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 at an
caning), give no place unto any, more than do our goats, who in like
sort do follow the same order, and our deer come not behind. As for
our conies, I have seen them so fat in some soils, especially about
Meall and Disnege, that the grease of one being weighed hath peised
very near six or seven ounces. All which benefits we first refer to
the grace and goodness of God, and next of all unto the bounty of our
soil, which he hath endued with so notable and commodious
fruitfulness.

But, as I mean to intreat of these things more largely hereafter, so
will I touch in this place one benefit which our nation wanteth, and
that is wine, the fault whereof is not in our soil, but the
negligence of our countrymen (especially of the south parts), who do
not inure the same to this commodity, and which by reason of long
discontinuance is now become inapt to bear any grapes almost for
pleasure and shadow, much less then the plain fields or several
vineyards for advantage and commodity. Yet of late time some have
essayed to deal for wine (as to your lordship also is right well
known). But sith that liquor, when it cometh to the drinking, hath
been found more hard than that which is brought from beyond the sea,
and the cost of planting and keeping thereof so chargeable that they
may buy it far better cheap from other countries, they hav