Improvement of arable Land 245- 



and moft proper Means is to burn-beat it about 

 the End of September^ which will occafion a 

 very great Improvement: However, let your 

 Ground be in what Condition it will, Care 

 muft be taken in the Beginning of Winter to 

 till it either with the Plough or Spade. As for 

 the Planting of Hops, fome do it in Squares, 

 Checker-wife, which is moft convenient, if 

 you intend to plough with Horfes between 

 the Hills 5 others, in Form of a Quincunx, 

 that is better for the Hop. Which Way foever 

 it be, pitch a fmall Stick at every Place where 

 there is to be a Hill, after affigning the Di- 

 ftances, and laying out the Rows by Line 

 and Meafure 5 and when that is done, in 

 cafe the Ground be poor or ftiff, let fome of 

 the beft Mould that can be procured, or a 

 Parcel of the beft Dung and Earth mix'd, be 

 brought into the Garden 5 at each Stick dig 

 an Hole of about a Foot fquare, and fill it 

 with this Mould or Comport, wherein your 

 Plants are to be fet. The Diftance of the 

 Hills, in hot dry Ground, may be five or fix 

 Foot only ^ but in moift, deep, and rich 

 Mould, which bears large Hops, you muft 

 place them feven or eight Foot afunder 5 and 

 fo, according to the Goodnefs of the Ground, 

 you are to lay out the Hills. As for Compofts 

 for the Hop-Garden, if the Dung you intend 

 to ufe be rbtten, it muft be mix'd with two 

 or three Parts of the common Earth, and fo 

 left 'till the Spring, and that will ferve to 

 make up the Hills withal : Your Dung is not 

 S3 to 



