to which the leuell is fittest to be
drawne, and then plowing the ground all ouer with a great common plough,
by casting the furrowes downward, seeke to fill in and couer the lesser
hollownesses of the ground, that their may not any thing appeare but the
maine great hollowes, which with other earth which is free from stones,
grauell, or such like euils, you shall fill vp and make leuell with that
part where your marke standeth, and being so leuelled, forthwith draw
the plot of your Orchard: but if the ground be not onely vneuen but also
barraine, you shall then to euery loade of earth you carry to the
leuelling adde a loade of Manure, either Oxe Manure, or Horse Manure,
the rubbish of houses, or the clensings of olde ditches, or standing
pooles, and the earth will soone become fertill and perfect; but if the
ground be stonie, that is, full of great stones, as it is in Darbishire
about the Peake or East Mores, for small pibbles or small lime-stones
are not very much hurtfull, then you shall cause such stones to be digd
vp, and fill vp the places where they lay either with marle, or other
rich earth, which after it hath beene setled for a yeere or two you
shall then plough, and leuell it, and so frame forth the plot of your
Orchard. If the ground be onely a barraine sand, so that it wanteth
strength either to maintaine or bring forth, you shall then first digge
that earth into great trenches, at least foure foote deepe, and filling
them vp with Oxe Manure, mixe it with the sand, that it may change some
part of the colour thereof and then leuelling it fashion out your
Orchard. But lastly, and which is of all situations the worst, if you
haue no ground to plant your Orchard vpon, but such as either through
the neighbourhood of riuers, descent of Mountaines, or the earths owne
naturall quallitie in casting and vomiting out water and moysture, is
subiect to some small ouerflowes of water, by which you cannot attaine
to the pleasure you seeke, because fruit-trees can neuer indure the
corruption of waters, you shall then in the dryest season of the yeere,
after you haue marked out that square or quantitie of ground which you
intend for your Orchard, you shall then cast therein sundry ditches, at
least sixteene foote broad, and nine foote deepe, and not aboue twelue
foote betwixt ditch and ditch, vpon which reserued earth casting the
earth that you digged vp, you shall raise the banckes at least seauen
foote high of firme earth,