mmonly sixteen or twenty bushels, an
acre of barley six-and-thirty bushels, of oats and such like four or five
quarters, which proportion is notwithstanding oft abated toward the north,
as it is oftentimes surmounted in the south. Of mixed corn, as peas and
beans, sown together, tares and oats (which they call bulmong), rye and
wheat (named miscelin), here is no place to speak, yet their yield is
nevertheless much after this proportion, as I have often marked. And yet
is not this our great foison comparable to that of hotter countries of the
main. But, of all that I ever read, the increase which Eldred Danus
writeth of in his _De imperie Judaeorum in AEthiopia_ surmounteth, where he
saith that in the field near to the Sabbatike river, called in old time
Gosan, the ground is so fertile that every grain of barley growing doth
yield an hundred kernels at the least unto the owner.

Of late years also we have found and taken up a great trade in planting of
hops, whereof our moory hitherto and unprofitable grounds do yield such
plenty and increase that there are few farmers or occupiers in the country
which have not gardens and hops growing of their own, and those far better
than do come from Flanders unto us. Certes the corruptions used by the
Flemings, and forgery daily practised in this kind of ware, gave us
occasion to plant them here at home; so that now we may spare and send
many over unto them. And this I know by experience, that some one man by
conversion of his moory grounds into hopyards, whereof before he had no
commodity, doth raise yearly by so little as twelve acres in compass two
hundred marks--all charges borne towards the maintenance of his family.
Which industry God continue! though some secret friends of Flemings let
not to exclaim against this commodity, as a spoil of wood, by reason of
the poles, which nevertheless after three years do also come to the fire,
and spare their other fuel.

The cattle which we breed are commonly such as for greatness of bone,
sweetness of flesh, and other benefits to be reaped by the same, give
place unto none other; as may appear first by our oxen, whose largeness,
height, weight, tallow, hides, and horns are such as none of any other
nation do commonly or may easily exceed them. Our sheep likewise, for good
taste of flesh, quantity of limbs, fineness of fleece, caused by their
hardness of pasturage and abundance of increase (for in many places they
bring forth two or three