36 | u\[atnrall Hifiory. 



Showers - y For that tb&Sume followcth not fo faft upon them : and wc fee, 

 even in watering by the Handy it is beft , in Summer-time , to water in the 

 Evening. 



The 'Differences of Earths , and the Trials of them, are worthy to be dili- 

 gently enquired.The£tfn&, that with Showers doth eafily Soften 3 is com- 

 mended j And yet lome Earth of thatkinde will be very Dry , and Hard 

 before the Showers. The Earth that cafteth up from the Plough, a great t7o^ 5 

 is not fo good,as that,which cafteth up a Smaller Clod The Earth^hsa put- 

 teth forth Mofi eafily, and may be called Mouldy ,is not good. The Earth, 

 that fmelleth well upon the Diggins, or Ploughing , is commended j As 

 containing the Juyce of V tgetables almoft already prepared. It is thought by 

 fome, that the Ends of low Rain-bowes, fall more upon one kinde of Earth' 

 than upon another : As it may well be ; For that the Earth is moft Rofcide: 

 And therefore it is commended for a Signe of good Earth. The Poernef of 

 the Herbs, ( it is plain,) fheweth the Poomefs of the Earth And efpecially 

 if they be in Colour more dark:But if the Herbs fhew withered , or Blafled at 

 theTop,it fheweth the Earth to be very Cold: And fo doth the MoflineJ? of 

 Trees. The Earth, whereof the Grajje is foon Parched with the Sua , and 

 Toafted, is commonly Forced Earth , and Barren in his own Nature. The 

 Tender , Chefjome, and Mellow Earth,is the beft j Being meer Mould, between 

 the twoExtreamsof Clay*, andSand-, Efpecially if itbenot Loamy, and 

 Binding. The Earth,, that after Rain , will fcarce be Ploughed, is commonly 

 Fruitful 5 For it is C/^wV/^and full of Juyce. 



It is ftrange, which is cbferved by fome of the Ancients , that Du(l help- 

 eth the Fruitfulnef of Trees ; and of r^<fs, by name : Inlomuch as they caft 

 Duft upon them of purpofe: It fhould feem, that that Powdring , when a 

 Shower commeth, maketh a kinde of Soyling to the Tree, being Earth and 

 Water,finely laid on. And they note, that Countries , where the Fields and 

 vrayes are Dkfly, bear the beft Vir.es. 



Jt is commended by the Ancients, for an Excellent Help to Trees , to lay 

 the Stalks , and Leaves of Lupines about the -Kcott } Or to Plough them into 

 the Ground, where you will low Corn. The Burning alfo of the Cuttings of 

 and Casing them upon doth much Good. An J it was general- 

 ly received of old, that Dunging of Grounds , when the Weft-winde bloweth, 

 and in the Decrease of the Mcon,doth greatly help fThe Earth (as it fcemeth) 

 being then more thirfty, and open to receive the Dung. 



The Grafting of Vinesupon Vines , (as I take it,) is not now in ufe : The 

 Ancients had it, and that three wayes : The firft was L.fition, which is the 

 Ordinary manner of Grafting : The fecondwas Terebration , through the 

 Middled the Stock, and putting in the Cions there; And the third was 

 Paring of two Vines, that grow together, to the Marrow ,and Binding them 

 clofe. 



The Difeafes and ill Accidents otCcrn . are worthy to be enquired ; And 

 would be more worthy to be enquired, if it were in Mens Power to help 

 them 5 Whereas many of them are not to be remedied. The Mil-dew is one 

 of tbeGreateft ; which (out of queftion) commeth by Clofenefjeot Aire', 

 And therefore in Hi/Is, or large Champaigne Grounds, it feldome commeth ; 

 Such as is with us York's maid. This cannot be remedied , otherwife 

 than that in Countries of fmall Enclofure , the Grounds be turned into 

 larger Fields : Which I have knowne to doe good in fome Farmes. 

 Another Difeafe is the Patting forth of. Wilde Oats , whereinto Corn of- 

 tentimes , (efpecially Barley,) doth degenerate. It happeneth chiefly from 



the 



