6 
Jethro Tidl : his Life, Times, and Teaching. 
one names may be eliminated as dross — unknown, unworthy, 
obscure. This leaves forty-nine authors, thus distributed : seven 
judges or lawyers, four bishops and clergymen, eleven scholars, 
college dons, or Fellows of the lloyal Society, five soldiers, five 
land agents, four farmers, tlu'ee tradesmen or citizens, two 
farriers, two country gentlemen, one ambassador, one dissenting 
minister, two surveyors, one gardener and seedsman, and one 
medical man. Truly, it has been well said that in other things as 
well as in politics important reforms usually come from without. 
These are grand and ever to be remembered names : Littleton 
and Fitzherbert, both judges, the latter really the father of 
British husbandry, his work (1534) The Soke of Ilushandrie; 
old Tusser with his rhyme and reason, of whom it was well said, 
" Thou teaching Thrift could never Thrive ! " The older writers 
had a provoking way of mixing up agriculture proper with 
extraneous matter, as a chapter " on Brewing Compound Ale, 
a general purge and a generous medicine." The author of 
Adam Old of Eden, 1G26, Adam Speed, Gent., mentions 
turnips, potatoes, clover, hops, and flax. One of Gervoise 
Markham's books has a nice suggestive title, namely Cheap 
and Good Tlushandrij. Sir Richard Weston, ambassador 
(1645), by his Discourse of Ilmhandnj as used in Flanders 
laid the foundation of an improved agriculture in Britain. 
Turnips, clover, flax, and other crops were previously known in 
England, but differed from the crops grown in Flanders as wild 
plants differ from those under cultivation. Hartlib was a 
superior person, a friend of Milton and rewarded by Cromwell ; 
in advance of his day he suggested the foundation of an agricul- 
tural college, and died in poverty. 
The Civil War made the country gentlemen poor and conse- 
quently industrious. After the llestoration they became dis- 
sipated, and husbandry for a long time was left to the tenant 
farmer. Pepys notes this fact, " Our gentrj- are grown ignorant 
in everything of good husbandry." The Revolution brought 
many eminent characters to the front, one of whom was Walter 
Blythe (1G49). The City of London in his day petitioned 
against two nuisances, " Newcastle Coal in regard to the 
Stench ; and Hops to spoil the taste of Drink." He, like Sir 
Richard Weston, advocated the cultivation of green fodder 
plants and roots. John Evelyn's illu.strious name needs no 
heralding; philosopher, soldier, diplomatist, the Terra (1G58) 
and his Sijlca are known to all well-read agriculturists. 
Evelyn also wrote m his Diary, 1G84, " London is so filled with 
the fuliginous steam of sea-coalo that liardly could one see 
crosse the strcetes. ' Yarrauton in 1GG3 had an eye to the 
