nds. You shall well
vnderstand, that it is the office of euery good Husbandman before he put
his plough into the earth, truly to consider the nature of his Grounds,
and which is of which quallitie and temper. To proceede then to our
purpose; all soyles what soeuer, in this our kingdome of England, are
reduced into two kindes onely, that is to say, Simple or Compound.
Simple, are those which haue no mixture with others of a contrary
quallitie, as are your stiffe clayes, or your loose sands: your stiffe
clayes are likewise diuers, as a blacke clay, a blew clay, and a clay
like vnto Marble. Your sands are also diuers, as a red sand, a white
sand, a yellow sand, and a sand like vnto dust. Your mixt earths are
where any of these clayes and sands are equally or vnindifferently mixed
together, as shalbe at large declared hereafter. Now as touching the
tilling of your simple clayes, it is to be noted, that the blacke clay,
of all earth, is the most fruitfull, and demandeth from the Husbandman
the least toyle, yet bringeth forth his increase in the greatest
abundance: it will well and sufficiently bring forth three crops, eare
it desire rest: namely, the first of Barly, the second of Pease, and the
third of Wheate: It doth not desire much Manure, for it is naturally of
it selfe so fat, rich, and fruitfull, that if you adde strength vnto his
strength, by heaping Manure or Compasse thereupon, you make it either
blast, and mildew the Corne that growes, with the too much fatnesse of
the earth, or else through his extreame rankenesse, to bring it vp in
such abundance that it is not able to stand vpright when it is shot vp,
but falling downe flat to the ground, and the eares of Corne smothering
one another, they bring forth nothing but light Corne, like an emptie
huske, without a kirnell. The best Manure or Compasse therefore that you
can giue such ground, is then to plow it in orderly and dew seasons, as
thus: you shall begin to fallow, or breake vp this soyle, at the
beginning of May, at which time you shall plow it deepe, & take vp a
large furrow, and if your Lands lye any thing flat, it shalbe meete that
you begin on the ridge of the land, and turne all your furrowes vpward,
but if your Lands lye high and vpright, then shall you begin in the
furrow and turne all your furrowes downeward, which is called of
Husbandmen, the casting downe of Land. This first plowing of ground, or
as Husbandmen tearme it, the first ardor, is called fallo