chalk. , is vice verfa ; for the o- 

 ther foils, that from Clay is efteemed the beft, though that from 

 Red-land is little inferior; for barly they count that beft which 

 comes of new broken laud', and for the reft, none fo good as 

 thofe that come from the richeft foils. 



74. Before they fow, if the place be fubject to the annoyan- 

 ces of Smutting, Meldews, Birds, istc. they take care to prevent 

 them either in the preparing or choice of their grain. Againft 

 fmutting they both brine and lime their Corn, fome making their 



brine of urin and fait ; or elfe fow red-ftraw^d wheat, which is the 

 leaft fubjeft to it of any. To prevent meldews, fome fow prety 

 early, judging Corn moft fubjeft to that annoyance when fown 

 late ; or elfe make choice of the long bearded Cone, that being the 

 lcaft fubjecl: of any wheat yet known to the inconveniencies of 

 meldews, and of being eaten by Birds, and therefore alfo fitteft 

 to be fown in fmall Inclojures, as noted before in the fixth Cha- 

 pter. 



75 . In Sowing they have their feveral methods, vi%, the (ingle 

 Caft, the double C ajl ; and as they call it about Burford, the Hack- 

 ney bridle, or riding Caff. The fingle Caft fows a Land at one bout ; 

 the double Caft is twice in a place, at two different bouts, viz. 

 once from furrow to ridge, and afterwards from ridge to furrow. 

 The Hackney bridle is two cafts on a Land at one time, and but 

 once about, though I find thefe two latter fomtimes confounded, 

 their names being interchangably applyed in different parts of the 

 County. The fir ft way is feldom ufed amongftthem, only by the 

 ancienteft Seeds-men ; the fecond is their ufual and moft certain 

 way ; the laft, though the neweft faChion, is but feldom ufed yet, 

 though fome have tryed it with good fuccefs, and perhaps may 

 hereafter bring it more in praftice, it having more fpeed than the 

 double Caft to recommend it to ufe. They have alfo a way of fow- 

 ing in the Chiltern Country ,which is called fowing Hentings, which 

 is done before the Plough, the Corn being caft in a ftraight line 



Jiift 



