34 AGRICULTURAL WRITERS. 



The book extends to about 120 pages, and contains chapters of tables 

 for measuring land and timber, pavements, boards, panes of glass, and 

 the manner of dividing off one acre or more of woodlands from many 

 other acres " lyinge together in one peece." 



He tenders the following advice on a true ynche (inch) : 



The length of an inch after some men's opinions is made by the length of three 

 barlye cornes, the which rule is not at all times true, for the length of the barlye cornes 

 of some tyilage is longer after the fatness or leanness of the land where it was sowen 

 upon. Therefore ye shall take the length of an inch most trulye upon an artificer's 

 rule, made of two foote in length after the standard of London. 



The last page contains a table showing " The correction of fautes 

 escaped." There are three subsequent editions in the British Museum, 

 dated respectively 1540, 1562, and 1564, from which it may be presumed 

 that it was a popular work. The 1540 edition bears the imprint, as 

 publisher, of Robert Wyer, dwelling in the Duke of Suffolke's Rentes, 

 beside Charing Cross. See also Le Neve's " Fasti," i. 487, ii. 150; and 

 Foster's " Alumni Oxoniensis." Early series. 



REYNOLDE SCOT. 



1538— 1599 (ahout). 



Reynolde Scot is the author of the hrst work on hops ; he was the 

 younger son of Sir John Scot, of Scots Hall, near Smeeth, in Kent, and 

 educated at Hart Hall, Oxford. His treatise is much more practical 

 than the generality of books published in his time. It appeared first of 

 all in black letter in 1574, and is dedicated to the Right Worshipfull 

 Mayster Willyam Lovelace, Esquire, Sergeaunt at the Lawe, who resided 

 at Beddersden (evidently Bethersden, near Ashford), Kent. He 

 recommends him " to look down into the bowels of your grounde for a 

 convenient plot to be applyed to a Hoppe garden," the virtues of which 

 he extols in the highest degree. 



In his day the hop must have been a lucrative crop, for he says on 

 page 5, " One acre of ground and the third part of one man's labour, 

 with small costs besides, shall yield unto him that ordereth the same well, 

 forty marks yearly and that for ever." A mark in those days represented 

 135. ^^d., labour cost but a few shillings a week, and rent a few shillings 

 per acre. The average crop grown to-day is greatly in excess of those 

 of these early times. This is to be attributed to improved general 

 knowledge on the subject of the prevention and mitigation of the 

 ravages of the fly, red spider, and mildew, and to modern appliances for 



