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ANEW SYSTEM

HUSBANDRY,

From many Years Experience,

WITH TABLES SHEWING THE

Expence and Profit of each Crop;

That a Farm of a I50^cres will clear 402!, 4s, fterj, a Yeac
How to ftock Farms to the bei Advantage, How the

C^CPS are to follow each other by Way of Rotation,

Of Trench-Ploughing, fliewiog how to raif; good Crops

WITHOUT MANURE

0.1 Rearing, Breeding, and a new difcovered

CHEAP FOOD FOR CATTLE,

Of Cabbage and Turnip Hufbandry
Of the Naked Wheat, with many othei- lsw difcovered

Grains and Graffes fuitable for the Land
and Climate of America.

Alfo (hewing the great profit of Rabbit Warrens, and
how to Uock tl\8ro,

A Farmer's and Kitchen Garden Calendar
Of all Sorts of Manures. Marls^ Claysj Sands, &c,
ANEW INDENTED THRASHING FLOOlt

Alfo many chofen RECEIPTS in PhyJJc and Surgtry^

For the Human Species,

and others

For the Cure 'of all forts of Cattle.

To which are annexed a few Hints humbly offered for the
perufal of the Legiflatorj of America, fliewing

How to put^ftop to runaway Servants
" '"By C^ V^A R L O, Efq,

VOLUME lU

PHIL A D EL PHIA: Printed for the Author. 1785,
[Prus 3 dsllars in Icardi or 3 and a haf bo.nd.

CONTENTS.

V^ HAP. I The management of white
Max. Page ■^

2 The pulling, watering and ma-
nagement of flax feed, kc, 12

3 Diredions for the management
of black or bunch rate flax, bzc. i ^

4 DirecfHons how to manage dew
rate flax, he, 10

5 Directions for breaking &c fwing-
ling flax without fire. 2 2

6 Obfervations on flax-feed &:c. 26

7 Diredions for making French
fieves, and their ufe. ^ r

8 On winter flax. ^y

9 On flax among potatoes. 41

10 The management of white flax,
in pulling, watering, grafling, &cc. 4;

1 1 An Addrefs to the different Le-
^iflatures of America, &cc. " 48

1 2 A few hints humbly offered for
the perufal of the Legiflatures of America,
on a general act of Congrefs to prevent
run-away fervants, rr

1,3 A few hints humbly offered for
the perufal of the Legiflature of America,
relating to a dog ad, &:c. 5^^

14 Upon limiting the fizc of
farms. - 5 j

J>50'\ Chap.

HV\ 27471'

CONTENTS

^Pagc

Chap. 15 On the great advantage tliat might

accrue from rabbit warrens, ix:c. 77

16 How to fct potatoes in drills with
the plough. Xz

1 7 Remarks on fetting potatoes with
the plough. S6

18 Remarks and lUuflrations on the
foregoing table on potatoes, 5cc. 90

1 9 On ferting potatoes as in Ireland
on ridges by trenching. 92

20 On different ibrts potatoes 97
21. The management and ufe of"

vetches. ici

22 Explanation and nature of dif-
ferent fbrts of puKc, &CC, 106

23 On the ditierent management of
clover, 6cc. iio

24. On cattle hoved by clover, and
its cure. 119

25 Remarks on clover. 126

26 On lucerne, its perfection and
management : alfa the method of drilling
with the common plough, inc. 12S

27 The moft fuitablc lands r.nd cli-
mate for lucerne, 6cc. 13^

2S How to manage faintfoin, which
fuits America. ' 139

29 On rye grafs, its perfediion and
maniigement. 14^

Chap

CONTENTS

Chap. 30 The perfe^lion and management

of Burnet. Page 150

31 On manuring land. 154

3 2 On manures in general 157

;^^ On the compound manure. 166

34 On liquid manure. 169

3 5 On clay and fand : (hewing how,

when mixed together, they operate to

make ^ood foil, bcc. 173

j6 On clay, fand and marl 18 1

3 7 On the weakell and woril of all
fands. Sec. 1S5

38 On different forts of grafs and
puUe, Sec. 193

^g The management, &cc. of the
white and blue boiling pea. 199

40 The management and perfedion
of the grey field pea 202

41 Directions for the plowing, fow-
ing and management of buck-wheat,
thro' all its variations. 205

4 2 Directions how to raife rape and
cole-feed. Sec. 208

43 Dire(^lions for making a new m-
vented thrafhing floor. 221

44 The management of tobacco 224

45 The management of ind ian
corn. 228

46 General direcftions for ploughing
fowing, harrowing and mowing, or har-
I'cfting barley. 23 1

Chap.

CONTENTS

Chap. 47 On mowing and harvefling Tpiing
corn. P^ge 234

48 Five forts of barley 239

49 Different forts of Jand for bar-
ley. 244

50 The management of rye, both
for winter-feeding and a feed corp 246

51 Remarks and illiiflrations on
rye 249

52 Diredions for ploughing, fow-
ing and harvefling oats 253

^3 Explanation of fix different forts

of oats. 256

54 The white vetch. 262

^^5 The Siberian or naked wheat 263

56 A dialouge between a Farmer
and the Author 269

57 A few remarks made in the
Weft of England. 274

^8 On thin fowing, bcc. 2^1

The gardeners calender, for work to be
done round the year in the kitchen-
garden 284

59 Preface to the appendix 310

60 Nature of the foil, and price of
the land, with many other interefting
ilibjeas, neccflary for a farmer to know
through Ireland. 3 13

Chap,

CONTENTS

Chap, 6 1 Trenching land near Glafgow
with fpades P^g^ 3 42

62 The price of labour and viduals
in the feveral counties of Ireland, in or-
der to give an idea of the different flate of
the two kingdoms 345

6;^ Some approved receipts in phy-
fic and furgery, by the moft able men of
the faculty in England. 352

NEW SYSTEM

O F

HUSBANDRY.

CHAP. I.

'The management of White Flax,

AMONG the flax growers the word
white flax fignifies when the flax is
pulled before the feed is quite ripe, by which
the oil is flopped of circulation, and remains
in the fkin inilead of reaching to the feed to
ripen it.

The intent of watering or rating, flax, is to
rot the ftalks, in order to make it part free-
ly from the Ikin, when drelTed : as alfo to
foften, purge, andclcanfe, or difcharge any
unkind harlh matter from it ; but the oil be-
i^g fo ftagnated, preferves the flax from rot-
' Vol.11. B ting

ILCSUiUiMUgt

5 A NEW SYSTEM

ting in any reafonablc time, not letting the
water have the power over it, as it has over
a poor fubftance: were it poffible to extract
all the oily fubflance frDm the flax, it would
be left as poor as the ftalk whereon it grows,
confequently would rot in the fame time,
and be rendered as ufelefs.

This confirms my opinion, that the lefs
quantity of water the flax is rated in, the
better, filkicr, and ftronger it is made by the
oily fubllance whicl! is permitted to remain
therein ; for the beft particles gather and
cling to the ftrongefl body, (being the flax)
which makes it weigh heavy, adds to the
llrength, and makes it of a kind, foft, filky
nature.

I am confident, were a parcel of flax kcd
thrown into one of thefe pits, for fome con-
fiderable time before the flax was put in, fo
that it might have time to incorporate with
the water, it would have a happy €fFe(^, and
confiderably add to the goodncfi of the flax.
I do not fay that it would be worth v»'hile to
do this, further than byway of experiment
and proof.

I have thrown chaff", that has had fome
light feed amongft ic into a pit, and found
it to be of fervice.

An old pit that has had flax watered
in it feveral years, is far better than a new

made

OF HUSBANDRY. 7

m^ide pit; and one that has had white flax
with the feed on, watered in it, is better than
one that has been uled for bunch rate, of
flax that has had the feed taken off, only
that it turns it a dark blue colour, which by
the bye is better than a bad white. All this
I have feen experienced by others, as well
as myfelf.

Now feeing it is fo abfolutely necefTary for
the good of the flax to prelerve this oily kind
nature in it, in order to keep it from rotting
and make it kind, foft and filky, what a piece
of abfurdity it is to drive it out by drying it
over the fire, as is univerfally pradiifed in
Ireland ; and indeed by fome unfkiiful farm-
ers in England too, where they are flrangers
to the true method.

In fhort, it is rendered harfh and brittle,
fo that it lofes confiderably in its real weight
and goodnefs, and thereby lofes in its value.

In order to be convinced of this, weigh as
many flieaves as will (when broken and
fwingled) make two flone; one half of which
dry over the fire, the other half drefs with-
out, and it will be found that when both
are drefl'ed, the difference in weight will be
from a pound and a half to two pounds ;
a great lofs in fo fmall a quantity of flax.

The experienced flax-farmers are fo fenfi*
ble of the real evils tiiat attend drying it,

that

S A NEW SYSTEM

tSat they will not fuffer theirs even to be
dried in the fun. It is true, when it is
taken up off the grafs, it is dry, though in-
deed fome chufe to take it up in an evening,
when the dew is falling.

No one that is not neceffitated will offer
to drefs any flax, till it gets a fweat in the
mow or (lack, which adds to its foft filky
na^"ure, as well as wei^^ht; and after this
f^^'cat, it IS never fuffcrcd to be (as above)
dried in any cale.

Bnt then we are to confider that the Eng-
lilli flax farmers are true judges in rating
their flax ; which if not done properly, it is
hard to be drelTed well, even with fire, and
much more without.

There are alfo other kinds of tools to
break and fwingle it with than any in Ire-
land. The quantities that are raifed in
fome parts of England and Holland, could
never be manufactured in fuch a paltry man-
ner. Were lire of no real damage to it, it
would add fo much trouble and expence of
drying, Sec. to a farmer's other bufinefs,
that it could never be duly attended to.

One acre managed in the Irilh manner,
would give as much trouble as an hundred
would in the right method : for when it is
once in the barn, it is fcarce of fo much
trouble as corn, having no more to do tlian

te

OF HUSBANDRY. 9

%e agree with men to work it ; and this is
moftlya let price, except it milTes of a good
rate (which may fometimes, though rarely
happen,) or if the flax be very Ihort ; in
this cafe there is a conlideration of a higher
price.

The common rate for drefling white flax
is fourteen pence a ftone, for breaking and
iwingling; and fixteen pence for feed or
bunch rate.

High or low wages vary according to the
clevernefs of the workman, from the differ-
ence of a fliilling to three in a day; for there
are leveral degrees of workmen ; a good
workman is as well known through the flax
countries of England and Holland, asajuf-
tice of the peace, or fheriff'in an Irifli coun-

It is neceflary that a farmer look over his
fwinglers fometimes, to fee that they make
Ro wafte; as alfo that they drefs it clean,
for on this his fuccefs and fale in the market
depends.

Some workmen will make the fame flax
fell higher than others by fix pence or eight
pence a ftone, and all the flax buyers know
the good workmen by the lapping or making
up of the flax.

A good workman is feldom made if he
does not learn when young. It is far eafier

to

JO A NEW SYSTEM

to make a good hackler than a good fwing-
ler, though the former is a trade of appren-
ticeship, and the latter is not.

The fwinglcr generally has a pair of
fcale$ by him, and weighs tlie flax as he
drefles it, then takes it into his mailer who
fcldom weighs it, till he gets two or three
packs together, to take to the market.

A great deal depends on giving flax a
|;ood even colour for fetching a good price
in the market. Let the colour be what it
will it ought to be of one fort ; not to be
flriped or fpotted with black and white, or
green and white, grey and blue, or green
and yellow, he.

The misfortune of thefe mixed colours is
got before it goes into the water, particu-
larly if it be leed flax of any kind ; for the
prevention of which, I ordered feed flax,
in imitation of white, to be flacked with
the feed end outwards ; this prevents the
outfides of the fheaves from being weather-
beaten, which will turn them black or grey,
fo that it will always be of a quite different
colour, from the infide of the fheaf, but
the feed being outwards, can take no da-
mage, but will ripen or dry much the fafler
for it.

If the bunch-rate flax get a mixed colour
it is for want of fpreading even and clear

of

OF HUSBANDRY, it

of lumps after the pullers. The fame evil
the due-rate is fubjed to, if not properly
fpread ; but it may happen to white flax two
or three ways.

Firft when it is pulled, if it ftand too long
to dry before it is put into the pit.

Secondly, if it be not well and clofc x:o-
vered in the pit with fods, and duly trod.

Thirdly, if it be not Ipread even and
clear of lumps in the time of grafling.

All thefe cautions a farmer ought to be
armed with, if he means to bring this valu-
able branch to its full perfe(ftion.

CHA.P,

le A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. n.

l^he Pullingy Watering and Management
of Seed Flax, in Imitation of the White.

TH E feed flax mufl ftand about three
weeks longer than the white. It will
(hew itfelf to be ripe by the leaves fading and
falling off, and the boles turning brown;
but beware of letting it ftand till the feed in
the bole turns brown ; for if you do, the feed
will be nothing better, and the flax a great
deal worfe. It is a great miftake to let the
feed flax be over ripe.

Obferve the fame directions in pulling the
feed flax as for white, only make the flieaves
a little larger; fet them up in a propping
manner, three leaning to each other. In
three or four days after if the weather per-
mits, make them into fmall field flacks, no
larger than you can reach without getting
upon them.

Make them like corn flacks, only with
this difference, that the feed ends mufl: be
outwards, in order to dry the fooner, and
keep the fl.alks from being weather beaten.

•Thus

OF HUSBANDRY. 13

Thus let them fland about a week, and
then make them over again, by which
means the top of the ftack will become the
bottom. Lay a httle weeds, or the under
growth of flax on the top of the ftack, in
oirder to make it caft the rain, and keep the
upper fheaves from the fun and weather.

A few fheaves turned brown or grey,
would fpoil a great parcel in the beauty of
its colour, for let the colour be of what fort
it will it ought to be even, or elfe it will not
bleach even when in cloth, which is impoffi-
ble to accompli fh without great care before
it goes into the water.

Let the ftack ftand, after it is turned, a-
bout ten days; after which take it into the
barn, and ripple the feed off with rippling
combs.

Being thus rippled, t}^c it up in fmall
Iheaves, and v/ater it in the fame manner as
dire(ffed for white flax ; alfo obferve the
fame directions to know when it is rightly
rated and grafted ; in fhort, rate it in every
cafe as direc^led for white flax.

As to the feed, it m.ay lie in the chaft" or
boles all v^inter, till it is wanted in fpring;
at which time riddle it firft through a wide
riddle, in order to take out all the long ftraws,
pulfe, &cc.

Vol. 11. C This

14 A NEW SYSTEM

This fione, take it to the niill r.nd fhcll it
as you woulJ oats. This is a ready way of
taking tlic feed out wirhout wafle; and on
the llicliing it may be winnowed at the mill
wit}i(;ut the trouble of taking the dirt back.

1 ihall fparc m) feif the trouble of giving
any directions about winnowing, as moll
people arc pcrfed in that art; as it is win-
nowed in the fame manner as corn, faving
only as to the fieves, which muil be fuited
to the fize of the feed.

And now, gentle reader, pler.fe to ac-
company me once more to tl.c held of pul-
hng, and I will Ihew you another, and a
more general way ofraifmg feed-flax, which
is in imitation of black or bio Dutch: but
in truth I have fecn and reared belter and
higher priced by the following management
than ever I faw come from Holland.

Obferve that the feed flax of all forts muft
Hand till it comes to the fame degree of.ipe-
nefs before it is pulled.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY,

CHAP. III.

DireSiioJis for the Management of Black or
Bunch-Rate Flax, in Lnhaiion of Bh or
Black Dutch, and to five the Seed in
perfe5fion.

HEN you begin to pull the buncli-
rate flax, arrange your pullers all
in a row, at one tide of the iielcl; lee every
puller take about two yards broad, and lead
on at about the fame dillance before one an-
other.

Spread the flax after them thin and even,
with the tops ail one way, as white flax is
fpread on the grafs when it cornes out of
the pit. Take care that the firH puller lavs
his row flraight, that it may be a ^uidc to
all the relt ; as one crooked row will diior-
derthe whole field, and give double trouble
both in turning and gathering it up.

Vvhea

i6 A NEW SYSTEM

When pulled and thus fpread, let it lie
till it gets a grey colour, which will be in
three or four days, particularly if there be
heavy dews or rainy weather; but if not it
will take a longer ti.ne.

Turn it with turning rods, as directed for
white flax, that both fides may get a grey
colour alike. By this means the feed will
be pretty ralh, therefore handle it gently,
that the boles do not lliake off in gathering
and binding; in which there will be the lels
danger, if you make \zvgc iheaves as there
will be lefs outfides.

Hereupon take it home and beat out the
feed with beaters for that purpofe, made of
a piece of wood twelve inches long, two
thick and fix broad, and in this fix a handful
floping-wife.

When you begin to beat out the feed,
fpread two rows of flax on the barn floor
with the feed-ends to meet. Then beat
out the feed with your beaters ; but obfei^ve
that you let the beater fall level or true on
the flax, or elfe it will break the handle : —
there is fome art required in giving a good
l\roke with the beater.

Tie the iheaves up with two bands, one
at each end, and lay one half of the fheaf
v/ith the tops to the roots of the other half.
Make the Iheaves as large as a middle fized
wheat fheaf. Being

OF HUSBANDRY. 17

Being thus prepared, take it to the water;
but this muft not be funk with fods, or any
other weight, but muft fwim upon the lur-
face of the water, lying in rows, each {heaf
clofe to another. It is beft to put it in pits
that have been watered in, as it will have a
finer blue colour.

It muft be turned every fecond day;
which is ealily done with a long fork, hav-
ing about two inches of the points of the
grains bent, in the likenefs and nature of a
muck-drag.

For its being well watered, obferve the
directions as for white flax ; with this addi-
tion only, that it will fink under the furface
of the water when it is about enough rated,
but not to the bottom of the pit. If it
fhould be left till it fmks to the bottom,
there is great danger of its being over done,
or in plain terms rotten.

Thefe are known fac^s amongft the flax-
farmers ; but for what reafon nature thus
varies her operations, few trouble their
heads to philolophize about the matter.

Were a curious perion, however, to at-
tend the flax throughout the proceis of its
rating, he might infer a great deal from its
rifing and falling in the pit , its lofing and re-
gaining its fpirits, kc.

* Being

rS A NEW SYSTEM

Being thus duly watered, take it out and
let it lie on the pit iide all night to drip ;
then take it to the ground intended to d-.-y
it on ; but it mull not be fprcad Hat but kt
up almoft like a fugar-loaf, the Iheaves be-
ing in two parts, that is the heads each way;
it will eaiily part in the middle, one-halt*
of which is enough tor a ricklc ; take it by
the top and fpread it round you, giving the
root. end a good fplay, lo that the wind will
not calily throw it down ; prefs tlie tops
clofe together, fo that as I have obfervcd it
may rcfemble a fugar-loaf, ftanding fo thin
and open, that it will foon dry ; but howe-
ver, it will be the better to get a little rain
before it is bound up in order to walh the
dirt and (limy fubflance off.

The boles of this flax will be well broke
by the beater as above diredcd, fo that there
will be no more to do than to winnow them
and there is no doubt of the feed being very
good.

I have known fuch bunch-rate flax to fell
in the rough in Snaith-market, Yorklhirc,
at fixty-lour Ihillings the hundred v/eight,
and the feed from it, as good as any foreign
if ed whatever.

CHAP.

OF HUSBAND P. Y. i^

C H A ?. IV.

DireBions how to Manage Dew Rate Flax,
with or without the Seed on.

O M E fet up their dew-rate flax in
ftooks after pulling to dry like corn,
letting it Hand perhaps three weeks or a
month.

This is a bad way ; for {landing in the
flook fo long in order to dry the feed, ten-
der the cutfide^ of the flieaves to luch a de-
gree, that they will not take fo much rating
as the infide, and wil' therefore be undoubt-
edly rotten before the iniide is enough
rated.

The bed way is to fpread il after the pull-
-crs, as direded for bunch-rate flax in the
following manner, viz.

Arrange your pullers at one fide of the
field, and let them fpread the flax thin and
even after them with the tops all one way;
if there be rain, the upper part will be well

rated

to A NEW SYSTEM

rated in five or fix days ; but in this cafe cir-
cumftances alter greatly, according to the
various forts of weather that may happen j
therefore a farmer muil be circumfpe(^l:,
and rub a few ftalks at the uper part of the
row between his tinger and thumb, and if
they break and part freely from the fl<.in or
bait, he may then turn it with turning rods
and let it lie till he finds both fides to be
rated and coloured alike.

But if the flax be not fpread upon the
grafs very even and thin, but lie thick and
in lumps, the inlide will be green or yellow,
jnd not in any degree equally rated to the
outfide, therefore it will be irrecoverably
fpoiled.

If the flax be not enough rated bv the a-
bove method, or that you dare not truil it
on the grafs, fo to be, (for fear of fliedding
the feed) then about the tiril of March,
when the feed is off, fpread it on the grafs
again thin and even, and manage it the fame
way in graffing as white Bax ; alfo obferv*
tMe fame tokens for its being well gralTed.

I have had flax well dew rated, with thr
feed on, by tpreading it after the pullers as
above, without any more trouble ; fo that
it breaked and fwingled, and in fhort anfwer-
cd well every way ; but I never knew it done
by any one but myfelf ; and indeed, I never

ordered

OF HUSBANDRY. 21

ordered any thus but one year^ in which, I
had twenty-fevcn acres rated in tJie above
manner; however, it is to be noted^ that
it was coarfe bunned fiax, which made it
the eafieil: managed thus. For it is neceila-
ry it Ihould be ib : and it requires a good
look out, lellit Ihedthe Teedby lying too long
on the grafs, or getting too much llavery
under the weather.

When it is enough rated, take it home
for working. It mull he breaked and fwing-
led as other fiax.

The feed of this dew-rate fiax is undoubt-
edly very good, and there is alfo lefs trou-
ble attends the flax ; but it is not fo good in
quality, neither do I think it yields fo well.
Indeed it is fcarce ever done, but in a coun-
try that has net' the conveniency of water.

CHAP.

Vol. 11. D

22 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. V.

r>ire6lion! for Breaking and Swingling Flax
without Fire.

AS I have reminded my reader to take
great care that his tops of flax be
kept all one way, and the roots even, it is
to be hoped that my former caution may
prove fufficient; if not it will occafion the
more labour to the breaker ; for it muft be
very even at the roots, before it be put in
the breaker's hands, or he can never make
good work.

Wherefore, when he begins to break, let
him take a Iheaf, and flacken the band, but
not loofe it quire ; then chop the root end on
the ground ; this done, pull all the loofe
rubbilh it has gathered from it; then take a
little more than he can hold in one hand and
again jump it even at the root ; take hold as
near the top as poflible, fo as to hold it fall ;

then

OF HUSBANDRY. 23

then take a little of the top from under the
hand, bring it round the flax, and lap it
round his thumb, by which he may hold it
fafter than if he had no more than his fing-
ers could meet about ; bend it two or three
times backwards and forwards, fo as to make
it fupple clofe to the hand ; put it into the
brakes, keep it thin fpread in them, and as
he works it turn it often.

When the root is breakcd, let him ftrokc
it fmooth, and pull the end ; then break the
top-end, and the root end again.

Being thus breaked, let him begin to
fvvingle, holding it in the nick of the fwin-
gle ftock, with the left hand, and the fwin-
gle-hand in the right, let him always hit the
top of the ftock above the nick, and it will
glance down paft the nick with full force
through the flax.

When the root-end is fwingled once over,
hackle the top-end with the foot-hackle, to
take out the rough row and fhoves which
are hard to fetch out effedually with the
fvvingle-hand alone.

When the flax is good and rightly water-
ed, it is eafily worked ; three times going
over with the fvvingle-hand will be fuflici-
ent to clean it from fhoves.

If it be rightly fwingled by a good work-
man, it will be quite clear of tow to all ap-
pearance,

24 A NEW SYSTEM

pcnrancc, before it goes into the hackle ; fo
that it will be cafy to count every harl in it;
and the root will be as even as a pound of
candles, and look asgloffy after the fwinglc-
hand, as ir does after the hackle.

When we fee a parcel of flax drefl'ed to
this perfcdion in Ireland, that will fetch, in
the rough, froni fixty-eight to feventy Ihil-
lings per hundred, we may venture to pro-
nounce that the moft eiTential part of this
noble branch, which ought to be the firft
introduced, has at lail found its way into
that kingdom.

But though I have given rules as above
for a fwinglcr, I am certain it is impofiible
to make a workman without occular demonf-
tration.

It is true, if a learner had an old work-
man to look at two or three days, thefe di-
rections would be of great ufc to facilitate
his inftrucl:ions.

Wlialevcr you do, beware not to dry flax
with the fire, or even the fun, after it gets
a fweat in the mow ; for if you do, it will
certainly reduce both the value and weight,
m.aking it light, furzy and brittle.

I have
n. C Stale CoIkf«

OF HUSBANDRY. 45

I have often been told by the Irifh, that
they thought it impoffible to drefs flax with-
out fire ; and on the other hand, when I
have told the Engliih that the Irifh dried
their flax with fire, they wondered as much,
thinking them very ignorant for fo doing.

CHAP,

t6 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. VL

Obfervations on flax-fee d, of its being worn
out or tired, and how to refrefi it, &c»

FLAX-fecd is a very deceitful grain,
for though it may look well to the
eye, yet it may not be worth a penny a cart-
load for fowing. Indeed if it be of a good
quality, it is not worfe for looking well, by
being clean and bright, &cc.

The flax-larmcrs are as much on their
honor in fupporting the characfier of their
feed, as that of their ho fcs ; nay more fo ;
for it IS impoflible for a perfon to fell a par-
cel of feed at any price, if he is not known
to be in a good breed, (as they call it) and
he mu I be well known to be a man of good
charader, and his feed well vouched.

It

OF HUSBANDRY. £7

It is incredible to tell the difference there
is in flax-feed ; which I have feen proved
more than once. An inllance or two 1 beg
leave to mention, viz.

A farmer of my acquai^itance lived about
twenty miles from the flax-country, and
though no farther off, yet he was quite a
flranger to the branch, but as he was a pufli-
ing fcheming man, he made a journey over
to the moft famous part in England lor flax.
He ftaid a few days among the fanners ; and
as he was a fenfible man, without doubt
retu. n^d as well intruded as the nature of
fuch a journey would admit.

Upon which he ploughed up twenty acres
of good old lay land, and fowed it with flax-
feed, which he bought at an oil-mill, and
which, he faid looked very well, being
large, bright and clean ; it grew very vigor-
oully till it was about fourteen inches long,
whereupon it made a full flop, began to
blolfom, and never got to be half a yard in
length. He was greatly furpriled at fuch a
dilappointmcnt ; and as the land was good
could not unriddle the myftery.

However, he was not difcouraged beyond
hope, as he remembered that the flax-
farmers, when he was in the flax-country,
fold their feed for four pounds per quarter ;
fo that if he made no ufe of the fiax^ the

, feed

28 A NEW SYSTEM

feed he apprehended would pay him better
than any tiling he could have (owed his land
with.

Upon this prefumption, he took a fample
and went to fell it at the time of year ; but
not a grain could he difpofc of at any price
though the farmers were felling one to ano-
ther at four pounds a quarter.

He wrote me a pitiful letter, complain-
ing of the flax-farmers, behevmgthcy com-
bined againll: him, not to buy his feed,
in order to deter him from lowing any
more.

Hereupon I advifed him to employ a per-
fon to fell it for him by commiflion, and
recommended a noted tla^:-buyer for that
purpofe.

He took my advice, by which means he
fold his feed at four pounds per quarter. —
However it was a bad job for all fides ; the
buyers loft their crop, and the fellers their
credit.

The flax was fo fhort that it could not be
wrought ; and as to him who fold tlic feed
by commiflion, he has told me fince, that
his credit was hurt fo much by felling the
faid parcel of bad feed, thr.t he never could
fell H half peck flnce in the commiffion-
way.

This

OF HUSBANDRY. 29

This fhews how cautious a farmer ought
to be in the choice of his feed. Among
many inftances of this fort, I (hall onlymen-
tion one more that happened to myfelf.

About five years ago, I happened to be
one bufhel (hort in finifhing about fixty acres
I fo wed that year, with good feed of my own
rearing. The field I finifhed in contained
twelve acres, and was very good land j
wherefore I thought it a pity to let any of
the land lie idle.

Hereupon I bought fomefeed at a venture,
which looked well and grew vigorous as the
reft of the field, till it was near half a yard
long, and then it made a full flop, bloffom-
ed, feeded, and grew no more, though all
the reft of the field was from a yard to a
yard and a quarter long.

A more demonftrable proof I never faw,
for it was put into a fack wherein the good
feed had been ; and as fome grains of the
good feed ftuck to the fack and mixed, it
was eafy to gather every ftalk, of fiax that
grew, from the good feed, being above
twice the length of the bad fpccies.

Moreover, the branches of the good feed
were long, and one afpiring above another,
having a leader above all the reft.

But it is not fo with the bad fort, of which
the branches are all of a height, fo that the

Vol. 11, E top

30 A NEW SYSTEM

top wiil be as even as a clipped hedge.
WJien (lax comes to have fuch a top, and
aharcs. fo much in heiglit, it is a fure lign
than the Teed is tired, bad and worn out.

t'crhaps my reader would be glad to
know what I mean by feed being tired, as
alfo how to help tired, feed &cc. which is as
loUows, viz,.

Firii, let us confider that it is from the
hot climates that this feed comes namely,
from North America and Riga. It is true
tliat the heat in the latter only contmues a-
bout three irionths ; but that is the feafon
in which the Hax grows, during which time
it is exceeding warm.

The heat in America holds much longer ;
and it is well knov/n that a plant or veget-
able, which produces a fluid fubftance,
will ripen in fruit and feed, to a greater
perfection there, than it will in our cold cli-
mates ; the ikin being thin, kind nature, as
it were, crams her receptacles full of rich
juices hiitcd to each plant.

This in flax-feed is dcmonfh-ably proved
by the oil mills, as they find a conhderable
larger produce of oil from foreign new feed,
than from feed that has been repeatedly
fown for many years in England, though
the latter Ihall look brighter, larger, and
plumper than the former.

The

OF HUSBANDRY, 31

The feed therefore certainly degenerates
by not producing fo much oil in our cold
climates, but inftead of oil a thick ikin, and
within it a grofs pulpy fubftance ; and the
longer it is fown here, the more ' it runs to
this harfn unkind matter.

Now, this oil is the very life and fpirit
of the flax ; therefore as this abates in quan-
tity, the flax abates in its length and real
value.

Without doubt were a parcel of ked that
is quite run tired in England, taken to thofe
hot countries and fown, it would in time re-
gain its'former good quality.

But let not my brother farmers be detcr-
ed from faving feed in the colder climates,
under fear of its degenerating, for be af-
fured it may be fown four or five years be-
fore it need be changed ; but I only men-
tion thefe particulars, in order to lead the
flax-grower thoroughly into this branch.

TKe farmers in hngland have a way of
refting their feed (as they call it) which is
done by barreling it up, letting it (land a
year or two without fowing; the longer it
llands the better. This was difcovered by
chance,

A fan r happened to fpare fome feed
after '. r ; he let it ftand two years : —

and, s came to fovv it at the end cf

' thai

32 A NEW SYSTEM

that term among fomc feed of the fame fori:
but which had been kept fowing each year,
it topped it in length eight inches. This ac-
cidental experiment has brought on a gene-
ral pratflice, as it is found to refrelh the fec4
in a furprifmg manner.

There is no accounting for this amend-
ment, otherwife than by fuppofing that the
pulp and fkin meliorates by the evapora-
tion of the watery particles, -and by the
cruder parts being mellowed and melted
down (as it were) into the body of the oil.

Thus any fort of feed of an oily nature
fuch as rape, muftard, or cole-feed, will
produce the more oil, the colder it is ^ and
it is oil (as I faid before) which is the very
elTence of flax.

A farther caution is neceffary, that your
feed be clear from button-feed, which is a
very pernicious weed, and a great enemy to
flax ; for where this gets footing, the flax-
feed muft be condemned for oil, be it ever of
fo good a quality, fo fatal is this weed to it.

The feed of this weed is white and very
fmall, not fo large as the fmallefl: grain of
muftard-feed ; but there are as many join-
ed together in a bunch as make a head about
the lize and likenefs of a waiftcoat button,
from whence it takes the name of button-
feed.

It

OF HUSBANDRY. 33

It grows on a fmall ftalk, which twifts
round the flax, as ivy about a tree ; fo that
there is no getting quit of it either by weed-
ing or fwingling, as it will not part the flax
^long with fhove; and the increafe is fo
very great, that if there be only a fewftalks
in an acre of flax this year, the next it may
deftroy the whole crop.

There is another bad feed which is by
fome called wild-willow, and by others corn-
bind ; this is not much unlike hemp-feed,
only not quite fo large ; it alfo twifts round
the flax as ivy round a tree, which makes
it impoffible to be weeded out ; however
as the feed is large, it will ftay in a fieve
that will let flax-feed through, by which
means it may be kept clear with care, and
though it is not fo multiplying a feed as but -
ton-feed, yet it is a great enemy to flax and
ought to be guarded againfl.

There are leveral forts of flax-feed which
might be explained, were it worth while to
go to the nicety of matters : but as I have no
intention to fwell this work with matters of
fpeculation, or w ith any thing that is not of
immediate confequence to the farmer, I
{hall only mention the two principal feeds
from w hence we derive our growth,, namely,
that of America and that of Riga.

The

34 A NEW SYSTEM

The former is ^ bright bay feed, and
produces a fine fmall flax; but the Riga is
moflly a dark bay, broad, flat leed ; it pro-
duces a grofs tall flax, which I am apt to
tliink is moll fuitable for this degenerating
climate, for it is cafily cured and made
finer by fowing it fomewhat thicker on the
ground.

I got the beft breed of feed I ever had
from Memel and Riga. This Riga feed will
lail good longer than American feed in Eng-
land or Ireland ; but it is not fo beautiful to
the eye, neither is it of fo high a price in
Dublin as the American feed.

There is a fort of feed which comes from
France, and when fown here produces a fine
flax, but fo puny, fhort and linall, that it is
fcarce worth reaping. I once fowed fome,
by way of trial, but loft my crop. I have
alfo f een others fuffer by it, therefore would
have my reader to guard againll it.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 3^

CHAP. til.

DireBi'ons for making French Sieves, ^nd
their life.

TT^RENCH fieves fo called, as they came
X"^ from French Flanders. The rim is
about three feet diameter, and three inches
deep ; the bottom is made of parchment ;
two are made ufe of, and called a fet ; one
of them goes under the name of riddle, and
the other of fieve.

The riddle is punched with a hole, thu&
D ; it lets through the flax-feed being flat,
and any round or fquare feeds ftay in the
riddle.

The fleve is punched with round holes
thus O . which lets through the fmall round
feed,-fuch as rape, muftard, ketlock, or
button-feed, but the flax-feed ftays in the
fieve. Thefe holes mull be punched to aa
€xa(ft fize, or they are ufelefs.

There

26 A NEW SYSTEM

There is a particular art in drefling with
thefe lieves, which I Ihall fpare myfell' the
trouble of explaining, as it is impoirible to
be executed without feeing it put in prac-
tice ; and even then it is not eafily learned.

There is not above fix pair of thefe fieves
In England ; and about as many men who
are capable of dreffing with them. It is a
calling of itfelf ; and at the time of fowing,
they are very bufily employed. A farmer
pays about two fhillings per quarter to have
his feed dreiTed in th^m. None requires to
be dreffed in this manner, fave fuch as have
run to weeds ; and in this cafe, though it is
difficult to get the ri^ht knack of dreffing
or turning the fieves, yet the fiirring of
them any way will clear a great deal of dirt
and feeds out.

The expencc of a fet of thefe fieves, at
a moderate computation, is three pounds,
and one fet and two men will clean all the
flax-feed for ten or fifteen miles round in a
flax-country.

CHAP.

OF HUSBx\NDRY. ^7

CHAP. VIIL

On Wmter-FIax,

WE may tmly call that winter- flaX
which is fown in autumn, to ftand
the winter, it being about five months long-
er in the ground than the common.

In my travels throu^^h Ireland, 1 have met
with feveral pei Ions that told me they had
made trial of this method; and lome fpeak
in favor of it, but there are many more who
condemn it.

I was often aiked the reafon why I took
no notice of it in my iirft edition ? My an-
fwerwas, that 1 thought it of no uii'ity to the
public, as I had tried it long ago, aad found
it did not anfwer ; thcreiore 1 omitted tak-
ing any notice of it lor that reafon. The
particulars of the trials 1 made areas follows.

Vol. lU F VIZ.

38 A NEW SYSTEM

viz. Obicrvlng where the flax-feed had bceri
a cidcntally I'cattered in aucumn, and diat
ic g! evv, or kept green all die winter, 1 con-
cluded that this method might be improved
upon ; t/iereJbre I was determined to be con-
vinced by a lair trial ; and for that realbn
in OcTober 1759, fowed one acie in the
middle ot a twelve acre licld, tilled well,
and managed it in evciy other degree as it
ought to be.

About the middle o*^ March following, I
fowed the remainder of the laid field wiih
the fame fort of feed. The wiiUer-flax got
to be about ti/e inches long before the ie-
veritv of the winter came on; after which
it grew no more, but from the firO fro It
changed its healthy dark green to that of a
iickly pale green, and at fpring never regain-
ed its former healthy complexion.

After the fpring-fiax came up to be about
five inches long, 1 fet flicks as marks to buih
forts.

The fpring-flax grew above one inch in
twenty-four hours i but the winter-flax grew
half an inch only.

The winter-flax was ready to pull three
weeks before the fpring-flax ; and at pulling
was fcarcely thirty inches long : the fpring-
flax \vas about a yard and feven inches, ia
that it was longer than the lormei by thii-->

ttea

OF HUSBANDRY. 59

teen inches or thereabouts. The winter-
flax branched or fpread greatly into top, fo
confqnently produced iuoyq leed ; which
indeed by the by is no recommendation.

The year tbliovving i made another i"n;all
trial, which was attended wuth much the
fame confcquences ; therefore I was tho-
roughly convinced that winter-flax is not an
advantageous crop.

The failure in winter-flax, may be ac-
counted tor in the foUowing few words,
viz.

it is to be confidcred that flax in its na-
ture, is trulling to one leader, the top of
which is exceeding tender, infomucli that
if any thing wound it ever fo little, it will
grovv no more, but llnke or fpread out into
lide-branches, which is of no other ufe
than to bear the feed, being of a poor tov/y
quality, therefore comes otf in dreffmg as
fuch.

if a fly, or what is commonly called a
flax fly, happen to bite or wound tiie lead-
er, or top of a flalk of flax, when at five
, or fix inches long, it Ifagnates ii:s growth,
and inakes itfliort, coarfe and ftunty, much
reiiembling a young fir tree that has loff its
leader. 1 found the frofl: had pinched the
tender leader of my winter flax, which
made it liable to the faid iliconfequences.

Another

40 A NEW SYSTEM

Another thing is, that flax-land murt: bt
harrowed very tine at the time of fov^ing ;
thereibre much wet weather in winter makes
it cement, or bake together, which iielps
to bind the flax in the ground, and recaid
irs growth. Any land is certainly better
and fitter for a crop, that after a fevere win-
ter, is opened, broke up, or pulverized ia
fpring. as it fweetens and proves of great
Utility thereto.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDHY. ^i

0/7 rJax J/r;:'-j Totatoss^

IF flax-feed be fovn ^^■^lOfr^ -potatoes fet
with the plough, as u»reidW. in this treai-
tife, there is no doitht hvs. ic wiU anfvver
very welU as the potcitoes are fet thm and,
in drills, having about eighteen inches be>-
t een each drill, and about ten inches ibe^-
tween each potatoc ; by this the tops of:th?
potatoes and the flax do not incommode or
croud each other, having roqai enough lof
each to flourish.

The potatoes fet thus, will fpr^d under'
g'-ound, and produce a lar beter crop thaii
when planted thick, as the tops by this
warm lituation, draw one another up weak
and tender ; and nature being fo protule ia
throvving her bounty upwards to fupport fo

nijch

42 A NEW ,SYSTEM

m ich ufelefs top robs herfclf of the falts
Ihc ought to relervc co enlarge the pota-
toes.

In rhe year 176;, I received the higheft
premium in Ireland, for laving the moll and
befb flax-feed among p tatoes. I faved for-
ty-eight pecks of good feed ; only the land
was lubjed to weeds, and had little pains
bellowed to clean it, or I might have had
as much more ; the potatoes were very
good alio. I let them \vith the plough, a&
direded in this treatife.

As foon as the potatoes were planted, I
fowed the feed the broadeft way, at the
rate of eight quarts to the acre ; and in or-
der to tiy experiments I raUed and rolled
fome ; but the moll part of it I did nothing
to after fowing, but left it uncovered, which
proved the bell crop ; and though it may
ieem odd to my reader, yet it may be eali-
ly accounted lor.

It is to be obferved, that flax-feed being
of an oily nature has a great attraction, in-
iomuLh, that if a field be fown and not cov-
ered by harrowing or othe'-wife, the fccond
da* alter fowing, it v.iU be impolVible to
find a lingle gram, particidarly if there fall
in the mean tmie either dew or rain, or if
it be lown in green mold. Each grain ga-
thers tlie fine particles of earth about it,

being

OF HUSBANDRY. 43

being candied (as it were) with mold, and
much refembles a comfit; lb that after the
fecond day (as 1 oblerved) one lofes it infen-
libly, and fees no more of it till it rifes at
the top of the plant, which it will in abi'Ut
five days after it is fown. The lirfl time I
found this out 1 was greatly alarmed, as fol-
lows, viz.

In 17^3, I had a hrge field ready to fow
on a Saturday, and having a call from home
I lent a man to fow the field, and ordered
it to be harrowed once in a place v/hen fown.
At my coming home 1 was told the field was
fown, but about an acre of it left uncover-
ed.

On Monday I fent to finifh the field, hut
the fervant returned in a great hurry, tell-
ing me that the birds has picked up all the
feed ; upon this I as well as the reli of the
faiTJily, and fome of my neighbours, went
to fee if it was necelTary to fow over again.

We fought a confidcrable time and could
not find a fingle grain ; therefore had con-
cluded to (ow it over again ; bur by chance
I found a grain by rubbing the mold between
my lingers ; this learned me how to feek
for it, after which I found feveral grains
candied wirh a coat of mold, and very fli-
my.

In

'44 A NEW SYSTEM

In (^I*c1cr to fee the refult of ihis, I left it
ts it was with )ut harrowing, and 1 iiever had
a iner crop; 1 believe every j^rain grey, and
£•1 Halted (;«s it were) iairl/ together, an!
ti >t oie i^vMn biTiied deeprr than another ;
V hich is not the caie when hirro.ved, for
V'.ien it hvi-ieis that in cafe lo iie may be
luiied deeper th:in others and if diy >vithiri
n^akes tvo ^, owti^si, wiiicii in a acuiuneat

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. ^^

CHAP. X.

It&e Ma?2agement of White Fkx, in Pull-
ingy Watering^ G?'rrjjtng, &c.

^HE name of white flax nrifes from the
flax being pulled while green, not
being fuffered to iland till the leed is ripe or
even till the boles turn brown or a dark
colour, by which means the fubftancc of
the oil infliead of arifing to feed the feed is
fcagnated and remains in the llvin of the flax,
therefore it not only makes the flax tough,
oily and filky, but makes it a white clear
colour and drefs well.

Your flax pullers being aranged properly
in order each perfon is to bind his own
fheaf, make it no larger than you can hold
in both hands, and as the bands (if made of
good flax) will be damaged, th?y- are gene-
rally tied with the fmaij under growth of
flax.

Vol. U. G In

46 A NEW SYSTEM

In the evening of the day it is pulled, or
the next day at faitheft, put the flax in
water for being expofed in the fun it dries
the oily nature out, and will make it of two
colours.

The depth of water proper to water in,
is three or four feet, begin to lay a layer
a crofs the pond and fo continue laying the
feed end uppermoft fo that no part of the flax
except the feed can be feen, till you have
filled the pond, but if one layer be not fuffi-
cient to fill the pond fo that you may (land
a minute on the flax without finking over
the fhoes, you muft lay another layer, in
fa£l flax always rates bell when it is put in
pretty fliff.

The pond being thus filled, you mull
cover it clofe with thin fods laying the grafs
fide downwards, or next to the flax, but if
you do not cover all the flax, any left ex-
pofed to the fun will be of a dificrcnt co-
lour.

The flax whilft in the pit, mufl be trod
every night and mornijig till you bring
water over the fods, the more it is trod the
better and evencr it rates, when it is near
being enough watered the flax will fink till
the fods are under water.

When you think it enough watered, take
a little out and dry it, when dry if the llaik

pr

OF HUSBANDRY. 47

or fhove break and part freely from the flifn
when rubbed between the finger and thumb,
it is enough watered, take it out and let it
drip a day on the bank of the pit, then take
it to fome even grafs field and fpread it
llraight, thin, and clear of lumps, if it be
fcarce enough rated in the water it will take
a longer time on the grafs, when it has been
about a week fpread on the grafs it mufl be
turned with llraight flicks or turning rods.

When you think it enough rated tie it up
in Iheaves, and let it get a fweat in the mow '
or flack before you break or fwingle it .

Take care never to rate or water flax in
water that comes from a lime flone quarry,
or in hard water, or in a running water,
that is where a current of water runs through
the pond, for while the flax is foft the ilream
of water would wafh the fkin off, and lime
wr.^er burns and fpoils the flax, neither is
hard water fo good as foft water to rate
in.

CHAP,

4S A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XL

To the diiTercnt Lcgiflatures of America,
and Ibch other Gentlemen as have power,
abilities and capacit)' to enforce, advife
and contribute towards making Ac^s,
forming Schools, &cc. as are here fet forth
for the Improvement of Youth, and the
Promotion of Agriculture and Trade.

T is no longer a controvertible point whe-
ther the Icience of agriculture merits
the diHinguifhed attention of philofophical
minds, and is the proper itudy of the mod
enlarged underftanding, hnce the proof is
beyond contradidion, that a judicious rural
ceconomy is one of the chief fupporters of
the profperity of a flate.

VVe every day fee inflanccs in common
life where the happieft difpofition, moll in-
formed genius, luperior talents, profound
knov/ledge, even probity and virtue becomes

ufelefs.

OF HUSBANDRY. 49

ufelefs, and are loft in the wreck of their
pofleiTors fortune, if he omits to regulate
his domeftic affairs by the rules of a wife
and prudent csconoray.

The fame obfervation may be extended
to the wifeft fyftems of legiflature, and in-
deed the beft political inftitutions will lofc
their efiicacy and are incapable of defend-
ing a ftate from abfoliite ruin, unlefs a ge-
neral fcheme of ceconomy fenfibly executed
provides for the fubfifcance of the people ;
either by finding within itfelf thofe produc-
tions requifite to the fupport of individuals,
or exciting a fpirit of induflry to exchange
with foreign nations the produce of manu-
fartories for the neceffaries of life.

There is fomething fo feducing to the
imagination in this lad method, that there
is danger of fuffering ourfeives to be de-
ceived in giving it a preference to the for-
mer.

Through the medium of commerce ma-
nufadlures invite into the country (where
they flourilh) not only the neceffaries of life,
but every luperfluity of wealth and luxury.

However pariimonious the hand of na-
ture may have been to fuch a country, it
foon becomes m.ore affluent than the moft
fertile foils, and increafes in power and po-
pulation almoft miraculoufly. Yet if agri-
culture

50 A NEW SYSTEM

culture remains negledcd, all thefc advan-
tages' will be fluctuating and uncertain, whilft
on the contrary where that is conlidcred as
the firll object: of national attention, it corv-
du(^^s diredly and invariably to the end de-
Tired, without expoling us to the caprice of
fortune.

A flate that amply produces the fufte-
nance of its inhabitants from its own bowels,
has at leaft the advantage of independency ;
whilft the richeft nation when obliged to
have recourfe to the affillance of foreigners
for the neccffaries of life, fubmits to all the
viciflitudes of unforefeen events, and in ma-
ny inftances muft be fubfcrvient to the cor-
dial or unfriendly difpofition of its neigh-
bours.

The late king of PrulTia, an excellent fi-
nancier in many refpe(^s, and who had very
enlarged frhemes for augmenting public re-
venues, reafoned very jul\ly on the eftabliili-
ed principles of his political fyftem that a-
griculture is the foundation of the opulence
and profperity of a ftate. He encouraged
in the flrongeft manner, and made feveral
regulations in its favor, whofe wifdom wa?
unperceived till many years after ; the con-
ftant attention he paid to the obfervance
of thefe regulations, compleated their {alu-
fiarv effcds.

"^ UBRARY. This

Dldsicm of Hortieulhire,

V. 0. D»i>'t of Amcnltnre.

OF HUSBANDRY, 51

This monarch had undcrftanding to know
(and all financiers ought to be proud of re-
ceiving inftrucftions from a mafter) that the
moft lluborn and infertile foils are melorated
by manuring and ploughing, and that rich
land is made ftill richer. He therefore in-
filled that farmers of his demefnes and pro-
prietors of cftates in lands fhould manure
them fufjiciently, and plough deeply and
frequently.

When the king was expecfted to pafs thro'
the provinces, the gentlemen, the farmers,
nay even the peafants thought they could
not pay their court better than in placing a
dung-hill before their doors.

A powdered courtier might Ineeringly
deny this ceconomical attention a place a-
mong the royal virtues, but the fagacious
monarch was fenfible that thefe dung-hills
fpread over the fields woiild produce a crop
of ducats.

He had the fatisfadlon to fee after reign-
ing fome years the fands of the marlh of
Brandenburgh, the heaths and morafl'es of
PrufTia covered with a plentiful harvefl of
the fineft corn in the v/orld.

The king his fon fupplied all that was
wanting to bring this noble plan to perfcdi-
.on ; and we have feen in a fhort fpace of

time

52 A NEW SYSTEM

time the fandy defart that extended to the
very gates of Berhn, converted into good
and profitable land.

How are we to account for the variation
of rent in cftates where the foil is naturally
the fa*mc, fituate in the fame parifh, and ad-
jacent to each other, a variation fo remark-
able that a farm of a hundred acres is fome-
timcs let for more than one of a thoufand,
and the produce very nearly anfwers that
proportion, or how clfc fhould it happen
that the fame ground rifes and falls in value
fo confiderably at diflferent perfods. I have
feen fome eflates fold for a third lefs than
had been given for them twenty years be-
fore, and others whofe purchafe has advanc-
ed in my time to three times this ellimation
fifty years back.

The different degrees of llvillfulnefs, in-
duftry, or negled in the occupiers of thefe
eftatcs was undoubtedly the caufe of the va-
riation, and I am apt to believe it depends
on our Own diligence and induilry whether
wc will double the fertility of our lands and
by that means relieve ourfelvcs from the
itate of dependency. However a great ma-
ny of the improvements whether in agri-
culture or commerce depend chiefly on the
laws cnaded by the Lcgiflaturc, or fchemes
fct on foot by the leading men in a neigh-
bourhood

OF HUSBANDRY, 53

'bourhood who has abilities and judgment to
plan and encourage them, fuch as fpinning
Ichools, weaving fchools^ or other mecha-
nichal arts, premiums, ^c.

How ealy would it be for a fet of gentle-
men who live a few miles only from
each other, to take a houfe, provide a
maRer and miftrefs to teach their black chil-
dren to read and fpin, which they are very
capable of from three years old and up-
v/ardsi and whom at prefent are brought up
in idlenefs.

Alfo if a fcciety of gentlemen were to form
3n academy and give premiums for the beft
invention in mechanics, for implements of
huibandry, he. the beft growth or moft:
corn, flax and hemp, from, an acre, kc. Sec.
it would be laying a foundation for improve-
ments.

Societies of thefe forts are very common
all over England, for which they raife mo-
ney by voluntary fubfcriptions, and though
many farmers may have an eye to the pre-
mium or a medal offered, yet ambition is
the chief fpur to make them ftrive for pre-
eminence.

The dog-aft which is herein pointed out,
would be a fuineient lund for any ftate in
America to enable them to give copious pre-
miums, if gentlemen did not chufe to raife
Vol. II. H money

54 A NEW SYSTEM

money by fubfcription ; and as the money
raifed by this zd: would return back among
land-holders, no doubt but the adt would
give general Iati«fadion,

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 5-;

CHAP. XII.

A few hints humbly offered for the pcrufal
of the Legiflatures of America, on a ge-
neral act of Congrefs to prevent run-away
fervants.

BY advertifements and* rewards ofltered
daily in the news-papers, he. we find
that run-away fervants, for which money
has been advanced, is a growing evil and if
poffible ought to have a Hop put to, as the
matter is not only deprived of his property
but fuch vagrants when at liberty, moll:iy
turn out to commit depredations on the
public.

Suppofe

j;6 A NEW SYSTEM

jSiippofe an acl: from the Congrefs was to
run nearly in words or fubftance as fol-
lows :

Whereas it appears to the congrefs af-
■fembled, bcc. That a pubhc evil has long
prevailed, and iiill fcems to gain ground,
that fervants for whom money has been ad-
vanced, and* they bound to ferve a certain
number of years to repay it by their labour
run away from their mafters (which is the
lame thing as robbing them of fo much caih)
bcfides putting them to great trouble and
expence in advertifemcnts, rev.'ards, he.

In order to put a Hop to this evil as well
as to prevent as much as poflible fuch loole
vagrants from llroling about the country to
commit depredations on the public.

Therefore be it enacted from the authori-
ty aforefaid. That Irom and after the firft
day of 1 7 any

perfon who takes a fcrvant for whom he
advances money, and which fervant is to
ferve a limited time, in order to repay it,
that it fliall and may be lawful for the faid
purchafer of any fcrvant to fct a mark on
the back of the arm, under the lleeve of
the fliirt, imprinted letters fignifying the
piafter's name and county in which he lives,

tho

OF HUSBANDRY. 57

the year of our Lord in which he was in-
dented, and a figure to fignify the years to
icrve.

And be it ena^ed by the authority afore-
faid, that the faid mark or letters Ihall be
made with the point of a needle, by piick-
ing or railing the Ikin (which may be done
without pain, or even without drawing
blood, if the performer be dexterous) after
the letters are made, bruife gun-powder
fine and rub it over them until it works un-
der the Ikin, which will turn the letters all
black and legible, and which time or art
will never efface.

The mark or writing will fland thus :

'John Ddvis, St. Maiy's co. 1784. 5

Be it further cnaded, that if a fervant
thus marked, run away to any other Hate,
and offer himfelf to be hired or aik. for
work, &cc. it Ihall and may be lawful for
any one prefent to examine his mark, to
know whether he be a bound man or free ;
if it appears from the figure of years to
ferve, when compared with the prefent
year, that his time is not expired, it ihall
and may be lawful for the conftable of the
parilh to hire two men as a proper guard to
conduft him back to his mailer, who muft

pajr

5S A NEW SYSTEM

pay the men wages, other expences and
all reafonable charges.

And be it enacfted by the authority afore-
faid, that if any one who indents or hires a
fervant, and if the faid mailer neglects or
omits to have the faid fervant marked ac-
cording to law as afore faid, and if the faid
fervant run-away, the mailer of fuch fer-
vant, fhall not demand him back but lofe
the benefit of faid fervant, and alfo forfeit
the fum of fifty pounds, to be recovered by
law, one half to the informer, and the
other to the poor of the pariih where the
mailer lives.

It may feem a fort of cruelty to make
marks in the fkin as above, but it is no fuch
thing, for it is often done by failors them-
felves before they go abroad, that Ihould
they be drowned they may be known by
their name on their hand or arm. I have
feen a mark that has been very legible after
fifty years Handing.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 5^

CHAP. XIII.

A few Hints humbly offered for tlie perufal
of the Legiflature of America, relating to
a Dog Ad:, bcc.

THOUGH I am no great politician,
yet I wifh fo well to the conftitution
of America, that, fo far as I am capacitated,
I would moft willingly lend a hand to point
out any laws that might be of utility to its
inhabitants.

And I flatter myfelf, that fuch of my rea-
ders as arc impartial, will think with me,
that a dog ad would be of great utility to
the public ; cfpecially after they have been
told the immenfe funis it would fave to the
induftrious part of mankind, and alfo the
great revenue it would raif« to the public

funds

^o A NEW SYSTEM

funds out of tlic pockets of none but fuch
as could well fpare it; as any one who found
himfelf opprclfcd could eafe himfelf by part-
ing with the caufe thereof.

Secondly, it would lop off a great many
ufelefs animals ; and fuch as are of benefit
would be preferved for their merit and the
owner's interelt. Neither ought a poor man
to keep a dog if he be not we'd able; it is
inhuman to keep any dumb animal to llarve,
which many mull:, did they not cat the
poor children's bread and butter, or turn
out to worry (heep.

It is always allowed, that what vvill keep
2 dog will keep a pig ; and 1 think I need
not fay which would be found the moft pro-
fitable to the poor man's family at Chrill-
mas, a dog for his children to play with,
or bacon to fill their bellies.

I may be alkcd, why, cannot a poor man
fee theie follies himfell? I anfwer no; be-
caufe fore-call docs not always get the bet-
ter of folly in this, no more than in every
other degree in life ; there is a natural ten-
dernefs and indulgence, in every parent to-
wards their children, as well as in ladies
for their lap-dogs; pardon the comparifon.

Thirdly, it will appear, that there will be
yearly, at leaft a half million of money
iavcd, that will center among the pooretl

lort

OF HUSBANDRY. 61

fort of individuals; and alfo 125,000!. fter-
ling, which will go to the public funds,
out of the pockets of the abler fort.

In order to reduce this to fome fort of
certainty, it may not be amifs to make a
comjmtation, how many dogs may be in
America, and (upon fuch an act paffmg)
how many ufeful ones may he kept to pay
tax, and how many of the reverfe, deftroy-
edfor a faving. This cannot be done bet-
ter, than by firll making a computation,
how many people are fuppoled to be in
America, which is at the leall 5,000,000.

There is nothing that can give a better
idea of the mcreaie of people, than the mul-
tiplying of new houfes ; neither is there any
one object that attra<Sts the eye of a traveller,
or dwells upon his memory more, owmg
perhaps both to the largenels of the object,
and to the tafle of building in the prefent
times.

Few men have travelled more than I have
done, and I have made my remarks very
minutely, upon the looking over of which,
and comparing my journal with all the ob-
fervations and computations I can make, I
am clearly of opinion that there is dally a
great increafe of people in America.

This may occur to any one who lives in
any part of the Continent, if he only takes

Vol. II. I notice

62 A N E W S ^' S T E M

notice of the many new houfes th?*: arc dai-
ly buik^ii^g in every town and ^ity, together
with all the rarni-houres and gentlemen's
feats that arc llarting up in the middle of
every new inclofurc or clearance that arc
rapidly going on in all parts of America.

Neither are there any houfes that Hand
long empt)', bcin^ immediately tenanted.

Were not this the cale, architects, or
' proprietors would foon Hop building ; but
it is the great demand that makes them pufh
forward the work with fpirit.

Some will compute live, and fome four
people in a family ; but to a\ oid fracflions
we will allow live people to a family.

This makes one million of families; and
I think we may juHly compute one dog to
each family; as there ai e more families that
have two or three dogs in them, than
what are without ; not to fpeak of gentle-
men that keep hounds, who have perhaps
more dogs than people.

Tlicreiore I lay, we may almoH with a
certainty, fet down at leall one million of
dogs in America.

The next queilion is what each dog will
take in a year to maintain him ; which I
think v/e may juftly fet down twenty lliil-
ling ; for if a gentleman in England (and
TK^I'j.ils in An:ciica are dearcrj fends a

whelp

OF HUSBANDRY. 63

«fvhclp into the country to be reared, he ne-
ver pays lefs than half a guinea or fifteen
Ihillings, till he is a half year or three quar-
ters old, and fometimes a guinea , except
lie fends him to a tenant who is under an
obligation to him, in this cafehepays perhaps
nothing, but then the confumption ot vic-
tuals is no kfs, for the dog eats the fame as
if paid for.

As to gentlemen's hounds, grey-hounds,
pointers, and my lady's lap-dogs, they coft
a great deal more.

We will fuppofe Pug only to defliov one
pound of meat in the day, reckoning bread
and butter, tea, roaft-bccf or what is (lir-
ring, and call that only three-pence, tho'
ready dreiled and without a bone, (becaufe
it would be very imprudent to give poor Pug
bone to break his teeth.) Now three-pence
per day, ^vill be found to amount to four
pounds eleven fhillings and tlu'ee pence fter-
ling a year.

This to be fure, is nothing in a lady's
pocket ; no more is dirting or wearing her
aprons, 8cc. any great matter, bccauie fhc
can mend them herfelf ; which fliews good
houfewifery.

But tho' fuch things be not felt by peo-
ple in afBuence of fortune, yet be aflured
^t hurts the public in general.

The

M

«4 A NEW SYSTEM

The greater the confumption is, the
higher is the price in the articles thereof ;
and a half-penny, or a farthing in a pound,
in cither meat or bread, is very fenfibly tclt
by the lower fort of people.

If one million of dogs confiime annually
twenty Ihillings rterling each, the fum a-
mounts to one million of money fterling.
Suppofe an ad of alTembly to pafs, that
each dog Ihould pay five Ihillings fterling
yearly, the fum would amount to 250,0001.
fterling a year.

But upon fuch an a<^'s taking place, wc
will fuppofe all the ufelefs dogs deftroyed,
and tax paid only for fhepherds dogs, far-
mers houfe dogs, and gentlemen's dogs,
which might perhaps reduce the number to
one half, that is one to every two families,
then the lum raifed, would be yearly one
hundred and twenty-five thoufand pounds,
to go into the public funds, which would
all come from the pockets of fuch as would
be well able to pay it ; and as I obferved
before, if any one found himfelf oppreft'ed
by the tax, he could quickly eafc himfelf
by difpatching the dog.

The laid half million of ufelefs animals
that would be put away, reckoning each to
<;iefli-oy twenty Ihillings worth of victuals

cver^

OF HUSBANDRY,

67

«very year, this would be a faving to the na-
tion of half a million of money, and this too
from thofe of the pooreft fort.

Though thefe calculations are only guefs-
work, yet the probability is fo great on their
fide, that it almoft amounts to a certainty.

Perhaps fome of my readers may imagine,
that I have fome intereft in writing upon this
fubject ; but 1 will aiTure them 1 have not,
fo tar from it, that were fuch an acft to take
place, I fhould in all probability, pay for
two or three dogs, being very fond of thofe
animals, fo far as they are ufeful ; but I have
no notion of keeping a parcel of yelping
curs for no other ufe than to eat the poor's
bread, bite horfes heels, worry fheep, run
mad, &c.

And fince we cannot defend ourfelves,
and reft fecurely at home, without a re-
fpedable Handing army, and fince that ar-
my cannot be raifed nor paid without mo-
ney, and money cannot be raifed without
taxes, let them be levied upon fuch fuper-
fiuous articles, as reafon clearly {hews is
mofl for the public good.

Was this ad to pafs, and each dog to pay
five fhillings a year, there is no doubt but
this would raile a lund of at leaft 125,000].
fieri, a year, which tho' very confiderable, is
nothing ia con.parifon of the great faving,

which

^6 A NEW SYSTEM

which could not be lefs than half a millioB
of pounds fterling per annum. Any faving
plan inforced by an acH: of alTcmbly, is in-
difputably as beneficial to the public, and
refleds as much honor upon the member
that promotes it, as one that brings in mo-r
ney to the public funds ; and fuch a dog-at^
would be found to do both.

CHAP,

OF HUSBANDRY. 67

CHAP. XIV,

Upon limiting the Size of Farms,

IF an adl of Affembly vais to pais, m or-
der to put a flop to the monopolizing of
land, it would doubtlefs have a great tenden-
cy towards making improvements flourilh,
and plenty abound throughout America.

It would then be in the power of every
©ne, to make the mod of his ground ; no
corner of it could elcape his eye, and lie
barren. He would improve every part, and
fill it with one profitable crop or other.

It is the nature of man in all ftations of
life to be afpiring, and very often to grafp
at what he is not well able to manage.

But in no cafe is the misfortune more fen-
fibly felt, both by the party concerned, and
by the public in general, than when a far-
mer holds too much land.

But

68 A NEW SYSTEM

But fuppofe the farmer can ftruggle thro''
and pay the rent ; or on the other hand let
the land lay uncleared ; yet the public is
ftill a lofer ; as the earth does not produce
half the increafc fhe would do, were (he
managed to the height of perfection.

Areftraining ad would lay the foundation
for plenty ; and only fuch that can make
the people happy and honed.

May we not compare a kingdom to a fa-
mily ? Is it not the firft care of a mafter to
provide bread for his family ? If he ncgleds
this, can he exped that his fervants will be
honeft and induftrious ?

Is not the legiQators the fathers of the"
people ? Are they not impowered to enad
fuch laws as may appear to them to be moll
for the public good ? Is there any that
ought to draw their attention, before fuch
as would fatisfy the firft law of nature ? —
Hunger will break through ftone-walls.

Wherein is the good of all laws which
ever have been enaded in England to pre-
vent foreftaUing ? Do they fatisfy the pco •
pie's craving appetite with bread ; or make
it one jot cheaper ? Do they add one peck
of corn to the mill, or tend towards making
one blade of corn more grow.

It

OF HUSBANDRY. ^9

It is inconfiftent with reafon they fhould.
In fhort, werethefe laws put in force, they
would have the contrary efteft ; becaufe they
would cramp trade, which, like water, is
the beft leveller.

What would London and all great fea-
ports do, were it not for the corn-fadors,
wholefaJe butchers, drovers or dealers in
cattle, SccP It is fuch as thefe that keep an
equality in prices throughout the kingdom.
They buy where fuch commodities are low,
and fell where they are high. Is it to be
fuppofed that a farmer of grazier, who has
perhaps no more than twenty quarters of
corn, or three or four fat cattle to fell, and
who lives a hundred miles from London,
could go there to fell them ? And fuppofe
he did, mufl he not lay a greater price up-
on them, to anfwer fuch extraordinary ex-
pences ? And would not this moft fenfibly
effed the lower clafs of people P

A merchant who deals largely in any fuch
commodities, certainly can afford to fell
lower in price, than he who muft be at the
fame expence in attending the markets with
a trifle.

The merchant's warchoufe may juftly be
called a magazine for the poor, where they
can apply for fuch neceflaries as they fland

irk

Vol. II. K

70 A NEW SYSTEM

in need of. Neither have the poor caih or
means to provide long before fuch things
are wanted.

It is the merchant's intcreil to lay in his
commodities in the time of plenty, and to
Sellout in time of fcarcity. Is not this a
natural policy, that will keep things moll
upon an equality? Was not this the cafe
with Jofeph ? He filled his ftores in the time
of plenty, and fold when they grew fcarce,
for he did not give any more than our
merchants do.

Moil of the commodities neceffary for life
are pcrifhablc, therefore under a ncceflity
of being difpofcd of before they fpoil.
Should any one be fo fiily or indifcreet, as
to keep them too long, he is punifhed by
his own folly ; but this very leldom hap-
pens.

The merchant with a capital and ware-
houfc proper for the occafion, is a ready
mai ket for the farmer to fly to, for the fale
of his crops. Had he not fuch a rcfource,
he would be deterred from fowing, which
would be the firll ilep towards a famine.

Thefe are all confcquences which mull
naturally happen, were the acls to prevent
forellalling put in force. For every perfon
that buys before the goods arc brought to
market, is in reality a foreflalier.

I remember

OF HUSBANDRY. 71

I reniember reading many hints in the
news-papers, relating to fat cattle being re-
turned from the markets in London to the
■country unfold ; and at the fame time wilh-
ing for fuch laws as would enforce them to
be fold, and not returned.

Certainly fuch authors judge as fuperfici-
ally of thofe matters, as the old-faihioned
farmer, who for a year or two paft, has
ftuffed the papers with his filiy arguments,
wherein he takes upon himfelf to prove to
the public, that it was the inciohng of com-
mons, together with turnip -hulbandry,
which was the caufe of the dearncfs of pro -
vifions in England.

In one of his letters about Martinmas.,
he thanked Providence for a mif-crop of
turnips. For fays he, as this crop has fail-
ed, farmers are obliged to bring their flieep
and cattle to market ; which has lowered
butchers m.eat gi-eatly. But. perhaps he is
one of the ti-ibe of fleepers, which only
want food one half of the year ; the other
they live in aftate ofinfenfibility without it.
His fhort- fighted und*-rftanding could not
find out what would be the confequence ;
that the more they killed in autumn, the
fewerremamcd for flaughier in the fprmg.;
that we cannot both eat our cake^ and have
it.

Tliat

72 A NEW SYSTEM

That when wintcr-tbod falls Ihort, (of
which turnips are the be'A) the cattle mull
walk to the market with their bones half
loaded with fleili ; confequcntly ths poor
mull go with half a belly full.

The old fafhioned farmer's reafcning up-
on the Inclofing of commons, is much the
fame, for he does not lee the many thoufand-
acres in the kingdom, which in then- wild
Hate will not keep a rabbit on an acre ,
wherea?, if inclofed and improved, they
might be made to keep four or five fhccp
per acre. And certainly the more live Hock
there is bred in the kingdom, the greater
chance vvc have for plenty; bccaufe in the
end, they mull come to the butcher, ex-
cept turnips and other winter food fail. Then
indeed the cattle may die for want, and the
poor may kw up their mouths. There has
been many acls palled in England to prevent
furell ailing, hut fcarce any put in force.

I mention thefe hints that America may
by Inch experience keep from enacting any
fuch rcJlraining i.iws, hut leave trade open
and the indullry of iv/dn will keep it level.

It is pail a contradidion, that the more
walle barren lands there is inclofed and im-
proved, the more Hock and corn it will raife;
all which tends to plenty ; becaufe cxcvy
article that keeps nati:re alive, Iprings from

the

OF HUSBANDRY. 73

the earth ; confequcntly it ought to be our
iirrt care to make her produce abundance.

But to return to the farmers, faleimen
and butchers ; (thefe are reprefented as un-
merciful men by authors in the news-papers
who want fome laws to make them kill the
cattle when brought to market, whether it
can be confumed or not.) 1 humbly con-
ceive fuch laws would be very pernicious,
and put a flop to the balance of trade,-
which inltead of going on fmooth and even,
would be continually upon a flux and re-
flux. It Vs^ould be like a weigh-pole, which
children ride upon, always up and down,
rifing and falling ; becaufe fome weeks there
would be twice as much cattle in the mar-
ket as is necefl'ary for the inhabitants to
confume ; therefore the meat v/ould be
fold very low, or thrown away, and per-
haps both.

The next market-day, there might not be
lialf the quantity of cattle as was wanted,
confequently the meat would be double the
price. In this cafe the rich could buy, but
the poor might flarve.

Experience fhews the butchers, not only
in London, but all over the world, how
much meat each market will take off.

Each one knows what he killed lafl: week,
which was perhaps as much, or more than

he

74 A NEW SYSTEM

he could fell ; therefore he will kill no
more left it Ihould lie on his hands.

Before fuch laws Ihould take place, it
would be neceflary that the farmers Ihould
be endowed with the fpirit of prophecy or
fore-knowledge ; that he in the north might
know on what day he in the fouth, at feve-
ral hundred miles diflance, would fend his
cattle to the market, left they fhould clalh.
with each other, and over-flock it.

In fhort, I am of opinion, that it is as ne-
celTary to fend cattle out of the market,
when over-ftocked, as to bring them to it
when fcarce ; confequently the drawing
farms near London, or any other great mar-
ket towns are very ufeful, and may be con-
fideied as a fort of make-weight, ready to
throw into the rifing fcale, to keep a ba-
lance.

There is another fet of people, who ex-
claim againft farmers for with-holding their
cattle from the market ; as if that contri-
buted to the dearnefs of provifions.

But thefe notions, like the reft, are ill
grounded. Every one that judges of things
rightly, muft know, that it is not the huC-
bandman's intereft to keep back from mar-
ket his cattle, after they are once fat ; for
when they come to the height of perfci^^ion
all the food they eat is thrown away ; and

the

OF HUSBANDRY. 7;

the intereft of the money is finking. It is
the intereft of every one in trade to make as
quick a return as pofTible ; therefore it is
plain that it is the graziers intereft to fend
their cattle to market as foon as they are
fat.

And on the other hand, the 'public can
lofe nothing by the cattle being kept away
from the market till they are fat ; becaufe
every pound they gain in weight is adding
to the public fund of plenty ; the more
pounds a bullock gains in weight, whilft he
ftays from the market, confequently the
more bellies he will fill when he arrives
and is fold.

Upon the whole it is bad policy to cramp
trade in any branch, much more in that
which concerns the craving of nature.

The moft prudent ftep would be to lay a
foundation for plenty, and there is no doubt
but that nature will produce enough to fa-
tisfy her dependents. As to things being
dear, it is a natural caufe, which arifes from
money being more plentiful, and from an
increafe of inhabitants; and not from any
real want, or decreafe of the ufual market
provifions.

It is not improbable but that in procefs of
time, wheat may rife to five fhiilings a peck,
by gradual fteps, for the fame reaibn as it

has

76 A NEW SYSTEM

has rofe from one penny to fixtccn pence 3
peck flerling ; and every other commodity
in proportion.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 77

CHAP. XV.

On the great Advantage that might acme
from Rabbit War r ens in America,

IN my travels and obfervations through a
great many parts of America I find ma-
ny fpots of land, particularly adapted,
and proper for rabbits, and am much fur-
prifed fo profitable a flock fhould cfcape the
iarmers attention fo long, but it m.uft cer-
tainly be for want of knowing their value or
how to flock or manage a warren.

The perfection and utility of a rabbit war-"
ren are many, lirll they produce a whole-
fome delicious food all the year round, for
the ufe of mankind.

Secondly, their down or fur are valuable
for the hat manufadory, and of late years
fells high.

Thirdly,
Vol. n. L

78 A NEW SYSTEM

Thirdly, the capital for Hocking a war-
ren is a tri.ile.

Fourthly, poor land that is fcare fit for
any thing elfe will do for them.

Fifthly, they are eafy managed and as
cafy fed.

The rabbit generally breeds every month
in tl^e ycar» and will bring forth from four
to ten at a kenneling or litter, confequently
their increafe is prodigious. The doe no
fooner kennels (as it is called) butfhe runs
immediately to the buck, who ftjikes her
(a term lor copulation) and that day month
Ihe brings forth again.

When the doe wants to kennel fhc goes
to a diftance, makes a hole in the earth, and
therein kennels; fhe makes up the door (as
it were) by covering the mouth of the hole
with fand, this is to prevent the buck from
finding them while young, for if he docs he
is iure to kill them.

Being fo great breeders a few couple will
flock a large warren in a year or two, when
a warren amounts to a thoufand couple it is
Vv(;rth a hundred pounds fterling a year clear
profit, befides iulTicientto increafe the Hock
twenty or thirty pounds a year ; there are
many forts of rabbits, but the beft to ftock
a warren with is the grey colour, black,
, wliite orfpottedare what is generally called

the

OF HUSBANDRY. 79

the tame rabbit, which is not fo good in the
field breed.

Rabbits delight much in a high fandy land,
and if it be fo poor that nothing elfe will live
on it, it is the better for them, forbad they
good ground and much grafs they would
over eat themfelves, and always be poor,
being a very ravenous animal, which is the
reafon that they are fateft in froft and fnow,
when little meat is to be got, though little
meat will do, yet when a fnow covers the
ground they mud be fed, either by fcattcr-
ing bits of hay over the warren, or branch-
es of trees, and lirewing them over the
ground, the bark of which they are very
fond of.

The method to flock a warren is, before
you turn the rabbits out, throw up little
ditches acrofs the warren, from eaft to weft,
fo that the face of the bank may front the
fun, and as many couple of rabbits as you
intend to turn out, make fo many holes
with a fpade as far as you can reach, run-
ning them horizontally rather inclining
downwards; in the evening put a couple in-
to each hole and before morning they will
dig them deeper, and as they increale will
make frelh holes according to the increafe
of numbers.

Tlier.c

So A NEW SYSTEM

There arc two methods ufed to take then*
when wanted for market; one is with a fer-
rit and a purfe net; the method is to muz-
zle the ferrit and turn him into the holes,
and lay the nets over all the mouths of the
holes thereabouts; when the ferrit comes
at the rabbit and fcratches it, which makes
it immediately bolt out, and is entang-
led m the net, the man who ftands ready
and without making any noife, immediately
feizes the rabbit and breaks its neck, ex-
cept it be a doe with young, then he lets
her go. The purfe net is made much like
a cabbage net, only wider at the mouth,
perhaps about two feet over, it is made of
of common pack-thread.

The next method to take them is, with a
long net about a yard wide, and long enough
to reach acrofs the out-lkirts of one fide of
the warren ; this net is to take out layers
or Rragg'ers ; it is fet up with little forked
flicks ituck in the ground, the upper part
of the net is hung on the fork, and the un-
der part lays loofe on the ground; the net is
fet about an hour or two after dark, in or-
der to give the rabbits time to go abroad, be-
ing thus fet, and at the out fide of all the
holes the man goes with two or three little
dogs and hunts the rabbits, which makes
for the holes, bur the net being in the way

they

OF HUSBANDRY. Si

they bolt againft it and are entangled,
which gives the man an opportunity to take
them.

There is not ten miles between New- York
and Virginia, but what there is a proper fpot
of land for a rabbit warren, fuch as is Tan-
dy, hilly, and wore out or impoverifhed
not being fit for other ftock or any crop.
And 1 need not fay of what utility it would
be to individuals to have fuch a fund of
plenty difperfed over the country, and that
raifed from the worft land.

CHAP.

%t A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XVI.

How to fet Potatoes in Drills with the
Plough.

TAKE any poor worn-out flubble-Iand
which may be intended for fallow j
plough it in autumn in two furrow ridges ;
that IS, lay two furrows back to back, thro'
the piece you intend for potatoes.

By doing this it will lie dry all winter ;
and in the beginning of March (or iooner,
if the weather permit) harrow it acrofs,
and it will fill all the furrows level ; after
which plough it, either acrols or length-
wile, no matter which, provided the land
be all cut and turned up ; then again har-
row it well and fine ; and juil before you
intend to plant potatoes, plough it again

into

OF HUSBANDRY. S^

into two furrow-ridges, lying back to back,
lb that they muft dole at the top; but not
fo as to let any mold fall into the oppofite
furrow.

Being thus laid in ridges, and the fur-
rows all open, in every furrow fet a row of
potatoes, each about the length of a man's
foot afunder ; then take the dunging-bafkets
and drop a piece of dung, about the fize of
your fift upon each potatoe ; by this me-
thod a little dung will go a great way, and
a few hands will fct a great deal in a day.

When thus fet and dufiged, go with the
plough and fplit the ridge in two ; fo that
what was the furrow, will now be the ridge,
and the ridge will be over the potatoes ; fo
that they will come up in rows throuv^h the
middle thereof.

In fummer you may go with the plough
up and down every drill, to cut the weeds
and earth up the potatoes.

By this method it may be well termed a
potatoe -fallow, as it may be ploughed always
when the weeds grow.

. In taking them up, go with a plough, and
turn the whole drill over ; by which means
all, or moft of the potatoes will appear
above ground, and be eafily gathered ; but
if a Imall part of them remam ungathered,
they will all be found by harrowing, or the
uext plough inr^. This

S4 A NEW SYSTEM

This is a very expeditious way, both in
fctting and taking up , and it ought to be
every man's ftudy to work his land with as
little exi:)ence as poflible.

The next cafy way to fet potatoes with
plough is in grafs-land, viz.

Harrow the fod well, both length and
croiTvvife, to fcratch, wound and mangle
the grafs-roots, in order to fct them a rot-
ting ; which they will do fpeedily when
turned up.

Then begin and plough a furrow eight
inches broad ; in this fet a row of potatoes
a foot-lengdi alunder ; and on every pota-
toe drop a lump of dung, about the bignefs
of a man's fill ; then plough two furrows,
and in the third fet another row ; fo that
there will be a furrow between every two
rows or drills through the piece. When it
is all fet harrow it well ; but take care not
to turn up or diforder the fods.

When the potatoes are come up a little
above ground, go with a plough up and
down every drill, and lay the loofe mold,
with the harrow raifed, to the ftem of the
potatoes ; but be careful not to diilurb the
fod. When they are taking up, turn the
drill or furrow with the plough ; by which
means they are eafily gathered.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. g^

The third method of planting potatoes^
is with fpadcs, as they do in Chelhire.

They dig all the ground, and bury the
dung about four inches deep ; as if they
were trenching in a garden ; after which
they go with fctting flicks, make a hole,
and drop the potatoe in j then they rake
the ground to fill the holes.

They are dug up with fj^ades alio ; but
this is expenfive in comparifcn of letting
with the plough.

However they take care not to bury the
dung too deep ; as alfo ilot to throw up
any bad earth to fpoil the land, which is
fco often the cafe inh'cland.

Vol. li. U CHAP.

%6 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. xvir.

Remarks onfetting Potatoes is)uh the Plough,

IVJ. Ethinks, I fe^ my brother farmer turn
hither in great hurry, to fee my realon for
advifing him to fct his potatoes with the
plough; and not to keep him long in lufpencc
I plainly tell him, that it faves both men,
money, and dung, befides improving his
land. Thefe are confiderations well worth
his attention.

Firil, it faves men; as one man and two
horfes, and five or fix boys, will fet as ma-
ny potatoes in a day with the plough, as fe-
venty or eighty men could let with Ipades.

Secondly, it faves dung ; as one load will
go as far as four.

Thirdly, none of the dung is loft by be-
ing buried in the trenches; which is evideni-

ly

OF HUSBANDRY. 87

ly th€ cafe when trenched in the old Iridi
method ; as a lump is dropped upon every
potatoe.

Fourthly, potatoes got thus, are nearly
clear gains, as they may be Town upon land
that is intended for fummer-fallow, and fuch
land will ablblutely receive more benetit
from this potatoe-f allow, than if norhing had
grown; for what withhoeing with the pbugh,
and what with the tops fmothering the
weeds, &cc. the groimd is made clean and
mellow, and in tine order for a wheat-crop
at Michaelmas.

And there can be no di (appointment, as
potatoes can be ploughed up i-peedily.

All thele realons, i hope wiii prevail up-
on the farmers, or people in general, to
follow this cheap and eaiy method; as no-
thing concerns a farmer fo much, as woric-
ing his land with the greateil diipatch, and
the leaR expence that reafon can devife.

As I have travelled between England and
Ireland, for near twenty years pail, 1 have
had an opportunity to remark how the dif-
ferent markets ruled in the two kingdoms ;
and I always found that in the cities ot York,
Lincoln, and in large towns, ibcli as Leeds,
Wakefield, Doncallcr, Sheilield. and in
fliort all over England, v/hcre it is cuiloma-
ry to fe • the potatoes with the plough, they
always fell lower than in h-cland. This

n A NEW SYSTEM

This fiR is inconteftable ; altho' it is well
known, that, in thefe places, land is higher
and fo is labour of more value.

This (hews they mud have a cheaper and
cafier way of coming at them, or they could
not be afforded at a lower rate. Further,
the method of fctting with the plougli is fo
cafy, that a man may teach in an hour as
many people as could look at him.

The Expcncc and Profit of an acre of Po-
tatoeSy raifed by the Plough, as diredled
under that Artlclp.

1. s. d.

To twenty quarters of potatoes,

at 9s. per, or forty ftone -900

To three ploughings, at 2s. 6d.
each if with one man and two
horfes - - - 076

To two harrowings - 026

To one quarter of potatoes for

feed, at 9s. per - -090

To fix loads of dung, at 2s. per 012 o

III o
Brought

OF HUSBANDRY. 89

Brought over - - i 1 1 o

To fix boys or girls, each at 4d.

per day - - - 020

To two men, to fee they be right-
ly fet, and to help to lay the
dung - - ' 018

To three times hoeing with the

plough - - - -060
To ploughing up - 026

To eight boys or girls, at 4d.

each - - 028

To carriage home - - 020
To land-rent - - 0150

Total expence 324
Clear profit ^17 S

CHAP.

po A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XVIII.

Remarks and Illujirations on the foregoing
'Table on potatoes Jet with the plough.

IN order to encourage the farmer to fall
into this valuable piece of hulbandry, I
have allowed him in the foregoing table, to
be well paid for his trouble ; and yet he fees
the profit amounts to upwards of five pounds
feventeen fhillings an acre.

Were I to be very minute, the profit
would be much more ; I have very often
known from fifteen to twenty pounds made
on an acre.

If I was to do ftri(^ juftice to this valua-
ble crop, it fhould not be charged, cither
with rent, ploughing or dung ; as it is part
contradi(flion, that the land, after this would

be

OF HUSBANDRY. 91

be better for a crop of wheat, the fiicceed-
ing year, than if it had been fallowed in the
common way.

It is alfo . to be obfervcd, that I have
charged the potatoes only at nine {hillings
a quarter, which often fell for much more,

Thefe are all plain and impartial reafons;
and I hope will encourage the farmer ta
purfue this valuable method.

There are a great many parts of England
that follow this method ; therefore luch may
overlook this chapter, and leave it for thofc
that know nothing of it ; which are a great
many parts both of England, hxland, Scot-
land and Wales ; fo excufe me if in other
cafes I mention fometimes what is known to
fomc farmers, as it may be Ilrange to odiera.

CHAP.

92 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XIX.

On fetting Potatoes, as in Ireland, on Ridges
by Trenching.

THE Irifli method of fetring potatoes,
is in fome cafes very ufefnl, and the
chcapeft of all others, except the plough ;
and would be much more valuable in all
cafes, if they were cautious no to make the
trenches too deep.

It is a very eaiy method and quick: too ;
becaufe not above one-fourth of the ground
is dug ; and few farmers ha\ e fields or clofes
but what have wafte corners, where the
plough cannot come ; as alio backs of ditch-
es, hic. which if he lays on a good coat of
manure, he may fet potatoes in, and when
they are dug up, it will make good compoll
for his land.

It

OF HUSBANDRY. ()2

It is alfo a good method to break up
tough, ftubborn, rooty or rocky land : —
becaufe this is a quick method of working
it, and the crop will meliorate it to that de-
gree, that it may be ploughed the year fol-
lowing with eafe : as to the executing of
this method, nothing is more eahly learned,
viz.

When you have fixed upon a piece of
land for this purpofc, you mull lay out
your ridges in breadth according to the
depth of your foil : that is, if the foil be
fhallow, make your ridges about four feet
broad, and the trench about two feet and a
half wide.

This is in order that you may raife eaith
enough to cover the potatoes, without en-
tering upon a dead poor foil.

But if your under ftratum be good, you
make the trenches deep and narrow, which
will fave land.

Sometimes it happens that a rich earth,
or even a kind of manure lies within the
reach of this trenching : when this happens
it is a treafure.

Cover your potatoes about four folid
inches thick : — ^being thus learned and de-
termined as to the depth and breadth of the
ridge, you muft ftretch a line and cut it out,
then fpread your manure ftraight and even

Vol. II. N on

9+

A NEW SYSTEM

on the ridge, leaving the breadth of the
trench without any.

i\itcr this lay on your potatoes at about
nine inches from each other : then dig the
trench, and turn the firll Ind-grafs down-
wai'ds cloic to the edge of the ridge : and
\\ hat the i^od does not meet to cover, finilh
covering it widi the fecond fpit • but leave
the ihovellings at the bottom of the trench,
till tlie potatoes are ready to peep above the
ground ; then fhovel up the loofe earth,
and cover all the ridge thinly over.

This will check the growth of the top,
and cauie the potatoes to fpread under
ground : this is a better way than to finifh
the ridge all at the firft fctting, as iome will
do.

If you have much old grafs or ruihes,
&CC. on the ground, or that the fod is tough
and likely to take much time to rot : in this
cafe it is better to trench the ground in De-
cember or January, and in March fet the
potatoes : make holes with the planting-
machine : but the pegs mufl be thicker, in
order to make the holes wide enough to let
the fet to the bottom : or for want of this
machine, you may take a fetting Hick, like
the {haft of a fpade, and fix crofs-ways a
llrong peg about four inches from the bot-
tom

OF HUSBANDRY. 9 ^

torn : this is to fet your foot on, in order to
fmk the fetting-ilick more ealily.

Make the holes about nine inches afund-
der : in them drop the potatoes, but no
deeper than juil to fall between the two fods:
for they love to fpread along the firm earth:
rake or harrow to fill the holes, then fhovel
the trenches and finilh the riJge.

Though rotten dung is doubtlefs beft,
yet if the ground be trenched early enough,
long dung will make a good Ihift, and may
be better u led in this than any other crop,
as it will have time to rot, and will keep
the tvv^o fods open, fo that the potatoes m.ay
have room to run and fpread between
them.

In the county of Leitrim, there is a great
deal of wet rulhy land worth little ; and [
have feen very good potatoes in it, from no
other manure than cutting the ruflics, and
laying on the ridge, and making it no broad-
er than the furrow or trench, fo that the
fods meet. They trench it early, and make
the ridges only three feet wide.

However, if they doubt the land will not
bring a good crop thus, they may be fure
of a good crop, if they only give it a thin
covering of either lime, marl, or Ume ftonc
gravel, along with the rulhes: but the foon-
er this manure is laid on, (in order to grow

to

^6 A NEW SYSTEM

to the fod and rot) the better, and the greater
certainty of a crop. Such land generally
gives a good crop of bear or wheat, after
the potatoes arc dug out.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. ^^

CHAP. XX.

On different Sorts of Potatoes.

THERE are various forts of potatoes,
more perhaps than I am acquainted
with ; however the following is a lilt of the
various forts which I have cultivated.

Firft, white ruffeting; this is a round po-
tatoe with a rough ikin.

Secondly, red ruffeting; this is a red round
potatoe with a rough ikin.

Thirdly, the large Iriih white fmooth
potatoe.

Fourthly, the large round red potatoe.

Fifthly, the culgee.

"Sixthly, the early-wife potatoe.

Seventhly

9^ A NEW SYSTEM

Seventhly, the white kidney potatoc.

Eighiihly, the Jeruialc;-n potatoc.

Ninthly, the bull's eye potatoe.

The bull's eye is a large red potatoc,
which will grow and yield a plentiful crop
on poor ground ; but it k a veiy bad eating
potatoe : it taites not much unlike a yam.

As they produce a plentiful crop, fomc
gentlemen low them in Ireland, and parti-
cularly near Waterford, and the county of
Kilkenny, v/here they feed and fiaughtcr
many fwine for exportation.

The Jerufalem-potatoe is long, and full
of eyes, and is of a great produce ; each eye
makes a fet; as indeed fo they do in every
other potatoe; for the Irilh always cut them
infets, which is a good way, though not
generally pra coifed in England.

The culgee is a very fweet eating potatoe,
one fide is generally red: in their growing
they do not fpread and grow from itrings,
like another potatoe, but Hick to the bot-
tom of the ilalklike a bunch of grapes, and
rife to the furface, infomuch that often the
red lide will be above ground.

I have had a fine crop of them, they arc
very fond of a well-tilled foil, tlicrcfore the
drill method of fetting them with the plough
in broken land fuits them beft.

The

OF HUSBANDRY, ()()

The wife potatce is of an early kind ; they
produce a fmall top but no bloffom, and
the top Vv^ithers early ; they do not grow ve-
ry large, are of a light red call lull of eyes ;
they are of a great increafc, but a great ma-
ny of them fmall, they are very ufeful for
an early crop ; as they are dry and ready
for ufc two months before others ; but it is
not a good keeping potatoe.

The large red Iriih potatoe is of a good
kind, and particularly on ftrong cold land,
where it thrives beft ; it grows large and
produces a good plentiful crop.

As the hilh poor eat potatoes inftead of
bread, thefe are the beft of all others for
that ufe ; they vrill tell you, that they will
he longer than any others on the ilomach ;
fo coniequently are of a found prm texture ;
their colour is of a deep red, and of a
round fhape ; they have a grofs ilrong ftalk
or top.

The white- ruffe ting is a very pleafant eat-
ing potatoe ; but I do not thmk them good
yielders : neither will they thrive well,
without rich v/ell tilled land.

The red ruffeting is of a hardy fort, and
will grow almoif on any fort of land ; but
they do not produce many at a root : nei-
ther are they large, fo confequently are bad
yielders, and not a defirable crop, where
other feed can be got. The'

loo A NEW SYSTEM

The toad-back is nearly a-kin to the large
Irilh potatoe, only not fo large : the fkin is
almoll black and rough like a rulTeting : —
this is a found, dry, firm, good eating po-
tatoe : it is fond of good frefh land, and
agrees very well with the Iriih method of
fetting on lay-land, as direded in the chap-
ter that treats thereon.

The kidney (or by fome called Spanifh)
potatoe is of an oblong fliape, a white co-
lour, with a yellowilh call : it is a fweet
good-eating potato s ; but not fo dry, or
mealy as fome others, therefore not fo pro-
per to be ufed in the place of bread, as is
the cafe in Ireland) but it is very good to
be chopped up, and ufed as fauce to meat :
it is an exceeding good yielder, and by na-
ture feeks its food deep ; and therefore re-
quires a good covering with mold when fct;
it will thrive well on a ftrong deep foil ; buC
requires to be well tilled.

UhiBion of Horlicultur^j

L V. 0. Bdp't of Agriculture, cHAP.

'i

OF HUSBANDRY. loi

CHAP. XXI.

T^be Management and TJfe of Vetches,

VETCHES are a very ufeful good crop,'
and particularly for winter or fpring-
fceding for fheep, or indeed other cattle -,
and what adds flill to their value is that they
want no dung or manure.

They may be Town, and will grow upon
land that lie ufelefs all winter ; and what
is more, they add to the fertilizing of luch
land ; neither does a farmer pay one penny
more rent for his crop, than he would for
the Hubble Handing on the faid land.

The chief ufe of vetches is to fupply the
farmer with winter-feeding on his flubble-
lands, that would otherwile be wafte, from

Vol. U. O the

loz A NEW SYSTEM

the time the crop is reaped, which is about
)Sej)tei)"ibcr, to Ivlarch or April following :
in iliis caic they are very valuable ; as what
benefits either the land or the farmer gets by
.them is clear gain.

But as ufcivl as vetches are in this cafe,
they are too inconiiderable a crop, to ftand
all fummer, and take the year's rent upon
them ; except in very poor, fandy, or gra-
velly land, which is generally of a low rent.

The better the land is which they are fown
on for the winter-feeding, doubtlefs the bet-
ter herbage they will make ; alfo the fooncr
they are fown in autumn, (fo as to have as
much benefit of the declining fummer fun as
pofTible) the better and llronger your herb-
age will be ; therefore the more cattle it will
fupport; and if the land be a rich, deep,
fl:rong loam or clay, it will produce good
herbage ; though it is not proper for feed ;
bccauie the richnefs of the foil would force
it all into ibaw, but little corn.

The method of thofe that would fow
vetches upon theil* wafle flubble land, for
w^inter-feeding muft be this :

Take any fort of land that has been under
rap;, cole-feed, turnips, or any fort of corn,
and as foon as the crop is reaped and off,
plough the ihibble under; begin in the mid-
dle of the ridge, and raile it as high as pof-

fible

• OE HUSBANDRY. loj

fible with the plough, (by gathering or taking
it up) in order that it may lie as dry as po(-
fible all winter ; which will add both to the
goodncfs of the crop, and the cleannefs of
the cattle's feeding.

This done, fow your vetches at the rate
of ten flone to the Englilli acre ; then har-
row them in ; after this water-furrow and
gripe-crofs your ridges, in the lowed places
of the land, leading to the fide drains ; in
order to give a ready pafifage for the winter's
water when it falls.

If they be fDwn at the latter end of Au-
guft, or the beginning of September, you
may turn your Iheep in, about the middle
of December.

Eat them all winter, and in the fpring
the land will be in fine order for oats or bar-
ley.

Some chule to preferve their vetches till
fpring, to feed early lambs or weathers on,
which is very profitable : others will eat
them all the month of May, and then give
the land a couple of ploughings, and fow it
with turnips or rape at midfummer : this is
alfo a good way.

Others again will fallow all furamer, af-
ter the vetches are eat off ; which will great-
ly enrich the land ; and then fow wheat on

it in autumn.

U

I04 A NEW SYSTEM

If you intend your vetches for feed fow
them in Februaiy, at rate of fix ftone to
the acre ; and harveft them as peas. But
if they be intended to plough in for dung,
(which is the word way, as it is better to
make dung by eating them on the ground)
fow them in March, at eight ftone to the
acre ; and plough them in, when full of
bloObm, as direcfted for buck-wheat.

If you intend this crop for fodder, by
the way of hay, they muft be mown be-
fore they are ripe , that is, when the ftraw
is full of juices and fap.

By taking them thus green, when the
flraw is full of fap or rich fubftanccs, the
grain does not fhake out ; and the horfes
eat llraw and corn all together ; which is
excellent fodder

In this cafe the hay muft be made by the
fame method as any other hay : only by be-
ing cut in this Hate, the draw will be parti-
cularly full of fap ; therefore you muft be
careful that it neither rot nor mold.

The quality of vetches is fuch, that they
will grow almoll on any fort of land ; if
they rtand for feed, poor, gravelly, or light
fandy land fuits them bell : for indeed they
are moftly fown where nothing elfe will
grow, and I think they exceed any other
grafs or crop whatever, except turnips for

winter

OF HUSBANDRY. 105

winter feeding, as they fuit our climates,
being a native of thefe kingdoms, and a
plant that keeps green all winter.

Indeed they are of fuch a juicy herbagy
nature, that though the feed ripens, dries,
and fheSs, yet the ftalk or ftraw will be a
green herbage, and full of juices, after the
feed has deferted it.

CHAP.

io6 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXII.

Explanation and Nature of different Sorts of
PuJ/e, fuch as Vetch, ^are. Lentils, &c.

THE following multiplicity of names,
confufedly made ufc of by authors
to convey the meaning of one plant, may
well puzzle or confound the ideas of a far-
mer, and fend him in fearch after plants,
corn or grain, of which perhaps he himfelf
may be already poflclTed.

However it cannot be expected he fhould
have a fufficient library of books, always at
hand to clear up referrences. It is enough
to tell him, that though the many following
names are made ufe of in different parts of
the two kingdoms, yet vetch is a name that
fuits our Englilh tongue befl, and what may

be

OF HUSBANDRY. 107

he underftood by every one that underftands
the language : to this name is added fitch,
fetch, thetch, thetches, fitches, chick and
checkes : and thefc abfolutely mean one
and the fame thing ; fome make the word
of the fingnlar, and others the plural num-
ber.

Moft people are inclined to believe the
real name of this pulfe to be vetch ; but this
cannot be, as vetch is the Latin word for
tare, and though the tare is of the pulfe-kind
yet it hardly bears a refemblance to the
vetch in queftion.

Befides the tare is confidered amongft the
judicious farmers as a weed, and v/ith great
reafon too, for it is as deftru6live to corn as
any vi^eed whatever, being a weak, climbing,
heavy topped, feathery plant, which puUs
the corn dovv^n and rots it.

The, feed alfo when once it gets a footing
is very hard to get clear of, as it is of a fmall
round fhape, and blackilh colour. It is
likevvife fpoken of in fcripture as a weed.

Notwithi\anding all this, I with regret
fee it largely treated on by fome authors, as
a valuable crop ; however I know the ill
confequences of it fo well by woeful experi-
ence, that I Ihall not bellow a finglc line a-
bout it, except to advife the farmer, that
already has it, to clear his land of it, as faft
as pofiible. There.

io8 A NEW SYSTEM

There are two forts of vetches, namely^
the large and the fmall : the large is of a^
grey colour, and is moll proper to fow,
when the crop is intended to Hand for feed.

The fmall fort is a fmall black grain and a
hardy plant, and not fo grols ; therefore
not fo apt to lodge, and rot by the feventy
of the winter as the former.

The vetch bears a blue, or rather purple
bloffom, much like a grey field-pea; the
pod of much the fame likenefs, but fmall :
the ftalk has a refemblance alfo, but will
not grow to near the length or grolTnefs, and
is clad with a fmall narrow feathered leaf.

The lentil (but corruptly called by fome
till) is a fpecies of pulfe, and one that de-
lerves the farmers attention. It is nearly of
the fame nature as the vetch ; therefore
muft have the fame manageinent, but will
afford to be fown fomething later in the
Ipring, as it is rather of an earlier kind.

The ftalk of the lentil is more taper
than that of vetches, fo confequently will
ftand better without a fupport.

For this reafon the farmers may fow it
with fucccfs among their oats, as it is able
to fupport itfelf without pulling the oats
down.

Again, it is a great bearer, and adds
much to the mealy part of the oat, and

confequently

OF HUSBANDRY. 109

confequenliy has more flrength of food for
the horfe, and the ftraw beins: mixed with
the oat-ftraw makes excellent fodder.

The pod that holds the feed is fomewhat
like that of a pea, but broader in proportion,
and very thin, as the two fides fall clofe to-
gether round the feed.

The feed is grey, and of a round flattiih
fliape, the leaves grow in pairs oppofite each
other, are long, fmall, and pointed, of a
palilh green, and a little downy at the un-
der lide.

The corn is very good for pigeons or
fowls of any fort : it is alfo made ufe of for
the fame purpoies as the grey pea or vetch.

One thing is to be laid of the lentil, that
it will grow on any poor, light gravel, or
fandy land, perhaps better than any other
grain or fort of pulfe : but though this be
its perfedion, yet doubtlefs the better the
land the ftouter the crop ; provided it be of
a warm fandy nature. Indeed any gram of
the pulfe kmd is fond of fuch land ; but
v.'hen it is richer than common, the feed
muft be fown thine r in proportion, and
particularly when the crop is intended to
iland for feed.

Vol. ir. F CHAP.

no A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXIII.

0« the different Management of Clover,
through all its Variations,

CLOVER fuits the climates of Eng-
land, Ireland and America, better than
moll other graffes, and is a veiy beneficial
crop, either for grazing, or meadow; be-
fides it is a great improver of land, having
a ftrong fibrous root, which quickly incor-
porates with the earth:, and when ploughed
up or dillurbed by tillage, foon rots, and
becomes a very rich manure.

This together with the ieveral rich crops
it produces, makes it of more value than
an/ odier artificial grafs.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. in

The way to make the moft of it, I take to
be this, viz.

Sow it with a fpring crop , that is, after
the corn is (own and harrowed, fow the
clover-feed, at the rate of ten pounds to an
Englifh acre.

When fown, either bufh-harrow or roll
it ; but the latter is bell:.

When the corn is reaped, eat the clover
for about a month : though there are many
who object againft this method : (but my
reafons for it may be feen in the enfuing
chapter on clover) then lay it up. It .will
be well grown by April, at which time you
may turn ni your ewes and lambs.

It is an excellent thing to create milk for
feeding lambs with : aifo feeding for any
fort of cattle ; but be watchful to keep your
horned cattle walking or flirring about ; or
they will be very apt to hove and burll, as
it is a very fwelling food, and particularly
if the weather be wet; for when the cattle
are firft turned in, they eat greedily not tak-
ing time to chew it.

Therefore, it is beft only to fuffer them
to be in about ten minutes at a time, the
fiift day, twenty the next, and fo on : but
it is beil to turn them in with a full belly of
iiay, or fome dry meat ; which will abate

theii-

112 A NEW SYSTEM

their greedy appetite, and help to dry up
the watery particles.

One great ufe or advantage in clover is its
early fpring ; for it comes in at leart a montli
before natural grafs ; and a month's grafs
early in the fpring, is worth two at any o-
thej- time of the year.

This is a confideration a farmer ought to
hear in mind : and that for feveral reafonSj
viz.

Firft, for feeding early lambs.

Secondly, to fupply the place of hay,
which at this time of the year is generally
fcarcc and dear.

Thirdly, it is a great Arengthener to
young cattle ; fuch as calves and foals ; for
it firft purges, and then puts them in health
and vigor, to enter with a good conftitution
into the natural grafs-p'aflure. It is always
obferved, that when they go weak and poor
into the fummer grafs, the bell part of the
fummeris fpent (in which time they fhould
grow in bone) before they reco\er their
iieili.

Fourthly, it fprings the in-calving cows
to milk : and a farmer ought to bear in mind
that a fortnight's good feeding, before a
cow calves, is worth a month after ; as it
flulhes her to milk, by opening her milk-
veins^ flretching her udder, teats and milk-

velTcls

OF HUSBANDRY, 113

'Teffels ; and it ftrengthens and feeds the
>calf within, and herfeif to undergo the
painful talk of calving.

A cow with health and ftrength at calv-
ing, is worth one and a half that is poor,
for milk in fummer.

After this moft valuable grafs has per-
formed all thefe good offices, by its early
fpring, lay it up for meadow, about the
firft of May ; and it will be ready to mow
in a month or five weeks after.

By good mana8;ement, it will produce
three crops in one year ; befides the after-
grafs, or winter-herbage, which is almofc
of as much value as the reR.

The different fiages for a crop of clover,
are as as follows, viz.

Suppofe the feed to be fown amongfb
corn in the beginning of April : this year
the rent of the land is paid by the corn-
crop; therefore the clover has no charge of
rent upon it till May following : however it
is of great ufe in this year for winter-feed-
ing- ^

After the corn is reaped, the Hubbies

mud be kept free from cattle, till the clo-
ver get to be a good herbage ; which vvill be
about the firft of November ; then turn light
cattle in : eat it till the firil: of December,
or till you fee that they have cropped off all
the tirll Ihoots. Then

114 A NEW SYSTEM

Then take them out, and lay it up till
the firft of April : at which time it will be a
good herbage.

Therefore if your grafs be fcarce, and
you chufe to eat the clover, you may turn
in cattle for a month : and the lirft of May
lay it up for a meadow-crop.

If a wet fummer follows, and the ground
be good, it will be ready to cut by the
tenth of June for hay : the next crop will
produce feed, or if you chufe another crop
of hay.

The time to cut the fecond crop for hay,
is about the middle of September ; or when
the flowers are all full blown, and fome of
the mofl: forward begin to fade.

But if you would fave the feed, give it
time enough to ripen, as there is no fear of
its fliedding : it is fo well inclofed with a
very Packing, tough, wirey pod, therefore
deler cutting it till very ripe ; as alfo make
it very dry or raib when cut, or it will not
part from the ftraw or pod by trelhing,
without more labour than it is worth.

By taking out the feed, the ftraw will be
trcflicd very ihort and mufhy : however
it will be good fodder, though not near
cq'jal to the crop managed for hay in its
proper Icafon.

He

OF HUSBANDRY. 115

He Is a good workman that can trefh out
a peck of clean feed in a day : he muft
firft trefh the pods, and rub and winnow
the {ccd out : then dry the pods or hufks
again ; and fo repeat thefe operations, till
he gets the feed feparated from the hufk.

But the befl way is to threfli the pods or
hufks out of the flraw, and then take them
to the mill, and fhcll them as you would
oats ; this is very cafily done, and faves 2
great deal of labour and feed, as little by
this will be wafted.

There is one piece of care or obfervation
that a farmer (hould never lofc fight of, if
he expects a full crop of feed ; and that is,
never to lay up his hrft growthof clover for
feed ; for though it may grow vigoroully,
bloflbm, and look well to him who is not a
true judge, yet it will not bear feed.

Therefore, when a farmer eats his clover
in April or May, he mufl fee that his cattle
eat it near and crop every branch, as thofe
that mifs cropping, though they flower
will not (eed ; for this reafon I recommend
eating it in April, mowing the hay crop
in June, and laving the feed from the laii:
crop, whichvriil produce the moll and bell;
feed.

But if the farmer choofcs he may not eat
it in fpring ; by which means he may mow

the

ii6 A NEW SYSTEM

the firft crop of hay by the middle of May^
and tlie next crop raife feed from.

This will bring the feed crop more in the
middle of fummcr, when the heat is ftrong;,
fo confequently it will- be in lefs danger of
being fpoilcd by autumn-rains, which come
earlier in Ireland, and the north of England,
than they do near London.

I mention this that every farn^er may be
a judge of his own fituation, and fuit his
crop accordingly.

It IS a grols miilake and very often com-
mitted, to let the firft crop of clover hay
Hand too long before it is cut, for feveral
reafons.

Firft, when it ftands till the bottom of
the ftalk turns brown, it is drained of all its
fubftance, and alfo has cxhaufted or weak-
ened the root too much of its vigour; there-
fore when it is mown, the ftubble is left as
dead or lifclels as that of corn : and the
next fhoot or branch which comes forth
muft be from the very root, which admits
of a fortnight's delay in tlie growth of the
crop : whereas on the other hand if it was
cut when the ftalk is green aiid ftill of fap
or juices, it would fend forth frelh Ihoots
out of the very ftalk a little belOw the cut:
and the coat of clover being ftripped off,
the roots are fupplied (bciore they are left

to»

OF HUSBANDRY. ik/

too weak and fickly) with frefh air, and
kept in vigour and flrength, to fupport and
bring to maturity, the fucceeding crop.

It IS true, there may not be fo great a
bulk of hay in the firll crop when cut io
young ; bccaufe the llalk is cut when foft
and full of juices, and therefore flattens,
clofes, and runs or cakes together when in
(iack, he.

It alfo requires more care in making ; but
as this happens in the height of fummer,
there is not fo much danger that way ^ and
aftone of fuch hay is worth two of that which
is left to ftand till the ftalks are left dry,
hard and inipoveriihed.

Clover may be fown with fliccefs amongft
oats : alfo if wheat or rye be fown in broad
ridges, it may be fown amonglf them irk
May and rolled in.

I have fecn good clover where the feed
was fown amongft flax : but the befl of thefe
crops for raifing clover is barley, as this
grain is not apt to grow with fo long and
grofs a flraw as oats, wheat or lye ; there-
lore the clover is not in eoual daneer of be-

A, O

ing fmothcred.

Yet there is no general rule without an
exception.

I have

Vol. II. • CL

11$ A N E W S Y S T E M

I have feen good and bad clover among
all thefe crops ; a deal depends upon a good
feafon : barley however has the beft chance ;
as we generally till well for it; barley being,
a. tender grain.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 119

C H A P. XXIV.

On Cattle boved by Clover , and its Cure,

THO' it may feem ftrangc or odd in mc
to make acomparifon between the hu-
man and the brute creation; yet true'it is that
what will cure one will alfo cure the other,
if due regard be had to proportion the
dofe agreeably to the ftrength of the ani-
mal.

In many inftances, limilar cafes might be
quoted to flipport this alTertion, but as few
words will anfwer my prefent purpofe, I
Ihall leave every thing elie to the recolledi-
-on of my reader.

The mofl natural difference between the
entrails of the human and the brute fpecies,
is that the former lie in a perpendicular, and
the latter m a horizontal diredion.

What

r2o A NEW SYSTEM

Wliat I aim nt by this inference, is to
make my reader feel by himfelt the difor-
der that affects a beaft by eating over gree-
dily.

I dare fay not one of my readers but upr
on recollection, will find that he fome time
or other has eat his meat haliily, without
taking time to chew it, till it has given him
unealineis in his bowels, by a fiippreffion
of wind, infomuch that he has been obliged
to halt, or paufe a little, till tlie bit let-
tied ; after which he breaks wind with a
belch..

This difjjrder when coming on, he plain-
ly feels, is no other than fwaliowing too
quick.

Therefore T fay, when he finds the gullet
overcharged, and the wind fo preft, he
ilops till all is right again ; but if he was
{till to perfiH in eating, the confequence
might be dangerous : and I donht not but
many lole their lives by it, as we often hear
of people dying at meat.

Juil fuch is the cafe vith cattle eating
clover : for the nature of clover is fuch,
that a beall can iill his mouth quicker with
it than with any other grals ; which is ow-
211^ to its bulhy top and foft, and fmall
Aalk.

Ail

OF HUSBANDRY. 121

All natural grafs is fmall at the top, and
thickeft towards the bottom ; it therefore
takes a good pitll to break it off ; which
gives time for a fwallow ; neither can the
bead fill his mouth fo quick. But clover
being quite the reverfe, he can gather it
fader or quicker, than the gullet can dif-
charge it into the maw.

Therefore one mouthful, which is very
large, rolled up in balls, overtakes another,
till it flops up the paiTage of the throat,
and fuppreiles the inward air, and fo puts
a final ftop to refpiration, infomuch that all
the inward machinery is like a blown blad-
der.

All thefe preffmg upon the lungs, hin-
der them from playing ; which caufes a to-
tal fl agnation of the inward machinery ;
and if a remedy cannot be procured, before
the blood abates in its circulation, and cools
in the veins, death muft unavoidably en-
iue.

I remember an accident that happened
-when I was a fchool-boy, and as I was pre-
fent, I fhall repeat it as follows^:

A farmer turned a parcel of cattle into a
clover-field in the month of May ; but in
a fmall time after they were turned in, a
bullock was obferved to be very fick : he
was immediateiy drove out of the field into

the

ii22 A NEW SYSTEM

the town, which was within two or three
hundred yards; but in town before he could
reach the tarmer's houfe, he dropped down
dead to all appearance : it was oppofite to
an ale-houfe.

Immediately people flocked about him :
a drunken blackfmith was in the ale-houfe
with a gun-barrel in his hand, and the
breech-pin out, as he had been cleaning it :
Jhe came out, running among the reft, and
thruft the gun-barrel up the bullock's fun-
dament; out of which iflued a deal of
wind.

Another by-ftander run his pen-knife in-
to his flank behind his laft rib.

I had a pellit-gun in my hand, and they
put it into the orifice, out of which alfo
ruflied a deal of wind.

They alfo bled him. This was all per-
formed inftantly.

He began to Ihew fign of life ; they then
gave him a cliftcr of warm milk, oil and
iljrown fugar.

In fhort with one cookery or another the
bullock recovered ; and I believe every thing
that was done was new : as moft prefcnt
were ftrangers to clover.

As it was only then, making its entrance
into the neigb.bourhood, therefore they were
all ftrangers to its cffeds. And though they

llumblcd

OF HUSBANDRY. 123

•ftumbled upon a cure, yet not one of them
perhaps could give a rational coherent aa-
fwer upon the fubjecl.

The perlon to whom the bullock bc*>
longed was a very feniible, curious, enter-
prifing man.

He was the firft that introduced any new-
thing into the neighbourhood j of which
clover was one inftance.

As he believed the bullock dead, he
iiood very coolly looking on, and let them
do what they would. After which he made
very fenfible remarks.

I have heard him fince fay, that v^as a,
lucky bullock ; as he had been the rneans
of faving him many cattle.

By the experiment he afforded, the peo-
ple's attention was fo much engrolTed with-
this bullock, that a cow and a two year
old heiffer were dead in the field before they
had prefence of mind to attend to them ;
but the farmer told me' he never lofl one
after.

I afked him his cure, he told me that he
never wanted one, for he looked upon a
prevention as preferable to a medicine, or
any other operation. ,

His method was always to keep the cat-
tle flirring when they were firil turned into
clover,, fo that three or four mouthiuls were

as

124- A NEW SYSTENf

as mucli as they were admitted to take atT
once, and then to walk a few yards, till
that had time to fettle into the inaw i fo as
the gullet-wind, as he called it, had time
to arife.

Thus he kept them llirring till they were
full ; and for a few nights at tiril:, turned
them into a common grafs-pailure.

There is no doubt but this is a very nc-
cedary precaution, and if duly attended to
would render every other operation or me-
dicine ineffefiual.

However, left through neglcd:, ignorance
or accident, cattle fhould break into clover,
it is ablolutely neceifary that a cure Ihould
be pointed out.

I believe my reader will adm.it that the
nearefl rtep to a cure in any caie is, to know
the difeafe, and the caufe of it : this will
make the cure more certain.

Now we find that the caufe of this mala-
dy is by fuddenly over-filling the neck-gut„
which fwells and ftops all the vent of the
throat or wind-pipe.

This over-prell'ure clofes the lungs, and
hinders them from playing, which puts a
final flop to the circulation of the blood
through all the veins.

When this loles its motion, it immediate-
ly cools and thickens.

Therefore

OF HUSBANDRY. 12^-

Therefore, in this cafe, every ftep muft
be very quick; as delay will put it out of
the power of medicine to relieve.

The fjril thing is, to open a vein ; the
next, to make an incifion with a knife in the
flank, about three inches from the hinder
rib, as near the hip-bone as can be, fo as not
to enter into the flefh; there is no danger can
enfue from this, provided you keep high
enough up, not to touch the entrails.

Put a quill in the orifice, to keep it o-
pen : while this is doing warm a quart of
milk, and put it into a half pound of trea-
cle, an ounce of annifeed, and a table fpoon-
ful of fweet oil : mix all together, and give
it as a clifter : thiS will nourifh the entrails,
and keep warm and alive the blood, till a
refpiration can be recovered.

if a clifter of this fort cannot be got,
ftamp an onion , mix with it butter and
pepper, and put it up the fundament ; it
v/ill caufe an attraction and a heat : pour
feme fweet oil, or quick-filver down the
throat ; which will help to force a paiTage
for the wind to operate.

Vol. II. R CHAP.

126 A NEW SYSTEM

C H A P. XXV.

"Remarks on Clover^

SOME perfons objecn; to the eating of
clover, the tirft winter after it is fown ;
believing it to weaken the crop, but on the
contrary, I believe it flrengthens it : for as
clover grows amongil corn, it is drawn up
Vv eak and tender by its warm fituation, be-
ing furroundcd by the crbp : and when a
tall weak plant of this fort comes to be fud-
denly expofed, it is a wonder if the delica-
cy oi" its conflitution can bear the fudden
change without a fhock, as it is not fit to
encounter with the inclemency of a win-
ter.

I IcJok

OF HUSBANDRY, 127

1 look upon it to be much better to eat
off this weak alpiring top, which makes
the root ftrikc downwards, grow ftrong,
and incorporate with the foil and the earth:
the top alfo will fend forth frelh fhoots,
more of them and of a firmer texture or
kind.

To convince myfelf of this, I once di-
vided a field of clover into two parts, one
of which I eat in common with the reil of
the flubbles ; the other I did not eat at all
till May.

The part I eat, I found to be a good deal
ranker or thicker {qI on the ground than
the other : and I obferved that the leaves of
the clover that were not eaten, turned yel-
low with the frofl, and died away.

In this cafe, as in moil others, (reafon
fpeaks for itfeli) that it is better to take off
a fickly, tender, weak, part or fibre, than
to let it die away, and thereby communi-
cate its llate ot moitiiication to the main
body.

CHAP,

liS A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXVI.

On Lucernt, its Perfection and Management',
alio the Method of Drilltng with the com-
7non Plough, &c.

LA Lucerne, lb called by the French,
but lucerne by the Englifh, is a very
profitable grafs, and particularly where the
climate is hot, and the land light and fandy,
or gravelly and rocky.

It is an excellent food, either as herbage
or hay : but its greatell perfedion is for
foiling of cattle, which makes it of great
fervice in fome parts of England, and would
be particularly fo in America.

This

OF HUSBANDRY. 12^

This grafs is not fo early a Tpring as clo-
ver ; for if we confider, that it is the fun
we may thank for nonrifhing the earth, and
niakes her fend forth her early fpring ; and
that it is unqueftionably the furface which
firll feels the warmth thereof: we muft
conclude that any vegetable which roots
fhallow or runs horizontally, will make the
carlieft fhoot, confequently lucerne muft
have the more backward fpring, as it ftrike*
a great deal deeper than the clover, and
therefore feeds in a colder climate, which
makes it a very fit crop for fo hot a climate
as America.

I would further obferve, that clover im-
proves land better than lucerne by its root
Spreading more largely and plentifully thro'
the fod.

I am ftrongly of opinion that nothing in
nature improves land equal to the root of
clover ; for if it only lies one year, plough
it up, and the furrow or fod will be a per-
fect mattrals ; and after that ploughing the
root foon rots, and becomes the fineft ma-
nure upon earth.

But this we cannot fay for lucerne : for
though what root there is, may make good
manure, yet it does not fpread or produce
half fo much root in the fod, becaufe it

firikes

130 A NEW SYSTEM

llrikes downwards, like a parfnip, and
thereiore a great deal of it lies too deep to
be raifcd by the plough.

The two chief perfedions of lucerne arc,
firft, its yielding a plentiful produce, tho'
fown in a fandy, gravelly or rocky ground,
provided it is made tolerably rich, and finely
tilled.

The climate and lands of America are
very proper for lucerne, as the climate is
hot, the land light, and in general pretty
deep, which will admit the top root to
ftrike deep alio, and feek its nourifhment out
of the reach of the rays of the fun, confe-
quently in this country it has the preference
to clover, as the latter never ftrikcs deeper
than the plough goes, but runs horizontally
is interwoven, and feeds entirely from the
the upper fod or ftratum, fo that in a hot
climate the fun will not permit it to flourilh
to periedion, particularly if it be not attrad-
ed to a colder eaithly climate by deep til-
age.

Every farmei however, is the beft judge
what fort of land he has, or what fituation
he is in, and accordingly may fuit his crop
thereto.

When a perfon hears two tales, though
he be a llranger to the affair, yet he may

give

OF HUSBANDHr. ijt

^ivc a (hrewd guefs which is the moft rea-
fonable or likely to fuit his purpofe.

Lucerne requires a deep foil ; and though
the feed rnuft be thinly covered, when fovvn
yet the land mull: be prepared by deep
ploughing : as the rool firikes deep.

It is necelTary that the land have a good
fummer-fallow ; when the corn is fown and
harrowed, fow the lucerne, and harrow
once in a place with the harrow turned the
wrong end forcmoft ; and when the corn is
come up, roll it.

If the lucerne be intended for fummer-
pafture or meadow, fow it in the broad-caft
way, and in order to fow it even, fow it
twice in a place.

Take no more rn your hand than you can
hold between one finger and thumb, and on
a ridge that is twelve feet broad make three
calls ; this will fow at the rate of four
pounds to an Englifh acre, at fixteen ounces
to the pound, and five yard and an half to
the peich, and fo in proportion for the
Scotch and Irifh acre.

If the lucerne be mtended for foiling cat-
tle, it is by much the bell to fow it in
drills, viz.

Two drills, eight inches afunder, and
then an mterval of three ieet, and then two

drills

132 A NEW SYSTEM

drills more, and another interval of three
feet ; and lo on through the piece you in-
tend to fow.

It m-^y appear to farmers that arc Gran-
gers to the drill-hulhandry, that it is a very
nice affair, and not to be done witliout the
expcnce and nicety of a drill plough : nor
did 1 ever read any infi-ructions that direded
it to be done by any other way : but be af-
fured there is nothing more eafy; for a com-
mon plough will malcc a very good iliift,
when managed in the following manner,
viz.

The land being well prepared for the feed
it~ lucerne is to be fowcd in drills, without
a corn-crop, begin to plough at one fide of
the field, and plough a furrow two inches
deep and eight broad : in this fcatter the
feed ; then plough another furrow ; in this
fow none j but in the next fow another rov/:
this leaves a fpace of eight inches between
the rows ; then plough five more, and in
the fixth and eight fcatter the feed : fo go
on, leaving five furrows unfown, and two
fown : this will leave room enough between
the two rows in the wide interval, for the
plough to go.

As foon as the lucerne is above ground,
go with the plough and lay a little mold at
the Hem of each row, and always when the

weeds

OF HUSBANDRY. 135

weeds grow plough a couple of furrows in
the wide interval, which will kill the weeds
and fallow the ground, and give additional
vigor to the plants : weed or hand-hoe in
the narrow intervals.

If lucerne is to be fown amongft corn, it
cannot be let in drills as above with the
plough ; therefore ft retch a line at the fame
diftances of forty-eight inches to the wide
interval, and eight to the narrow, and fhake
the feed along it, andharrowit in, as if it was
fown in the broad-caft way ; and as foon as
the corn is out, plough the wide intervals,
and hand-hoe in the narrow fpaces between
the two drills.

There can be nothing more eafy than
drilling and horfe-hoeing in the above man-
ner; which may anfwer the end, by fow-
ing any fort of grain, and particularly wheat
beans and peas.

Inftead of a drill-box or hopper, which
is ufed in ploughs, take a tin porringer, and
punch three or four holes in the bottom, in
the nature of a cuiiendar, juft the fize of
the grain or feed you have to fow, by
{baking along the furrow, you may bring
yourfelf to a tolerable deg! ee of exacinel's,
and fwiftnefs too : for one man may iov7 as
faft as a plough v/ill go.

liie

Vol. II. S

134 A NEW SYSTEM

The time to mow lucerne is, when jufl:
bcginnin<y to flower.

Avoid making the hay too green ; for it
will appear to be dry when it is not, and
therefore may give again and damage, it
being fo full of fap or juices.

When it is cut for foil, there is nothing
more than to cut the oldelt firft.

It may begin to be cut, when fix or eight
inches high ; and fo continue cutting as it is
wanted.

CHAP

OF HUSBANDRY. 135

CHAP. XXVU.

'J^be mojl fuitable Lands and Climate for
Lucerne, with Remarks thereon, &c.

THOUGH the lands of England, Scot-
land and Ireland, are generally pret-
ty good, and naturally given to grafs ; yet I
dare venture to fay, that more than three
fourths of all thefe kingdoms are not proper
for lucerne. America in general is proper
for it, becaule the land is deep and in gene-
ral fandy, and the climate hot and dry.

The farmer that propofes to cultivate this
plant, muft firfl duly confider its nature;that
it is a native of a v arm climate; and that it
has a long, grofs, tap-root, which runs })er-
pendicular; and therefore feeds cheiPiy from
the under flratum, perhaj^s at the depth of
two or three feet.

Then

136 A NEW SYSTEM

Then again, let him turn his eye on his
land, and Ice ii' it be of a deep, rich foil; if
the under-llratum be a loam, or limellone-
gravel, or a deep loamy fand, or a warm
rich gravel, or a black hazel earth: if it be
any of thefe, he may venture to fow his lu-
cerne thereon; provided he ploughs deep,
and till well.

However, in mofl: parts, I am afraid he
will find, inftead of the above, a ftrong clay
bottom, at the depth of about four or five
inches, which is of a folid, clofe, hungry
nature, that will not admit the root of a plant
to enter.; nor has it any nourilhment that a
plant can feed upon, without firil being
opened by tillage and the air.

Ar.d what ilill adds to the evil, is, tiiat
it hoIJs water like a difh, and v/ill not let
it fink through, but keeps it flamming on
the top amoneft the lod, furface or upper-
llratum all wmrer ; fo that if cattle tread
thereon it iniinediately works, or poaches to
mortar.

Then certainly fuch land cannot be fuit-
able for a plant of fucli a tender nature, and
which feeks its nourilhment fo deep.

I.i luch land clover has the advantage;
as it requires not fo deep land, bccaufe the
root runs horizontally and keeps near the
warm fui'facc.

A farmer

OF HUSBANDRY. 137

A farmer feeing the nature of the plant,
and the land iuitable thereto may fquare his
aHairs accordingly, in fuiting proper crops
to proper land.

A voluminous writer tells us, that the
lands of England are more fubjed to run to
natural grafs. than any other country what-
ever; infomuch fays he, that it is with great
labour and expence we can keep it from
getting head of the lucerne, and fpoiling the
crop.

This I grant is the cafe ; and this alone is
fufficient to fhew, that in general lucerne
is not fo valuable in thcfe grally countries as
in dry, hot, fandy countries, where natural
grafs, or any other plant that roots {hallow,
is burnt up.

From that author's faying that England is
the moft gralTy country, I fuppofe he was a
flranger to Ireland, or he muft have except-
ed it ; and why it fhould be fo, is eafily ac-
counted for : as that is occafioned by the
moiftnefs of the climate, and the coldnefs
of the foil, peculiar to that kingdom.

It has a rold clay-foil, intermingled here
and there with loughs, lakes, moraffes or
bogs, the damp from which is exhaled by
the fun, and therefore fbftens the air, and
again defcends in thick mills or fogs, heavy

dews

nS A NEW SYSTEM

'J

dews and fmall rains, which ahvajs keep the
land wet, the grafs green, and in a growing
Hate.

The rain is never fo heavy as in England,
but much more conftant.

But England has few bogs, lakes, or
loughs ; therefore the air is more clear and
dry.

The rains of England fall feldomer, but
much heavier.

Alfo the winter-froft and the air is {harp-
er and more intenfe.

All thefe'confiderations muft fhew, that
Ireland is the moft grafly country of th«
two.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 139

CHAP. xxvm.

Now to manage Saintfoin, which fuits Ame-
rica*

SAintfoIn is a valuable grafs, particu-
larly where land is rocky, gravelly
or fandy : and though in general, clover is
the heft crop for this climate, yet faintfoin
may anfwer in fome places very well, where
the land is fubjed to rocks and ftones ;
which makes meadow very Icarce (though
the fummer herbage is good and plentiful)
as the Toil amongft thefe rocks is naturally
good, where it can be cultivated, fo as to
be brougiit to any tolerable tildi,

Cn

140 A NEW SYSTEM

On fuch fow faintfoin ; and if tlic foil be
ever fo fcanty, it will Rrike into every linall
nitch or crevice, and feek its noiirilhment
very deep, where no other graCj will live,
or indeed can get a footing.

It is alfo good for foiling cattle : but in
this lucerne has the advantage ; as it is of a
quicker growth and lefs ftagnated with cut-
ting : but as I before obferved, this is of
little fignification to England or h'eland ; as
they abound fully with good fummer-herb-
age.

It is winter-feeding that we are to confi-
der; as alfo to keep the land in full profit,
till the return of natural grafs, after long
tillage : and this is beft etTected by th^ two
graftes clover and faintfoin : clover for the
wet and fmoothefl land, and faintioin tor the
fandy, rocky, or more ilony parts thereof,
fuch as the wolds in Yorkfhire or Lincoln-
ihire, Chiltern-hills, hcc.

As I have in a few words, given the vir-
tues of faintfoin, I fhali not make a long
chapter on the management thereof; as
there is little alteration to be made between
the raifing of faintfoin and lucerne or clo-
ver.

Saintfoin maybe fown earlier than clover
©r lucerne ; as it is in lefs danger of being
hurt by the frofl.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 141

The land muft be well tilled, whether it
be fown alone, or amongft corn : if it be
fown amongft corn in the broad-caft method,
harrow the ground once in a place, after
tlie corn is fown, before the faintioin is
Town.

This will make the ground a little level,
that it may not be buried too deep in places.
Yet as it is a large huiky leed, it inui.l have
a covering, or it v/ili not grow ; but by be-
ing harrowed in when the land is pretty
rough it will be all fafficiently covered, pro-
vided it be well harrov/ed aiterwards.

If it be fown in drills amongft the corn,
llrelch a line and fcatter the feed along it,
leaving intervals, the broadeft about three
feet, and the narrowell eight inches, as di-
rected for lucerne.

If it be fown by itfelf it muft be got into
the ground by the firft of March.

Some will fow it at Michaelmas ; but I do
not think this a good time, for it will not
be a great deal earlier ; befides a fevere wm-
ter may hurt it: and it is further to be con-
fidered, that by keeping it out of the ground
till fpring the ground can be winter-iallow-

edi

Vol. II. T

142 A NEW SYSTEM

ed ; which will add greatly to the fertility
thereof. ^

If it be fown in drills and alone, fow it in
every fixth or eighth hirrow as diredcd for
lucerne ; but have a care not to cover it a-
bove an inch deep at the moll.

Four bufhels of feed are generally ufcd to
an acre in the broad-call ; but half a bufhel
in the drill-way is fall enough for an Eng-
lifh acre.

Lay up the faintfoin for hay about the firft
of March, and it will be in blolfom about
the firfl of June; when it is full in flower
it is time to mow it; manage it in making
as clover,

Obferve in eating it with flieep, not to
eat it too near ; which will damage the
root, and put it in danger of rotting, if
they enter upon the head of the root : it is
alfo dangerous to turn large cattle into a
crop of faintibin, till it is wel ellablilhed
in the ground, as they will be apt to tread
it up and fpoil the plants.

The beft method to manage faintfoin, is
to mow the tirft year, and caution the
fcythe-man not to cut too near.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 143

The next year, (heep may very well be
fed on it ; and after this, it may be paftured
or mown at the farmer's dilcretion ; as the
roots by this time will be properly efta-
bUlhed.

CHAP.

144 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXIX.

On Rye Grafs, its FerfeBion and
Management,.

•rv-YE-grafs is a native of our own king-
doms : its quality is fuch, that it will grow
in almolt any kind of land.

In cold clay or wet land it fiourifhes great-
ly ; it will aifo grow well on high, dry, or
fandy land ; which is very extraordinary, as
as the oppolite extremes are fo great.

It is not nice, for it will grow amongfl
any fort of grafs ; it will alfo encroach a-
mongl\ corn ; but while it is Healing its foot-
ing there, it is deemed a weed, and is known
by the name of darnel.

It

OF HUSBANDRY, 145

It flourifhes greatly by culture, and will
grow to the height of four feet, upon, good
land.

The feed alfo grows large in proportion,
and full of meal.

There are two forts, one called drokc,
and the other darnel, in Latin, lolium.

They are both nearly the fame quality :
there is no knowing the feeds afunder, they
are fo nearly alike : the droke has a little
larger or fuller grain, and I think is fomc-
what more delicate in its growth ; for it ge-
generally flourillies bell in tilled ground
amongft corn.

It produces a far greater head of feed
than darnel. I have counted a hundred
and thirty-five feeds in one ear. '

The ears of droke and darnel differ con-
fiderabiy.

That of darnel or rye-grafs grows clofc
to the ftalk in two rows : but droke has
a fpread ragged head of many branches,
five or fix inches long, fpreading from the
main ftalk, on the end of which branches
the feed grovsts in bunches..

There is the fame diflint^ion to be ob-
ferved in common hay-grafs, as to the form
of the ear ; for though the root, flalk and
feed are nearly alike, yet the ears dilTer,

fomc

146 A NEW SYSTEM

fome having an ear like darnel, and others
a loofe, open, fpread ear like droke.

The greateft virtues of rye-grafs arc its
early growth, and its good quahry ot" grow-
ing on any fort of land. It is much better
fodder than timothy grafs, and will thrive
much better on the lame land and with
greater fuccefs.

Thefe two excellencies fhould induce
every farmer to provide himfelf with fomc
of it.

There is no farmer but would be glad of
a piece of early grafs to feed lambs on : or
if he had not lambs to turn in his cows^
that are generally dropping their calves in
the fpring, which would be greatly forward-
ing their milk.

It is alfo an excellent feeding for recruit-
ing' calves and foals, who have hardly ef-
caped the feverity of the winter.

In fhort a few acres of rye-grafs would
be of more value to a farmer, than he can
well conceive ; and when his natural grafs-
paflure comes to a head, he may lay up
his artificial grafs-land for l^ay, and not
doubt of a good crop.

Rye-grafs is alfo wholcfome feeding to
mix among clover- feed when fown, as it
will help to prevent cattle from hoving.

However

OF HUSBANDRY. 147

However though I have faid fo much in
letting forth the advantages of rye-grafs : yet
it is not without its fauh ; and this is its be-
ing an impoverifher of land, though not in
a very great degree ; for a crop of rye-grafs
with rhe land laid dov^^n in heart, , will hold
good for ten or twelve years.

Your beft oeconomy is, to mow it one
year, and graze it another alternately : and
though it may be its property to reduce land
a little, I do not think a farmer can fow a
better crop, provided he does it with dif-
cretion, and fows it on his ftrongeft, wet,
.clay-land, or where clover wall not fucceed
fo well.

But where clover will thrive, it is furely
preferable to all other artificial herbage; and
if I recommend rye-grafs, it is only for a-
bout live or ten acres in a hundred, to be
applied chiefly for fprinr feeding.

The culture of rye-grafs is very fimple
and eafy.

It may be fown amongft corn with any
fort of grafs feed or by itielf, as there is no
dovbt of its growing.

If it be fown with clover and barley
w^hich is the beft management, fow two
bulhels on an Englifh acre ; but if it be
fown alone, fourbufhels is the compliment,

and

148 A NEW SYSTEM

and fo in proportion for an Irifh or Scotch
acre.

The old broad-cafl: way is the bell: to low
it in ; for which choofe a calm day, krt it
fhould blow on heaps as the feed is hght.

It may be fown with the corn; for it
will take as mych harrowing, being a light
feed.

Neither is there much fear of burying it
too deep, and yet it will grow if it lies above
ground.

Where grafs-land of any fort is too thin
rye-grafs or white hay-feeds may be fown
on the furface and rolled, and they will
grow the firft rain.

The greatefl care mull be taken to mow
ryc-grais in the proper feafon, if no rej^ard
be paid to the feed.

The time to mow it is the firft ihoot-
ing of the ear when it is full of lap, but if it
be for feed let it Hand till the ear begins to
turn brown.

There is a medium however to be ufed
between both : and diat is, to mow it when
the ear is full, but the feed not above lalf-
ripe, by this a good deal ofjuiccs arc catched
in the llalk, and the feed ripens and hardens
as the hay is making.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 149

The feed will be very fmall, but found,
and will grow very well , it muft be trelhed
like corn, to take the feed out.

An tnglifh acre may produce upwards of
thirty bufhels of feed.

CHAP.

Vol. H. U

150 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXX.

7'he PerfeMion and Management of
Burnet,

THE world is obliged to one Mr. Bar-
tholemew Roquc, who has for many
years laft paft been a farmer near London ;
but is a native of France.

I mention his place of abode, becaufc
the lands and climate near London differ
greatly from thofe in Ireland, Scotland and
the north of England.

In 1 76 1 this plant was firft began to be
cultivated for the ufe of cattle. It is a

pimpcrncll.

OF HUSBANDRY. ip

pimpernell, and commonly cultivated for
fallad, and has a fmell very like green cu-
cumber ; its feed is rough like fpinage,
and much about the fame fize ; its fhape is
of a triangular oblong : the iphnt never
grows high, being of a fpreading creeping
nature, and has a very bufhy top ; it alfo
has an exceeding long root that runs per-
pendicular, and therefore requires a deep
foil.

Mr. Rpque*s account of it is as here fol-
lovk^s :

Says he it muft be fown on fandy or gra-
velly ground ; and the longeft drought will
not in the leaft hurt it ; it alfo will either
grow or keep green the entire winter : its
growth will be about a half a yard in length/
for the winter half-year : it may be mown
twice in the fummer, and will produce two
crops of feed ; it may be fed all the win-
ter, vvith every fafety from injuring or kill-
ing the plants ; though fheep mull not be
allowed to crop it too clofc, left they da-
mage the root.

The feafon for fowing it, is, from Fe-
bruary to July.

It will bear tranfplanting ; but it muft
be fown the broad-caft w^ay ; it muft alio
be trenched two or three fpades deep ; but
take care, fays he, not to turn up dead
ground. Sow

iSt A NEW SYSTEM

Sovf twelve pounds of feed on an En-
gliJh acre ; harrow the ground before fov> -
ing, and lightly after ; when the feed is
ripe, threfh it between wet and dry ; the
liay ife very good feeding for all forts of
cattle.

He fays, that, if it be laid up for mea-
dow in May. it will be ready to cut for feed
the beginning of July.

If it be mown for hay (having no regard
to the feed) it will bring three crops in a
year, and mud be cut for hay, juft before
it begins to flower ; it muft be made for
hay, lllie ^ny artificial grals.

Such is Mr. Roque's account of burnet ;
jhrd as he has a right to know it better than
any other perlon, being the ftrfl introducer
I fhall neither add to, nor diminifh from his
experience.

i-Jowever I cannot help taking notice,
that if we cannot raife burnet to perfecftion
v/ithout digging two or three fpades deep,
as he directs, I am afraid the expence will
overbalance the profit : fince an acre of
ground, by fuch digging or trenching, and
tjiat to be doue only once over, will coft at
lead about fix pounds, bcfides leed, ma-
nure, land-rent, and all other naceifary ex-
pences.

Again

OF HUSBANDRY. 153

Again, if we take care not to turn up
any dead foil, we muft not go above five or
fix inches deep : becaufc in fa(ft, all that lies
below the upper ftratum or corn-mold, is
dead earth, till it is turned up to the air,
and incorporated with manure, or roots of
fome fort or other : for thefe are the princi-
ples that mull enliven, ferment and bring it
to an adlive body ; for till then it is a dead
one.

So that in fhort, I cannot tell what fort
of foil Mr. Roque expels us to work in,
except in garden-mold, whofe upper flra-
tum or furface is kept two or three feet
deep by conftant trenching.

I rather think he Ihould have told us to
take care, and not throw up the under-i^ra-
tum, except it can be done with fafety ; nor
to hurt or fpoil the corn-mold, y/hich it
certainly muft do, if it be a hungry, cold,
red clay, or ramel.

If this be the cafe, as doubtlefs it is, the
farmer muft fii ft examine how deep the fta-
ple of his land is, and fix upon that wliich
(u its it beft, being the good deep fort : it is
true a ftrong rlay bottom may be mude to
anfwer for it ; but it muft be by dint of la-
bour and manure.

CHAP.

154 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXXI.

O;; ManuriKg La?id,

JVjR. Tull tells us (and very warmly fup-
ports his allertion i that dung is a ufelels
article to a farmer, particularly in corn-
land ; and recommends tillage before it ;
daily experience tells us, he was in fonic
degree miilaken. For though I admit,
and am as clearly fatisfied, as he could be,,
that ploughing will enrich or fertilize land to
a great pitch ; yet I am well convinced,
that dung, manure, or compoll of any fort,
which bears a proportion of falts or ferti-
lizing oils, will caufe a fermentation, by
adding to, and mixing with the falts of the
air, and therefore doubtlefs will add to the
enriching of the loil. Again

OF HUSBANDRY. IC5

Again, though reafon fpcaks fo much in
favour of: enriching the foil by ploughing ;
and though Mr. Tull, and all the authors
in the world were to make it as plain as one
and one makes two, that tillage is fufficient
to make poor land rich enough to produce
any crop ; yet nine tenths ot the farmers
would not follow it ; and though a farmer
may give his land a good dreffing, fit for
any crop, by ts^^elve ploughings, at about
thirty {hillings cxpence ; yet he would ra-
ther bellow three or four pounds an acre in
manure to put thereon.

So blind is man to his own intereft, par-
ticularly if it lead out of the old road.

For my part, I am of Mr. Tuli's, and
feveral other authors opinion ; and there-
fore fhall not manure corn-land, but en-
rich that by ploughing, and lay the manure
upon grafs-land; where reafon tells us it is
of moil ufc.

Firfl, becaufe grafs-land lies in a clofc
confolidated body ; and therefore is depriv-
ed of the enriching qualities of the air pe-
netrating there amongll, which ploughed
land enjoys, or receives, every time it is
turned up.

^Secondly, it nourifhes the roots ofgrafs,
and fuppreffes, or at leafl retards the
growth of mofs.

Thirdly

-156 A NEW SYSTEM

Thirdly, it is obfervable, that manure
always links; therefore, if it be laid on
when in tillage, it is an equal chance, but
pne half of it will be lort, becaufe what the
plough turns to the bottom of the farrow,
ftill keeps finking lawer and lower, till it
gets out of the reach of the plough to turn up
or plant to feed upon j but on the ocher
hand, when it is laid on the grafs, or lay-
land, it drains through the furface in its
paiTage, and ferments with, lightens and
opens the earth, and makes it rich and
mellow.

Fourthly, dung, in particular, breeds
weeds, flies> worms, &cc. which caufes
fmut and mildew.

All thefe reafons muft appear very plain
and obvious to a farmer's underftanding ;
and I would have him to bear them in
mind ; and when he reads over the follow-
ing lift of manures, he may the more eafi-
ly determine with himfelf, how to adapt
this or that to its proper foil, or part of
hufbandry, according as it fuits his convc-
nicncy for carriage and cheapncfs.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 157

CHAP. XXXII.

On Manures in general.

ANY thing that has the moil falts or ni-
tre, is thericheft manure ; and there-
fore a lefs bulk is required to be laid on the
land.

As for inftance, fome fort of marl re-
quires to be laid nearly as thick as the plough
goes ; and others not much thicker than
lime ; being fo ftrong that were too much
laid on, it would overpov/er or deflroy the
land, to fuch a degree, that nothing would
grow well for at leaft two or three years af-
ter.

Marl will laft longer in the ground tham
any other manure.

Vol. II. X I have

158 A NEWSY STEM

I have known land, which -has given fif-^
teen good crops running, alter being well
marled.

Ffvv farmers but what may know which
is the bell manure, and the eafied to come
at, according to tJieir own lituation ; tliere-
fore 1 Ihxil leave them to jud;.£e for them-
lelves, which fuits their purpofe or fituation
beft.

Horfe and cow dung is good almoft for
every fort of meadow-land ; but 1 do not
approve of it for corn : the former is the
hx)tteft in nature ; and therefore muft: (to
chufe) be laid on the coldeft land : every
one knov/s bell: what condition his land is
in,, whether rich or poor ; for thcroto it
inuR be fuited in quantity.

Pigeon-dung is a very rich manure, and
will bear land-carriage better than mofl
others ; as a little will go a great way.

In England it will fell from ten to thir-
teen pence per bufhel ; forty of which will
give an Englilh acre a good dieffing : it muft
be fown upon the ground, and harrowed in
with the grain, by the way of a top-dreiring;
it will be found to enrich the land two or
three crops.

Thofe that wauld make the moft of a pi-
geon-houfe, fhould fpread over the floor,
everv ten d'i;s, three or four buihels of

aihe5|

O F HUSBANDB.Y. ijp

-afhes ; which will help to keep the pigeon-
'dung from caking together, and make it
Ipi ead even and go farther.

Hen, or fovvls dung of all forts, fhould
be mixed with alhes lor the above rejlfon.

Lirtle-houfe dung is one of the richeil: of
manures, but the leaft regarded, on account
of its foft, (linking, naufeous quality; but
this is eafily cured, by throvring a fufficient
quantity of roch-lime into the iirtle-hou(c,
which will dry it to fuch a coniiilence, thai:
it will fpread as well as -alhes, and have no
dif^greeabie fmell.

Thirty bufhels will fpread an Englilh
acre : harrow it in with the corn, by way
of a top-drefiing ; or Ipread it on in Febru-
ary, for a wheat crop.

Soot is a rich manure for any kind of
land.

Writers differ greatly in their opinion,
^whether coal or wood foot be the richeft or
bell ; but this is throwing words to the wind
as no one will change his fuel for the fake of
"the difference in the foot : the matter is fo
'trifling, that it is not worth entering into
any particulars about.

Soot is foot ; and he that lays fixteen

"bulhels on an Englilh acre, of any fort of

foot, gives his land a good drelfmg ; and

•kfs will not do: it mull be harrow d la

^ tvit

i>6o A NEW SYSTEM.

with the corn, by way of a top-drcflTing ; or
it may be Tpread, after the corn comes up,
and it will dcftroy red worms alfo.

It will do very well for meadow ; pro-
vided it be laid on, jufl: after the hay is got
off: it will lad five or fix years fo as to an-
fvver for crops.

Afhes is another good manure for a crop
or two, and particularly for turnips ; as
turnips fi'om burn-beating are the fweeteft
and bell of all others.

Afties are raifed by feveral means, and
from various principles.

Some by burn-beating, others from our
conilant firing, fuch as coal, turf or wood :
the richeil of thefe is wood : the next in
value is turf- : and the worll of the three is
coal : though between turf and coal there
is no material difference : all forts of alhes
lofe much of their flrength, by being
thrown out of doors to get wet ; they will
laft in the ground two crops.

A hundred and fixty bufhels of wood-
allics, and two hundred and twenty of ei-
ther turf or coal, is the due for an Iriih
acre, and fo in proportion for an Engliili
one ; they mufh be harrowed in ; but if for
wheat-land, it is bell to fpread them, by
w ay of a top dreffing in February.

Burnt

OF HUSBANDRY. i6i

Burnt clay, or backs of ditches is another
forced manure, and will bring one good
crop ; about three hundred and twenty
bulhels on an Irilh acre, being two bufhels
to each fquare perch, will give land a toler-
able good dreffing ; this muft be harrowed
in with the corn ; as fo much carriage go-
ing on wheat, would fpoil it.

Now I come to treat of the mother of all
manures, namely fait ; for every fort of
manure is higher or lower in value, accord-
ing to the faits it produces ; and every fort
of manure is proportioned to the land, ac-
cording to the quantity of falts or nitre it
is thought to have in it, and not to the bulk.

Formerly, fait was thought to be an im-
poverilher of land ; but experience has
taught wifdom ; it is now found to be other-
wife ; provided it be duly proportioned to
the i\ate the land is in, and mixed to mol-
lify it, as follovvs, viz.

Take fix bulhels of fait, fix bufhels of ^
lime, and fix buihels of dry afnes : mix all
together : let them lie fome time to incor-
porate together ; then fpread them on the
land, and harrow them in with the feed :
this is a fufficient dreffing for an Englifli
acre : for it is better to repeat it, than tQ
lay too much at once.

By

idz A NEW SYSTEM

By being thus mixed, one particle incor-
porates with and molitics the other. Sak
in itfelf is rather too levere and harih in its
nature, and if laid too thick on, might
prove of bad confequence : whereas if con-
veyed into the earth by a foapy fmooth me-
thod, it will prove the very enrichcr the
earth wants to fend forth vegetation ; this
will lail for three crops.

I am convinced, it a farmer was to mix
lalt with any fort of earth or manure, and
let it lie long enough to inco:porate, he
might lay it on thinner in bulk, in propor-
tion to the falts it contained : and he would
find his ends in fo doing.

Sea weeds, Ihells, filh, fea-water, fea-
fand : all thefe bear a proportion of falts or
nitre, and therefore muft be efteemed a
manure : though fuch will not laft more
than two years in a tillage-crop.

Old rags, rotten i\icks, or in {hort any
thing will make manure that will rot or pu-
trify : for by luch comes on a fermentation
with the earth : and crofling nature, in any
cafe, makes it work, ferment, and divide
the particles of each other. Kven taking
one piece of foil, ten or fifteen perches
from its native fpot, and mixing it with ano-
ther piece in the fame field, will fct it a
wo- king, fo that oae will help the other in
fertility. Lime

OF HUSBANDRY. 163

Lime is a manure known by every one,
though but {ew know rightly how to pro-
portion it to the land : as fome land will re-
quire more by twenty bulhels an acre, than
ethers : and on the other hand, a hundred
bulliels of fome lime will be ftrong, and
give the land as good a dreffing as an hun-
dred and thirty of others.

A farmer muft confider all thefe circum-
ftances before he can be a thorough judge
how to drefs his land properly : he muft
obferve that the deeper the corn-mold is,
the more lime is taken to enrich it : and in-
deed this is the cafe with all forts of ma-
nures ; therefore he muft bear this in his
mind r it will lad eight or nine years.

An hundred and lixty buibels, being one
on every fquare perch, are fufficient for the
worft land in England, at one dreffing : but
if the lime be ftronger than common, low-
er the quantity thirty or forty bufhels.

The flrength of the lime is known by the
Icffer or greater quantity of fand it contains :
for the more grit or fand much the weaker
it is.

The way to try lime-ftone is, hy drop-
ping a little aquse-fortis on every ftone, that
is likely : and if it hiffes and froths, it will
make lime : but it will take no more effedl
on any other fort of ftone, than water
would. Lima

i64 A NEW SYSTEM

Lime is one of my favourite manvires, as
I have fcen it work miracles : and if pro-
perly managed by proportion, never fails its
proprietor.

The bell way to try marl, lime-ftone-
gravel, &cc. is with vinegar : take a glafs
of vinegar, into which put a little marl, or
lime-ftone gravel : and if it be good, it will
work up, froth and fly in fparks over the
glafs like champaign, and make a noife like
new barm : but if the earth be poor, the
vinegar will take no effecl : but the earth
will fall to the bottom, without life or
motion, and the vinegar will be quite fine
above.

Soaper's waRe is a very good manure :
about twenty tons are fufficient for an Eng-
lifh acre.

Large quantities arc made ufe of about
Liverpool: which are brought over from
Dublin, as ballaft in fhips.

They generally fell it for about three flill-
lings a ton. The land will receive benefit
from this drelTmg for five or fix crops.

Afhes made of weeds, for the time they
iaft, are nearly as good a manure as can be
laid on land : and there are few farmers but
what have plenty of thofe weeds about their
houfes : but the way to make the mofl: of
them^ is to dig thern up by th« roots, and

■ take

OF ttUSBANDRY.^ 165

take a fod along with them ; by this means
they will yield a greater quantity of afhes,
and the roots are fuller of falts than the top;
this manure is fpent by the firft crop ; and
therefore the fecond crop will not receive
much benefit by it.

Forty bufhels will give an Englifh acre a
good dreffing ; harrow them in, with the
grain ; or they may be fpread on green
wheat, any time in winter or fpring, by
way of a top-dreffing.

Vol.11. Y CHAP.

i66 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XXXIII.

On the Compound Manure.

r M'\

4 HIS compound manure as follows,
I have tried, and find to be a great en-
richer, and very cheap.

Take eight bufhels of bay-falt, the like
quantity of lime, and the like quantity of
allies ; mix all thefe together, and let them
lie two or three days in a heap, and fprin-
kle over it four gallons of train-oil, or for
want of that, the fame quantity of any fort
of greafe boiled, and ten gallons of cham-
ber-lie.

If you intend it for corn-land, throw up
the corn-mold in the middle of the field
you intend to manure, to the bulk of about
fixty bufhels ; with this mix the compound
well ; then ciap it up clofe in a heap ; and

turn

OF HUSBANDRY. 167

turn it every week, till you lay it on the
land : the oftener you turn it, the better,
as the air will affift the different particles in
working or fermenting together.

If you provide it fix or twelve months be-
fore it is wanted, the better and fmoothcr
it will be.

This is alio to be applied as a top-
dreffing, either to be harrowed in with
the grain, or fown over green wheat in
winter.

Jf you would lay it on grafs lay-land, mix
it v/ith backs of ditches, or the like, in the
mod convenient place for carriage.: the befl
time to fpread it on the meadow-ground,
is, about Michaelmas ; but, if corn -land,
harrow it in with the feed : this is a due
quantity for an Englifh acre.

The expence, in the middle of England,
would be about twenty (hillings. And the
ground will be better for three or four
crops.

Malt-dufl is an exceeding good manure
for ftrong or deep land, by way of a top-
dreffing, either to be harrowed in with the
feed, or (own on in the beginning of Fe-
bruary.

Sixty bufhels is a good dreiTrng for an
Engliih acre.

It

i68 A NEW SYSTEM

It is particularly good to fow on a crop
of green wheat ; but if it be fown among
fpring-corn, it muft be harrowed in, along
with the feed.

It will anfwer for fand-lancl ; but, in this
cafe, it fhould be laid on early in winter.

This manure will not laft longer than
two crops.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 169

€ H A P. XXXIV.

On Liquid Manure,

J^ H I S is a ftagnated refervoir of water,
of a rich, green, or blackilli colour ; and
few farmers in England JDut what have it
near their houfes, by way of horfe ponds,
and where cattle drink, or ftand to keep
them from flies in fvimmer, which by their
urine and dung is turned green or black,
and made very rich ; alfo where dung-hills
. difcharge themfelves into ; as there is gene-
rally a receptacle for fuch near a houfe.

I am greatly furprifed to fee this valuable
manure made no ufe of in America, Eng-
land, Ireland, or Scotland : did the far-
mers know the value of it, as well as I do,
they would not have one gallon loft.

In

I70 A NEW SYSTEM

In Germany and Flanders, they think
more of it than they do of a dunghill, and
will go and buy a pit of liquid manure, and
carry it feveral miles.

They make their little-houfe dung into
liquid manure.

In Ihort, I know nO manure that is more
certain to give one a good crop, than this.

The fir ft time I tried it, was, in watering
a garden out of a hurfe-pond, which- the
dunghill dripped into ; I found a fediment
at the bottom, which I conftantly, at the
time I was uling it, kept ftirring from the
bottom, fo as to raife all the fediment or
manure.

1 never ufed any other dung, yet 1 had
remarkably great garden-crops ; fuch let-
tuce I never faw , my grofs-lettuce was like
cabbages.

I watered my wall-fruit, fuch as peaches,
nectarines, apricots, rigs, vines, and cher-
ries ; and I never, in my life, either had or
fav/ fo great crops.

The next time I had an opportunity to
try it, was in this manner, viz.

It happened to be a dry fummcr, and
corn was dear; which was the occafion of
many beggars ; which, indeed, Ireland
never wants (for it was in Ireland) being
naturally of a charitable difpofition, I gave
a deal away. Whe.x

OF HUSBANDRY. 171,

When flurdy able beggars ufed to. come,
it was natural to alk, why they did not.
work ; the anfwer was, they could get no
work.

At this time, I had little employment for
labourers ; however, I was refolved to
ftrike out fome work for them. 1 had a
meadow near the houfe, which was burn-
ing by the heat of the fun ; for it was a very
hot time.

I got tubs, that held about four gallons
each, and agreed to give ev^ery beggar,
that faid he wanted work, a farthing for
every tub of water he carried out of a
horfe-pond, and fpread over the field , I
kept the water always ftiriing, to raife all
the mud I could.

This fcheme anfwered two or three good
ends, as far as it continued to take place.

Firft, it got the people a little money.

Secondly, it raifed me an exceeding good
crop of hay.

Thirdly, it effe<5lually cleared the houfe
of beggars ; for it was foon reported, that
if they came near my houle, they would be
made work ; but, as it proved, this was
the worft part of the ftory, for they left me
too foon ; if they had flaid, I Ihould have
had a good crop of hay through the field,
but they left me by the time an acre was

manured :

i7e A NEW SYSTEM

manured: it coft me between four and f-/e
{hillings, but a good many tubs were carried
gratis ; for when fome of them had carried
two or three tubs, if I turned my back or
went into the houfe, they threw down their
veffels and fneaked off without afking for
their wages.

I would advife every gentleman or farmer
ta provide themfelves with a (launch pit or
refer voir for this purpofe, fo fituated as to
receive all the drippings of their dung-hills,
hog-yards, or wafhing water, or the like.

In order to carry it on the land, fix a
hogfliead in a cart, the hind part ot which
muft be loweR : inclofe the cart with boards
and the hind board muft be bored fiill of
gimlet holes all the breadth of the body : the
top or bung hole of the hogfhead being be-
hind, let go the M^ater and the gimlet holes
will divide it the breadth of the cart^ m the
nature of a water pot.

Keep the horfes moving flowly on, and
the water unlades itfelf equally over the
land.

Carry out your water in the firft dry time,
fo the land will not cut: it is valuable for
grafs or corn : broad wheels are moft pro-
per for this work.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 173

C H A P. XXXV.

On Clay and Sand: fiewing how\ when mix-
ed together, they operate to make good/oil^
though when feparated they are of very Ih-
tle ufe.

TH E mo ft delirable ftate of land, is
that of a loamy clay : it is known in
fbme parts of England by the name of wrap-
land ; it is in a middling ftate, neither a
binding clay, noF-a loofe fand, it is a mix-
ture of both,, but the clay is moft predo-
minant, which is the reafon why it is called
a loamy clay; it is of a bluilh greafy colour:
it is generally of a deep llaple, and if it be
well tilled, fcarce ever fails of bringing a
Vol. II. Z good

174- A NEW SYSTEM

good crop of any fort : nothing can be fown
in it (fuitable to the climate) but what it will
make nonrifh.

The next in value is that of a loamy fand ;
this is alfo a mixture of clay and land ; but
in this the fand is mod predominant, there-
fore the emphafis or ftrefs ol'the word is laid
on fand : this flaple of earth extends irfelf
to that of hazel earth ; for tho' hazel earth
and laamy fand differ in name, in quality
they are nearly alike, only the lighter and
opener they are, the more fand is in the
compound.

Sometimes indeed the fand is mixed with
a black, light, fmooth earth, inclined to a
turf, or peat-mold.

This is a light water-fhaken earth, and
lower in value, than if mixed with a flrong
clay.

In my travels through England I have of-
ten feen a farm, one part of which was a
flrong, tough, obdurate clay, and another
a light blowing fand : fo that in fa(ft, the
two bodies feparate, lie in a barren ufelefs
ftate.

If we lay dung upon the fand, its loofe
open nature foon lets the falts drain through
it, fo that its virtue is foon exhaufted.

If we lay it on the tough clay, its particles
are too weak to adhere to it, or to open or

divide

OF HUSBANDRY. 175

divide the folid cpngealed bo Jy ol clay, fo
as to work it by fermentation, iuid open or
divide it into fmall particles, widioat ii;i im-
menle quantity.

And where there is fo little laid on, as not
to eilabliih itlelf into this confolidate(i body,
or move it by fermentation, it mtics away
with every fhower of rain that falls, and
runs off by the furface, or purges itfelf out
of any vent-hole it can find.

But if a coat of fand was laid on the bed
of clay, it would be fure to make its way
amongll it, bccaufe it is of a cutting, pon-
derous frarching nature ; therefore it will
divide the glutinous clinging body of clay,
into fmall particles, which would cling or
flick to every grain of fand.

The nature of the two bodies mixing to-
gether thus, admits or rather opens a paf-
lage for the air to penetrate amongfi: it, fo
as to caufe a fermentation ; for nothing wil
or can ferment without air.

It is the air that raifes every thing to life
and action : it is the air that is conveyed into
drink in the body of barm that makes it
work or ferment : this is the cafe in flour
alfo ; for conveying the air among the fiour
by the means of the barm, caufes a ferment-
ation : for barm is fcarce any thing elfe but
air; you fee, if you put new ale into bot-
tles.

176 A NEW SYSTEM

ties, before it has purged itfclf of barm, or
more properly ipeaking of air, it will burft
the bottles.

Or if you drink it, you convey among
the body of n\<: drink, air into your own
belly, which you generally difchargc foon
after in a bre?.ch of wind.

I mention thcle things to open the ideas
more fully to my reader, that he may know
what 1 mean by fermentation : for if he
does not open a pailagc into the body of
clay with lome mlirument, or compound,
io as to admit, or make a palTage for the air
to penetrate therein, to raife it to action by
fermentation, it will remain a dead inactive
body ; and if any Iced happei to be bound
or mclolcd therein, it will never grow or
v-cgetate till the earth is opened about it to
give it air.

I fay any fort of feed th?3t contains an oily
matter, iuch as rape-feed, cabbage-feed,
turnip-fccd, kctlock-iced, muftard-fccd, or
the like, will lie in the ground a thou land
years or more, and will neither rot nor
grow, till it gets air.

The oil prefcrves it from rotting, and
grow it cannot, unlefs it be raifed to adion
l3y fermentation, and fuch fermentation can-
not mile without air.

This

OF HUSBANDRY. 177

This is evidently experienced almoft eve-
<iy day : for if we plough up a piece of lay
land that has not been ploughed for feveral
generations, there is great odds ; but upon
being turned up, fome of thefe oily feeds
I mentioned will grow : and it is evident
that they would have grown before, if they
had air.

1 mention thefe things to prove how ne-
ceffary it is to open the earth, either by til-
lage, or by mixing different natures toge-
ther.

And as we fee that loain is the beft fort
of corn mold, how eafy is it to make a
loam, by mixing fand and clay together.

If a held be a ftrong clay, lay a cart load
of fand upon every fquare perch and this
will make a compound or body of earth,
commonly called loamy clay, bccaufe clay
is the ])redominant article.

This will open and divide the body of
clay ; the air will incorporate therewith,
-and bring on a fermentation, which will
fwell^ open and reduce the earth to a friend-
ly confiilence, vvhich v/iil admit the roots
■of plants to incorporate or iearch among it
for their food.

Suppofe a field be fand, it is of little ufe,
perhaps to its proprietor, as it will not feed
either the roots of corn or grafs ; that is, it

is

178 A NEW SYSTEM

is of too open a nature, and wants a flimy,
fmooth, gluey fubllance (fuch as clay con-
fifts of) among it to unite the gritty, pebbly
particles of the fand together ; each of
which particles before was a caUfed, hard,
feparate body, out of which iilued no nou-
rifhment for plants, as the grain or itaple
w^s too coarfe or large for the fine fibres of
a root to feed upon ; but when clay is in-
troduced amongft it, the flimy, fmoother
particles thereof wrap round or clog about
the grains of fand, which being affilled by
the air, and the falts thereof, divides thefe
little flubborn round bodies into Imaller
particles, by Ihelling or melting fcale aftpr
icale from them : fo that the body of the
fand, and that of the clay, being mehed
into a thin, fine, fmooth matter, between
them they create a nourifhing fine food for
plants.

Thus farmers fee how effential it is to
mix fand and clay together. A two-horfe
cart-load of clay upon every f([uare perch
of fand land, would change the nature of
the foil to fuch a degree, that it might be
called a loamy fand, which is the fecond
befl earth.

The above is taking in all forts of clay
and fand, as it fpeaks in general, becaufe a
mixture, let it be what fort it will, is valu-
able

OF HUSBANDRY. 179

able ; but however there are different de-
grees of both clay and fand, and where we
are fo lucky as to find on our lands, that
which contains the moft falts, it is the great-
eft treafure.

Moft marls are a fort of clay, and differ
according to the colour and weight of falts
or oils contained in them.

According to the quantity of falts or oils
you fuppofe your marl or clay to contain,
and the depth of foil or corn-mold you
have to work in, fo proportionably mix your
marl or clay and fand together.

The blue marl and brown marl arc near-
ly of one ftrength : they arc generally very
hard to be dug: fometimes the labourers
are obliged to ufe pick-axes to loofen it with
ready for the fpade.

Thefe are good forts of marl, and to be
found in many places in England and Scot-
land, where they lie difregarded, owing to
their owners not knowing their value.

When they come to be laid on the land,
and expofed to the air, they fall to duft,
and melt with rain or froft : any clay or
marl that does this, is fure to contain a
great body of falts ; for it is thefe that fhi-
ver and melt the earth about them to come
at the air, and the air at them.

A deep

i8o A NEW SYSTEM^

A deep corn-mold, and particularly it*
fandy, will take about three cart loads to two
fquare perches, at five yards and a half per
perch.

The next marl in quality, and which is
moft fuitable to ftrong land, ia white fhelly
marl, it generally lies under bogs and mo-
rafles : it is light, but of a very rich nature,
has a great likenefs to lime, and indeed will
almoft go as far as flecked lime in manuring:
however it may be laid on a cartload to each
Iquare perch, without hurting the land, tho*
lefs may do.

The next is a frcc-ftone-marl : it is white
as lime, but has no fhells in it ; it is moft
proper for clay; it has a fharp acid fpirit,
and therefore muft be laid thin on the land ;
it is the worft of all marls.

There are three clays, the blue, red and
white ; the beft of thele for manure to fand
land is the blue, as it comes the neareft to
marl: but they will all melt and open when
mixed with the fand.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. i8i

CHAP. XXXVL

On Clay, Sand and MarU

THERE are feveral denominations of
fands and gravel ; of thefe the lime-
ftone gravel is the belt ; it abounds greatly
all over Ireland, except in the county af
Cork.

This is of a very rich quality, particu-
larly if it be of the marly fort : in fad it is
no other than marl ; only that is m^ixed with
a fmall blue lime-ftone, from the fize of a
hazel-nut, to a good fized paving-flone,
which would all burn and make good lime:
it is thofe that give it the name of li^e-

ftonc
Vol. U. A a

rS/ A NEW SYSTENf

ilonc gravel : it is a very valuable manure
ani-l which contributes greatly to enrich Ire-
land.

A coat of this will change ling or heathy
ground, to ihamrocks or wild clover ; it is
to be met with in Scotland and England, in
foine places.

There is another fort of lime-ftone gra-
vel, which is of the gritty, fandy kind ; but
it is not fo good as the marly fort : it is
fuitable for clay-land.

There is a iort of fand in Ireland, that is
alfo very good manure for ftrong land. I
have lecn it in England, but never faw it
made ufe of.

In (act the Englifh farmers are not fo piy-
ing into the bowels of the earth as they
ought to be, to find out thefe valuable ma-
nures : this fand is of a rough, round, grit-
ty kind, a bluilh caft ; it abounds much
vvith-falts. I have feen it produce amazing-
ly great crops both of corn and grafs, for
fifteen or fixteen years together.

Sea-fand is another good manure, where
farmers are fituatcd conveniently, fo that
ta^t'iage will not bring it too high.

The red or blue fand that lies on the fur-
face of the earth, in many parts of England
and fuch as wc raifc corn in, is no manure,

except

OF HUSBANDRY. 183

except to clay-laiiil, as above obferved; and
it is on luch land as this that clay is fo valu-
able, where marl cannot be got.

Chalk is an excellent manure for clay-
ground, and will lail many yeai-s ; it is- ve-
ry good for fand, but not of that value as
for clay.

What adds to the value of chalk, clays,
or marl as manure, is their lading fo long
in the ground.

If land be well covered with any of thefe
heavy manures, it will fhew their value bv
throwing up good crops for ten or fii'teen
years.

Such bodies of manure are very ponder-
ous, and therefore generally keep finking
till they get below the reach of the plough
to turn up : when this happens it Ihould be
trench-ploughed.

The beft method of liming, marling,
claying or chalkirg land, is to lay thofe
■manures on the fod : and let them remain
(after being fpread) for one year or tvv^o be-
fore the land is ploughed, in order that they
may adhere, grow or incorporate with the
earth, which will make them much more
valuable and Lifting. Befides, the air ope-
rates more violently and quickly upon them
:by their being expo fed, w^hich if they were

coverei

184 A NEW SYSTEM

covered with earth they would in fome de-
gree be Icreened from ; and it is the air that
caufes them to open and fhiver to pieces,
and ferment with the corn mold, as will ap-
pear more fully in the next chapter.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 185

CHAP. XXXVII.

On the weakeft and worji of all Sands, or
worn-out or fired Earth : how to make
Marl or Clay unite thereto, &c.

AS I have feen a bad blowing white {and
in many parts of England, and par-
ticularly in Norfolk, which has baffled all
the Norfolk farmer's boafted management
to improve, and the fame is in fome parts
of America ; I (hall beftow a chapter on this
fort alone, and (hall think my time well
fpent, if I can put them in a way to make
fuch land ufeful, as at prelent lies ufelefs
and neglecfted.

There are two forts of what we call blow-^
ing fand, viz. white and grey which is of a
very fmooth, fine grain, and deflitute of

any

lU A NEW SYSTEM

any clayey, oily, or glutinous fubflance to
iiold it together, or for plants to feed upon.

Among the many tracls of this fort in
England, I lliall mention one which lies
round Thetford in Norfolk. Though the
Norfolk farmers imagine themfclves fuperior
to any other for management, yet they con-
fefs themfelves not qualified to impro\e this
fort of foil; and the reafon they give, is
that it is fo poor and weak, that the marJ
or clay will not unite therewith, of which
they have great plenty under thefe beds of
fand in mo ft parts of Norfolk.

I was told of a farmer near Thetford, who
was noted for being a better manager than
the reft of the neighbours ; I went to view
his crops, and was agreeably furprifed to
fee about two hundred and forty acres of
barley, that was extremely good, in the
midft of a very fandy, barren country ; in
■{hort, one acre might juftly be deemed as
good as any of the beft two I faw in the
country ; the crop might be judged to pro-
duce forty-four bulhels an acre, upon an
average.

This farmer had been brought up a fhop-
keeper, and had taken this farm a lew years
before, to the no fmall diverfion of fome of
the bigotted farmers about him, who hoped
to fee him breal:, for his prefiiming to be a
farmer. Hr

or HUSBANDRY. t%j

He was a rational, fenfible man, and laid
Bis plans upon reafon, and not upon old
Guftoms, which are very prevailing amongft
the illiterate, however abfurd.

The rent of the farm was two hundred
pounds a year, for which he had perhaps
about twelve hundred acres of land, fome-
part of which was valued at five Shillings aa
at:re, and oth^r at little or nothing.

His chief improvement conlifted of marl-
ing on the fod, for the land had been a
fheep-walk for many years ; it had been-
ploughed formerly till they could get no
more corn, and then left to chance. It had
been perhaps twenty or thirty years in com-
ing to a thin fod, which was fcarce then fuf-
ficient to keep the wind from blowing the
ground away; and though the flieep were
fmali, two acres would fcarce keep one of
them alive.

His crops confided chiefly of barley^ rye,
turnips and clover : he had a little wheat
on his bcft land, that had been ftrongly
marled.

He marled upon lay ; though moft farm-
ers in Norfolk marl upon fallow, or broken
ground ; this is the rock they fplit upon,
where they ufe it at ail. But indeed m.arl
is much negle(R:ed in Norfolk ; I do not
know a county in England, that is more

capable

i88 A NEW SYSTEM

capable of improvement by marl than this,
were they to apply it with judgment.

The fad is, the country is moftly under
tillage of barley, clover, rye-grafs and tur-
nips : the clover and rye-grafs feldom lie
above one crop, or at moft tw^o, before
they break ir up again for turnips ; there-
fore tney are neceffitated to marl upon bro-
ken ground, except they would lay it upon
the clover-ftubble as foon as the barley is
off ; which by the bye, is the befl way, tho*
they have not the leall notion of it.

Were they to do this, the ftubble would
keep it up, till the young clover grew thro*
and united and incorporated it with the fod
or corn -mold ; the frofl would alfo fhiver
and temper the clods, and bring them to a
reparation : this is one great reafon why all
clays or marls ought to lie on the fod a year
or two expofed, and to unite therewith.

But on the contrary, the Norfolk farmers
lay it on a loofe, fine, weak foil ; there it is
in clods, tumbled about with the plough,
in the courfe of the fallow ; and as it is 2
clofe, heavy body, it is generally covered
and fcreened from the air by the corn mold,
fo confequently as the mold about it is a
dead ina^ivc body, having no moift or oily
matter, fuch as grafe or clover roots a-
mongft it to incorporate or raifc into a fer-
mentation ;

OF HUSBANDRY. 189

mentation ; I fay, for want of thefe affift-
ances, the dead, weak, light body of fand,
or corn-mold, has not fufficient ftrength to
adhere or unite with the heavy body of clay ;
therefore the two parties he each inadive in
itfelf.

This evidently Ihewed itfelf to be the cafe
between the above farmer's good crops, and
his neighbours flarved bad ones ; many of
which were fcarce worth reaping, which
had been marled on the fallow, though the
marl and land were all of one nature ; there-
fore, it was plain that his fuperiority of
crops proceeded from no other caufe, but
that of being marled on the fod ; the roots
of grafs, or other vegetables raoiilen and
unite the two bodies of earth : and its acid
and nitrous nature raufes- a fermentation,
which is produdive of a mixture and unions
that could never take place between two fuch
dead and inactive bodies, as the fand and
marl are alone in themielves.

If it fhould be alledgcd, that the frefh-
nefs or reft this grafs land had got,, by lying
fo long dormant, or in a (heep walk, was
the caufe of fo great a produce in the crops:
iiich a fuppofition is anfwered by feveral ex-
periments, that were tried in the fame forft
. of ground ; nay the fame Iheep walk which
neither hedge nor ditch parted, viz.

Vol. II. Bh That

j^o A NEW SYSTEM

That all the farmers, except he who had
the good crops, break up their grafs land by
tallow, and Tow it with turnip feed; and
two or three farmers, particularly, had
marled upon the fallow, but their crops
were not half fo good as his, which was
marled on the Ibd ; and upon turning up
earth, it w-as eafy to difcover the marl lying
in lumps, in the fame inadive Hate as when
lain on ; this was alfo the caie with all the
old going corn land in the neighbourhood,
which had been more marled in the courfe
of tillage. But upon repeated trials they
find it docs not anfwer, therefore feldom
marl at all.

It is a prevailing opinion, and a common
laying among them, that their land is too
weak for marl, that the marl and fand will
not mix or unite together.

An open town-field lay next to the two
hundred and forty acres of good barley, the
owners of which ^had fevcral ridges mixed
among his neighbours in that field, feveral
of which he had marled upon fallow ; but
had no better crops on thefe than the reft
of his neighbours.

All thefe circumftances proved beyond a
contradidion, to the opinion of the farmers
there, that marl will not] anfWer with
them, but upon grafs-land, which had r)nly

been

OF HUSBANDRY. 191

!been lately tried ; for the two hundred and
forty acres of good barky was the firil m-
(lance, and fourth crop after marling.

It is worth obferving, that this [enfible
farmer forefaw the fuccefs which would ac-
crue from marling the faid land on the fod,
as he took a leafe of the farm at double iis
former rent, though feveral people had been
broke on it ; but he on the contrary, was
making a good fortune ; |for the crops I
faw on the ground, were at leaft worth ten
rents.

He had better turnips than any one elfe ^
which enabled him to keep a large flock of
ihcep : he kept every thing as private as he
could, and defired me to take no notice of
what I had feen ; for which reafon I fup-
prefs his name.

Many farmers looked upon his crops v/ith
wonder, and a longing eye ; but partly de-
fpaired of making his cafe their own ; as his
land had been fo many years coming to a
fod : and theirs was chiefly broken land.

To fum up what has been faid, all the
' above obfervations, as well as reafon, prove
clearly, that marl is a treafure, when found
and applied properly to light fandy land ;
but yet the fame obfervations prove, that it
cannot be applied with fuccefs to weak,
worn out land, without lome fort of vee;et-

able

19* A NEW SYSTEM

ahlc or gralT/ particles, to bear up the marl,
putrefy, keep moift and caufe a fermenta-
tion, in order to mix or unite th« the two
bodies of fand and marl together : and as it
is generally worn out corn-foil that ftands
in the greateft need of improvement ; and
as it is alfo very difhe^rtening for farmers to
wait fo long for their land coming to a fod
for th-e faid purpofe of improvement, I re-
fer them to the next chapter, where they
will find artificial management will make up
for deficiency of time and nature.

So much as this chapter contains, I
thought neceflary to fay, in order to prove,
both by reafon and precept, the necefTity
there is for the farmer's keeping up to the
rules laid down in the next, and confequent-
ly of his crops alfo.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 193

CHAP. XXXVIII.

On different SorU of Grafs andPulfe, which
mujl befown before Marl is laid on broken,
old going, fandy, worn-oui hands for the
Improvement thereof ^ &c.

SHOULD the reader happen to turn to
this chapter before he reads the fore-
going one; 1 would advife him to turn back,
and read it firft, in order that he may more
fully be acquainted with the reafon why I
dired:, or lay down the following manage-
ment.

There are few fandy farms in England,
but what have beds of marl or clay under
one part or other of them : did the owner
but apply himfelf for finding them out.

The

194 A NEW SYSTEM

The firft ftep he ftiould take, is to view
his hedges and trees, as their afped of vi-
gour or runtifhnefs, generally (hews the fort
of ground they grow upon: as for inftance,
all tap roots thrive bell where the interior
earth is good, though at a great depth un-
der ; particularly oak ; it llrikes its root
perpendicular to a great depth to find out
nouriftiment; and if a good clay or marl be
under at the diftance of fifteen or twenty
feet, the flourifhing ftate of the tree will
fhew it, by rearing up its head high in the
SLir.

One can hardly be deceived in thrs re-
mark : for though the furface appear fandy
for miles round, yet if there be any good
oaks growing thereon, we may be affured
that either a good clay, or marl is under;
therefore the farmer may apply himfelf to a
diligent fearch near the faid trees.

What he wants beicg found, liis next
method to take, is how to apply it to his
(ground; and if his land be of ever fo poor,
light, fandy nature, the following method
will enrich it, viz.

As foon as the crop of corn is off, plough
the land once, and fow it with x^etches pret-
ty thick ; then harrow them in ; if this can
be done a fortnight before Michaelmas, the
better ; that the Michaelmas fpring may pufh

them

OF HUSBANDRY. 195

them forward to a good head before winter:
and though the land be ever fo poor, open
or fandy : if lown at this time of the year,
it will produce a crop of ftraw, though per-
haps it would not have ftrength enough to
fupport a crop of corn ; but ftraw will an-
fwer his end.

The vetches muft not be eat : but as foon
as the bufhy fpring feed time is over, the
farmer muft prepare for marling, or claying;
upon them, viz.

He muft firft roll the vetches flat with a
roller, fo far as he thinks he can cover with
marl the fame day, but no farther ; and al-
fo fpread the marl even the fame night, fo
as to cover all the vetches clofe therewith,
to prevent the fun or weather from exhal-
ing or drying out the juicy fubftance, which
it foon will do from any part that is expof-
ed thereto.

When marl or clay is firft drawn out of
tke pit, it is generally wet and tough ;
but when it has lain a little expofed to the
weather, it ftiivers and falls to powder, par-
ticularly if it be cf a rich fort, for then the
air opens it, to come at the falts itcontains.

As foon as you fee that the clods are come
to a confiftence, {o as to break and fpread,
draw a harrow over the marl, turned the

wrong

196 A NEW SYSTEM

wrong fide up in order to break and fpread
the marl more even j and cover the vetches
clofe.

The next confideration is what to fow it
with ; and doubtlefs your choice will fall
upon fuch as fuits your flock of cattle, or
your opinion of farming, and crops the beft;
but was I to choofe it ihould be fown with
turnips at midfummer: however, whatever
it is fown with, it muft not be ftirred with
the plough, but as foon as the marl is level-
led on the ground as above, fow the feed,
and fhovel the furrows, and Ipread the
mold you throw out an inch thick all over
the ridge.

If you cannot get mold enough without,
you muft either dig a fpit deep, or run a
plough up and down the furrow, in order
to raife mold fufficient for the purpofe.

Two men will fhovel an acre in one day,
which is cheaper than ploughing, and the
work is done etfedually ; the marl lying be-
tween two bodies of fand, and the vetch-
es being reduced to dung under the marl,
that caufcs a thorough fermentation aad
union amongft them.

If you eat off the turnips with flieep, in
the moving houfes, you complete an effect-
ual improvement ; be the land ever fo poor

or

OF HUSBANDRY. 197

•v fandy ; in lliort, this is the. bcft method
that can be taken to improve any fort ol bar-
ren, light land, by marl or clay.

If clay-land, it will anfwer the end, by
applying land upon it in the fame manner ;
only with this difference, that inilead of
vetches you fow grey peas, which will pro-
duce a greater burden of haum for manure.

Roll your peafe, and when your fand is
laid on, cover them, and the fand together,
by fhovelling the furrows as above : but the
deeper you cover the better. Suppofe you
dig or plough a good fpit deep, and make a
furrow two feet wide, to throv/ over a ridge
fixteen feet wide.

This is alfo an excellent method to cover
in buck -wheat, vetches or peafe, or any
other crop that is fown for manure : fuppofe
you would not lay on any fort of fand mar!
or clay.

As for inftance : if you would fow wheat
at Michaelmas, you muft firft fow your
peafe the latter end of May, or begimung
of June : at Michaelmas they will be in full
bloffom, then roll them flat, and fow your
wheat upon them, and trench the furrows
as above, covering the feed and peafe to-
gether two or three inches thick. Thefe
peafe being covered, or fmorhered in their
mofl juicy tender ftate, ferment and rot very

Vol. II. C c foon

19^^ A NEW S:YSTEM

foon ; they will be turned into a mafs of
ipanure in a ' fornight, at which time the
wheat begins tq ftriice root, and feed upon
the ground.

This is a very fure method of getting a
good crop, be the ground ever io poor, as
the feed takes root immf^diately among the
manure.

This alfo cft'cc^ually deftroys the weeds ;
and as the furrows are deep and open, it is-
a good drainage for cold, low, wet land, in
ihort it is the next beft method to trenching
land, and for the firll crop pei haps may ex-
ceed it.

It is like wife a good preparative for fuch
land as may be thrown into the courfe of
Cjench-ploughing, as the furrows are ready
open, ^c.

Any fpring-crops may be treated in the
fame manner with good fuccefs.
„ Six men may trench an acre thus in one
day, and cover the ridge three inches thick;
but it the mold be loofcned with the plough,
fp that nothing but the Ihovel will want to>
be ufed, it will come much lower.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 1.99

C H A P. XXXIX.

^be Management, &c»' of J /je white and

Hue

boiling Fea.

THIS fort of pea is chiefly raifed lor the
good of mankind, and is ufed ior
puddings, kc.

It is only here and there we can meet with
land fuitable for this crop: for though it
may prod^ice a full crop and good looking
peafe ; yet if the land be not natural for them
they will not boil foft \ in which cafe they
are of no value but for cattle.

The land nioft; likely to anfwer for them
is a dry (harp fand, or gravel : but experi-
ence muft be the farmers guide herein ; for

if

Eoo . A NEW S Y S 1' E M

if two pieces of land be both alike, to a
man's thinking, und only an hedge parts
them, yet oiic may bring a foft good boiler
2nd the other not.

The fcafon for fovving it is about the mid-
dle of March : it mull be managed in every
relpect as the grey pea ; it is generally fold
Tor about the fame price as wheat.

I ha\e known more than once, twenty
pounds an acre made by a crop of them;
befidcs the crop is generally early enough
reaped for the land to low turnips on the
fame year ; \v liich is another great advan-
tage : cattle do not like its flraw fo well, as
that of grey pca-Ilraw.

There arc two forts of this pea, but both
nearly unfwer the fame end : and the land
that will produce one a boiler, will not mifs
in the other ; one is called the blue boiler,
being of a bluiih cail or colour, and very
imall and round, and without any dints in
it.

The other is called the white boiler, and
is generally a little larger than the blue fort:
this is alio rOund, and is not dinted : it is
not c[uite fo much valued as the blue fort.

'I'hey are both of the early hotfpur kind ;
the feed mull be changed every year to
choofe : and that which comes from the
b'outh of Enj^land is generally the bell ; the

land

OF HUSBANDRY. 201

land being in that country, a very warm,
fandy gravel. The farmers raife great quan-
tities to fend abroad, and find their account
in it.

CHAP.

fe©4 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XL.

I^he Management and PerfeBion of the grey
Field Pea.

THERE arc two forts of peafe which
may be cultivated in the field with
fuccefs,

Firft, the common grey field-pea, raifed
for the fuftenance of the brute creation, an-
fwering the fame end, or made ufe of for
the fame purpofes as field beans.

The next is a boiling pea. I fhall ti*eat of
it in another chapter.

The grey peafe delight moft in a light
gravel or fandy land : but if fown with

beans

OF HUSByVNDRY. w^

I^ans> (which will be a rodding forth^mjl
they will grow with fuccefs on ftrong lands j
but the richer the land, the greater naed they
have for lupport, as their ftraw grows Ibng"
er, and therefore they muft be fown^ thin^
ner alfo.

Sow the pooreft land you have with pea^fe,
as they will enrich the land, and on fuch
poor land they corn bell, for when the land-
is too good they run too much to flraw, and
the more ftraw the lefs corn.

Oat or barley ftubble, if the land be poor
will bring a good crop, provided you give
it a couple of ploughings in autumn and
winter ; but if the land be in a good hearty
you need only plough the Hubble in juR be-
fore fowifig.

They may be fown with fuccefs, from the
f^rft of February to the firil of April : but
about the beginning of March, is the befl*
feafon.

The land being ploughed, fow the peafc
at the rate of eight ftone to the acre, Irilh
meafure : when fown water furrow and grip
the land.

This crop mufi: not be rolled ; in May is
the time to weed them.

If they happen to be a fhort ftanding
crop, they may be mown i elfe they muft

be

204 A NEW SYSTEM

be reaped and rolled, or lapped up in round
little bundles, like a fheaf of corn: thus
they muft be left in fingle lumps or fheaves
till they arc enough weathered, and dried
for (lacking, or houfing ; but while they
are on the ground, they mull be turned
two or three times, left the under part of
the Iheaf grow.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 20jr

CHAP. XLI.

DireBions for the ploughing, fcwtng andma^
nagement of Buck -Wheat, through all its
Variations.

THE chief ufe of buck-wheat, in Eng-
land or Irelaryd, is for manure ; tho*
feme make ufe of it for bread; but it is very-
ordinary bread, not much better than that
of peafe ; it will teed hogs ; but peafe are full
as good and will yield more corn on an acre:
befides, they are a furer crop, as they will
grow on almoft any lort of land.

I will fay fo much, hotvever, for buck-
wheat, that where it hits and is a full crop,
it is the fined thing for manure that I have
ever feen.

Vol. 11. D d I once

2o6 A NEW SYSTEM

I once had a crop, that, when it was roll-
ed down, gave a talk to a hoiTe to walk
through it , and the land gained fo great ad-
vantage from this drefling, that the proprie-
tor has good rcafon to remember it.

The plant is very luxuriant, and predo-
minant over any weeds ; To that the benefit
does not wholly lie in the dung it makes,
but partly in its being an cffe(^hial clearer of
ground from weeds.

The land that fuits it beft, is that of a
light foil, of a fandy gravelly nature, tho'in
truth, (except a very ftrong clay) any land
v/ill bring a crop; provided it be well tilled
to a fine mold.

Any fort of flubble that is intended for it,
mufb be winter fallowed, ploughing it early
in autumn, in order that it may meliorate
with the froft, &c. and again, as foon as it
begins to (hoot in the fpring, and the laft
time in April, jufl before fowing.
. The middle of April is the bef> time for
fowing it.

When ploughed before it is fown, har-
row it once in a place ; in order to level it,
that the feed may not be buried too deep ;
then low the feed, at the rate of two bulhels
to an Englifli acre ; after which harrow it
very fine.

When

OF HUSBANDRY. 207

When harrowed, roll it : then you have
no more to do with it, till it is fit to plough
in for dung, which is, when full in blolTom
about midluinmer.

This is done by firfV rolling it down the
ftriping way of the plough : and thci;
ploughing it in.

If the land be for turnips, as foon as the
dung is rotten (which it will be in about ten
days) if it be ploughed in the fullnefs of fap
or juices, plough it up and harrow it once
in a plage : a man mull follow the harrow
with a rope tied to it, to fhake it, leil it
drag the dung in h^aps. Being thus har-
rowed, fow the turnip- feed, and roll it af-
terwards.

But if the land be for wheat, let it lie
unploughed, till the grafs or weeds begin to
grow, then plough the dung up, and in a
pVoper time after low wheat, and plough it
m with the dung.

If you intend the buck-wheat to fland for
feed, treat it in every refpect like peafe, as
it is har veiled the lame way*

CHA?,

3o8 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XLII,

DireSfions how to raife Rape and Cole- Seed,
and alfo how to manage Burnbeating, ^c.

I Shall treat of thefe two feeds under one
management, in the fame chapter, as
they are nearly of one quality : all the dif-
ference i?, that cole-feed requires a greater
depth of foil.

Rape and cole-fced are very profitable,
where they meet with land that fuits them ;
which IS a black and deep foil : cold, riiihy
bottoms, bog, or deep mountain are very
good, provided it be duly pared and burn-
ed.

For

OF HUSBAHDRY. 209

For paring and burning, (by others called
burn-beating/ take heathy, boggy, moun-
.tainy, or rufhy, we"" and cold low ground ;
the more ling or heath and coarfe grafs the
better.

If it be for reclaiming of bog, follow the
diredions under that article. '

If the ground be deep, and will allow it,
pare a fed tv/o inches thick, in order to
raife all the aihes that is pofTible ; but be-
fore you begin to plough or pare for burn-
ing, take a roller fix teet long ; in this faft-
en three bel-s of iron, quite round the roll-
er, at two feet diilancc : the(e belts, r)r ra-
ther cutting knives, as they are to perform
this office, are about the breadth of a
fey the, and are to have prongs to drive into
the roller, fo that the edge will ftand up-
right.

With this go acrofs the ground intended
to be pared ; which, when pared, it will
turn up in fods two feet long and fave a
great deal of labour of cutting by hand;
the knives may be taken off, or put on oc-
cafionally : and the roller will ferve for other
ufes, of rolling corn» Sec.

About the middle of April begin to pare,
and do not mifs an opportunity of burning
the fods, when once dry ; which will be in

thie€

zio A "NEW SYSTEM

three weeks after cutting, if the feafon be
ncTt wet; but in a wet feafon, they mull be
fct upon an edge, and they will dry the
readier.

Being thus dry, and ready for burning,
make heaps of about a cart load in each,
with the grafs-fide downward : lay them as
light and hollow as poflible, that they may
burn the readier.

Put feme fort of kindling under to fet it
on fire, fuch as ftraw or fticks, hcc. but
little will do/ if there be any rough fluff,
fuch as heath, rulhes, Sec. on thefod.

The v/ay to burn it to the greatefl advan-
tage, is not to let the blaze break out, but
keep it fmothering within ; for the more it
blazes, the more of the nitre afcends into
the air.

Being thus burned, fpread the aihes, and
plough them und^r with a very thin furrow
at the mofl not above two inches thick ; then
harrow it, and when harrowed pretty fine,
fow tlie feed. After fowing bufh-harrow
It.

A peck of feed is the due for an Englifh
acre, which is about one third lefs than an
Irifti one.

Take care to water- furrow and grip it
well.

In

OF HUSBANDRY. 2n

Tnthc Ipring weed it, and where it is too.
thick pull up fome plants, and tranfplant
them in thin places, if any there be ; if not
throw them away.

Some will hoe the rape ; but I take thi*
to be a fuperfluous piece of labour.

The mo A; famous place in England, for
rifing this crop, is the fenny countries;
and they never hoe any ; but I have feert
farmers in other countries, take great pains^
in hoeing it ; but this may be partly owing
to their being ilrangers to the right manage-
ment, and to their taking over abundant
pains, through a fear of not doing enough*

The chief thing is, to fow it even, and
till it well, there is then no fear of a crop ;
for the plants coming up thick, and having
a broad leaf, fmother the weeds, cover the
ground, and keep it light and mellow ; {o
that in this cafe, 1 fee bat little need of hoe-
mg.

{ had a field one year, and in order to
be fatisfied which was the beft way, I fow-
ed a piece in drills, and hoed it with the
plough : and another piece I hoed by the-
hand.

I did not tre{h. it feparate ; but in all ap-
pearance to the eye, there v/as no great dif-
ference, or at-leaif, not in any wife equiva-

J 12 A NEW SYSTEM

lent to the labour it coll: me ; but in fa<ft, it
was all as good a crop as could well grosv.

Where there is not burn-beating, a good
crop may be got by fumnier I'allow, iria-
naged dirertly in every degree as tor wheat,
with the fame manures.

One advantage in fowingrape is this, that
the feed cofts a triRe, perhaps not above
eighteen pence an acre ; and'if it hits, it is a
valuable crop ; and ihould it mifs, the lofe
of feed is infigniiicant, and the land can be
fown with bailey at fpring, as there is time
enough to difcover what kind of a crop the'
rape will be, before barley feed time.

Obferve that it is ready to reap when the
upper branches turn brown ; be fure you
let it not be too ripe ; of the two evils, the
leaft is to reap it too foon, rather than let
it ftand too long : for if the pcxls be too
dry, they will open in reaping, anti fhcd the
ieed.

Birds of all forts are very fond of it
thereiore it mull be watched for a month-
before its reaping, to the end of threlhing :
it is not altogether the value of what they
cat, but in opening a pod, perhaps they will
not get above one grain, and all the reft will
drop out.

It is reaped in the fame manner as wheat:
but the handfuls are laid fingly and light

upon

OF HUSBANDRY. 213,

upon the ftubble, behind the reapers : thus
it mtilt lie without flirring, till it is ready
to trefh ; which %vilibe in about three weeks
after reaping : for it muft be very rafh or
dry, or there will be a lofs in its not trefh-
ing clean. ,

When it is thus ready for trefhing, pre-
pare a floor in the middle of the field, (or
in any other place moft convenient for the
carriage,) by levelling the ground, on which
nwiHi be fpread a large rape-cloth in the na-
ture of a winnow-iheet, to trefh the rape
upon.

Spread the rows round, and trefh round.

One man fp reads before the trefhers ;
another turns it after them ; a third fhakes
off the ftravV, and a fourth carries it away.

Thefe four men arc to fupply i^ix trefhers
and four carriers in ; with four to fill the
fheets, and one to rake oft" the piilfe and
riddle them.

Thefe fet of people being in all nineteen,
will trefh fix or feven acres in a day.

It is better to proportion the labourers ac-
cording to the quantity of rape you have>
that it may difpatched in a day or two, as
rainy weather may prove dbflruciive ; but
if the rain fhould happen to catch you,
throw up the corners of the clotli, and eo-

VQC

Vol. II. E e

214 A NEW SYSTEM

ver it with pulfe, fuch as flays in the riddle,
which will turn off rain extremely well.

'1 here is no need of taking the Teed off
the cloth, but keep treihing upon it till all
is done.

Some will fell the feed to the oil-mill, as
foon as winnowed from the cloth : others
that do not want money, will heap it upon
the floor, mixed with chaff, and covered
up with the pulfe, fo that it will be round
and fharp at the top like a hay-cock : and
thus they will let it lie perhaps two months
till it gets a fweat in the chaff, which is very
necellary ; for being of a clammy oily fub-
ftance, it would turn moldy, when clean in
a granary, if it did not get a Iweat in the
rh^ff as above : but this precaution will
prevent the faid evil.

It is immaterial to fay any thing about
winnowing ; as it is eafily done by any one
that can winnow flax-feed or corn ; as it is
only fuiting it with fieves to the lize of the
feed.

The ftraw was thought of no value for-
merly in England, but rather a nuifance ;
but of late years the aihes it makes are
found to be valuable for making foap ; and
the foap -boilers will buy the ftraw, per-
haps-two or three months before it is reaped

and

OF HUSBANDRY. 215

and will give from three to fix fhillings per
acre, according to the quantity that may
appear to be thereon.

About the latter end of November, if the
rape be ftrong fo as to bear eatirg, (which
you may judge of by the flrength of tile
plant, or groilnefs of the ftalk,) turn iheep
in and eat it till Candlemas ; provided you
do not overllocic it ; but take care that
they do not eat the ftalk tcjo near ; they
ought to go no further than juft to eat the
leaves cflf, without entering on the body of
the lUlks, for fear of wounding them too
deep.

Cole-feed may be eaten a great deal fafer
than rape, as it produces a grolTer ftalk ;
and when all the leaves are eaten off, about
Candlemas it -makes frelh ifioots, and pro-
duces larger heads than if it had not been
€aten; and if the land be good and deep, it
will produce a more profitable crop than of
any other grain whatevei .

1 have difcourled with Several farmers in
England, who know no other difference be-
tween cole and rape-feed than the name.

It is true that the feed is nearly alike ; and
no difference is made in the price to the oil
mills as they produce one fort of oil i but
there is a materiid difTerence in the plan':,
and it is the advantage of a larnier to be well
acquairrted with it too. The

2i6 A NEW SYSTEM

The cole-fccd is a fpccies of cabbage ori-
ginally from Holland.

It produces a very large luxuriant plant,
in good ground: it will produce a flalk like
that of a cabbage, and the feed in propor-
tion to the fize of the ftalk.

A very full crop will turn out a laft on an
acre.

When the fhcep have eat the (talks bare,
it is ae eafy matter to take them up, where
too thick on the ground, and tranfplant
them.

I once took as many fuperfluous ftalks
out of two acres, as tranfplanted fix ; which
bore as good a crop as the refl, only a little
later.

I am certain a very great advantage might
be made in this method, in the manner lol-
Jowing, VIZ.

It it to be obferved, that land for rape or
cole- feed is fallowed all winter, and till the
time ot lowing, which is the latter end of
June or in July ; by which means the rape
rakes up the land this year, and till it is reap-
ed, which is about the latter end of June
the next year ; therefore it is too late foi-
f >vving any fort of crop but turnips when
the rape comes off.

Now fuppofe you had half an acre [of
good land, or made it fo by dunging it bet-
ter

OF HUSBANDRY. 217

ter than common, and tilling it a little ex-
traordinary.

At the proper feafon of the year, which
is at Midfummer, fow on this half acre one
peck of either rape or colefeed : but if I was
to choofe it fhould be cole-feed.

Now we fuppofe this to produce a very
plentiful crop of plants, perhaps very few
grains would rnifs : thus let them grow till
Michaelmas : and fuppofe you have ten
acres of either wheat, here, barley or oats:
as foon as the corn is reaped, plough the
{lubble : let it lie a month or fix weeks to
rot, and then plough it again : this will be
nearly as good as fummer fallow.

Begin at one fide of the field, and plough
a furrow : in this fet a row of thefe plants
one foot afunder, leaning againll the fide of
the furrow : then plougii another furrow
againft it : make the furrow about a foot
broad : fo continue till all the field be fet:
but it is the bcft method to fet them with
the tranfphnting machine, as direded for
wheat.

If the land be good, there will be no
need of dung, &cc. but if it be poor have
rotten dung in the field, ready laid in heaps;
take balkets, and lay a little st the root oi'
every plant: about the fize of a large pota-
roc will be fufficicnt : by this means, a lit-
tle

2i8 A NEW SYSTEM

tie dung will go a greater way, and not any
of it will be laid in vain, as every plant will
have the good of it.

This is a mighty ready way of tranfplant-
ing : for except the ploughing it will not
coil above two fhillings an acre.

The plants will be the better lor leaning
on one lide.

About March, if the mold be drawn up
to the Hems, they will be the better, tho*
they may do very well without.

I do not doubt but there are as many
grains in a peck of rape-feed as will fet at a
foot diilance from each grain, a hundred
acres ; therefore without doubt, there will
be as many plants to pick and choofe, as
would plant ten acres at the fame allowance.

When the rape is reaped fow turnips.

This is getting three profitable crops, and
part of a fummer's fallow in two years :
and the two laft crops ai^e of an improving
quality.

It is true I never faw this method put in
practice by any other perfon. However I
made trial enough in this way to prove it
valuable.

This experience joined to the reafonable-
nefs of the thing, makes it clear to mc, that
a farmer, by this management might make
great protits of his land.

If

OF HUSBANDRY. 219

If itfhould be a bufy time about Michael-
mas, the tranfplanting might be deierred
till the beginning of February, and keep the
land fallowing all winter, and indeed I
doubt not but this is full as good a feafon
as Michaelmas, and the land may be kept
fallowing as I obierved.

The fpring planting will drive the crop
a little later, but I am convinced that there
is no doubt of the plants growing from
either feafon : it is my opinion not above
one in an hundred would mifs.

I ihould be glald to fee this profitable
piece of hufbandry put in pradice in a large
degree, as reafon fpeaks fo clearly in its
favour.

It would a'fo make good winter feeding,
if the farmer dijd not choofe to let it Hand to
feed.

What a fine affair would it be for a far-
mer to make ten or fifteen pounds an acre
of his ftubbles : the land the better for it,
and the expence not above three or four
{hillings per acre ?

If it fbould mifs, the lofs is fcarce worth
notice, and the land will be the better for
the fallow a*: any rate.

The middling produce of an Englifn ac re
of rape is half a laf^ : it fometimes happens
that an ac e will produce a lalt ; but it muil
be very good. Cole-

220 A NEW S'YSTEM

Cole-feed will very often produce a laft ;
being a ftronger plant, it confequently
throws out larger feeding branches, where
the land is deep and proper for it.

The rape or cole-feed is very proper for
the land and climate of America.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 221

CHAP. XLUI.

DirsBlons for making a new invented Trejh-
ing Floor,

TAKE boards three inches thick, and
ten or twelve inches broad, and fo
long that two will reach acrofs the barn floor,
from door to door ; in thefe fix feet to make
benches three feet hi^h : there muft be fix
of thefe forms or benches, which will reach
three times acrofs the floor, one at each fide,
and the other down the middle, put a hafp &c
ftaple to the middle end of each bench to
fallen them together that the motion of ihc
flails will not fliake them a funder.

Thefe benches is by way of platforms to
lay the flooring boards upon, which boards

Vol. II. Ff mua

Ill A NEW SYSTEM

muft be three inches thick, and as broad as
may happen, a-^d as long as will reach acrofs
the benches from fide to fide.
•' Joint and plane' the upper tide of the
boards, then bore them full of holes \^ith a
cooper's tap bit at three inches diftance from
each other, the tap bit being taper, the
wide part of the hole muft be at the un-
plancd (idc of the boards which mufl: lye
downwards, by which the ilraight part
of the hole which muft be half an inch wide
being uppermoft, will not choke or ftop up
with corn or chaff when trelhing thereon.

This ftage or upper floor is to trefh up-
on and the old under floor is to receive the
corn which is riddled through the holes as
foon as it is trefhed or lofe from the ftraw.

When you want ta winnow, the boards
being loofe are quicklv thrown to one fide,
and the two middle forms being taken away
the corn is winnowed on the bottom fioor.

This is a fimple, cheap and cafy made
floor, and is of great utility, as it faves both
labour and corn, for as the corn falls thro*
^he holes as foon as trefhed, it keeps the
floor fharp and clean fo that the flails will
j-ifc eaficr to the trcflier, than when it falls
on a heap of corn and chaff, and the boards
being loofe and hollow^ will fpring, andmakc
the flails alfo rebound and rife with more

cafe

OF HUSBANDRY. 223

eafe to the trciher than when it falls on a
folid laid floor : the next confideration is
that it faves near one part in four times
which is ufiialiy taken up in raking or mak-
ing up the Moor.

Another advantage is, there can be no
loofe corn loft or thrown out with the ftriw
by not Ihaking it well, as is the cafe when
the ftraw and corn lies together j neither is
the corn a glut on the floor 'till winnowing
days, as the undei* floor ferves as a refervoir
for that purpofe.

CHAP.

224 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XLIV.

'^he Management of T'obacco,

TOBACCO is a profitable crop when
rightly managed, but requires good
land, and in fome llages very careful attend-
ance, particularly in drying and making it
fit for the hogfliead.

The ground muft be well tilled and ma-
nured, except it be new cleared, good ficlh
ground ; then it may bring three or four
crops without manure.

'rhe feed of tobacco mufl be fown in
feed beds, as early in the fpring after the
froft brealcs up as poffible, fo that the plants
may be large enough to plant out from the
middle of April to the firfl of May.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 225

The ground mull be ready to receive the
crop by digging deep, and loofening the
earth, with a Ipade, particularly in the fpot
where the plant ft and s.

In the middle of every fquare yard fet a
plant, preifing the earth clofe to the roots
thereof. When weeds grow they muft be
cut up with a hand hoe, and at the fame
time draw the mold up about the the ftalks
of the plants.

As foon as you lee the plants begin to
bud for flowering, you muft go over the
ground and pinch all the buds off, between
the linger and thumb, in order to make the
plants ftrike more into leaf, at the fame
time ftrip any dead or withered leaves from
the bottom of the ftalks and throw them
away. Some indeed will take off two or
three of the largeft leaves from the bottom
of each ftalk, and dry them for tobacco,
which I think the beft method : firft bc-
caufe it lets air circulate more freely among
the crop, which encourages vegetation : fe-
condly the leaves will improve no more,
they being ripe fome weeks before the up-
per leaves : thirdly, though thefe bottom
leaves make a coarfer fort of tobacco than
the reft of the plant ; yet they will very
well pay the trouble, and it is getting io
much work out of the way, before the re-
mainder

226 A NEW SYSTEM

maindcr of the crop comes on fo he ma-
naged, which is generally a buly time.

From Augull to September is the time for
cutting the plants.

They mult be cut down below the leaves:
when cut they muft lie a few days to wither
and then take them under cover, and hang
the plants fingly acrafs ilicks till they are
quite dry, lo that when they are put toge-
ther in a heap to fweat, they will keep their
colour, and not turn to a white mold, which
will rot and fpuil the tobacco.

If the weather be wet or hazy, the to-
bacco will not dry withovit fires being made
on the floor of the tobacco-houfe, which
will warm and dry the whole tobacco that
hangs over them.

While the tobacco is drying in the houfe
it muft be looked at every day, leaft it turn
to a white mold, and rot where it hangs too
thick. In this cafe it muft be fhifted and
thinned in time, to prevent the worft of
malady's.

The Tobacco being properly dried, it
muft be put in a heap to force a fweat, and
the leaves muft be ftripped from the ftalks,
and made m hands (as they call it) by ty-
ing four or five together, and then it muft
be prefTed very hard in a hogfhead for ufe.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 227

The crop is ripe for cutting when the
leaves turn a yellowifli brown at the edges,
or when you can double or bend the ribs
of he leaf without breaking.

When the crop is ripe to cut early, there
will other leaves fpring from the roots, that
will produce a fecond crop (but this) ex- '
cept the weather prove favorable, is hard
to fave.

It is a tolerable good crop of tobacco that
will produce a hogihead an acre.

There are feveral forts of tobacco, but
the beft which I have feen, is what they
call the bull- face ; it produces the flrongeft
plant, confequently the fulleft crop, "rhe
finell tobacco, is that of a yellowilh green
(fome, when they ftrip the Italics) will pre-
jferve all the leaves of this colour by them-
felves, and fell the tobacco at an a.dvanced
price from the reft.

CHAP.

228 A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XLV.

The Management of Indian Corn,

T.

HIS is a crop the Americans are in ge-
neral mailers in the management of, fo
I {hall be (hort on the fubjecl, and only
add one particular to the common manage-
ment, which reafon tells me will be an im-
provement it' clofely adhered to.

In this, as in all other crops, the richer
the ground and the better and deeper it is
tilled, the greater chance of a good crop. —
However in many parts, and in particularly
in new cleared ground, the roots of trees
prevents ploughing deep for Indian wheat,
and w^heat abfolutely requires' it to bring it
its beft perfection ; therefore, when all the
ground cannot be tilled deep with the plough

1 would

OF HUSBANDRY. 229

I would advife three or four fpits with the
rpade to be dug deep in the place where the
corn is to grow, one rnan would do an acre
each day, and it would well pay for his
trouble, but in doing this he mull turn the
upper furface to the bottom of the hole, for
tlie fame reafons that are mentioned in the
chapter for trench ploughing.

When the ground is fallowed and thus
ready to receive the crop, the next flep is to
make marks where the corn is to grow at
fix feet diftance every way from each other,
and at the center of every fix feet, make a
circle of a foot diameter, in which (et
at an equal diftance from each other four
grains of corn three or four inches deep in
the ground : three grains is fuflicient for a
crop, but the fourth is eafiiy pulled up when
thev are a fize to be difcovered which is
the weakeft.

When the corn is growing plough be-
tween the rows as clofe to the roots as you
can, in order to kill the weeds and treiheii
the plants by cutting fuperfluous fibres that
runs horizontly near the furface of the earth,
this will make the tap roots ilrike deep in
the ground, which adds vigor and ftrength
to the plants.

Ifthere are weeds growing among the roots
of the corn or in luch a fituation that the

Vol. II. Qy '^ plough

230 A NEW SYSTEM

p]9Ugh cannot come at them they muft be
dcAroyed with the hand hoe.

The befl time for fowing the feed is from
the middle of March to the firil of May.

The crop being thus fct and properly
hoed, the chief part of the care attending,
it is over.

The crop is generally ripe in September,
the harveilingis very fimple, being nothing
more than to cut off the ears and throw
them into a carriage and houfe them.

The beft managers ftrip the blades from
the ftalks and tie them up in fmall fheaves
and prelerve them dry in flacks or houfes
for fodder for cattle in winter, others will let
them ftand till wanted in winter, and then
pull and throw the 0alks andblkdes together
to the cattle and let them pick the blades
from the flalks themfelves.

Some fti'ip or fhell the corn fVom the ears
by hand, others trefh them on hurdles made
of fmall flicks when they want to fell a quan-
tity, but in feeding their own hogs or horfes
they generally throw the whole ears to them
who will quickly fhell the corn oflf and feed'
upon'it.

A very good crop will produce fixty
bufhels an acre^ but thirty is a fine crop.

CHAP.

QF HUSBANDRY. 231

€ H A P. XLVL

General dire'Slions for ploughing, fowing, bar-
rowing and mowing y er harvejiing Barley.

I

N October begin to plough your land for
the winter fallow, which is intended for bar-
ley, except turnip land, which muft be
ploughed as foon as the turnips are eaten
off.

Obferve to gather, or raife your ridges
high in the middle of your winter fallow, by
which means it will keep itfelf dry, fo that
it may be ploughed any time in winter ; and
the more it is ploughed the better and richer

232 A N E VV S Y STEM

it is mack : take care that yonr land be got
into lowing order by the firil of MarcJi, as
tlie bell ieaibn for fowing barley, is from
that to the middle of April, though fome
will fow till the middle of May ; but a good
deal may be owing to the fcafon; for it is
better to wait a month, than to fow in a
dirty, cold, bad feafon; as barley is a grain,
above all others, that will not bear incle-
mency of weather or hardfliip.

If you intend to lay your land down with
any fort of fmall grafs feeds, fuch as clover,
lucerne, kc. as foon as the barley is fown
and harrowed, as above, (o\v your grafs-
fceds, and harrow them once in a place,
with the harrow turned the wrong end lore-
moft, that tlie pins do not fink too deep,
which would bury a great deal of thefe
Tmali feeds j but larger forts of grafs-feed,
fuch as fain tfoin, burn f^t, and the like, may
l)e fown, when the land is about half har-
rowed for barley, and then harrowed along
with it ; by which means they will be the
better covered ^ and, being' a hufl<y feed,
they require it. '

When the barley has been fown about .i
month, roll it.

bow your barley immediately after the
laU ploughing, and harrow- it extremely
well.

Six

OF HUSBANDRY. 233

Six ftone of Iced is fufficient for an Eng-
lilh acre.

One great article, on which the farmer's
fuccefs depends, is, to keep his crop clean ;
he mull therefore take care it will be well
weeded, and throw the weeds into the fur-
rows ; being thus cleared from weeds, the
bufinefs is over, till ready for harvefiing.

As moll per ions know when it is ripe, I
fhall only fay, that the chief token is, to
obferve the joints of the ftraw ; when thefc
turn from a green to a dry flraw-colour, it
is ready for cutting ; but no corn is ripe, as
long as the joints are full of fap ; for thofe
are the juices which fupply or feed the grain
with its lafl nourilhment ; as'' it keeps feed-
ing or filling, until the joints are fucked
dry; ardthen the green. call departs along
with the fap, and nature has done its work ;
therefore fall to, and mo\^^ it, as directed in
the next chapter.

CHAP.

234 A" NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. XLVa.

On mowing and harvejling Spring-Corn,

WHAT may be properly called fpring-
corn, is, that which is fown in
(pring ; luch as barley, oats, beans, peafe^
buck-wheat, and the like.

Thefe are what the Englifh farmers call
mowing crops, which is done by a cradle
on the fcythe ; or, for want of this, a hoop,
made of a ftrong brier, fallow, or the likej
the root-end of which is faftened in a hole,
made by a fpikc-gimlet, in the Ihaft, about
eighteen inches from the heel of the fcythe ;
and the top end of the Hick muft be brought
with a bend over the heel of the fcythe.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 235

The hoop muft be croffed feveral times,
with cord, like a net work, in order to
keep the corn from falling through .

Upon trial experience will teach him far-
ther.

The mower being thus equipped, let him
begin to mow, leaving the Handing corn on
his left hand ; that is to fay, he muft leave^
the fwarth leaning againft the ftanding corn;
and if he is a dexterous workman, he may
leave it fo even and ftraight, that a crofs
ftraw will fcarce be feen.

After each mower comes a gatherer, with
reaping-hook, or a fmall rake to make it
into fheaves.

The complement, for every two mowers
and two gatherers, is, one binder ; fome-
times, when the corn is rank, or a heavy
crop, the two gatherers will have a band-
maker between ; and thefc five or fix perfons
day's w^ork to mow, gather, and bind, is,
four Englifh acres of fair ftanding corn^,
cither barley, beans, blendings, or oats.

Being thus bound, it mult be fet up in
ftooks ; the fheaves propping againft each
other, prefs the tops well together, in order
to make them thin and fharp; which will
fhoot off the rain the better.

The farmers in England, feldom put any
covering-fheaves on their barley-ftooks ; but

leave

236 A NEW SYSTEM

leave the corn-ends expofcd to all weather ;
believing that the corn hardens the quicker,
and more kindly ; however, as Ireland is a
wetter climate, 1 would advife the farmer
to cover them at night, and uncover them
in the morning.

After Hooking, the barley-ftiibble muft
be raked with a fwarth-rakc ; fo called from
the length of its head, which is fix feet, to
take a fv^arth-breadth at a tiinc.

It has one row of iron pins, each pin eight
inches loi^s: out of the wood, and thj-ce in-
ches alunder.

It has a handle, in proportion to the reft
of the rake, m which is fixed a belt to go a-
bout the man's flioulders, to drav/ ic in the
nature of a harrow.

When he finds his rake full, he muft Hft
it up, whereupon the corn drops out ; he
then goes on again, aKvays leaving the corn
in the fame place or range, in the nature of
a wind-row.

When the field is raked, cock the rakings
like hr?y; and this is very ufeful to lay on
tops of the held Hacks ; as it will lie better
than iheaves, and fhoot the water ofl'; but
in England they never flack their corn in the
field; but let it ftand in the (look, till it is
ready to take home to the barn or hay-
yard.

However

dt iTXJSB ANl^uf. 237

However, as Ireland is a moifter climate,
t believe it is A very good way, particularly
if the corn is to be houfed.

And perhaps, if England W^S to do the
like, it might be better ; as it would put
the ebrri out of danger of bad weather.

H. B. Spring corn, fuch as barley, oats,
beans and peale, are all harvefted the fame
way by mowing; therefore, I fliall refer my
reader, for diredicins on thoie heads, to the
ioregoing inftruaions. I fee no better me-
thod than the .above, for harvefting fpring
corn in America, both for difpatch and
ehcapnefs*

Vol. 11. H ^ The

23.8 A NEW SYSTEM

ThoExpcDGC andProfit arifmg from an Acre
of Barley, fown after Turnips.

To eight quarters, at 20s. per 1. s. d.
Total produce - - 800

To two ploughings, if only with one

man and two horfes - 056

To harrowing, fowing, rolHng,

and water-furrowing - 030

To chance of weeding- - 020

To feed - - -050

To mowing - - o i o

To gathering and binding 006

To raking with a fwarth-rake 004.

To ftooking, carriage home, and

extraordinary attendance 046

To carriage to the market, and

expences extraordinary -060
To land rent, upon a par - - o 15 o

Total expence 224

Clear profit 5^7 ^

Note^ The ftraw pays for trcfhing.

GHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 239

rCHAP. XLVIIL

On Jive Sorts of Barlsy.

IRST, fprat or battledore-barley.
Second, long-eared barley.
Third, round-eared fummer barley.
Fourth, round-eared winter, or by fome
in England, called big ; but its true name in
Ireland, is here.

Fifth, fix-rowed barky.
Were I to add a long chain of names, (as
is ufual with fome authors) it would be
Xwelling my work into a ufelefs chit-chat,
as every name that is added ta thofe, is only
explaining the fame thing over again ; for it
is the different language, or rather gibberifti

of

2+0 ANEW SYSTEM

of diflercnt kingdoms or counties which
^ivc rife to fo many names for one fort of
grain.

This may well confound the ideas of a far-
mer, who does not know how to account for
all the names that are given to the fame fort
of grain. May not this lead him to feck,
under a difguifed name, for the very feed
liimfelf has growing ?

It is true, different land and tillage will,
in fome degree, change the form of feed,
as to a thick or thin Ikin, a fmall or a large
iize or the like : but the fpccies is yet the
fame.

The fprat or battlc-dore barley, has
only two rows of grain ; for w4iich rcafon
the ear is flat, the corn is fhort, plump and
thin Ikinned, not inclined to have a long
grofs flraw, (btit indeed this varies accord-
ing to the richnefs of the ground it is lown
on) it is faid it will grow well on many other
ibrts of land.

1 have had great crops, on tough, flronsf,
cold clay, or gravel land ; but fuch mufb be
weU pulverifed, fweetened, enriched, mol-
lified and warmed by tillage.

Manures on fuch land, will not do for
barley, unliefs the cold four nature of the
ground be changed by tillage.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 241

The manure which afcends and dcfccnds
'from th,e clouds, is of a warmer and ear-
lier nature than any other ; therefore it will
produce tlie carlieil and thinneft ikinned
crops.

The long-eared barley is fo called from
its having a long ear, by which it may yield
more cont under the flail : but the grain is
fmall and lung, and has "a thick fkin ; it de-
lights in much the fame land and tillage as
fprat-barley.

Round-eared fummer- barley is an excel-
lent good yielder : it is a. middle fpecies be-
tween berCj, or winter-barley, and fprat-
barley ; and therefore muil be fown early
in fpring.

Tile lands of Ireland, Scotland and the
North of England, are very fuitable for it,
provided they are well tilled. It has alfo a
plumper, fuller, or bolder grain than here,
though not in this cafe, equal to Iprat-bar-
lev.

It is not fo delicate or tender as fprat-
barley, neither is it fo hardy as here : in-
deed, it is my choice, next to fprat-barley,
for aim oft any fort of land which is proper
for barley-crops.

Bere, winter-barley, or big is beft known
in Ireland, or the North of Scotland : and,
indeed by their tillage, it is moft fit for
them. 1 have

242 A NEW SYSTEM

I have held feveral arguments with Irl{h
farmers about this grain, and I generally
found the ftrength of their arguments to
hang upon prejudiced old cuftoms, believ-
ing as their forefathers fowed it, though in
darker days of improvement, that they
would not be right, if they did not follow
their Heps : and in fhort, it is as hard to
ihake their refolution from the purfuit of
this their favourite grain, as from being
drunk by the whifkey or fpirit it makes.

This bere is generally fown at the fame
time with wheat ; and though flovens fome-
times get good crops, perhaps chiefly from
the ftrength of manure (as they moftly fow it
after potatoe-crops, or on their rankeft land
which would in fad bring onions) yet I ob-
ferve, thofe who manage better have in ge-
neral better crops ; and bring it nearer to
the refemblance or barley, for plumpnefs,
but at beft, it is far ihort of barley in value,
infomuch that it would hardly be fold in the
Englifh markets at any price, except for
hen-com.

It is a poor, long, fmall grain, with a
thick fkin ; but notwithftanding this, it is
not without its good qualities, where it is
ufed in its proper place.

It

OF HUSBANI>RY. 243

It is to be obferved that the poor of Ire-
land live about eight months out of twelve
OH potatoes.

A potatoe-garden for a poor family, is
generally about half an Irifh acre ; they keep
no team; therefore cannot till the potatoe
fhibble fit for a crop of barley; for it is to
be obferved, that there is no more of the
ground flirred, than what they throw out of
the trenches to cover the potatoes with.

The bed on which the potatoes grow, lies
unmolefled till the third crop ; therefore,
when they dig the potatoes, they fow the
here, and fhovel up the trencher to cover it,
which is all the hufbandry it gets or wants.

But fuch hufbandry would not do for bar-
ley ; therefore in this cafe it may have the
preference.

CHAP.

244 A NEW SYSTEMS

CHAP. XLLX;.

On different forts cf hand for Barky.

BY dint of ploughing, good huTbandry
and rotation of crops, almofl any fort
of land may be brought to produce barle>- ;
however, fome is better or more fuitable for
this crop than others ; therefore I Ihall begin
with the beft firft, and go regularly on to
the worft, which fhall be placed lalt, viz.

Firft, loamy fand.

Second, loamy gravel.

Third, chalky land.

Fourth, fandy land.

The above four forts by nature, will pro-
duce a long ear and fhort ftraw, a plump,
ftout grain, and thin Ikin, which is certain-
ly of the beft quality.

Fifth,

OF HUSBANDRY. 245

Fifth, loamy gravelly land that lies over
limeftonc.

Sixth, wrapy land.

Seventh, black hazel earth.

Eighth, ftrong clay land.

Ninth, black mountain land.

Tenth, black, deep, moory bottom land*

The lafl iix forts of lands generally pro-
duce a long ftraw and a fmall ear, a lonsj
fmall grain, and thick ikin, but may be
helped greatly by tillage, fowing thin, and
particularly if the barley follow turnips ; as
they in all cafes are an excellent preparative
for this crop, and deferve to be made a more
general choice of.

VoLU,^ li CHAP.

2^6 A NEW SYSTEM
CHAP. L.

On the Management of Rye, both for Win-
ter-Feeding, and a Seed-Crop,

THE Management of rye is very fim-
ple and eafy, which few words will
explain.'

A farmer having ftubble-Iand, particu-
larly if of a warm fandy nature, would
wifh to have it under profit the winter half
year ; let him plough it as foon as the corn
is reaped : begin in the middle of the ridge,
and gather or take it up, that it may lie
very high and dry : this done, fow two
bufhels of rye on an Englifh acre : harrow
it in ; and by being thus early fown, the
Michaelmas-fpring will pufh it up fo for-
ward, that it will be mid-leg deep by De-
cember : but though it may be a full eata-
ble crop by this time, yet the bell way is
not to turn cattle upon it till fpring: then
the fcarcity of other herbage will make this
more valuable. You

OF HUSBANDRY. 24.7

You muft eat it off, time enough to Tow
fuch a fpring-crop as you intend ; but bar-
ley is the mofl fuitable, as it will bear to be
lateft fown, and therefore will give the rye
more time to be eat off.

If you would have your rye to fland for
leed, there are two feafons for lowing it,
namely at Michaelmas and in February.

The large winter-rye nruft be fown at
Michaelmas, and the fmall fpring-rye in
February.

bix pecks of feed are enough for an acre.
You mult cover it with the harrow.

This fpring-rye is fometimes made ufe of
amongft the Englifh farmers, if a crop of
wheat ibould mifs to low in its place.

In fpring roll your rye, (which you in-
tend to (land for feed) if too forward, eat
it with (beep or calves, in the beginning of
May.

As the farmer's fuccefs partly depends on
keeping his crop clear of weeds ; this, as
in others, muft engage his attention.

As to reaping or harvefting rye, it is done
in the fame way as wheat. «

Grafs- feeds may be fown among rye, be-
fore it is rolled in fpring, and will anfwer as
well as if fown amongft wheat : a crop of
rye is of about the fame value as a crop of
oats: but it is a greater impovenfher of land.

The

24? A NEW S Y S T E M ,

' \

Tlic land moil proper for rye, is, that of
a dry, open, loofc, weak, fandy or nioory
nature : and though flrong land of a good
fort will produce rye, yet other crops may
be adapted for fuch land, which are more
profitable^

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 24^

XV

CHAP. LI.

Remarks and lUufirations on Rye,

^'' E, formerly was greatly efleemed
in the light fandy counties of Eng-
land ; as the farmers thought fuch land
would bring nothing elfe : but fince the new
hulbandry of turnips and clover has made
its way into the world, it is found that they
change the nature ot the land, and confo-
lidate it in liich a manner, as to prepare it
for a crop of wheat, which is much more
valuable than rye ; however, rye is ftill ufe-
hil in- its place ; and particularly for fpring
feeding, as it creates much milk; M'hicli
makes it particularly uieful to feed early
lambs on : and what Itill adds to its value
in this cafe, is that the land mofl proper
for rye is that of a dry, light, landy nature,
which if the weather be ever fo wet, the
rain no fooner talis upon, but it finks thro*
and leaves the furtace dry ; therefore the
lambs can feed and lie dry and warm ;

whereas

t,so A NEW SYSTEM

whereas if the ground was clay, fuch as
would hold water on its furface, the con-
sequence would be bad ; for it would de-
ftroy the lambs, or at Icaft be prejudicial to
their feeding and growth. Alfo in fuch
land, they would tread and dirty the crop ;
fo that their feet would deflroy as much as
their months.

Again rye is the beft of all other corn to
fow on reclaimed bottom, bog, or moun-
tain. I fay the beft of corn, but I appre-
hend no corn is equal to turnips, rape, or
cole-feed, for fuch reclaimed lands ; but
when rye is propagated on fuch land, it
muft be fown very thin, as it will ftool very
much.

The confequence of fowing thick, on
fuch land would be dangerous ; as it would
produce much ftraw and little corn.

The great ufe for rye, is to mix it with
wheat for bread : about two-thirds wheat
and one of rye, make well tafted bread, but
black.

In this mixed ftate, it is called meflin.
Some fow wheat and rye mixed, which is
called meflin : but I do not like this method;
neither do I fee any meaning in it : lor in
the firft place they do not ripen kmdly to-
gether ; befides if the land will bring one
ear of wheat, by the fame rule it may bring

two

OF HUSBANDRY. i^i

two or more ; and certainly wheat is a much
more deiirabk crop, if it can be got on the
fame land.

Notwithftanding, rye is ftill ufeful (as
before obferved) in fand countries, and for
reclaiming bog with, where the farmer is
obftinately bent againft the turnips and clo-
ver.

Rye makes good malt for the diflillers ;
being of a particular fweet tafte or nature,
it therefore produces a great deal of fpirit.
Again, a farmer may make ufe of rye
with fuccefs, to hn^g his fows in leafon for
the boar ; it having a furpriiing effect that
way : fo that they tell you, one peck of rye
will make a fow take the boar, be (he ever
fo poor, or foon after pigging ; others fay,
that it will have the fame effed on cows and
ewes.

For the truth of this laft affertion, I can-
not vouch ; but I have tried it on the fow
more than once.

Note, there are only twa forts of rye
worth the farmer's notice, namely, fmall
and big, and by others called winter and
fummer-rye.

The winter-rye is a large full grain ; but
the fummer-rye is a fmall grain, and is
generally fown in fpring, and will be in as
early at harveft, as that fown at Michael-
mas. The

25i A NEW SYSTEM

The winter-rye, fown to ftand the winter
is a hardy kind, and will anfwer cither to
{land for feed or to be fown and eaten for
winter-feeding,

Rye-ftraw is a very good thatch or litter,
but bad fodder for cattle.

CHAP,

OF HUSBANDRY. z^:^

CHAP. LII.

s

DireBiofis for Ploughing, Sowing and bar-
njejiing Oats.

O/VTS is a grain that will grow alnioft
on any fort of land, or with any kind
of hufbandn/ ; but though fometimes toler-
able crops are got by flovens, yet thofe who
manage better may be fure of a larger re-
turn ; and this is, or may be got chiefly by
tillage, and letting proper crops come in
their right fucceiTion, by which means
the one crop is an ufeful preparative to ano-
ther.

If ilubble of any fort be intended for oats,
it is the better for being ploughed as foon as
the grafs is eaten off; which is generally
about November; and then it being turned
under, and the roots of the grafs or weeds
expofed to the froil and the inclemency of
the weather, they arc killed, and inllead of
a nuifance, become a friendly manure.
"Vol. II. K k Many

f

25-4 A NEW SYSTEM

Many farmers m^ake a pra(ftice of fowlnfg
oats upon lay : that is in or about Febiuary,
they plough up the lay, fow the oats, and
then harrow them in very well, fo as to be
all covered.

This may anfwcr wh^re the land is good,
and of a tender fod, not given to coarfc
grafs, or rufhes : but however in general^
1 do not approve of it, as I look upon fal"
lowing out of the fod to be the moft capi-
tal management in nature, for the reafons-
]r have mentioned in the proper place.

The land mull be ploughed and the feed
fown in February, or from thence till the
latter end of March.

I look upon three bulliels of oats to be a:
fufficient qviantity for any kind of land ; for
though it is a grain that does not ftool, or
branch fo much as barley or wheat, yet it
corns in proportion to the nourifliment it
finds in the ground.

When the oats are about three weeks or
a month in the ground, fbw any grafs- feeds-
you intend and roll them in, as it will cover
I he feed, level the ground, and help the
oats at the lame time.

The oats mud be weeded about the mid-
dle of June ; then any farther bufincfs is
over until harvell ; for which obfcrve the
dirertions under the head of mowing corn;

they

OF HUSBANDRY. 235

they mufl be mown and harveilcd the fain>c
way.

Without doubt, by mowing, there is
more fodder, and confequently more ma-
nure ; bcfides all the hands it faves ; which
is a valuable confideration, at this bufy fea-
fon of the year ; moreover, it fhould be the
farmer's chief ftudy, to work his lands with
as little expencc and labour as poffible ; and
yet not to be fo penurious, as to flint his
land of its proper due.

There is^a rnedium to be ufed in all things;
and alfo much to be faid in favour of genius
and contrivance, particularly in farming
matters ; as it is, of all occupations of the
?moll general benefit to mankind.

'CH^P.

56 A NEW S Y S T E M

CHAP. Lir.

"^he Explanation ofjlx different forts of Oats*

\j ATS like moft other grains have got a
jnultiplicity of names, to exprefs one and
thciamc thing; but this (as obferved in bar-
ley) is owing to a diS'ercnt dialed or confu-
fion of tongues, peculiar to each country or
kingdom. In fad, I imagine there is none
more proper for thefe climates, than theft
lix forts, viz,

Firfl, the fmgle Englifli white oat.

Second, the Poland-oat.

Third, the Scotch black oat.

Fourth, the naked oat.

Fifth, the red oat.

Sixth, the brown oat, fown much in the
fouth weft part of England.

If there be any others that vary from thcfc
it is not becaufe they are different forts or
fpecies, but becaufe they have been altered

in

OF HUSBANDRY. 257

in cither colour or fizc by the nature of the
ground or climate they were fown in.

However there is a particular choice to be
made in all forts of oats, which is very ma-
terial for the farmer to know, in order tq
h-^ighten his fuccels in this crop.

It is to be obferved, that in mofl oats,
there are fome which grow in couples, that
is a large and a fmall one together, but in
fome a great deal more than others.

The farmers, who know the bad confe-
quence of thefe double oats, are very care-
ful in choofing their feed, to be all (if pof-
fible) of the i\ng\e oat : and indeed, they
have iuft grounds for this nicety ; as a bar-
rel of fingle oats will weigh more, by about
two f\one, than a barrel of the double fort:
and every one will allow, that it is the
weight that diflinguifhes the goodnefs or
badnefs of any corn.

The oat grows double from three caufer^

Firfl, by being Town too often on oneTort
of land without changing.

Secondly, by being lov\^n too thick on
the ground.

1 hirdly, by the ground being too rank.

When oats liave once got into the double
flrain, they ought to be fown no more, as
it is hard to bring them back to the fingjc
oat again : though this may be done by fow-

X58 A N E W S Y S T I- M

ing very thin on good flrong land, and till-
ing well to prevent weeds Irom fmothcring
the oats, and drawing them tip weak.

I look upon the Engliili fingJc \vhire oat
to be the beft of all or!;.ers, Tor the climate
and lands of England or Ireland, as it is. a
good yielder, botli in corn and meal, and
ripens even : which is a very niatcr al point
in this crop, it being Co fubjed to Ihcd, or
ihake its feed.

The next in value, particularly for the
wet or cold lands of Ireland, or the north
of England, is the black Scots oat : this
yields well, both in corn and meal, and is
early ripe ; therefore niay be fown later, if
a cold v/et fpring, by three weeks, than any
other fort : the meal alfo has a peculiai' rich
fvveet tafle.

The Poland oat is a fine, ihort, plump
grain : the flraw fhort and fine : but it will
not turn out near fo much corn on an acre
as the two former.

Again it is very fubje(r{: to /lied, with the
icalt wind, the top and the befl of the corn
whilft that on the bottom branches is green;
particularly if the land be cold and wet :
but indeed on warm, gravelly or fandy land,
it ripens more even : thereiore a farmei has
;i better rhance to catch his crops before it
iheds : h\it "Lb o;^t jntin: be cut, while the

chaflF

OF HUSBANDRY. 259

cha:ff or huflv on the lower branches is
grcenilh : for if they be let Hand till they
turn as white as the top-branches, half of
the crop will be loil in harveding.

The naked oat is a fmall grain : it is call-
ed naked, becaule it has no bran upon it,
like other gram, but grows in the fame
ilate as the kernel of the common oat when
fhelled : therefore it is a ready grain fo3-
bread : as, when it is threflied, there is im
more to do to bring it to meal, than to grind
it, and then it is all meal, and no bran : it
is a fweet meal, and confequently makci
good bread.

When it is fown on land proper for it\,
it will produce as good or profitable a crop
as other oats: for though the bulk will be
wanting, the meal is there: and if it be a
good crop, the grain may be as large as the
kernel of com.mon oats, when fhelled

The ftraw is fhort aud fine: therefore good
fodder for cattle. This oat does not Rool
or branch much : therefore it muft be fown
pretty thick on the ground : two bufhels
will do this, as the grain is fmall.

They muft not be fown under furrow,
but harrowed in : as the grain's fmall weak
nature would not be able to work through
<L thick furrow*

The

26o A NEW SYSTExM

The land for this crop mul\ be finely till-
ed ; and as all land, alter ploughing, has an
uneven furface, it is necelVaiy beiore this
grain is fown, to harrow it once in a place,
to le^el it, to prevent the feed falling too
deep, and alfo to make it fpread even, and
go farther ; after the grain is fov, n, harrov^r
it fine.

Delay lowing grafs- feeds, till the firft of
May, that thefc oats may get a-head, or
they vviil be fmothered, being a fmall plant.
The feafon for fowing the oats, is about the
firrtjof April.

The red oat takes its name from the co-
lour it bears ; though in fa6t it is not abfo-
lutcly red ; therefore 1 think the name is
wrong applied ; the colour is of a fandy
cai\, much like oats that have been heated
in the Hack.

It is a heavy thin (Vanned oat ; therefore
yields well in meal, and will nearly produce
as much on an acre as the Englifh white oat ;
how^ever, it requires a rich, .waj"m, well-
tilled loil.

I have heard gentlemen fay, they have
had greater produce from this than any other
crop : but as that was not my cafe, I can-
not fpcak fj'orti experience in this particu-
lar.

Tiic

OF HUSBANDRY. 261

The Expe.ice and Profit arifing from an
Acre of Oats, EngUfh Meafure, at five
Yards and a Half to the Perch.

1. s. d.

To feven quarters of oats, at i8s.

per - - - 660

To ploughing twice, with one man

and two horfes> - -050

To harrowing, fo wing, rolling and

water-furrowing, - -020

To chance of weeding, - 020

To feed, - - -092

To mowing, - -^ 010

To gathering and binding, -010
To fwarth-raking, - - 004
To {looking, carriage home, and

attendance, - - 02a

To carriage to* the market, 2tnd

expences, - - -060
To land-rent, - - 0150

Total expencc '^3 3

Clear profit 42^

CHAP.

i6% A NEW 1$ Y S T E M

CHAP. LIV.

On the White Fetch.

THE white vetch, in fomc degree,
partakes of the nature of a white or
boiling pea, as it will boil foft and fmooth
like that grain ; and is chieily uled for mak-
ing puddings of; it is mild, good and pa-
latable, conlequently very proper for that
purpofe.

It only diiFers from the common vttch in
colour, which is milk white, but the fhape
of the grain and the draw is like it ; how-
crer it will not (land the winter fo well.
being of a tender ngturc.

The proper time to fow it, is in April,
it thrives beft in light fandy land, and like*
to be fet in drills, and hoed ; it it be ma-
naged thus, it will produce a great return.

C«AP.

OF HUSBANDRT. 263

CHAP. LV..

On the Sihorian, or naked Wheats

TH E naked wheat is a native of Siberia>
a very barren and cold climate. The
land is covered with fnow nine months in
the year ; confequently there ar« only three
months to till, fow and reap in.

Their chief fupport of corn, is this naked
wheat. This grain partakes of two fpecies
of corn, viz. wheat and barley ; one fide of
the grain refembles the former, and the
other the latter.

Tt is a very quick grower, and lies but a
fh^rt time in the ground before it vege-
tates.

it is a full plump corn ; about five hun-
dred grains weigh an ounce ; therefore it is
about one fixth bolder than Engliih wheat.

It comes up with a very broad, llrong,
healthy blade, owing to the longnefs of the
gram, and the quantity of nitrous particles

it

264 A NEW SYSTEM

it contains. The ftrarv is as (Iron^ or as
^^lofs as that of wheat, ar.d the grain grov\'$
in a chaff Jike it.

As it partakes of the Hkcnels, fo does it
of the quality, of both whea^ and barley, lor
it makes good bread, and good drink.

in order to prove its value more particu-
larly, a bufhel was ground and made into
bread j twelve pounds of wheat feconds
were made into a loaf ; and a like quantity
of this Siberian wheat was alfo made into a
loaf, and both put into one oven. When
they were backed, the Englilh wheat loaf
weighed iifreen pounds, and that of the Si-
berian eighteen; and the bread of the latter
wa3 as good as that of our Englifh wheat ;
neither does it produce half the quantity of
bran as common wheat.

There are two forts of this Siberian wheat;
one has a flat ear with only two rows, like
tliat of flat, or what is called battledore-
bailey ; the other has fix rows in one ear,
and the grain in them much fmaller than
that in the ear with two rows. Both forts
arc bearded like barley.

One bufhel was melted and made into*^
fmall beer and ale. both of which v ere
very good and picafant to drink; and it was
found to produce a greater yield than our
common barley ; perhaps owing to its thin
ikin, and fullnefs ot flour. In

OF HUSBANDRY. 265

In 1767, a nobleman brought from Si-
beria one pint, and gave it to the Society
of Arts and Sciences.

• Thofe gentlemen judged from the look
•f the grain, and from the nature of the
country and climate it came from, that it
would be of great utility to England, could
a quantity be raifed fufficient to feed the
the kingdom.

Upon which they divided their fmall por-
tion among fuch perfons as they thought
would be induflrious and careful enough to
make the mod of the produce.

A common wine-glafs full was given to
Mr. Halliday, of Liverpool, half of which
he gave to another gentleman.

Mr. Halliday, like a faithful fervant, did
not hide his talent in a napkin, but by pro-
per judgment and induftry, he fowcd and
made it produce thoufands, and ten thou-
fands, as from this fmall quantity has
fprung, in the four laft years, many hun-
dred buflie.'s.

The Rev. Mr. Meredith was not idle in
this public fpirited undertaking. He pro-
cured a quantity from Mr. Halliday, ar.d
divided it among fuch of his acquaintance,
as he hoped would propagate it to the beft
advantage.

He

Vol, II. L 1

266 A N E \V SYSTEM

He was fo kind as to fend me one buihcl,
which he got from Mr. Halliday; for vvhith
I return both thofe gentlemen my fincerc
thanks, and Ihall ever think niyfelf under a
great obligaiion Jbr the favour.

But the lall feafon I had not an oppor-
tunityto do it juftire, which was owing to
a difappointment occafioned by the negle<fl
of carriers ; for though it left Livei*pool the
laft day of April, yet it did not arrive in
York till the 7th of June, which gave mc
great uneafinefs, as 1 looked upon the leafon
as over, the feed loft, and my great expec-
tations at an end for that tmie.

However^ as foon as it arrived, on the
7th of June, I trench-ploughed a piece of
bad land, covered with heath and other
rubbilh, and which had been lately inclofed
from a common.

On this I lowed it, and notwithftanding
all difadvantages, it was a tolerable good
crop, and much better, I am fatislied, than
any fort of Englifh grain would have been,
had it been fowed on the fame land, and at
the fame time of the year.

I had received a few grains from another
hand. This 1 {et in a proper feafon, and
upon good land, each grain at a foot afun-
dcr, which gave a produce of about two
thoufand fold.

In

OF HUSBANDRY. 267

In ihort it*is the greateft multiplier I ever
faw ; for. though it will grow better than
other grain upon bad land, yet if the ground
be good, it vviil ftool out, and flourilh in
proportion, but the grcatcft care mull be
taken not to over (eed tlie ground.

The proper feafon for fovving it, is about
the beginning of April. Trench-plough
the Jand to {mother the weeds, and to
raife a glod deep mold.

Then harrow it well, but with^rare, not
to drag up the fods or weeds with the har-
row pins.

' Being thus prepared, fet your Siberian
wheat with a dibble or fetting-ftick, and
make the holes at one foot diftance from
each other i into each hole put three grains,
and let the land be of what degree of rich-
nefs it may, doubt not but nature will force
out flooling branches fufficient to fill the
furface of the earth, and give a greater pro-
duce than If you croud the ground too
much with {ced.

Ev the above method, it will not coll for
fetting above two or three (hillings an acre
at mod ; but if the ground were holed with
my tranlplanting machine, the labour and
cxpence would be ftill lefs ; and the feed is
a mere trifle, for about twelve pounds of
naked wheat will feed an acre, and thirteen

pounds

i6Z A NEW SYSTEM

pounds and a half of English wheat will fet
an acre hkewife, and fo in proportion for
every fort of grain, according to the largc-
nels of the feed.

After the feed is fet, cover it by filling
the holes with a rake. One man will cover
at leaft two acres in a day, by this method ;
and if you pleafe, you may fow grals-fecds
before the ground is raked, and be affured
they will grow, and thrive better amongil;
corn thus regularly fet, than if fown pro-
jnifcuoufly in the common method This
is a fuitable ieed for America, as it is a
quick grower, and likes heat and a light
foil.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 269

CHAP. LVI.

A Dialouge between a Farmer and the
Author.

Varmtr,

1
culture P

tT7 HAT is the firll principle of agrl-

Author.

The firft principle in agriculture, is to
make heavy land light, and light land

heavy.

Farmer.

How may this be effe^cd ?

Author,

It may be done two ways ; neither of
which can fail of fuccefs. Firft, by laying
fand upon heavy clay land, and clay upon
light Tandy ground; which tempers the

twt

170 A NEW SYSTEM

two extremes, and brings them to a friend-
ly loam. Secondly, by trench-ploughing
as direded in this work.

Farmer,

Why trench-p'! onghi ng ; will not our
common method do better ; particularly
on our thin down-lands, where, if wc
plough above two or three inches deep,
"we Ipoil the ground ?

Author^

This is a bugbear that many farmers arc
frightened at without any real caufe, as any
land will bear trench-ploughing. For,
though the under ftratum of lomc land, at
firll turning up, may be ftubborn and un-
kind, yet, being expofcd to the atmof-
pherc, together Avith a top-dreffing of a
compoft, or fome other fine, rotten manure
will bring it to a mellow temporate corn
mold.

'Parmer.

In what fort of foil will trench -ploughing
anfwer beft ?

Author,

In all forts vrithout exception.
. Farmer

• OF HUSB ANDRf* 271

Yarmer,

In what fortf will thin ploughing anfwcr
beft ?

Author,

In none, for the oppofite rcafon.

Yarmer.

Pray favour me with your reafons, upon
which you ground this bold affertion? And
take care they be iubftantial, or I fhall bring
a jury of farmers upon you.

Author,

It is not the firft time I have been criticifed
upon by them ; and yet I have convinced a
great many of them, either by ocular dc-
monftration, or argument, ot their error ;
and fome, to my certain knowledge^, have
ventured out of their old road, and are now
reaping the profit of it.

Yarmer.

Your rcafon upon fhallow ploughing, if
you pleafe P

Author

■i^t A NEW S Y S T E M
Author.

On high, thin, gravelly, or fandy land,
which lies near chalk or hme-ftonc,' and the
furface, or corn mold, mixed with any fort
of fmall ftone or pebbles. If fuch be tilled
fhallow, it is not confident with reafon that
it can jproduce a good* crop : for it is well
known, that corn roots llrike no deeper
than the plough has gone.

Suppole a plough only turns up two or
three inches of earth, fo thin a body of
mold is, by the fun, foon heated throui^h
to the roots of the corn ; and, being mixed
among flint, or llonc, adds to the evil, as^
they reflect a double portion of heat, which
burns or extrads the juices from the tender
fibrous root ; confequently muft render the
crop weak and fickly : in a dry fummer the
crop is fcarce worth reaping, and in a wet
one, which luits fuch land beft, it docs not
produce above half the • crop it would, if
properly tilled ; for, by nature, fuch land is
good and full of falts, and could not mifs of
a crop, were it tilled or brought to a proper
depth of corn mold.

Varmer.

In what cjfe docs trench-ploughing pre-
vent the fun from burning the roots, 5cc.
complaioed of in tjie oppolite cafe P

Author

OF HUSBANDRY, 257

Author.

Indeed, Mr. Farmer, you feem to trifle
with your own underftanding, or you would
not make me walle time in anlwering fo
Ample a queftion : befides, I have already
treated pretty largely upon this fubjed, in
my firft volume ; however, as few words
will do, you ihall be indulged.

By trench-ploughing, the upper fod, or
corn-mold, talis to the bottom ot the furrow,
perhaps eight or ten inches deep. That
fod, which is interwoven with, and full of
roots of grafs, weeds, ftubble, &:c. contains
a great deal of nitrous and juicy particles ;
and thefe roots, being covered with a fuf-
ficicnt quantity of maiden earth, cannot
vegetate, but are fmothered and killed. The
death of them brings on a fermentation ;
then follows a putrefadion, which turns
them into manure ; and confequently makes
them food proper for other plants.

And as thefe juicy particles lie too deep
for the iun to extradt them trom the earth,
their enriching fubftance is a kindly food
for the corn-roots to feed upon all fummer \
neither can the earth, fo long as they remain
in it, run together in a dole folid body
nor can it be called barren or thirfty ; but
the root will always find admittance and

Vol II. Mm uounlhment

27V A NEW SYSTENf

nourlfhment in it, and will not fail to cn^
large the ear upwards, in proportion to the
depth it goes ; For no fibre will go farther
than the earth contains food iuitable to its
nature. In Ihort, if the ground be hot and
fandy, trench-ploughing makes it cold and
moift; and, if ftrong and clayey, it opens
it, and keeps it loofe and mellow.

CHAP. LVII.

hfew Remarks made in the Wejl of England.

BEING glad both to give and receive
any inRrudions, that may be of utility'
to the public, for the improvement of agri-
culture, when upon my travels, I generally
wait upon^ fuch gentlemen-farmers as I am
told are beft able to fatisfy my curiofity ;
and alfo moft likely to take advice.

And as 1 am well convinced of the great
advantage that would accrue, not onl) to
r'-ic huibandman, but alfo to the public in

general

OF HUSBANDRY. ^^^

general, could the farmers be prevailed
upon to put in pradice trench-ploughing,
and fettmg the feed regularly.

I generally introduce thofe fubjecT:s, and
am as often anfwered, that fetting the feed
grain by grain, would be too tedious and
cxpenfive ; and as to trench- ploughing,
their land will not bear it.

However, I ftldom quit the field till, by
trying the ground, I have convinced them
of their miliake in the matter of trench-
ploughing.

I have fometimes ftarted this fubjeift
among a company of farmers ; and have had
the fatisfadion to find fome of them quote
circuml\ances to back my arguments i two
©r three of which I (hall mention as follows :

iVir. William Lacy, of Ropley, in Han^p-
fhire, faid that he had a piece of thin chalky
land, which a few years ago he ploughed in
a very dry time ; his orders to the plough-
men, were to plough it as ufual, perhaps
not above two or three inches deep, for fear
«f coming too -near the chalk, which would
fpoil the land.

However, as the ground was extremely
hard and dry, the men could not obey their
mailer's orders; for inftead of three inches,
the earth broke up from the bed of chalk,
and turned up in large furrows, perhaps a
.foot thick. Tive

t75 A NEW SYSTEM

The farmer as well -as his neighbours,
thought the land was fpoilcd for ever; but
contrary to his expedations, he never had
fo good crops on that ground before, as lie
had both that year and Tince.

The like cafe happened to ore Farmer
Baker, not far from Warminfler Wilts,
— For though the land broke up from the
chalk, yet it brout^ht better crops after thii
deep ploughing than before.

A gentleman farmer, near Froome, in
Somcrfetfhire, ploughed a piece of f\iong
clay-land, in a dry time. His intention was
to plough it thin ; for as it had a white clay
imder the corn-mold, he was afraid to turn
it up, leaft it fhould fpoil the ground. But
contrary to his defire, the ground rofe in
large thick furrows, and brought up much
clay with it. However, the clay melted
with the fun in fummer, and the froil in
"winter; and both the ground with the crops
upon it, have been much better fince tha»
before.

Mr. Davis of Frampton, in Dorfetfhirc^
a very worthy gentleman farmer, ploughed
a piece of down-land much deeper than
common, and his crops were a great deal
better for it. I have forgot the particulars
of this experiment, but well remember the
fubftance, as it caufed a laugh ia the com-
pany at dinner. I as

OF HUSBANDRY. ey/

I, as ufnal, was extolling trench-plough-
ing, but Mr. Davis was not without a grraC
many doubts and fears, that his land would
not bear it. However in the midft of his
fcruples, he recollec^led the above cafe,
which had happened to himfelf.

Mr. Ingram df Clarendon-Park, near Sa-
lifbury, Wilts, rents a down farm. He has
a large field near his houfe, which he fal-
lowed laft fumnier. The ground was very
full of weeds and fcutch-grafs, and he had
taken a great deal of pains to deflroy them,
by ploughing, and harrowing it many times
over. At the time I was there, he was
burning the weeds, and fuch lubbifh as was
harrowed up.

J told him he might have improved the
land much better, and with a great deal lefs
cxpcnce, if he had trench-plowed it, for by
that means all the fubllance of the weeds
would have remained in the ground, and
turned into a rich manure ; whereas by
burning them, fuch enriching qualities arc
evaporated.

In fhort, I explained to him the whole
method and value of trench-ploughing,
which he feemed to liften to with attention
but was not without his doubts and fears,
fhatthe ground would not bear it ; however
$hofe doubts were foon removed, by trying

the

2j% A NEW SYSTEM

the ground with a fpadc. But what ftrengfh-
ened my argument the more, was a garden
which had been inckifed from the faid field.
He told me that for fome years after the
garden was inclofed, it produced very bad
crops. Every thing that grew in it was
fmall and runtilh ; neither could the ground
be kept free from weeds. A gardener told
him. as a great fecret, that if he would have
good crops, he muft trench to the depth
of three fpade-grafts, and throw to the bot-
tom all the upper mold which contained
the weeds. He did fo, and ever fince it
has been the beft garden in the country.

When he ronfidered well the whole af-
fair, he liked the fchemc ; and immediately
got a plough made according to my direrti-
ons ; and as wheat feed time was then com-
ing on, he trench-ploughed the land on
■which he fowed his wheat. He allowed to
each acre only about half the quantity of
feed that is commonly ufed. And at this
time, there is not a crop in the neighbour-
ing country that looks fo well as his.

The laft time I faw him in Salilhury, he
told me that many farmers hearing of his
proceedings, came to fee his trenched-land
and crop; and every one approved of it;
and that he knew a great many who were
then getting trench-ploughs made from his

pattcrp

OF HUSBANDRY. 2j^

pattern, and that he was fure it would gain
ground amazingly.

Mr. Hardy, of Martins-town, Dorfet, is*
a very confiderable gentleman-farmer, and'
feems to be indued with talents and a fpirit
for improvement, I (hewed him how to
alter his plough, for the purpofe of trench-
ploughing. He told me that he would cer-
tainly begin this piece of hufbandry.

Mr. Thomas Nicholls, of Burton, Dorfet,
is a confiderable gentleman -farmer ; and one"
that feems to excel in hufbandry. He is
fo much bent upon this method oi^ trench-
ploughing, that he offered my ploughman'
thirty pounds a year, which by the bye, I
^o not thank him for; as it has made the
jnan faucy ever fince.

William Helyar, Efq. of Coker in Somer-
ffetfhire, a gentleman fond of improvements
is alfo determined to begin the method of
larench-ploughing.

Upon looking over my memorandum
book, 1 find no Ids than two hundred and
twenty-nine, to whom I have ihewed in the
Well of England, how to alter the ploughs'
for trench-ploughing; and who told me
that they would abloiutely put in pracftice,
what 1 have taken fo much pains to make
thewi underiiand tor their own mteieit.

Arid-^

2So A NEW SYSTEM

And now I beg leave to clear up a doubt
which may arife in my reader, for (lavs
he) felf-intcrefl is the firil law of nature;
therefore, if Mr. Varlo has no private view,
why fhouid he take all this trouble to iii-
ilrud the farmers P But, 1 can allure him
mine are public fpirited, and not (ellifh
views. For though 1 have fpent confidcr-
able fums in travelling, and taken a great
deal of trouble upon the occafion, 1 defy
any one to fay, that 1 ever reaped a Ihl Hi ng
advantage, for any thing 1 ever ihewed him;
and to avoid any appearance of private in-
terefb, 1 would rather go to an inn, and pay
for what I had, than live at Iree coll at the
houfes of gentlemen ; whom, to give them
their due, 1 have found in general very hof-
pitahle.

Should it be objecfled to me, that I have
foine intcrcfl in publifliing this work. 1 an-
fwer that I have, indeed, a Imall profit there-
in i but 1 could have reaped three times as
much, had 1 ftayed at home and wrote it by
my own fire-lide. But though this would
have turned more to my advantage, yet it
would not have been i'o much for the pub-
lic good. For 1 am convinced, that many
farmers to whom I have explained thefe ia-
tcrelling methods of huibandry, will prac-
tice irom what I Ihewed j who probably

would

OF HUSBAliTDRY. 281

would have overlooked them, had they on-
ly read the books. Precedent joined with
precept, is very prevailing ; and both tend
towards pradice.

CHAP. LVIII.

On thin Sowing, &cc.

AS in my laft chapter I gave fome fa-
vourable hints upon deep ploughing,
gathered from feveral counties j this chap-
ter, in like manner, will prove the value of
thin rowing, which particularly deferves the
farmer's attention.

A tradcfman in Gloucefter, has one acre
©f land, which lies within the turnpike.
The iame has been fome time occupied as a
garden ; but it being overun with v^eeds,
he was advifed to fow it with wheat, and
lay it down with grafs-feeds, which accord-
ingly he did ; but contrary to the common

Vol. 11. Nn method;

2^ A NEW SYSTEM

mexliod : for he bought a peck of wheat,,
rjid after the land was properly tilled, hired"
two woaicn to fct it grain by grain, with
letting ilicks.

They ulcd only feven pints of the feed,
•and finilhed the acre in thirteen hours.

I'hey had orders to make each hole nine
inches aiunder, and in each to drop one
grain of corn. However, as they had no
regular rule to go by, they might err in the
diftanrc, and alfo fometimcs put more grains
than one in a hole.

The feed was fet in. February, and the
land hoed in April, to keep down the weeds,
which Iprung up very plentifully. Clover
feed was fown immediately after.

In July, I viewed the crop, which was
remarkably good ; but had it been kept clear
from weeds, the clover would have been
much better, as I perceived it was much
crowded.'

The flraw was at leaft fix feet long, th^
ears, in general, about fix inches long, and
contained, upon an- average, about eighty
grains each.

1 fpent feveral hours in counting how ma-
ny ears fpiung from a root, which varied,
all the way from fifteen to thirty. So that
upon a medium, i fudged that each root
tlirough the acre, taking one with anothcr,^.,
produced twenty eais. It

OF HUSBANliiRY. :2%

\t was believed by all. the judges in corn,
that the acre would produce at lead fitty
Wincheller bufnels.

The Rev. Mr. Sandys, Reclor of Yeo\cl,
Somerfctfliire, fet a piece of ground (in
quantity about an acre and a half) with,
wheat, grain by grain, in the fame manner
as they dibble beans. It took a peck and a
half of feed ; the labour coft half a guinea.
The produce was eighty bu^ieis oF clean
corn Winchefter meafure.

A gentleman in Warwickfhirc, fet four
acres alfo, grain by grain, The feed it took
was thr-ce pecks and a ha^f. The labour
coll feventeen fliillings and fix-pence. The
produce was two hundred and two bufhels
of clean corn, Winchefler meafure.

A gentleman near Newcaftlc-upon-Tyne,
ietfome naked or Siberian wheat, one foot
afunder each grain; it pro<:luced about two
thoufand fold.

In lliort, w^ere I to Infert all the experi*
ments of the fort, which have come to, my
knowledge, they would fill a volume : nei-
ther is there any neceffity for it, as every
fenfible man will admit, that if any expe-
riment will ftand good for one acre, it will
for any greater quantity in the fame fort of
land..

ni

284 A NEW SYSTEM

ne Gardeners Calendar, for WarJi to he done
round the Tear in the Kitcben-Gardcn.

JANUARY.

Asparagus forced, to have a regular
fucceflion of it, from November to April,
muft be planted every month, and will be
near a month before it is fit to cut ; the
fourth hot -bed muft be made.

Beans of the early fort, plant the fecond
crop.

Beets and cabbages of all forts, plant for
feed, if omitted in Ocf^ober.

Carrots, fow the firft crop, to draw young
and plant fome for feed.

Cauliflowers examine and defend from
froft.

Celery cover with ftraw, and dig up fome
for ufe, when the froft firft begins.

Crefs, muftard, radilh and rape, fow eve-
ry week on a hotbed.

Cucumbers, if you choofe them as early
as March are proper to be fown now, when
they arc three or four days old, put each
plant into a fmall pot, and fow a little feed
every week to have plenty of plants.

Dung fliould be wheeled in frofty wea-
ther, when other work cannot be done.

Endive

OF HUSBANDRY. 2S5

Endive, cover with draw, and dig up
Ibme for iife when the froft fets in.

Ground which is vacant, fhould be digg-
ed over, and thrown up into ridges.

Hotbeds and loam muli be prepared for
aiparagus, cucumbers, melons and failading,
• Lettuces fow on a hotbed, if thofe under
glafles be killed, and plant mint.

Mufliroom-beds, cover well with dry
flravv, to keep out both froil and rain.

Onions, fow on a warm border to draw
young.

Peas for the firft crop, under the fouth
wall, fhould have the earth drawn up to
them in a dry day ; and if fticks be placed
to them, they help to fcreen them from the
violence of the wind. Sow the fecondcrop.

Plant afparagus for the fourth crop.

Beac-s, the fecond crop of mazagan.

Beets, cabbages, carrots, parfnips for feed.

Mint and potatoes on a hot-bed.

Onions, for eicallions and feed.

Radiibes, fow the fecond crop in a warrn
lituation, and the fii*il on a hotbed.

Small failading, as crefs, muftard, rape,
radiflies, fow every week on a hotbed.

Sow carrots the firft crop, peas the fe-
cond.

Sow on hotbeds, carrots, cucumbers for
the firft crop. Cre/s, muftard, -radifh, rape
for fallads. February

zU A NEW SYSTEM

FEBRUARY.

Asparagus for the fifth crop on hot-
beds, plant and keep the mats off' the lights
in good weather, to give it colour by the
lun and air.

Beans of the early fort for a third crop
muft be planted, and at the end of the
month the firft crop of the larger lort, as
Windfor, long- podded, &c.

Beets low, but dig the ground very deep.

Boorcole and Broccoli will want earthing
up, and the dead leaves picked off'.

Cabbages, low for the fecond crop of
fugar-loat' and red, aiid plant out thofe fown
in Auguft.

Carrots, for a general crop, fow at the end
of the month, on a deep fandy foil.

Cauliflowers under glalTes will want exa-
mining ; pick off" all decayed leaves, fflr
up the earth, and in mild weather give them
air, and plant fome out, leaving only two
to each glafs.

Sow the fecond crop on a gentle hotbed.

Celery, for the ffrff crop, mult now be
fown on a gentle hotbed, and earth drawn,
up to blanch what is in the ground.

Coleworths fow the firft crop.

Crcfs and muftard fow every week on
hotbeds.

Cucumber-

OF HUSBANDRY. 2S7

Cucumber-beds mud be conftantly at-
tended to, to keep them up to a proper heat
and another made for the plants raifed lallr
month : when they have four or five rough
leaves, plant them out, three or four to
each light. Then fow more feed.

Endive, tye up for blanching, and plantr
fome for feed,

Efchalots, garlic and rocambole fhould
now be planted, to have the roots large.

Ground which is vacant ihould be digged^
and thrown up into ridges^ ready for fowing^

Horfe-radi(h will now require to be
planted.
■ Hotbeds, for cucumbers, melons^ fallad^
ing, prepare and have plenty of dung.

Leeks fow, and mark fome for feed.

Lettuces from under glailes, if the wea-
thei: be mild, plant ouC and fow the fecond
crop. Give plenty of air to the forced ones.

Melons, for the firfl: crop, may be fown.
the firft week in the month, and when about"
three days old, plant each in a fmall pot.

Mint, plant in pots on a hotbed.
^ Mufhroom-beds defend from wet.

Onions for the gcn'eral crop, fow at the.
«nd of the month, or beginning of March,
and weed the others, and plant fome for
feed.

Parfiey^

2J?8 A NEW SYSTEM

Parfley (ow for edging, and fomc curled
very thin on a bed, to grow large for gar-
nifhing of difhes, and the large rooted.

Parfneps, fow on ground digged deep.

Peas out of the ground will require fre-
quent earthing as they advance and flicking.
Sow marrowfats, and other large forts, and
the third crop of hotfpurs.

Plant afparagus, for the fifth crop, for
forcing. Beans tor a third crop, windfor*
the firft. Cauliflowers from under the glaff-
es. Endive lor blanching and feed. Ef-
chalots, garlic and rocambole. Horfe-ra-
difh. Lettuces from under glaffes. Leeks,
onions and parfley for feed. Potatoes on
hotbeds and the tirfl crop.

Radifhes, uncover in mild w^eather, and
put on the flraw again at night. Sow the
third crop, and the fecond on a hotbed.

Snails fearch for in the holes of walls.

Sow beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflow-
er*, coleworts, fennel, leeks, lettuces, muf-
tard, onions, parfley, parfneps, peas, ra-
difhes, fpinach.

Sow on hotbeds cauliflowers, cucumbers,
melons, muftard. Rldilh and rape for fal-
lads

Spinach, fow the firfl: crop, and hoe the
winter crop, if too thick. Water carry off
if it flands any where, by making drains or
cutting trenches March

OF HUSBANDRY. 189

MARCH.

^/\Lirai^ders fovvn in Auguft mull be hoed
to a foot afunder, and more feed fown.

Aromatic fhrubs and herbs on beds, weed
and earth, and foW and plant more of all
lorts.

Artichokes muft be dreiled, and the fuck-
ers taken off for a frefh plantation.

Afparagus-feed mufl now be fown. Plant
out that fown laft year. Fork up the beds,
and rake them fmooth. Water the beds in
\'ery dry weather in a morning, and make
frelh plantations.

Beans, for the fourth early crop, plant,
and the fccond of Windfors. Cut off the
tops of thole in flower

Beets linifh fowing

Boorcole muft be fown for the firft crop.

Broccoli fow for the hrft crop on a hot-
bed. Cabbages, fow the third crop of fu-
gar-loaf, the fccond of red, and the firft of
lavoy
Carets, for the principal crop muft be fown
Capficums, for pickling, fow on a hotbed.
Cauliflowers muft be planted out, leaving
only two to each glafs ; draw earth up to
the ftems, and prop up the glaffcs

Prick out thofe fown laft month, and fow
more for the third crop.

Vol. II. -. O o Celery,

X90 A NEW S Y S T E M

Celery, prick out the tirfl crop from the
feed-bed, and low the fccond.
Chardons muft be fown, and cives planted,
Colewurths prick out the hill crop
Crels, muihiid, raciiih and rape now fow
in the open ground lor faliading

Crels and nuiilard fow very thin for feed.
Cucumber- beds keep up' to a good heat,
by lining ; and piant out tiie lecond crop

About the twentieth low tor bell glalTes
and fome Turkey-feed

i-iOtbeds muil be prepared for planting
out cucuinbeib and melons

Jerulalem artichokes plant. Leeks fow.
Kidney- beans fow at the end of the month
Lettuces plant out under frames and fow
the third crop of cos, or any other.

Melons plant out from the firll hotbed —
Sow cantaleupes lor the fec('nd crop, and
£ome on a tan-bed, and for bcUglalfes
, JViint-beds weed, and plant moie
iv;ulhroom-beds make for fummer ufe
Nallurriums for pickling, now low
Onion beds ihould be carciully weeded ;
the general crop hnilhed lowing

Parlley, both curled and large-rooted fovr
Parfneps lliould be finilhed lowing.
Peas earth, and.llickany which want, and
fow the fecond crop of marrowfats

Pot and ivvect herbs ihould now be fown.

Slip

OF HUSBANDRY.

291

Slip pot-marjorum and thyme

Plant artichokes, alparagus, beans, cu-
cumbers, feruf. artic. lettuces, melons, po-
tatoes, taiTagon, and aromatic herbs and
ihrubs, as balm, camomile, lavender. Sec

Potatoes, plant the principal crop.
Radifhes, fovv the fourth crop, Scrampions
-^ — faifafy, icorzonera, Ikirrets and forrel fow

Sow alifanders, angelica, afparag^s, baiil,
beets, borage, boorcole, broccoli, bnrnet,
cabbages, capficums, carrots, cauliflowers,
celery, celeriac, chardons, chervil, clary,
corianders, ere is, cucumbers, dill, fennel,
hyfop, kidney -beans, leeks, lettuces, marjo-
ramj marygolds, melons, mudard, naftur-
tiu'iis, onions, parflcy, parfneps peas, pur-
flane, radilhes, rampions, fallafy, favory,
fcorzonera, ikuTets,fea-kale, forrel, Ipmach,
tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, turneps, water-
•crelfee.

Weeds fhould be dedroyed when youngo

Aprl

592 A NEW SYSTEM

APRIL

J\Vn\ being the latefl time for fovving the
principal crop of the kitchen-garden, it any
thing diredcd lall: month were omitted, per-
form it early in this
Aromatic herbs and ilirubs fow and plant.
Afparagus iTiould be finilhed early in the
month, ^oth Towing and planting, and the
beds forking and raking : ii' it be very dry,
water the bed in the morning.

Beans in flower murt have their tops cut
ofl, and draw the flalks of the lirft: crop ciofe
to the wall by fbings, and earth them up
Plant the tirft crop of windfors
Boorcole and broccoli prick out the firft
crop, and fow the fecond.

Cabbages, tye up the leaves of the early
fort to forward their cabbaging — prick out
the third crop of fugar-loaf, the fecond ot*
red, and the ih-ll of favoys

Capficums mud be pricked out from the
feed-bed, before they are too crowded

Carrots, weed and thin the firfl crop, and
fow" the fecond to draw young

Cauliflowers muft have the earth drawn
lip very high to raife the glafles, and at the
end, of the month take them away — break
down the lea\ es when any begin to flower ;
earth the fecond crop, and prick out the
third crop Celery

OF ^HUSB ANDRY. 293

Celery, prick out the fecond, fow the third
■ — crefs and muftard fow every week

Cucumber-beds muil be lined with frefh
dung, if wanted and give them plenty of air
— make a gentle hotbed within the ground,
for thofe that are to be under bellglaffes, and
plant them on it at the end of the month —
fow more feed to haveplentyof plants

Endive for feed fhould have the earth fre-
quently ftirred about it. Sow the firft crop.

Finochio fow in drills a foot afunder, firft
crop

Hotbeds for fowing of melons for bell-
glaifes mull be prepared.

Kidney-beans fow the fecond. crop, and
the firli crop of fcarlet-flowered

Lettuces fhould be tied to aiiift their ca-
baging j thofe in beds thinned to a foot dif-
tance, others planted out and the fourth
crop very thin

Melon -beds muft be kept up to a good
heat and the fecond and third crop planted
uut

Mufliroom-beds mull be ftni(hed making

Onions fow to draw young

Parfley hoe and fow the large-rooted.

Peas muil be frequently earthed, be ituck
as foon as the tendrils appear

Sow the third crop of marrowfats.

Plant afparagus, beans, lettuces, mufh-
rooms, pot-herbs, potatoes Plant

29+ A NEW SYSTEM

Plant on frelli hot-beds, cucumbers and
melons

Potatoes muft be finifhed planting

Pot and fvveet herbs m.iy iliil be Town ard
planted and weed and earth the beds

Prick out from the feed-beds boorcolr,
broccoli, cabbages, capficums, cauiiilovvers
and celery

Purllane (ovv on a warm border

Radifhes fovv in a cool place for the fifth
crop

Rofemary, rue, fage, favory and thyme
may be Hipped and lail year's planted out.

Snails and Hugs fhould be fearched for

Sow aromatic herbs and fhrubs — Alpara-
t^us.boorcole, broccoli, carrots, celery, crefs
endive, finochio, kidney-beans, lettuces,
niuftard, onions, peas, ppt-herbs, purllane
radillies, fpinach, fweet-herbs and turncps.
, i>o\v on a hot-bed cucumbers and melons

Spinach low the third crop m a cool
place

Turneps hoe the firfl crop and few the
fecond

Weed all beds of feedlings, while the
weeds are fmali and any other crops alio

May

OF HUSBANDRY. 2()^

MA Y

/\ Romatic fhrubs and herbs may ftill be
fown and planted

Art'chokes (hould have the young fhoots
pulled off, not to rob the principal one

Afiparagus beds Ihould be confluntly
weeded

Beans will frequently require earthing,
and cut off the tops as they co-ne in flower.

Boorcole, prick out the fecond crop.

Broccoli, prick out the fecond, fow the
third crop

Cabbages fhould be often hoed and earth-
ed Plant the fecond crop, and the tirft of
red — fo V the ^fourxh crop, and the fecond
of favoys.

C'abbage-turnep and turnep-rooted cab-,
bage, American and white Scotch cabbage,
and Anjou boorcole, muft now be fown ;
and as they are chiefly intended for cattle,
and are required to grow large, fow the ieed'
very thin.

Caterpillars will now be found In the web.

Capiicums piant out where thev are to
fiower, and tomatoes, in rich ground.

Carrots ihould be weeded before the weeds
over-top them, and thined by hoeing

Cauliflowers, for the Oetober crop, now
i5)W, plant out the lecond crop.

Gclery,

iq6 a new system

Celery, prick out the third crop, foW the
fourth.

Colcworths, plant out the firfl crop.

Crefs and muilard fow every week, and
hoc that which is fown for feed.

Cucumbers of the fourth crop may be
planted out, and let fome be againft walls,
both for feed and their fuperior flavour.

Sow now in the open ground. If attack-
ed by black flies fumigate them with to-
bacco fmoak.

Endive thin the firJl: crop and fow the fe-
cond.

Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, may
have a few roots taken up for prefent ufe.

Finochiofow for the fecond crop.

Hoe the beds of beets, carrots, leeks, oni-
ons, pariley, parfneps, &cc.

Kidney-beans, fow the third crop of
dwarfs, and the fecond of runners.

Lettuces in beds thin, and fow the fifth
crop.

Melons on the tan-bed muft be thinned.
' — Sow feed for an autumn crop : prick out
each into a fmall pot, when the rough leaf
appears.

Melons attacked with fpiders muft be fu-
migated with tobacco fmoak.

Nafturitums thin to a foot afunder.

Onions will require weeding and hoeing,

Thofe

OF HUSBANDRY. 297

Thofe planted for feed will want fupport by
ftakes and ftrings. Sow feed to draw young.

Peas, fow the fourth marrowfats in a cool
place. Plant cabbages, coleworts, cucum-
bers, capficums, cauliflowers, lettuces, ra-
difhes, fage.
Potatoes hoe, before the plants appear.

Pot-herbs and fweet-herbs in beds, mujfl
be frequently weeded, particularly feedlings.

Prick out from the feed-beds, boorcole,
broccoli, cabbages, melons.

Radifhes for feed muft now be planted.
— fow the fixth crop in a cool place.

Sow broccoli, cabbages, cab. turnep, cau-
liflowers, celery, crefs, cucumbers, endive,
iiniochio, kidney beans, lettuces, melons,
onions, peas, purflane, radifhes, fpinach,
turneps.

Seed of all forts, nearly ripe, will often
require flacking and defending from birds.

Turneps, fow the third crop, and hoe
the others.

Water often, in dry weather, beds of
feedlings.

Weeds of no fort mufl: be liiffered to feed.

Weed, before the weeds are as high as
the crops, the feed-beds and crops of car-
rots, endive, finochio, leeks, lettuces, oni-
ons, pot-herbs, fpinach, turneps.

Vol. II. X p June

29^ A NEW SYSTEM

JUNE

J\ Romatic herbs, for diying and diililling
gather

Beans want earthing and cutting oflf the
tops. Beets ihould be thinned to a proper
diiiancc. Boorcole, plant the firft crop, and
fow the third. Broccoli, plant the firl^ crop
prick out the third, and ibw the fourth.

Cabbages, plant the third crop, prick
out the lourth, and fow the fifth. Plant
the fecond crop ot red cabbage, and fow
the third. Savoys, plant the tirll crop, and
prick out the fecond, and fow the third.

Cabbage-turneps, fow the fecond crop.

Canots and pai fneps tinilh hoeing.

Cauliflowers, plant the third crop ; prick
out the fourth.

Celery, plant the firft crop, prick out
the fourth, and low the lifth.

Colefeed and rape may now be fown.

i'olc worts, fow the fecond crop.
Endive, plant out the firll crop, thin the
fecond, and fow the third, and third crop
of finochio.

Hoe and thin all the crops of carrots,
Sec. properly, before the weeds are high.

kidney-beans, fow the fourth crop, and
place flicks to the runners.

Lavender

OF HUSBANDRY. 299

Lav.endcr, rofemaiy, rue, and fagc cut-
tings, may now be phmted in the ibade.

Leeks ihould be hoed and thinned.
Lettuces, low the lixth crop in a cool place;
Melons in frames, cover with mats in the
heat of the day, and lay tiles under the fruit
— plant out thofe for the oiled papers.

Onions muft be thinned, to five or fix in-
ches, and leave a few at three.

Parfley in beds for garnifh, and the large-
rooted, thin to fix inches diftance.

Peas, low the lail marrowfats in a cool
place. Plant boorcole, broccoli, cabbages,
cauliflower, celery, endive, lavender, let-
tuces, rofcmary, rue, fage.

Prick out broccoli, cabbages, cauliflow-
ers, celery.

Radiihes, fow the feventh crop, and tur-
nep-rooted and black Spanifh in a cool place

Rape and cole-feed may now be fown.

Seeds, as they ripen, muft be gathered.

Sow boorcole, cabbages, celery, colcfeed,
coleworts, endive, finochio, kidney -beans^
lettuces, peas, radifhes, rape, fpinach, tui*-
neps, turnep-radifh.

Spinach, fow the fifth crop thin, in a cool
place.

Turneps, fow the fourth crop, and hoc
others.

Water all beds of feedlings frequently.

July

300 A NEW SYSTEM

JULY

J\ Romatic herbs for drying and diRilling
muft be conftantly gathered.

Afparagus, for a crop in autumn, muft
be cut down, the beds lightly forked and
raked, and watered every night for a week
after, if dry weather. Weed the (eed-beds.

Beans, plant the fifth crop of mazagan,
and the fourth of Windlors, for late crops.

Boorcole, plant the fecond crop, prick
out the third, and the fitrfl of Anjou.

Broccoli, plant out the third crop, and
prick out the fourth.

Cabbages, plant the fourth crop, and
prick out the hfth. Red cabbage, prick out
the third crop. Savoys, plant the fecond,
and prick out the third crop.

Cabbage- turneps, prick out the firft crop.
Carrots, to draw young, fow the third crop
Cauliflov/ers, plant out the fourth crop.
Celery, plant the fecond crop, and prick
out the fifth.

' Colefeed, rape and coleworts, finifh fow-
ing : prick out the fecond crop of colcworts

Cucumbers in open ground fhould be
fhick with branches of rticks.'

Efchalots and garlic may be taken up, if
the ftalks be (juite withered.

Fipochio, fow the fourth crop.

Kidney-

OF HUSBANDRY. 301

Kidney-beans, fow on a fouth border the
lifth and laft crop.

Lavender and rofemary cuttings flill plant

Leeks plant out in double rows.

Lettuces, fow the leventh crop in a cool
place.

Onions when their leaves wither, pull out
of the ground, and fow the firft crop of
Welfh, and laft crop to draw young.

Peas fown laft month will want fticking,
and fow the fourth crop of hotfpurs.

Plant beans, boorcole, cabbages, cauli-
flowers, celery, lavender, leeks, lettuces,
red cabbage, rofemary, favoys.

Prick out boorcole, broccoli, cabbages,
celery, coleworts.

Radifhes, fow the eighth, alfo turnep-
rooted and black Spanifh, and hoe the firft
crop

Sow carrots, colefeed, coleworths, endive,
finochio, kidney-beans, lettuces, onions,
parfley, peas, radifhes, fpinach, rape, tur-
neps, turnep-radifhes.

Spinach, fow the fixth crop, and the firft
of prickly thin, in a cool place.

Turneps, fow the fifth and principal crop
for winter ufe, and hoe the other crops.

Water beds of fcedlings, and all young
crops.

Auguft

102 A NEW SYSTEM

AUGUST.,

LIfanders, angelica, chervil, fennel,
forrel, are now to be fown.
Beans fown laft month, will want water-

A

mg.

Boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers
and coleworts, lately planted, will require
hoeing around them, and earth drawn up
to their flems.

Broccoli, plant out the third crop.

Cabbages, for the firft crop at fpring,
muft be fown about the tenth day of the
month.

Cabbage-turneps prick out the fecond
crop.

Cauliflowers for the firft fpring crop, fow
about the twentieth, and (hade them in the
middle of the day by mats.

Celery, earth the firft crop for blanching,
and plant out the third.

Coieworts, plant out lome of the fecond
crop.

Crefs and muftard feed muft be gathered
if ripe, and fow every week for fallads.

'Cucumbers for pickling, fhould now be
gathered, and they will be free from fpots.

Endive, frequently tie up for blanching ;
plant out the third crop, and thin the fourth.

Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, may be
taken up it the ftallcs be quite withered.

Leeks

OF HUSBANDRY. 303

Leeks fini(h planting out.

Lettuces, for Handing through the winter
and forcing, muft now be fown very thin at
three different times. Plant out the laft
fown on a fouth border.

Melons in rainy weather mull be defend-
ed from wet, by putting hand-glaffes over
them ; and place fticks for the pickling me-
lons to run up.

Onions muft be frequently turned, that
they may be well dried.

Sow the fecond crop of Welfh.

Peas, fow fome hotfpurs on a fouth bor-
der for the fifth and laft crop.

Plant celery, endive, leeks, lettuces.

Prick out Anjou boorcole, cabbage-tur-
neps.

Radifties, fow the ninth and laft crop.

Seeds nearly ripe muft be guarded from
birds, — Sow alifanders, angelica, cabbages,
cauliflowers, chervil, crefs, fennel, lettuces,
muftard, onions, peas, radiflies, forrel,
fpinach, turneps

Spinach, fow the fecond crop of prickly.

Turneps hoe, and low the fixth crop.

Water feedling beds in a morning.

Weeds begin to grow very faft in moift-
weather, therefore muft be hoed frequently.

September.

364 A NEW SYSTEM

SEPTEMBER

^^Romatic herbs and fhrubs, cut down
their decayed ftalks to ftrengthen the roots
and tranfplant them.

Beans planted in July mull be earthed up,
and the tops pinched when in flower.

Boorcole, plant out the third crop

Broccoli, plant out part of the fourth crop

Cabbages, plant out the fifth crop, and
prick out 'the firft crop on a fouth border,
and earth out any which want — plant out
third crop of favoysand red cabbages.

Cabbage-turneps, plant out the iirft crop

Carrots fown in July mull be hoed.

Cauliflowers fown laft month muft be
pricked out, watered and fhaded till rooted
— earth up the fourth crop, and break the
leaves if they begin to flower.

Celery, plant out the fourth crop and
earth up the firft and fecondto blanch.

Chardons will require blanching

Coleworts, plant out more of the fecond
crop, a few at a time, to thin the bed.

Crefs and muftard fow every week.

Cucumbers for pickling fhould be flnilh-
«d gathering

Endive, plant out a little of the fourth
crop to thin it, and give the reft more room
— tye up forac to blanch

Efchalots

OF HUSBANDRY, 50^

Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, fhould
have all the offsets or fmall roots planted.

Lettuces mull be early thinned m the feed-
bed, if fown thick, and pricked out on 2
fouth border, to about four or five inches.

Melons for pickhng will be fit to gather.

Mufhroom-becis muft now be made.

Onions, finilh lowing early in the month
the Wellh onions, and weed thofc fown laft
month, before the weeds are high.

Plant boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, cole-
worts, endive, elchalots, garlic, rocambole,
tarragon.— Prick out cabbages, cauliflowers,
lettuces, — £ow crefs, Ipinach, muftard, tur-
aeps.

Spinach^ finifh fowing for fpring ufe, and
hoe that fown lalt month.

Tarragon-roots may now be planted

Turncps, turnep-radilhes, and black-
Spanilh, will all require hoeing.

Weeds muft be particularly attended to
among the onions and other crops.

Vol, n. Ctq Qaober

:jo6 a new system

OCTOBER

J\S 0<?kober is the only time to crop a
garden before winter, omit not any thing
till next month.

Aromatic herbs and fhrubs in beds weed,
and fpread fomc earth over them.

Afparagus ftalks cut down, hoe the weeds
and fpread earth Irom the earth on them —
hotbeds prepare for forcing, and plant three-
year old plants for the firfl; crop

Beans, the early mazagan muft be plant-
'Cd on a fouth border

Boorcoie plant out the fecond crop, and
hoe the ground about the others

Broccoli, plant out the reft for the fourth
crop

Cabbages, fown in Auguft plant half out
in a warm lituation

Cabbagc-turneps, plant early in the month
and earth up the others

Carrots fown in July, finifh hoeing.

Celery, plant out the fifth and laft crop,,
and earth up the fecond to blanch

Coleworts, finilh planting.

Crefs and muftard fowon a hotbed

Endive, tie up to blanch, and plant more-

Elchalots, garlic and rocambole plant.

Ground which, is vacant, throw up in-
ridges

Hoe

OF HUSBANDRY. 307

Hoe boorcole, brorcoli, cabbages, cab-
Ijage-turneps, and draw up the earth to their
^ems

Hoe carro^s and fpinach

Hotbeds prepare ior forcing afnaragus

Lettuces, plant out cabbage and brown
Dutch on afparagus beds

Mint, plant in pots on a hotbed,,

Mulhroom-beds cover well with ftraw
"and mats, to defend them from rain.

Onions mtSft be well weeded

Peas, the early hotfpurs, fow on a fouth
border, for a fird crop.

Plant afparagus on a hotbed for the firll
crop, and beans, boorcole, broccoli, cab-
bages, cabbagc-turneps, cauliflowers, celery^
coleworts, endive, efchalots, garlic, lettuces,
mint, rocambole.

Plant out to ftand for leed, beets, parfley
cabbages, parfneps, carrots, turneps.

Pot-herbs and fweet-herbs on beds, weed,
0ir up the earth, and Ipread fome uver
them

Seeds of all forts fhould be trellied out,
dried and put into bags.-

Sow crefs and muflard on hotbeds.

Hoe fpinach for the laft time before win-
ter, and fow peas on a fouth border.

November

3o8 A NEW SYSTEM

N O V E M B E Pc.

j^\NY thing omitted laft month, perlbrn*
early in this, before the rain prevents you.

Artichoke llalks cut down, and earth them

up. — Afparagus on hotbeds muft have air

given it, and make and plant the fecond bed.

Beets, cabbages and carrots, plant tor feed.

Cauliflowers under glalTes and frames,
give fome air to in the middle of fine days.

Celery earth up when dry, to blanch.

Crefs and muftard low on hotbeds.

Endive not planted out, take up, and plant
on the fouth Ade of a ridge.

Ground which is vacant, threw up int*
ridge*.

Hotbeds prepare for forcing of afparagus.

Mufhroom-beds guard from wet.

Peas and beans above ground, draw earth
up to, and place traps to catch mice.

Radifhes, early fhort-topped, fow about
the tenth, and i'pread llraw over the beds.

Roots of beets, parfley, falfafy, carrots,
potatoes, fcorzonera, parfheps, Ikirrets,
turnep-radilbes take up to preferve in land.

Sow crefs, mullard, radilh and rape on
hotbeds for fmall fallading.

Spinach lioe, it it be too thick.

Weed all the crops and rake off the weeds
to prevent their rooting again.

Dcgcmber

OF HUSBANDRY. 30$^

DECEMBER.

A SPARAGUS muft be planted for the
-*^ third crop, and give it both light and
air to colour it.

Boorcole, broccoli and cabbages, muft
be well earthed up to keep them upright.

Cauliflower-plants muft have air, when
the weather is mild, &cpick off dead leaves.

Celery, when dry, earth for blanching.

Crefs, muftard, radifh and rape, fow oa
hotbeds every week.

Dunghilis, weed and turn in frofty wea-
ther.

Endive, tye up for blanching.

Hotbeds muft be attended to, and plenty
^qf hot dung and loam provided.

Lettuces under glalfes muft have air given
them in the middle of mild days.

Mufhroom-beds muft have dry ftraw if
wanted.

Peas and beans above ground, earth up.

Roots for preferv^ing in fand fhould be
fined, before the froft lets in.

Snails, fearch for in holes.

Sow crefs, muftard, Sec. every week.

Tools, repair, grind and put in order
while you have leifure.

Traps muft be let to catch mice.

CHAP,

TO A NEW SYSTEM

CHAP. LIX.

Preface to the Apfendix*

THE following obfcrvations by the au-
thor while on his travels, may fcem
fuperfluous and unnecefTary to an American
reader, being made in foreign countries ;
for fay they, the land and climate of thefe
countries are different from ours, therefore
how can this information be proper for us
to go by.

Thofe obfcrvations have been often made
to the author by men in all countries ; {q
confined are the ideas of human nature till
enlarged by experience or philofophical re-
fearches iato the works of nature.

It is a matter of wonder to me what fome
farmers think the earth of other countries
or kingdoms is made up of, when they ar-
gue that the management of lands in the
forementioned countries will not do for
theirs ; that they muil certainly know beft
what fuits their lands, who have lived there -
on all their life-time. Sec.

I fuppofe fuch reafoners think that the
earth in countries they have not fcen, is

made

OF HUSBANDRY. ^ir

made up of fome very extraordinary mate-
rials; that if it produces fuch and fuch crops
the foil cannot be Uke theirs.

But they may be allured that the whole
world is made up of the fame materials of
fand, loam, clay, ftone, gravel, 8cc. that
clay will be clay, and fand, fand, in all coun-
tries ; that the grain proper for each fort in
one country, will alfo enfure fuccefs in ano-
riier ; and that if by induftry, ingenuity or
chance, a feed or any improvement be found
out in one country, it may be transplanted

or propagated in another with fuccefs. ■

And the untravelled farmer may be far-
ther alTured, that the interior parts of each,
country is thus variegated.

1 have travelled over mofl parts of Ame-
rica, and muft own I am amazed at the
backwardnefs of their improvements, parti-
cularly when I confider the number of emi-
grants that have arrived from England and
other countries, who fhould have intro-
duced thofe pracHiifed in their countries.

Indian corn and tobacco are the chief
productions of the American farms, and I
believe the former to be the principal bar ta
a general improvement in other crops. It
is true wheat, rye, barley and oats are raifed
in America; but the produce is fo fmall that
ilfcarcely pa^^s the expencfei indeed it would

nat

3IE A NEW SYSTEM

not pay half the expence and land rent,
were it as high as in England. The grain is
exceedingly fmall, which arifes from bad
management moftly in ploughing the ground
too thin or (hallow, and fowing their corn
too thick, which produces fmall ftraw, fmall
cars and fmall grain, which never will fill
the buihel to fatistad:ion

I have faid fo much to fhew the Ameri-
can farmer how necelTary it is to be acquaint-
ed with other countries and their manage-
ment, in order that he may improve in a
fhort time upon experiment, that has cofl
many people much labour and expence. —
For man is not Iik€ a brute to feed by in-
ftin^l, he acquires his feedin^^ and cloathing
by knowledge and ingenuity to make his life
comfortable and eafy, and in order -that my
American readers n^ay have an idea of
what is pafling in Europe I have given in the
following pages a fhort Iketch of my travels
and obfervations through iome parts there-
of.

GHAP;

OF HUSBANDRY, 313

CHAP. LX.

Nature of the Soil, and Price of the Land,

with many other inter ejling Subje^s, necef-

fary for a Farmer to know through Ireland,

I Thought it might not be difagreeable to
my reader to give Jhim an idea of the dif-
ferent forts of land, rent, manure, manage-
ment, Sec. in different parts of Ireland,
which by comparing one part v/ith another,
may both be ufeful and amufing to him. I
{hall begin in Dublin, as my memorandum -
book takes its rife from thence.

From Dublin to Drogheda, in Fingal,
near the fea fide, the land is a ftrong clay
foil, confequently good wheat land, and in
general as clear from fmut as mofl countries
w^hich I impute to the farmers 'tilling better
than in fome other places, and alfo manur*
ing with fhort rotten Dublin dung and lime;
but notwithftanding, I have feen a very
fmutty piece of wheat within iis^ miles of
Dublin.

Vol.il. Rr Lana

314 A NEWT SYSTEM

Land lets at about eighteen (hillings an
Irifh acre, at feven yards to the perch.

The land in this country is very rich corn
foil; and let in a general way for about
twenty-one Ihillings an Irifh acre.

From Trim to Longford and Mullingar,
their is a great deal of fmutty wheat ; and
that as well as other green corn is damaged
by red worms. The land is good ftrong
deep wheat foil, and lets for about twent}'-
three Ihillings an Irilh acre.

From Mullingar to Ballymahan, and
Lanelborough, the land is not fo good, and
lets only for about fifteen fhillings an Irilk
acre.

From Lanefbo rough to Ro fc o m mo n,
Elphin, Boyle, Caftlerea, Ballinalloe, and
Loughrea, the land is very good, lets in a
general way, for about tv^enty-five ihillings
or twenty-iix fhillings an Irilh acre. It is a
deep loamy Ibil; at about three feet deep is
a rich limellone gravel, which they raiie,
and lay on as manure.

They make litrle dung, as they feldom
houfe their cattle. This country may be a
circumference of hundred miles, and I be-
lieve, there is not a fpot in our king's domi-
nions, of the iize, which is clearer from
black or fmutty wheat and red worms, than
this; which may perhaps he owing to their

making.

OF HUSBANDRY. 315

making little ufe of dung, as it cannot be by
good tillage, they being great ilovens in hul-
bandry, except a few gentlemen here and
there ; indeed their land is fo good, that it
makes them idle, for turn it up in any
falhion, corn muft grow-
In the Queen's county, about Portarling-
•ton, Tullamore, Muntrath, and Marybo-
rough, the land is, a light corn foil, of an
inferior value, lets for about twelve fhillings
an Irifh acre.

In the county of Kildare, about Kildare,
Naas, Newbridge, and Killculling, the land
is light and fandy in a general way, and kept
much in tillage, lets at about fourteen fhil-
lings an acre. In this country they till pret-
ty well.

The county of Carlow, the land is fome-
thing ftronger than in the county of Kildare
and it in a general way holds fo ail the way
to Kilkenny.

It lets for about eighteen fhiilings an acre.
They have plenty of lime hereabouts, and
in fpots limeftone gravel.

In Kilkenny there are very confiderable
flour-mills, which gnnd a great deal of
wheat, and fend the flour to Dublin, though
it is fifty Irith miles land carriage. Their
miles as well as land are meafured with fe-
v«n yards to the perch.

What

3i6 A NEW SYSTEM

What encourages farmers to carry their
corn and flour fo far by land to Dublin, is
a bounty which they have paid them l?y the
government, viz. a half-penny for evc-y
twenty ftone of corn for every mile they car-
ry it above ten from Dublin ; but all within
ten miles of Dublin are exempted from the
bounty.

Every eight ftone of flour receives a boun-
ty of two-pence for every five mile, except
the laft ten miles next Dublin.

There is very little inland navigation in
Ireland, which makes this encouragement
of land carriage of great moment to that city,
in keeping down the markets; and it alfo
encourages farmers to fow more corn in the
interior parts of the kingdom, v/hich would
otherwife be negleded; and certainly no
country can be more proper for corn than
every part of Ireland.

1 know the kingdom well, and verily be-
lieve, there is not a fpace of ten miles to-
gether in the whole kingdom, where there
is not plenty of good manure, to be railed
out of the ground at a fmall expence.

The ifland in general abounds with lime-
ftone gravel, which is a fort of rich blue
foapy marl, intermixed with fmall cob-
bles or ftones^ but of a very rich limeftone
nature, and when thrown on the aground

with

OF HUSBANDRY. 317

with the marl, they ad alfo as a manure,
as the weather tempers them, and makes
them throw off a coat or crull, every year.
It is amazing what tufts of fweet grafs are to
be feen near thefe ftones.

Where limeilone gravel fails, there is ge-
nerally a greety fand, which is a very rich
manure ; in other places white marl, which
lies under bogs, and in moll places of the
kingdom, there is limeflone and plenty of
turf to burn it with ; fo that in fadf, Ireland
is a very rich country in this refped.

Though the county of 'Wicklow is a
mountainous country ; yetthere is Tome ve-
ry good fpots of land in it ; but in refped to
good tillage, we can fay very little for it.

They chiefly pay their rent by fat calves
and lambs, for which they are famous, and
bring them the diftance of forty or fifty miles
to Dublin, viz. from Wicklow, Gorey, and
about Caftlebridge.

This country is a compound of various
forts of land ; in the hollows or valleys it is
chiefly a good rich loamy corn foil, inclined
to clay.

And on the hills it is fandy, mixed with
fmall ftones ; and in fome places you fee
white marble ftones of a fmall lize. A great
extent of mountain covered with heath, or
ling, js to be found here, and which is very

improveable.

3i8 A NEW SYSTEM

improveable, both as to the nature of the
foil, and chcapncfs of manure, as hnieftone
is to be found in great plenty, and lime is
very proper for this fort of land. 1 have
icen it work miracles ©n land of the hke
kind, of which 1 fliall fpeak more fully in
its proper place.

Land (for this heathy mountain in its pre-
fent flate, cannot be deemed as fuch) lets,
from Dublin till you come near Wicklow,
for about twenty {hillings an acre ; but as
you go farther off, it lowers to about fifteen
Ihiilings an acre. I do not ftric'^ly mean all
the way from the city of Dublin, becaufc
it is to be expected, that land near fuch a
capital, fo far as two or three miles, muft
be very dear, perhaps four or five pounds
an acre.

The county of Wexford is a great corn
country, and particularly in the barony of
Fort and Bargy, they grow a great deal of
barley. The land is of a landy nature for
about five inches deep, and under that a bed
of clay ; in other places, a red, hard, ob-
durate, ruRy bad earth, by fome called ra-
mel. In fhort, a great part of the barony
of Fort and Bargy, is much fuch land as
they have in feveral parts of Chelhire.

At about five or fix feet deep in many
places, there is both marl and limeffonc-

gravel

OF HUSBANDRY. s^f

gfravel to be found, but they are little fought
after.

T!iey make a gi*eat deal of ufe of lime
and fea-weed, particularly near the fea-fide.

Jn one particular fpot in the barony of
Bargy, they tell you, that every acre main-
tains a chriftian, a horfe, a cow, a pig and
dog. How true this may be I know not^
but it is a common report in the adjoining,
neighbonrhood ; but be that as it will, the
place is extremely populous and well ftock-*
ed, and the land is rich as it is poflible ta
be made, and with no other manure thart
fea-weed, which they make ule of in great
abundance, and which produces the greateft
crops of corn I ever faw.

The middling price of land is about fif-
teen Ihillings an acre. The farms are not
^ large in this as in many other counties m
Ireland.

The barony of Fort gentlemen are the;
mod hofpitable difinterefted, facetious fet of
people I ever met witji, ^

They are a good neighbourhood, an^
Mve in unanimity, and joyoufly with each,
other ; they keep a good table which is al-
ways open to their friend or neighbour : one
can (carce travel above a mile or two in this
country, without falling in with a gentle-
man's houfe, the proprietor qf which is

worth.

320 A NEW SYSTEM

worth from five to two thoufand pounds a
year, and every gentleman is a farmer ; what
corn he does not ufe himfclf he fells, there-
fore they are neither too little or too great ;
they are nowife flafhy, but live within their
fortune, and yet quite generous.

The common people are all Romans, like-
the reft of the kingdom, but not fo bigot-
ted in their religion, and feem to be well"
attached to the prefent government. They
talk Engliih well, and alfo fpeak Irifh one
to another, but their Irifh differs, fome-
thing from the rel\ of the kingdom.

They call themfelves Strongbowyons ;
that is, they came over from England in
Strongbow's time, and fettled in this barony
where their offspring has remained ever
fince.

This is a very plentiful cheap place to
live in, and particularly for wild fowl and
tifli. Their wild fowl chiefly confifls of
duck, teal, widgeon, barnacle, and win-
yard.

Widgeon and barnacle, though fcarce
eatable in any other part of the world, that
I know of, are here the mofl delicious mor-
fel I ever tafted, and remarkably Cat. The
winyard is a fpecies of fowl peculiar to this
place, I believe, for I never faw them elfe-
where ; they are not much unlike a widgeon

widgeon

OF. HUSBANDRY. 321

v/idgeon, though fomething fmaller, but
fatter, lor if they be iTiot flying, they gene-
rally burft in the fall, by being fo immoder-
ately fat.

Thefe three forts of fowl are nearly of one
tafte, owing cejtainly to their feeding all up-
on one fort of food, which is a fort of fea-
weed peculiar to this coaft, and which is
thrown up, and left by the tide at high-
\\ ater-mark, twice in tw6nty-four hours ;
fo that they are regularly fed, which makes
them refortherein fuch abundance.

They can only be killed at night ; for all
day, they either remain on the water, or on
foine finall iflands, that are fix or feven miles
within the lea.

At night the fowler is prepared with a long
wide gun and a water-dog ; he places him-
felf fo as to command the length-wife of their
train of meat ; this he can eafily do, as he
fees where the water has left it the tide be-
fore, which is in a long narrow ftrip for fe-
veral miles together ; as foon as it is dulkifh
the fowls come up in a very great flocks to
feed, fo that they cover the ground as clofe
as they can fland; a fowler does nothing but
make ready; and needs only one fhot to load
his horfe home. It is almofl incredible vv'hat
a great number they will kill at a fhot.

They

Vol. II. S s

3Z2 A NEW SYSTEM

They are generally fold for four-pence or
fix-|)cnce a pair.

Kilkenny is about fifty-fix miles from Dub-
lin ; the direct road to it is through a very
fine country, viz. part of Kildare, Carlow,
and part o-f Kilkenny ; the towns you go
through are Naas, Kikullon, Timohn, Car-
low and Leighlen' ridge.

This is the finetl ride in Ireland, for fc
far together, as it is all an inclofed country,
without in.eiception of commons, or any
waile land ; and fifty- fix miles in h'eland is
a long way, as they meafure with ("even yards
to the perch.

But indeed there is not to be found fo fine
a ride for fo far togerher in his Majell)'s do-
minions, as m Ireland ; for if you begin be-
hind Kells, which is to the north of Dub-
lin, and go to Kilkenny, which is to 'the
South of Dublin, you ride for about a hun-
dred Irilh miles thro' five counties, namely,
the county of JVJeath, Dublin, Kildare, Car-
low and Kilkenny.

You have all the road, a good qoickfet
hedge at each fide of you, and all an inclofed
count y , ) ou do not go over an acre of ei-
ther bog, heath, mountain, common, or
any fort of waile land ; you are alfo accom-
panied part of the way with cither gentlc-
mens feats, or tovN'Uo, at the end of every
:\vo or tlii'ee miles. The

OF HUSBANDRY. 323

The town of K Ikermy is famc'3 for four
rarities, air wirhoi t tog. water without mud,
coals v/itfK)ut Anoke, and the ilreets paved
with marble.

How this old tr idition arofe into proverb,

I know not, but they can in ftrianefs only

claim two of the four ; which is the two

laft.

They have marble quarries near the town
from which they botii build their houfc^
and pave their Ilreets with ; but neither the
houfes or ftrcets cut any better (igurr, or
fcarce fo good, as other good tov/n in Ire-
land ; for every one knows that marble is
a very rough (lone, without great labour of

polifliing

The Kilkenny coals do not in the lealt
fmoke, for v. hich reafun they are made ufe
of all over Ireland, to dry malt with, and
in Kilkenny as common firing.

It is true, as they have no fmoke, there
is not fo grofs an air, or heavy clouds over
the city, as is over other great ^ cities or
towns, where the coals have a Imoke, which
afcencls to the clouds ; but the air is not ex-
empted from fog for all that, as there is no
commanding the clouds, fogs or miits of
other countries, but they will blow over it,

iuft as the winds fet ^ • _, ,

■^ Through

324 A NEW SYSTEM

Through the city runs a fine river, over
which there are two new bridges, built of
marble, juft finiihed ; the old bridges were
broken down with a great flood, about five
years ago. The bottom of the river is gra-
vel, therefore the water is for the moft part
exceeding clean and clear, but I have fccn it
muddy. ,

In the town of Kilkenny, and near the
river fide, (lands on an cmminencc, a fine
Gothic building, belonging to the Butler fa-
mily, which was erecfted in the reign of
Queen Anne, by the famous Duke of Or-
mond, whofe conduct is well known in
Ireland, for his government of that king-
dom.

And about two or three miles farther up
the river ftands the ruins of another of his
magnificent and delightfully fituated build-
ings, which are furroundingly ornamented
with an extending plantation of afh, and
other lofty towering trees, that (till remain
healthfully extending without the aid of
art.

The town of Kilkenny and environs is
not very large, or by any means remarkably
handfome or regularly built, as is fomctimes
reported by many who travel through, or
others who have dwelt there ; but it muH",

I think

OF HUSBANDRY. 325

I think, be acknowledged by all impartial
and difinterelled obfervators, that it is a rich,
populous and an improvable town, and car-
ries on a good trade in the manufacilory of
blankets, and many other woollen commo-
dities.

Travelling for about fifteen or feventecn
miles acrols the country towards Waterford
the laiid appeared fully to me to be, in
innumerable cafes, exceedingly barren and
bad, thefe qualities added to mountains co-
vered with ling or heath, cannot be of much
ufe to the landlord or tenant. This rents
from about five to ten Ihilhngs, per acre ;
tkere is here fome vmexceptionably rich and
fruitful valleys, that very well pay the huf-
bandm.Tn for his toil and labourious perfe-
verance, but mufl pay a higher price for
thefe advantages.

Waterford lies about twenty-four miles
from Kilkenny ; it is a tov/n of a pretty fmart
trade, and really now deferves to drop that
odium that has formerly been cafl upon it,
of very bufy, and nothing to do, like Water-
ford merchants : as they have now iomj-
thing to do, both in the Newfoundland
fifhery, and exportation of beef, butter and

> pork

326 A NEW SYSTEM

pork, in great abundance, they alio manu-
farture a great deal of frize.

Waterford is not lar^e, but a populous
rich town, and improving every day.

The land in this country is not good -, in
general about two thirds is a mountainous,
thin, weak land ; and any good veins there
are, are kept under dairies, fo that agricul-
ture IS negleded, and the poor alfo in a
flarving condition.

A great many men Ihip themfelvcs off
from Waterford, to ferve the feaion in the
Newfoundland fifhery, for which they will
get perhaps fifteen or fixteen pounds wages
lor fix or feven months.

Being great help to this neighbourhood,
for they generally Ipend it in the winter half
year.

Land lets here at about twenty fhillings
an arce, fuch as is fit for dairies, and lies in
valleys, but a great deal of high land lets for
about eight Ihillings an acre.

In about thirty or forty miles ride, viz.
from Dorrow to Limerick, through moft
part of the country of Tipperary, the coun-
try is almofl run wild, one would think,
with Iheep and bullocks ; for it is hard to
fee a corn-ltack, or a plough at work.

It

OF HUSBANDRY. 327

it was in this county the White Boys have
been fo troublefome. The land in mofl
parts, particularly Cafhel^ Tipperary, Clon-
mel, and down trom that to Limerick, is
very fertile, would bring great crops of
corn, but the great polTefTors of it are blind
to eveiy thing but bullocks and fheep. fo
that a2;nculture and every lort of trade is
baniihed ; which makes a fine country look
very naked, and its poor inhabitants meagre
and ragged.

There is fome of the richtft land that ever
I faw in ail my travels in this county, and
the county of Limerick, called the golden
vein ; and yet it cuts the pooreft afped as
to its poor inhabitants, owing to its being
kept under il.ock.

The flaple of the land confifts of a deep
loamy clay ar corn foil, will bring either
wheat or any other fort of grain, without
fallow, dung, or any other manure; in
fliort, it is rich beyond expreffion.

Land lets here for thirty and thirty-
five fhillings an acre, great fai-ms toge-
ther.

As they feldom make ufe of dung, ex-
cept tor fetting potatoes, they are little trou-
bled with fmutty wheat; but they are vifited
wiih red worms fomctimes when they turn
up freAi ground.

Thr

^z'd A NEW SYSTEM

Tlie graziers are gentlemen who eat and
wear well, and drink plenty of punch and
claret, an eafy fufficiency feenis to dance
among them; but the poor are mifcrably lo
and they are moiUy Roman Catholics, lor
there is fcarce any poor in Ireland of aay
other religion ; numbers of them I heard
fay they were content with their reftri^ted
fituation, and feemcd avcrfe to the interfe-
rence of any laws that feemed to offer for
their relief. Others who felt naturally a
glow of freedom, exclaimed againil the il-
liberality of thole that make laws and go-
vern, faying, at die fime time, how can
thofe people expecil we can be good fubjccls
while their conduc!:! in not fharing equally
with us, the bcnchts of the country which
is held (tet to our proteflant neigbour.

In Ihort they are a very numerous and
opprelTed body of people, that have to en-
counter and wade through a fea of impoli-
tic laws and troubles. 1 think, if 1 had it
in my power to enad two or three laws, I
could make Ireland one of the Urongeft
and richcfl illands his Muiefty has, as its fi-
tua ion is good for trade both by fea and
land ; the furface of the earth by nature,
is i[i general very rich, but where it is not
it is eafjly made fo ; for all over Ireland the
interior parts of the earth abound with rich
manures of all forts.

OF HUSBANDRY. 329

The kingdom is alfo variegated with va-
riety of loughs, rivulets, and bogs ; fo that
there is no vv^ant of fire or water.

Likewife the kingdom is very populous,
therefore muft, with the above advantages,
add both ftrength and riches, were they
made ufeful members of fociety, and all to
ftand by the Proteftant caufe.

The gavel-adl indeed, has done won-
ders in bringing over the rich; but nothing
has yet tranfpired to change the poor Ca-
tholics ; they are a fet of poor deluded
creatures, and it is a pity but an a6l would
pafs (which might be eafily pointed out) to
relieve them.

Moftly all over Ireland the fairs for cattle
are very large; but particularly in Con-
naught: the fair of BallinaQoe is incredibly
fo for wool, horned cattle, fheep and horfes,
I am credibly informed, that the cuftoms
amout to feven hundred pounds ilerling a
year; which fhews its immenfe value, as
the toll for a fcore of iheep, perhaps worth
thirty pounds, is only three-pence, and
three- pence each for a cow, or any other
cattle.

The poor generally fow a little flax feed,
which they buy from a fort of petty mer-
chant, at an extravagant price, perhaps
for five or fix (hillings a Winchefter peck,
for which they get a years credit, till they

Vol. 11. Tt fpin

330 A NEW SYSTEM

Ipin it into thread, in confideration of
which they pay about two hundred per
cent.

If they run in debt for half a peck or a
peck ot flax-feed, they give a note payable
before the fummer-alfizes in the enfuing
year; if they mifs payment they are fure
to be procelTed at the aifizes.

And here the merchant or creditor has
another apothecary's profit, of about eleven-
pence to the fliilling; for he will buy a
blank procefs for a penny, and fill it up
himfclf ; he charges for the procefs an En-
glifli Ihilling, which is thirteen-pence Irilh,
and perhaps the original debt will not be
^bove two or three fliillings.

If the debtor do not pay it before the
afTizes, he is decreed, which is eight fhil-
lings and four-pence expence. An honeft
man would abhor the oppreflion.

. It is generally Roman Catholics that are
thofe Jevvilh like merchants, for there are
few Proteftants in that trade, and there are
none in Ireland more opprefTive to Romans,
than Romans them lei ves.

The county of Cork is very large, fo
confequently confifts of various forts of foil,
but the major part is mountainous, and lets
perhaps at about eight ihiliings an acre;
but in the valleys it is high priced, perhaps
twenty Ihiliings an acre.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 331

The favourite manure of Ireland, viz.
limeftone gravel, is fcarce to be found here ;
but they have plenty of limeftone, which
they burn with whins, and comes pretty
cheap ; it is common to fee a lime-kiln that
will contain four or five hundred bufhels
of lime.

Though we cannot fay much for the neat
hufbandry of thefe farmers, yet I cannot
pafs by them without taking notice of a
piece of invention, I think very praife-
worthy, and interefting to every one fituated
as they are.

I obferved above, that they have plenty
of limeltone, which they make into lime
by burning it with whins, other firing be-
ing fcarce; and as they make ufe of a great
deal of lime, they confume great, quantities
of this fort of fuel, therefore it requires
contrivance to keep up a proper fund for
that purpofe.

This is done by raifing large ditches for
fence; and as their land lies high, and the
country fcarce of flielter, being thin of woods
or hedges, they fow each fide of the bank,
which they raife by making the ditch, with
whin-feed; and when the whins are ready
to cut for fuel at three years old, they cut
only one fide of the ditch, and leave the
other for flicker and fence till the cut fide
grows to fulfil that ofBce, then they cut the

oldeft

332 A NEW SYSTEM

oklefl fide for fuel ; fo they go on alternate-
ly, cutting the oldeft fide from generation
to generation. This is a piece of manage-
ment that I would highly recommend to rny
American readers in their cleared land, as
whins are not only a fence, flicker, and firing ;
but alfo good food for cattle all winter; they
being an evergreen and full of fap, the Iheep,
horfes, and horned cattle delight in thenx
while young. Several farmers in Wales have
large fields which they cut fuccefiively,
from a year to two, or three old, and have
mills turned by a horfe to grind them for
their horfes, which ferves inftead of corn;
and others who have not mills, beat them
in a morter, with a wooden mall, filled in
the l^ead with horfe nails : when the whins
are thrown in the manger they will fwim
with liquor, of which the horfes are fond.

And thus they are fupplied with fuel,
fence, and fhelter, from the fame ditch,
which perhaps takes up not more ground
than two yards, though by meafuring round
the top of the bank, we fhall find a furface
for the whins to grow on of near four
yards. »

How many places are there in America,
England, Scotland, and Wales, that are
fcarce both of fire, fence, and fhelter, that
would be glad of wliins to burn inflead of
flravv and cow-dung, which are ufed in ma-

^7

OF HUSBANDRY. 333

ny parts, particulary in England. And how
eafy and cheap would it be for them to raife
thefe three valuable articles of fire, fence^
and ftielter, by the above method ?

But though this fimple method is very
praife- worthy ; yet it falls much fhort of
the great oeconomy they pra(5life, by break-
ing limeftone to powder, and applying it
as manure for land inftead of lime.

It anfwers the fame end, comes much
cheaper, and lafts longer than lime; it an-
fwers for any fort of land, but befl for
flrong, as its angular points cuts through
and opens it, and the weather foftens the
little flones, fo that it keeps peeling and
difcharging a cruft, which adls as a perpe-
tual manure till the latl bit be wafted.

I happened in company with a gentleman
farmer who firft tried it, and he aiTured me
that it anfwered full as well as lime, and
that it did not cod half fo much breaking.

I viewed a piece of grafs ground covered
with this bruifed limeftone, which aflonifh-
ed me with furprife, at feeing fuch a fine
verdure in the middle of a very barren field,
moftly grown over with heath; but as far
as the limeftone had been laid on, it had
quite changed the nature of the foil, killed
the heath, and fubftituted honey-fuckles
and wild clover in its place.

Several

334 A NEW SYSTEM

Several more gentlemen about Mallow-
were following this pradlice, and doubt not
but it will in time be univerfally uied there,
inftead of burning lime, particularly where
firing comes high.

I am fatisfied that limeftone bruifed to
powder and laid on grafs ground, is better
than lime or even any other manure, parti-
cularly if the ground be ftrong, coarfe, and
four, or inclined to heath or ling; and it is
far the bed manure I know of for fuppeiling
mofs.

A man may break a chaldron or four
quarters in three days, or in lefs, if the
ftone be of a foft nature.

The fmaller it is broke, the fooner it will
take efFecfl ; none ought to be left larger than
a hade nut.

A great improvement might be made by
a horie-mill, to grind limetlone in,, in the
nature of a bark-mill or an oil-mill.

The city of Cork is a very rich flourifh-
ing place, and drives on a confiderable trade
in the exportation of beef, pork, and but-
ter.

It is alfo improving very much in its
buildings ; it is a ready market for a farmer
to vend the produdl of his land in. It is
well fituated for trade; and ihould there
ever be a union becwecn I^ngland and Ire-
land, it would loon be a far richer city than
Dublin. The

OF HUSBANDRY. 335

The upper part of the county of Sligo,
Mayo, and Galway, leading to the weltern
fea, the land is only good in fpots ; in all
thefe counties there is a great deal of gra-
velly, rocky, heathy, fhallow land, inter-
mixed with bogs ; however in the worfl of
it there is every necelTary material for im-
provement.

In thefe counties land varies much in
price, according to its value, but, upon a
medium, it may be rated at about twelve
fliillings an acre.

There is no part in Ireland where land
varies fo much as in the county of Leitrim.
In order to give my reader an idea of it,
I {hall juft mention, that in the year 1759,
I let about five hundred acres of land, in
four different farms, all lying within one
ring fence, one for fix fliillings, another for
twelve fliillings, another for eighteen Ihil-
lings, and another for a guinea, being one
pound two flii lings and nine-pence Irifli cur-
rency, per acre.

And indeed the land varies accordingly
through the county, in fome places fine rich
limeftone foil, in others ftrong cold clay
foil, all grown over with rufhes, and in
others thin gravel foil, grown over wdth
heath.

But this county, like moft others in Ire-
land, abounds with all forts of manure for

improve-

336 A NEW SYSTEM

improvement, fuch as limeftone gravel,
white rich marl, a fine rich fand mixed with
{hells, and limeftone in abundance, together
with turf in plenty to burn it with.

I have had extreme good wheat and corn
of all forts here. I feldom fee them troubled
with fmutty wheat, or red worms, which
is perhaps owing to their fweet method of
manuring.

Their method of farming is very bad,
atid their way of yoking horfes as barbarous ;
they draw their plows and harrows with
their horfes tied by their taiis. I have very
often feen a mare and her offspring, viz. a
three years old, two years old, and one year
old colts, plowing all a-breafl, two going
upon the plowed land and two upon the
unplowed land with neither hemp or iron
about them ; their whole gearing confifled
of a whity, or twifled flick, tied to the hair
of each horfe's tail, and fo through a hole
made in a long pole or flick, which reached
the breadth of the four horfes, and ferved
by the way of a fwingle-tree, which pole
is faflened in the middle by another withy
to a hole bored in the end of the plow-
beam.

The man that drives, or more properly
fpeaking, leads the horfes, has a long flick
to which each horfes head is tied with a
withy halter J the man by holding the flick

has

OF HUSBANDRY. 337

Jias all the horfes at his command ; he walks
backwards before the horfes heads all the
day ; when he wants them to follow him, he
pricks them with a long flick he has in the
other hand, in the end of which a fharp nail
is fixed. Thu^ we fee them equipt in the
plow way.

They harrow in the fame wooden manner,
having a withy faflened to the hair of each
horfe*s tail, and to a harrow which each
horfe drags ; the harrow teeth are made of
whin flalks inflead of iron, fo that in fadl
there is neither hemp, leather, or iron, ex-
cept the coulter and fock, about theii* teams ;
and yet I have feen as good corn grow there
as I ever faw in England, which is all owing
to the natural goodnefs of their land, and
maiden manure they raife out of the interior
parts of the earth.

Was no better plowing or management
ufed in England, we fhould grow nothing
but weeds inflead of corn.

The greatefl misfortune which generally
attends their crops, is that of their being
too rank, fo that the corn is fmall and lean,
as the richnefs of the foil, and the foftnefs
of the climate, together with the double
portion of feed they throw into the ground,
forces it too much into flraw.

But as I have defcribed their barbarous
method of drawing their horfes by their

Vol. lie U u tails

33S A NEW SYSTEM

tails, I muft alfo do juflice to the legiflature,
by telling my reader, that they have made
a law to put a flop to this cruelty which has
in a great meafure contradled it to the moft
diftant or remoteft parts of the country at
prefent, but formerly it was general all over
the kingdom.

The counties of Monaghan, Tyrone, Lon-
donderry, Fermanagh, Donegal, Down,
Caven, Armagh, and Antrim, are in the
north of Ireland.

Moft of thele counties flourifh much ia
the manufadluring of linen cloth, particu-
larly towards the fea-coaft, oppofite Scot-
land.

The moft conftderable manufadluries
begin at Dundalk, and fo on to Newry,
Loughbrickland, HillftDorough, Lift^urn,
Belfaft, Lurgan, and Armagh: through
all thefe places the land is very good, ex-
cept fome mountains interfperfed here and
there.

The lands here are in general better in-
clofed, and divided into fmaller farms, than
in the reft of Ireland, which is a great bleiT-
ing to the inhabitants, and adds much to
the beauty and richnefs of the country;
becaule when a man is not over-burdened
with land, he can, as it were, make his
farm into a garden, by attending to, and
beautifying every part of it; and he cer-
tainly

OF HUSBANDRY. 339

tainly can make one acre, well cultivated,
produce as much as five in its wild barren
Hate.

What pity it is that the worthy gentlemen
of Ireland will not open their eyes to fuch
plain fadls, and curtail thefe unmerciful
farms, that ruin the beft part of this fine,
healthy, and eafy to be made, a very rich
kingdom.

The land within the ride of the laft men-
tioned towns, lets at about eighteen fliillings
an acre. It is in general, flrong wheat foil;
but however their chief crops are oats,
beans, and potatoes.

Here are many little bogs lying between
the hills, under which is a good white
marl ; there is alfo plenty of limeftone, aild
lime is often ufed as manure.

The right honourable lord chief baron
Fofter has an eftate at Colon, in the county
of Louth, amounting to about two thou-
fand acres, that formerly let at half a crown
an acre, which he has improved by lime
to fuch an amazing degree, that it now
lets from eighteen to twenty- three fliillings
an acre ; an immenfe rife indeed : and what
is more, the firft crop generally paid the
expence of liming, though he had the lime-
ftone to carry four miles, which is a dif-
tance that feldom happens in Ireland.

The

340 A NEW SYSTEM

The coals that burn it he gets front
England. He told me that he can lime well
for four pounds an acre, at feven yards to
the perch; aiid he lets the land the firft
year to break up to fet potatoes in, at four
pounds an acre, the next year he lets the
fame land where the potatoes grew, to fow
oats in^ at three pounds an acre, and thd
third year to fow again with oats, at fifty
fhillings an acre.

In all this, he is at iio other expence, but
jufl laying the lime on.

Sometimes inftead of oats after potatoes,
they fow flax- feed or bare; but they may
fow what they will, as they are fure of
good crops.

The lime generally lies on the fod about
a year before it is broke up, and as it lies
pretty thick, it prefles down any grafs,
heath, or other rubbifh that may be on the
land, and turns it to dung, by which means
it ferments and unites the lime to the fbd
and particles of earth, which otherwife
would not incorporate and unite fo kindly.

The original llate of this land was a
heathy wild mountain, without hedges,
ditch, tree, or bulb of any fortj and had
as wild a look as the liighlands of Scotland.

The flaple of the ground is inclined to
a clay gravel of a reddifh caft, intermixed
with thin ilaty gritty ftones.

The

OF HUSBANDRY, 34^

The fituatioii of the ground is not to be
called very hi^h^ nor is it level, but in
waving hills, and takes a good pull for a
carnage to attain the top.

They generally plow in all this country
with four horfes, two before two, except in
breaking up grafs ground, then they gene-
rally ule fix.

They grow a great deal of bats and
round eared barley^ in the counties of
Louth and Down^ till you come to Do-
naghadee.

Farther north towards the county of An-
trim, Donegal, and Londonderry, the land
lowers in its value^ having a great deal of
flrong, cold, fpewy, rufliy, and heathy-
land interfperfed all over the country; and
the country is alfo uneven, rlfing very
much into hills, fometimes to a difagree-
able height.

They grow little elfe here but potatoe^^
flax, and oatSj the oats moftly of the black
fort ; not but the land will grow both wheat
and beans, as I have feen good of both
raifed by gentlemen, but the farmers do
not care to venture out of their old track
of hufbandry.

The land here varies much in rent; in
good fpots and near towns, it lets for
about twenty fhillings an acre; but in the
high and more opea country, it does not

let

342 A NEW SYSTEM

lee perhaps for more than ten fhillings
an acre.

CHAP. LXI.

Oti trenching Land near Glajgoiv with Spades,

UPQN finifhing my travels, and obfer-
vations through Ireland, I took a tour
through Scotland and England, to make
further oblervations ; but as I do not think
it of moment enough to trouble my Ameri-
can readers with it, having fufficient mat-
ter of more confequence, I fhall only men-
tion one piece of management of trenching
land with fpades near Glafgow, to which
I referred my reader, from page 44. vol. I.

When the farmers here have a piece of
ground wore out by tillage, fo that it will
not bring any more crops without manure,
is then trenched with a fpade, fometimes
two, and fometimes three fpit deep; that
is, they begin and dig thiee fpade-grafts
deep, and make a trench, into the bottom
of which they throw the top fod, and over
that the fecond fod or fpade- graft, and alfo
the third, fo that the bottom fpade-graft,
taken up at three feet deep, becomes the up-
per ftratum for corn to grow in.

If

OF HUSBANDRY. 343

If the farmer lets his land to be trenched
by the acre, the price is let without varying,
and is as follows.

For trenching two fpit, or fpade-graft
deep, (without fliovelling the loole mould
out after the fpit) forty Ihillings an acre;
for digging two fpit, and {hovelling the
loofe, forty- five fhillings an acre ; for digg-
ing three fpit, without fliovelling, fifty-five
fhillings an acre ; for digging three fpit deep,
and {hovelling, three pounds an acre.

They find by experience that it is better
for the land, and they are more fure of a
crop of any fort after trenching, than if
they lay on lime or any other manure to the
amount of three pounds an acres ; and wh^t
is more furprifing, this is pradlifed in a
country where manure is plenty and eafy to
be got.

After fuch trenching, the land will bring
five or fix good crops before it need be trench-
ed again, and it will grow corn even of one
fort without changing from generation to
generation, if it be again trenched to revive
its exhaufted fpirits at proper periods.

I know fome of my readers, who only
caft a curfory view upon things, may think
my account fabulous, but 1 afTmre them
what I have faid is abfolutely fad ; for I faw
the whole work performed with my own
eyes ; I faw alfo the crops grow, and I ne-
ver

344 A NEW SYSTEM

ver faw better wheat, oats, and barley in my
life; and I took particular notice of fuch
trenched corn as it happened in town-fields,
and found that ridges along fide which
were dunged and fallowed, were not fo
good by much, nor fb clear of weeds;
that both the ear, grain, and ftraw were
fmaller.

When we confider the thing attentively,
it is eafily accounted for, particularly if
the land be of a proper fort, viz If loomy
clay or loomy fand, or fand itfelf ; becaufe
if land be ever fo poor, it is generally
covered with a coat of fome fort, either
flubble, weeds, or grai's, which being
thrown into the bottom of a trench, and
covered with earth two or three feet thick,
it ferments, rots, and evaporates its vola-
tile fpirits, which penetrate through every
particle of the body of earth over it.

In fhort the whole body thus mixed, mud
be in a ftate of ferment, beiides the weeds
and rubbiili being buried too deep for vegi-
tation, rots and becomes manure. Any
reafonable man will allow that there muft
be a wide difference between the root of a
weed growing and partaking of the ftrength
of the g»ound, and the fame root being rot-
ted to feed the ground ; but as I have han-
dled this fubjedl pretty fully in another part
of this work, I fhall drop it here.

CHAP.

OF HUSBANDRY. 345

CHAP. LXIL

The Price of Labour and ViBuals in the fever at
Counties of Ireland^ in Order to give an
Idea of the different State oj the Tivo King-
dom in thefe Particulars,

DUBLIN, beef by the quarter at two-
pence half-penny a pound, from Mi-
chaelmas to Chriftmas, but is very dear in
fpring, which is chiefly owing to the fcarce-
nefs of winter feeding, as the people of Ire-
land fow very little turnip-feed.

Good beef in April perhaps will give four*
pence a pound by the quarter. Mutton
keeps at a much more equal price; for as
their land is good, and their winters mo-
derate, fat fheep will keep their flefh through
the winter, fo that the markets feldom vary
above a penny a pound ; it fells at Michael-
mas at two-pence half-penny a pound, and
in fpring at three-pence half-penny a pound.
Pork and bacon bears an equal moderate
price, which is owing to plenty of potatoes
for feed, for they feldom feed fwine with
beans.

Pork at two-pence and two-pence half-
penny a pound; bacon at three-pence half-
penny a pound.
■ Vol.11. Xx Veal

346 A NEW SYSTEM

Veal in winter is five-pence and fix-pence
a pound, but in May and June at two-
pence.

There is as good and as bad veal in
Dublin as in any part of the world. Calves
fell here from two fliilUngs to four pounds
a piece.

All the dairies near Dublin fell their calves
as foon as they drop for two or three fliil-
lings a piece, which is a barbarous cuftom :
but the county of Wicklow which chiefly
fupplies Dublin market, keep their calves
three or four months old ; nay, I am told,
fome will keep them five months old. In
fhort, they make very good veal, and they
are alfo famous for early lambs in this
county, by which Dublin market is fup-
plied.

In Dublin, a good goofe for two fhillings,
a good fowl for eight-pence, rabbets, are
dear, as there are few warrens in the king-
dom, the land being too good for them, Co
that there are fcarce any to be got, except
tame rabbets bred in houfes.

Frelh butter in Dublin is high in winter,
eight-pence and ten-pence a pound, and in
fummer at five-pence and fix-pence a pound.

Wheat this year from twenty to thirty-
two fhillings a barrel, or four bufhels Win-
chefter meafure, in the fame market the
fame day.

The

OF HUSBANDRY. 347

The quality of wheat varies much, ac-
cording to its cleannefs or drynels. They
are very often obliged to dry it on malt-
kilns.

Englifli wheat generally bears a higher
price than the beft Irilh by two fhillings the
barrel in the fame market.

They import from England a great deal
of malt, which is fuperior to the Irifh made
malt by three fhillings a barrel. In fliort,
the Iriih maltfter cannot be content with
moderate profit, for if he cannot profit
other ways, he will have it in weight or
meafure.

Formerly they ufed to fell by meafure,
then they grew it out fo much, that it had
no ftrength in it; and as they never fift it,
but fell cums and all together, it was fo
long one might almofl fill the bufliel with a
dung fork.

The legiflator faw the cheat, fo made an
a<5l to fell by weight, and now the extream
is full as much the other way, for they do
not above half grow it, fo that the thick
end of each grain does not turn to malt,
but dries and becomes a hard flinty fub-
flance, which weighs heavy in the bufliel,
but yields no fpirit to ftrengthen the ale.
Thus the publick are impofed upon by the
maltfliers being too avaricious, and not do-
ing the fair thing.

Malt

348 A NEW SYSTEM

Malt fells at about fixteen fliilUngs a bar-
rel, or four bufliels.

Oats being fo general a crop in Ireland,
bne might exped: them to be very cheap ;
but however, though a great many are
grown, there is alio a great confumption,
as all the poor in general eat no fort of bread
except that made of oats ; and the time of
the year when potatoes are out of feafon^
their whole living is oat-bread and butter-^
tnilk ; but fo long as potatoes are good they
fupply the place of bread; therefore oats
bear a better price than could be expcdled,
bemg fo general a crop.

t^otatoes in the year 1759, was a failing
Crop, which made- dats and oat-meal very
dear.

Good oats fold this year in the interior
J)arts of the kingdom at fourteen and fifteeil
ihillings a barrel, which is at the rate of
thu'ty fhillings a quarter. The year after,
being a good potatoe year, I bought good
oats at five lliillings a barrel. This fhews
the great dependence there is upon potatoes,

in the year 1769, good oats fold at twelve
fliillings a barrel in Dublin, grey peafe at
eighteen fhillings a barrel, and a large field
bean at twenty Ihillings a barrel.

The round black magazine field bean
fcarce any to be got, being little lbv\ed in
Ireland. White boiling peale at thirty ihil-^

lings

OF HUSBANDRY. 349

lings a barrel. Very little rye is made ufe
of.

All forts of artificial grafs feeds are im-
ported hither from England.

Bricklayers, mafons, and houfe carpen-
ters or joiners, are two fhillings a day*,
Labourers in Dublin a ihilling a day ; but
farmers labourers in the country round Dub-
lin, is eight-pence in winter without meat,
and a fhilling in fummer.

In the counties of Wexford, Kildare,
Garlow, Weflmeath, and Queen's County
labourers are fix-pence a day in winter,
and eight-pence in fummer, without meat.
Beef and mutton two-pence and two-pence
half-penny per pound in the cheapeft feafoa
of the year.

Mofl cguntry gentlemen kill their own
meat, and the country labourers and far-
mers fddom eat any ; ih that the chief con-
fumption is by the tradefmen and fliop-
keepers in market towns.

Eggs and fowls are cheap. Good chick-
ens at three half-pence and two-pence a
piece. Lean geefe at eight-pence a piece,
lean turkeys at ten-pence a piece, and a
roafting pig for a fliilling or fifteen-pence,
eggs at {even or eight a penny.

In the counties of Kilkenny, Cork, Ker-
ry, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Gal-
way, Leitrim, Mayo, Rofcommon, Sligo,

Clare,

$50 A NEW SYSTEM

Clare, Londonderry, Tyrone, and Far*
managh, being diftant from Dublin, and
partly deflitute of trade, but fubfifting
chiefly by grazing, the living and labour
is cheap, and partly bears an equal rate in
all thefe counties.

Beef and mutton at the cheapeft feafon
from three half-pence to two-pence a pound,
lean geefe at four-pence a piece, lean tur-
keys at fix-pence a piece, chickens at a
penny a piece, eggs at ten a penny, roaft-
ing pigs at fix-pence a piece, butter at
three- pence a pound. Day labourers at
four-pence a day in winter, and fix-pence
in fummer, no meat, plough- wrights a
fliilling a day and meat, houfe- carpenters
or joiners two fliillings a day, no meat, ma-
fons two {hillings a day, no meat.

The reader is to take notice, that in
fpeaking of labourers, I fpeak in. general
terms, fuch as are employed by gentlemen
and farmers all the year round; but in
market and great towns, at times, par-
ticularly in March and April, when the
fhop-keepers and tradefmen are fetting their
potatoes, labourers are perhaps fix-pence or
eight-pence a day and meat. However this
is a matter of little confequence in the
farming way, but I thought proper to
take notice of it, left fome unthinking
readers, not making proper allowances for

thefe

OF HUSBANDRY. 351

thcfe things, might think my account er-
roneous.

Corn is at a more equal price, fince a
bounty was given by the government for
land carriage, fo that there is not above four
or five per cent, difference between the coun-
try and DubHn prices ; and when a mifs
year in the potatoe crop happens, DubHn
is the loweft market, they being obhged to
fend corn apd meal into the country to fup-
ply the deficiency of potatoes.

The counties of Down, Louth, Donegal,
and Armagh, being manufacfluring coun-
tries, labour and victuals bear a higher
price than in the grazing countries. Beef
and mutton at two-pence half- penny and
three-pence a pound, geefe at eight-pence a
piece lean, turkeys at ten-pence or a fhilling
a piece, chickens at two-pence or three-
pence a piece, pork two-pence a pound, a
roafting pig a fhilling, oat-meal at fixteen
pence a peck, baft wheat at twenty-eight
Ihillings a barrel, malt fourteen fliillings a
barrel.

Labourers at fix-pence a day in winter,
without meat, and eight-pence in fum-
mer, without meat; houfe-carpenters two
i3iillings a day, and mafons two fhillings
a day.

A farmer's man fervant fix pounds a
year, a llrong boy three pounds a year, a

woman

352 A NEW SYSTEM

woman fervant three pounds a year, a lufty
girl thirty (hillings a year.

There is little difference in the "wages of
yearly fervants in any part of the king-
dom.

The gentlemen of Ireland give good en-
couragement to Englifh fervants and Rew-
ards, with good charadlers.

Ireland is two hundred and feventy-five
miles long, one hundred and. fifty nine
miles wide, and fourteen hundred miles in
circumference.

Their land and mile meafure is by feven
yards to the perch.

Their weight and meafure are all Win-
chefter.

CHAP. LXIII.

Some approved Receipts in Phyfic^ and Surge'-
ry^ by the moji able Men of th^ Faculty in
England.

AS I have faid every thing that is ne-
ceflary in Hufbandry; and as this
work may fall into many hands who live
in the country, at a diftance from help in
time of ficknefs, &q, J thought, it might

not

OF HUSBANDRY. 353

not be airjirs to give a few chofen receipts,
for the cure of diforders xao(\. common to
the human body.

It is common in books of Phyfic to add
feveral receipts, for the cure of one difofder;
but as I do not place this book among that
denomination, I fliall in general, put one
receipt for one diforder, and fuch as has been
tried, given, qr approved on, by the mpft
able men of the faculty in pngland^

To Jlay luoofinefs,

TAKE a yery good nutmeg, prick it full
of holes, toaft and grate it, then boil
it well in milk, and eat it in a morning;
pr the nutmeg toafted and grated in a glals
of red port, will dp full as well and fejdom
mifles of a cure.

To take out the Fi?'e^ of a Burn or Scaid,

Scrape a raw potatoeandapply ittoaburn
pr fcald, as a poultice, when it is dry apply
another till the fmarting has done; there is
nothing fo quick and fure as this. The fore
may be healed with yellow balilicon, or by
nothing but dry lint laid on the place cover-
ed with a linen rag burned brown and laid
over it, if very bad it may be waflied with
allum whey ; but the operation of the potatoe
poultice is fo eifedtual that it feldom breaks
the fkin.

Vol.11. Yv To

354 A NEW SYSTEM

To Cure a Cough inclining to a Conjumption,

Take balfam of fulphur one ounce, and
oil of anifeeds one ounce, mix them toge-
ther and take a tea fpoonful every morning,
and evening the firfl and laft thing, this
has recovered thofe when in a confumption.

For the Gripes,

Take a glafs of fack warm'd, and dijQblve
in it as much Venice-Treacle^ or Diafcordiuniy
as a hazehiut; drink it off going to bed;
cover warm.

For the Stranguary.

Take half a pint of plantane-water, one
ounce of white fugar-candy finely powder'd,
two fpoonfuls of lallad-oil, and the juice of
a lemon ; beat all thefe together very well,
and tirink it off.

For a Draught in a Fever,

Take of fal- prunella one ounce, and dif-
folve it in fpring-water, and put as much
fugar to it as will fweeten it ; fimmer it over
the fire till 'tis a fyrup ; and put fome into
poffet-drink, and take it two or three times
a day, or when very thirfty.

•
A Plajler for an Agud

Take right F^fw/V^-turpentine, and mix
with it the powder of white hellebore-roots,

till

OF HUSBANDRY. 355

till 'tis ftiff enough to fpread on leather.
It muft be laid all over the wrift, and over
the ball of the thumb, fix hours before the
fit comes.

For a Chin-Cough.

Take a fpoonful of wood-lice^ and bruife
'em, and mix them with breafl-milk, and
take them three or four mornings, accord-
ing as you find benefit. It will cure ; but
fomc muft take it longer than others.

To take off Blacknefs by a Fall.

Rub it well with a cold tallow candle,
as foon as 'tis bruifcdj and this will take
off the blacknefs.

To break a Boil.

Take the yolk of a new-laid eg:g, fome
honey and wheat flower; and mix it well
together, and fpread it on a rag, and lay it
on cold.

A Poultice for a hard Snvelling.

Boil the fineft wheat-flour in cream till
'tis pretty thick ; then take it off*, and put in
mallows chopt; ftir it, and apply it as hot
as can be endured ; drefs it twice a day, and
make frefli every time.

To

356 A NEW SYSTEM

To Jlay Voiniting,

Take afli-leives, and boil them in viiie-
gar and water, and apply them hot to the
Itomach ; do this often^ and put the hands
in cold water.

A Poultice for afore Bi-eafly Leg^ or Arm.

Boil wheat-flour in ftrong-ale very well,
and pretty thick ; then take it off, and fcrapd
in fome boars-greafe ; let it hot boil aftei*
the greafe is in ; ftir it well, and apply it
hot.

For /pitting Blood,

Take of cinnabar of antimony one ounces,
and mix it with two ounces of confer ve of
red rofes ; and take as much as a nutmeg at
night and morning.

To cure the Tooth-ach.

Let the party that is troubled with the
tooth-ach lie on the contrary fide, and drop
three drops of the juice of rue into the ear
on that fide the tooth acheth, and let it re-
inain an hour or two, and it will remove the
pain ; if a needle is run through a wood-
loufe, and immediately touch the aching
tooth with that needle, it will ceafe to ach:
fometimes tooth-ach proceeds from a cold,
fo that the air gets between the gums and

the

Ot MtrSBANbRY. 35?

ike te^th, and raifeS theiii but of the fockefj
■v?hich caufes a very great pain tho' the teeth
be all found, the cure in this cafe is to prefs
a cork very hard betw^een the teeth a conii-
derable time to prefs them down even, and
rub the gums v^ith gun-powder till they
bleed.

An excelkni Medicine for Shortnefi of Breathe

Take half an ounce of flour of brimftone^
a quarter of an ounce of beaten ginger, and
three quarters of an ounce of beaten fena,
and mix all together in four ounces of ho-
ney; take the bignefs of a nutrtieg night
and morning for five days together; then
once a week for fome time; then once a
fortnight.

To ct&e a piinpltd Face^ and fixjeelen tht
Blood,

Take fena one ounce, put it in a finall
none pot, and pour a quart or more of boil-
ing water on it; theta put as many prunes
as you can get in; cover with paper, and
fet in the oven with houfhold-bread ; and
take of this every day, one, two, three, or
m.ore of the prunes and liquor, according
:^s it operates ; continue this always, or at
ieaft half a year;

358 A NEW SYSTEM

To cure the Dropjy^ Rheujfiatifm^ Scurvy^ and
Cough of the Lungs.

Take EngUp orris-roots, fquills, ahd ele-
campane-roots, each one ounce, hyfTop and
hore-hound-leaves, each one handful, the
innet* rind of green elder and dwarf-elder,
of each one handful, fena one ounce and
half, agarick two drams, ginger one dram ;
cut the roots thin, and bruife the leaves,
and put them into two quarts of the beft
Lisbon wine ; let thefe boil an hour and half
on a gentle fire in an earthen mug, very
clofe ftopt with a cork, and ty'd down with
a bladder, that no air come to it, and fo fet
it in a large pot of boiling water ; fet it fo
that no water get into the mug, which mufl
hold three quarts, that all the ingredients
may have room to go in ; when it is almofl:
cold, ftrain it out very hard; you muft
fcrape the elder downwards; take this for
a week together if you can, and then mifs
a day ; and if that does not do, go on with
your other bottle of the fame ; take it in a
morning falling, ten fpoonfuls at a time,
without any pollet-drink ; it will both vomit
and purge you; it is an unpleafant tafte,
therefore take a lump of fugar after it;
■when it is quite cold, after it is flrain'd •if,
let it ftand in a flagon to fettle a night and a
day, then bottle it up clear and fine for ufe:
it is an admirable medicine.

To

OF HUSBANDRY. 359

To cure a Cancer,

Take a dram of the powder of crabs-claws
finely fearced, and made into pafte with da-
mafli-rofe-water, and dry'd in pellets of lo-
zenges; powder the lozenges as you ufe
them, and drink the powder in whey every
morning falling: if there be a fore, and ic
is raw, anoint it with a falve made of dock-
roots and frefh butter ; make a featon or ilTue
in the neck, keep a low diet ; keep from any
thing that is fait, four, or ftrong.

To cure the Joint-E'uiL

Take good (lore of elder-leaves, and di-
ftil them in a cold ftill ; let the perfon drink
every morning and evening half a pint of
this water, and walli the fores with it morn-
ing and evening, firfl warming it a little,
and lay frefh elder-leaves on the fores, and
in a little time you will find they will dry
up, but be fure to follow it exa61:ly ; it has
cured when all other remedies have failed.,

For the Green- Sic kne/s.

Take centaury the lefs, and wormwood
and rofemary-flowers, of each a handful,
gentian-root a dram, coriander-feeds two
drams; boil thefe in a quart of water, fweet-
en it with lyrup of fleel, and take four or
five fpoonfuls in the morning, and as much
in the afternoon. To

56o A NEW SYSTEM

To take off Freckles,

Take bean-flower- water, or elder-flowcrr
water, or May dew gather'd from corn^ of
either the quantity of four fpoonfuls, ai^d
add to it one fpoonful of oil of tartar very
jiew drawn ; mix it well together, and pftei}
y^alli the face with it; let it dry pn.

A Salve for a Sprain.

Take a quarter of a pound of virgin-wax,
a quarter of a pound of fr^nkincenfe, half
fi ponnd of burgamy-pitch ; melt them well
together, flirring them all the while till they
are malted; then give them a good boil, and
ftrain them into water; work it well into
rolls, and keep^t for ule; the more it i^

'Mk

work'd, the bett^lp is ; fpread it on leather.

To take out Spots of the Small-Pqx,

Take half an ounce of oil of tartar, and
as much oil of bitter almonds ; mix it toge-
ther, and with a fine rag daub it often oa
the face and hands, before the air has pene-
trated into the fkin or flefli.

A Receipt that curd a Gentleman ivho had (^
long time jpit Blood in a great ^jmntity^
and ivas iva/icd ivith a Coiifumption.

Take of hylTop-water, and of the pureft
honey, of each a pmt; of agrimony and

colt^-

OF HUSBANDRY. 361-

coltsfoot, of each a handful ; a fprlg of rue,
brown fugarcandy, liquorice flic'd, fliavings
of harts-horn, of each two ounces; anifeeds
bruifed one ounce, of figs fliced, and raifins
of the fun ftoned, of each four ounces : put
them all into a pipkin with a gallon of wa-
ter, and boil it gently over a moderate fire
till half is confumed; then fi:rain it, and
when it is cold, put it into bottles, being,
clofe ftopt : take four or five fpoonfuls every
morning, at four in the afternoon, and at
night, the laft thing: if you add frefh water
to the ingredients, after the firft liquor is
flrain'd off, you will htlve a pleafant drink,
to be ufed at any time when you are dry.

An infallible Cure for the s^^hping Confump^

tion, ^^f

Take half a pound of raifins of the fun
ftoned, a quarter of a pound of figs, a quar-
ter of a pound of honey, half an ounce of
Lucatellu's balfam, half an ounce of pow-
der of ileel, half an ounce of flour of ele-
campane, a grated nutmeg, one pound of
double refin'd fugar pounded ; flired, and
pound all thefe in a mortar ; pour into it a
pint of fallet-oil by degrees ; eat a bit of it
four times a day the bignefs of a nutmeg ;
every morning drink a glafs of old Malaga
fack, with the yolk of a new-laid cg^^ and
as much flour of brimftone as will lie upon
. Vol. 11. Z z a fix-

362 A NEW SYSTEM

a fix-pence ; the next morning as much flour
of elecampane, alternately ; and if this will
not cure you, the Lord have mercy upon
you.

For the Scurvy, ^

Take a pound of guaiacum-bark, and half
a pound of faflafras, and a quarter of a
^ pound of liquorice ; boil all thefe in three
quarts of water, till it comes to three pints;
and when it is cold, put it in a vefFel with
two gallons of ale : in three or four days ie
is fit to drink, and drink no other drink for
fix or twelve months, according to the vio-
lence of the diflemper; it will certainly
cure.

For Corns on the Feet,

Take the yeft of beer, (not of ale) and
rpread it on a linen rag, and apply it to the
part aflfeiSted ; renew it once a day for three
or four weeks ; it will cure.

For Chi/blanes, ivhen broke,

Roaft a turnip foft, beat it to mafh, and
apply it as hot as can be endur'd to the part
affeded ; let it lie on two or three days, and
repeat it two or three times.

For

OF HUSBANDRY. 363

For a Cough fettled on the Stomach,

Take half a pound of figs fliced, raifins
of the fun ftoned as nnany, and a (lick of
liquorice fcraped and fliced, a few anifeeds,
and fome hyfTop wafli'd clean j put all thefe
in a quart of fpring-water, boil it till it
comes to a pint ; then flrain it, and fweeten
it with white fugar-candy : take two or three
fpoonfuls morning and night, and when the
cough troubles you.

To give Eafe in a violent Fit oj the Stone.

Take a quart of milk, and two handfuls
of dry'd fage, a pennyworth of hemp feed,
one ounce of white fugar-candy, and one
ounce burdock feeds : Boil all thefe together
a quarter of an hour, and then put in half
a pint of rhenifti-wine. When the curd is
taken off, with the ingredient, put it in a
bag, and apply it to the grieved part; and
of the liquor drink a good glafs-full. Let
both be as hot as can be endured. If there
is not eafe the firft time, warm it again,
and ufe it. It feldom fails.

For the Strangury,

Take three fpoonfuls of the juice of cha-
momile in a fmall glafs of white-wine,
thrice a day, for three days together.

To

364 A NEW SYSTEM

To procure eafy Labour.

Take half a pound of figs, half a pound
of raifins of the fun fton'd, four ouncts of
liquorice fcrap'd and flic'd ; one fpoonful of
anifeeds bruifed ; boil all thefe in two quarts
of fpring-water, till one pint is wafled;
then drain it out, and drink a quarter of a
pint of it morning and evening fix weeks
before the time.

To procure fpeedy Delivery ivhen the Throivs
are gone.

Take half a dram of borax powder'd,
and mix'd with a glafs of white-wine, fome
fugar, and a little cinnamon-water: if it does
no good the firft time, try it again two hours
after, fo likewife the third time.

To bring the AJter-Blrth,

Give 30 or 2,^ drops of oil of juniper in
a good glafs of fack»

To prevent After^Pains.

Take half an ounce of large nutmegs,
and toaft them before the fire, and one
ounce of the beft cinnamon, and beat them
together; then mix it with the whites of
two eggs, beating it together in a porringer;
and take every morning in bed as much as

will

OF HUSBANDRY. 365

•will lie on the point of a knife, and foat
night J and drink after it the following
caudle :

Take a quarter of a pint of Alicant wine
or tent, a quarter of a pint of red rofe-wa-
ter, and a quarter of a pint of plantain-
water; mingle all three together, and beat
three new-laid eggs, yolks and whites, and
make a caudle of them; put into it two
ounces of double-refin'd fugar, a quarter of
an ounce of cinnamon; you mull boil the
cinnamon in the wine and water before the
eggs are in; and after all is mixed, put to
it half a dram of the powder of knot-grafs ;
take of this fix fpoonfuls morning and even-
ing after the electuary.

To Jlop Floodings,

Take the white of an egg, and beat it
well with four or five fpoonfuls of red rofe-
water, and drink it dW morning and night
nine mornings together; it has cured when
all other things have failed.

Let the party often take ifing-glafs boiled
or dilTolved in warm new milk, a pint at a
time.

A Piajler for a Weaknefs in the Back.

Take plantain, comfry, knot-grafs, fhep-
herd's-purfe, of each one handful; ftamp

them

366 A NEW SYSTEM

them fmall, and boil them in a pound of oil
of rofes, and a little vinegar ; when 'tis well
boiled, drain it, and fet it on the fire again,
and put to it four ounces of wax, one ounce
of chalk, bole-armoniac one ounce, and ter-
ja-figillata one ounce ; boil all well, keepiivg
it ftill ftirring ; then cool it, and make it in-
to rolls, and keep it for ufe; fpread it on
leather when you lay it to the back.

A Drink for the fame.

Take four roots of comfry, and of knot-
grafs and clary one handful, a fprig of rofe-
mary, a little galengal, a good quantity of
cinnamon and nutmeg fliced, the pith of the
chine of an ox. Stamp and boil all thefe in
a quart of mufcadine, then drain it, and
put in fix yolks of eggs ; fweetcn the caudle
to your tafte with double refin'd fugar, and
drink a good draught morning and evening.
Take of crocus m arris, and conferve of red
rofes mixed together, three or four times a
day.

For the Dyfentery or Bloody-Flux,

Take an iron ladle; anoint it with fine
wax; put into it glafs of antimony, what
you pleafe; fet it on a flow fire, without
flame, half an hour, ftill ftirring it with a '
fpatula; then pour it out on a clean linen

cloth,

OF HUSBANDRY. 367

cloth, and rub ofF all the wax. Grind it to
powder.

This is the receipt as I got it ; but I kept
it three quarters of an hour on the fire, and
coiled not rub off any wax. The dofe for a
boy of 7 or 8 years, 3 grains ; for a weak
adult, 5 grains ; for a ftrong woman, 1 2 or
14 grains; for a very ftrong man, 18 or 20
grains.

N. B. I never gave above 14 grains, and
in the making of it put about a dram of wax
to an ounce of the glafs. It fometimes vo-
mits, always purges, and feldom fails of
fuccefs. I always intermit one day at leaft
betwixt every dofe,

A good Purge.

Infufe an ounce of fena in a pint of wa-
ter, till half be confumed ; when 'tis cold,
add to it one ounce of fyrup of rofes, and
one ounce of fyrup of buckthorn ; mix chem
well together- this quantity makes two
ftrong purges for either man or woman, and
four for a child.

For the Green-Jicknefs,

Take an ounce of the filings of fteel, or
nifty iron beaten to powder, and mix it
with two ounces of the flour of brimftone ;
then mix it up into an eleduary with treacle;

the

368 A NEW SYSTEM

the party mufl take the quantity of a nut-
meg in the morning fading, and at four in
the afternoon, and continue it till cured.

For Cojlivenefs.

Take virgin-honey a quarter of a pound,
and mix it with as much cream of tartar as
will bring it to a pretty thick elecfluary, of
which take the bignefs of a walnut when you
pleafe ; and for } our breakfaft, eat water-
gruel with common mallows boil'd in it,
and a good piece of butter; the mallows
muft be chopt fmall, and eaten with the
gruel.

For the Hiccup,

Take three or four prelerv'd damfins in
your mouth at a time, and fwallow them by
degrees.

For the Cramp.
Take of rofemaiy-icciv..^, and chop thrni
very fmall, and few them in fine linen, and
make them into garters, tie the garters tight
below the knee, and wear them night and
day ; lay a down pillow on your legs in the
night.

N I S.

M fL State Colleftt

UBRARY.

Didtkm of Horticulture,

^-