CHAP. I. Concerning the use of the Manuring-Rowler.

OF all Inventions for the easie and speedy Manuring of all sorts of Ground, there is none better or more usefull then the Manuring Rowler, being rightly and seasonably used: The best season for using thereof is in the Autumne and Winter, when the ground is wet and not dry or hard frozen: Also, when the Snow beginneth to melt and the frost to thaw, the manner how to use it, is to fill it with Dung and other soyle, or with good and fertile Earth, and then to draw it up and down in your field from one end to the other, untill all the manure be vented out of the same, and then againe to fill it, and use it after the same manner, untill you have used and spent all your dung, hereby one load of Dung will do more good and improve your Land more then 3, or 4. Load laid on the ground, and spread after the accustomed manner: Also, ground that is not worth xij.d. the Acre, may in few yeares be made to become worth xx.s. or xxx.s. the Acre.

These manuring Rowlers may be made of what bigness you please; for they may be made no bigger then for a man to drive or thrrust afore him, and also they may bee made so bigge as they may require one or two Horses to draw the same.

Now if the later end of the Autumne or Winter season prove dry, and the ground be too dry to Manure and improve the same then you may moysten and water the same, as is declared in the Chapter, Shewing how to water Ground in dry seasons where water is plentifull: And in moistening, or watering the same, be sure to moisten and water no more then you shall at that present manure well with your manuring Rowler, and water that well, and throughly that you would Manure.

Also, if you would Improve any barren Land speedily then you must bring in the best mould you can get, and spread the [Page 3]same all over so much of your barren Land as you desire to Im­prove, and after you have spread the same, then to fill your ma­nuring Rowlers with Dung or other good soyle, and manure the same when the ground is Wet as is before prescribed.

Also, it is very expedient to Plow up your barren ground, if you have not plenty of good Earth to lay upon it and to ma­nure it withall, and assoone as it is Plowed up, then to manure it with your manuring Rowler; And what you Plow up one day, you should Manure the day following.

CHAP. II. How to improve Barren Land not worth yearely xij.d. the Acre, and in make it become worth yearely xx.s. or xxx.s. the Acre.

ONe of the best and surest wayes to Improve any manner of barren Land both speedily and effectually is by ma­king long Furrowes, or Trenches, eyther with the Plow or Spade 12. or 18. Inches deepe, and 12. or 18. Inches wide: these furrows and trenches should be made along frō the South to the North, & distant some 14, 15, or 16. foot each furrow or trench from the other: these furrowes being thus made should be filled up with the best, and richest Earth or soyle that may be got neare to the said barren land; and after they are thus filled, then at the season of the yeare for Planting, then to plant Quicksets, and all other small Plants of divers kinds all along in the said Trenches and furrowes; or otherwise to set or sow Acornes, Nuts, Hawes, and the seeds of other Trees in the said Trenches and furrowes that it may grow up to a Hedge-row or hedge, and so to preserve them and let them grow.

Now in the Spaces between the said furrowes you may prac­tise severall points of Husbandry in manner following, as in one or 2, or 3. of the said Spaces between the said trenches or furrowes, if you would have Medow ground or Pasture; then when the ground is wet eyther with Raine or with Snow, [Page 4]you must manure the same with the manuring Barrow, or ma­nuring Rowler, they being filled with the richest or fattest Earth you can get untill the said Spaces become all mire and dirt; and after that bring the best greene Turffe you can get in Lanes, or along by Hedge-sides, from whence the same may be best spared into your said Barren ground, and spread the same all over the said spaces between the trenches covering the said barren ground therewith, that you would have to be good Me­dow or Pasture ground; and after that fill your manuring Row­ler with good mellow Dung and manure the said spaces there­with; In the Winter seasons and a little before the Spring, and so every Winter season when the said ground is moyst, and it will become good Medow or Pasture ground worth xx.s. or xxx.s. the Acre or more, and continue so for ever.

Also, you should have a great care that no Cattle that will Crop come into the said ground before your Quicksets and Hedge-rowes be growne out of danger; and therefore you must preserve the grasse for Hay, and in the Autumne, and Winter you may put in your Lambes, Calves, and Colts, and any other cat­tle that will not Crop, and it will breed them up very well and yeeld you profit enough.

Now in the other Spaces you may use & practise other points or kinds of Husbandry at your pleasure, that are or hereafter shall be published; for in some of them you may set and sow Beanes, and Pease after the same manner as is declared in the following Chapters. And in the other Spaces you may plant and set young Trees; In other spaces you may sow Roots, as Turneps, Carrets and such like, having manured, prepared and fitted the said ground and spaces for the said purposes.

And in other of the said Lands and spaces having moveable Folds made for the purpose to fold your Cattle in, you may fodder any Cattle you have in the said Lands, and improve it very much, and also improve your Cattle, by defending them from wind and weather in Cold seasons.

These moveable Folds are to be made of the lightest wood and boards as is to bee obtained, as of Elme, Maple, Sallow, Willow and such like; also, those that shall desire to see the same, or onely the Modell of them, or to have them made, if they shall resort to such places, whereto they shall be directed in this Booke; they may there see the same or bee furnished with them if they please.

CHAP. III. How to Improve any Barren Land not worth xij.d. the Acre.

ANother way to Improve any manner of barren Land both easily and speedily; Is first to make long Furrowes from the South to the North and fill them up with good rich and fertile Earth, as is declared in the former Chapter, and then to set Beanes or Pease in their season all along in the said fur­rowes; and then all along in the Space betweene the said fur­rowes to make Holes eyther with a good round Stake or crow of Jron about 10, or 12. Inches deepe, the wider the holes are the better; then fill up the said holes with the best Earth or mixed mould as is before declared for the Furrowes; and set Beanes or Pease in the said Holes.

Now after you have gathered your Beanes and Pease, you may let the Stalks and hames remaine and rot upon the ground, and then in the next wet Seasons ensuing, manure the said ground with the manuring Rowlers filled with Dung, or o­ther good Earth, or fertile mould, that may most easily bee had.

If your Barren ground be somewhat dry that you would ma­nure, then it will be worth your labour to naile or fasten all the course old Linnen or woollen Rags doubled or twisted to­gether you have or can have, round about on the out-side of [Page 6]your manuring Rowlers, and then powre water upon them when you manure your ground therewith, and also you must moysten eyther the Dung or the fertile Earth very much with water, when that you put it into the manuring Rowler to manure your Land therwith; and so when the Rags shall grow any thing dry to wet them well againe with water, by powring it upon them.

Also, it will be worth labour and very good to Manure your ground early in the Morning when the ground is very full of Dew, with the manuring Rowler.

The severall Benefits that will arise to all in the Nation will be many through the exercise of these points of Husbandry some whereof I will name; As first, all or most of the Poore in the Nation may be set on worke in one kind or other tho­row-out the Nation, to the great profit of the Owners of the barren Lands in the Nation; some being imployed in making Trenches, Pits and holes, others in filling them up with earth, and others in Planting, Sowing, and setting Plants, or Seeds, or other things as is prescribed.

Secondly, The maintenance of the Ministers and Gentry will be amended and increased.

Thirdly, The Marchants, Tradesmen, and Handicrafts-men, will gaine hereby; for all Trading will be increased.

Fourthly, the Customes, and other revenues due to the State will be increased.

CHAP. IV. Another way whereby Barren-fields may be improved.

FIrst, you may plow Furrowes from one end or side of your Field unto the other, and fill up the same with good fer­tile mould of Earth, if you desire to improve your Land by sowing or setting Beanes, Pease or any other kind of graine in Furrowes, and not by planting of Wood.

Also, you may Plow the said fields very well and so Har­row them, and then manure them with the manuring Rowler, [Page 7]and after plant and set Corne in the same; making holes with a Setting-stick made for that purpose, and putting in with your Seed fine small light mould that is sifted into the said holes, filling them up therewith.

And after when you have gathered your Crop, then in wet Seasons if the ground be wet manure the said Fields with your manuring Rowlers well filled with Dung, or other good soyle, and your said fields will be extraordinarily Improved, and made fertile.

CHAP. V. Another way to improve Barren Land not worth xij.d. the Acre.

ANother way to Improve any manner of barren Land, is by Digging many holes or small Pits one foot and a half deepe, and two foot square, and then to fill up the said Pits or holes with the best Earth or mould that is to be got neere unto the said barren Land, and then at the Season of the yeare that is best for Setting and Planting to set or plant such small Trees or Plants, as will agree best with the nature of the soyle there layd, and not too much different from the nature of the soyle of the said Climate, and indeed it will be very neces­sary to observe what Earth, or soyle will improve best the said Barren earth; For as Oake will grow and prosper best in Clay grounds, so Elmes will grow and prosper best in rich Sandie grounds and other Dry moulds, and other sorts of wood; In o­ther sorts of ground, as Willowes in wet grounds, and Ash, Maple, Beech; and indeed most sorts of Wood will grow in mixed moles and Loamy grounds.

Now then it is expedient that such Persons as will use these or the like wayes in Improving of these Barren grounds, doe Observe the natures of such barren ground as they desire to improve, as to observe whether it be wet Moorish grounds, or dry Sandy barren ground, or Chalkie, Gravelly, or Clay, or Loamie ground; for as there be rich Sandy grounds, so there [Page]are barren sandy grounds, and as there be rich Loamie, gravelly and Clay grounds, so there be barren loamy, gravelly and Clay grounds. Now if you make your Trenches or little Pits in dry barren Sandy ground, then to fill the said Pits and tren­ches with the richest Clay or loamy Earth you can get, & also to manure the said ground with the same, and if you make your said trenches and pits in wet or Moorish grounds, then to fill both the trenches and pits with the fattest Sand, or dryest rich mould well Chaulked, or you may put some Chalke into the said trenches or pits before the said Sand or Rich dry earth be layd in the same, and to manure the said wet ground with the like, spreading much Chalke or sand upon the said Moorish, or wet grounds. Now by this kind of Husbandry great profit will arise to the Owners of the said barren Land, and also to the Common-wealth and Nation; for hereby all sorts of Timber will become plentifull for all uses.

These holes and Pits may be made as neere together as the Planters shall please, for as the said Trees grow up and spread some may be Cut downe and taken away to the owners profit and others left to grow and spread, and alwaies when they shall want space to spread and grow then to fell and take away some more, leaving others to continue growing untill they shall be come to their full growth; Thus may barren ground that is not worth xij.d. the Acre, be made to bring in great profit, and be Improved from generation to generation, and in the end when all or most of the Trees be felled or taken away it will become and continue good Arable or Pasture ground for ever, if it be yearly Manured in its season as it ought, and may easily be done.