(Elif p. ^. pii pbrarg 
 
 SPtClAL COLLtCTIOfiS 
 
 •0509 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
THIS BOOK MUST NOT BE TAKEN 
 FROM THE LIBRARY BUILDING. 
 
 20M/5-79 
 
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 ANEW SYSTEM 
 
 HUSBANDRY, 
 
 From many Years Experience, 
 
 WITH TABLES SHEWING THE 
 
 Expence and Profit of each Crop; 
 
 That a Farm of a I50^cres will clear 402!, 4s, fterj, a Yeac 
 How to ftock Farms to the bei Advantage, How the 
 
 C^CPS are to follow each other by Way of Rotation, 
 
 Of Trench-Ploughing, fliewiog how to raif; good Crops 
 
 WITHOUT MANURE 
 
 0.1 Rearing, Breeding, and a new difcovered 
 
 CHEAP FOOD FOR CATTLE, 
 
 Of Cabbage and Turnip Hufbandry 
 Of the Naked Wheat, with many othei- lsw difcovered 
 
 Grains and Graffes fuitable for the Land 
 and Climate of America. 
 
 Alfo (hewing the great profit of Rabbit Warrens, and 
 how to Uock tl\8ro, 
 
 A Farmer's and Kitchen Garden Calendar 
 Of all Sorts of Manures. Marls^ Claysj Sands, &c, 
 ANEW INDENTED THRASHING FLOOlt 
 
 Alfo many chofen RECEIPTS in PhyJJc and Surgtry^ 
 
 For the Human Species, 
 
 and others 
 
 For the Cure 'of all forts of Cattle. 
 
 To which are annexed a few Hints humbly offered for the 
 perufal of the Legiflatorj of America, fliewing 
 
 How to put^fto p to runaway S ervants 
 " '"By C^ V^A R L O, Efq, 
 
 VOLUME lU 
 
 PHIL A D EL PHIA: Printed for the Author. 1785, 
 [Prus 3 dsllars in Icardi or 3 and a haf bo.nd. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 V^ HAP. I The management of white 
 Max. Page ■^ 
 
 2 The pulling, watering and ma- 
 nagement of flax feed, kc, 12 
 
 3 Diredions for the management 
 of black or bunch rate flax, bzc. i ^ 
 
 4 DirecfHons how to manage dew 
 rate flax, he, 10 
 
 5 Directions for breaking &c fwing- 
 ling flax without fire. 2 2 
 
 6 Obfervations on flax-feed &:c. 26 
 
 7 Diredions for making French 
 fieves, and their ufe. ^ r 
 
 8 On winter flax. ^y 
 
 9 On flax among potatoes. 41 
 
 10 The management of white flax, 
 in pulling, watering, grafling, &cc. 4; 
 
 1 1 An Addrefs to the different Le- 
 ^iflatures of America, &cc. " 48 
 
 1 2 A few hints humbly offered for 
 the perufal of the Legiflatures of America, 
 on a general act of Congrefs to prevent 
 run-away fervants, rr 
 
 1,3 A few hints humbly offered for 
 the perufal of the Legiflature of America, 
 relating to a dog ad, &:c. 5^^ 
 
 14 Upon limiting the fizc of 
 farms. - 5 j 
 
 J>50'\ Chap. 
 
 HV\ 27471' 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 ^Pagc 
 
 Chap. 15 On the great advantage tliat might 
 
 accrue from rabbit warrens, ix:c. 77 
 
 16 How to fct potatoes in drills with 
 the plough. Xz 
 
 1 7 Remarks on fetting potatoes with 
 the plough. S6 
 
 18 Remarks and lUuflrations on the 
 foregoing table on potatoes, 5cc. 90 
 
 1 9 On ferting potatoes as in Ireland 
 on ridges by trenching. 92 
 
 20 On different ibrts potatoes 97 
 21. The management and ufe of" 
 
 vetches. ici 
 
 22 Explanation and nature of dif- 
 ferent fbrts of puKc, &CC, 106 
 
 23 On the ditierent management of 
 clover, 6cc. iio 
 
 24. On cattle hoved by clover, and 
 its cure. 119 
 
 25 Remarks on clover. 126 
 
 26 On lucerne, its perfection and 
 management : alfa the method of drilling 
 with the common plough, inc. 12S 
 
 27 The moft fuitablc lands r.nd cli- 
 mate for lucerne, 6cc. 13^ 
 
 2S How to manage faintfoin, which 
 fuits America. ' 139 
 
 29 On rye grafs, its perfediion and 
 maniigement. 14^ 
 
 Chap 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chap. 30 The perfe^lion and management 
 
 of Burnet. Page 150 
 
 31 On manuring land. 154 
 
 3 2 On manures in general 157 
 
 ;^^ On the compound manure. 166 
 
 34 On liquid manure. 169 
 
 3 5 On clay and fand : (hewing how, 
 
 when mixed together, they operate to 
 
 make ^ood foil, bcc. 173 
 
 j6 On clay, fand and marl 18 1 
 
 3 7 On the weakell and woril of all 
 fands. Sec. 1S5 
 
 38 On different forts of grafs and 
 puUe, Sec. 193 
 
 ^g The management, &cc. of the 
 white and blue boiling pea. 199 
 
 40 The management and perfedion 
 of the grey field pea 202 
 
 41 Directions for the plowing, fow- 
 ing and management of buck-wheat, 
 thro' all its variations. 205 
 
 4 2 Directions how to raife rape and 
 cole-feed. Sec. 208 
 
 43 Dire(^lions for making a new m- 
 vented thrafhing floor. 221 
 
 44 The management of tobacco 224 
 
 45 The management of ind ian 
 corn. 228 
 
 46 General direcftions for ploughing 
 fowing, harrowing and mowing, or har- 
 I'cfting barley. 23 1 
 
 Chap. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chap. 47 On mowing and harvefling Tpiing 
 corn. P^ge 234 
 
 48 Five forts of barley 239 
 
 49 Different forts of Jand for bar- 
 ley. 244 
 
 50 The management of rye, both 
 for winter-feeding and a feed corp 246 
 
 51 Remarks and illiiflrations on 
 rye 249 
 
 52 Diredions for ploughing, fow- 
 ing and harvefling oats 253 
 
 ^3 Explanation of fix different forts 
 
 of oats. 256 
 
 54 The white vetch. 262 
 
 ^^5 The Siberian or naked wheat 263 
 
 56 A dialouge between a Farmer 
 and the Author 269 
 
 57 A few remarks made in the 
 Weft of England. 274 
 
 ^8 On thin fowing, bcc. 2^1 
 
 The gardeners calender, for work to be 
 done round the year in the kitchen- 
 garden 284 
 
 59 Preface to the appendix 310 
 
 60 Nature of the foil, and price of 
 the land, with many other interefting 
 ilibjeas, neccflary for a farmer to know 
 through Ireland. 3 13 
 
 Chap, 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chap, 6 1 Trenching land near Glafgow 
 with fpades P^g^ 3 42 
 
 62 The price of labour and viduals 
 in the feveral counties of Ireland, in or- 
 der to give an idea of the different flate of 
 the two kingdoms 345 
 
 6;^ Some approved receipts in phy- 
 fic and furgery, by the moft able men of 
 the faculty in England. 352 
 
NEW SYSTEM 
 
 O F 
 
 HUSBANDRY. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 'The management of White Flax, 
 
 AMONG the flax growers the word 
 white flax fignifies when the flax is 
 pulled before the feed is quite ripe, by which 
 the oil is flopped of circulation, and remains 
 in the fkin inilead of reaching to the feed to 
 ripen it. 
 
 The intent of watering or rating, flax, is to 
 rot the ftalks, in order to make it part free- 
 ly from the Ikin, when drelTed : as alfo to 
 foften, purge, andclcanfe, or difcharge any 
 unkind harlh matter from it ; but the oil be- 
 i^g fo ftagnated, preferves the flax from rot- 
 ' Vol.11. B ting 
 
 ILCSUiUiMUgt 
 
5 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ting in any reafonablc time, not letting the 
 water have the power over it, as it has over 
 a poor fubftance: were it poffible to extract 
 all the oily fubflance frDm the flax, it would 
 be left as poor as the ftalk whereon it grows, 
 confequently would rot in the fame time, 
 and be rendered as ufelefs. 
 
 This confirms my opinion, that the lefs 
 quantity of water the flax is rated in, the 
 better, filkicr, and ftronger it is made by the 
 oily fubllance whicl! is permitted to remain 
 therein ; for the beft particles gather and 
 cling to the ftrongefl body, (being the flax) 
 which makes it weigh heavy, adds to the 
 llrength, and makes it of a kind, foft, filky 
 nature. 
 
 I am confident, were a parcel of flax kcd 
 thrown into one of thefe pits, for fome con- 
 fiderable time before the flax was put in, fo 
 that it might have time to incorporate with 
 the water, it would have a happy €fFe(^, and 
 confiderably add to the goodncfi of the flax. 
 I do not fay that it would be worth v»'hile to 
 do this, further than byway of experiment 
 and proof. 
 
 I have thrown chaff", that has had fome 
 light feed amongft ic into a pit, and found 
 it to be of fervice. 
 
 An old pit that has had flax watered 
 in it feveral years, is far better than a new 
 
 made 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 7 
 
 m^ide pit; and one that has had white flax 
 with the feed on, watered in it, is better than 
 one that has been uled for bunch rate, of 
 flax that has had the feed taken off, only 
 that it turns it a dark blue colour, which by 
 the bye is better than a bad white. All this 
 I have feen experienced by others, as well 
 as myfelf. 
 
 Now feeing it is fo abfolutely necefTary for 
 the good of the flax to prelerve this oily kind 
 nature in it, in order to keep it from rotting 
 and make it kind, foft and filky, what a piece 
 of abfurdity it is to drive it out by drying it 
 over the fire, as is univerfally pradiifed in 
 Ireland ; and indeed by fome unfkiiful farm- 
 ers in England too, where they are flrangers 
 to the true method. 
 
 In fhort, it is rendered harfh and brittle, 
 fo that it lofes confiderably in its real weight 
 and goodnefs, and thereby lofes in its value. 
 
 In order to be convinced of this, weigh as 
 many flieaves as will (when broken and 
 fwingled) make two flone; one half of which 
 dry over the fire, the other half drefs with- 
 out, and it will be found that when both 
 are drefl'ed, the difference in weight will be 
 from a pound and a half to two pounds ; 
 a great lofs in fo fmall a quantity of flax. 
 
 The experienced flax-farmers are fo fenfi* 
 ble of the real evils tiiat attend drying it, 
 
 that 
 
S A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 tSat they will not fuffer theirs even to be 
 dried in the fun. It is true, when it is 
 taken up off the grafs, it is dry, though in- 
 deed fome chufe to take it up in an evening, 
 when the dew is falling. 
 
 No one that is not neceffitated will offer 
 to drefs any flax, till it gets a fweat in the 
 mow or (lack, which adds to its foft filky 
 na^"ure, as well as wei^^ht; and after this 
 f^^'cat, it IS never fuffcrcd to be (as above) 
 dried in any cale. 
 
 Bnt then we are to confider that the Eng- 
 lilli flax farmers are true judges in rating 
 their flax ; which if not done properly, it is 
 hard to be drelTed well, even with fire, and 
 much more without. 
 
 There are alfo other kinds of tools to 
 break and fwingle it with than any in Ire- 
 land. The quantities that are raifed in 
 fome parts of England and Holland, could 
 never be manufactured in fuch a paltry man- 
 ner. Were lire of no real damage to it, it 
 would add fo much trouble and expence of 
 drying, Sec. to a farmer's other bufinefs, 
 that it could never be duly attended to. 
 
 One acre managed in the Irilh manner, 
 would give as much trouble as an hundred 
 would in the right method : for when it is 
 once in the barn, it is fcarce of fo much 
 trouble as corn, having no more to do tlian 
 
 te 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 9 
 
 %e agree with men to work it ; and this is 
 moftlya let price, except it milTes of a good 
 rate (which may fometimes, though rarely 
 happen,) or if the flax be very Ihort ; in 
 this cafe there is a conlideration of a higher 
 price. 
 
 The common rate for drefling white flax 
 is fourteen pence a ftone, for breaking and 
 iwingling; and fixteen pence for feed or 
 bunch rate. 
 
 High or low wages vary according to the 
 clevernefs of the workman, from the differ- 
 ence of a fliilling to three in a day; for there 
 are leveral degrees of workmen ; a good 
 workman is as well known through the flax 
 countries of England and Holland, asajuf- 
 tice of the peace, or fheriff'in an Irifli coun- 
 
 It is neceflary that a farmer look over his 
 fwinglers fometimes, to fee that they make 
 Ro wafte; as alfo that they drefs it clean, 
 for on this his fuccefs and fale in the market 
 depends. 
 
 Some workmen will make the fame flax 
 fell higher than others by fix pence or eight 
 pence a ftone, and all the flax buyers know 
 the good workmen by the lapping or making 
 up of the flax. 
 
 A good workman is feldom made if he 
 does not learn when young. It is far eafier 
 
 to 
 
JO A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 to make a good hackler than a good fwing- 
 ler, though the former is a trade of appren- 
 ticeship, and the latter is not. 
 
 The fwinglcr generally has a pair of 
 fcale$ by him, and weighs tlie flax as he 
 drefles it, then takes it into his mailer who 
 fcldom weighs it, till he gets two or three 
 packs together, to take to the market. 
 
 A great deal depends on giving flax a 
 |;ood even colour for fetching a good price 
 in the market. Let the colour be what it 
 will it ought to be of one fort ; not to be 
 flriped or fpotted with black and white, or 
 green and white, grey and blue, or green 
 and yellow, he. 
 
 The misfortune of thefe mixed colours is 
 got before it goes into the water, particu- 
 larly if it be leed flax of any kind ; for the 
 prevention of which, I ordered feed flax, 
 in imitation of white, to be flacked with 
 the feed end outwards ; this prevents the 
 outfides of the fheaves from being weather- 
 beaten, which will turn them black or grey, 
 fo that it will always be of a quite different 
 colour, from the infide of the fheaf, but 
 the feed being outwards, can take no da- 
 mage, but will ripen or dry much the fafler 
 for it. 
 
 If the bunch-rate flax get a mixed colour 
 it is for want of fpreading even and clear 
 
 of 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, it 
 
 of lumps after the pullers. The fame evil 
 the due-rate is fubjed to, if not properly 
 fpread ; but it may happen to white flax two 
 or three ways. 
 
 Firft when it is pulled, if it ftand too long 
 to dry before it is put into the pit. 
 
 Secondly, if it be not well and clofc x:o- 
 vered in the pit with fods, and duly trod. 
 
 Thirdly, if it be not Ipread even and 
 clear of lumps in the time of grafling. 
 
 All thefe cautions a farmer ought to be 
 armed with, if he means to bring this valu- 
 able branch to its full perfe(ftion. 
 
 CHA.P, 
 
le A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. n. 
 
 l^he Pullingy Watering and Management 
 of Seed Flax, in Imitation of the White. 
 
 TH E feed flax mufl ftand about three 
 weeks longer than the white. It will 
 (hew itfelf to be ripe by the leaves fading and 
 falling off, and the boles turning brown; 
 but beware of letting it ftand till the feed in 
 the bole turns brown ; for if you do, the feed 
 will be nothing better, and the flax a great 
 deal worfe. It is a great miftake to let the 
 feed flax be over ripe. 
 
 Obferve the fame directions in pulling the 
 feed flax as for white, only make the flieaves 
 a little larger; fet them up in a propping 
 manner, three leaning to each other. In 
 three or four days after if the weather per- 
 mits, make them into fmall field flacks, no 
 larger than you can reach without getting 
 upon them. 
 
 Make them like corn flacks, only with 
 this difference, that the feed ends mufl: be 
 outwards, in order to dry the fooner, and 
 keep the fl.alks from being weather beaten. 
 
 •Thus 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 13 
 
 Thus let them fland about a week, and 
 then make them over again, by which 
 means the top of the ftack will become the 
 bottom. Lay a httle weeds, or the under 
 growth of flax on the top of the ftack, in 
 oirder to make it caft the rain, and keep the 
 upper fheaves from the fun and weather. 
 
 A few fheaves turned brown or grey, 
 would fpoil a great parcel in the beauty of 
 its colour, for let the colour be of what fort 
 it will it ought to be even, or elfe it will not 
 bleach even when in cloth, which is impoffi- 
 ble to accompli fh without great care before 
 it goes into the water. 
 
 Let the ftack ftand, after it is turned, a- 
 bout ten days; after which take it into the 
 barn, and ripple the feed off with rippling 
 combs. 
 
 Being thus rippled, t}^c it up in fmall 
 Iheaves, and v/ater it in the fame manner as 
 dire(ffed for white flax ; alfo obferve the 
 fame directions to know when it is rightly 
 rated and grafted ; in fhort, rate it in every 
 cafe as direc^led for white flax. 
 
 As to the feed, it m.ay lie in the chaft" or 
 boles all v^inter, till it is wanted in fpring; 
 at which time riddle it firft through a wide 
 riddle, in order to take out all the long ftraws, 
 pulfe, &cc. 
 
 Vol. 11. C This 
 
14 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 This fione, take it to the niill r.nd fhcll it 
 as you woulJ oats. This is a ready way of 
 taking tlic feed out wirhout wafle; and on 
 the llicliing it may be winnowed at the mill 
 wit}i(;ut the trouble of taking the dirt back. 
 
 1 ihall fparc m) feif the trouble of giving 
 any directions about winnowing, as moll 
 people arc pcrfed in that art; as it is win- 
 nowed in the fame manner as corn, faving 
 only as to the fieves, which muil be fuited 
 to the fize of the feed. 
 
 And now, gentle reader, pler.fe to ac- 
 company me once more to tl.c held of pul- 
 hng, and I will Ihew you another, and a 
 more general way ofraifmg feed-flax, which 
 is in imitation of black or bio Dutch: but 
 in truth I have fecn and reared belter and 
 higher priced by the following management 
 than ever I faw come from Holland. 
 
 Obferve that the feed flax of all forts muft 
 Hand till it comes to the fame degree of.ipe- 
 nefs before it is pulled. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 DireSiioJis for the Management of Black or 
 Bunch-Rate Flax, in Lnhaiion of Bh or 
 Black Dutch, and to five the Seed in 
 perfe5fion. 
 
 HEN you begin to pull the buncli- 
 rate flax, arrange your pullers all 
 in a row, at one tide of the iielcl; lee every 
 puller take about two yards broad, and lead 
 on at about the fame dillance before one an- 
 other. 
 
 Spread the flax after them thin and even, 
 with the tops ail one way, as white flax is 
 fpread on the grafs when it cornes out of 
 the pit. Take care that the firH puller lavs 
 his row flraight, that it may be a ^uidc to 
 all the relt ; as one crooked row will diior- 
 derthe whole field, and give double trouble 
 both in turning and gathering it up. 
 
 Vvhea 
 
i6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 When pulled and thus fpread, let it lie 
 till it gets a grey colour, which will be in 
 three or four days, particularly if there be 
 heavy dews or rainy weather; but if not it 
 will take a longer ti.ne. 
 
 Turn it with turning rods, as directed for 
 white flax, that both fides may get a grey 
 colour alike. By this means the feed will 
 be pretty ralh, therefore handle it gently, 
 that the boles do not lliake off in gathering 
 and binding; in which there will be the lels 
 danger, if you make \zvgc iheaves as there 
 will be lefs outfides. 
 
 Hereupon take it home and beat out the 
 feed with beaters for that purpofe, made of 
 a piece of wood twelve inches long, two 
 thick and fix broad, and in this fix a handful 
 floping-wife. 
 
 When you begin to beat out the feed, 
 fpread two rows of flax on the barn floor 
 with the feed-ends to meet. Then beat 
 out the feed with your beaters ; but obfei^ve 
 that you let the beater fall level or true on 
 the flax, or elfe it will break the handle : — 
 there is fome art required in giving a good 
 l\roke with the beater. 
 
 Tie the iheaves up with two bands, one 
 at each end, and lay one half of the fheaf 
 v/ith the tops to the roots of the other half. 
 Make the Iheaves as large as a middle fized 
 wheat fheaf. Being 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 17 
 
 Being thus prepared, take it to the water; 
 but this muft not be funk with fods, or any 
 other weight, but muft fwim upon the lur- 
 face of the water, lying in rows, each {heaf 
 clofe to another. It is beft to put it in pits 
 that have been watered in, as it will have a 
 finer blue colour. 
 
 It muft be turned every fecond day; 
 which is ealily done with a long fork, hav- 
 ing about two inches of the points of the 
 grains bent, in the likenefs and nature of a 
 muck-drag. 
 
 For its being well watered, obferve the 
 directions as for white flax ; with this addi- 
 tion only, that it will fink under the furface 
 of the water when it is about enough rated, 
 but not to the bottom of the pit. If it 
 fhould be left till it fmks to the bottom, 
 there is great danger of its being over done, 
 or in plain terms rotten. 
 
 Thefe are known fac^s amongft the flax- 
 farmers ; but for what reafon nature thus 
 varies her operations, few trouble their 
 heads to philolophize about the matter. 
 
 Were a curious perion, however, to at- 
 tend the flax throughout the proceis of its 
 rating, he might infer a great deal from its 
 rifing and falling in the pit , its lofing and re- 
 gaining its fpirits, kc. 
 
 * Being 
 
rS A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Being thus duly watered, take it out and 
 let it lie on the pit iide all night to drip ; 
 then take it to the ground intended to d-.-y 
 it on ; but it mull not be fprcad Hat but kt 
 up almoft like a fugar-loaf, the Iheaves be- 
 ing in two parts, that is the heads each way; 
 it will eaiily part in the middle, one-halt* 
 of which is enough tor a ricklc ; take it by 
 the top and fpread it round you, giving the 
 root. end a good fplay, lo that the wind will 
 not calily throw it down ; prefs tlie tops 
 clofe together, fo that as I have obfervcd it 
 may rcfemble a fugar-loaf, ftanding fo thin 
 and open, that it will foon dry ; but howe- 
 ver, it will be the better to get a little rain 
 before it is bound up in order to walh the 
 dirt and (limy fubflance off. 
 
 The boles of this flax will be well broke 
 by the beater as above diredcd, fo that there 
 will be no more to do than to winnow them 
 and there is no doubt of the feed being very 
 good. 
 
 I have known fuch bunch-rate flax to fell 
 in the rough in Snaith-market, Yorklhirc, 
 at fixty-lour Ihillings the hundred v/eight, 
 and the feed from it, as good as any foreign 
 if ed whatever. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBAND P. Y. i^ 
 
 C H A ?. IV. 
 
 DireBions how to Manage Dew Rate Flax, 
 with or without the Seed on. 
 
 O M E fet up their dew-rate flax in 
 ftooks after pulling to dry like corn, 
 letting it Hand perhaps three weeks or a 
 month. 
 
 This is a bad way ; for {landing in the 
 flook fo long in order to dry the feed, ten- 
 der the cutfide^ of the flieaves to luch a de- 
 gree, that they will not take fo much rating 
 as the infide, and wil' therefore be undoubt- 
 edly rotten before the iniide is enough 
 rated. 
 
 The bed way is to fpread il after the pull- 
 -crs, as direded for bunch-rate flax in the 
 following manner, viz. 
 
 Arrange your pullers at one fide of the 
 field, and let them fpread the flax thin and 
 even after them with the tops all one way; 
 if there be rain, the upper part will be well 
 
 rated 
 
to A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 rated in five or fix days ; but in this cafe cir- 
 cumftances alter greatly, according to the 
 various forts of weather that may happen j 
 therefore a farmer muil be circumfpe(^l:, 
 and rub a few ftalks at the uper part of the 
 row between his tinger and thumb, and if 
 they break and part freely from the fl<.in or 
 bait, he may then turn it with turning rods 
 and let it lie till he finds both fides to be 
 rated and coloured alike. 
 
 But if the flax be not fpread upon the 
 grafs very even and thin, but lie thick and 
 in lumps, the inlide will be green or yellow, 
 jnd not in any degree equally rated to the 
 outfide, therefore it will be irrecoverably 
 fpoiled. 
 
 If the flax be not enough rated bv the a- 
 bove method, or that you dare not truil it 
 on the grafs, fo to be, (for fear of fliedding 
 the feed) then about the tiril of March, 
 when the feed is off, fpread it on the grafs 
 again thin and even, and manage it the fame 
 way in graffing as white Bax ; alfo obferv* 
 tMe fame tokens for its being well gralTed. 
 
 I have had flax well dew rated, with thr 
 feed on, by tpreading it after the pullers as 
 above, without any more trouble ; fo that 
 it breaked and fwingled, and in fhort anfwer- 
 cd well every way ; but I never knew it done 
 by any one but myfelf ; and indeed, I never 
 
 ordered 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 21 
 
 ordered any thus but one year^ in which, I 
 had twenty-fevcn acres rated in tJie above 
 manner; however, it is to be noted^ that 
 it was coarfe bunned fiax, which made it 
 the eafieil: managed thus. For it is neceila- 
 ry it Ihould be ib : and it requires a good 
 look out, lellit Ihedthe Teedby lying too long 
 on the grafs, or getting too much llavery 
 under the weather. 
 
 When it is enough rated, take it home 
 for working. It mull he breaked and fwing- 
 led as other fiax. 
 
 The feed of this dew-rate fiax is undoubt- 
 edly very good, and there is alfo lefs trou- 
 ble attends the flax ; but it is not fo good in 
 quality, neither do I think it yields fo well. 
 Indeed it is fcarce ever done, but in a coun- 
 try that has net' the conveniency of water. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Vol. 11. D 
 
22 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 r>ire6lion! for Breaking and Swingling Flax 
 without Fire. 
 
 AS I have reminded my reader to take 
 great care that his tops of flax be 
 kept all one way, and the roots even, it is 
 to be hoped that my former caution may 
 prove fufficient; if not it will occafion the 
 more labour to the breaker ; for it muft be 
 very even at the roots, before it be put in 
 the breaker's hands, or he can never make 
 good work. 
 
 Wherefore, when he begins to break, let 
 him take a Iheaf, and flacken the band, but 
 not loofe it quire ; then chop the root end on 
 the ground ; this done, pull all the loofe 
 rubbilh it has gathered from it; then take a 
 little more than he can hold in one hand and 
 again jump it even at the root ; take hold as 
 near the top as poflible, fo as to hold it fall ; 
 
 then 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 23 
 
 then take a little of the top from under the 
 hand, bring it round the flax, and lap it 
 round his thumb, by which he may hold it 
 fafter than if he had no more than his fing- 
 ers could meet about ; bend it two or three 
 times backwards and forwards, fo as to make 
 it fupple clofe to the hand ; put it into the 
 brakes, keep it thin fpread in them, and as 
 he works it turn it often. 
 
 When the root is breakcd, let him ftrokc 
 it fmooth, and pull the end ; then break the 
 top-end, and the root end again. 
 
 Being thus breaked, let him begin to 
 fvvingle, holding it in the nick of the fwin- 
 gle ftock, with the left hand, and the fwin- 
 gle-hand in the right, let him always hit the 
 top of the ftock above the nick, and it will 
 glance down paft the nick with full force 
 through the flax. 
 
 When the root-end is fwingled once over, 
 hackle the top-end with the foot-hackle, to 
 take out the rough row and fhoves which 
 are hard to fetch out effedually with the 
 fvvingle-hand alone. 
 
 When the flax is good and rightly water- 
 ed, it is eafily worked ; three times going 
 over with the fvvingle-hand will be fuflici- 
 ent to clean it from fhoves. 
 
 If it be rightly fwingled by a good work- 
 man, it will be quite clear of tow to all ap- 
 pearance, 
 
24 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 pcnrancc, before it goes into the hackle ; fo 
 that it will be cafy to count every harl in it; 
 and the root will be as even as a pound of 
 candles, and look asgloffy after the fwinglc- 
 hand, as ir does after the hackle. 
 
 When we fee a parcel of flax drefl'ed to 
 this perfcdion in Ireland, that will fetch, in 
 the rough, froni fixty-eight to feventy Ihil- 
 lings per hundred, we may venture to pro- 
 nounce that the moft eiTential part of this 
 noble branch, which ought to be the firft 
 introduced, has at lail found its way into 
 that kingdom. 
 
 But though I have given rules as above 
 for a fwinglcr, I am certain it is impofiible 
 to make a workman without occular demonf- 
 tration. 
 
 It is true, if a learner had an old work- 
 man to look at two or three days, thefe di- 
 rections would be of great ufc to facilitate 
 his inftrucl:ions. 
 
 Wlialevcr you do, beware not to dry flax 
 with the fire, or even the fun, after it gets 
 a fweat in the mow ; for if you do, it will 
 certainly reduce both the value and weight, 
 m.aking it light, furzy and brittle. 
 
 I have 
 n. C Stale CoIkf« 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 45 
 
 I have often been told by the Irifh, that 
 they thought it impoffible to drefs flax with- 
 out fire ; and on the other hand, when I 
 have told the Engliih that the Irifh dried 
 their flax with fire, they wondered as much, 
 thinking them very ignorant for fo doing. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
t6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 
 Obfervations on flax-fee d, of its being worn 
 out or tired, and how to refrefi it, &c» 
 
 FLAX-fecd is a very deceitful grain, 
 for though it may look well to the 
 eye, yet it may not be worth a penny a cart- 
 load for fowing. Indeed if it be of a good 
 quality, it is not worfe for looking well, by 
 being clean and bright, &cc. 
 
 The flax-larmcrs are as much on their 
 honor in fupporting the characfier of their 
 feed, as that of their ho fcs ; nay more fo ; 
 for it IS impoflible for a perfon to fell a par- 
 cel of feed at any price, if he is not known 
 to be in a good breed, (as they call it) and 
 he mu I be well known to be a man of good 
 charader, and his feed well vouched. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. £7 
 
 It is incredible to tell the difference there 
 is in flax-feed ; which I have feen proved 
 more than once. An inllance or two 1 beg 
 leave to mention, viz. 
 
 A farmer of my acquai^itance lived about 
 twenty miles from the flax-country, and 
 though no farther off, yet he was quite a 
 flranger to the branch, but as he was a pufli- 
 ing fcheming man, he made a journey over 
 to the moft famous part in England lor flax. 
 He ftaid a few days among the fanners ; and 
 as he was a fenfible man, without doubt 
 retu. n^d as well intruded as the nature of 
 fuch a journey would admit. 
 
 Upon which he ploughed up twenty acres 
 of good old lay land, and fowed it with flax- 
 feed, which he bought at an oil-mill, and 
 which, he faid looked very well, being 
 large, bright and clean ; it grew very vigor- 
 oully till it was about fourteen inches long, 
 whereupon it made a full flop, began to 
 blolfom, and never got to be half a yard in 
 length. He was greatly furpriled at fuch a 
 dilappointmcnt ; and as the land was good 
 could not unriddle the myftery. 
 
 However, he was not difcouraged beyond 
 hope, as he remembered that the flax- 
 farmers, when he was in the flax-country, 
 fold their feed for four pounds per quarter ; 
 fo that if he made no ufe of the fiax^ the 
 
 , feed 
 
28 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 feed he apprehended would pay him better 
 than any tiling he could have (owed his land 
 with. 
 
 Upon this prefumption, he took a fample 
 and went to fell it at the time of year ; but 
 not a grain could he difpofc of at any price 
 though the farmers were felling one to ano- 
 ther at four pounds a quarter. 
 
 He wrote me a pitiful letter, complain- 
 ing of the flax-farmers, behevmgthcy com- 
 bined againll: him, not to buy his feed, 
 in order to deter him from lowing any 
 more. 
 
 Hereupon I advifed him to employ a per- 
 fon to fell it for him by commiflion, and 
 recommended a noted tla^:-buyer for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 He took my advice, by which means he 
 fold his feed at four pounds per quarter. — 
 However it was a bad job for all fides ; the 
 buyers loft their crop, and the fellers their 
 credit. 
 
 The flax was fo fhort that it could not be 
 wrought ; and as to him who fold tlic feed 
 by commiflion, he has told me fince, that 
 his credit was hurt fo much by felling the 
 faid parcel of bad feed, thr.t he never could 
 fell H half peck flnce in the commiffion- 
 way. 
 
 This 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 29 
 
 This fhews how cautious a farmer ought 
 to be in the choice of his feed. Among 
 many inftances of this fort, I (hall onlymen- 
 tion one more that happened to myfelf. 
 
 About five years ago, I happened to be 
 one bufhel (hort in finifhing about fixty acres 
 I fo wed that year, with good feed of my own 
 rearing. The field I finifhed in contained 
 twelve acres, and was very good land j 
 wherefore I thought it a pity to let any of 
 the land lie idle. 
 
 Hereupon I bought fomefeed at a venture, 
 which looked well and grew vigorous as the 
 reft of the field, till it was near half a yard 
 long, and then it made a full flop, bloffom- 
 ed, feeded, and grew no more, though all 
 the reft of the field was from a yard to a 
 yard and a quarter long. 
 
 A more demonftrable proof I never faw, 
 for it was put into a fack wherein the good 
 feed had been ; and as fome grains of the 
 good feed ftuck to the fack and mixed, it 
 was eafy to gather every ftalk, of fiax that 
 grew, from the good feed, being above 
 twice the length of the bad fpccies. 
 
 Moreover, the branches of the good feed 
 were long, and one afpiring above another, 
 having a leader above all the reft. 
 
 But it is not fo with the bad fort, of which 
 the branches are all of a height, fo that the 
 
 Vol. 11, E top 
 
30 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 top wiil be as even as a clipped hedge. 
 WJien (lax comes to have fuch a top, and 
 aharcs. fo much in heiglit, it is a fure lign 
 than the Teed is tired, bad and worn out. 
 
 t'crhaps my reader would be glad to 
 know what I mean by feed being tired, as 
 alfo how to help tired, feed &cc. which is as 
 loUows, viz,. 
 
 Firii, let us confider that it is from the 
 hot climates that this feed comes namely, 
 from North America and Riga. It is true 
 tliat the heat in the latter only contmues a- 
 bout three irionths ; but that is the feafon 
 in which the Hax grows, during which time 
 it is exceeding warm. 
 
 The heat in America holds much longer ; 
 and it is well knov/n that a plant or veget- 
 able, which produces a fluid fubftance, 
 will ripen in fruit and feed, to a greater 
 perfection there, than it will in our cold cli- 
 mates ; the ikin being thin, kind nature, as 
 it were, crams her receptacles full of rich 
 juices hiitcd to each plant. 
 
 This in flax-feed is dcmonfh-ably proved 
 by the oil mills, as they find a conhderable 
 larger produce of oil from foreign new feed, 
 than from feed that has been repeatedly 
 fown for many years in England, though 
 the latter Ihall look brighter, larger, and 
 plumper than the former. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 31 
 
 The feed therefore certainly degenerates 
 by not producing fo much oil in our cold 
 climates, but inftead of oil a thick ikin, and 
 within it a grofs pulpy fubftance ; and the 
 longer it is fown here, the more ' it runs to 
 this harfn unkind matter. 
 
 Now, this oil is the very life and fpirit 
 of the flax ; therefore as this abates in quan- 
 tity, the flax abates in its length and real 
 value. 
 
 Without doubt were a parcel of ked that 
 is quite run tired in England, taken to thofe 
 hot countries and fown, it would in time re- 
 gain its'former good quality. 
 
 But let not my brother farmers be detcr- 
 ed from faving feed in the colder climates, 
 under fear of its degenerating, for be af- 
 fured it may be fown four or five years be- 
 fore it need be changed ; but I only men- 
 tion thefe particulars, in order to lead the 
 flax-grower thoroughly into this branch. 
 
 TKe farmers in hngland have a way of 
 refting their feed (as they call it) which is 
 done by barreling it up, letting it (land a 
 year or two without fowing; the longer it 
 llands the better. This was difcovered by 
 chance, 
 
 A fan r happened to fpare fome feed 
 after '. r ; he let it ftand two years : — 
 
 and, s came to fovv it at the end cf 
 
 ' thai 
 
32 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 that term among fomc feed of the fame fori: 
 but which had been kept fowing each year, 
 it topped it in length eight inches. This ac- 
 cidental experiment has brought on a gene- 
 ral pratflice, as it is found to refrelh the fec4 
 in a furprifmg manner. 
 
 There is no accounting for this amend- 
 ment, otherwife than by fuppofing that the 
 pulp and fkin meliorates by the evapora- 
 tion of the watery particles, -and by the 
 cruder parts being mellowed and melted 
 down (as it were) into the body of the oil. 
 
 Thus any fort of feed of an oily nature 
 fuch as rape, muftard, or cole-feed, will 
 produce the more oil, the colder it is ^ and 
 it is oil (as I faid before) which is the very 
 elTence of flax. 
 
 A farther caution is neceffary, that your 
 feed be clear from button-feed, which is a 
 very pernicious weed, and a great enemy to 
 flax ; for where this gets footing, the flax- 
 feed muft be condemned for oil, be it ever of 
 fo good a quality, fo fatal is this weed to it. 
 
 The feed of this weed is white and very 
 fmall, not fo large as the fmallefl: grain of 
 muftard-feed ; but there are as many join- 
 ed together in a bunch as make a head about 
 the lize and likenefs of a waiftcoat button, 
 from whence it takes the name of button- 
 feed. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 33 
 
 It grows on a fmall ftalk, which twifts 
 round the flax, as ivy about a tree ; fo that 
 there is no getting quit of it either by weed- 
 ing or fwingling, as it will not part the flax 
 ^long with fhove; and the increafe is fo 
 very great, that if there be only a fewftalks 
 in an acre of flax this year, the next it may 
 deftroy the whole crop. 
 
 There is another bad feed which is by 
 fome called wild-willow, and by others corn- 
 bind ; this is not much unlike hemp-feed, 
 only not quite fo large ; it alfo twifts round 
 the flax as ivy round a tree, which makes 
 it impoffible to be weeded out ; however 
 as the feed is large, it will ftay in a fieve 
 that will let flax-feed through, by which 
 means it may be kept clear with care, and 
 though it is not fo multiplying a feed as but - 
 ton-feed, yet it is a great enemy to flax and 
 ought to be guarded againfl. 
 
 There are leveral forts of flax-feed which 
 might be explained, were it worth while to 
 go to the nicety of matters : but as I have no 
 intention to fwell this work with matters of 
 fpeculation, or w ith any thing that is not of 
 immediate confequence to the farmer, I 
 {hall only mention the two principal feeds 
 from w hence we derive our growth,, namely, 
 that of America and that of Riga. 
 
 The 
 
34 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The former is ^ bright bay feed, and 
 produces a fine fmall flax; but the Riga is 
 moflly a dark bay, broad, flat leed ; it pro- 
 duces a grofs tall flax, which I am apt to 
 tliink is moll fuitable for this degenerating 
 climate, for it is cafily cured and made 
 finer by fowing it fomewhat thicker on the 
 ground. 
 
 I got the beft breed of feed I ever had 
 from Memel and Riga. This Riga feed will 
 lail good longer than American feed in Eng- 
 land or Ireland ; but it is not fo beautiful to 
 the eye, neither is it of fo high a price in 
 Dublin as the American feed. 
 
 There is a fort of feed which comes from 
 France, and when fown here produces a fine 
 flax, but fo puny, fhort and linall, that it is 
 fcarce worth reaping. I once fowed fome, 
 by way of trial, but loft my crop. I have 
 alfo f een others fuffer by it, therefore would 
 have my reader to guard againll it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 3^ 
 
 CHAP. til. 
 
 DireBi'ons for making French Sieves, ^nd 
 their life. 
 
 TT^RENCH fieves fo called, as they came 
 X"^ from French Flanders. The rim is 
 about three feet diameter, and three inches 
 deep ; the bottom is made of parchment ; 
 two are made ufe of, and called a fet ; one 
 of them goes under the name of riddle, and 
 the other of fieve. 
 
 The riddle is punched with a hole, thu& 
 D ; it lets through the flax-feed being flat, 
 and any round or fquare feeds ftay in the 
 riddle. 
 
 The fleve is punched with round holes 
 thus O . which lets through the fmall round 
 feed,-fuch as rape, muftard, ketlock, or 
 button-feed, but the flax-feed ftays in the 
 fieve. Thefe holes mull be punched to aa 
 €xa(ft fize, or they are ufelefs. 
 
 There 
 
26 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 There is a particular art in drefling with 
 thefe lieves, which I Ihall fpare myfell' the 
 trouble of explaining, as it is impoirible to 
 be executed without feeing it put in prac- 
 tice ; and even then it is not eafily learned. 
 
 There is not above fix pair of thefe fieves 
 In England ; and about as many men who 
 are capable of dreffing with them. It is a 
 calling of itfelf ; and at the time of fowing, 
 they are very bufily employed. A farmer 
 pays about two fhillings per quarter to have 
 his feed dreiTed in th^m. None requires to 
 be dreffed in this manner, fave fuch as have 
 run to weeds ; and in this cafe, though it is 
 difficult to get the ri^ht knack of dreffing 
 or turning the fieves, yet the fiirring of 
 them any way will clear a great deal of dirt 
 and feeds out. 
 
 The expencc of a fet of thefe fieves, at 
 a moderate computation, is three pounds, 
 and one fet and two men will clean all the 
 flax-feed for ten or fifteen miles round in a 
 flax-country. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBx\NDRY. ^7 
 
 CHAP. VIIL 
 
 On Wmter-FIax, 
 
 WE may tmly call that winter- flaX 
 which is fown in autumn, to ftand 
 the winter, it being about five months long- 
 er in the ground than the common. 
 
 In my travels throu^^h Ireland, 1 have met 
 with feveral pei Ions that told me they had 
 made trial of this method; and lome fpeak 
 in favor of it, but there are many more who 
 condemn it. 
 
 I was often aiked the reafon why I took 
 no notice of it in my iirft edition ? My an- 
 fwerwas, that 1 thought it of no uii'ity to the 
 public, as I had tried it long ago, aad found 
 it did not anfwer ; thcreiore 1 omitted tak- 
 ing any notice of it lor that reafon. The 
 particulars of the trials 1 made areas follows. 
 
 Vol. lU F VIZ. 
 
38 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 viz. Obicrvlng where the flax-feed had bceri 
 a cidcntally I'cattered in aucumn, and diat 
 ic g! evv, or kept green all die winter, 1 con- 
 cluded that this method might be improved 
 upon ; t/iereJbre I was determined to be con- 
 vinced by a lair trial ; and for that realbn 
 in OcTober 1759, fowed one acie in the 
 middle ot a twelve acre licld, tilled well, 
 and managed it in evciy other degree as it 
 ought to be. 
 
 About the middle o*^ March following, I 
 fowed the remainder of the laid field wiih 
 the fame fort of feed. The wiiUer-flax got 
 to be about ti/e inches long before the ie- 
 veritv of the winter came on; after which 
 it grew no more, but from the firO fro It 
 changed its healthy dark green to that of a 
 iickly pale green, and at fpring never regain- 
 ed its former healthy complexion. 
 
 After the fpring-fiax came up to be about 
 five inches long, 1 fet flicks as marks to buih 
 forts. 
 
 The fpring-flax grew above one inch in 
 twenty-four hours i but the winter-flax grew 
 half an inch only. 
 
 The winter-flax was ready to pull three 
 weeks before the fpring-flax ; and at pulling 
 was fcarcely thirty inches long : the fpring- 
 flax \vas about a yard and feven inches, ia 
 that it was longer than the lormei by thii--> 
 
 ttea 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 59 
 
 teen inches or thereabouts. The winter- 
 flax branched or fpread greatly into top, fo 
 confqnently produced iuoyq leed ; which 
 indeed by the by is no recommendation. 
 
 The year tbliovving i made another i"n;all 
 trial, which was attended wuth much the 
 fame confcquences ; therefore I was tho- 
 roughly convinced that winter-flax is not an 
 advantageous crop. 
 
 The failure in winter-flax, may be ac- 
 counted tor in the foUowing few words, 
 viz. 
 
 it is to be confidcred that flax in its na- 
 ture, is trulling to one leader, the top of 
 which is exceeding tender, infomucli that 
 if any thing wound it ever fo little, it will 
 grovv no more, but llnke or fpread out into 
 lide-branches, which is of no other ufe 
 than to bear the feed, being of a poor tov/y 
 quality, therefore comes otf in dreffmg as 
 fuch. 
 
 if a fly, or what is commonly called a 
 flax fly, happen to bite or wound tiie lead- 
 er, or top of a flalk of flax, when at five 
 , or fix inches long, it Ifagnates ii:s growth, 
 and inakes itfliort, coarfe and ftunty, much 
 reiiembling a young fir tree that has loff its 
 leader. 1 found the frofl: had pinched the 
 tender leader of my winter flax, which 
 made it liable to the faid iliconfequences. 
 
 Another 
 
40 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Another thing is, that flax-land murt: bt 
 harrowed very tine at the time of fov^ing ; 
 thereibre much wet weather in winter makes 
 it cement, or bake together, which iielps 
 to bind the flax in the ground, and recaid 
 irs growth. Any land is certainly better 
 and fitter for a crop, that after a fevere win- 
 ter, is opened, broke up, or pulverized ia 
 fpring. as it fweetens and proves of great 
 Utility thereto. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDHY. ^i 
 
 
 0/7 rJax J/r;:'-j Totatoss^ 
 
 IF flax-feed be fovn ^^■^lOfr^ -potatoes fet 
 with the plough, as u»reidW. in this treai- 
 tife, there is no doitht hvs. ic wiU anfvver 
 very welU as the potcitoes are fet thm and, 
 in drills, having about eighteen inches be>- 
 t een each drill, and about ten inches ibe^- 
 tween each potatoc ; by this the tops of:th? 
 potatoes and the flax do not incommode or 
 croud each other, having roqai enough lof 
 each to flourish. 
 
 The potatoes fet thus, will fpr^d under' 
 g'-ound, and produce a lar beter crop thaii 
 when planted thick, as the tops by this 
 warm lituation, draw one another up weak 
 and tender ; and nature being fo protule ia 
 throvving her bounty upwards to fupport fo 
 
 nijch 
 
42 A NEW ,SYSTEM 
 
 m ich ufelefs top robs herfclf of the falts 
 Ihc ought to relervc co enlarge the pota- 
 toes. 
 
 In rhe year 176;, I received the higheft 
 premium in Ireland, for laving the moll and 
 befb flax-feed among p tatoes. I faved for- 
 ty-eight pecks of good feed ; only the land 
 was lubjed to weeds, and had little pains 
 bellowed to clean it, or I might have had 
 as much more ; the potatoes were very 
 good alio. I let them \vith the plough, a& 
 direded in this treatife. 
 
 As foon as the potatoes were planted, I 
 fowed the feed the broadeft way, at the 
 rate of eight quarts to the acre ; and in or- 
 der to tiy experiments I raUed and rolled 
 fome ; but the moll part of it I did nothing 
 to after fowing, but left it uncovered, which 
 proved the bell crop ; and though it may 
 ieem odd to my reader, yet it may be eali- 
 ly accounted lor. 
 
 It is to be obferved, that flax-feed being 
 of an oily nature has a great attraction, in- 
 iomuLh, that if a field be fown and not cov- 
 ered by harrowing or othe'-wife, the fccond 
 da* alter fowing, it v.iU be impolVible to 
 find a lingle gram, particidarly if there fall 
 in the mean tmie either dew or rain, or if 
 it be lown in green mold. Each grain ga- 
 thers tlie fine particles of earth about it, 
 
 being 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 43 
 
 being candied (as it were) with mold, and 
 much refembles a comfit; lb that after the 
 fecond day (as 1 oblerved) one lofes it infen- 
 libly, and fees no more of it till it rifes at 
 the top of the plant, which it will in abi'Ut 
 five days after it is fown. The lirfl time I 
 found this out 1 was greatly alarmed, as fol- 
 lows, viz. 
 
 In 17^3, I had a hrge field ready to fow 
 on a Saturday, and having a call from home 
 I lent a man to fow the field, and ordered 
 it to be harrowed once in a place v/hen fown. 
 At my coming home 1 was told the field was 
 fown, but about an acre of it left uncover- 
 ed. 
 
 On Monday I fent to finifh the field, hut 
 the fervant returned in a great hurry, tell- 
 ing me that the birds has picked up all the 
 feed ; upon this I as well as the reli of the 
 faiTJily, and fome of my neighbours, went 
 to fee if it was necelTary to fow over again. 
 
 We fought a confidcrable time and could 
 not find a fingle grain ; therefore had con- 
 cluded to (ow it over again ; bur by chance 
 I found a grain by rubbing the mold between 
 my lingers ; this learned me how to feek 
 for it, after which I found feveral grains 
 candied wirh a coat of mold, and very fli- 
 my. 
 
 In 
 
'44 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 In (^I*c1cr to fee the refult of ihis, I left it 
 ts it was with )ut harrowing, and 1 iiever had 
 a iner crop; 1 believe every j^rain grey, and 
 £•1 Halted (;«s it were) iairl/ together, an! 
 ti >t oie i^vMn biTiied deeprr than another ; 
 V hich is not the caie when hirro.ved, for 
 V'.ien it hvi-ieis that in cafe lo iie may be 
 luiied deeper th:in others and if diy >vithiri 
 n^akes tvo ^, owti^si, wiiicii in a acuiuneat 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ^^ 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 It&e Ma?2agement of White Fkx, in Pull- 
 ingy Watering^ G?'rrjjtng, &c. 
 
 ^HE name of white flax nrifes from the 
 flax being pulled while green, not 
 being fuffered to iland till the leed is ripe or 
 even till the boles turn brown or a dark 
 colour, by which means the fubftancc of 
 the oil infliead of arifing to feed the feed is 
 fcagnated and remains in the llvin of the flax, 
 therefore it not only makes the flax tough, 
 oily and filky, but makes it a white clear 
 colour and drefs well. 
 
 Your flax pullers being aranged properly 
 in order each perfon is to bind his own 
 fheaf, make it no larger than you can hold 
 in both hands, and as the bands (if made of 
 good flax) will be damaged, th?y- are gene- 
 rally tied with the fmaij under growth of 
 flax. 
 
 Vol. U. G In 
 
46 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 In the evening of the day it is pulled, or 
 the next day at faitheft, put the flax in 
 water for being expofed in the fun it dries 
 the oily nature out, and will make it of two 
 colours. 
 
 The depth of water proper to water in, 
 is three or four feet, begin to lay a layer 
 a crofs the pond and fo continue laying the 
 feed end uppermoft fo that no part of the flax 
 except the feed can be feen, till you have 
 filled the pond, but if one layer be not fuffi- 
 cient to fill the pond fo that you may (land 
 a minute on the flax without finking over 
 the fhoes, you muft lay another layer, in 
 fa£l flax always rates bell when it is put in 
 pretty fliff. 
 
 The pond being thus filled, you mull 
 cover it clofe with thin fods laying the grafs 
 fide downwards, or next to the flax, but if 
 you do not cover all the flax, any left ex- 
 pofed to the fun will be of a dificrcnt co- 
 lour. 
 
 The flax whilft in the pit, mufl be trod 
 every night and mornijig till you bring 
 water over the fods, the more it is trod the 
 better and evencr it rates, when it is near 
 being enough watered the flax will fink till 
 the fods are under water. 
 
 When you think it enough watered, take 
 a little out and dry it, when dry if the llaik 
 
 pr 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 47 
 
 or fhove break and part freely from the flifn 
 when rubbed between the finger and thumb, 
 it is enough watered, take it out and let it 
 drip a day on the bank of the pit, then take 
 it to fome even grafs field and fpread it 
 llraight, thin, and clear of lumps, if it be 
 fcarce enough rated in the water it will take 
 a longer time on the grafs, when it has been 
 about a week fpread on the grafs it mufl be 
 turned with llraight flicks or turning rods. 
 
 When you think it enough rated tie it up 
 in Iheaves, and let it get a fweat in the mow ' 
 or flack before you break or fwingle it . 
 
 Take care never to rate or water flax in 
 water that comes from a lime flone quarry, 
 or in hard water, or in a running water, 
 that is where a current of water runs through 
 the pond, for while the flax is foft the ilream 
 of water would wafh the fkin off, and lime 
 wr.^er burns and fpoils the flax, neither is 
 hard water fo good as foft water to rate 
 in. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
4S A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 To the diiTercnt Lcgiflatures of America, 
 and Ibch other Gentlemen as have power, 
 abilities and capacit)' to enforce, advife 
 and contribute towards making Ac^s, 
 forming Schools, &cc. as are here fet forth 
 for the Improvement of Youth, and the 
 Promotion of Agriculture and Trade. 
 
 T is no longer a controvertible point whe- 
 ther the Icience of agriculture merits 
 the diHinguifhed attention of philofophical 
 minds, and is the proper itudy of the mod 
 enlarged underftanding, hnce the proof is 
 beyond contradidion, that a judicious rural 
 ceconomy is one of the chief fupporters of 
 the profperity of a flate. 
 
 VVe every day fee inflanccs in common 
 life where the happieft difpofition, moll in- 
 formed genius, luperior talents, profound 
 knov/ledge, even probity and virtue becomes 
 
 ufelefs. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 49 
 
 ufelefs, and are loft in the wreck of their 
 pofleiTors fortune, if he omits to regulate 
 his domeftic affairs by the rules of a wife 
 and prudent csconoray. 
 
 The fame obfervation may be extended 
 to the wifeft fyftems of legiflature, and in- 
 deed the beft political inftitutions will lofc 
 their efiicacy and are incapable of defend- 
 ing a ftate from abfoliite ruin, unlefs a ge- 
 neral fcheme of ceconomy fenfibly executed 
 provides for the fubfifcance of the people ; 
 either by finding within itfelf thofe produc- 
 tions requifite to the fupport of individuals, 
 or exciting a fpirit of induflry to exchange 
 with foreign nations the produce of manu- 
 fartories for the neceffaries of life. 
 
 There is fomething fo feducing to the 
 imagination in this lad method, that there 
 is danger of fuffering ourfeives to be de- 
 ceived in giving it a preference to the for- 
 mer. 
 
 Through the medium of commerce ma- 
 nufadlures invite into the country (where 
 they flourilh) not only the neceffaries of life, 
 but every luperfluity of wealth and luxury. 
 
 However pariimonious the hand of na- 
 ture may have been to fuch a country, it 
 foon becomes m.ore affluent than the moft 
 fertile foils, and increafes in power and po- 
 pulation almoft miraculoufly. Yet if agri- 
 culture 
 
50 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 culture remains negledcd, all thefc advan- 
 tages' will be fluctuating and uncertain, whilft 
 on the contrary where that is conlidcred as 
 the firll object: of national attention, it corv- 
 du(^^s diredly and invariably to the end de- 
 Tired, without expoling us to the caprice of 
 fortune. 
 
 A flate that amply produces the fufte- 
 nance of its inhabitants from its own bowels, 
 has at leaft the advantage of independency ; 
 whilft the richeft nation when obliged to 
 have recourfe to the affillance of foreigners 
 for the neccffaries of life, fubmits to all the 
 viciflitudes of unforefeen events, and in ma- 
 ny inftances muft be fubfcrvient to the cor- 
 dial or unfriendly difpofition of its neigh- 
 bours. 
 
 The late king of PrulTia, an excellent fi- 
 nancier in many refpe(^s, and who had very 
 enlarged frhemes for augmenting public re- 
 venues, reafoned very jul\ly on the eftabliili- 
 ed principles of his political fyftem that a- 
 griculture is the foundation of the opulence 
 and profperity of a ftate. He encouraged 
 in the flrongeft manner, and made feveral 
 regulations in its favor, whofe wifdom wa? 
 unperceived till many years after ; the con- 
 ftant attention he paid to the obfervance 
 of thefe regulations, compleated their {alu- 
 fiarv effcds. 
 
 "^ UBRARY. This 
 
 Dldsicm of Hortieulhire, 
 
 V. 0. D»i>'t of Amcnltnre. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 51 
 
 This monarch had undcrftanding to know 
 (and all financiers ought to be proud of re- 
 ceiving inftrucftions from a mafter) that the 
 moft lluborn and infertile foils are melorated 
 by manuring and ploughing, and that rich 
 land is made ftill richer. He therefore in- 
 filled that farmers of his demefnes and pro- 
 prietors of cftates in lands fhould manure 
 them fufjiciently, and plough deeply and 
 frequently. 
 
 When the king was expecfted to pafs thro' 
 the provinces, the gentlemen, the farmers, 
 nay even the peafants thought they could 
 not pay their court better than in placing a 
 dung-hill before their doors. 
 
 A powdered courtier might Ineeringly 
 deny this ceconomical attention a place a- 
 mong the royal virtues, but the fagacious 
 monarch was fenfible that thefe dung-hills 
 fpread over the fields woiild produce a crop 
 of ducats. 
 
 He had the fatisfadlon to fee after reign- 
 ing fome years the fands of the marlh of 
 Brandenburgh, the heaths and morafl'es of 
 PrufTia covered with a plentiful harvefl of 
 the fineft corn in the v/orld. 
 
 The king his fon fupplied all that was 
 wanting to bring this noble plan to perfcdi- 
 .on ; and we have feen in a fhort fpace of 
 
 time 
 
52 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 time the fandy defart that extended to the 
 very gates of Berhn, converted into good 
 and profitable land. 
 
 How are we to account for the variation 
 of rent in cftates where the foil is naturally 
 the fa*mc, fituate in the fame parifh, and ad- 
 jacent to each other, a variation fo remark- 
 able that a farm of a hundred acres is fome- 
 timcs let for more than one of a thoufand, 
 and the produce very nearly anfwers that 
 proportion, or how clfc fhould it happen 
 that the fame ground rifes and falls in value 
 fo confiderably at diflferent perfods. I have 
 feen fome eflates fold for a third lefs than 
 had been given for them twenty years be- 
 fore, and others whofe purchafe has advanc- 
 ed in my time to three times this ellimation 
 fifty years back. 
 
 The different degrees of llvillfulnefs, in- 
 duftry, or negled in the occupiers of thefe 
 eftatcs was undoubtedly the caufe of the va- 
 riation, and I am apt to believe it depends 
 on our Own diligence and induilry whether 
 wc will double the fertility of our lands and 
 by that means relieve ourfelvcs from the 
 itate of dependency. However a great ma- 
 ny of the improvements whether in agri- 
 culture or commerce depend chiefly on the 
 laws cnaded by the Lcgiflaturc, or fchemes 
 fct on foot by the leading men in a neigh- 
 bourhood 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 53 
 
 'bourhood who has abilities and judgment to 
 plan and encourage them, fuch as fpinning 
 Ichools, weaving fchools^ or other mecha- 
 nichal arts, premiums, ^c. 
 
 How ealy would it be for a fet of gentle- 
 men who live a few miles only from 
 each other, to take a houfe, provide a 
 maRer and miftrefs to teach their black chil- 
 dren to read and fpin, which they are very 
 capable of from three years old and up- 
 v/ardsi and whom at prefent are brought up 
 in idlenefs. 
 
 Alfo if a fcciety of gentlemen were to form 
 3n academy and give premiums for the beft 
 invention in mechanics, for implements of 
 huibandry, he. the beft growth or moft: 
 corn, flax and hemp, from, an acre, kc. Sec. 
 it would be laying a foundation for improve- 
 ments. 
 
 Societies of thefe forts are very common 
 all over England, for which they raife mo- 
 ney by voluntary fubfcriptions, and though 
 many farmers may have an eye to the pre- 
 mium or a medal offered, yet ambition is 
 the chief fpur to make them ftrive for pre- 
 eminence. 
 
 The dog-aft which is herein pointed out, 
 would be a fuineient lund for any ftate in 
 America to enable them to give copious pre- 
 miums, if gentlemen did not chufe to raife 
 Vol. II. H money 
 
54 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 money by fubfcription ; and as the money 
 raifed by this zd: would return back among 
 land-holders, no doubt but the adt would 
 give general Iati«fadion, 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 5-; 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 A few hints humbly offered for the pcrufal 
 of the Legiflatures of America, on a ge- 
 neral act of Congrefs to prevent run-away 
 fervants. 
 
 BY advertifements and* rewards ofltered 
 daily in the news-papers, he. we find 
 that run-away fervants, for which money 
 has been advanced, is a growing evil and if 
 poffible ought to have a Hop put to, as the 
 matter is not only deprived of his property 
 but fuch vagrants when at liberty, moll:iy 
 turn out to commit depredations on the 
 public. 
 
 Suppofe 
 
j;6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 jSiippofe an acl: from the Congrefs was to 
 run nearly in words or fubftance as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 Whereas it appears to the congrefs af- 
 ■fembled, bcc. That a pubhc evil has long 
 prevailed, and iiill fcems to gain ground, 
 that fervants for whom money has been ad- 
 vanced, and* they bound to ferve a certain 
 number of years to repay it by their labour 
 run away from their mafters (which is the 
 lame thing as robbing them of fo much caih) 
 bcfides putting them to great trouble and 
 expence in advertifemcnts, rev.'ards, he. 
 
 In order to put a Hop to this evil as well 
 as to prevent as much as poflible fuch loole 
 vagrants from llroling about the country to 
 commit depredations on the public. 
 
 Therefore be it enacted from the authori- 
 ty aforefaid. That Irom and after the firft 
 day of 1 7 any 
 
 perfon who takes a fcrvant for whom he 
 advances money, and which fervant is to 
 ferve a limited time, in order to repay it, 
 that it fliall and may be lawful for the faid 
 purchafer of any fcrvant to fct a mark on 
 the back of the arm, under the lleeve of 
 the fliirt, imprinted letters fignifying the 
 piafter's name and county in which he lives, 
 
 tho 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 57 
 
 the year of our Lord in which he was in- 
 dented, and a figure to fignify the years to 
 icrve. 
 
 And be it ena^ed by the authority afore- 
 faid, that the faid mark or letters Ihall be 
 made with the point of a needle, by piick- 
 ing or railing the Ikin (which may be done 
 without pain, or even without drawing 
 blood, if the performer be dexterous) after 
 the letters are made, bruife gun-powder 
 fine and rub it over them until it works un- 
 der the Ikin, which will turn the letters all 
 black and legible, and which time or art 
 will never efface. 
 
 The mark or writing will fland thus : 
 
 'John Ddvis, St. Maiy's co. 1784. 5 
 
 Be it further cnaded, that if a fervant 
 thus marked, run away to any other Hate, 
 and offer himfelf to be hired or aik. for 
 work, &cc. it Ihall and may be lawful for 
 any one prefent to examine his mark, to 
 know whether he be a bound man or free ; 
 if it appears from the figure of years to 
 ferve, when compared with the prefent 
 year, that his time is not expired, it ihall 
 and may be lawful for the conftable of the 
 parilh to hire two men as a proper guard to 
 conduft him back to his mailer, who muft 
 
 pajr 
 
5S A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 pay the men wages, other expences and 
 all reafonable charges. 
 
 And be it enacfted by the authority afore- 
 faid, that if any one who indents or hires a 
 fervant, and if the faid mailer neglects or 
 omits to have the faid fervant marked ac- 
 cording to law as afore faid, and if the faid 
 fervant run-away, the mailer of fuch fer- 
 vant, fhall not demand him back but lofe 
 the benefit of faid fervant, and alfo forfeit 
 the fum of fifty pounds, to be recovered by 
 law, one half to the informer, and the 
 other to the poor of the pariih where the 
 mailer lives. 
 
 It may feem a fort of cruelty to make 
 marks in the fkin as above, but it is no fuch 
 thing, for it is often done by failors them- 
 felves before they go abroad, that Ihould 
 they be drowned they may be known by 
 their name on their hand or arm. I have 
 feen a mark that has been very legible after 
 fifty years Handing. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 5^ 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 A few Hints humbly offered for tlie perufal 
 of the Legiflature of America, relating to 
 a Dog Ad:, bcc. 
 
 THOUGH I am no great politician, 
 yet I wifh fo well to the conftitution 
 of America, that, fo far as I am capacitated, 
 I would moft willingly lend a hand to point 
 out any laws that might be of utility to its 
 inhabitants. 
 
 And I flatter myfelf, that fuch of my rea- 
 ders as arc impartial, will think with me, 
 that a dog ad would be of great utility to 
 the public ; cfpecially after they have been 
 told the immenfe funis it would fave to the 
 induftrious part of mankind, and alfo the 
 great revenue it would raif« to the public 
 
 funds 
 
^o A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 funds out of tlic pockets of none but fuch 
 as could well fpare it; as any one who found 
 himfelf opprclfcd could eafe himfelf by part- 
 ing with the caufe thereof. 
 
 Secondly, it would lop off a great many 
 ufelefs animals ; and fuch as are of benefit 
 would be preferved for their merit and the 
 owner's interelt. Neither ought a poor man 
 to keep a dog if he be not we'd able; it is 
 inhuman to keep any dumb animal to llarve, 
 which many mull:, did they not cat the 
 poor children's bread and butter, or turn 
 out to worry (heep. 
 
 It is always allowed, that what vvill keep 
 2 dog will keep a pig ; and 1 think I need 
 not fay which would be found the moft pro- 
 fitable to the poor man's family at Chrill- 
 mas, a dog for his children to play with, 
 or bacon to fill their bellies. 
 
 I may be alkcd, why, cannot a poor man 
 fee theie follies himfell? I anfwer no; be- 
 caufe fore-call docs not always get the bet- 
 ter of folly in this, no more than in every 
 other degree in life ; there is a natural ten- 
 dernefs and indulgence, in every parent to- 
 wards their children, as well as in ladies 
 for their lap-dogs; pardon the comparifon. 
 
 Thirdly, it will appear, that there will be 
 yearly, at leaft a half million of money 
 iavcd, that will center among the pooretl 
 
 lort 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 61 
 
 fort of individuals; and alfo 125,000!. fter- 
 ling, which will go to the public funds, 
 out of the pockets of the abler fort. 
 
 In order to reduce this to fome fort of 
 certainty, it may not be amifs to make a 
 comjmtation, how many dogs may be in 
 America, and (upon fuch an act paffmg) 
 how many ufeful ones may he kept to pay 
 tax, and how many of the reverfe, deftroy- 
 edfor a faving. This cannot be done bet- 
 ter, than by firll making a computation, 
 how many people are fuppoled to be in 
 America, which is at the leall 5,000,000. 
 
 There is nothing that can give a better 
 idea of the mcreaie of people, than the mul- 
 tiplying of new houfes ; neither is there any 
 one object that attra<Sts the eye of a traveller, 
 or dwells upon his memory more, owmg 
 perhaps both to the largenels of the object, 
 and to the tafle of building in the prefent 
 times. 
 
 Few men have travelled more than I have 
 done, and I have made my remarks very 
 minutely, upon the looking over of which, 
 and comparing my journal with all the ob- 
 fervations and computations I can make, I 
 am clearly of opinion that there is dally a 
 great increafe of people in America. 
 
 This may occur to any one who lives in 
 any part of the Continent, if he only takes 
 
 Vol. II. I notice 
 
62 A N E W S ^' S T E M 
 
 notice of the many new houfes th?*: arc dai- 
 ly buik^ii^g in every town and ^ity, together 
 with all the rarni-houres and gentlemen's 
 feats that arc llarting up in the middle of 
 every new inclofurc or clearance that arc 
 rapidly going on in all parts of America. 
 
 Neither are there any houfes that Hand 
 long empt)', bcin^ immediately tenanted. 
 
 Were not this the cale, architects, or 
 ' proprietors would foon Hop building ; but 
 it is the great demand that makes them pufh 
 forward the work with fpirit. 
 
 Some will compute live, and fome four 
 people in a family ; but to a\ oid fracflions 
 we will allow live people to a family. 
 
 This makes one million of families; and 
 I think we may juHly compute one dog to 
 each family; as there ai e more families that 
 have two or three dogs in them, than 
 what are without ; not to fpeak of gentle- 
 men that keep hounds, who have perhaps 
 more dogs than people. 
 
 Tlicreiore I lay, we may almoH with a 
 certainty, fet down at leall one million of 
 dogs in America. 
 
 The next queilion is what each dog will 
 take in a year to maintain him ; which I 
 think v/e may juftly fet down twenty lliil- 
 ling ; for if a gentleman in England (and 
 TK^I'j.ils in An:ciica are dearcrj fends a 
 
 whelp 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 63 
 
 «fvhclp into the country to be reared, he ne- 
 ver pays lefs than half a guinea or fifteen 
 Ihillings, till he is a half year or three quar- 
 ters old, and fometimes a guinea , except 
 lie fends him to a tenant who is under an 
 obligation to him, in this cafehepays perhaps 
 nothing, but then the confumption ot vic- 
 tuals is no kfs, for the dog eats the fame as 
 if paid for. 
 
 As to gentlemen's hounds, grey-hounds, 
 pointers, and my lady's lap-dogs, they coft 
 a great deal more. 
 
 We will fuppofe Pug only to defliov one 
 pound of meat in the day, reckoning bread 
 and butter, tea, roaft-bccf or what is (lir- 
 ring, and call that only three-pence, tho' 
 ready dreiled and without a bone, (becaufe 
 it would be very imprudent to give poor Pug 
 bone to break his teeth.) Now three-pence 
 per day, ^vill be found to amount to four 
 pounds eleven fhillings and tlu'ee pence fter- 
 ling a year. 
 
 This to be fure, is nothing in a lady's 
 pocket ; no more is dirting or wearing her 
 aprons, 8cc. any great matter, bccauie fhc 
 can mend them herfelf ; which fliews good 
 houfewifery. 
 
 But tho' fuch things be not felt by peo- 
 ple in afBuence of fortune, yet be aflured 
 ^t hurts the public in general. 
 
 The 
 
M 
 
 «4 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The greater the confumption is, the 
 higher is the price in the articles thereof ; 
 and a half-penny, or a farthing in a pound, 
 in cither meat or bread, is very fenfibly tclt 
 by the lower fort of people. 
 
 If one million of dogs confiime annually 
 twenty Ihillings rterling each, the fum a- 
 mounts to one million of money fterling. 
 Suppofe an ad of alTembly to pafs, that 
 each dog Ihould pay five Ihillings fterling 
 yearly, the fum would amount to 250,0001. 
 fterling a year. 
 
 But upon fuch an a<^'s taking place, wc 
 will fuppofe all the ufelefs dogs deftroyed, 
 and tax paid only for fhepherds dogs, far- 
 mers houfe dogs, and gentlemen's dogs, 
 which might perhaps reduce the number to 
 one half, that is one to every two families, 
 then the lum raifed, would be yearly one 
 hundred and twenty-five thoufand pounds, 
 to go into the public funds, which would 
 all come from the pockets of fuch as would 
 be well able to pay it ; and as I obferved 
 before, if any one found himfelf oppreft'ed 
 by the tax, he could quickly eafc himfelf 
 by difpatching the dog. 
 
 The laid half million of ufelefs animals 
 that would be put away, reckoning each to 
 <;iefli-oy twenty Ihillings worth of victuals 
 
 cver^ 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 
 
 67 
 
 «very year, this would be a faving to the na- 
 tion of half a million of money, and this too 
 from thofe of the pooreft fort. 
 
 Though thefe calculations are only guefs- 
 work, yet the probability is fo great on their 
 fide, that it almoft amounts to a certainty. 
 
 Perhaps fome of my readers may imagine, 
 that I have fome intereft in writing upon this 
 fubject ; but 1 will aiTure them 1 have not, 
 fo tar from it, that were fuch an acft to take 
 place, I fhould in all probability, pay for 
 two or three dogs, being very fond of thofe 
 animals, fo far as they are ufeful ; but I have 
 no notion of keeping a parcel of yelping 
 curs for no other ufe than to eat the poor's 
 bread, bite horfes heels, worry fheep, run 
 mad, &c. 
 
 And fince we cannot defend ourfelves, 
 and reft fecurely at home, without a re- 
 fpedable Handing army, and fince that ar- 
 my cannot be raifed nor paid without mo- 
 ney, and money cannot be raifed without 
 taxes, let them be levied upon fuch fuper- 
 fiuous articles, as reafon clearly {hews is 
 mofl for the public good. 
 
 Was this ad to pafs, and each dog to pay 
 five fhillings a year, there is no doubt but 
 this would raile a lund of at leaft 125,000]. 
 fieri, a year, which tho' very confiderable, is 
 nothing ia con.parifon of the great faving, 
 
 which 
 
^6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 which could not be lefs than half a millioB 
 of pounds fterling per annum. Any faving 
 plan inforced by an acH: of alTcmbly, is in- 
 difputably as beneficial to the public, and 
 refleds as much honor upon the member 
 that promotes it, as one that brings in mo-r 
 ney to the public funds ; and fuch a dog-at^ 
 would be found to do both. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 67 
 
 CHAP. XIV, 
 
 Upon limiting the Size of Farms, 
 
 IF an adl of Affembly vais to pais, m or- 
 der to put a flop to the monopolizing of 
 land, it would doubtlefs have a great tenden- 
 cy towards making improvements flourilh, 
 and plenty abound throughout America. 
 
 It would then be in the power of every 
 ©ne, to make the mod of his ground ; no 
 corner of it could elcape his eye, and lie 
 barren. He would improve every part, and 
 fill it with one profitable crop or other. 
 
 It is the nature of man in all ftations of 
 life to be afpiring, and very often to grafp 
 at what he is not well able to manage. 
 
 But in no cafe is the misfortune more fen- 
 fibly felt, both by the party concerned, and 
 by the public in general, than when a far- 
 mer holds too much land. 
 
 But 
 
68 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 But fuppofe the farmer can ftruggle thro'' 
 and pay the rent ; or on the other hand let 
 the land lay uncleared ; yet the public is 
 ftill a lofer ; as the earth does not produce 
 half the increafc fhe would do, were (he 
 managed to the height of perfection. 
 
 Areftraining ad would lay the foundation 
 for plenty ; and only fuch that can make 
 the people happy and honed. 
 
 May we not compare a kingdom to a fa- 
 mily ? Is it not the firft care of a mafter to 
 provide bread for his family ? If he ncgleds 
 this, can he exped that his fervants will be 
 honeft and induftrious ? 
 
 Is not the legiQators the fathers of the" 
 people ? Are they not impowered to enad 
 fuch laws as may appear to them to be moll 
 for the public good ? Is there any that 
 ought to draw their attention, before fuch 
 as would fatisfy the firft law of nature ? — 
 Hunger will break through ftone-walls. 
 
 Wherein is the good of all laws which 
 ever have been enaded in England to pre- 
 vent foreftaUing ? Do they fatisfy the pco • 
 pie's craving appetite with bread ; or make 
 it one jot cheaper ? Do they add one peck 
 of corn to the mill, or tend towards making 
 one blade of corn more grow. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ^9 
 
 It is inconfiftent with reafon they fhould. 
 In fhort, werethefe laws put in force, they 
 would have the contrary efteft ; becaufe they 
 would cramp trade, which, like water, is 
 the beft leveller. 
 
 What would London and all great fea- 
 ports do, were it not for the corn-fadors, 
 wholefaJe butchers, drovers or dealers in 
 cattle, SccP It is fuch as thefe that keep an 
 equality in prices throughout the kingdom. 
 They buy where fuch commodities are low, 
 and fell where they are high. Is it to be 
 fuppofed that a farmer of grazier, who has 
 perhaps no more than twenty quarters of 
 corn, or three or four fat cattle to fell, and 
 who lives a hundred miles from London, 
 could go there to fell them ? And fuppofe 
 he did, mufl he not lay a greater price up- 
 on them, to anfwer fuch extraordinary ex- 
 pences ? And would not this moft fenfibly 
 effed the lower clafs of people P 
 
 A merchant who deals largely in any fuch 
 commodities, certainly can afford to fell 
 lower in price, than he who muft be at the 
 fame expence in attending the markets with 
 a trifle. 
 
 The merchant's warchoufe may juftly be 
 called a magazine for the poor, where they 
 can apply for fuch neceflaries as they fland 
 
 irk 
 
 Vol. II. K 
 
70 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 in need of. Neither have the poor caih or 
 means to provide long before fuch things 
 are wanted. 
 
 It is the merchant's intcreil to lay in his 
 commodities in the time of plenty, and to 
 Sellout in time of fcarcity. Is not this a 
 natural policy, that will keep things moll 
 upon an equality? Was not this the cafe 
 with Jofeph ? He filled his ftores in the time 
 of plenty, and fold when they grew fcarce, 
 for he did not give any more than our 
 merchants do. 
 
 Moil of the commodities neceffary for life 
 are pcrifhablc, therefore under a ncceflity 
 of being difpofcd of before they fpoil. 
 Should any one be fo fiily or indifcreet, as 
 to keep them too long, he is punifhed by 
 his own folly ; but this very leldom hap- 
 pens. 
 
 The merchant with a capital and ware- 
 houfc proper for the occafion, is a ready 
 mai ket for the farmer to fly to, for the fale 
 of his crops. Had he not fuch a rcfource, 
 he would be deterred from fowing, which 
 would be the firll ilep towards a famine. 
 
 Thefe are all confcquences which mull 
 naturally happen, were the acls to prevent 
 forellalling put in force. For every perfon 
 that buys before the goods arc brought to 
 market, is in reality a foreflalier. 
 
 I remember 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 71 
 
 I reniember reading many hints in the 
 news-papers, relating to fat cattle being re- 
 turned from the markets in London to the 
 ■country unfold ; and at the fame time wilh- 
 ing for fuch laws as would enforce them to 
 be fold, and not returned. 
 
 Certainly fuch authors judge as fuperfici- 
 ally of thofe matters, as the old-faihioned 
 farmer, who for a year or two paft, has 
 ftuffed the papers with his filiy arguments, 
 wherein he takes upon himfelf to prove to 
 the public, that it was the inciohng of com- 
 mons, together with turnip -hulbandry, 
 which was the caufe of the dearncfs of pro - 
 vifions in England. 
 
 In one of his letters about Martinmas., 
 he thanked Providence for a mif-crop of 
 turnips. For fays he, as this crop has fail- 
 ed, farmers are obliged to bring their flieep 
 and cattle to market ; which has lowered 
 butchers m.eat gi-eatly. But. perhaps he is 
 one of the ti-ibe of fleepers, which only 
 want food one half of the year ; the other 
 they live in aftate ofinfenfibility without it. 
 His fhort- fighted und*-rftanding could not 
 find out what would be the confequence ; 
 that the more they killed in autumn, the 
 fewerremamcd for flaughier in the fprmg.; 
 that we cannot both eat our cake^ and have 
 it. 
 
 Tliat 
 
72 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 That when wintcr-tbod falls Ihort, (of 
 which turnips are the be'A) the cattle mull 
 walk to the market with their bones half 
 loaded with fleili ; confequcntly ths poor 
 mull go with half a belly full. 
 
 The old fafhioned farmer's reafcning up- 
 on the Inclofing of commons, is much the 
 fame, for he does not lee the many thoufand- 
 acres in the kingdom, which in then- wild 
 Hate will not keep a rabbit on an acre , 
 wherea?, if inclofed and improved, they 
 might be made to keep four or five fhccp 
 per acre. And certainly the more live Hock 
 there is bred in the kingdom, the greater 
 chance vvc have for plenty; bccaufe in the 
 end, they mull come to the butcher, ex- 
 cept turnips and other winter food fail. Then 
 indeed the cattle may die for want, and the 
 poor may kw up their mouths. There has 
 been many acls palled in England to prevent 
 furell ailing, hut fcarce any put in force. 
 
 I mention thefe hints that America may 
 by Inch experience keep from enacting any 
 fuch rcJlraining i.iws, hut leave trade open 
 and the indullry of iv/dn will keep it level. 
 
 It is pail a contradidion, that the more 
 walle barren lands there is inclofed and im- 
 proved, the more Hock and corn it will raife; 
 all which tends to plenty ; becaufe cxcvy 
 article that keeps nati:re alive, Iprings from 
 
 the 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 73 
 
 the earth ; confequcntly it ought to be our 
 iirrt care to make her produce abundance. 
 
 But to return to the farmers, faleimen 
 and butchers ; (thefe are reprefented as un- 
 merciful men by authors in the news-papers 
 who want fome laws to make them kill the 
 cattle when brought to market, whether it 
 can be confumed or not.) 1 humbly con- 
 ceive fuch laws would be very pernicious, 
 and put a flop to the balance of trade,- 
 which inltead of going on fmooth and even, 
 would be continually upon a flux and re- 
 flux. It Vs^ould be like a weigh-pole, which 
 children ride upon, always up and down, 
 rifing and falling ; becaufe fome weeks there 
 would be twice as much cattle in the mar- 
 ket as is necefl'ary for the inhabitants to 
 confume ; therefore the meat v/ould be 
 fold very low, or thrown away, and per- 
 haps both. 
 
 The next market-day, there might not be 
 lialf the quantity of cattle as was wanted, 
 confequently the meat would be double the 
 price. In this cafe the rich could buy, but 
 the poor might flarve. 
 
 Experience fhews the butchers, not only 
 in London, but all over the world, how 
 much meat each market will take off. 
 
 Each one knows what he killed lafl: week, 
 which was perhaps as much, or more than 
 
 he 
 
74 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 he could fell ; therefore he will kill no 
 more left it Ihould lie on his hands. 
 
 Before fuch laws Ihould take place, it 
 would be neceflary that the farmers Ihould 
 be endowed with the fpirit of prophecy or 
 fore-knowledge ; that he in the north might 
 know on what day he in the fouth, at feve- 
 ral hundred miles diflance, would fend his 
 cattle to the market, left they fhould clalh. 
 with each other, and over-flock it. 
 
 In fhort, I am of opinion, that it is as ne- 
 celTary to fend cattle out of the market, 
 when over-ftocked, as to bring them to it 
 when fcarce ; confequently the drawing 
 farms near London, or any other great mar- 
 ket towns are very ufeful, and may be con- 
 fideied as a fort of make-weight, ready to 
 throw into the rifing fcale, to keep a ba- 
 lance. 
 
 There is another fet of people, who ex- 
 claim againft farmers for with-holding their 
 cattle from the market ; as if that contri- 
 buted to the dearnefs of provifions. 
 
 But thefe notions, like the reft, are ill 
 grounded. Every one that judges of things 
 rightly, muft know, that it is not the huC- 
 bandman's intereft to keep back from mar- 
 ket his cattle, after they are once fat ; for 
 when they come to the height of perfci^^ion 
 all the food they eat is thrown away ; and 
 
 the 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 7; 
 
 the intereft of the money is finking. It is 
 the intereft of every one in trade to make as 
 quick a return as pofTible ; therefore it is 
 plain that it is the graziers intereft to fend 
 their cattle to market as foon as they are 
 fat. 
 
 And on the other hand, the 'public can 
 lofe nothing by the cattle being kept away 
 from the market till they are fat ; becaufe 
 every pound they gain in weight is adding 
 to the public fund of plenty ; the more 
 pounds a bullock gains in weight, whilft he 
 ftays from the market, confequently the 
 more bellies he will fill when he arrives 
 and is fold. 
 
 Upon the whole it is bad policy to cramp 
 trade in any branch, much more in that 
 which concerns the craving of nature. 
 
 The moft prudent ftep would be to lay a 
 foundation for plenty, and there is no doubt 
 but that nature will produce enough to fa- 
 tisfy her dependents. As to things being 
 dear, it is a natural caufe, which arifes from 
 money being more plentiful, and from an 
 increafe of inhabitants; and not from any 
 real want, or decreafe of the ufual market 
 provifions. 
 
 It is not improbable but that in procefs of 
 time, wheat may rife to five fhiilings a peck, 
 by gradual fteps, for the fame reaibn as it 
 
 has 
 
76 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 has rofe from one penny to fixtccn pence 3 
 peck flerling ; and every other commodity 
 in proportion. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 77 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 On the great Advantage that might acme 
 from Rabbit War r ens in America, 
 
 IN my travels and obfervations through a 
 great many parts of America I find ma- 
 ny fpots of land, particularly adapted, 
 and proper for rabbits, and am much fur- 
 prifed fo profitable a flock fhould cfcape the 
 iarmers attention fo long, but it m.uft cer- 
 tainly be for want of knowing their value or 
 how to flock or manage a warren. 
 
 The perfection and utility of a rabbit war-" 
 ren are many, lirll they produce a whole- 
 fome delicious food all the year round, for 
 the ufe of mankind. 
 
 Secondly, their down or fur are valuable 
 for the hat manufadory, and of late years 
 fells high. 
 
 Thirdly, 
 Vol. n. L 
 
78 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Thirdly, the capital for Hocking a war- 
 ren is a tri.ile. 
 
 Fourthly, poor land that is fcare fit for 
 any thing elfe will do for them. 
 
 Fifthly, they are eafy managed and as 
 cafy fed. 
 
 The rabbit generally breeds every month 
 in tl^e ycar» and will bring forth from four 
 to ten at a kenneling or litter, confequently 
 their increafe is prodigious. The doe no 
 fooner kennels (as it is called) butfhe runs 
 immediately to the buck, who ftjikes her 
 (a term lor copulation) and that day month 
 Ihe brings forth again. 
 
 When the doe wants to kennel fhc goes 
 to a diftance, makes a hole in the earth, and 
 therein kennels; fhe makes up the door (as 
 it were) by covering the mouth of the hole 
 with fand, this is to prevent the buck from 
 finding them while young, for if he docs he 
 is iure to kill them. 
 
 Being fo great breeders a few couple will 
 flock a large warren in a year or two, when 
 a warren amounts to a thoufand couple it is 
 Vv(;rth a hundred pounds fterling a year clear 
 profit, befides iulTicientto increafe the Hock 
 twenty or thirty pounds a year ; there are 
 many forts of rabbits, but the beft to ftock 
 a warren with is the grey colour, black, 
 , wliite orfpottedare what is generally called 
 
 the 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 79 
 
 the tame rabbit, which is not fo good in the 
 field breed. 
 
 Rabbits delight much in a high fandy land, 
 and if it be fo poor that nothing elfe will live 
 on it, it is the better for them, forbad they 
 good ground and much grafs they would 
 over eat themfelves, and always be poor, 
 being a very ravenous animal, which is the 
 reafon that they are fateft in froft and fnow, 
 when little meat is to be got, though little 
 meat will do, yet when a fnow covers the 
 ground they mud be fed, either by fcattcr- 
 ing bits of hay over the warren, or branch- 
 es of trees, and lirewing them over the 
 ground, the bark of which they are very 
 fond of. 
 
 The method to flock a warren is, before 
 you turn the rabbits out, throw up little 
 ditches acrofs the warren, from eaft to weft, 
 fo that the face of the bank may front the 
 fun, and as many couple of rabbits as you 
 intend to turn out, make fo many holes 
 with a fpade as far as you can reach, run- 
 ning them horizontally rather inclining 
 downwards; in the evening put a couple in- 
 to each hole and before morning they will 
 dig them deeper, and as they increale will 
 make frelh holes according to the increafe 
 of numbers. 
 
 Tlier.c 
 
So A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 There arc two methods ufed to take then* 
 when wanted for market; one is with a fer- 
 rit and a purfe net; the method is to muz- 
 zle the ferrit and turn him into the holes, 
 and lay the nets over all the mouths of the 
 holes thereabouts; when the ferrit comes 
 at the rabbit and fcratches it, which makes 
 it immediately bolt out, and is entang- 
 led m the net, the man who ftands ready 
 and without making any noife, immediately 
 feizes the rabbit and breaks its neck, ex- 
 cept it be a doe with young, then he lets 
 her go. The purfe net is made much like 
 a cabbage net, only wider at the mouth, 
 perhaps about two feet over, it is made of 
 of common pack-thread. 
 
 The next method to take them is, with a 
 long net about a yard wide, and long enough 
 to reach acrofs the out-lkirts of one fide of 
 the warren ; this net is to take out layers 
 or Rragg'ers ; it is fet up with little forked 
 flicks ituck in the ground, the upper part 
 of the net is hung on the fork, and the un- 
 der part lays loofe on the ground; the net is 
 fet about an hour or two after dark, in or- 
 der to give the rabbits time to go abroad, be- 
 ing thus fet, and at the out fide of all the 
 holes the man goes with two or three little 
 dogs and hunts the rabbits, which makes 
 for the holes, bur the net being in the way 
 
 they 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. Si 
 
 they bolt againft it and are entangled, 
 which gives the man an opportunity to take 
 them. 
 
 There is not ten miles between New- York 
 and Virginia, but what there is a proper fpot 
 of land for a rabbit warren, fuch as is Tan- 
 dy, hilly, and wore out or impoverifhed 
 not being fit for other ftock or any crop. 
 And 1 need not fay of what utility it would 
 be to individuals to have fuch a fund of 
 plenty difperfed over the country, and that 
 raifed from the worft land. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
%t A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 How to fet Potatoes in Drills with the 
 Plough. 
 
 TAKE any poor worn-out flubble-Iand 
 which may be intended for fallow j 
 plough it in autumn in two furrow ridges ; 
 that IS, lay two furrows back to back, thro' 
 the piece you intend for potatoes. 
 
 By doing this it will lie dry all winter ; 
 and in the beginning of March (or iooner, 
 if the weather permit) harrow it acrofs, 
 and it will fill all the furrows level ; after 
 which plough it, either acrols or length- 
 wile, no matter which, provided the land 
 be all cut and turned up ; then again har- 
 row it well and fine ; and juil before you 
 intend to plant potatoes, plough it again 
 
 into 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. S^ 
 
 into two furrow-ridges, lying back to back, 
 lb that they muft dole at the top; but not 
 fo as to let any mold fall into the oppofite 
 furrow. 
 
 Being thus laid in ridges, and the fur- 
 rows all open, in every furrow fet a row of 
 potatoes, each about the length of a man's 
 foot afunder ; then take the dunging-bafkets 
 and drop a piece of dung, about the fize of 
 your fift upon each potatoe ; by this me- 
 thod a little dung will go a great way, and 
 a few hands will fct a great deal in a day. 
 
 When thus fet and dufiged, go with the 
 plough and fplit the ridge in two ; fo that 
 what was the furrow, will now be the ridge, 
 and the ridge will be over the potatoes ; fo 
 that they will come up in rows throuv^h the 
 middle thereof. 
 
 In fummer you may go with the plough 
 up and down every drill, to cut the weeds 
 and earth up the potatoes. 
 
 By this method it may be well termed a 
 potatoe -fallow, as it may be ploughed always 
 when the weeds grow. 
 
 . In taking them up, go with a plough, and 
 turn the whole drill over ; by which means 
 all, or moft of the potatoes will appear 
 above ground, and be eafily gathered ; but 
 if a Imall part of them remam ungathered, 
 they will all be found by harrowing, or the 
 uext plough inr^. This 
 
S4 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 This is a very expeditious way, both in 
 fctting and taking up , and it ought to be 
 every man's ftudy to work his land with as 
 little exi:)ence as poflible. 
 
 The next cafy way to fet potatoes with 
 plough is in grafs-land, viz. 
 
 Harrow the fod well, both length and 
 croiTvvife, to fcratch, wound and mangle 
 the grafs-roots, in order to fct them a rot- 
 ting ; which they will do fpeedily when 
 turned up. 
 
 Then begin and plough a furrow eight 
 inches broad ; in this fet a row of potatoes 
 a foot-lengdi alunder ; and on every pota- 
 toe drop a lump of dung, about the bignefs 
 of a man's fill ; then plough two furrows, 
 and in the third fet another row ; fo that 
 there will be a furrow between every two 
 rows or drills through the piece. When it 
 is all fet harrow it well ; but take care not 
 to turn up or diforder the fods. 
 
 When the potatoes are come up a little 
 above ground, go with a plough up and 
 down every drill, and lay the loofe mold, 
 with the harrow raifed, to the ftem of the 
 potatoes ; but be careful not to diilurb the 
 fod. When they are taking up, turn the 
 drill or furrow with the plough ; by which 
 means they are eafily gathered. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. g^ 
 
 The third method of planting potatoes^ 
 is with fpadcs, as they do in Chelhire. 
 
 They dig all the ground, and bury the 
 dung about four inches deep ; as if they 
 were trenching in a garden ; after which 
 they go with fctting flicks, make a hole, 
 and drop the potatoe in j then they rake 
 the ground to fill the holes. 
 
 They are dug up with fj^ades alio ; but 
 this is expenfive in comparifcn of letting 
 with the plough. 
 
 However they take care not to bury the 
 dung too deep ; as alfo ilot to throw up 
 any bad earth to fpoil the land, which is 
 fco often the cafe inh'cland. 
 
 Vol. li. U CHAP. 
 
%6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. xvir. 
 
 Remarks onfetting Potatoes is)uh the Plough, 
 
 IVJ. Ethinks, I fe^ my brother farmer turn 
 hither in great hurry, to fee my realon for 
 advifing him to fct his potatoes with the 
 plough; and not to keep him long in lufpencc 
 I plainly tell him, that it faves both men, 
 money, and dung, befides improving his 
 land. Thefe are confiderations well worth 
 his attention. 
 
 Firil, it faves men; as one man and two 
 horfes, and five or fix boys, will fet as ma- 
 ny potatoes in a day with the plough, as fe- 
 venty or eighty men could let with Ipades. 
 
 Secondly, it faves dung ; as one load will 
 go as far as four. 
 
 Thirdly, none of the dung is loft by be- 
 ing buried in the trenches; which is evideni- 
 
 ly 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 87 
 
 ly th€ cafe when trenched in the old Iridi 
 method ; as a lump is dropped upon every 
 potatoe. 
 
 Fourthly, potatoes got thus, are nearly 
 clear gains, as they may be Town upon land 
 that is intended for fummer-fallow, and fuch 
 land will ablblutely receive more benetit 
 from this potatoe-f allow, than if norhing had 
 grown; for what withhoeing with the pbugh, 
 and what with the tops fmothering the 
 weeds, &cc. the groimd is made clean and 
 mellow, and in tine order for a wheat-crop 
 at Michaelmas. 
 
 And there can be no di (appointment, as 
 potatoes can be ploughed up i-peedily. 
 
 All thele realons, i hope wiii prevail up- 
 on the farmers, or people in general, to 
 follow this cheap and eaiy method; as no- 
 thing concerns a farmer fo much, as woric- 
 ing his land with the greateil diipatch, and 
 the leaR expence that reafon can devife. 
 
 As I have travelled between England and 
 Ireland, for near twenty years pail, 1 have 
 had an opportunity to remark how the dif- 
 ferent markets ruled in the two kingdoms ; 
 and I always found that in the cities ot York, 
 Lincoln, and in large towns, ibcli as Leeds, 
 Wakefield, Doncallcr, Sheilield. and in 
 fliort all over England, v/hcre it is cuiloma- 
 ry to fe • the potatoes with the plough, they 
 always fell lower than in h-cland. This 
 
n A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 This fiR is inconteftable ; altho' it is well 
 known, that, in thefe places, land is higher 
 and fo is labour of more value. 
 
 This (hews they mud have a cheaper and 
 cafier way of coming at them, or they could 
 not be afforded at a lower rate. Further, 
 the method of fctting with the plougli is fo 
 cafy, that a man may teach in an hour as 
 many people as could look at him. 
 
 The Expcncc and Profit of an acre of Po- 
 tatoeSy raifed by the Plough, as diredled 
 under that Artlclp. 
 
 1. s. d. 
 
 To twenty quarters of potatoes, 
 
 at 9s. per, or forty ftone -900 
 
 To three ploughings, at 2s. 6d. 
 each if with one man and two 
 horfes - - - 076 
 
 To two harrowings - 026 
 
 To one quarter of potatoes for 
 
 feed, at 9s. per - -090 
 
 To fix loads of dung, at 2s. per 012 o 
 
 III o 
 Brought 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 89 
 
 Brought over - - i 1 1 o 
 
 To fix boys or girls, each at 4d. 
 
 per day - - - 020 
 
 To two men, to fee they be right- 
 ly fet, and to help to lay the 
 dung - - ' 018 
 
 To three times hoeing with the 
 
 plough - - - -060 
 To ploughing up - 026 
 
 To eight boys or girls, at 4d. 
 
 each - - 028 
 
 To carriage home - - 020 
 To land-rent - - 0150 
 
 Total expence 324 
 Clear profit ^17 S 
 
 CHAP. 
 
po A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Remarks and Illujirations on the foregoing 
 'Table on potatoes Jet with the plough. 
 
 IN order to encourage the farmer to fall 
 into this valuable piece of hulbandry, I 
 have allowed him in the foregoing table, to 
 be well paid for his trouble ; and yet he fees 
 the profit amounts to upwards of five pounds 
 feventeen fhillings an acre. 
 
 Were I to be very minute, the profit 
 would be much more ; I have very often 
 known from fifteen to twenty pounds made 
 on an acre. 
 
 If I was to do ftri(^ juftice to this valua- 
 ble crop, it fhould not be charged, cither 
 with rent, ploughing or dung ; as it is part 
 contradi(flion, that the land, after this would 
 
 be 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 91 
 
 be better for a crop of wheat, the fiicceed- 
 ing year, than if it had been fallowed in the 
 common way. 
 
 It is alfo . to be obfervcd, that I have 
 charged the potatoes only at nine {hillings 
 a quarter, which often fell for much more, 
 
 Thefe are all plain and impartial reafons; 
 and I hope will encourage the farmer ta 
 purfue this valuable method. 
 
 There are a great many parts of England 
 that follow this method ; therefore luch may 
 overlook this chapter, and leave it for thofc 
 that know nothing of it ; which are a great 
 many parts both of England, hxland, Scot- 
 land and Wales ; fo excufe me if in other 
 cafes I mention fometimes what is known to 
 fomc farmers, as it may be Ilrange to odiera. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
92 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 On fetting Potatoes, as in Ireland, on Ridges 
 by Trenching. 
 
 THE Irifli method of fetring potatoes, 
 is in fome cafes very ufefnl, and the 
 chcapeft of all others, except the plough ; 
 and would be much more valuable in all 
 cafes, if they were cautious no to make the 
 trenches too deep. 
 
 It is a very eaiy method and quick: too ; 
 becaufe not above one-fourth of the ground 
 is dug ; and few farmers ha\ e fields or clofes 
 but what have wafte corners, where the 
 plough cannot come ; as alio backs of ditch- 
 es, hic. which if he lays on a good coat of 
 manure, he may fet potatoes in, and when 
 they are dug up, it will make good compoll 
 for his land. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ()2 
 
 It is alfo a good method to break up 
 tough, ftubborn, rooty or rocky land : — 
 becaufe this is a quick method of working 
 it, and the crop will meliorate it to that de- 
 gree, that it may be ploughed the year fol- 
 lowing with eafe : as to the executing of 
 this method, nothing is more eahly learned, 
 viz. 
 
 When you have fixed upon a piece of 
 land for this purpofc, you mull lay out 
 your ridges in breadth according to the 
 depth of your foil : that is, if the foil be 
 fhallow, make your ridges about four feet 
 broad, and the trench about two feet and a 
 half wide. 
 
 This is in order that you may raife eaith 
 enough to cover the potatoes, without en- 
 tering upon a dead poor foil. 
 
 But if your under ftratum be good, you 
 make the trenches deep and narrow, which 
 will fave land. 
 
 Sometimes it happens that a rich earth, 
 or even a kind of manure lies within the 
 reach of this trenching : when this happens 
 it is a treafure. 
 
 Cover your potatoes about four folid 
 inches thick : — ^being thus learned and de- 
 termined as to the depth and breadth of the 
 ridge, you muft ftretch a line and cut it out, 
 then fpread your manure ftraight and even 
 
 Vol. II. N on 
 
9+ 
 
 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 on the ridge, leaving the breadth of the 
 trench without any. 
 
 i\itcr this lay on your potatoes at about 
 nine inches from each other : then dig the 
 trench, and turn the firll Ind-grafs down- 
 wai'ds cloic to the edge of the ridge : and 
 \\ hat the i^od does not meet to cover, finilh 
 covering it widi the fecond fpit • but leave 
 the ihovellings at the bottom of the trench, 
 till tlie potatoes are ready to peep above the 
 ground ; then fhovel up the loofe earth, 
 and cover all the ridge thinly over. 
 
 This will check the growth of the top, 
 and cauie the potatoes to fpread under 
 ground : this is a better way than to finifh 
 the ridge all at the firft fctting, as iome will 
 do. 
 
 If you have much old grafs or ruihes, 
 &CC. on the ground, or that the fod is tough 
 and likely to take much time to rot : in this 
 cafe it is better to trench the ground in De- 
 cember or January, and in March fet the 
 potatoes : make holes with the planting- 
 machine : but the pegs mufl be thicker, in 
 order to make the holes wide enough to let 
 the fet to the bottom : or for want of this 
 machine, you may take a fetting Hick, like 
 the {haft of a fpade, and fix crofs-ways a 
 llrong peg about four inches from the bot- 
 tom 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 9 ^ 
 
 torn : this is to fet your foot on, in order to 
 fmk the fetting-ilick more ealily. 
 
 Make the holes about nine inches afund- 
 der : in them drop the potatoes, but no 
 deeper than juil to fall between the two fods: 
 for they love to fpread along the firm earth: 
 rake or harrow to fill the holes, then fhovel 
 the trenches and finilh the riJge. 
 
 Though rotten dung is doubtlefs beft, 
 yet if the ground be trenched early enough, 
 long dung will make a good Ihift, and may 
 be better u led in this than any other crop, 
 as it will have time to rot, and will keep 
 the tvv^o fods open, fo that the potatoes m.ay 
 have room to run and fpread between 
 them. 
 
 In the county of Leitrim, there is a great 
 deal of wet rulhy land worth little ; and [ 
 have feen very good potatoes in it, from no 
 other manure than cutting the ruflics, and 
 laying on the ridge, and making it no broad- 
 er than the furrow or trench, fo that the 
 fods meet. They trench it early, and make 
 the ridges only three feet wide. 
 
 However, if they doubt the land will not 
 bring a good crop thus, they may be fure 
 of a good crop, if they only give it a thin 
 covering of either lime, marl, or Ume ftonc 
 gravel, along with the rulhes: but the foon- 
 er this manure is laid on, (in order to grow 
 
 to 
 
^6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 to the fod and rot) the better, and the greater 
 certainty of a crop. Such land generally 
 gives a good crop of bear or wheat, after 
 the potatoes arc dug out. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ^^ 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 On different Sorts of Potatoes. 
 
 THERE are various forts of potatoes, 
 more perhaps than I am acquainted 
 with ; however the following is a lilt of the 
 various forts which I have cultivated. 
 
 Firft, white ruffeting; this is a round po- 
 tatoe with a rough ikin. 
 
 Secondly, red ruffeting; this is a red round 
 potatoe with a rough ikin. 
 
 Thirdly, the large Iriih white fmooth 
 potatoe. 
 
 Fourthly, the large round red potatoe. 
 
 Fifthly, the culgee. 
 
 "Sixthly, the early-wife potatoe. 
 
 Seventhly 
 
9^ A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Seventhly, the white kidney potatoc. 
 
 Eighiihly, the Jeruialc;-n potatoc. 
 
 Ninthly, the bull's eye potatoe. 
 
 The bull's eye is a large red potatoc, 
 which will grow and yield a plentiful crop 
 on poor ground ; but it k a veiy bad eating 
 potatoe : it taites not much unlike a yam. 
 
 As they produce a plentiful crop, fomc 
 gentlemen low them in Ireland, and parti- 
 cularly near Waterford, and the county of 
 Kilkenny, v/here they feed and fiaughtcr 
 many fwine for exportation. 
 
 The Jerufalem-potatoe is long, and full 
 of eyes, and is of a great produce ; each eye 
 makes a fet; as indeed fo they do in every 
 other potatoe; for the Irilh always cut them 
 infets, which is a good way, though not 
 generally pra coifed in England. 
 
 The culgee is a very fweet eating potatoe, 
 one fide is generally red: in their growing 
 they do not fpread and grow from itrings, 
 like another potatoe, but Hick to the bot- 
 tom of the ilalklike a bunch of grapes, and 
 rife to the furface, infomuch that often the 
 red lide will be above ground. 
 
 I have had a fine crop of them, they arc 
 very fond of a well-tilled foil, tlicrcfore the 
 drill method of fetting them with the plough 
 in broken land fuits them beft. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, ()() 
 
 The wife potatce is of an early kind ; they 
 produce a fmall top but no bloffom, and 
 the top Vv^ithers early ; they do not grow ve- 
 ry large, are of a light red call lull of eyes ; 
 they are of a great increafc, but a great ma- 
 ny of them fmall, they are very ufeful for 
 an early crop ; as they are dry and ready 
 for ufc two months before others ; but it is 
 not a good keeping potatoe. 
 
 The large red Iriih potatoe is of a good 
 kind, and particularly on ftrong cold land, 
 where it thrives beft ; it grows large and 
 produces a good plentiful crop. 
 
 As the hilh poor eat potatoes inftead of 
 bread, thefe are the beft of all others for 
 that ufe ; they vrill tell you, that they will 
 he longer than any others on the ilomach ; 
 fo coniequently are of a found prm texture ; 
 their colour is of a deep red, and of a 
 round fhape ; they have a grofs ilrong ftalk 
 or top. 
 
 The white- ruffe ting is a very pleafant eat- 
 ing potatoe ; but I do not thmk them good 
 yielders : neither will they thrive well, 
 without rich v/ell tilled land. 
 
 The red ruffeting is of a hardy fort, and 
 will grow almoif on any fort of land ; but 
 they do not produce many at a root : nei- 
 ther are they large, fo confequently are bad 
 yielders, and not a defirable crop, where 
 other feed can be got. The' 
 
loo A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The toad-back is nearly a-kin to the large 
 Irilh potatoe, only not fo large : the fkin is 
 almoll black and rough like a rulTeting : — 
 this is a found, dry, firm, good eating po- 
 tatoe : it is fond of good frefh land, and 
 agrees very well with the Iriih method of 
 fetting on lay-land, as direded in the chap- 
 ter that treats thereon. 
 
 The kidney (or by fome called Spanifh) 
 potatoe is of an oblong fliape, a white co- 
 lour, with a yellowilh call : it is a fweet 
 good-eating potato s ; but not fo dry, or 
 mealy as fome others, therefore not fo pro- 
 per to be ufed in the place of bread, as is 
 the cafe in Ireland) but it is very good to 
 be chopped up, and ufed as fauce to meat : 
 it is an exceeding good yielder, and by na- 
 ture feeks its food deep ; and therefore re- 
 quires a good covering with mold when fct; 
 it will thrive well on a ftrong deep foil ; buC 
 requires to be well tilled. 
 
 UhiBion of Horlicultur^j 
 
 L V. 0. Bdp't of Agriculture, cHAP. 
 
 'i 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. loi 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 T^be Management and TJfe of Vetches, 
 
 VETCHES are a very ufeful good crop,' 
 and particularly for winter or fpring- 
 fceding for fheep, or indeed other cattle -, 
 and what adds flill to their value is that they 
 want no dung or manure. 
 
 They may be Town, and will grow upon 
 land that lie ufelefs all winter ; and what 
 is more, they add to the fertilizing of luch 
 land ; neither does a farmer pay one penny 
 more rent for his crop, than he would for 
 the Hubble Handing on the faid land. 
 
 The chief ufe of vetches is to fupply the 
 farmer with winter-feeding on his flubble- 
 lands, that would otherwile be wafte, from 
 
 Vol. U. O the 
 
loz A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 the time the crop is reaped, which is about 
 )Sej)tei)"ibcr, to Ivlarch or April following : 
 in iliis caic they are very valuable ; as what 
 benefits either the land or the farmer gets by 
 .them is clear gain. 
 
 But as ufcivl as vetches are in this cafe, 
 they are too inconiiderable a crop, to ftand 
 all fummer, and take the year's rent upon 
 them ; except in very poor, fandy, or gra- 
 velly land, which is generally of a low rent. 
 
 The better the land is which they are fown 
 on for the winter-feeding, doubtlefs the bet- 
 ter herbage they will make ; alfo the fooncr 
 they are fown in autumn, (fo as to have as 
 much benefit of the declining fummer fun as 
 pofTible) the better and llronger your herb- 
 age will be ; therefore the more cattle it will 
 fupport; and if the land be a rich, deep, 
 fl:rong loam or clay, it will produce good 
 herbage ; though it is not proper for feed ; 
 bccauie the richnefs of the foil would force 
 it all into ibaw, but little corn. 
 
 The method of thofe that would fow 
 vetches upon theil* wafle flubble land, for 
 w^inter-feeding muft be this : 
 
 Take any fort of land that has been under 
 rap;, cole-feed, turnips, or any fort of corn, 
 and as foon as the crop is reaped and off, 
 plough the ihibble under; begin in the mid- 
 dle of the ridge, and raile it as high as pof- 
 
 fible 
 
• OE HUSBANDRY. loj 
 
 fible with the plough, (by gathering or taking 
 it up) in order that it may lie as dry as po(- 
 fible all winter ; which will add both to the 
 goodncfs of the crop, and the cleannefs of 
 the cattle's feeding. 
 
 This done, fow your vetches at the rate 
 of ten flone to the Englilli acre ; then har- 
 row them in ; after this water-furrow and 
 gripe-crofs your ridges, in the lowed places 
 of the land, leading to the fide drains ; in 
 order to give a ready pafifage for the winter's 
 water when it falls. 
 
 If they be fDwn at the latter end of Au- 
 guft, or the beginning of September, you 
 may turn your Iheep in, about the middle 
 of December. 
 
 Eat them all winter, and in the fpring 
 the land will be in fine order for oats or bar- 
 ley. 
 
 Some chule to preferve their vetches till 
 fpring, to feed early lambs or weathers on, 
 which is very profitable : others will eat 
 them all the month of May, and then give 
 the land a couple of ploughings, and fow it 
 with turnips or rape at midfummer : this is 
 alfo a good way. 
 
 Others again will fallow all furamer, af- 
 ter the vetches are eat off ; which will great- 
 ly enrich the land ; and then fow wheat on 
 
 it in autumn. 
 
 U 
 
I04 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 If you intend your vetches for feed fow 
 them in Februaiy, at rate of fix ftone to 
 the acre ; and harveft them as peas. But 
 if they be intended to plough in for dung, 
 (which is the word way, as it is better to 
 make dung by eating them on the ground) 
 fow them in March, at eight ftone to the 
 acre ; and plough them in, when full of 
 bloObm, as direcfted for buck-wheat. 
 
 If you intend this crop for fodder, by 
 the way of hay, they muft be mown be- 
 fore they are ripe , that is, when the ftraw 
 is full of juices and fap. 
 
 By taking them thus green, when the 
 flraw is full of fap or rich fubftanccs, the 
 grain does not fhake out ; and the horfes 
 eat llraw and corn all together ; which is 
 excellent fodder 
 
 In this cafe the hay muft be made by the 
 fame method as any other hay : only by be- 
 ing cut in this Hate, the draw will be parti- 
 cularly full of fap ; therefore you muft be 
 careful that it neither rot nor mold. 
 
 The quality of vetches is fuch, that they 
 will grow almoll on any fort of land ; if 
 they rtand for feed, poor, gravelly, or light 
 fandy land fuits them bell : for indeed they 
 are moftly fown where nothing elfe will 
 grow, and I think they exceed any other 
 grafs or crop whatever, except turnips for 
 
 winter 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 105 
 
 winter feeding, as they fuit our climates, 
 being a native of thefe kingdoms, and a 
 plant that keeps green all winter. 
 
 Indeed they are of fuch a juicy herbagy 
 nature, that though the feed ripens, dries, 
 and fheSs, yet the ftalk or ftraw will be a 
 green herbage, and full of juices, after the 
 feed has deferted it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
io6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 Explanation and Nature of different Sorts of 
 PuJ/e, fuch as Vetch, ^are. Lentils, &c. 
 
 THE following multiplicity of names, 
 confufedly made ufc of by authors 
 to convey the meaning of one plant, may 
 well puzzle or confound the ideas of a far- 
 mer, and fend him in fearch after plants, 
 corn or grain, of which perhaps he himfelf 
 may be already poflclTed. 
 
 However it cannot be expected he fhould 
 have a fufficient library of books, always at 
 hand to clear up referrences. It is enough 
 to tell him, that though the many following 
 names are made ufe of in different parts of 
 the two kingdoms, yet vetch is a name that 
 fuits our Englilh tongue befl, and what may 
 
 be 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 107 
 
 he underftood by every one that underftands 
 the language : to this name is added fitch, 
 fetch, thetch, thetches, fitches, chick and 
 checkes : and thefc abfolutely mean one 
 and the fame thing ; fome make the word 
 of the fingnlar, and others the plural num- 
 ber. 
 
 Moft people are inclined to believe the 
 real name of this pulfe to be vetch ; but this 
 cannot be, as vetch is the Latin word for 
 tare, and though the tare is of the pulfe-kind 
 yet it hardly bears a refemblance to the 
 vetch in queftion. 
 
 Befides the tare is confidered amongft the 
 judicious farmers as a weed, and v/ith great 
 reafon too, for it is as deftru6live to corn as 
 any vi^eed whatever, being a weak, climbing, 
 heavy topped, feathery plant, which puUs 
 the corn dovv^n and rots it. 
 
 The, feed alfo when once it gets a footing 
 is very hard to get clear of, as it is of a fmall 
 round fhape, and blackilh colour. It is 
 likevvife fpoken of in fcripture as a weed. 
 
 Notwithi\anding all this, I with regret 
 fee it largely treated on by fome authors, as 
 a valuable crop ; however I know the ill 
 confequences of it fo well by woeful experi- 
 ence, that I Ihall not bellow a finglc line a- 
 bout it, except to advife the farmer, that 
 already has it, to clear his land of it, as faft 
 as pofiible. There. 
 
io8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 There are two forts of vetches, namely^ 
 the large and the fmall : the large is of a^ 
 grey colour, and is moll proper to fow, 
 when the crop is intended to Hand for feed. 
 
 The fmall fort is a fmall black grain and a 
 hardy plant, and not fo grols ; therefore 
 not fo apt to lodge, and rot by the feventy 
 of the winter as the former. 
 
 The vetch bears a blue, or rather purple 
 bloffom, much like a grey field-pea; the 
 pod of much the fame likenefs, but fmall : 
 the ftalk has a refemblance alfo, but will 
 not grow to near the length or grolTnefs, and 
 is clad with a fmall narrow feathered leaf. 
 
 The lentil (but corruptly called by fome 
 till) is a fpecies of pulfe, and one that de- 
 lerves the farmers attention. It is nearly of 
 the fame nature as the vetch ; therefore 
 muft have the fame manageinent, but will 
 afford to be fown fomething later in the 
 Ipring, as it is rather of an earlier kind. 
 
 The ftalk of the lentil is more taper 
 than that of vetches, fo confequently will 
 ftand better without a fupport. 
 
 For this reafon the farmers may fow it 
 with fucccfs among their oats, as it is able 
 to fupport itfelf without pulling the oats 
 down. 
 
 Again, it is a great bearer, and adds 
 much to the mealy part of the oat, and 
 
 confequently 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 109 
 
 confequenliy has more flrength of food for 
 the horfe, and the ftraw beins: mixed with 
 the oat-ftraw makes excellent fodder. 
 
 The pod that holds the feed is fomewhat 
 like that of a pea, but broader in proportion, 
 and very thin, as the two fides fall clofe to- 
 gether round the feed. 
 
 The feed is grey, and of a round flattiih 
 fliape, the leaves grow in pairs oppofite each 
 other, are long, fmall, and pointed, of a 
 palilh green, and a little downy at the un- 
 der lide. 
 
 The corn is very good for pigeons or 
 fowls of any fort : it is alfo made ufe of for 
 the fame purpoies as the grey pea or vetch. 
 
 One thing is to be laid of the lentil, that 
 it will grow on any poor, light gravel, or 
 fandy land, perhaps better than any other 
 grain or fort of pulfe : but though this be 
 its perfedion, yet doubtlefs the better the 
 land the ftouter the crop ; provided it be of 
 a warm fandy nature. Indeed any gram of 
 the pulfe kmd is fond of fuch land ; but 
 v.'hen it is richer than common, the feed 
 muft be fown thine r in proportion, and 
 particularly when the crop is intended to 
 iland for feed. 
 
 Vol. ir. F CHAP. 
 
no A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 0« the different Management of Clover, 
 through all its Variations, 
 
 CLOVER fuits the climates of Eng- 
 land, Ireland and America, better than 
 moll other graffes, and is a veiy beneficial 
 crop, either for grazing, or meadow; be- 
 fides it is a great improver of land, having 
 a ftrong fibrous root, which quickly incor- 
 porates with the earth:, and when ploughed 
 up or dillurbed by tillage, foon rots, and 
 becomes a very rich manure. 
 
 This together with the ieveral rich crops 
 it produces, makes it of more value than 
 an/ odier artificial grafs. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. in 
 
 The way to make the moft of it, I take to 
 be this, viz. 
 
 Sow it with a fpring crop , that is, after 
 the corn is (own and harrowed, fow the 
 clover-feed, at the rate of ten pounds to an 
 Englifh acre. 
 
 When fown, either bufh-harrow or roll 
 it ; but the latter is bell:. 
 
 When the corn is reaped, eat the clover 
 for about a month : though there are many 
 who object againft this method : (but my 
 reafons for it may be feen in the enfuing 
 chapter on clover) then lay it up. It .will 
 be well grown by April, at which time you 
 may turn ni your ewes and lambs. 
 
 It is an excellent thing to create milk for 
 feeding lambs with : aifo feeding for any 
 fort of cattle ; but be watchful to keep your 
 horned cattle walking or flirring about ; or 
 they will be very apt to hove and burll, as 
 it is a very fwelling food, and particularly 
 if the weather be wet; for when the cattle 
 are firft turned in, they eat greedily not tak- 
 ing time to chew it. 
 
 Therefore, it is beft only to fuffer them 
 to be in about ten minutes at a time, the 
 fiift day, twenty the next, and fo on : but 
 it is beil to turn them in with a full belly of 
 iiay, or fome dry meat ; which will abate 
 
 theii- 
 
112 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 their greedy appetite, and help to dry up 
 the watery particles. 
 
 One great ufe or advantage in clover is its 
 early fpring ; for it comes in at leart a montli 
 before natural grafs ; and a month's grafs 
 early in the fpring, is worth two at any o- 
 thej- time of the year. 
 
 This is a confideration a farmer ought to 
 hear in mind : and that for feveral reafonSj 
 viz. 
 
 Firft, for feeding early lambs. 
 
 Secondly, to fupply the place of hay, 
 which at this time of the year is generally 
 fcarcc and dear. 
 
 Thirdly, it is a great Arengthener to 
 young cattle ; fuch as calves and foals ; for 
 it firft purges, and then puts them in health 
 and vigor, to enter with a good conftitution 
 into the natural grafs-p'aflure. It is always 
 obferved, that when they go weak and poor 
 into the fummer grafs, the bell part of the 
 fummeris fpent (in which time they fhould 
 grow in bone) before they reco\er their 
 iieili. 
 
 Fourthly, it fprings the in-calving cows 
 to milk : and a farmer ought to bear in mind 
 that a fortnight's good feeding, before a 
 cow calves, is worth a month after ; as it 
 flulhes her to milk, by opening her milk- 
 veins^ flretching her udder, teats and milk- 
 
 velTcls 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 113 
 
 'Teffels ; and it ftrengthens and feeds the 
 >calf within, and herfeif to undergo the 
 painful talk of calving. 
 
 A cow with health and ftrength at calv- 
 ing, is worth one and a half that is poor, 
 for milk in fummer. 
 
 After this moft valuable grafs has per- 
 formed all thefe good offices, by its early 
 fpring, lay it up for meadow, about the 
 firft of May ; and it will be ready to mow 
 in a month or five weeks after. 
 
 By good mana8;ement, it will produce 
 three crops in one year ; befides the after- 
 grafs, or winter-herbage, which is almofc 
 of as much value as the reR. 
 
 The different fiages for a crop of clover, 
 are as as follows, viz. 
 
 Suppofe the feed to be fown amongfb 
 corn in the beginning of April : this year 
 the rent of the land is paid by the corn- 
 crop; therefore the clover has no charge of 
 rent upon it till May following : however it 
 is of great ufe in this year for winter-feed- 
 ing- ^ 
 
 After the corn is reaped, the Hubbies 
 
 mud be kept free from cattle, till the clo- 
 ver get to be a good herbage ; which vvill be 
 about the firft of November ; then turn light 
 cattle in : eat it till the firil: of December, 
 or till you fee that they have cropped off all 
 the tirll Ihoots. Then 
 
114 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Then take them out, and lay it up till 
 the firft of April : at which time it will be a 
 good herbage. 
 
 Therefore if your grafs be fcarce, and 
 you chufe to eat the clover, you may turn 
 in cattle for a month : and the lirft of May 
 lay it up for a meadow-crop. 
 
 If a wet fummer follows, and the ground 
 be good, it will be ready to cut by the 
 tenth of June for hay : the next crop will 
 produce feed, or if you chufe another crop 
 of hay. 
 
 The time to cut the fecond crop for hay, 
 is about the middle of September ; or when 
 the flowers are all full blown, and fome of 
 the mofl: forward begin to fade. 
 
 But if you would fave the feed, give it 
 time enough to ripen, as there is no fear of 
 its fliedding : it is fo well inclofed with a 
 very Packing, tough, wirey pod, therefore 
 deler cutting it till very ripe ; as alfo make 
 it very dry or raib when cut, or it will not 
 part from the ftraw or pod by trelhing, 
 without more labour than it is worth. 
 
 By taking out the feed, the ftraw will be 
 trcflicd very ihort and mufhy : however 
 it will be good fodder, though not near 
 cq'jal to the crop managed for hay in its 
 proper Icafon. 
 
 He 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 115 
 
 He Is a good workman that can trefh out 
 a peck of clean feed in a day : he muft 
 firft trefh the pods, and rub and winnow 
 the {ccd out : then dry the pods or hufks 
 again ; and fo repeat thefe operations, till 
 he gets the feed feparated from the hufk. 
 
 But the befl way is to threfli the pods or 
 hufks out of the flraw, and then take them 
 to the mill, and fhcll them as you would 
 oats ; this is very cafily done, and faves 2 
 great deal of labour and feed, as little by 
 this will be wafted. 
 
 There is one piece of care or obfervation 
 that a farmer (hould never lofc fight of, if 
 he expects a full crop of feed ; and that is, 
 never to lay up his hrft growthof clover for 
 feed ; for though it may grow vigoroully, 
 bloflbm, and look well to him who is not a 
 true judge, yet it will not bear feed. 
 
 Therefore, when a farmer eats his clover 
 in April or May, he mufl fee that his cattle 
 eat it near and crop every branch, as thofe 
 that mifs cropping, though they flower 
 will not (eed ; for this reafon I recommend 
 eating it in April, mowing the hay crop 
 in June, and laving the feed from the laii: 
 crop, whichvriil produce the moll and bell; 
 feed. 
 
 But if the farmer choofcs he may not eat 
 it in fpring ; by which means he may mow 
 
 the 
 
ii6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 the firft crop of hay by the middle of May^ 
 and tlie next crop raife feed from. 
 
 This will bring the feed crop more in the 
 middle of fummcr, when the heat is ftrong;, 
 fo confequently it will- be in lefs danger of 
 being fpoilcd by autumn-rains, which come 
 earlier in Ireland, and the north of England, 
 than they do near London. 
 
 I mention this that every farn^er may be 
 a judge of his own fituation, and fuit his 
 crop accordingly. 
 
 It IS a grols miilake and very often com- 
 mitted, to let the firft crop of clover hay 
 Hand too long before it is cut, for feveral 
 reafons. 
 
 Firft, when it ftands till the bottom of 
 the ftalk turns brown, it is drained of all its 
 fubftance, and alfo has cxhaufted or weak- 
 ened the root too much of its vigour; there- 
 fore when it is mown, the ftubble is left as 
 dead or lifclels as that of corn : and the 
 next fhoot or branch which comes forth 
 muft be from the very root, which admits 
 of a fortnight's delay in tlie growth of the 
 crop : whereas on the other hand if it was 
 cut when the ftalk is green aiid ftill of fap 
 or juices, it would fend forth frelh Ihoots 
 out of the very ftalk a little belOw the cut: 
 and the coat of clover being ftripped off, 
 the roots are fupplied (bciore they are left 
 
 to» 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ik/ 
 
 too weak and fickly) with frefh air, and 
 kept in vigour and flrength, to fupport and 
 bring to maturity, the fucceeding crop. 
 
 It IS true, there may not be fo great a 
 bulk of hay in the firll crop when cut io 
 young ; bccaufe the llalk is cut when foft 
 and full of juices, and therefore flattens, 
 clofes, and runs or cakes together when in 
 (iack, he. 
 
 It alfo requires more care in making ; but 
 as this happens in the height of fummer, 
 there is not fo much danger that way ^ and 
 aftone of fuch hay is worth two of that which 
 is left to ftand till the ftalks are left dry, 
 hard and inipoveriihed. 
 
 Clover may be fown with fliccefs amongft 
 oats : alfo if wheat or rye be fown in broad 
 ridges, it may be fown amonglf them irk 
 May and rolled in. 
 
 I have fecn good clover where the feed 
 was fown amongft flax : but the befl of thefe 
 crops for raifing clover is barley, as this 
 grain is not apt to grow with fo long and 
 grofs a flraw as oats, wheat or lye ; there- 
 lore the clover is not in eoual daneer of be- 
 
 A, O 
 
 ing fmothcred. 
 
 Yet there is no general rule without an 
 exception. 
 
 I have 
 
 Vol. II. • CL 
 
11$ A N E W S Y S T E M 
 
 I have feen good and bad clover among 
 all thefe crops ; a deal depends upon a good 
 feafon : barley however has the beft chance ; 
 as we generally till well for it; barley being, 
 a. tender grain. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 119 
 
 C H A P. XXIV. 
 
 On Cattle boved by Clover , and its Cure, 
 
 THO' it may feem ftrangc or odd in mc 
 to make acomparifon between the hu- 
 man and the brute creation; yet true'it is that 
 what will cure one will alfo cure the other, 
 if due regard be had to proportion the 
 dofe agreeably to the ftrength of the ani- 
 mal. 
 
 In many inftances, limilar cafes might be 
 quoted to flipport this alTertion, but as few 
 words will anfwer my prefent purpofe, I 
 Ihall leave every thing elie to the recolledi- 
 -on of my reader. 
 
 The mofl natural difference between the 
 entrails of the human and the brute fpecies, 
 is that the former lie in a perpendicular, and 
 the latter m a horizontal diredion. 
 
 What 
 
r2o A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Wliat I aim nt by this inference, is to 
 make my reader feel by himfelt the difor- 
 der that affects a beaft by eating over gree- 
 dily. 
 
 I dare fay not one of my readers but upr 
 on recollection, will find that he fome time 
 or other has eat his meat haliily, without 
 taking time to chew it, till it has given him 
 unealineis in his bowels, by a fiippreffion 
 of wind, infomuch that he has been obliged 
 to halt, or paufe a little, till tlie bit let- 
 tied ; after which he breaks wind with a 
 belch.. 
 
 This difjjrder when coming on, he plain- 
 ly feels, is no other than fwaliowing too 
 quick. 
 
 Therefore T fay, when he finds the gullet 
 overcharged, and the wind fo preft, he 
 ilops till all is right again ; but if he was 
 {till to perfiH in eating, the confequence 
 might be dangerous : and I donht not but 
 many lole their lives by it, as we often hear 
 of people dying at meat. 
 
 Juil fuch is the cafe vith cattle eating 
 clover : for the nature of clover is fuch, 
 that a beall can iill his mouth quicker with 
 it than with any other grals ; which is ow- 
 211^ to its bulhy top and foft, and fmall 
 Aalk. 
 
 Ail 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 121 
 
 All natural grafs is fmall at the top, and 
 thickeft towards the bottom ; it therefore 
 takes a good pitll to break it off ; which 
 gives time for a fwallow ; neither can the 
 bead fill his mouth fo quick. But clover 
 being quite the reverfe, he can gather it 
 fader or quicker, than the gullet can dif- 
 charge it into the maw. 
 
 Therefore one mouthful, which is very 
 large, rolled up in balls, overtakes another, 
 till it flops up the paiTage of the throat, 
 and fuppreiles the inward air, and fo puts 
 a final ftop to refpiration, infomuch that all 
 the inward machinery is like a blown blad- 
 der. 
 
 All thefe preffmg upon the lungs, hin- 
 der them from playing ; which caufes a to- 
 tal fl agnation of the inward machinery ; 
 and if a remedy cannot be procured, before 
 the blood abates in its circulation, and cools 
 in the veins, death muft unavoidably en- 
 iue. 
 
 I remember an accident that happened 
 -when I was a fchool-boy, and as I was pre- 
 fent, I fhall repeat it as follows^: 
 
 A farmer turned a parcel of cattle into a 
 clover-field in the month of May ; but in 
 a fmall time after they were turned in, a 
 bullock was obferved to be very fick : he 
 was immediateiy drove out of the field into 
 
 the 
 
ii22 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 the town, which was within two or three 
 hundred yards; but in town before he could 
 reach the tarmer's houfe, he dropped down 
 dead to all appearance : it was oppofite to 
 an ale-houfe. 
 
 Immediately people flocked about him : 
 a drunken blackfmith was in the ale-houfe 
 with a gun-barrel in his hand, and the 
 breech-pin out, as he had been cleaning it : 
 Jhe came out, running among the reft, and 
 thruft the gun-barrel up the bullock's fun- 
 dament; out of which iflued a deal of 
 wind. 
 
 Another by-ftander run his pen-knife in- 
 to his flank behind his laft rib. 
 
 I had a pellit-gun in my hand, and they 
 put it into the orifice, out of which alfo 
 ruflied a deal of wind. 
 
 They alfo bled him. This was all per- 
 formed inftantly. 
 
 He began to Ihew fign of life ; they then 
 gave him a cliftcr of warm milk, oil and 
 iljrown fugar. 
 
 In fhort with one cookery or another the 
 bullock recovered ; and I believe every thing 
 that was done was new : as moft prefcnt 
 were ftrangers to clover. 
 
 As it was only then, making its entrance 
 into the neigb.bourhood, therefore they were 
 all ftrangers to its cffeds. And though they 
 
 llumblcd 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 123 
 
 •ftumbled upon a cure, yet not one of them 
 perhaps could give a rational coherent aa- 
 fwer upon the fubjecl. 
 
 The perlon to whom the bullock bc*> 
 longed was a very feniible, curious, enter- 
 prifing man. 
 
 He was the firft that introduced any new- 
 thing into the neighbourhood j of which 
 clover was one inftance. 
 
 As he believed the bullock dead, he 
 iiood very coolly looking on, and let them 
 do what they would. After which he made 
 very fenfible remarks. 
 
 I have heard him fince fay, that v^as a, 
 lucky bullock ; as he had been the rneans 
 of faving him many cattle. 
 
 By the experiment he afforded, the peo- 
 ple's attention was fo much engrolTed with- 
 this bullock, that a cow and a two year 
 old heiffer were dead in the field before they 
 had prefence of mind to attend to them ; 
 but the farmer told me' he never lofl one 
 after. 
 
 I afked him his cure, he told me that he 
 never wanted one, for he looked upon a 
 prevention as preferable to a medicine, or 
 any other operation. , 
 
 His method was always to keep the cat- 
 tle flirring when they were firil turned into 
 clover,, fo that three or four mouthiuls were 
 
 as 
 
124- A NEW SYSTENf 
 
 as mucli as they were admitted to take atT 
 once, and then to walk a few yards, till 
 that had time to fettle into the inaw i fo as 
 the gullet-wind, as he called it, had time 
 to arife. 
 
 Thus he kept them llirring till they were 
 full ; and for a few nights at tiril:, turned 
 them into a common grafs-pailure. 
 
 There is no doubt but this is a very nc- 
 cedary precaution, and if duly attended to 
 would render every other operation or me- 
 dicine ineffefiual. 
 
 However, left through neglcd:, ignorance 
 or accident, cattle fhould break into clover, 
 it is ablolutely neceifary that a cure Ihould 
 be pointed out. 
 
 I believe my reader will adm.it that the 
 nearefl rtep to a cure in any caie is, to know 
 the difeafe, and the caufe of it : this will 
 make the cure more certain. 
 
 Now we find that the caufe of this mala- 
 dy is by fuddenly over-filling the neck-gut„ 
 which fwells and ftops all the vent of the 
 throat or wind-pipe. 
 
 This over-prell'ure clofes the lungs, and 
 hinders them from playing, which puts a 
 final flop to the circulation of the blood 
 through all the veins. 
 
 When this loles its motion, it immediate- 
 ly cools and thickens. 
 
 Therefore 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 12^- 
 
 Therefore, in this cafe, every ftep muft 
 be very quick; as delay will put it out of 
 the power of medicine to relieve. 
 
 The fjril thing is, to open a vein ; the 
 next, to make an incifion with a knife in the 
 flank, about three inches from the hinder 
 rib, as near the hip-bone as can be, fo as not 
 to enter into the flefh; there is no danger can 
 enfue from this, provided you keep high 
 enough up, not to touch the entrails. 
 
 Put a quill in the orifice, to keep it o- 
 pen : while this is doing warm a quart of 
 milk, and put it into a half pound of trea- 
 cle, an ounce of annifeed, and a table fpoon- 
 ful of fweet oil : mix all together, and give 
 it as a clifter : thiS will nourifh the entrails, 
 and keep warm and alive the blood, till a 
 refpiration can be recovered. 
 
 if a clifter of this fort cannot be got, 
 ftamp an onion , mix with it butter and 
 pepper, and put it up the fundament ; it 
 v/ill caufe an attraction and a heat : pour 
 feme fweet oil, or quick-filver down the 
 throat ; which will help to force a paiTage 
 for the wind to operate. 
 
 Vol. II. R CHAP. 
 
126 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 C H A P. XXV. 
 
 "Remarks on Clover^ 
 
 SOME perfons objecn; to the eating of 
 clover, the tirft winter after it is fown ; 
 believing it to weaken the crop, but on the 
 contrary, I believe it flrengthens it : for as 
 clover grows amongil corn, it is drawn up 
 Vv eak and tender by its warm fituation, be- 
 ing furroundcd by the crbp : and when a 
 tall weak plant of this fort comes to be fud- 
 denly expofed, it is a wonder if the delica- 
 cy oi" its conflitution can bear the fudden 
 change without a fhock, as it is not fit to 
 encounter with the inclemency of a win- 
 ter. 
 
 I IcJok 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 127 
 
 1 look upon it to be much better to eat 
 off this weak alpiring top, which makes 
 the root ftrikc downwards, grow ftrong, 
 and incorporate with the foil and the earth: 
 the top alfo will fend forth frelh fhoots, 
 more of them and of a firmer texture or 
 kind. 
 
 To convince myfelf of this, I once di- 
 vided a field of clover into two parts, one 
 of which I eat in common with the reil of 
 the flubbles ; the other I did not eat at all 
 till May. 
 
 The part I eat, I found to be a good deal 
 ranker or thicker {qI on the ground than 
 the other : and I obferved that the leaves of 
 the clover that were not eaten, turned yel- 
 low with the frofl, and died away. 
 
 In this cafe, as in moil others, (reafon 
 fpeaks for itfeli) that it is better to take off 
 a fickly, tender, weak, part or fibre, than 
 to let it die away, and thereby communi- 
 cate its llate ot moitiiication to the main 
 body. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
liS A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 On Lucernt, its Perfection and Management', 
 alio the Method of Drilltng with the com- 
 7non Plough, &c. 
 
 LA Lucerne, lb called by the French, 
 but lucerne by the Englifh, is a very 
 profitable grafs, and particularly where the 
 climate is hot, and the land light and fandy, 
 or gravelly and rocky. 
 
 It is an excellent food, either as herbage 
 or hay : but its greatell perfedion is for 
 foiling of cattle, which makes it of great 
 fervice in fome parts of England, and would 
 be particularly fo in America. 
 
 This 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 12^ 
 
 This grafs is not fo early a Tpring as clo- 
 ver ; for if we confider, that it is the fun 
 we may thank for nonrifhing the earth, and 
 niakes her fend forth her early fpring ; and 
 that it is unqueftionably the furface which 
 firll feels the warmth thereof: we muft 
 conclude that any vegetable which roots 
 fhallow or runs horizontally, will make the 
 carlieft fhoot, confequently lucerne muft 
 have the more backward fpring, as it ftrike* 
 a great deal deeper than the clover, and 
 therefore feeds in a colder climate, which 
 makes it a very fit crop for fo hot a climate 
 as America. 
 
 I would further obferve, that clover im- 
 proves land better than lucerne by its root 
 Spreading more largely and plentifully thro' 
 the fod. 
 
 I am ftrongly of opinion that nothing in 
 nature improves land equal to the root of 
 clover ; for if it only lies one year, plough 
 it up, and the furrow or fod will be a per- 
 fect mattrals ; and after that ploughing the 
 root foon rots, and becomes the fineft ma- 
 nure upon earth. 
 
 But this we cannot fay for lucerne : for 
 though what root there is, may make good 
 manure, yet it does not fpread or produce 
 half fo much root in the fod, becaufe it 
 
 firikes 
 
130 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 llrikes downwards, like a parfnip, and 
 thereiore a great deal of it lies too deep to 
 be raifcd by the plough. 
 
 The two chief perfedions of lucerne arc, 
 firft, its yielding a plentiful produce, tho' 
 fown in a fandy, gravelly or rocky ground, 
 provided it is made tolerably rich, and finely 
 tilled. 
 
 The climate and lands of America are 
 very proper for lucerne, as the climate is 
 hot, the land light, and in general pretty 
 deep, which will admit the top root to 
 ftrike deep alio, and feek its nourifhment out 
 of the reach of the rays of the fun, confe- 
 quently in this country it has the preference 
 to clover, as the latter never ftrikcs deeper 
 than the plough goes, but runs horizontally 
 is interwoven, and feeds entirely from the 
 the upper fod or ftratum, fo that in a hot 
 climate the fun will not permit it to flourilh 
 to periedion, particularly if it be not attrad- 
 ed to a colder eaithly climate by deep til- 
 age. 
 
 Every farmei however, is the beft judge 
 what fort of land he has, or what fituation 
 he is in, and accordingly may fuit his crop 
 thereto. 
 
 When a perfon hears two tales, though 
 he be a llranger to the affair, yet he may 
 
 give 
 
OF HUSBANDHr. ijt 
 
 ^ivc a (hrewd guefs which is the moft rea- 
 fonable or likely to fuit his purpofe. 
 
 Lucerne requires a deep foil ; and though 
 the feed rnuft be thinly covered, when fovvn 
 yet the land mull: be prepared by deep 
 ploughing : as the rool firikes deep. 
 
 It is necelTary that the land have a good 
 fummer-fallow ; when the corn is fown and 
 harrowed, fow the lucerne, and harrow 
 once in a place with the harrow turned the 
 wrong end forcmoft ; and when the corn is 
 come up, roll it. 
 
 If the lucerne be intended for fummer- 
 pafture or meadow, fow it in the broad-caft 
 way, and in order to fow it even, fow it 
 twice in a place. 
 
 Take no more rn your hand than you can 
 hold between one finger and thumb, and on 
 a ridge that is twelve feet broad make three 
 calls ; this will fow at the rate of four 
 pounds to an Englifh acre, at fixteen ounces 
 to the pound, and five yard and an half to 
 the peich, and fo in proportion for the 
 Scotch and Irifh acre. 
 
 If the lucerne be mtended for foiling cat- 
 tle, it is by much the bell to fow it in 
 drills, viz. 
 
 Two drills, eight inches afunder, and 
 then an mterval of three ieet, and then two 
 
 drills 
 
132 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 drills more, and another interval of three 
 feet ; and lo on through the piece you in- 
 tend to fow. 
 
 It m-^y appear to farmers that arc Gran- 
 gers to the drill-hulhandry, that it is a very 
 nice affair, and not to be done witliout the 
 expcnce and nicety of a drill plough : nor 
 did 1 ever read any infi-ructions that direded 
 it to be done by any other way : but be af- 
 fured there is nothing more eafy; for a com- 
 mon plough will malcc a very good iliift, 
 when managed in the following manner, 
 viz. 
 
 The land being well prepared for the feed 
 it~ lucerne is to be fowcd in drills, without 
 a corn-crop, begin to plough at one fide of 
 the field, and plough a furrow two inches 
 deep and eight broad : in this fcatter the 
 feed ; then plough another furrow ; in this 
 fow none j but in the next fow another rov/: 
 this leaves a fpace of eight inches between 
 the rows ; then plough five more, and in 
 the fixth and eight fcatter the feed : fo go 
 on, leaving five furrows unfown, and two 
 fown : this will leave room enough between 
 the two rows in the wide interval, for the 
 plough to go. 
 
 As foon as the lucerne is above ground, 
 go with the plough and lay a little mold at 
 the Hem of each row, and always when the 
 
 weeds 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 135 
 
 weeds grow plough a couple of furrows in 
 the wide interval, which will kill the weeds 
 and fallow the ground, and give additional 
 vigor to the plants : weed or hand-hoe in 
 the narrow intervals. 
 
 If lucerne is to be fown amongft corn, it 
 cannot be let in drills as above with the 
 plough ; therefore ft retch a line at the fame 
 diftances of forty-eight inches to the wide 
 interval, and eight to the narrow, and fhake 
 the feed along it, andharrowit in, as if it was 
 fown in the broad-caft way ; and as foon as 
 the corn is out, plough the wide intervals, 
 and hand-hoe in the narrow fpaces between 
 the two drills. 
 
 There can be nothing more eafy than 
 drilling and horfe-hoeing in the above man- 
 ner; which may anfwer the end, by fow- 
 ing any fort of grain, and particularly wheat 
 beans and peas. 
 
 Inftead of a drill-box or hopper, which 
 is ufed in ploughs, take a tin porringer, and 
 punch three or four holes in the bottom, in 
 the nature of a cuiiendar, juft the fize of 
 the grain or feed you have to fow, by 
 {baking along the furrow, you may bring 
 yourfelf to a tolerable deg! ee of exacinel's, 
 and fwiftnefs too : for one man may iov7 as 
 faft as a plough v/ill go. 
 
 liie 
 
 Vol. II. S 
 
134 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The time to mow lucerne is, when jufl: 
 bcginnin<y to flower. 
 
 Avoid making the hay too green ; for it 
 will appear to be dry when it is not, and 
 therefore may give again and damage, it 
 being fo full of fap or juices. 
 
 When it is cut for foil, there is nothing 
 more than to cut the oldelt firft. 
 
 It may begin to be cut, when fix or eight 
 inches high ; and fo continue cutting as it is 
 wanted. 
 
 CHAP 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 135 
 
 CHAP. XXVU. 
 
 'J^be mojl fuitable Lands and Climate for 
 Lucerne, with Remarks thereon, &c. 
 
 THOUGH the lands of England, Scot- 
 land and Ireland, are generally pret- 
 ty good, and naturally given to grafs ; yet I 
 dare venture to fay, that more than three 
 fourths of all thefe kingdoms are not proper 
 for lucerne. America in general is proper 
 for it, becaule the land is deep and in gene- 
 ral fandy, and the climate hot and dry. 
 
 The farmer that propofes to cultivate this 
 plant, muft firfl duly confider its nature;that 
 it is a native of a v arm climate; and that it 
 has a long, grofs, tap-root, which runs })er- 
 pendicular; and therefore feeds cheiPiy from 
 the under flratum, perhaj^s at the depth of 
 two or three feet. 
 
 Then 
 
136 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Then again, let him turn his eye on his 
 land, and Ice ii' it be of a deep, rich foil; if 
 the under-llratum be a loam, or limellone- 
 gravel, or a deep loamy fand, or a warm 
 rich gravel, or a black hazel earth: if it be 
 any of thefe, he may venture to fow his lu- 
 cerne thereon; provided he ploughs deep, 
 and till well. 
 
 However, in mofl: parts, I am afraid he 
 will find, inftead of the above, a ftrong clay 
 bottom, at the depth of about four or five 
 inches, which is of a folid, clofe, hungry 
 nature, that will not admit the root of a plant 
 to enter.; nor has it any nourilhment that a 
 plant can feed upon, without firil being 
 opened by tillage and the air. 
 
 Ar.d what ilill adds to the evil, is, tiiat 
 it hoIJs water like a difh, and v/ill not let 
 it fink through, but keeps it flamming on 
 the top amoneft the lod, furface or upper- 
 llratum all wmrer ; fo that if cattle tread 
 thereon it iniinediately works, or poaches to 
 mortar. 
 
 Then certainly fuch land cannot be fuit- 
 able for a plant of fucli a tender nature, and 
 which feeks its nourilhment fo deep. 
 
 I.i luch land clover has the advantage; 
 as it requires not fo deep land, bccaufe the 
 root runs horizontally and keeps near the 
 warm fui'facc. 
 
 A farmer 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 137 
 
 A farmer feeing the nature of the plant, 
 and the land iuitable thereto may fquare his 
 aHairs accordingly, in fuiting proper crops 
 to proper land. 
 
 A voluminous writer tells us, that the 
 lands of England are more fubjed to run to 
 natural grafs. than any other country what- 
 ever; infomuch fays he, that it is with great 
 labour and expence we can keep it from 
 getting head of the lucerne, and fpoiling the 
 crop. 
 
 This I grant is the cafe ; and this alone is 
 fufficient to fhew, that in general lucerne 
 is not fo valuable in thcfe grally countries as 
 in dry, hot, fandy countries, where natural 
 grafs, or any other plant that roots {hallow, 
 is burnt up. 
 
 From that author's faying that England is 
 the moft gralTy country, I fuppofe he was a 
 flranger to Ireland, or he muft have except- 
 ed it ; and why it fhould be fo, is eafily ac- 
 counted for : as that is occafioned by the 
 moiftnefs of the climate, and the coldnefs 
 of the foil, peculiar to that kingdom. 
 
 It has a rold clay-foil, intermingled here 
 and there with loughs, lakes, moraffes or 
 bogs, the damp from which is exhaled by 
 the fun, and therefore fbftens the air, and 
 again defcends in thick mills or fogs, heavy 
 
 dews 
 
nS A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 'J 
 
 dews and fmall rains, which ahvajs keep the 
 land wet, the grafs green, and in a growing 
 Hate. 
 
 The rain is never fo heavy as in England, 
 but much more conftant. 
 
 But England has few bogs, lakes, or 
 loughs ; therefore the air is more clear and 
 dry. 
 
 The rains of England fall feldomer, but 
 much heavier. 
 
 Alfo the winter-froft and the air is {harp- 
 er and more intenfe. 
 
 All thefe'confiderations muft fhew, that 
 Ireland is the moft grafly country of th« 
 two. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 139 
 
 CHAP. xxvm. 
 
 Now to manage Saintfoin, which fuits Ame- 
 rica* 
 
 SAintfoIn is a valuable grafs, particu- 
 larly where land is rocky, gravelly 
 or fandy : and though in general, clover is 
 the heft crop for this climate, yet faintfoin 
 may anfwer in fome places very well, where 
 the land is fubjed to rocks and ftones ; 
 which makes meadow very Icarce (though 
 the fummer herbage is good and plentiful) 
 as the Toil amongft thefe rocks is naturally 
 good, where it can be cultivated, fo as to 
 be brougiit to any tolerable tildi, 
 
 Cn 
 
140 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 On fuch fow faintfoin ; and if tlic foil be 
 ever fo fcanty, it will Rrike into every linall 
 nitch or crevice, and feek its noiirilhment 
 very deep, where no other graCj will live, 
 or indeed can get a footing. 
 
 It is alfo good for foiling cattle : but in 
 this lucerne has the advantage ; as it is of a 
 quicker growth and lefs ftagnated with cut- 
 ting : but as I before obferved, this is of 
 little fignification to England or h'eland ; as 
 they abound fully with good fummer-herb- 
 age. 
 
 It is winter-feeding that we are to confi- 
 der; as alfo to keep the land in full profit, 
 till the return of natural grafs, after long 
 tillage : and this is beft etTected by th^ two 
 graftes clover and faintfoin : clover for the 
 wet and fmoothefl land, and faintioin tor the 
 fandy, rocky, or more ilony parts thereof, 
 fuch as the wolds in Yorkfhire or Lincoln- 
 ihire, Chiltern-hills, hcc. 
 
 As I have in a few words, given the vir- 
 tues of faintfoin, I fhali not make a long 
 chapter on the management thereof; as 
 there is little alteration to be made between 
 the raifing of faintfoin and lucerne or clo- 
 ver. 
 
 Saintfoin maybe fown earlier than clover 
 ©r lucerne ; as it is in lefs danger of being 
 hurt by the frofl. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 141 
 
 The land muft be well tilled, whether it 
 be fown alone, or amongft corn : if it be 
 fown amongft corn in the broad-caft method, 
 harrow the ground once in a place, after 
 tlie corn is fown, before the faintioin is 
 Town. 
 
 This will make the ground a little level, 
 that it may not be buried too deep in places. 
 Yet as it is a large huiky leed, it inui.l have 
 a covering, or it v/ili not grow ; but by be- 
 ing harrowed in when the land is pretty 
 rough it will be all fafficiently covered, pro- 
 vided it be well harrov/ed aiterwards. 
 
 If it be fown in drills amongft the corn, 
 llrelch a line and fcatter the feed along it, 
 leaving intervals, the broadeft about three 
 feet, and the narrowell eight inches, as di- 
 rected for lucerne. 
 
 If it be fown by itfelf it muft be got into 
 the ground by the firft of March. 
 
 Some will fow it at Michaelmas ; but I do 
 not think this a good time, for it will not 
 be a great deal earlier ; befides a fevere wm- 
 ter may hurt it: and it is further to be con- 
 fidered, that by keeping it out of the ground 
 till fpring the ground can be winter-iallow- 
 
 edi 
 
 Vol. II. T 
 
142 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ed ; which will add greatly to the fertility 
 thereof. ^ 
 
 If it be fown in drills and alone, fow it in 
 every fixth or eighth hirrow as diredcd for 
 lucerne ; but have a care not to cover it a- 
 bove an inch deep at the moll. 
 
 Four bufhels of feed are generally ufcd to 
 an acre in the broad-call ; but half a bufhel 
 in the drill-way is fall enough for an Eng- 
 lifh acre. 
 
 Lay up the faintfoin for hay about the firft 
 of March, and it will be in blolfom about 
 the firfl of June; when it is full in flower 
 it is time to mow it; manage it in making 
 as clover, 
 
 Obferve in eating it with flieep, not to 
 eat it too near ; which will damage the 
 root, and put it in danger of rotting, if 
 they enter upon the head of the root : it is 
 alfo dangerous to turn large cattle into a 
 crop of faintibin, till it is wel ellablilhed 
 in the ground, as they will be apt to tread 
 it up and fpoil the plants. 
 
 The beft method to manage faintfoin, is 
 to mow the tirft year, and caution the 
 fcythe-man not to cut too near. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 143 
 
 The next year, (heep may very well be 
 fed on it ; and after this, it may be paftured 
 or mown at the farmer's dilcretion ; as the 
 roots by this time will be properly efta- 
 bUlhed. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
144 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 On Rye Grafs, its FerfeBion and 
 Management,. 
 
 •rv-YE-grafs is a native of our own king- 
 doms : its quality is fuch, that it will grow 
 in almolt any kind of land. 
 
 In cold clay or wet land it fiourifhes great- 
 ly ; it will aifo grow well on high, dry, or 
 fandy land ; which is very extraordinary, as 
 as the oppolite extremes are fo great. 
 
 It is not nice, for it will grow amongfl 
 any fort of grafs ; it will alfo encroach a- 
 mongl\ corn ; but while it is Healing its foot- 
 ing there, it is deemed a weed, and is known 
 by the name of darnel. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 145 
 
 It flourifhes greatly by culture, and will 
 grow to the height of four feet, upon, good 
 land. 
 
 The feed alfo grows large in proportion, 
 and full of meal. 
 
 There are two forts, one called drokc, 
 and the other darnel, in Latin, lolium. 
 
 They are both nearly the fame quality : 
 there is no knowing the feeds afunder, they 
 are fo nearly alike : the droke has a little 
 larger or fuller grain, and I think is fomc- 
 what more delicate in its growth ; for it ge- 
 generally flourillies bell in tilled ground 
 amongft corn. 
 
 It produces a far greater head of feed 
 than darnel. I have counted a hundred 
 and thirty-five feeds in one ear. ' 
 
 The ears of droke and darnel differ con- 
 fiderabiy. 
 
 That of darnel or rye-grafs grows clofc 
 to the ftalk in two rows : but droke has 
 a fpread ragged head of many branches, 
 five or fix inches long, fpreading from the 
 main ftalk, on the end of which branches 
 the feed grovsts in bunches.. 
 
 There is the fame diflint^ion to be ob- 
 ferved in common hay-grafs, as to the form 
 of the ear ; for though the root, flalk and 
 feed are nearly alike, yet the ears dilTer, 
 
 fomc 
 
146 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 fome having an ear like darnel, and others 
 a loofe, open, fpread ear like droke. 
 
 The greateft virtues of rye-grafs arc its 
 early growth, and its good quahry ot" grow- 
 ing on any fort of land. It is much better 
 fodder than timothy grafs, and will thrive 
 much better on the lame land and with 
 greater fuccefs. 
 
 Thefe two excellencies fhould induce 
 every farmer to provide himfelf with fomc 
 of it. 
 
 There is no farmer but would be glad of 
 a piece of early grafs to feed lambs on : or 
 if he had not lambs to turn in his cows^ 
 that are generally dropping their calves in 
 the fpring, which would be greatly forward- 
 ing their milk. 
 
 It is alfo an excellent feeding for recruit- 
 ing' calves and foals, who have hardly ef- 
 caped the feverity of the winter. 
 
 In fhort a few acres of rye-grafs would 
 be of more value to a farmer, than he can 
 well conceive ; and when his natural grafs- 
 paflure comes to a head, he may lay up 
 his artificial grafs-land for l^ay, and not 
 doubt of a good crop. 
 
 Rye-grafs is alfo wholcfome feeding to 
 mix among clover- feed when fown, as it 
 will help to prevent cattle from hoving. 
 
 However 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 147 
 
 However though I have faid fo much in 
 letting forth the advantages of rye-grafs : yet 
 it is not without its fauh ; and this is its be- 
 ing an impoverifher of land, though not in 
 a very great degree ; for a crop of rye-grafs 
 with rhe land laid dov^^n in heart, , will hold 
 good for ten or twelve years. 
 
 Your beft oeconomy is, to mow it one 
 year, and graze it another alternately : and 
 though it may be its property to reduce land 
 a little, I do not think a farmer can fow a 
 better crop, provided he does it with dif- 
 cretion, and fows it on his ftrongeft, wet, 
 .clay-land, or where clover wall not fucceed 
 fo well. 
 
 But where clover will thrive, it is furely 
 preferable to all other artificial herbage; and 
 if I recommend rye-grafs, it is only for a- 
 bout live or ten acres in a hundred, to be 
 applied chiefly for fprinr feeding. 
 
 The culture of rye-grafs is very fimple 
 and eafy. 
 
 It may be fown amongft corn with any 
 fort of grafs feed or by itielf, as there is no 
 dovbt of its growing. 
 
 If it be fown with clover and barley 
 w^hich is the beft management, fow two 
 bulhels on an Englifh acre ; but if it be 
 fown alone, fourbufhels is the compliment, 
 
 and 
 
148 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 and fo in proportion for an Irifh or Scotch 
 acre. 
 
 The old broad-cafl: way is the bell: to low 
 it in ; for which choofe a calm day, krt it 
 fhould blow on heaps as the feed is hght. 
 
 It may be fown with the corn; for it 
 will take as mych harrowing, being a light 
 feed. 
 
 Neither is there much fear of burying it 
 too deep, and yet it will grow if it lies above 
 ground. 
 
 Where grafs-land of any fort is too thin 
 rye-grafs or white hay-feeds may be fown 
 on the furface and rolled, and they will 
 grow the firft rain. 
 
 The greatefl care mull be taken to mow 
 ryc-grais in the proper feafon, if no rej^ard 
 be paid to the feed. 
 
 The time to mow it is the firft ihoot- 
 ing of the ear when it is full of lap, but if it 
 be for feed let it Hand till the ear begins to 
 turn brown. 
 
 There is a medium however to be ufed 
 between both : and diat is, to mow it when 
 the ear is full, but the feed not above lalf- 
 ripe, by this a good deal ofjuiccs arc catched 
 in the llalk, and the feed ripens and hardens 
 as the hay is making. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 149 
 
 The feed will be very fmall, but found, 
 and will grow very well , it muft be trelhed 
 like corn, to take the feed out. 
 
 An tnglifh acre may produce upwards of 
 thirty bufhels of feed. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 Vol. H. U 
 
150 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 7'he PerfeMion and Management of 
 Burnet, 
 
 THE world is obliged to one Mr. Bar- 
 tholemew Roquc, who has for many 
 years laft paft been a farmer near London ; 
 but is a native of France. 
 
 I mention his place of abode, becaufc 
 the lands and climate near London differ 
 greatly from thofe in Ireland, Scotland and 
 the north of England. 
 
 In 1 76 1 this plant was firft began to be 
 cultivated for the ufe of cattle. It is a 
 
 pimpcrncll. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ip 
 
 pimpernell, and commonly cultivated for 
 fallad, and has a fmell very like green cu- 
 cumber ; its feed is rough like fpinage, 
 and much about the fame fize ; its fhape is 
 of a triangular oblong : the iphnt never 
 grows high, being of a fpreading creeping 
 nature, and has a very bufhy top ; it alfo 
 has an exceeding long root that runs per- 
 pendicular, and therefore requires a deep 
 foil. 
 
 Mr. Rpque*s account of it is as here fol- 
 lovk^s : 
 
 Says he it muft be fown on fandy or gra- 
 velly ground ; and the longeft drought will 
 not in the leaft hurt it ; it alfo will either 
 grow or keep green the entire winter : its 
 growth will be about a half a yard in length/ 
 for the winter half-year : it may be mown 
 twice in the fummer, and will produce two 
 crops of feed ; it may be fed all the win- 
 ter, vvith every fafety from injuring or kill- 
 ing the plants ; though fheep mull not be 
 allowed to crop it too clofc, left they da- 
 mage the root. 
 
 The feafon for fowing it, is, from Fe- 
 bruary to July. 
 
 It will bear tranfplanting ; but it muft 
 be fown the broad-caft w^ay ; it muft alio 
 be trenched two or three fpades deep ; but 
 take care, fays he, not to turn up dead 
 ground. Sow 
 
iSt A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Sovf twelve pounds of feed on an En- 
 gliJh acre ; harrow the ground before fov> - 
 ing, and lightly after ; when the feed is 
 ripe, threfh it between wet and dry ; the 
 liay ife very good feeding for all forts of 
 cattle. 
 
 He fays, that, if it be laid up for mea- 
 dow in May. it will be ready to cut for feed 
 the beginning of July. 
 
 If it be mown for hay (having no regard 
 to the feed) it will bring three crops in a 
 year, and mud be cut for hay, juft before 
 it begins to flower ; it muft be made for 
 hay, lllie ^ny artificial grals. 
 
 Such is Mr. Roque's account of burnet ; 
 jhrd as he has a right to know it better than 
 any other perlon, being the ftrfl introducer 
 I fhall neither add to, nor diminifh from his 
 experience. 
 
 i-Jowever I cannot help taking notice, 
 that if we cannot raife burnet to perfecftion 
 v/ithout digging two or three fpades deep, 
 as he directs, I am afraid the expence will 
 overbalance the profit : fince an acre of 
 ground, by fuch digging or trenching, and 
 tjiat to be doue only once over, will coft at 
 lead about fix pounds, bcfides leed, ma- 
 nure, land-rent, and all other naceifary ex- 
 pences. 
 
 Again 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 153 
 
 Again, if we take care not to turn up 
 any dead foil, we muft not go above five or 
 fix inches deep : becaufc in fa(ft, all that lies 
 below the upper ftratum or corn-mold, is 
 dead earth, till it is turned up to the air, 
 and incorporated with manure, or roots of 
 fome fort or other : for thefe are the princi- 
 ples that mull enliven, ferment and bring it 
 to an adlive body ; for till then it is a dead 
 one. 
 
 So that in fhort, I cannot tell what fort 
 of foil Mr. Roque expels us to work in, 
 except in garden-mold, whofe upper flra- 
 tum or furface is kept two or three feet 
 deep by conftant trenching. 
 
 I rather think he Ihould have told us to 
 take care, and not throw up the under-i^ra- 
 tum, except it can be done with fafety ; nor 
 to hurt or fpoil the corn-mold, y/hich it 
 certainly muft do, if it be a hungry, cold, 
 red clay, or ramel. 
 
 If this be the cafe, as doubtlefs it is, the 
 farmer muft fii ft examine how deep the fta- 
 ple of his land is, and fix upon that wliich 
 (u its it beft, being the good deep fort : it is 
 true a ftrong rlay bottom may be mude to 
 anfwer for it ; but it muft be by dint of la- 
 bour and manure. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
154 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 O;; ManuriKg La?id, 
 
 JVjR. Tull tells us (and very warmly fup- 
 ports his allertion i that dung is a ufelels 
 article to a farmer, particularly in corn- 
 land ; and recommends tillage before it ; 
 daily experience tells us, he was in fonic 
 degree miilaken. For though I admit, 
 and am as clearly fatisfied, as he could be,, 
 that ploughing will enrich or fertilize land to 
 a great pitch ; yet I am well convinced, 
 that dung, manure, or compoll of any fort, 
 which bears a proportion of falts or ferti- 
 lizing oils, will caufe a fermentation, by 
 adding to, and mixing with the falts of the 
 air, and therefore doubtlefs will add to the 
 enriching of the loil. Again 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. IC5 
 
 Again, though reafon fpcaks fo much in 
 favour of: enriching the foil by ploughing ; 
 and though Mr. Tull, and all the authors 
 in the world were to make it as plain as one 
 and one makes two, that tillage is fufficient 
 to make poor land rich enough to produce 
 any crop ; yet nine tenths ot the farmers 
 would not follow it ; and though a farmer 
 may give his land a good dreffing, fit for 
 any crop, by ts^^elve ploughings, at about 
 thirty {hillings cxpence ; yet he would ra- 
 ther bellow three or four pounds an acre in 
 manure to put thereon. 
 
 So blind is man to his own intereft, par- 
 ticularly if it lead out of the old road. 
 
 For my part, I am of Mr. Tuli's, and 
 feveral other authors opinion ; and there- 
 fore fhall not manure corn-land, but en- 
 rich that by ploughing, and lay the manure 
 upon grafs-land; where reafon tells us it is 
 of moil ufc. 
 
 Firfl, becaufe grafs-land lies in a clofc 
 confolidated body ; and therefore is depriv- 
 ed of the enriching qualities of the air pe- 
 netrating there amongll, which ploughed 
 land enjoys, or receives, every time it is 
 turned up. 
 
 ^Secondly, it nourifhes the roots ofgrafs, 
 and fuppreffes, or at leafl retards the 
 growth of mofs. 
 
 Thirdly 
 
-156 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Thirdly, it is obfervable, that manure 
 always links; therefore, if it be laid on 
 when in tillage, it is an equal chance, but 
 pne half of it will be lort, becaufe what the 
 plough turns to the bottom of the farrow, 
 ftill keeps finking lawer and lower, till it 
 gets out of the reach of the plough to turn up 
 or plant to feed upon j but on the ocher 
 hand, when it is laid on the grafs, or lay- 
 land, it drains through the furface in its 
 paiTage, and ferments with, lightens and 
 opens the earth, and makes it rich and 
 mellow. 
 
 Fourthly, dung, in particular, breeds 
 weeds, flies> worms, &cc. which caufes 
 fmut and mildew. 
 
 All thefe reafons muft appear very plain 
 and obvious to a farmer's underftanding ; 
 and I would have him to bear them in 
 mind ; and when he reads over the follow- 
 ing lift of manures, he may the more eafi- 
 ly determine with himfelf, how to adapt 
 this or that to its proper foil, or part of 
 hufbandry, according as it fuits his convc- 
 nicncy for carriage and cheapncfs. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 157 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 On Manures in general. 
 
 ANY thing that has the moil falts or ni- 
 tre, is thericheft manure ; and there- 
 fore a lefs bulk is required to be laid on the 
 land. 
 
 As for inftance, fome fort of marl re- 
 quires to be laid nearly as thick as the plough 
 goes ; and others not much thicker than 
 lime ; being fo ftrong that were too much 
 laid on, it would overpov/er or deflroy the 
 land, to fuch a degree, that nothing would 
 grow well for at leaft two or three years af- 
 ter. 
 
 Marl will laft longer in the ground tham 
 any other manure. 
 
 Vol. II. X I have 
 
158 A NEWSY STEM 
 
 I have known land, which -has given fif-^ 
 teen good crops running, alter being well 
 marled. 
 
 Ffvv farmers but what may know which 
 is the bell manure, and the eafied to come 
 at, according to tJieir own lituation ; tliere- 
 fore 1 Ihxil leave them to jud;.£e for them- 
 lelves, which fuits their purpofe or fituation 
 beft. 
 
 Horfe and cow dung is good almoft for 
 every fort of meadow-land ; but 1 do not 
 approve of it for corn : the former is the 
 hx)tteft in nature ; and therefore muft: (to 
 chufe) be laid on the coldeft land : every 
 one knov/s bell: what condition his land is 
 in,, whether rich or poor ; for thcroto it 
 inuR be fuited in quantity. 
 
 Pigeon-dung is a very rich manure, and 
 will bear land-carriage better than mofl 
 others ; as a little will go a great way. 
 
 In England it will fell from ten to thir- 
 teen pence per bufhel ; forty of which will 
 give an Englilh acre a good dieffing : it muft 
 be fown upon the ground, and harrowed in 
 with the grain, by the way of a top-dreiring; 
 it will be found to enrich the land two or 
 three crops. 
 
 Thofe that wauld make the moft of a pi- 
 geon-houfe, fhould fpread over the floor, 
 everv ten d'i;s, three or four buihels of 
 
 aihe5| 
 
O F HUSBANDB.Y. ijp 
 
 -afhes ; which will help to keep the pigeon- 
 'dung from caking together, and make it 
 Ipi ead even and go farther. 
 
 Hen, or fovvls dung of all forts, fhould 
 be mixed with alhes lor the above rejlfon. 
 
 Lirtle-houfe dung is one of the richeil: of 
 manures, but the leaft regarded, on account 
 of its foft, (linking, naufeous quality; but 
 this is eafily cured, by throvring a fufficient 
 quantity of roch-lime into the iirtle-hou(c, 
 which will dry it to fuch a coniiilence, thai: 
 it will fpread as well as -alhes, and have no 
 dif^greeabie fmell. 
 
 Thirty bufhels will fpread an Englilh 
 acre : harrow it in with the corn, by way 
 of a top-drefiing ; or Ipread it on in Febru- 
 ary, for a wheat crop. 
 
 Soot is a rich manure for any kind of 
 land. 
 
 Writers differ greatly in their opinion, 
 ^whether coal or wood foot be the richeft or 
 bell ; but this is throwing words to the wind 
 as no one will change his fuel for the fake of 
 "the difference in the foot : the matter is fo 
 'trifling, that it is not worth entering into 
 any particulars about. 
 
 Soot is foot ; and he that lays fixteen 
 
 "bulhels on an Englilh acre, of any fort of 
 
 foot, gives his land a good drelfmg ; and 
 
 •kfs will not do: it mull be harrow d la 
 
 ^ tvit 
 
i>6o A NEW SYSTEM. 
 
 with the corn, by way of a top-drcflTing ; or 
 it may be Tpread, after the corn comes up, 
 and it will dcftroy red worms alfo. 
 
 It will do very well for meadow ; pro- 
 vided it be laid on, jufl: after the hay is got 
 off: it will lad five or fix years fo as to an- 
 fvver for crops. 
 
 Afhes is another good manure for a crop 
 or two, and particularly for turnips ; as 
 turnips fi'om burn-beating are the fweeteft 
 and bell of all others. 
 
 Afties are raifed by feveral means, and 
 from various principles. 
 
 Some by burn-beating, others from our 
 conilant firing, fuch as coal, turf or wood : 
 the richeil of thefe is wood : the next in 
 value is turf- : and the worll of the three is 
 coal : though between turf and coal there 
 is no material difference : all forts of alhes 
 lofe much of their flrength, by being 
 thrown out of doors to get wet ; they will 
 laft in the ground two crops. 
 
 A hundred and fixty bufhels of wood- 
 allics, and two hundred and twenty of ei- 
 ther turf or coal, is the due for an Iriih 
 acre, and fo in proportion for an Engliili 
 one ; they mufh be harrowed in ; but if for 
 wheat-land, it is bell to fpread them, by 
 w ay of a top dreffing in February. 
 
 Burnt 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. i6i 
 
 Burnt clay, or backs of ditches is another 
 forced manure, and will bring one good 
 crop ; about three hundred and twenty 
 bulhels on an Irilh acre, being two bufhels 
 to each fquare perch, will give land a toler- 
 able good dreffing ; this muft be harrowed 
 in with the corn ; as fo much carriage go- 
 ing on wheat, would fpoil it. 
 
 Now I come to treat of the mother of all 
 manures, namely fait ; for every fort of 
 manure is higher or lower in value, accord- 
 ing to the faits it produces ; and every fort 
 of manure is proportioned to the land, ac- 
 cording to the quantity of falts or nitre it 
 is thought to have in it, and not to the bulk. 
 
 Formerly, fait was thought to be an im- 
 poverilher of land ; but experience has 
 taught wifdom ; it is now found to be other- 
 wife ; provided it be duly proportioned to 
 the i\ate the land is in, and mixed to mol- 
 lify it, as follovvs, viz. 
 
 Take fix bulhels of fait, fix bufhels of ^ 
 lime, and fix buihels of dry afnes : mix all 
 together : let them lie fome time to incor- 
 porate together ; then fpread them on the 
 land, and harrow them in with the feed : 
 this is a fufficient dreffing for an Englifli 
 acre : for it is better to repeat it, than tQ 
 lay too much at once. 
 
 By 
 
idz A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 By being thus mixed, one particle incor- 
 porates with and molitics the other. Sak 
 in itfelf is rather too levere and harih in its 
 nature, and if laid too thick on, might 
 prove of bad confequence : whereas if con- 
 veyed into the earth by a foapy fmooth me- 
 thod, it will prove the very enrichcr the 
 earth wants to fend forth vegetation ; this 
 will lail for three crops. 
 
 I am convinced, it a farmer was to mix 
 lalt with any fort of earth or manure, and 
 let it lie long enough to inco:porate, he 
 might lay it on thinner in bulk, in propor- 
 tion to the falts it contained : and he would 
 find his ends in fo doing. 
 
 Sea weeds, Ihells, filh, fea-water, fea- 
 fand : all thefe bear a proportion of falts or 
 nitre, and therefore muft be efteemed a 
 manure : though fuch will not laft more 
 than two years in a tillage-crop. 
 
 Old rags, rotten i\icks, or in {hort any 
 thing will make manure that will rot or pu- 
 trify : for by luch comes on a fermentation 
 with the earth : and crofling nature, in any 
 cafe, makes it work, ferment, and divide 
 the particles of each other. Kven taking 
 one piece of foil, ten or fifteen perches 
 from its native fpot, and mixing it with ano- 
 ther piece in the fame field, will fct it a 
 wo- king, fo that oae will help the other in 
 fertility. Lime 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 163 
 
 Lime is a manure known by every one, 
 though but {ew know rightly how to pro- 
 portion it to the land : as fome land will re- 
 quire more by twenty bulhels an acre, than 
 ethers : and on the other hand, a hundred 
 bulliels of fome lime will be ftrong, and 
 give the land as good a dreffing as an hun- 
 dred and thirty of others. 
 
 A farmer muft confider all thefe circum- 
 ftances before he can be a thorough judge 
 how to drefs his land properly : he muft 
 obferve that the deeper the corn-mold is, 
 the more lime is taken to enrich it : and in- 
 deed this is the cafe with all forts of ma- 
 nures ; therefore he muft bear this in his 
 mind r it will lad eight or nine years. 
 
 An hundred and lixty buibels, being one 
 on every fquare perch, are fufficient for the 
 worft land in England, at one dreffing : but 
 if the lime be ftronger than common, low- 
 er the quantity thirty or forty bufhels. 
 
 The flrength of the lime is known by the 
 Icffer or greater quantity of fand it contains : 
 for the more grit or fand much the weaker 
 it is. 
 
 The way to try lime-ftone is, hy drop- 
 ping a little aquse-fortis on every ftone, that 
 is likely : and if it hiffes and froths, it will 
 make lime : but it will take no more effedl 
 on any other fort of ftone, than water 
 would. Lima 
 
i64 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Lime is one of my favourite manvires, as 
 I have fcen it work miracles : and if pro- 
 perly managed by proportion, never fails its 
 proprietor. 
 
 The bell way to try marl, lime-ftone- 
 gravel, &cc. is with vinegar : take a glafs 
 of vinegar, into which put a little marl, or 
 lime-ftone gravel : and if it be good, it will 
 work up, froth and fly in fparks over the 
 glafs like champaign, and make a noife like 
 new barm : but if the earth be poor, the 
 vinegar will take no effecl : but the earth 
 will fall to the bottom, without life or 
 motion, and the vinegar will be quite fine 
 above. 
 
 Soaper's waRe is a very good manure : 
 about twenty tons are fufficient for an Eng- 
 lifh acre. 
 
 Large quantities arc made ufe of about 
 Liverpool: which are brought over from 
 Dublin, as ballaft in fhips. 
 
 They generally fell it for about three flill- 
 lings a ton. The land will receive benefit 
 from this drelTmg for five or fix crops. 
 
 Afhes made of weeds, for the time they 
 iaft, are nearly as good a manure as can be 
 laid on land : and there are few farmers but 
 what have plenty of thofe weeds about their 
 houfes : but the way to make the mofl: of 
 them^ is to dig thern up by th« roots, and 
 
 ■ take 
 
OF ttUSBANDRY.^ 165 
 
 take a fod along with them ; by this means 
 they will yield a greater quantity of afhes, 
 and the roots are fuller of falts than the top; 
 this manure is fpent by the firft crop ; and 
 therefore the fecond crop will not receive 
 much benefit by it. 
 
 Forty bufhels will give an Englifh acre a 
 good dreffing ; harrow them in, with the 
 grain ; or they may be fpread on green 
 wheat, any time in winter or fpring, by 
 way of a top-dreffing. 
 
 Vol.11. Y CHAP. 
 
i66 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 On the Compound Manure. 
 
 r M ' \ 
 
 4 HIS compound manure as follows, 
 I have tried, and find to be a great en- 
 richer, and very cheap. 
 
 Take eight bufhels of bay-falt, the like 
 quantity of lime, and the like quantity of 
 allies ; mix all thefe together, and let them 
 lie two or three days in a heap, and fprin- 
 kle over it four gallons of train-oil, or for 
 want of that, the fame quantity of any fort 
 of greafe boiled, and ten gallons of cham- 
 ber-lie. 
 
 If you intend it for corn-land, throw up 
 the corn-mold in the middle of the field 
 you intend to manure, to the bulk of about 
 fixty bufhels ; with this mix the compound 
 well ; then ciap it up clofe in a heap ; and 
 
 turn 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 167 
 
 turn it every week, till you lay it on the 
 land : the oftener you turn it, the better, 
 as the air will affift the different particles in 
 working or fermenting together. 
 
 If you provide it fix or twelve months be- 
 fore it is wanted, the better and fmoothcr 
 it will be. 
 
 This is alio to be applied as a top- 
 dreffing, either to be harrowed in with 
 the grain, or fown over green wheat in 
 winter. 
 
 Jf you would lay it on grafs lay-land, mix 
 it v/ith backs of ditches, or the like, in the 
 mod convenient place for carriage.: the befl 
 time to fpread it on the meadow-ground, 
 is, about Michaelmas ; but, if corn -land, 
 harrow it in with the feed : this is a due 
 quantity for an Englifh acre. 
 
 The expence, in the middle of England, 
 would be about twenty (hillings. And the 
 ground will be better for three or four 
 crops. 
 
 Malt-dufl is an exceeding good manure 
 for ftrong or deep land, by way of a top- 
 dreffing, either to be harrowed in with the 
 feed, or (own on in the beginning of Fe- 
 bruary. 
 
 Sixty bufhels is a good dreiTrng for an 
 Engliih acre. 
 
 It 
 
i68 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 It is particularly good to fow on a crop 
 of green wheat ; but if it be fown among 
 fpring-corn, it muft be harrowed in, along 
 with the feed. 
 
 It will anfwer for fand-lancl ; but, in this 
 cafe, it fhould be laid on early in winter. 
 
 This manure will not laft longer than 
 two crops. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 169 
 
 € H A P. XXXIV. 
 
 On Liquid Manure, 
 
 J^ H I S is a ftagnated refervoir of water, 
 of a rich, green, or blackilli colour ; and 
 few farmers in England JDut what have it 
 near their houfes, by way of horfe ponds, 
 and where cattle drink, or ftand to keep 
 them from flies in fvimmer, which by their 
 urine and dung is turned green or black, 
 and made very rich ; alfo where dung-hills 
 . difcharge themfelves into ; as there is gene- 
 rally a receptacle for fuch near a houfe. 
 
 I am greatly furprifed to fee this valuable 
 manure made no ufe of in America, Eng- 
 land, Ireland, or Scotland : did the far- 
 mers know the value of it, as well as I do, 
 they would not have one gallon loft. 
 
 In 
 
I70 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 In Germany and Flanders, they think 
 more of it than they do of a dunghill, and 
 will go and buy a pit of liquid manure, and 
 carry it feveral miles. 
 
 They make their little-houfe dung into 
 liquid manure. 
 
 In Ihort, I know nO manure that is more 
 certain to give one a good crop, than this. 
 
 The fir ft time I tried it, was, in watering 
 a garden out of a hurfe-pond, which- the 
 dunghill dripped into ; I found a fediment 
 at the bottom, which I conftantly, at the 
 time I was uling it, kept ftirring from the 
 bottom, fo as to raife all the fediment or 
 manure. 
 
 1 never ufed any other dung, yet 1 had 
 remarkably great garden-crops ; fuch let- 
 tuce I never faw , my grofs-lettuce was like 
 cabbages. 
 
 I watered my wall-fruit, fuch as peaches, 
 nectarines, apricots, rigs, vines, and cher- 
 ries ; and I never, in my life, either had or 
 fav/ fo great crops. 
 
 The next time I had an opportunity to 
 try it, was in this manner, viz. 
 
 It happened to be a dry fummcr, and 
 corn was dear; which was the occafion of 
 many beggars ; which, indeed, Ireland 
 never wants (for it was in Ireland) being 
 naturally of a charitable difpofition, I gave 
 a deal away. Whe.x 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 171, 
 
 When flurdy able beggars ufed to. come, 
 it was natural to alk, why they did not. 
 work ; the anfwer was, they could get no 
 work. 
 
 At this time, I had little employment for 
 labourers ; however, I was refolved to 
 ftrike out fome work for them. 1 had a 
 meadow near the houfe, which was burn- 
 ing by the heat of the fun ; for it was a very 
 hot time. 
 
 I got tubs, that held about four gallons 
 each, and agreed to give ev^ery beggar, 
 that faid he wanted work, a farthing for 
 every tub of water he carried out of a 
 horfe-pond, and fpread over the field , I 
 kept the water always ftiriing, to raife all 
 the mud I could. 
 
 This fcheme anfwered two or three good 
 ends, as far as it continued to take place. 
 
 Firft, it got the people a little money. 
 
 Secondly, it raifed me an exceeding good 
 crop of hay. 
 
 Thirdly, it effe<5lually cleared the houfe 
 of beggars ; for it was foon reported, that 
 if they came near my houle, they would be 
 made work ; but, as it proved, this was 
 the worft part of the ftory, for they left me 
 too foon ; if they had flaid, I Ihould have 
 had a good crop of hay through the field, 
 but they left me by the time an acre was 
 
 manured : 
 
i7e A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 manured: it coft me between four and f-/e 
 {hillings, but a good many tubs were carried 
 gratis ; for when fome of them had carried 
 two or three tubs, if I turned my back or 
 went into the houfe, they threw down their 
 veffels and fneaked off without afking for 
 their wages. 
 
 I would advife every gentleman or farmer 
 ta provide themfelves with a (launch pit or 
 refer voir for this purpofe, fo fituated as to 
 receive all the drippings of their dung-hills, 
 hog-yards, or wafhing water, or the like. 
 
 In order to carry it on the land, fix a 
 hogfliead in a cart, the hind part ot which 
 muft be loweR : inclofe the cart with boards 
 and the hind board muft be bored fiill of 
 gimlet holes all the breadth of the body : the 
 top or bung hole of the hogfhead being be- 
 hind, let go the M^ater and the gimlet holes 
 will divide it the breadth of the cart^ m the 
 nature of a water pot. 
 
 Keep the horfes moving flowly on, and 
 the water unlades itfelf equally over the 
 land. 
 
 Carry out your water in the firft dry time, 
 fo the land will not cut: it is valuable for 
 grafs or corn : broad wheels are moft pro- 
 per for this work. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 173 
 
 C H A P. XXXV. 
 
 On Clay and Sand: fiewing how\ when mix- 
 ed together, they operate to make good/oil^ 
 though when feparated they are of very Ih- 
 tle ufe. 
 
 TH E mo ft delirable ftate of land, is 
 that of a loamy clay : it is known in 
 fbme parts of England by the name of wrap- 
 land ; it is in a middling ftate, neither a 
 binding clay, noF-a loofe fand, it is a mix- 
 ture of both,, but the clay is moft predo- 
 minant, which is the reafon why it is called 
 a loamy clay; it is of a bluilh greafy colour: 
 it is generally of a deep llaple, and if it be 
 well tilled, fcarce ever fails of bringing a 
 Vol. II. Z good 
 
174- A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 good crop of any fort : nothing can be fown 
 in it (fuitable to the climate) but what it will 
 make nonrifh. 
 
 The next in value is that of a loamy fand ; 
 this is alfo a mixture of clay and land ; but 
 in this the fand is mod predominant, there- 
 fore the emphafis or ftrefs ol'the word is laid 
 on fand : this flaple of earth extends irfelf 
 to that of hazel earth ; for tho' hazel earth 
 and laamy fand differ in name, in quality 
 they are nearly alike, only the lighter and 
 opener they are, the more fand is in the 
 compound. 
 
 Sometimes indeed the fand is mixed with 
 a black, light, fmooth earth, inclined to a 
 turf, or peat-mold. 
 
 This is a light water-fhaken earth, and 
 lower in value, than if mixed with a flrong 
 clay. 
 
 In my travels through England I have of- 
 ten feen a farm, one part of which was a 
 flrong, tough, obdurate clay, and another 
 a light blowing fand : fo that in fa(ft, the 
 two bodies feparate, lie in a barren ufelefs 
 ftate. 
 
 If we lay dung upon the fand, its loofe 
 open nature foon lets the falts drain through 
 it, fo that its virtue is foon exhaufted. 
 
 If we lay it on the tough clay, its particles 
 are too weak to adhere to it, or to open or 
 
 divide 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 175 
 
 divide the folid cpngealed bo Jy ol clay, fo 
 as to work it by fermentation, iuid open or 
 divide it into fmall particles, widioat ii;i im- 
 menle quantity. 
 
 And where there is fo little laid on, as not 
 to eilabliih itlelf into this confolidate(i body, 
 or move it by fermentation, it mtics away 
 with every fhower of rain that falls, and 
 runs off by the furface, or purges itfelf out 
 of any vent-hole it can find. 
 
 But if a coat of fand was laid on the bed 
 of clay, it would be fure to make its way 
 amongll it, bccaufe it is of a cutting, pon- 
 derous frarching nature ; therefore it will 
 divide the glutinous clinging body of clay, 
 into fmall particles, which would cling or 
 flick to every grain of fand. 
 
 The nature of the two bodies mixing to- 
 gether thus, admits or rather opens a paf- 
 lage for the air to penetrate amongfi: it, fo 
 as to caufe a fermentation ; for nothing wil 
 or can ferment without air. 
 
 It is the air that raifes every thing to life 
 and action : it is the air that is conveyed into 
 drink in the body of barm that makes it 
 work or ferment : this is the cafe in flour 
 alfo ; for conveying the air among the fiour 
 by the means of the barm, caufes a ferment- 
 ation : for barm is fcarce any thing elfe but 
 air; you fee, if you put new ale into bot- 
 tles. 
 
176 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ties, before it has purged itfclf of barm, or 
 more properly ipeaking of air, it will burft 
 the bottles. 
 
 Or if you drink it, you convey among 
 the body of n\<: drink, air into your own 
 belly, which you generally difchargc foon 
 after in a bre?.ch of wind. 
 
 I mention thcle things to open the ideas 
 more fully to my reader, that he may know 
 what 1 mean by fermentation : for if he 
 does not open a pailagc into the body of 
 clay with lome mlirument, or compound, 
 io as to admit, or make a palTage for the air 
 to penetrate therein, to raife it to action by 
 fermentation, it will remain a dead inactive 
 body ; and if any Iced happei to be bound 
 or mclolcd therein, it will never grow or 
 v-cgetate till the earth is opened about it to 
 give it air. 
 
 I fay any fort of feed th?3t contains an oily 
 matter, iuch as rape-feed, cabbage-feed, 
 turnip-fccd, kctlock-iced, muftard-fccd, or 
 the like, will lie in the ground a thou land 
 years or more, and will neither rot nor 
 grow, till it gets air. 
 
 The oil prefcrves it from rotting, and 
 grow it cannot, unlefs it be raifed to adion 
 l3y fermentation, and fuch fermentation can- 
 not mile without air. 
 
 This 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 177 
 
 This is evidently experienced almoft eve- 
 <iy day : for if we plough up a piece of lay 
 land that has not been ploughed for feveral 
 generations, there is great odds ; but upon 
 being turned up, fome of thefe oily feeds 
 I mentioned will grow : and it is evident 
 that they would have grown before, if they 
 had air. 
 
 1 mention thefe things to prove how ne- 
 ceffary it is to open the earth, either by til- 
 lage, or by mixing different natures toge- 
 ther. 
 
 And as we fee that loain is the beft fort 
 of corn mold, how eafy is it to make a 
 loam, by mixing fand and clay together. 
 
 If a held be a ftrong clay, lay a cart load 
 of fand upon every fquare perch and this 
 will make a compound or body of earth, 
 commonly called loamy clay, bccaufe clay 
 is the ])redominant article. 
 
 This will open and divide the body of 
 clay ; the air will incorporate therewith, 
 -and bring on a fermentation, which will 
 fwell^ open and reduce the earth to a friend- 
 ly confiilence, vvhich v/iil admit the roots 
 ■of plants to incorporate or iearch among it 
 for their food. 
 
 Suppofe a field be fand, it is of little ufe, 
 perhaps to its proprietor, as it will not feed 
 either the roots of corn or grafs ; that is, it 
 
 is 
 
178 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 is of too open a nature, and wants a flimy, 
 fmooth, gluey fubllance (fuch as clay con- 
 fifts of) among it to unite the gritty, pebbly 
 particles of the fand together ; each of 
 which particles before was a caUfed, hard, 
 feparate body, out of which iilued no nou- 
 rifhment for plants, as the grain or itaple 
 w^s too coarfe or large for the fine fibres of 
 a root to feed upon ; but when clay is in- 
 troduced amongft it, the flimy, fmoother 
 particles thereof wrap round or clog about 
 the grains of fand, which being affilled by 
 the air, and the falts thereof, divides thefe 
 little flubborn round bodies into Imaller 
 particles, by Ihelling or melting fcale aftpr 
 icale from them : fo that the body of the 
 fand, and that of the clay, being mehed 
 into a thin, fine, fmooth matter, between 
 them they create a nourifhing fine food for 
 plants. 
 
 Thus farmers fee how effential it is to 
 mix fand and clay together. A two-horfe 
 cart-load of clay upon every f([uare perch 
 of fand land, would change the nature of 
 the foil to fuch a degree, that it might be 
 called a loamy fand, which is the fecond 
 befl earth. 
 
 The above is taking in all forts of clay 
 and fand, as it fpeaks in general, becaufe a 
 mixture, let it be what fort it will, is valu- 
 able 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 179 
 
 able ; but however there are different de- 
 grees of both clay and fand, and where we 
 are fo lucky as to find on our lands, that 
 which contains the moft falts, it is the great- 
 eft treafure. 
 
 Moft marls are a fort of clay, and differ 
 according to the colour and weight of falts 
 or oils contained in them. 
 
 According to the quantity of falts or oils 
 you fuppofe your marl or clay to contain, 
 and the depth of foil or corn-mold you 
 have to work in, fo proportionably mix your 
 marl or clay and fand together. 
 
 The blue marl and brown marl arc near- 
 ly of one ftrength : they arc generally very 
 hard to be dug: fometimes the labourers 
 are obliged to ufe pick-axes to loofen it with 
 ready for the fpade. 
 
 Thefe are good forts of marl, and to be 
 found in many places in England and Scot- 
 land, where they lie difregarded, owing to 
 their owners not knowing their value. 
 
 When they come to be laid on the land, 
 and expofed to the air, they fall to duft, 
 and melt with rain or froft : any clay or 
 marl that does this, is fure to contain a 
 great body of falts ; for it is thefe that fhi- 
 ver and melt the earth about them to come 
 at the air, and the air at them. 
 
 A deep 
 
i8o A NEW SYSTEM^ 
 
 A deep corn-mold, and particularly it* 
 fandy, will take about three cart loads to two 
 fquare perches, at five yards and a half per 
 perch. 
 
 The next marl in quality, and which is 
 moft fuitable to ftrong land, ia white fhelly 
 marl, it generally lies under bogs and mo- 
 rafles : it is light, but of a very rich nature, 
 has a great likenefs to lime, and indeed will 
 almoft go as far as flecked lime in manuring: 
 however it may be laid on a cartload to each 
 Iquare perch, without hurting the land, tho* 
 lefs may do. 
 
 The next is a frcc-ftone-marl : it is white 
 as lime, but has no fhells in it ; it is moft 
 proper for clay; it has a fharp acid fpirit, 
 and therefore muft be laid thin on the land ; 
 it is the worft of all marls. 
 
 There are three clays, the blue, red and 
 white ; the beft of thele for manure to fand 
 land is the blue, as it comes the neareft to 
 marl: but they will all melt and open when 
 mixed with the fand. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. i8i 
 
 CHAP. XXXVL 
 
 On Clay, Sand and MarU 
 
 THERE are feveral denominations of 
 fands and gravel ; of thefe the lime- 
 ftone gravel is the belt ; it abounds greatly 
 all over Ireland, except in the county af 
 Cork. 
 
 This is of a very rich quality, particu- 
 larly if it be of the marly fort : in fad it is 
 no other than marl ; only that is m^ixed with 
 a fmall blue lime-ftone, from the fize of a 
 hazel-nut, to a good fized paving-flone, 
 which would all burn and make good lime: 
 it is thofe that give it the name of li^e- 
 
 ftonc 
 Vol. U. A a 
 
rS/ A NEW SYSTENf 
 
 ilonc gravel : it is a very valuable manure 
 ani-l which contributes greatly to enrich Ire- 
 land. 
 
 A coat of this will change ling or heathy 
 ground, to ihamrocks or wild clover ; it is 
 to be met with in Scotland and England, in 
 foine places. 
 
 There is another fort of lime-ftone gra- 
 vel, which is of the gritty, fandy kind ; but 
 it is not fo good as the marly fort : it is 
 fuitable for clay-land. 
 
 There is a iort of fand in Ireland, that is 
 alfo very good manure for ftrong land. I 
 have lecn it in England, but never faw it 
 made ufe of. 
 
 In (act the Englifh farmers are not fo piy- 
 ing into the bowels of the earth as they 
 ought to be, to find out thefe valuable ma- 
 nures : this fand is of a rough, round, grit- 
 ty kind, a bluilh caft ; it abounds much 
 vvith-falts. I have feen it produce amazing- 
 ly great crops both of corn and grafs, for 
 fifteen or fixteen years together. 
 
 Sea-fand is another good manure, where 
 farmers are fituatcd conveniently, fo that 
 ta^t'iage will not bring it too high. 
 
 The red or blue fand that lies on the fur- 
 face of the earth, in many parts of England 
 and fuch as wc raifc corn in, is no manure, 
 
 except 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 183 
 
 except to clay-laiiil, as above obferved; and 
 it is on luch land as this that clay is fo valu- 
 able, where marl cannot be got. 
 
 Chalk is an excellent manure for clay- 
 ground, and will lail many yeai-s ; it is- ve- 
 ry good for fand, but not of that value as 
 for clay. 
 
 What adds to the value of chalk, clays, 
 or marl as manure, is their lading fo long 
 in the ground. 
 
 If land be well covered with any of thefe 
 heavy manures, it will fhew their value bv 
 throwing up good crops for ten or fii'teen 
 years. 
 
 Such bodies of manure are very ponder- 
 ous, and therefore generally keep finking 
 till they get below the reach of the plough 
 to turn up : when this happens it Ihould be 
 trench-ploughed. 
 
 The beft method of liming, marling, 
 claying or chalkirg land, is to lay thofe 
 ■manures on the fod : and let them remain 
 (after being fpread) for one year or tvv^o be- 
 fore the land is ploughed, in order that they 
 may adhere, grow or incorporate with the 
 earth, which will make them much more 
 valuable and Lifting. Befides, the air ope- 
 rates more violently and quickly upon them 
 :by their being expo fed, w^hich if they were 
 
 coverei 
 
184 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 covered with earth they would in fome de- 
 gree be Icreened from ; and it is the air that 
 caufes them to open and fhiver to pieces, 
 and ferment with the corn mold, as will ap- 
 pear more fully in the next chapter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 185 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 On the weakeft and worji of all Sands, or 
 worn-out or fired Earth : how to make 
 Marl or Clay unite thereto, &c. 
 
 AS I have feen a bad blowing white {and 
 in many parts of England, and par- 
 ticularly in Norfolk, which has baffled all 
 the Norfolk farmer's boafted management 
 to improve, and the fame is in fome parts 
 of America ; I (hall beftow a chapter on this 
 fort alone, and (hall think my time well 
 fpent, if I can put them in a way to make 
 fuch land ufeful, as at prelent lies ufelefs 
 and neglecfted. 
 
 There are two forts of what we call blow-^ 
 ing fand, viz. white and grey which is of a 
 very fmooth, fine grain, and deflitute of 
 
 any 
 
lU A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 any clayey, oily, or glutinous fubflance to 
 iiold it together, or for plants to feed upon. 
 
 Among the many tracls of this fort in 
 England, I lliall mention one which lies 
 round Thetford in Norfolk. Though the 
 Norfolk farmers imagine themfclves fuperior 
 to any other for management, yet they con- 
 fefs themfelves not qualified to impro\e this 
 fort of foil; and the reafon they give, is 
 that it is fo poor and weak, that the marJ 
 or clay will not unite therewith, of which 
 they have great plenty under thefe beds of 
 fand in mo ft parts of Norfolk. 
 
 I was told of a farmer near Thetford, who 
 was noted for being a better manager than 
 the reft of the neighbours ; I went to view 
 his crops, and was agreeably furprifed to 
 fee about two hundred and forty acres of 
 barley, that was extremely good, in the 
 midft of a very fandy, barren country ; in 
 ■{hort, one acre might juftly be deemed as 
 good as any of the beft two I faw in the 
 country ; the crop might be judged to pro- 
 duce forty-four bulhels an acre, upon an 
 average. 
 
 This farmer had been brought up a fhop- 
 keeper, and had taken this farm a lew years 
 before, to the no fmall diverfion of fome of 
 the bigotted farmers about him, who hoped 
 to fee him breal:, for his prefiiming to be a 
 farmer. Hr 
 
or HUSBANDRY. t%j 
 
 He was a rational, fenfible man, and laid 
 Bis plans upon reafon, and not upon old 
 Guftoms, which are very prevailing amongft 
 the illiterate, however abfurd. 
 
 The rent of the farm was two hundred 
 pounds a year, for which he had perhaps 
 about twelve hundred acres of land, fome- 
 part of which was valued at five Shillings aa 
 at:re, and oth^r at little or nothing. 
 
 His chief improvement conlifted of marl- 
 ing on the fod, for the land had been a 
 fheep-walk for many years ; it had been- 
 ploughed formerly till they could get no 
 more corn, and then left to chance. It had 
 been perhaps twenty or thirty years in com- 
 ing to a thin fod, which was fcarce then fuf- 
 ficient to keep the wind from blowing the 
 ground away; and though the flieep were 
 fmali, two acres would fcarce keep one of 
 them alive. 
 
 His crops confided chiefly of barley^ rye, 
 turnips and clover : he had a little wheat 
 on his bcft land, that had been ftrongly 
 marled. 
 
 He marled upon lay ; though moft farm- 
 ers in Norfolk marl upon fallow, or broken 
 ground ; this is the rock they fplit upon, 
 where they ufe it at ail. But indeed m.arl 
 is much negle(R:ed in Norfolk ; I do not 
 know a county in England, that is more 
 
 capable 
 
i88 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 capable of improvement by marl than this, 
 were they to apply it with judgment. 
 
 The fad is, the country is moftly under 
 tillage of barley, clover, rye-grafs and tur- 
 nips : the clover and rye-grafs feldom lie 
 above one crop, or at moft tw^o, before 
 they break ir up again for turnips ; there- 
 fore tney are neceffitated to marl upon bro- 
 ken ground, except they would lay it upon 
 the clover-ftubble as foon as the barley is 
 off ; which by the bye, is the befl way, tho* 
 they have not the leall notion of it. 
 
 Were they to do this, the ftubble would 
 keep it up, till the young clover grew thro* 
 and united and incorporated it with the fod 
 or corn -mold ; the frofl would alfo fhiver 
 and temper the clods, and bring them to a 
 reparation : this is one great reafon why all 
 clays or marls ought to lie on the fod a year 
 or two expofed, and to unite therewith. 
 
 But on the contrary, the Norfolk farmers 
 lay it on a loofe, fine, weak foil ; there it is 
 in clods, tumbled about with the plough, 
 in the courfe of the fallow ; and as it is 2 
 clofe, heavy body, it is generally covered 
 and fcreened from the air by the corn mold, 
 fo confequently as the mold about it is a 
 dead ina^ivc body, having no moift or oily 
 matter, fuch as grafe or clover roots a- 
 mongft it to incorporate or raifc into a fer- 
 mentation ; 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 189 
 
 mentation ; I fay, for want of thefe affift- 
 ances, the dead, weak, light body of fand, 
 or corn-mold, has not fufficient ftrength to 
 adhere or unite with the heavy body of clay ; 
 therefore the two parties he each inadive in 
 itfelf. 
 
 This evidently Ihewed itfelf to be the cafe 
 between the above farmer's good crops, and 
 his neighbours flarved bad ones ; many of 
 which were fcarce worth reaping, which 
 had been marled on the fallow, though the 
 marl and land were all of one nature ; there- 
 fore, it was plain that his fuperiority of 
 crops proceeded from no other caufe, but 
 that of being marled on the fod ; the roots 
 of grafs, or other vegetables raoiilen and 
 unite the two bodies of earth : and its acid 
 and nitrous nature raufes- a fermentation, 
 which is produdive of a mixture and unions 
 that could never take place between two fuch 
 dead and inactive bodies, as the fand and 
 marl are alone in themielves. 
 
 If it fhould be alledgcd, that the frefh- 
 nefs or reft this grafs land had got,, by lying 
 fo long dormant, or in a (heep walk, was 
 the caufe of fo great a produce in the crops: 
 iiich a fuppofition is anfwered by feveral ex- 
 periments, that were tried in the fame forft 
 . of ground ; nay the fame Iheep walk which 
 neither hedge nor ditch parted, viz. 
 
 Vol. II. Bh That 
 
j^o A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 That all the farmers, except he who had 
 the good crops, break up their grafs land by 
 tallow, and Tow it with turnip feed; and 
 two or three farmers, particularly, had 
 marled upon the fallow, but their crops 
 were not half fo good as his, which was 
 marled on the Ibd ; and upon turning up 
 earth, it w-as eafy to difcover the marl lying 
 in lumps, in the fame inadive Hate as when 
 lain on ; this was alfo the caie with all the 
 old going corn land in the neighbourhood, 
 which had been more marled in the courfe 
 of tillage. But upon repeated trials they 
 find it docs not anfwer, therefore feldom 
 marl at all. 
 
 It is a prevailing opinion, and a common 
 laying among them, that their land is too 
 weak for marl, that the marl and fand will 
 not mix or unite together. 
 
 An open town-field lay next to the two 
 hundred and forty acres of good barley, the 
 owners of which ^had fevcral ridges mixed 
 among his neighbours in that field, feveral 
 of which he had marled upon fallow ; but 
 had no better crops on thefe than the reft 
 of his neighbours. 
 
 All thefe circumftances proved beyond a 
 contradidion, to the opinion of the farmers 
 there, that marl will not] anfWer with 
 them, but upon grafs-land, which had r)nly 
 
 been 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 191 
 
 !been lately tried ; for the two hundred and 
 forty acres of good barky was the firil m- 
 (lance, and fourth crop after marling. 
 
 It is worth obferving, that this [enfible 
 farmer forefaw the fuccefs which would ac- 
 crue from marling the faid land on the fod, 
 as he took a leafe of the farm at double iis 
 former rent, though feveral people had been 
 broke on it ; but he on the contrary, was 
 making a good fortune ; |for the crops I 
 faw on the ground, were at leaft worth ten 
 rents. 
 
 He had better turnips than any one elfe ^ 
 which enabled him to keep a large flock of 
 ihcep : he kept every thing as private as he 
 could, and defired me to take no notice of 
 what I had feen ; for which reafon I fup- 
 prefs his name. 
 
 Many farmers looked upon his crops v/ith 
 wonder, and a longing eye ; but partly de- 
 fpaired of making his cafe their own ; as his 
 land had been fo many years coming to a 
 fod : and theirs was chiefly broken land. 
 
 To fum up what has been faid, all the 
 ' above obfervations, as well as reafon, prove 
 clearly, that marl is a treafure, when found 
 and applied properly to light fandy land ; 
 but yet the fame obfervations prove, that it 
 cannot be applied with fuccefs to weak, 
 worn out land, without lome fort of vee;et- 
 
 able 
 
19* A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ahlc or gralT/ particles, to bear up the marl, 
 putrefy, keep moift and caufe a fermenta- 
 tion, in order to mix or unite th« the two 
 bodies of fand and marl together : and as it 
 is generally worn out corn-foil that ftands 
 in the greateft need of improvement ; and 
 as it is alfo very difhe^rtening for farmers to 
 wait fo long for their land coming to a fod 
 for th-e faid purpofe of improvement, I re- 
 fer them to the next chapter, where they 
 will find artificial management will make up 
 for deficiency of time and nature. 
 
 So much as this chapter contains, I 
 thought neceflary to fay, in order to prove, 
 both by reafon and precept, the necefTity 
 there is for the farmer's keeping up to the 
 rules laid down in the next, and confequent- 
 ly of his crops alfo. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 193 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 On different SorU of Grafs andPulfe, which 
 mujl befown before Marl is laid on broken, 
 old going, fandy, worn-oui hands for the 
 Improvement thereof ^ &c. 
 
 SHOULD the reader happen to turn to 
 this chapter before he reads the fore- 
 going one; 1 would advife him to turn back, 
 and read it firft, in order that he may more 
 fully be acquainted with the reafon why I 
 dired:, or lay down the following manage- 
 ment. 
 
 There are few fandy farms in England, 
 but what have beds of marl or clay under 
 one part or other of them : did the owner 
 but apply himfelf for finding them out. 
 
 The 
 
194 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The firft ftep he ftiould take, is to view 
 his hedges and trees, as their afped of vi- 
 gour or runtifhnefs, generally (hews the fort 
 of ground they grow upon: as for inftance, 
 all tap roots thrive bell where the interior 
 earth is good, though at a great depth un- 
 der ; particularly oak ; it llrikes its root 
 perpendicular to a great depth to find out 
 nouriftiment; and if a good clay or marl be 
 under at the diftance of fifteen or twenty 
 feet, the flourifhing ftate of the tree will 
 fhew it, by rearing up its head high in the 
 SLir. 
 
 One can hardly be deceived in thrs re- 
 mark : for though the furface appear fandy 
 for miles round, yet if there be any good 
 oaks growing thereon, we may be affured 
 that either a good clay, or marl is under; 
 therefore the farmer may apply himfelf to a 
 diligent fearch near the faid trees. 
 
 What he wants beicg found, liis next 
 method to take, is how to apply it to his 
 (ground; and if his land be of ever fo poor, 
 light, fandy nature, the following method 
 will enrich it, viz. 
 
 As foon as the crop of corn is off, plough 
 the land once, and fow it with x^etches pret- 
 ty thick ; then harrow them in ; if this can 
 be done a fortnight before Michaelmas, the 
 better ; that the Michaelmas fpring may pufh 
 
 them 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 195 
 
 them forward to a good head before winter: 
 and though the land be ever fo poor, open 
 or fandy : if lown at this time of the year, 
 it will produce a crop of ftraw, though per- 
 haps it would not have ftrength enough to 
 fupport a crop of corn ; but ftraw will an- 
 fwer his end. 
 
 The vetches muft not be eat : but as foon 
 as the bufhy fpring feed time is over, the 
 farmer muft prepare for marling, or claying; 
 upon them, viz. 
 
 He muft firft roll the vetches flat with a 
 roller, fo far as he thinks he can cover with 
 marl the fame day, but no farther ; and al- 
 fo fpread the marl even the fame night, fo 
 as to cover all the vetches clofe therewith, 
 to prevent the fun or weather from exhal- 
 ing or drying out the juicy fubftance, which 
 it foon will do from any part that is expof- 
 ed thereto. 
 
 When marl or clay is firft drawn out of 
 tke pit, it is generally wet and tough ; 
 but when it has lain a little expofed to the 
 weather, it ftiivers and falls to powder, par- 
 ticularly if it be cf a rich fort, for then the 
 air opens it, to come at the falts itcontains. 
 
 As foon as you fee that the clods are come 
 to a confiftence, {o as to break and fpread, 
 draw a harrow over the marl, turned the 
 
 wrong 
 
196 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 wrong fide up in order to break and fpread 
 the marl more even j and cover the vetches 
 clofe. 
 
 The next confideration is what to fow it 
 with ; and doubtlefs your choice will fall 
 upon fuch as fuits your flock of cattle, or 
 your opinion of farming, and crops the beft; 
 but was I to choofe it ihould be fown with 
 turnips at midfummer: however, whatever 
 it is fown with, it muft not be ftirred with 
 the plough, but as foon as the marl is level- 
 led on the ground as above, fow the feed, 
 and fhovel the furrows, and Ipread the 
 mold you throw out an inch thick all over 
 the ridge. 
 
 If you cannot get mold enough without, 
 you muft either dig a fpit deep, or run a 
 plough up and down the furrow, in order 
 to raife mold fufficient for the purpofe. 
 
 Two men will fhovel an acre in one day, 
 which is cheaper than ploughing, and the 
 work is done etfedually ; the marl lying be- 
 tween two bodies of fand, and the vetch- 
 es being reduced to dung under the marl, 
 that caufcs a thorough fermentation aad 
 union amongft them. 
 
 If you eat off the turnips with flieep, in 
 the moving houfes, you complete an effect- 
 ual improvement ; be the land ever fo poor 
 
 or 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 197 
 
 •v fandy ; in lliort, this is the. bcft method 
 that can be taken to improve any fort ol bar- 
 ren, light land, by marl or clay. 
 
 If clay-land, it will anfwer the end, by 
 applying land upon it in the fame manner ; 
 only with this difference, that inilead of 
 vetches you fow grey peas, which will pro- 
 duce a greater burden of haum for manure. 
 
 Roll your peafe, and when your fand is 
 laid on, cover them, and the fand together, 
 by fhovelling the furrows as above : but the 
 deeper you cover the better. Suppofe you 
 dig or plough a good fpit deep, and make a 
 furrow two feet wide, to throv/ over a ridge 
 fixteen feet wide. 
 
 This is alfo an excellent method to cover 
 in buck -wheat, vetches or peafe, or any 
 other crop that is fown for manure : fuppofe 
 you would not lay on any fort of fand mar! 
 or clay. 
 
 As for inftance : if you would fow wheat 
 at Michaelmas, you muft firft fow your 
 peafe the latter end of May, or begimung 
 of June : at Michaelmas they will be in full 
 bloffom, then roll them flat, and fow your 
 wheat upon them, and trench the furrows 
 as above, covering the feed and peafe to- 
 gether two or three inches thick. Thefe 
 peafe being covered, or fmorhered in their 
 mofl juicy tender ftate, ferment and rot very 
 
 Vol. II. C c foon 
 
19^^ A NEW S:YSTEM 
 
 foon ; they will be turned into a mafs of 
 ipanure in a ' fornight, at which time the 
 wheat begins tq ftriice root, and feed upon 
 the ground. 
 
 This is a very fure method of getting a 
 good crop, be the ground ever io poor, as 
 the feed takes root immf^diately among the 
 manure. 
 
 This alfo cft'cc^ually deftroys the weeds ; 
 and as the furrows are deep and open, it is- 
 a good drainage for cold, low, wet land, in 
 ihort it is the next beft method to trenching 
 land, and for the firll crop pei haps may ex- 
 ceed it. 
 
 It is like wife a good preparative for fuch 
 land as may be thrown into the courfe of 
 Cjench-ploughing, as the furrows are ready 
 open, ^c. 
 
 Any fpring-crops may be treated in the 
 fame manner with good fuccefs. 
 „ Six men may trench an acre thus in one 
 day, and cover the ridge three inches thick; 
 but it the mold be loofcned with the plough, 
 fp that nothing but the Ihovel will want to> 
 be ufed, it will come much lower. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 1.99 
 
 C H A P. XXXIX. 
 
 ^be Management, &c»' of J /je white and 
 
 Hue 
 
 boiling Fea. 
 
 THIS fort of pea is chiefly raifed lor the 
 good of mankind, and is ufed ior 
 puddings, kc. 
 
 It is only here and there we can meet with 
 land fuitable for this crop: for though it 
 may prod^ice a full crop and good looking 
 peafe ; yet if the land be not natural for them 
 they will not boil foft \ in which cafe they 
 are of no value but for cattle. 
 
 The land nioft; likely to anfwer for them 
 is a dry (harp fand, or gravel : but experi- 
 ence muft be the farmers guide herein ; for 
 
 if 
 
Eoo . A NEW S Y S 1' E M 
 
 if two pieces of land be both alike, to a 
 man's thinking, und only an hedge parts 
 them, yet oiic may bring a foft good boiler 
 2nd the other not. 
 
 The fcafon for fovving it is about the mid- 
 dle of March : it mull be managed in every 
 relpect as the grey pea ; it is generally fold 
 Tor about the fame price as wheat. 
 
 I ha\e known more than once, twenty 
 pounds an acre made by a crop of them; 
 befidcs the crop is generally early enough 
 reaped for the land to low turnips on the 
 fame year ; \v liich is another great advan- 
 tage : cattle do not like its flraw fo well, as 
 that of grey pca-Ilraw. 
 
 There arc two forts of this pea, but both 
 nearly unfwer the fame end : and the land 
 that will produce one a boiler, will not mifs 
 in the other ; one is called the blue boiler, 
 being of a bluiih cail or colour, and very 
 imall and round, and without any dints in 
 it. 
 
 The other is called the white boiler, and 
 is generally a little larger than the blue fort: 
 this is alio rOund, and is not dinted : it is 
 not c[uite fo much valued as the blue fort. 
 
 'I'hey are both of the early hotfpur kind ; 
 the feed mull be changed every year to 
 choofe : and that which comes from the 
 b'outh of Enj^land is generally the bell ; the 
 
 land 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 201 
 
 land being in that country, a very warm, 
 fandy gravel. The farmers raife great quan- 
 tities to fend abroad, and find their account 
 in it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
fe©4 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XL. 
 
 I^he Management and PerfeBion of the grey 
 Field Pea. 
 
 THERE arc two forts of peafe which 
 may be cultivated in the field with 
 fuccefs, 
 
 Firft, the common grey field-pea, raifed 
 for the fuftenance of the brute creation, an- 
 fwering the fame end, or made ufe of for 
 the fame purpofes as field beans. 
 
 The next is a boiling pea. I fhall ti*eat of 
 it in another chapter. 
 
 The grey peafe delight moft in a light 
 gravel or fandy land : but if fown with 
 
 beans 
 
OF HUSByVNDRY. w^ 
 
 I^ans> (which will be a rodding forth^mjl 
 they will grow with fuccefs on ftrong lands j 
 but the richer the land, the greater naed they 
 have for lupport, as their ftraw grows Ibng" 
 er, and therefore they muft be fown^ thin^ 
 ner alfo. 
 
 Sow the pooreft land you have with pea^fe, 
 as they will enrich the land, and on fuch 
 poor land they corn bell, for when the land- 
 is too good they run too much to flraw, and 
 the more ftraw the lefs corn. 
 
 Oat or barley ftubble, if the land be poor 
 will bring a good crop, provided you give 
 it a couple of ploughings in autumn and 
 winter ; but if the land be in a good hearty 
 you need only plough the Hubble in juR be- 
 fore fowifig. 
 
 They may be fown with fuccefs, from the 
 f^rft of February to the firil of April : but 
 about the beginning of March, is the befl* 
 feafon. 
 
 The land being ploughed, fow the peafc 
 at the rate of eight ftone to the acre, Irilh 
 meafure : when fown water furrow and grip 
 the land. 
 
 This crop mufi: not be rolled ; in May is 
 the time to weed them. 
 
 If they happen to be a fhort ftanding 
 crop, they may be mown i elfe they muft 
 
 be 
 
204 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 be reaped and rolled, or lapped up in round 
 little bundles, like a fheaf of corn: thus 
 they muft be left in fingle lumps or fheaves 
 till they arc enough weathered, and dried 
 for (lacking, or houfing ; but while they 
 are on the ground, they mull be turned 
 two or three times, left the under part of 
 the Iheaf grow. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 20jr 
 
 CHAP. XLI. 
 
 DireBions for the ploughing, fcwtng andma^ 
 nagement of Buck -Wheat, through all its 
 Variations. 
 
 THE chief ufe of buck-wheat, in Eng- 
 land or Irelaryd, is for manure ; tho* 
 feme make ufe of it for bread; but it is very- 
 ordinary bread, not much better than that 
 of peafe ; it will teed hogs ; but peafe are full 
 as good and will yield more corn on an acre: 
 befides, they are a furer crop, as they will 
 grow on almoft any lort of land. 
 
 I will fay fo much, hotvever, for buck- 
 wheat, that where it hits and is a full crop, 
 it is the fined thing for manure that I have 
 ever feen. 
 
 Vol. 11. D d I once 
 
2o6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 I once had a crop, that, when it was roll- 
 ed down, gave a talk to a hoiTe to walk 
 through it , and the land gained fo great ad- 
 vantage from this drefling, that the proprie- 
 tor has good rcafon to remember it. 
 
 The plant is very luxuriant, and predo- 
 minant over any weeds ; To that the benefit 
 does not wholly lie in the dung it makes, 
 but partly in its being an cffe(^hial clearer of 
 ground from weeds. 
 
 The land that fuits it beft, is that of a 
 light foil, of a fandy gravelly nature, tho'in 
 truth, (except a very ftrong clay) any land 
 v/ill bring a crop; provided it be well tilled 
 to a fine mold. 
 
 Any fort of flubble that is intended for it, 
 mufb be winter fallowed, ploughing it early 
 in autumn, in order that it may meliorate 
 with the froft, &c. and again, as foon as it 
 begins to (hoot in the fpring, and the laft 
 time in April, jufl before fowing. 
 . The middle of April is the bef> time for 
 fowing it. 
 
 When ploughed before it is fown, har- 
 row it once in a place ; in order to level it, 
 that the feed may not be buried too deep ; 
 then low the feed, at the rate of two bulhels 
 to an Englifli acre ; after which harrow it 
 very fine. 
 
 When 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 207 
 
 When harrowed, roll it : then you have 
 no more to do with it, till it is fit to plough 
 in for dung, which is, when full in blolTom 
 about midluinmer. 
 
 This is done by firfV rolling it down the 
 ftriping way of the plough : and thci; 
 ploughing it in. 
 
 If the land be for turnips, as foon as the 
 dung is rotten (which it will be in about ten 
 days) if it be ploughed in the fullnefs of fap 
 or juices, plough it up and harrow it once 
 in a plage : a man mull follow the harrow 
 with a rope tied to it, to fhake it, leil it 
 drag the dung in h^aps. Being thus har- 
 rowed, fow the turnip- feed, and roll it af- 
 terwards. 
 
 But if the land be for wheat, let it lie 
 unploughed, till the grafs or weeds begin to 
 grow, then plough the dung up, and in a 
 pVoper time after low wheat, and plough it 
 m with the dung. 
 
 If you intend the buck-wheat to fland for 
 feed, treat it in every refpect like peafe, as 
 it is har veiled the lame way* 
 
 CHA?, 
 
3o8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XLII, 
 
 DireSfions how to raife Rape and Cole- Seed, 
 and alfo how to manage Burnbeating, ^c. 
 
 I Shall treat of thefe two feeds under one 
 management, in the fame chapter, as 
 they are nearly of one quality : all the dif- 
 ference i?, that cole-feed requires a greater 
 depth of foil. 
 
 Rape and cole-fced are very profitable, 
 where they meet with land that fuits them ; 
 which IS a black and deep foil : cold, riiihy 
 bottoms, bog, or deep mountain are very 
 good, provided it be duly pared and burn- 
 ed. 
 
 For 
 
OF HUSBAHDRY. 209 
 
 For paring and burning, (by others called 
 burn-beating/ take heathy, boggy, moun- 
 .tainy, or rufhy, we"" and cold low ground ; 
 the more ling or heath and coarfe grafs the 
 better. 
 
 If it be for reclaiming of bog, follow the 
 diredions under that article. ' 
 
 If the ground be deep, and will allow it, 
 pare a fed tv/o inches thick, in order to 
 raife all the aihes that is pofTible ; but be- 
 fore you begin to plough or pare for burn- 
 ing, take a roller fix teet long ; in this faft- 
 en three bel-s of iron, quite round the roll- 
 er, at two feet diilancc : the(e belts, r)r ra- 
 ther cutting knives, as they are to perform 
 this office, are about the breadth of a 
 fey the, and are to have prongs to drive into 
 the roller, fo that the edge will ftand up- 
 right. 
 
 With this go acrofs the ground intended 
 to be pared ; which, when pared, it will 
 turn up in fods two feet long and fave a 
 great deal of labour of cutting by hand; 
 the knives may be taken off, or put on oc- 
 cafionally : and the roller will ferve for other 
 ufes, of rolling corn» Sec. 
 
 About the middle of April begin to pare, 
 and do not mifs an opportunity of burning 
 the fods, when once dry ; which will be in 
 
 thie€ 
 
zio A "NEW SYSTEM 
 
 three weeks after cutting, if the feafon be 
 ncTt wet; but in a wet feafon, they mull be 
 fct upon an edge, and they will dry the 
 readier. 
 
 Being thus dry, and ready for burning, 
 make heaps of about a cart load in each, 
 with the grafs-fide downward : lay them as 
 light and hollow as poflible, that they may 
 burn the readier. 
 
 Put feme fort of kindling under to fet it 
 on fire, fuch as ftraw or fticks, hcc. but 
 little will do/ if there be any rough fluff, 
 fuch as heath, rulhes, Sec. on thefod. 
 
 The v/ay to burn it to the greatefl advan- 
 tage, is not to let the blaze break out, but 
 keep it fmothering within ; for the more it 
 blazes, the more of the nitre afcends into 
 the air. 
 
 Being thus burned, fpread the aihes, and 
 plough them und^r with a very thin furrow 
 at the mofl not above two inches thick ; then 
 harrow it, and when harrowed pretty fine, 
 fow tlie feed. After fowing bufh-harrow 
 It. 
 
 A peck of feed is the due for an Englifh 
 acre, which is about one third lefs than an 
 Irifti one. 
 
 Take care to water- furrow and grip it 
 well. 
 
 In 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 2n 
 
 Tnthc Ipring weed it, and where it is too. 
 thick pull up fome plants, and tranfplant 
 them in thin places, if any there be ; if not 
 throw them away. 
 
 Some will hoe the rape ; but I take thi* 
 to be a fuperfluous piece of labour. 
 
 The mo A; famous place in England, for 
 rifing this crop, is the fenny countries; 
 and they never hoe any ; but I have feert 
 farmers in other countries, take great pains^ 
 in hoeing it ; but this may be partly owing 
 to their being ilrangers to the right manage- 
 ment, and to their taking over abundant 
 pains, through a fear of not doing enough* 
 
 The chief thing is, to fow it even, and 
 till it well, there is then no fear of a crop ; 
 for the plants coming up thick, and having 
 a broad leaf, fmother the weeds, cover the 
 ground, and keep it light and mellow ; {o 
 that in this cafe, 1 fee bat little need of hoe- 
 mg. 
 
 { had a field one year, and in order to 
 be fatisfied which was the beft way, I fow- 
 ed a piece in drills, and hoed it with the 
 plough : and another piece I hoed by the- 
 hand. 
 
 I did not tre{h. it feparate ; but in all ap- 
 pearance to the eye, there v/as no great dif- 
 ference, or at-leaif, not in any wife equiva- 
 
J 12 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 lent to the labour it coll: me ; but in fa<ft, it 
 was all as good a crop as could well grosv. 
 
 Where there is not burn-beating, a good 
 crop may be got by fumnier I'allow, iria- 
 naged dirertly in every degree as tor wheat, 
 with the fame manures. 
 
 One advantage in fowingrape is this, that 
 the feed cofts a triRe, perhaps not above 
 eighteen pence an acre ; and'if it hits, it is a 
 valuable crop ; and ihould it mifs, the lofe 
 of feed is infigniiicant, and the land can be 
 fown with bailey at fpring, as there is time 
 enough to difcover what kind of a crop the' 
 rape will be, before barley feed time. 
 
 Obferve that it is ready to reap when the 
 upper branches turn brown ; be fure you 
 let it not be too ripe ; of the two evils, the 
 leaft is to reap it too foon, rather than let 
 it ftand too long : for if the pcxls be too 
 dry, they will open in reaping, anti fhcd the 
 ieed. 
 
 Birds of all forts are very fond of it 
 thereiore it mull be watched for a month- 
 before its reaping, to the end of threlhing : 
 it is not altogether the value of what they 
 cat, but in opening a pod, perhaps they will 
 not get above one grain, and all the reft will 
 drop out. 
 
 It is reaped in the fame manner as wheat: 
 but the handfuls are laid fingly and light 
 
 upon 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 213, 
 
 upon the ftubble, behind the reapers : thus 
 it mtilt lie without flirring, till it is ready 
 to trefh ; which %vilibe in about three weeks 
 after reaping : for it muft be very rafh or 
 dry, or there will be a lofs in its not trefh- 
 ing clean. , 
 
 When it is thus ready for trefhing, pre- 
 pare a floor in the middle of the field, (or 
 in any other place moft convenient for the 
 carriage,) by levelling the ground, on which 
 nwiHi be fpread a large rape-cloth in the na- 
 ture of a winnow-iheet, to trefh the rape 
 upon. 
 
 Spread the rows round, and trefh round. 
 
 One man fp reads before the trefhers ; 
 another turns it after them ; a third fhakes 
 off the ftravV, and a fourth carries it away. 
 
 Thefe four men arc to fupply i^ix trefhers 
 and four carriers in ; with four to fill the 
 fheets, and one to rake oft" the piilfe and 
 riddle them. 
 
 Thefe fet of people being in all nineteen, 
 will trefh fix or feven acres in a day. 
 
 It is better to proportion the labourers ac- 
 cording to the quantity of rape you have> 
 that it may difpatched in a day or two, as 
 rainy weather may prove dbflruciive ; but 
 if the rain fhould happen to catch you, 
 throw up the corners of the clotli, and eo- 
 
 VQC 
 
 Vol. II. E e 
 
214 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ver it with pulfe, fuch as flays in the riddle, 
 which will turn off rain extremely well. 
 
 '1 here is no need of taking the Teed off 
 the cloth, but keep treihing upon it till all 
 is done. 
 
 Some will fell the feed to the oil-mill, as 
 foon as winnowed from the cloth : others 
 that do not want money, will heap it upon 
 the floor, mixed with chaff, and covered 
 up with the pulfe, fo that it will be round 
 and fharp at the top like a hay-cock : and 
 thus they will let it lie perhaps two months 
 till it gets a fweat in the chaff, which is very 
 necellary ; for being of a clammy oily fub- 
 ftance, it would turn moldy, when clean in 
 a granary, if it did not get a Iweat in the 
 rh^ff as above : but this precaution will 
 prevent the faid evil. 
 
 It is immaterial to fay any thing about 
 winnowing ; as it is eafily done by any one 
 that can winnow flax-feed or corn ; as it is 
 only fuiting it with fieves to the lize of the 
 feed. 
 
 The ftraw was thought of no value for- 
 merly in England, but rather a nuifance ; 
 but of late years the aihes it makes are 
 found to be valuable for making foap ; and 
 the foap -boilers will buy the ftraw, per- 
 haps-two or three months before it is reaped 
 
 and 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 215 
 
 and will give from three to fix fhillings per 
 acre, according to the quantity that may 
 appear to be thereon. 
 
 About the latter end of November, if the 
 rape be ftrong fo as to bear eatirg, (which 
 you may judge of by the flrength of tile 
 plant, or groilnefs of the ftalk,) turn iheep 
 in and eat it till Candlemas ; provided you 
 do not overllocic it ; but take care that 
 they do not eat the ftalk tcjo near ; they 
 ought to go no further than juft to eat the 
 leaves cflf, without entering on the body of 
 the lUlks, for fear of wounding them too 
 deep. 
 
 Cole-feed may be eaten a great deal fafer 
 than rape, as it produces a grolTer ftalk ; 
 and when all the leaves are eaten off, about 
 Candlemas it -makes frelh ifioots, and pro- 
 duces larger heads than if it had not been 
 €aten; and if the land be good and deep, it 
 will produce a more profitable crop than of 
 any other grain whatevei . 
 
 1 have difcourled with Several farmers in 
 England, who know no other difference be- 
 tween cole and rape-feed than the name. 
 
 It is true that the feed is nearly alike ; and 
 no difference is made in the price to the oil 
 mills as they produce one fort of oil i but 
 there is a materiid difTerence in the plan':, 
 and it is the advantage of a larnier to be well 
 acquairrted with it too. The 
 
2i6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The cole-fccd is a fpccies of cabbage ori- 
 ginally from Holland. 
 
 It produces a very large luxuriant plant, 
 in good ground: it will produce a flalk like 
 that of a cabbage, and the feed in propor- 
 tion to the fize of the ftalk. 
 
 A very full crop will turn out a laft on an 
 acre. 
 
 When the fhcep have eat the (talks bare, 
 it is ae eafy matter to take them up, where 
 too thick on the ground, and tranfplant 
 them. 
 
 I once took as many fuperfluous ftalks 
 out of two acres, as tranfplanted fix ; which 
 bore as good a crop as the refl, only a little 
 later. 
 
 I am certain a very great advantage might 
 be made in this method, in the manner lol- 
 Jowing, VIZ. 
 
 It it to be obferved, that land for rape or 
 cole- feed is fallowed all winter, and till the 
 time ot lowing, which is the latter end of 
 June or in July ; by which means the rape 
 rakes up the land this year, and till it is reap- 
 ed, which is about the latter end of June 
 the next year ; therefore it is too late foi- 
 f >vving any fort of crop but turnips when 
 the rape comes off. 
 
 Now fuppofe you had half an acre [of 
 good land, or made it fo by dunging it bet- 
 ter 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 217 
 
 ter than common, and tilling it a little ex- 
 traordinary. 
 
 At the proper feafon of the year, which 
 is at Midfummer, fow on this half acre one 
 peck of either rape or colefeed : but if I was 
 to choofe it fhould be cole-feed. 
 
 Now we fuppofe this to produce a very 
 plentiful crop of plants, perhaps very few 
 grains would rnifs : thus let them grow till 
 Michaelmas : and fuppofe you have ten 
 acres of either wheat, here, barley or oats: 
 as foon as the corn is reaped, plough the 
 {lubble : let it lie a month or fix weeks to 
 rot, and then plough it again : this will be 
 nearly as good as fummer fallow. 
 
 Begin at one fide of the field, and plough 
 a furrow : in this fet a row of thefe plants 
 one foot afunder, leaning againll the fide of 
 the furrow : then plougii another furrow 
 againft it : make the furrow about a foot 
 broad : fo continue till all the field be fet: 
 but it is the bcft method to fet them with 
 the tranfphnting machine, as direded for 
 wheat. 
 
 If the land be good, there will be no 
 need of dung, &cc. but if it be poor have 
 rotten dung in the field, ready laid in heaps; 
 take balkets, and lay a little st the root oi' 
 every plant: about the fize of a large pota- 
 roc will be fufficicnt : by this means, a lit- 
 tle 
 
2i8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 tie dung will go a greater way, and not any 
 of it will be laid in vain, as every plant will 
 have the good of it. 
 
 This is a mighty ready way of tranfplant- 
 ing : for except the ploughing it will not 
 coil above two fhillings an acre. 
 
 The plants will be the better lor leaning 
 on one lide. 
 
 About March, if the mold be drawn up 
 to the Hems, they will be the better, tho* 
 they may do very well without. 
 
 I do not doubt but there are as many 
 grains in a peck of rape-feed as will fet at a 
 foot diilance from each grain, a hundred 
 acres ; therefore without doubt, there will 
 be as many plants to pick and choofe, as 
 would plant ten acres at the fame allowance. 
 
 When the rape is reaped fow turnips. 
 
 This is getting three profitable crops, and 
 part of a fummer's fallow in two years : 
 and the two laft crops ai^e of an improving 
 quality. 
 
 It is true I never faw this method put in 
 practice by any other perfon. However I 
 made trial enough in this way to prove it 
 valuable. 
 
 This experience joined to the reafonable- 
 nefs of the thing, makes it clear to mc, that 
 a farmer, by this management might make 
 great protits of his land. 
 
 If 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 219 
 
 If itfhould be a bufy time about Michael- 
 mas, the tranfplanting might be deierred 
 till the beginning of February, and keep the 
 land fallowing all winter, and indeed I 
 doubt not but this is full as good a feafon 
 as Michaelmas, and the land may be kept 
 fallowing as I obierved. 
 
 The fpring planting will drive the crop 
 a little later, but I am convinced that there 
 is no doubt of the plants growing from 
 either feafon : it is my opinion not above 
 one in an hundred would mifs. 
 
 I ihould be glald to fee this profitable 
 piece of hufbandry put in pradice in a large 
 degree, as reafon fpeaks fo clearly in its 
 favour. 
 
 It would a'fo make good winter feeding, 
 if the farmer dijd not choofe to let it Hand to 
 feed. 
 
 What a fine affair would it be for a far- 
 mer to make ten or fifteen pounds an acre 
 of his ftubbles : the land the better for it, 
 and the expence not above three or four 
 {hillings per acre ? 
 
 If it fbould mifs, the lofs is fcarce worth 
 notice, and the land will be the better for 
 the fallow a*: any rate. 
 
 The middling produce of an Englifn ac re 
 of rape is half a laf^ : it fometimes happens 
 that an ac e will produce a lalt ; but it muil 
 be very good. Cole- 
 
220 A NEW S'YSTEM 
 
 Cole-feed will very often produce a laft ; 
 being a ftronger plant, it confequently 
 throws out larger feeding branches, where 
 the land is deep and proper for it. 
 
 The rape or cole-feed is very proper for 
 the land and climate of America. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 221 
 
 CHAP. XLUI. 
 
 DirsBlons for making a new invented Trejh- 
 ing Floor, 
 
 TAKE boards three inches thick, and 
 ten or twelve inches broad, and fo 
 long that two will reach acrofs the barn floor, 
 from door to door ; in thefe fix feet to make 
 benches three feet hi^h : there muft be fix 
 of thefe forms or benches, which will reach 
 three times acrofs the floor, one at each fide, 
 and the other down the middle, put a hafp &c 
 ftaple to the middle end of each bench to 
 fallen them together that the motion of ihc 
 flails will not fliake them a funder. 
 
 Thefe benches is by way of platforms to 
 lay the flooring boards upon, which boards 
 
 Vol. II. Ff mua 
 
Ill A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 muft be three inches thick, and as broad as 
 may happen, a-^d as long as will reach acrofs 
 the benches from fide to fide. 
 •' Joint and plane' the upper tide of the 
 boards, then bore them full of holes \^ith a 
 cooper's tap bit at three inches diftance from 
 each other, the tap bit being taper, the 
 wide part of the hole muft be at the un- 
 plancd (idc of the boards which mufl: lye 
 downwards, by which the ilraight part 
 of the hole which muft be half an inch wide 
 being uppermoft, will not choke or ftop up 
 with corn or chaff when trelhing thereon. 
 
 This ftage or upper floor is to trefh up- 
 on and the old under floor is to receive the 
 corn which is riddled through the holes as 
 foon as it is trefhed or lofe from the ftraw. 
 
 When you want ta winnow, the boards 
 being loofe are quicklv thrown to one fide, 
 and the two middle forms being taken away 
 the corn is winnowed on the bottom fioor. 
 
 This is a fimple, cheap and cafy made 
 floor, and is of great utility, as it faves both 
 labour and corn, for as the corn falls thro* 
 ^he holes as foon as trefhed, it keeps the 
 floor fharp and clean fo that the flails will 
 j-ifc eaficr to the trcflier, than when it falls 
 on a heap of corn and chaff, and the boards 
 being loofe and hollow^ will fpring, andmakc 
 the flails alfo rebound and rife with more 
 
 cafe 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 223 
 
 eafe to the trciher than when it falls on a 
 folid laid floor : the next confideration is 
 that it faves near one part in four times 
 which is ufiialiy taken up in raking or mak- 
 ing up the Moor. 
 
 Another advantage is, there can be no 
 loofe corn loft or thrown out with the ftriw 
 by not Ihaking it well, as is the cafe when 
 the ftraw and corn lies together j neither is 
 the corn a glut on the floor 'till winnowing 
 days, as the undei* floor ferves as a refervoir 
 for that purpofe. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
224 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 
 '^he Management of T'obacco, 
 
 TOBACCO is a profitable crop when 
 rightly managed, but requires good 
 land, and in fome llages very careful attend- 
 ance, particularly in drying and making it 
 fit for the hogfliead. 
 
 The ground muft be well tilled and ma- 
 nured, except it be new cleared, good ficlh 
 ground ; then it may bring three or four 
 crops without manure. 
 
 'rhe feed of tobacco mufl be fown in 
 feed beds, as early in the fpring after the 
 froft brealcs up as poffible, fo that the plants 
 may be large enough to plant out from the 
 middle of April to the firfl of May. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 225 
 
 The ground mull be ready to receive the 
 crop by digging deep, and loofening the 
 earth, with a Ipade, particularly in the fpot 
 where the plant ft and s. 
 
 In the middle of every fquare yard fet a 
 plant, preifing the earth clofe to the roots 
 thereof. When weeds grow they muft be 
 cut up with a hand hoe, and at the fame 
 time draw the mold up about the the ftalks 
 of the plants. 
 
 As foon as you lee the plants begin to 
 bud for flowering, you muft go over the 
 ground and pinch all the buds off, between 
 the linger and thumb, in order to make the 
 plants ftrike more into leaf, at the fame 
 time ftrip any dead or withered leaves from 
 the bottom of the ftalks and throw them 
 away. Some indeed will take off two or 
 three of the largeft leaves from the bottom 
 of each ftalk, and dry them for tobacco, 
 which I think the beft method : firft bc- 
 caufe it lets air circulate more freely among 
 the crop, which encourages vegetation : fe- 
 condly the leaves will improve no more, 
 they being ripe fome weeks before the up- 
 per leaves : thirdly, though thefe bottom 
 leaves make a coarfer fort of tobacco than 
 the reft of the plant ; yet they will very 
 well pay the trouble, and it is getting io 
 much work out of the way, before the re- 
 mainder 
 
226 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 maindcr of the crop comes on fo he ma- 
 naged, which is generally a buly time. 
 
 From Augull to September is the time for 
 cutting the plants. 
 
 They mult be cut down below the leaves: 
 when cut they muft lie a few days to wither 
 and then take them under cover, and hang 
 the plants fingly acrafs ilicks till they are 
 quite dry, lo that when they are put toge- 
 ther in a heap to fweat, they will keep their 
 colour, and not turn to a white mold, which 
 will rot and fpuil the tobacco. 
 
 If the weather be wet or hazy, the to- 
 bacco will not dry withovit fires being made 
 on the floor of the tobacco-houfe, which 
 will warm and dry the whole tobacco that 
 hangs over them. 
 
 While the tobacco is drying in the houfe 
 it muft be looked at every day, leaft it turn 
 to a white mold, and rot where it hangs too 
 thick. In this cafe it muft be fhifted and 
 thinned in time, to prevent the worft of 
 malady's. 
 
 The Tobacco being properly dried, it 
 muft be put in a heap to force a fweat, and 
 the leaves muft be ftripped from the ftalks, 
 and made m hands (as they call it) by ty- 
 ing four or five together, and then it muft 
 be prefTed very hard in a hogfhead for ufe. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 227 
 
 The crop is ripe for cutting when the 
 leaves turn a yellowifli brown at the edges, 
 or when you can double or bend the ribs 
 of he leaf without breaking. 
 
 When the crop is ripe to cut early, there 
 will other leaves fpring from the roots, that 
 will produce a fecond crop (but this) ex- ' 
 cept the weather prove favorable, is hard 
 to fave. 
 
 It is a tolerable good crop of tobacco that 
 will produce a hogihead an acre. 
 
 There are feveral forts of tobacco, but 
 the beft which I have feen, is what they 
 call the bull- face ; it produces the flrongeft 
 plant, confequently the fulleft crop, "rhe 
 finell tobacco, is that of a yellowilh green 
 (fome, when they ftrip the Italics) will pre- 
 jferve all the leaves of this colour by them- 
 felves, and fell the tobacco at an a.dvanced 
 price from the reft. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
228 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XLV. 
 
 The Management of Indian Corn, 
 
 T. 
 
 HIS is a crop the Americans are in ge- 
 neral mailers in the management of, fo 
 I {hall be (hort on the fubjecl, and only 
 add one particular to the common manage- 
 ment, which reafon tells me will be an im- 
 provement it' clofely adhered to. 
 
 In this, as in all other crops, the richer 
 the ground and the better and deeper it is 
 tilled, the greater chance of a good crop. — 
 However in many parts, and in particularly 
 in new cleared ground, the roots of trees 
 prevents ploughing deep for Indian wheat, 
 and w^heat abfolutely requires' it to bring it 
 its beft perfection ; therefore, when all the 
 ground cannot be tilled deep with the plough 
 
 1 would 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 229 
 
 I would advife three or four fpits with the 
 rpade to be dug deep in the place where the 
 corn is to grow, one rnan would do an acre 
 each day, and it would well pay for his 
 trouble, but in doing this he mull turn the 
 upper furface to the bottom of the hole, for 
 tlie fame reafons that are mentioned in the 
 chapter for trench ploughing. 
 
 When the ground is fallowed and thus 
 ready to receive the crop, the next flep is to 
 make marks where the corn is to grow at 
 fix feet diftance every way from each other, 
 and at the center of every fix feet, make a 
 circle of a foot diameter, in which (et 
 at an equal diftance from each other four 
 grains of corn three or four inches deep in 
 the ground : three grains is fuflicient for a 
 crop, but the fourth is eafiiy pulled up when 
 thev are a fize to be difcovered which is 
 the weakeft. 
 
 When the corn is growing plough be- 
 tween the rows as clofe to the roots as you 
 can, in order to kill the weeds and treiheii 
 the plants by cutting fuperfluous fibres that 
 runs horizontly near the furface of the earth, 
 this will make the tap roots ilrike deep in 
 the ground, which adds vigor and ftrength 
 to the plants. 
 
 Ifthere are weeds growing among the roots 
 of the corn or in luch a fituation that the 
 
 Vol. II. Qy '^ plough 
 
230 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 p]9Ugh cannot come at them they muft be 
 dcAroyed with the hand hoe. 
 
 The befl time for fowing the feed is from 
 the middle of March to the firil of May. 
 
 The crop being thus fct and properly 
 hoed, the chief part of the care attending, 
 it is over. 
 
 The crop is generally ripe in September, 
 the harveilingis very fimple, being nothing 
 more than to cut off the ears and throw 
 them into a carriage and houfe them. 
 
 The beft managers ftrip the blades from 
 the ftalks and tie them up in fmall fheaves 
 and prelerve them dry in flacks or houfes 
 for fodder for cattle in winter, others will let 
 them ftand till wanted in winter, and then 
 pull and throw the 0alks andblkdes together 
 to the cattle and let them pick the blades 
 from the flalks themfelves. 
 
 Some fti'ip or fhell the corn fVom the ears 
 by hand, others trefh them on hurdles made 
 of fmall flicks when they want to fell a quan- 
 tity, but in feeding their own hogs or horfes 
 they generally throw the whole ears to them 
 who will quickly fhell the corn oflf and feed' 
 upon'it. 
 
 A very good crop will produce fixty 
 bufhels an acre^ but thirty is a fine crop. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
QF HUSBANDRY. 231 
 
 € H A P. XLVL 
 
 General dire'Slions for ploughing, fowing, bar- 
 rowing and mowing y er harvejiing Barley. 
 
 I 
 
 N October begin to plough your land for 
 the winter fallow, which is intended for bar- 
 ley, except turnip land, which muft be 
 ploughed as foon as the turnips are eaten 
 off. 
 
 Obferve to gather, or raife your ridges 
 high in the middle of your winter fallow, by 
 which means it will keep itfelf dry, fo that 
 it may be ploughed any time in winter ; and 
 the more it is ploughed the better and richer 
 
232 A N E VV S Y STEM 
 
 it is mack : take care that yonr land be got 
 into lowing order by the firil of MarcJi, as 
 tlie bell ieaibn for fowing barley, is from 
 that to the middle of April, though fome 
 will fow till the middle of May ; but a good 
 deal may be owing to the fcafon; for it is 
 better to wait a month, than to fow in a 
 dirty, cold, bad feafon; as barley is a grain, 
 above all others, that will not bear incle- 
 mency of weather or hardfliip. 
 
 If you intend to lay your land down with 
 any fort of fmall grafs feeds, fuch as clover, 
 lucerne, kc. as foon as the barley is fown 
 and harrowed, as above, (o\v your grafs- 
 fceds, and harrow them once in a place, 
 with the harrow turned the wrong end lore- 
 moft, that tlie pins do not fink too deep, 
 which would bury a great deal of thefe 
 Tmali feeds j but larger forts of grafs-feed, 
 fuch as fain tfoin, burn f^t, and the like, may 
 l)e fown, when the land is about half har- 
 rowed for barley, and then harrowed along 
 with it ; by which means they will be the 
 better covered ^ and, being' a hufl<y feed, 
 they require it. ' 
 
 When the barley has been fown about .i 
 month, roll it. 
 
 bow your barley immediately after the 
 laU ploughing, and harrow- it extremely 
 well. 
 
 Six 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 233 
 
 Six ftone of Iced is fufficient for an Eng- 
 lilh acre. 
 
 One great article, on which the farmer's 
 fuccefs depends, is, to keep his crop clean ; 
 he mull therefore take care it will be well 
 weeded, and throw the weeds into the fur- 
 rows ; being thus cleared from weeds, the 
 bufinefs is over, till ready for harvefiing. 
 
 As moll per ions know when it is ripe, I 
 fhall only fay, that the chief token is, to 
 obferve the joints of the ftraw ; when thefc 
 turn from a green to a dry flraw-colour, it 
 is ready for cutting ; but no corn is ripe, as 
 long as the joints are full of fap ; for thofe 
 are the juices which fupply or feed the grain 
 with its lafl nourilhment ; as'' it keeps feed- 
 ing or filling, until the joints are fucked 
 dry; ardthen the green. call departs along 
 with the fap, and nature has done its work ; 
 therefore fall to, and mo\^^ it, as directed in 
 the next chapter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
234 A" NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. XLVa. 
 
 On mowing and harvejling Spring-Corn, 
 
 WHAT may be properly called fpring- 
 corn, is, that which is fown in 
 (pring ; luch as barley, oats, beans, peafe^ 
 buck-wheat, and the like. 
 
 Thefe are what the Englifh farmers call 
 mowing crops, which is done by a cradle 
 on the fcythe ; or, for want of this, a hoop, 
 made of a ftrong brier, fallow, or the likej 
 the root-end of which is faftened in a hole, 
 made by a fpikc-gimlet, in the Ihaft, about 
 eighteen inches from the heel of the fcythe ; 
 and the top end of the Hick muft be brought 
 with a bend over the heel of the fcythe. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 235 
 
 The hoop muft be croffed feveral times, 
 with cord, like a net work, in order to 
 keep the corn from falling through . 
 
 Upon trial experience will teach him far- 
 ther. 
 
 The mower being thus equipped, let him 
 begin to mow, leaving the Handing corn on 
 his left hand ; that is to fay, he muft leave^ 
 the fwarth leaning againft the ftanding corn; 
 and if he is a dexterous workman, he may 
 leave it fo even and ftraight, that a crofs 
 ftraw will fcarce be feen. 
 
 After each mower comes a gatherer, with 
 reaping-hook, or a fmall rake to make it 
 into fheaves. 
 
 The complement, for every two mowers 
 and two gatherers, is, one binder ; fome- 
 times, when the corn is rank, or a heavy 
 crop, the two gatherers will have a band- 
 maker between ; and thefc five or fix perfons 
 day's w^ork to mow, gather, and bind, is, 
 four Englifh acres of fair ftanding corn^, 
 cither barley, beans, blendings, or oats. 
 
 Being thus bound, it mult be fet up in 
 ftooks ; the fheaves propping againft each 
 other, prefs the tops well together, in order 
 to make them thin and fharp; which will 
 fhoot off the rain the better. 
 
 The farmers in England, feldom put any 
 covering-fheaves on their barley-ftooks ; but 
 
 leave 
 
236 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 leave the corn-ends expofcd to all weather ; 
 believing that the corn hardens the quicker, 
 and more kindly ; however, as Ireland is a 
 wetter climate, 1 would advife the farmer 
 to cover them at night, and uncover them 
 in the morning. 
 
 After Hooking, the barley-ftiibble muft 
 be raked with a fwarth-rakc ; fo called from 
 the length of its head, which is fix feet, to 
 take a fv^arth-breadth at a tiinc. 
 
 It has one row of iron pins, each pin eight 
 inches loi^s: out of the wood, and thj-ce in- 
 ches alunder. 
 
 It has a handle, in proportion to the reft 
 of the rake, m which is fixed a belt to go a- 
 bout the man's flioulders, to drav/ ic in the 
 nature of a harrow. 
 
 When he finds his rake full, he muft Hft 
 it up, whereupon the corn drops out ; he 
 then goes on again, aKvays leaving the corn 
 in the fame place or range, in the nature of 
 a wind-row. 
 
 When the field is raked, cock the rakings 
 like hr?y; and this is very ufeful to lay on 
 tops of the held Hacks ; as it will lie better 
 than iheaves, and fhoot the water ofl'; but 
 in England they never flack their corn in the 
 field; but let it ftand in the (look, till it is 
 ready to take home to the barn or hay- 
 yard. 
 
 However 
 
dt iTXJSB ANl^uf. 237 
 
 However, as Ireland is a moifter climate, 
 t believe it is A very good way, particularly 
 if the corn is to be houfed. 
 
 And perhaps, if England W^S to do the 
 like, it might be better ; as it would put 
 the ebrri out of danger of bad weather. 
 
 H. B. Spring corn, fuch as barley, oats, 
 beans and peale, are all harvefted the fame 
 way by mowing; therefore, I fliall refer my 
 reader, for diredicins on thoie heads, to the 
 ioregoing inftruaions. I fee no better me- 
 thod than the .above, for harvefting fpring 
 corn in America, both for difpatch and 
 ehcapnefs* 
 
 Vol. 11. H ^ The 
 
23.8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ThoExpcDGC andProfit arifmg from an Acre 
 of Barley, fown after Turnips. 
 
 To eight quarters, at 20s. per 1. s. d. 
 Total produce - - 800 
 
 To two ploughings, if only with one 
 
 man and two horfes - 056 
 
 To harrowing, fowing, rolHng, 
 
 and water-furrowing - 030 
 
 To chance of weeding- - 020 
 
 To feed - - -050 
 
 To mowing - - o i o 
 
 To gathering and binding 006 
 
 To raking with a fwarth-rake 004. 
 
 To ftooking, carriage home, and 
 
 extraordinary attendance 046 
 
 To carriage to the market, and 
 
 expences extraordinary -060 
 To land rent, upon a par - - o 15 o 
 
 Total expence 224 
 
 Clear profit 5^7 ^ 
 
 Note^ The ftraw pays for trcfhing. 
 
 GHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 239 
 
 rCHAP. XLVIIL 
 
 On Jive Sorts of Barlsy. 
 
 IRST, fprat or battledore-barley. 
 Second, long-eared barley. 
 Third, round-eared fummer barley. 
 Fourth, round-eared winter, or by fome 
 in England, called big ; but its true name in 
 Ireland, is here. 
 
 Fifth, fix-rowed barky. 
 Were I to add a long chain of names, (as 
 is ufual with fome authors) it would be 
 Xwelling my work into a ufelefs chit-chat, 
 as every name that is added ta thofe, is only 
 explaining the fame thing over again ; for it 
 is the different language, or rather gibberifti 
 
 of 
 
2+0 ANEW SYSTEM 
 
 of diflercnt kingdoms or counties which 
 ^ivc rife to fo many names for one fort of 
 grain. 
 
 This may well confound the ideas of a far- 
 mer, who does not know how to account for 
 all the names that are given to the fame fort 
 of grain. May not this lead him to feck, 
 under a difguifed name, for the very feed 
 liimfelf has growing ? 
 
 It is true, different land and tillage will, 
 in fome degree, change the form of feed, 
 as to a thick or thin Ikin, a fmall or a large 
 iize or the like : but the fpccies is yet the 
 fame. 
 
 The fprat or battlc-dore barley, has 
 only two rows of grain ; for w4iich rcafon 
 the ear is flat, the corn is fhort, plump and 
 thin Ikinned, not inclined to have a long 
 grofs flraw, (btit indeed this varies accord- 
 ing to the richnefs of the ground it is lown 
 on) it is faid it will grow well on many other 
 ibrts of land. 
 
 1 have had great crops, on tough, flronsf, 
 cold clay, or gravel land ; but fuch mufb be 
 weU pulverifed, fweetened, enriched, mol- 
 lified and warmed by tillage. 
 
 Manures on fuch land, will not do for 
 barley, unliefs the cold four nature of the 
 ground be changed by tillage. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 241 
 
 The manure which afcends and dcfccnds 
 'from th,e clouds, is of a warmer and ear- 
 lier nature than any other ; therefore it will 
 produce tlie carlieil and thinneft ikinned 
 crops. 
 
 The long-eared barley is fo called from 
 its having a long ear, by which it may yield 
 more cont under the flail : but the grain is 
 fmall and lung, and has "a thick fkin ; it de- 
 lights in much the fame land and tillage as 
 fprat-barley. 
 
 Round-eared fummer- barley is an excel- 
 lent good yielder : it is a. middle fpecies be- 
 tween berCj, or winter-barley, and fprat- 
 barley ; and therefore muil be fown early 
 in fpring. 
 
 Tile lands of Ireland, Scotland and the 
 North of England, are very fuitable for it, 
 provided they are well tilled. It has alfo a 
 plumper, fuller, or bolder grain than here, 
 though not in this cafe, equal to Iprat-bar- 
 lev. 
 
 It is not fo delicate or tender as fprat- 
 barley, neither is it fo hardy as here : in- 
 deed, it is my choice, next to fprat-barley, 
 for aim oft any fort of land which is proper 
 for barley-crops. 
 
 Bere, winter-barley, or big is beft known 
 in Ireland, or the North of Scotland : and, 
 indeed by their tillage, it is moft fit for 
 them. 1 have 
 
242 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 I have held feveral arguments with Irl{h 
 farmers about this grain, and I generally 
 found the ftrength of their arguments to 
 hang upon prejudiced old cuftoms, believ- 
 ing as their forefathers fowed it, though in 
 darker days of improvement, that they 
 would not be right, if they did not follow 
 their Heps : and in fhort, it is as hard to 
 ihake their refolution from the purfuit of 
 this their favourite grain, as from being 
 drunk by the whifkey or fpirit it makes. 
 
 This bere is generally fown at the fame 
 time with wheat ; and though flovens fome- 
 times get good crops, perhaps chiefly from 
 the ftrength of manure (as they moftly fow it 
 after potatoe-crops, or on their rankeft land 
 which would in fad bring onions) yet I ob- 
 ferve, thofe who manage better have in ge- 
 neral better crops ; and bring it nearer to 
 the refemblance or barley, for plumpnefs, 
 but at beft, it is far ihort of barley in value, 
 infomuch that it would hardly be fold in the 
 Englifh markets at any price, except for 
 hen-com. 
 
 It is a poor, long, fmall grain, with a 
 thick fkin ; but notwithftanding this, it is 
 not without its good qualities, where it is 
 ufed in its proper place. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANI>RY. 243 
 
 It is to be obferved that the poor of Ire- 
 land live about eight months out of twelve 
 OH potatoes. 
 
 A potatoe-garden for a poor family, is 
 generally about half an Irifh acre ; they keep 
 no team; therefore cannot till the potatoe 
 fhibble fit for a crop of barley; for it is to 
 be obferved, that there is no more of the 
 ground flirred, than what they throw out of 
 the trenches to cover the potatoes with. 
 
 The bed on which the potatoes grow, lies 
 unmolefled till the third crop ; therefore, 
 when they dig the potatoes, they fow the 
 here, and fhovel up the trencher to cover it, 
 which is all the hufbandry it gets or wants. 
 
 But fuch hufbandry would not do for bar- 
 ley ; therefore in this cafe it may have the 
 preference. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
244 A NEW SYSTEMS 
 
 CHAP. XLLX;. 
 
 On different forts cf hand for Barky. 
 
 BY dint of ploughing, good huTbandry 
 and rotation of crops, almofl any fort 
 of land may be brought to produce barle>- ; 
 however, fome is better or more fuitable for 
 this crop than others ; therefore I Ihall begin 
 with the beft firft, and go regularly on to 
 the worft, which fhall be placed lalt, viz. 
 
 Firft, loamy fand. 
 
 Second, loamy gravel. 
 
 Third, chalky land. 
 
 Fourth, fandy land. 
 
 The above four forts by nature, will pro- 
 duce a long ear and fhort ftraw, a plump, 
 ftout grain, and thin Ikin, which is certain- 
 ly of the beft quality. 
 
 Fifth, 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 245 
 
 Fifth, loamy gravelly land that lies over 
 limeftonc. 
 
 Sixth, wrapy land. 
 
 Seventh, black hazel earth. 
 
 Eighth, ftrong clay land. 
 
 Ninth, black mountain land. 
 
 Tenth, black, deep, moory bottom land* 
 
 The lafl iix forts of lands generally pro- 
 duce a long ftraw and a fmall ear, a lonsj 
 fmall grain, and thick ikin, but may be 
 helped greatly by tillage, fowing thin, and 
 particularly if the barley follow turnips ; as 
 they in all cafes are an excellent preparative 
 for this crop, and deferve to be made a more 
 general choice of. 
 
 VoLU,^ li CHAP. 
 
2^6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 CHAP. L. 
 
 On the Management of Rye, both for Win- 
 ter-Feeding, and a Seed-Crop, 
 
 THE Management of rye is very fim- 
 ple and eafy, which few words will 
 explain.' 
 
 A farmer having ftubble-Iand, particu- 
 larly if of a warm fandy nature, would 
 wifh to have it under profit the winter half 
 year ; let him plough it as foon as the corn 
 is reaped : begin in the middle of the ridge, 
 and gather or take it up, that it may lie 
 very high and dry : this done, fow two 
 bufhels of rye on an Englifh acre : harrow 
 it in ; and by being thus early fown, the 
 Michaelmas-fpring will pufh it up fo for- 
 ward, that it will be mid-leg deep by De- 
 cember : but though it may be a full eata- 
 ble crop by this time, yet the bell way is 
 not to turn cattle upon it till fpring: then 
 the fcarcity of other herbage will make this 
 more valuable. You 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 24.7 
 
 You muft eat it off, time enough to Tow 
 fuch a fpring-crop as you intend ; but bar- 
 ley is the mofl fuitable, as it will bear to be 
 lateft fown, and therefore will give the rye 
 more time to be eat off. 
 
 If you would have your rye to fland for 
 leed, there are two feafons for lowing it, 
 namely at Michaelmas and in February. 
 
 The large winter-rye nruft be fown at 
 Michaelmas, and the fmall fpring-rye in 
 February. 
 
 bix pecks of feed are enough for an acre. 
 You mult cover it with the harrow. 
 
 This fpring-rye is fometimes made ufe of 
 amongft the Englifh farmers, if a crop of 
 wheat ibould mifs to low in its place. 
 
 In fpring roll your rye, (which you in- 
 tend to (land for feed) if too forward, eat 
 it with (beep or calves, in the beginning of 
 May. 
 
 As the farmer's fuccefs partly depends on 
 keeping his crop clear of weeds ; this, as 
 in others, muft engage his attention. 
 
 As to reaping or harvefting rye, it is done 
 in the fame way as wheat. « 
 
 Grafs- feeds may be fown among rye, be- 
 fore it is rolled in fpring, and will anfwer as 
 well as if fown amongft wheat : a crop of 
 rye is of about the fame value as a crop of 
 oats: but it is a greater impovenfher of land. 
 
 The 
 
24? A NEW S Y S T E M , 
 
 ' \ 
 
 Tlic land moil proper for rye, is, that of 
 a dry, open, loofc, weak, fandy or nioory 
 nature : and though flrong land of a good 
 fort will produce rye, yet other crops may 
 be adapted for fuch land, which are more 
 profitable^ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 24^ 
 
 XV 
 
 CHAP. LI. 
 
 Remarks and lUufirations on Rye, 
 
 ^'' E, formerly was greatly efleemed 
 in the light fandy counties of Eng- 
 land ; as the farmers thought fuch land 
 would bring nothing elfe : but fince the new 
 hulbandry of turnips and clover has made 
 its way into the world, it is found that they 
 change the nature ot the land, and confo- 
 lidate it in liich a manner, as to prepare it 
 for a crop of wheat, which is much more 
 valuable than rye ; however, rye is ftill ufe- 
 hil in- its place ; and particularly for fpring 
 feeding, as it creates much milk; M'hicli 
 makes it particularly uieful to feed early 
 lambs on : and what Itill adds to its value 
 in this cafe, is that the land mofl proper 
 for rye is that of a dry, light, landy nature, 
 which if the weather be ever fo wet, the 
 rain no fooner talis upon, but it finks thro* 
 and leaves the furtace dry ; therefore the 
 lambs can feed and lie dry and warm ; 
 
 whereas 
 
t,so A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 whereas if the ground was clay, fuch as 
 would hold water on its furface, the con- 
 sequence would be bad ; for it would de- 
 ftroy the lambs, or at Icaft be prejudicial to 
 their feeding and growth. Alfo in fuch 
 land, they would tread and dirty the crop ; 
 fo that their feet would deflroy as much as 
 their months. 
 
 Again rye is the beft of all other corn to 
 fow on reclaimed bottom, bog, or moun- 
 tain. I fay the beft of corn, but I appre- 
 hend no corn is equal to turnips, rape, or 
 cole-feed, for fuch reclaimed lands ; but 
 when rye is propagated on fuch land, it 
 muft be fown very thin, as it will ftool very 
 much. 
 
 The confequence of fowing thick, on 
 fuch land would be dangerous ; as it would 
 produce much ftraw and little corn. 
 
 The great ufe for rye, is to mix it with 
 wheat for bread : about two-thirds wheat 
 and one of rye, make well tafted bread, but 
 black. 
 
 In this mixed ftate, it is called meflin. 
 Some fow wheat and rye mixed, which is 
 called meflin : but I do not like this method; 
 neither do I fee any meaning in it : lor in 
 the firft place they do not ripen kmdly to- 
 gether ; befides if the land will bring one 
 ear of wheat, by the fame rule it may bring 
 
 two 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. i^i 
 
 two or more ; and certainly wheat is a much 
 more deiirabk crop, if it can be got on the 
 fame land. 
 
 Notwithftanding, rye is ftill ufeful (as 
 before obferved) in fand countries, and for 
 reclaiming bog with, where the farmer is 
 obftinately bent againft the turnips and clo- 
 ver. 
 
 Rye makes good malt for the diflillers ; 
 being of a particular fweet tafte or nature, 
 it therefore produces a great deal of fpirit. 
 Again, a farmer may make ufe of rye 
 with fuccefs, to hn^g his fows in leafon for 
 the boar ; it having a furpriiing effect that 
 way : fo that they tell you, one peck of rye 
 will make a fow take the boar, be (he ever 
 fo poor, or foon after pigging ; others fay, 
 that it will have the fame effed on cows and 
 ewes. 
 
 For the truth of this laft affertion, I can- 
 not vouch ; but I have tried it on the fow 
 more than once. 
 
 Note, there are only twa forts of rye 
 worth the farmer's notice, namely, fmall 
 and big, and by others called winter and 
 fummer-rye. 
 
 The winter-rye is a large full grain ; but 
 the fummer-rye is a fmall grain, and is 
 generally fown in fpring, and will be in as 
 early at harveft, as that fown at Michael- 
 mas. The 
 
25i A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The winter-rye, fown to ftand the winter 
 is a hardy kind, and will anfwer cither to 
 {land for feed or to be fown and eaten for 
 winter-feeding, 
 
 Rye-ftraw is a very good thatch or litter, 
 but bad fodder for cattle. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. z^:^ 
 
 CHAP. LII. 
 
 s 
 
 DireBiofis for Ploughing, Sowing and bar- 
 njejiing Oats. 
 
 O/VTS is a grain that will grow alnioft 
 on any fort of land, or with any kind 
 of hufbandn/ ; but though fometimes toler- 
 able crops are got by flovens, yet thofe who 
 manage better may be fure of a larger re- 
 turn ; and this is, or may be got chiefly by 
 tillage, and letting proper crops come in 
 their right fucceiTion, by which means 
 the one crop is an ufeful preparative to ano- 
 ther. 
 
 If ilubble of any fort be intended for oats, 
 it is the better for being ploughed as foon as 
 the grafs is eaten off; which is generally 
 about November; and then it being turned 
 under, and the roots of the grafs or weeds 
 expofed to the froil and the inclemency of 
 the weather, they arc killed, and inllead of 
 a nuifance, become a friendly manure. 
 "Vol. II. K k Many 
 
f 
 
 25-4 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Many farmers m^ake a pra(ftice of fowlnfg 
 oats upon lay : that is in or about Febiuary, 
 they plough up the lay, fow the oats, and 
 then harrow them in very well, fo as to be 
 all covered. 
 
 This may anfwcr wh^re the land is good, 
 and of a tender fod, not given to coarfc 
 grafs, or rufhes : but however in general^ 
 1 do not approve of it, as I look upon fal" 
 lowing out of the fod to be the moft capi- 
 tal management in nature, for the reafons- 
 ]r have mentioned in the proper place. 
 
 The land mull be ploughed and the feed 
 fown in February, or from thence till the 
 latter end of March. 
 
 I look upon three bulliels of oats to be a: 
 fufficient qviantity for any kind of land ; for 
 though it is a grain that does not ftool, or 
 branch fo much as barley or wheat, yet it 
 corns in proportion to the nourifliment it 
 finds in the ground. 
 
 When the oats are about three weeks or 
 a month in the ground, fbw any grafs- feeds- 
 you intend and roll them in, as it will cover 
 I he feed, level the ground, and help the 
 oats at the lame time. 
 
 The oats mud be weeded about the mid- 
 dle of June ; then any farther bufincfs is 
 over until harvell ; for which obfcrve the 
 dirertions under the head of mowing corn; 
 
 they 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 235 
 
 they mufl be mown and harveilcd the fain>c 
 way. 
 
 Without doubt, by mowing, there is 
 more fodder, and confequently more ma- 
 nure ; bcfides all the hands it faves ; which 
 is a valuable confideration, at this bufy fea- 
 fon of the year ; moreover, it fhould be the 
 farmer's chief ftudy, to work his lands with 
 as little expencc and labour as poffible ; and 
 yet not to be fo penurious, as to flint his 
 land of its proper due. 
 
 There is^a rnedium to be ufed in all things; 
 and alfo much to be faid in favour of genius 
 and contrivance, particularly in farming 
 matters ; as it is, of all occupations of the 
 ?moll general benefit to mankind. 
 
 'CH^P. 
 
56 A NEW S Y S T E M 
 
 CHAP. Lir. 
 
 "^he Explanation ofjlx different forts of Oats* 
 
 \j ATS like moft other grains have got a 
 jnultiplicity of names, to exprefs one and 
 thciamc thing; but this (as obferved in bar- 
 ley) is owing to a diS'ercnt dialed or confu- 
 fion of tongues, peculiar to each country or 
 kingdom. In fad, I imagine there is none 
 more proper for thefe climates, than theft 
 lix forts, viz, 
 
 Firfl, the fmgle Englifli white oat. 
 
 Second, the Poland-oat. 
 
 Third, the Scotch black oat. 
 
 Fourth, the naked oat. 
 
 Fifth, the red oat. 
 
 Sixth, the brown oat, fown much in the 
 fouth weft part of England. 
 
 If there be any others that vary from thcfc 
 it is not becaufe they are different forts or 
 fpecies, but becaufe they have been altered 
 
 in 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 257 
 
 in cither colour or fizc by the nature of the 
 ground or climate they were fown in. 
 
 However there is a particular choice to be 
 made in all forts of oats, which is very ma- 
 terial for the farmer to know, in order tq 
 h-^ighten his fuccels in this crop. 
 
 It is to be obferved, that in mofl oats, 
 there are fome which grow in couples, that 
 is a large and a fmall one together, but in 
 fome a great deal more than others. 
 
 The farmers, who know the bad confe- 
 quence of thefe double oats, are very care- 
 ful in choofing their feed, to be all (if pof- 
 fible) of the i\ng\e oat : and indeed, they 
 have iuft grounds for this nicety ; as a bar- 
 rel of fingle oats will weigh more, by about 
 two f\one, than a barrel of the double fort: 
 and every one will allow, that it is the 
 weight that diflinguifhes the goodnefs or 
 badnefs of any corn. 
 
 The oat grows double from three caufer^ 
 
 Firfl, by being Town too often on oneTort 
 of land without changing. 
 
 Secondly, by being lov\^n too thick on 
 the ground. 
 
 1 hirdly, by the ground being too rank. 
 
 When oats liave once got into the double 
 flrain, they ought to be fown no more, as 
 it is hard to bring them back to the fingjc 
 oat again : though this may be done by fow- 
 
X58 A N E W S Y S T I- M 
 
 ing very thin on good flrong land, and till- 
 ing well to prevent weeds Irom fmothcring 
 the oats, and drawing them tip weak. 
 
 I look upon the Engliili fingJc \vhire oat 
 to be the beft of all or!;.ers, Tor the climate 
 and lands of England or Ireland, as it is. a 
 good yielder, botli in corn and meal, and 
 ripens even : which is a very niatcr al point 
 in this crop, it being Co fubjed to Ihcd, or 
 ihake its feed. 
 
 The next in value, particularly for the 
 wet or cold lands of Ireland, or the north 
 of England, is the black Scots oat : this 
 yields well, both in corn and meal, and is 
 early ripe ; therefore niay be fown later, if 
 a cold v/et fpring, by three weeks, than any 
 other fort : the meal alfo has a peculiai' rich 
 fvveet tafle. 
 
 The Poland oat is a fine, ihort, plump 
 grain : the flraw fhort and fine : but it will 
 not turn out near fo much corn on an acre 
 as the two former. 
 
 Again it is very fubje(r{: to /lied, with the 
 icalt wind, the top and the befl of the corn 
 whilft that on the bottom branches is green; 
 particularly if the land be cold and wet : 
 but indeed on warm, gravelly or fandy land, 
 it ripens more even : thereiore a farmei has 
 ;i better rhance to catch his crops before it 
 iheds : h\it "Lb o;^t jntin: be cut, while the 
 
 chaflF 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 259 
 
 cha:ff or huflv on the lower branches is 
 grcenilh : for if they be let Hand till they 
 turn as white as the top-branches, half of 
 the crop will be loil in harveding. 
 
 The naked oat is a fmall grain : it is call- 
 ed naked, becaule it has no bran upon it, 
 like other gram, but grows in the fame 
 ilate as the kernel of the common oat when 
 fhelled : therefore it is a ready grain fo3- 
 bread : as, when it is threflied, there is im 
 more to do to bring it to meal, than to grind 
 it, and then it is all meal, and no bran : it 
 is a fweet meal, and confequently makci 
 good bread. 
 
 When it is fown on land proper for it\, 
 it will produce as good or profitable a crop 
 as other oats: for though the bulk will be 
 wanting, the meal is there: and if it be a 
 good crop, the grain may be as large as the 
 kernel of com.mon oats, when fhelled 
 
 The ftraw is fhort aud fine: therefore good 
 fodder for cattle. This oat does not Rool 
 or branch much : therefore it muft be fown 
 pretty thick on the ground : two bufhels 
 will do this, as the grain is fmall. 
 
 They muft not be fown under furrow, 
 but harrowed in : as the grain's fmall weak 
 nature would not be able to work through 
 <L thick furrow* 
 
 The 
 
26o A NEW SYSTExM 
 
 The land for this crop mul\ be finely till- 
 ed ; and as all land, alter ploughing, has an 
 uneven furface, it is necelVaiy beiore this 
 grain is fown, to harrow it once in a place, 
 to le^el it, to prevent the feed falling too 
 deep, and alfo to make it fpread even, and 
 go farther ; after the grain is fov, n, harrov^r 
 it fine. 
 
 Delay lowing grafs- feeds, till the firft of 
 May, that thefc oats may get a-head, or 
 they vviil be fmothered, being a fmall plant. 
 The feafon for fowing the oats, is about the 
 firrtjof April. 
 
 The red oat takes its name from the co- 
 lour it bears ; though in fa6t it is not abfo- 
 lutcly red ; therefore 1 think the name is 
 wrong applied ; the colour is of a fandy 
 cai\, much like oats that have been heated 
 in the Hack. 
 
 It is a heavy thin (Vanned oat ; therefore 
 yields well in meal, and will nearly produce 
 as much on an acre as the Englifh white oat ; 
 how^ever, it requires a rich, .waj"m, well- 
 tilled loil. 
 
 I have heard gentlemen fay, they have 
 had greater produce from this than any other 
 crop : but as that was not my cafe, I can- 
 not fpcak fj'orti experience in this particu- 
 lar. 
 
 Tiic 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 261 
 
 The Expe.ice and Profit arifing from an 
 Acre of Oats, EngUfh Meafure, at five 
 Yards and a Half to the Perch. 
 
 1. s. d. 
 
 To feven quarters of oats, at i8s. 
 
 per - - - 660 
 
 To ploughing twice, with one man 
 
 and two horfes> - -050 
 
 To harrowing, fo wing, rolling and 
 
 water-furrowing, - -020 
 
 To chance of weeding, - 020 
 
 To feed, - - -092 
 
 To mowing, - -^ 010 
 
 To gathering and binding, -010 
 To fwarth-raking, - - 004 
 To {looking, carriage home, and 
 
 attendance, - - 02a 
 
 To carriage to* the market, 2tnd 
 
 expences, - - -060 
 To land-rent, - - 0150 
 
 Total expencc '^3 3 
 
 Clear profit 42^ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
i6% A NEW 1$ Y S T E M 
 
 CHAP. LIV. 
 
 On the White Fetch. 
 
 THE white vetch, in fomc degree, 
 partakes of the nature of a white or 
 boiling pea, as it will boil foft and fmooth 
 like that grain ; and is chieily uled for mak- 
 ing puddings of; it is mild, good and pa- 
 latable, conlequently very proper for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 It only diiFers from the common vttch in 
 colour, which is milk white, but the fhape 
 of the grain and the draw is like it ; how- 
 crer it will not (land the winter fo well. 
 being of a tender ngturc. 
 
 The proper time to fow it, is in April, 
 it thrives beft in light fandy land, and like* 
 to be fet in drills, and hoed ; it it be ma- 
 naged thus, it will produce a great return. 
 
 C«AP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRT. 263 
 
 CHAP. LV.. 
 
 On the Sihorian, or naked Wheats 
 
 TH E naked wheat is a native of Siberia> 
 a very barren and cold climate. The 
 land is covered with fnow nine months in 
 the year ; confequently there ar« only three 
 months to till, fow and reap in. 
 
 Their chief fupport of corn, is this naked 
 wheat. This grain partakes of two fpecies 
 of corn, viz. wheat and barley ; one fide of 
 the grain refembles the former, and the 
 other the latter. 
 
 Tt is a very quick grower, and lies but a 
 fh^rt time in the ground before it vege- 
 tates. 
 
 it is a full plump corn ; about five hun- 
 dred grains weigh an ounce ; therefore it is 
 about one fixth bolder than Engliih wheat. 
 
 It comes up with a very broad, llrong, 
 healthy blade, owing to the longnefs of the 
 gram, and the quantity of nitrous particles 
 
 it 
 
264 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 it contains. The ftrarv is as (Iron^ or as 
 ^^lofs as that of wheat, ar.d the grain grov\'$ 
 in a chaff Jike it. 
 
 As it partakes of the Hkcnels, fo does it 
 of the quality, of both whea^ and barley, lor 
 it makes good bread, and good drink. 
 
 in order to prove its value more particu- 
 larly, a bufhel was ground and made into 
 bread j twelve pounds of wheat feconds 
 were made into a loaf ; and a like quantity 
 of this Siberian wheat was alfo made into a 
 loaf, and both put into one oven. When 
 they were backed, the Englilh wheat loaf 
 weighed iifreen pounds, and that of the Si- 
 berian eighteen; and the bread of the latter 
 wa3 as good as that of our Englifh wheat ; 
 neither does it produce half the quantity of 
 bran as common wheat. 
 
 There are two forts of this Siberian wheat; 
 one has a flat ear with only two rows, like 
 tliat of flat, or what is called battledore- 
 bailey ; the other has fix rows in one ear, 
 and the grain in them much fmaller than 
 that in the ear with two rows. Both forts 
 arc bearded like barley. 
 
 One bufhel was melted and made into*^ 
 fmall beer and ale. both of which v ere 
 very good and picafant to drink; and it was 
 found to produce a greater yield than our 
 common barley ; perhaps owing to its thin 
 ikin, and fullnefs ot flour. In 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 265 
 
 In 1767, a nobleman brought from Si- 
 beria one pint, and gave it to the Society 
 of Arts and Sciences. 
 
 • Thofe gentlemen judged from the look 
 •f the grain, and from the nature of the 
 country and climate it came from, that it 
 would be of great utility to England, could 
 a quantity be raifed fufficient to feed the 
 the kingdom. 
 
 Upon which they divided their fmall por- 
 tion among fuch perfons as they thought 
 would be induflrious and careful enough to 
 make the mod of the produce. 
 
 A common wine-glafs full was given to 
 Mr. Halliday, of Liverpool, half of which 
 he gave to another gentleman. 
 
 Mr. Halliday, like a faithful fervant, did 
 not hide his talent in a napkin, but by pro- 
 per judgment and induftry, he fowcd and 
 made it produce thoufands, and ten thou- 
 fands, as from this fmall quantity has 
 fprung, in the four laft years, many hun- 
 dred buflie.'s. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Meredith was not idle in 
 this public fpirited undertaking. He pro- 
 cured a quantity from Mr. Halliday, ar.d 
 divided it among fuch of his acquaintance, 
 as he hoped would propagate it to the beft 
 advantage. 
 
 He 
 
 Vol, II. L 1 
 
266 A N E \V SYSTEM 
 
 He was fo kind as to fend me one buihcl, 
 which he got from Mr. Halliday; for vvhith 
 I return both thofe gentlemen my fincerc 
 thanks, and Ihall ever think niyfelf under a 
 great obligaiion Jbr the favour. 
 
 But the lall feafon I had not an oppor- 
 tunityto do it juftire, which was owing to 
 a difappointment occafioned by the negle<fl 
 of carriers ; for though it left Livei*pool the 
 laft day of April, yet it did not arrive in 
 York till the 7th of June, which gave mc 
 great uneafinefs, as 1 looked upon the leafon 
 as over, the feed loft, and my great expec- 
 tations at an end for that tmie. 
 
 However^ as foon as it arrived, on the 
 7th of June, I trench-ploughed a piece of 
 bad land, covered with heath and other 
 rubbilh, and which had been lately inclofed 
 from a common. 
 
 On this I lowed it, and notwithftanding 
 all difadvantages, it was a tolerable good 
 crop, and much better, I am fatislied, than 
 any fort of Englifh grain would have been, 
 had it been fowed on the fame land, and at 
 the fame time of the year. 
 
 I had received a few grains from another 
 hand. This 1 {et in a proper feafon, and 
 upon good land, each grain at a foot afun- 
 dcr, which gave a produce of about two 
 thoufand fold. 
 
 In 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 267 
 
 In ihort it*is the greateft multiplier I ever 
 faw ; for. though it will grow better than 
 other grain upon bad land, yet if the ground 
 be good, it vviil ftool out, and flourilh in 
 proportion, but the grcatcft care mull be 
 taken not to over (eed tlie ground. 
 
 The proper feafon for fovving it, is about 
 the beginning of April. Trench-plough 
 the Jand to {mother the weeds, and to 
 raife a glod deep mold. 
 
 Then harrow it well, but with^rare, not 
 to drag up the fods or weeds with the har- 
 row pins. 
 
 ' Being thus prepared, fet your Siberian 
 wheat with a dibble or fetting-ftick, and 
 make the holes at one foot diftance from 
 each other i into each hole put three grains, 
 and let the land be of what degree of rich- 
 nefs it may, doubt not but nature will force 
 out flooling branches fufficient to fill the 
 furface of the earth, and give a greater pro- 
 duce than If you croud the ground too 
 much with {ced. 
 
 Ev the above method, it will not coll for 
 fetting above two or three (hillings an acre 
 at mod ; but if the ground were holed with 
 my tranlplanting machine, the labour and 
 cxpence would be ftill lefs ; and the feed is 
 a mere trifle, for about twelve pounds of 
 naked wheat will feed an acre, and thirteen 
 
 pounds 
 
i6Z A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 pounds and a half of English wheat will fet 
 an acre hkewife, and fo in proportion for 
 every fort of grain, according to the largc- 
 nels of the feed. 
 
 After the feed is fet, cover it by filling 
 the holes with a rake. One man will cover 
 at leaft two acres in a day, by this method ; 
 and if you pleafe, you may fow grals-fecds 
 before the ground is raked, and be affured 
 they will grow, and thrive better amongil; 
 corn thus regularly fet, than if fown pro- 
 jnifcuoufly in the common method This 
 is a fuitable ieed for America, as it is a 
 quick grower, and likes heat and a light 
 foil. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 269 
 
 CHAP. LVI. 
 
 A Dialouge between a Farmer and the 
 Author. 
 
 Varmtr, 
 
 1 
 culture P 
 
 tT7 HAT is the firll principle of agrl- 
 
 Author. 
 
 The firft principle in agriculture, is to 
 make heavy land light, and light land 
 
 heavy. 
 
 Farmer. 
 
 How may this be effe^cd ? 
 
 Author, 
 
 It may be done two ways ; neither of 
 which can fail of fuccefs. Firft, by laying 
 fand upon heavy clay land, and clay upon 
 light Tandy ground; which tempers the 
 
 twt 
 
170 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 two extremes, and brings them to a friend- 
 ly loam. Secondly, by trench-ploughing 
 as direded in this work. 
 
 Farmer, 
 
 Why trench-p'! onghi ng ; will not our 
 common method do better ; particularly 
 on our thin down-lands, where, if wc 
 plough above two or three inches deep, 
 "we Ipoil the ground ? 
 
 Author^ 
 
 This is a bugbear that many farmers arc 
 frightened at without any real caufe, as any 
 land will bear trench-ploughing. For, 
 though the under ftratum of lomc land, at 
 firll turning up, may be ftubborn and un- 
 kind, yet, being expofcd to the atmof- 
 pherc, together Avith a top-dreffing of a 
 compoft, or fome other fine, rotten manure 
 will bring it to a mellow temporate corn 
 mold. 
 
 'Parmer. 
 
 In what fort of foil will trench -ploughing 
 anfwer beft ? 
 
 Author, 
 
 In all forts vrithout exception. 
 . Farmer 
 
• OF HUSB ANDRf* 271 
 
 Yarmer, 
 
 In what fortf will thin ploughing anfwcr 
 beft ? 
 
 Author, 
 
 In none, for the oppofite rcafon. 
 
 Yarmer. 
 
 Pray favour me with your reafons, upon 
 which you ground this bold affertion? And 
 take care they be iubftantial, or I fhall bring 
 a jury of farmers upon you. 
 
 Author, 
 
 It is not the firft time I have been criticifed 
 upon by them ; and yet I have convinced a 
 great many of them, either by ocular dc- 
 monftration, or argument, ot their error ; 
 and fome, to my certain knowledge^, have 
 ventured out of their old road, and are now 
 reaping the profit of it. 
 
 Yarmer. 
 
 Your rcafon upon fhallow ploughing, if 
 you pleafe P 
 
 Author 
 
■i^t A NEW S Y S T E M 
 Author. 
 
 On high, thin, gravelly, or fandy land, 
 which lies near chalk or hme-ftonc,' and the 
 furface, or corn mold, mixed with any fort 
 of fmall ftone or pebbles. If fuch be tilled 
 fhallow, it is not confident with reafon that 
 it can jproduce a good* crop : for it is well 
 known, that corn roots llrike no deeper 
 than the plough has gone. 
 
 Suppole a plough only turns up two or 
 three inches of earth, fo thin a body of 
 mold is, by the fun, foon heated throui^h 
 to the roots of the corn ; and, being mixed 
 among flint, or llonc, adds to the evil, as^ 
 they reflect a double portion of heat, which 
 burns or extrads the juices from the tender 
 fibrous root ; confequently muft render the 
 crop weak and fickly : in a dry fummer the 
 crop is fcarce worth reaping, and in a wet 
 one, which luits fuch land beft, it docs not 
 produce above half the • crop it would, if 
 properly tilled ; for, by nature, fuch land is 
 good and full of falts, and could not mifs of 
 a crop, were it tilled or brought to a proper 
 depth of corn mold. 
 
 Varmer. 
 
 In what cjfe docs trench-ploughing pre- 
 vent the fun from burning the roots, 5cc. 
 complaioed of in tjie oppolite cafe P 
 
 Author 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 257 
 
 Author. 
 
 Indeed, Mr. Farmer, you feem to trifle 
 with your own underftanding, or you would 
 not make me walle time in anlwering fo 
 Ample a queftion : befides, I have already 
 treated pretty largely upon this fubjed, in 
 my firft volume ; however, as few words 
 will do, you ihall be indulged. 
 
 By trench-ploughing, the upper fod, or 
 corn-mold, talis to the bottom ot the furrow, 
 perhaps eight or ten inches deep. That 
 fod, which is interwoven with, and full of 
 roots of grafs, weeds, ftubble, &:c. contains 
 a great deal of nitrous and juicy particles ; 
 and thefe roots, being covered with a fuf- 
 ficicnt quantity of maiden earth, cannot 
 vegetate, but are fmothered and killed. The 
 death of them brings on a fermentation ; 
 then follows a putrefadion, which turns 
 them into manure ; and confequently makes 
 them food proper for other plants. 
 
 And as thefe juicy particles lie too deep 
 for the iun to extradt them trom the earth, 
 their enriching fubftance is a kindly food 
 for the corn-roots to feed upon all fummer \ 
 neither can the earth, fo long as they remain 
 in it, run together in a dole folid body 
 nor can it be called barren or thirfty ; but 
 the root will always find admittance and 
 
 Vol II. Mm uounlhment 
 
27V A NEW SYSTENf 
 
 nourlfhment in it, and will not fail to cn^ 
 large the ear upwards, in proportion to the 
 depth it goes ; For no fibre will go farther 
 than the earth contains food iuitable to its 
 nature. In Ihort, if the ground be hot and 
 fandy, trench-ploughing makes it cold and 
 moift; and, if ftrong and clayey, it opens 
 it, and keeps it loofe and mellow. 
 
 CHAP. LVII. 
 
 hfew Remarks made in the Wejl of England. 
 
 BEING glad both to give and receive 
 any inRrudions, that may be of utility' 
 to the public, for the improvement of agri- 
 culture, when upon my travels, I generally 
 wait upon^ fuch gentlemen-farmers as I am 
 told are beft able to fatisfy my curiofity ; 
 and alfo moft likely to take advice. 
 
 And as 1 am well convinced of the great 
 advantage that would accrue, not onl) to 
 r'-ic huibandman, but alfo to the public in 
 
 general 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ^^^ 
 
 general, could the farmers be prevailed 
 upon to put in pradice trench-ploughing, 
 and fettmg the feed regularly. 
 
 I generally introduce thofe fubjecT:s, and 
 am as often anfwered, that fetting the feed 
 grain by grain, would be too tedious and 
 cxpenfive ; and as to trench- ploughing, 
 their land will not bear it. 
 
 However, I ftldom quit the field till, by 
 trying the ground, I have convinced them 
 of their miliake in the matter of trench- 
 ploughing. 
 
 I have fometimes ftarted this fubjeift 
 among a company of farmers ; and have had 
 the fatisfadion to find fome of them quote 
 circuml\ances to back my arguments i two 
 ©r three of which I (hall mention as follows : 
 
 iVir. William Lacy, of Ropley, in Han^p- 
 fhire, faid that he had a piece of thin chalky 
 land, which a few years ago he ploughed in 
 a very dry time ; his orders to the plough- 
 men, were to plough it as ufual, perhaps 
 not above two or three inches deep, for fear 
 «f coming too -near the chalk, which would 
 fpoil the land. 
 
 However, as the ground was extremely 
 hard and dry, the men could not obey their 
 mailer's orders; for inftead of three inches, 
 the earth broke up from the bed of chalk, 
 and turned up in large furrows, perhaps a 
 .foot thick. Tive 
 
t75 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The farmer as well -as his neighbours, 
 thought the land was fpoilcd for ever; but 
 contrary to his expedations, he never had 
 fo good crops on that ground before, as lie 
 had both that year and Tince. 
 
 The like cafe happened to ore Farmer 
 Baker, not far from Warminfler Wilts, 
 — For though the land broke up from the 
 chalk, yet it brout^ht better crops after thii 
 deep ploughing than before. 
 
 A gentleman farmer, near Froome, in 
 Somcrfetfhire, ploughed a piece of f\iong 
 clay-land, in a dry time. His intention was 
 to plough it thin ; for as it had a white clay 
 imder the corn-mold, he was afraid to turn 
 it up, leaft it fhould fpoil the ground. But 
 contrary to his defire, the ground rofe in 
 large thick furrows, and brought up much 
 clay with it. However, the clay melted 
 with the fun in fummer, and the froil in 
 "winter; and both the ground with the crops 
 upon it, have been much better fince tha» 
 before. 
 
 Mr. Davis of Frampton, in Dorfetfhirc^ 
 a very worthy gentleman farmer, ploughed 
 a piece of down-land much deeper than 
 common, and his crops were a great deal 
 better for it. I have forgot the particulars 
 of this experiment, but well remember the 
 fubftance, as it caufed a laugh ia the com- 
 pany at dinner. I as 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ey/ 
 
 I, as ufnal, was extolling trench-plough- 
 ing, but Mr. Davis was not without a grraC 
 many doubts and fears, that his land would 
 not bear it. However in the midft of his 
 fcruples, he recollec^led the above cafe, 
 which had happened to himfelf. 
 
 Mr. Ingram df Clarendon-Park, near Sa- 
 lifbury, Wilts, rents a down farm. He has 
 a large field near his houfe, which he fal- 
 lowed laft fumnier. The ground was very 
 full of weeds and fcutch-grafs, and he had 
 taken a great deal of pains to deflroy them, 
 by ploughing, and harrowing it many times 
 over. At the time I was there, he was 
 burning the weeds, and fuch lubbifh as was 
 harrowed up. 
 
 J told him he might have improved the 
 land much better, and with a great deal lefs 
 cxpcnce, if he had trench-plowed it, for by 
 that means all the fubllance of the weeds 
 would have remained in the ground, and 
 turned into a rich manure ; whereas by 
 burning them, fuch enriching qualities arc 
 evaporated. 
 
 In fhort, I explained to him the whole 
 method and value of trench-ploughing, 
 which he feemed to liften to with attention 
 but was not without his doubts and fears, 
 fhatthe ground would not bear it ; however 
 $hofe doubts were foon removed, by trying 
 
 the 
 
2j% A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 the ground with a fpadc. But what ftrengfh- 
 ened my argument the more, was a garden 
 which had been inckifed from the faid field. 
 He told me that for fome years after the 
 garden was inclofed, it produced very bad 
 crops. Every thing that grew in it was 
 fmall and runtilh ; neither could the ground 
 be kept free from weeds. A gardener told 
 him. as a great fecret, that if he would have 
 good crops, he muft trench to the depth 
 of three fpade-grafts, and throw to the bot- 
 tom all the upper mold which contained 
 the weeds. He did fo, and ever fince it 
 has been the beft garden in the country. 
 
 When he ronfidered well the whole af- 
 fair, he liked the fchemc ; and immediately 
 got a plough made according to my direrti- 
 ons ; and as wheat feed time was then com- 
 ing on, he trench-ploughed the land on 
 ■which he fowed his wheat. He allowed to 
 each acre only about half the quantity of 
 feed that is commonly ufed. And at this 
 time, there is not a crop in the neighbour- 
 ing country that looks fo well as his. 
 
 The laft time I faw him in Salilhury, he 
 told me that many farmers hearing of his 
 proceedings, came to fee his trenched-land 
 and crop; and every one approved of it; 
 and that he knew a great many who were 
 then getting trench-ploughs made from his 
 
 pattcrp 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 2j^ 
 
 pattern, and that he was fure it would gain 
 ground amazingly. 
 
 Mr. Hardy, of Martins-town, Dorfet, is* 
 a very confiderable gentleman-farmer, and' 
 feems to be indued with talents and a fpirit 
 for improvement, I (hewed him how to 
 alter his plough, for the purpofe of trench- 
 ploughing. He told me that he would cer- 
 tainly begin this piece of hufbandry. 
 
 Mr. Thomas Nicholls, of Burton, Dorfet, 
 is a confiderable gentleman -farmer ; and one" 
 that feems to excel in hufbandry. He is 
 fo much bent upon this method oi^ trench- 
 ploughing, that he offered my ploughman' 
 thirty pounds a year, which by the bye, I 
 ^o not thank him for; as it has made the 
 jnan faucy ever fince. 
 
 William Helyar, Efq. of Coker in Somer- 
 ffetfhire, a gentleman fond of improvements 
 is alfo determined to begin the method of 
 larench-ploughing. 
 
 Upon looking over my memorandum 
 book, 1 find no Ids than two hundred and 
 twenty-nine, to whom I have ihewed in the 
 Well of England, how to alter the ploughs' 
 for trench-ploughing; and who told me 
 that they would abloiutely put in pracftice, 
 what 1 have taken fo much pains to make 
 thewi underiiand tor their own mteieit. 
 
 Arid-^ 
 
2So A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 And now I beg leave to clear up a doubt 
 which may arife in my reader, for (lavs 
 he) felf-intcrefl is the firil law of nature; 
 therefore, if Mr. Varlo has no private view, 
 why fhouid he take all this trouble to iii- 
 ilrud the farmers P But, 1 can allure him 
 mine are public fpirited, and not (ellifh 
 views. For though 1 have fpent confidcr- 
 able fums in travelling, and taken a great 
 deal of trouble upon the occafion, 1 defy 
 any one to fay, that 1 ever reaped a Ihl Hi ng 
 advantage, for any thing 1 ever ihewed him; 
 and to avoid any appearance of private in- 
 terefb, 1 would rather go to an inn, and pay 
 for what I had, than live at Iree coll at the 
 houfes of gentlemen ; whom, to give them 
 their due, 1 have found in general very hof- 
 pitahle. 
 
 Should it be objecfled to me, that I have 
 foine intcrcfl in publifliing this work. 1 an- 
 fwer that I have, indeed, a Imall profit there- 
 in i but 1 could have reaped three times as 
 much, had 1 ftayed at home and wrote it by 
 my own fire-lide. But though this would 
 have turned more to my advantage, yet it 
 would not have been i'o much for the pub- 
 lic good. For 1 am convinced, that many 
 farmers to whom I have explained thefe ia- 
 tcrelling methods of huibandry, will prac- 
 tice irom what I Ihewed j who probably 
 
 would 
 
OF HUSBAliTDRY. 281 
 
 would have overlooked them, had they on- 
 ly read the books. Precedent joined with 
 precept, is very prevailing ; and both tend 
 towards pradice. 
 
 CHAP. LVIII. 
 
 On thin Sowing, &cc. 
 
 AS in my laft chapter I gave fome fa- 
 vourable hints upon deep ploughing, 
 gathered from feveral counties j this chap- 
 ter, in like manner, will prove the value of 
 thin rowing, which particularly deferves the 
 farmer's attention. 
 
 A tradcfman in Gloucefter, has one acre 
 ©f land, which lies within the turnpike. 
 The iame has been fome time occupied as a 
 garden ; but it being overun with v^eeds, 
 he was advifed to fow it with wheat, and 
 lay it down with grafs-feeds, which accord- 
 ingly he did ; but contrary to the common 
 
 Vol. 11. Nn method; 
 
2^ A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 mexliod : for he bought a peck of wheat,, 
 rjid after the land was properly tilled, hired" 
 two woaicn to fct it grain by grain, with 
 letting ilicks. 
 
 They ulcd only feven pints of the feed, 
 •and finilhed the acre in thirteen hours. 
 
 I'hey had orders to make each hole nine 
 inches aiunder, and in each to drop one 
 grain of corn. However, as they had no 
 regular rule to go by, they might err in the 
 diftanrc, and alfo fometimcs put more grains 
 than one in a hole. 
 
 The feed was fet in. February, and the 
 land hoed in April, to keep down the weeds, 
 which Iprung up very plentifully. Clover 
 feed was fown immediately after. 
 
 In July, I viewed the crop, which was 
 remarkably good ; but had it been kept clear 
 from weeds, the clover would have been 
 much better, as I perceived it was much 
 crowded.' 
 
 The flraw was at leaft fix feet long, th^ 
 ears, in general, about fix inches long, and 
 contained, upon an- average, about eighty 
 grains each. 
 
 1 fpent feveral hours in counting how ma- 
 ny ears fpiung from a root, which varied, 
 all the way from fifteen to thirty. So that 
 upon a medium, i fudged that each root 
 tlirough the acre, taking one with anothcr,^., 
 produced twenty eais. It 
 
OF HUSBANliiRY. :2% 
 
 \t was believed by all. the judges in corn, 
 that the acre would produce at lead fitty 
 Wincheller bufnels. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Sandys, Reclor of Yeo\cl, 
 Somerfctfliire, fet a piece of ground (in 
 quantity about an acre and a half) with, 
 wheat, grain by grain, in the fame manner 
 as they dibble beans. It took a peck and a 
 half of feed ; the labour coft half a guinea. 
 The produce was eighty bu^ieis oF clean 
 corn Winchefter meafure. 
 
 A gentleman in Warwickfhirc, fet four 
 acres alfo, grain by grain, The feed it took 
 was thr-ce pecks and a ha^f. The labour 
 coll feventeen fliillings and fix-pence. The 
 produce was two hundred and two bufhels 
 of clean corn, Winchefler meafure. 
 
 A gentleman near Newcaftlc-upon-Tyne, 
 ietfome naked or Siberian wheat, one foot 
 afunder each grain; it pro<:luced about two 
 thoufand fold. 
 
 In lliort, w^ere I to Infert all the experi* 
 ments of the fort, which have come to, my 
 knowledge, they would fill a volume : nei- 
 ther is there any neceffity for it, as every 
 fenfible man will admit, that if any expe- 
 riment will ftand good for one acre, it will 
 for any greater quantity in the fame fort of 
 land.. 
 
 ni 
 
284 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ne Gardeners Calendar, for WarJi to he done 
 round the Tear in the Kitcben-Gardcn. 
 
 JANUARY. 
 
 Asparagus forced, to have a regular 
 fucceflion of it, from November to April, 
 muft be planted every month, and will be 
 near a month before it is fit to cut ; the 
 fourth hot -bed muft be made. 
 
 Beans of the early fort, plant the fecond 
 crop. 
 
 Beets and cabbages of all forts, plant for 
 feed, if omitted in Ocf^ober. 
 
 Carrots, fow the firft crop, to draw young 
 and plant fome for feed. 
 
 Cauliflowers examine and defend from 
 froft. 
 
 Celery cover with ftraw, and dig up fome 
 for ufe, when the froft firft begins. 
 
 Crefs, muftard, radilh and rape, fow eve- 
 ry week on a hotbed. 
 
 Cucumbers, if you choofe them as early 
 as March are proper to be fown now, when 
 they arc three or four days old, put each 
 plant into a fmall pot, and fow a little feed 
 every week to have plenty of plants. 
 
 Dung fliould be wheeled in frofty wea- 
 ther, when other work cannot be done. 
 
 Endive 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 2S5 
 
 Endive, cover with draw, and dig up 
 Ibme for iife when the froft fets in. 
 
 Ground which is vacant, fhould be digg- 
 ed over, and thrown up into ridges. 
 
 Hotbeds and loam muli be prepared for 
 aiparagus, cucumbers, melons and failading, 
 • Lettuces fow on a hotbed, if thofe under 
 glafles be killed, and plant mint. 
 
 Mufliroom-beds, cover well with dry 
 flravv, to keep out both froil and rain. 
 
 Onions, fow on a warm border to draw 
 young. 
 
 Peas for the firft crop, under the fouth 
 wall, fhould have the earth drawn up to 
 them in a dry day ; and if fticks be placed 
 to them, they help to fcreen them from the 
 violence of the wind. Sow the fecondcrop. 
 
 Plant afparagus for the fourth crop. 
 
 Beac-s, the fecond crop of mazagan. 
 
 Beets, cabbages, carrots, parfnips for feed. 
 
 Mint and potatoes on a hot-bed. 
 
 Onions, for eicallions and feed. 
 
 Radiibes, fow the fecond crop in a warrn 
 lituation, and the fii*il on a hotbed. 
 
 Small failading, as crefs, muftard, rape, 
 radiflies, fow every week on a hotbed. 
 
 Sow carrots the firft crop, peas the fe- 
 cond. 
 
 Sow on hotbeds, carrots, cucumbers for 
 the firft crop. Cre/s, muftard, -radifh, rape 
 for fallads. February 
 
zU A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 FEBRUARY. 
 
 Asparagus for the fifth crop on hot- 
 beds, plant and keep the mats off' the lights 
 in good weather, to give it colour by the 
 lun and air. 
 
 Beans of the early fort for a third crop 
 muft be planted, and at the end of the 
 month the firft crop of the larger lort, as 
 Windfor, long- podded, &c. 
 
 Beets low, but dig the ground very deep. 
 
 Boorcole and Broccoli will want earthing 
 up, and the dead leaves picked off'. 
 
 Cabbages, low for the fecond crop of 
 fugar-loat' and red, aiid plant out thofe fown 
 in Auguft. 
 
 Carrots, for a general crop, fow at the end 
 of the month, on a deep fandy foil. 
 
 Cauliflowers under glalTes will want exa- 
 mining ; pick off" all decayed leaves, fflr 
 up the earth, and in mild weather give them 
 air, and plant fome out, leaving only two 
 to each glafs. 
 
 Sow the fecond crop on a gentle hotbed. 
 
 Celery, for the ffrff crop, mult now be 
 fown on a gentle hotbed, and earth drawn, 
 up to blanch what is in the ground. 
 
 Coleworths fow the firft crop. 
 
 Crcfs and muftard fow every week on 
 hotbeds. 
 
 Cucumber- 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 2S7 
 
 Cucumber-beds mud be conftantly at- 
 tended to, to keep them up to a proper heat 
 and another made for the plants raifed lallr 
 month : when they have four or five rough 
 leaves, plant them out, three or four to 
 each light. Then fow more feed. 
 
 Endive, tye up for blanching, and plantr 
 fome for feed, 
 
 Efchalots, garlic and rocambole fhould 
 now be planted, to have the roots large. 
 
 Ground which is vacant ihould be digged^ 
 and thrown up into ridges^ ready for fowing^ 
 
 Horfe-radi(h will now require to be 
 planted. 
 ■ Hotbeds, for cucumbers, melons^ fallad^ 
 ing, prepare and have plenty of dung. 
 
 Leeks fow, and mark fome for feed. 
 
 Lettuces from under glailes, if the wea- 
 thei: be mild, plant ouC and fow the fecond 
 crop. Give plenty of air to the forced ones. 
 
 Melons, for the firfl: crop, may be fown. 
 the firft week in the month, and when about" 
 three days old, plant each in a fmall pot. 
 
 Mint, plant in pots on a hotbed. 
 ^ Mufhroom-beds defend from wet. 
 
 Onions for the gcn'eral crop, fow at the. 
 «nd of the month, or beginning of March, 
 and weed the others, and plant fome for 
 feed. 
 
 Parfiey^ 
 
2J?8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Parfley (ow for edging, and fomc curled 
 very thin on a bed, to grow large for gar- 
 nifhing of difhes, and the large rooted. 
 
 Parfneps, fow on ground digged deep. 
 
 Peas out of the ground will require fre- 
 quent earthing as they advance and flicking. 
 Sow marrowfats, and other large forts, and 
 the third crop of hotfpurs. 
 
 Plant afparagus, for the fifth crop, for 
 forcing. Beans tor a third crop, windfor* 
 the firft. Cauliflowers from under the glaff- 
 es. Endive lor blanching and feed. Ef- 
 chalots, garlic and rocambole. Horfe-ra- 
 difh. Lettuces from under glaffes. Leeks, 
 onions and parfley for feed. Potatoes on 
 hotbeds and the tirfl crop. 
 
 Radifhes, uncover in mild w^eather, and 
 put on the flraw again at night. Sow the 
 third crop, and the fecond on a hotbed. 
 
 Snails fearch for in the holes of walls. 
 
 Sow beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflow- 
 er*, coleworts, fennel, leeks, lettuces, muf- 
 tard, onions, parfley, parfneps, peas, ra- 
 difhes, fpinach. 
 
 Sow on hotbeds cauliflowers, cucumbers, 
 melons, muftard. Rldilh and rape for fal- 
 lads 
 
 Spinach, fow the firfl: crop, and hoe the 
 winter crop, if too thick. Water carry off 
 if it flands any where, by making drains or 
 cutting trenches March 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 189 
 
 MARCH. 
 
 ^/\Lirai^ders fovvn in Auguft mull be hoed 
 to a foot afunder, and more feed fown. 
 
 Aromatic fhrubs and herbs on beds, weed 
 and earth, and foW and plant more of all 
 lorts. 
 
 Artichokes muft be dreiled, and the fuck- 
 ers taken off for a frefh plantation. 
 
 Afparagus-feed mufl now be fown. Plant 
 out that fown laft year. Fork up the beds, 
 and rake them fmooth. Water the beds in 
 \'ery dry weather in a morning, and make 
 frelh plantations. 
 
 Beans, for the fourth early crop, plant, 
 and the fccond of Windfors. Cut off the 
 tops of thole in flower 
 
 Beets linifh fowing 
 
 Boorcole muft be fown for the firft crop. 
 
 Broccoli fow for the hrft crop on a hot- 
 bed. Cabbages, fow the third crop of fu- 
 gar-loaf, the fccond of red, and the firft of 
 lavoy 
 Carets, for the principal crop muft be fown 
 Capficums, for pickling, fow on a hotbed. 
 Cauliflowers muft be planted out, leaving 
 only two to each glafs ; draw earth up to 
 the ftems, and prop up the glaffcs 
 
 Prick out thofe fown laft month, and fow 
 more for the third crop. 
 
 Vol. II. -. O o Celery, 
 
X90 A NEW S Y S T E M 
 
 Celery, prick out the tirfl crop from the 
 feed-bed, and low the fccond. 
 Chardons muft be fown, and cives planted, 
 Colewurths prick out the hill crop 
 Crels, muihiid, raciiih and rape now fow 
 in the open ground lor faliading 
 
 Crels and nuiilard fow very thin for feed. 
 Cucumber- beds keep up' to a good heat, 
 by lining ; and piant out tiie lecond crop 
 
 About the twentieth low tor bell glalTes 
 and fome Turkey-feed 
 
 i-iOtbeds muil be prepared for planting 
 out cucuinbeib and melons 
 
 Jerulalem artichokes plant. Leeks fow. 
 Kidney- beans fow at the end of the month 
 Lettuces plant out under frames and fow 
 the third crop of cos, or any other. 
 
 Melons plant out from the firll hotbed — 
 Sow cantaleupes lor the fec('nd crop, and 
 £ome on a tan-bed, and for bcUglalfes 
 , JViint-beds weed, and plant moie 
 iv;ulhroom-beds make for fummer ufe 
 Nallurriums for pickling, now low 
 Onion beds ihould be carciully weeded ; 
 the general crop hnilhed lowing 
 
 Parlley, both curled and large-rooted fovr 
 Parfneps lliould be finilhed lowing. 
 Peas earth, and.llickany which want, and 
 fow the fecond crop of marrowfats 
 
 Pot and ivvect herbs ihould now be fown. 
 
 Slip 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 
 
 291 
 
 Slip pot-marjorum and thyme 
 
 Plant artichokes, alparagus, beans, cu- 
 cumbers, feruf. artic. lettuces, melons, po- 
 tatoes, taiTagon, and aromatic herbs and 
 ihrubs, as balm, camomile, lavender. Sec 
 
 Potatoes, plant the principal crop. 
 Radifhes, fovv the fourth crop, Scrampions 
 -^ — faifafy, icorzonera, Ikirrets and forrel fow 
 
 Sow alifanders, angelica, afparag^s, baiil, 
 beets, borage, boorcole, broccoli, bnrnet, 
 cabbages, capficums, carrots, cauliflowers, 
 celery, celeriac, chardons, chervil, clary, 
 corianders, ere is, cucumbers, dill, fennel, 
 hyfop, kidney -beans, leeks, lettuces, marjo- 
 ramj marygolds, melons, mudard, naftur- 
 tiu'iis, onions, parflcy, parfneps peas, pur- 
 flane, radilhes, rampions, fallafy, favory, 
 fcorzonera, ikuTets,fea-kale, forrel, Ipmach, 
 tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, turneps, water- 
 •crelfee. 
 
 Weeds fhould be dedroyed when youngo 
 
 Aprl 
 
592 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 APRIL 
 
 J\Vn\ being the latefl time for fovving the 
 principal crop of the kitchen-garden, it any 
 thing diredcd lall: month were omitted, per- 
 form it early in this 
 Aromatic herbs and ilirubs fow and plant. 
 Afparagus iTiould be finilhed early in the 
 month, ^oth Towing and planting, and the 
 beds forking and raking : ii' it be very dry, 
 water the bed in the morning. 
 
 Beans in flower murt have their tops cut 
 ofl, and draw the flalks of the lirft: crop ciofe 
 to the wall by fbings, and earth them up 
 Plant the tirft crop of windfors 
 Boorcole and broccoli prick out the firft 
 crop, and fow the fecond. 
 
 Cabbages, tye up the leaves of the early 
 fort to forward their cabbaging — prick out 
 the third crop of fugar-loaf, the fecond ot* 
 red, and the ih-ll of favoys 
 
 Capficums mud be pricked out from the 
 feed-bed, before they are too crowded 
 
 Carrots, weed and thin the firfl crop, and 
 fow" the fecond to draw young 
 
 Cauliflowers muft have the earth drawn 
 lip very high to raife the glafles, and at the 
 end, of the month take them away — break 
 down the lea\ es when any begin to flower ; 
 earth the fecond crop, and prick out the 
 third crop Celery 
 
OF ^HUSB ANDRY. 293 
 
 Celery, prick out the fecond, fow the third 
 ■ — crefs and muftard fow every week 
 
 Cucumber-beds muil be lined with frefh 
 dung, if wanted and give them plenty of air 
 — make a gentle hotbed within the ground, 
 for thofe that are to be under bellglaffes, and 
 plant them on it at the end of the month — 
 fow more feed to haveplentyof plants 
 
 Endive for feed fhould have the earth fre- 
 quently ftirred about it. Sow the firft crop. 
 
 Finochio fow in drills a foot afunder, firft 
 crop 
 
 Hotbeds for fowing of melons for bell- 
 glaifes mull be prepared. 
 
 Kidney-beans fow the fecond. crop, and 
 the firli crop of fcarlet-flowered 
 
 Lettuces fhould be tied to aiiift their ca- 
 baging j thofe in beds thinned to a foot dif- 
 tance, others planted out and the fourth 
 crop very thin 
 
 Melon -beds muft be kept up to a good 
 heat and the fecond and third crop planted 
 uut 
 
 Mufliroom-beds mull be ftni(hed making 
 
 Onions fow to draw young 
 
 Parfley hoe and fow the large-rooted. 
 
 Peas muil be frequently earthed, be ituck 
 as foon as the tendrils appear 
 
 Sow the third crop of marrowfats. 
 
 Plant afparagus, beans, lettuces, mufh- 
 rooms, pot-herbs, potatoes Plant 
 
29+ A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Plant on frelli hot-beds, cucumbers and 
 melons 
 
 Potatoes muft be finifhed planting 
 
 Pot and fvveet herbs m.iy iliil be Town ard 
 planted and weed and earth the beds 
 
 Prick out from the feed-beds boorcolr, 
 broccoli, cabbages, capficums, cauiiilovvers 
 and celery 
 
 Purllane (ovv on a warm border 
 
 Radifhes fovv in a cool place for the fifth 
 crop 
 
 Rofemary, rue, fage, favory and thyme 
 may be Hipped and lail year's planted out. 
 
 Snails and Hugs fhould be fearched for 
 
 Sow aromatic herbs and fhrubs — Alpara- 
 t^us.boorcole, broccoli, carrots, celery, crefs 
 endive, finochio, kidney-beans, lettuces, 
 niuftard, onions, peas, ppt-herbs, purllane 
 radillies, fpinach, fweet-herbs and turncps. 
 , i>o\v on a hot-bed cucumbers and melons 
 
 Spinach low the third crop m a cool 
 place 
 
 Turneps hoe the firfl crop and few the 
 fecond 
 
 Weed all beds of feedlings, while the 
 weeds are fmali and any other crops alio 
 
 May 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 2()^ 
 
 MA Y 
 
 /\ Romatic fhrubs and herbs may ftill be 
 fown and planted 
 
 Art'chokes (hould have the young fhoots 
 pulled off, not to rob the principal one 
 
 Afiparagus beds Ihould be confluntly 
 weeded 
 
 Beans will frequently require earthing, 
 and cut off the tops as they co-ne in flower. 
 
 Boorcole, prick out the fecond crop. 
 
 Broccoli, prick out the fecond, fow the 
 third crop 
 
 Cabbages fhould be often hoed and earth- 
 ed Plant the fecond crop, and the tirft of 
 red — fo V the ^fourxh crop, and the fecond 
 of favoys. 
 
 C'abbage-turnep and turnep-rooted cab-, 
 bage, American and white Scotch cabbage, 
 and Anjou boorcole, muft now be fown ; 
 and as they are chiefly intended for cattle, 
 and are required to grow large, fow the ieed' 
 very thin. 
 
 Caterpillars will now be found In the web. 
 
 Capiicums piant out where thev are to 
 fiower, and tomatoes, in rich ground. 
 
 Carrots ihould be weeded before the weeds 
 over-top them, and thined by hoeing 
 
 Cauliflowers, for the Oetober crop, now 
 i5)W, plant out the lecond crop. 
 
 Gclery, 
 
iq6 a new system 
 
 Celery, prick out the third crop, foW the 
 fourth. 
 
 Colcworths, plant out the firfl crop. 
 
 Crefs and muilard fow every week, and 
 hoc that which is fown for feed. 
 
 Cucumbers of the fourth crop may be 
 planted out, and let fome be againft walls, 
 both for feed and their fuperior flavour. 
 
 Sow now in the open ground. If attack- 
 ed by black flies fumigate them with to- 
 bacco fmoak. 
 
 Endive thin the firJl: crop and fow the fe- 
 cond. 
 
 Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, may 
 have a few roots taken up for prefent ufe. 
 
 Finochiofow for the fecond crop. 
 
 Hoe the beds of beets, carrots, leeks, oni- 
 ons, pariley, parfneps, &cc. 
 
 Kidney-beans, fow the third crop of 
 dwarfs, and the fecond of runners. 
 
 Lettuces in beds thin, and fow the fifth 
 crop. 
 
 Melons on the tan-bed muft be thinned. 
 ' — Sow feed for an autumn crop : prick out 
 each into a fmall pot, when the rough leaf 
 appears. 
 
 Melons attacked with fpiders muft be fu- 
 migated with tobacco fmoak. 
 
 Nafturitums thin to a foot afunder. 
 
 Onions will require weeding and hoeing, 
 
 Thofe 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 297 
 
 Thofe planted for feed will want fupport by 
 ftakes and ftrings. Sow feed to draw young. 
 
 Peas, fow the fourth marrowfats in a cool 
 place. Plant cabbages, coleworts, cucum- 
 bers, capficums, cauliflowers, lettuces, ra- 
 difhes, fage. 
 Potatoes hoe, before the plants appear. 
 
 Pot-herbs and fweet-herbs in beds, mujfl 
 be frequently weeded, particularly feedlings. 
 
 Prick out from the feed-beds, boorcole, 
 broccoli, cabbages, melons. 
 
 Radifhes for feed muft now be planted. 
 — fow the fixth crop in a cool place. 
 
 Sow broccoli, cabbages, cab. turnep, cau- 
 liflowers, celery, crefs, cucumbers, endive, 
 iiniochio, kidney beans, lettuces, melons, 
 onions, peas, purflane, radifhes, fpinach, 
 turneps. 
 
 Seed of all forts, nearly ripe, will often 
 require flacking and defending from birds. 
 
 Turneps, fow the third crop, and hoe 
 the others. 
 
 Water often, in dry weather, beds of 
 feedlings. 
 
 Weeds of no fort mufl: be liiffered to feed. 
 
 Weed, before the weeds are as high as 
 the crops, the feed-beds and crops of car- 
 rots, endive, finochio, leeks, lettuces, oni- 
 ons, pot-herbs, fpinach, turneps. 
 
 Vol. II. X p June 
 
29^ A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 JUNE 
 
 J\ Romatic herbs, for diying and diililling 
 gather 
 
 Beans want earthing and cutting oflf the 
 tops. Beets ihould be thinned to a proper 
 diiiancc. Boorcole, plant the firft crop, and 
 fow the third. Broccoli, plant the firl^ crop 
 prick out the third, and ibw the fourth. 
 
 Cabbages, plant the third crop, prick 
 out the lourth, and fow the fifth. Plant 
 the fecond crop ot red cabbage, and fow 
 the third. Savoys, plant the tirll crop, and 
 prick out the fecond, and fow the third. 
 
 Cabbage-turneps, fow the fecond crop. 
 
 Canots and pai fneps tinilh hoeing. 
 
 Cauliflowers, plant the third crop ; prick 
 out the fourth. 
 
 Celery, plant the firft crop, prick out 
 the fourth, and low the lifth. 
 
 Colefeed and rape may now be fown. 
 
 i'olc worts, fow the fecond crop. 
 Endive, plant out the firll crop, thin the 
 fecond, and fow the third, and third crop 
 of finochio. 
 
 Hoe and thin all the crops of carrots, 
 Sec. properly, before the weeds are high. 
 
 kidney-beans, fow the fourth crop, and 
 place flicks to the runners. 
 
 Lavender 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 299 
 
 Lav.endcr, rofemaiy, rue, and fagc cut- 
 tings, may now be phmted in the ibade. 
 
 Leeks ihould be hoed and thinned. 
 Lettuces, low the lixth crop in a cool place; 
 Melons in frames, cover with mats in the 
 heat of the day, and lay tiles under the fruit 
 — plant out thofe for the oiled papers. 
 
 Onions muft be thinned, to five or fix in- 
 ches, and leave a few at three. 
 
 Parfley in beds for garnifh, and the large- 
 rooted, thin to fix inches diftance. 
 
 Peas, low the lail marrowfats in a cool 
 place. Plant boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, 
 cauliflower, celery, endive, lavender, let- 
 tuces, rofcmary, rue, fage. 
 
 Prick out broccoli, cabbages, cauliflow- 
 ers, celery. 
 
 Radiihes, fow the feventh crop, and tur- 
 nep-rooted and black Spanifh in a cool place 
 
 Rape and cole-feed may now be fown. 
 
 Seeds, as they ripen, muft be gathered. 
 
 Sow boorcole, cabbages, celery, colcfeed, 
 coleworts, endive, finochio, kidney -beans^ 
 lettuces, peas, radifhes, rape, fpinach, tui*- 
 neps, turnep-radifh. 
 
 Spinach, fow the fifth crop thin, in a cool 
 place. 
 
 Turneps, fow the fourth crop, and hoc 
 others. 
 
 Water all beds of feedlings frequently. 
 
 July 
 
300 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 JULY 
 
 J\ Romatic herbs for drying and diRilling 
 muft be conftantly gathered. 
 
 Afparagus, for a crop in autumn, muft 
 be cut down, the beds lightly forked and 
 raked, and watered every night for a week 
 after, if dry weather. Weed the (eed-beds. 
 
 Beans, plant the fifth crop of mazagan, 
 and the fourth of Windlors, for late crops. 
 
 Boorcole, plant the fecond crop, prick 
 out the third, and the fitrfl of Anjou. 
 
 Broccoli, plant out the third crop, and 
 prick out the fourth. 
 
 Cabbages, plant the fourth crop, and 
 prick out the hfth. Red cabbage, prick out 
 the third crop. Savoys, plant the fecond, 
 and prick out the third crop. 
 
 Cabbage- turneps, prick out the firft crop. 
 Carrots, to draw young, fow the third crop 
 Cauliflov/ers, plant out the fourth crop. 
 Celery, plant the fecond crop, and prick 
 out the fifth. 
 
 ' Colefeed, rape and coleworts, finifh fow- 
 ing : prick out the fecond crop of colcworts 
 
 Cucumbers in open ground fhould be 
 fhick with branches of rticks.' 
 
 Efchalots and garlic may be taken up, if 
 the ftalks be (juite withered. 
 
 Fipochio, fow the fourth crop. 
 
 Kidney- 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 301 
 
 Kidney-beans, fow on a fouth border the 
 lifth and laft crop. 
 
 Lavender and rofemary cuttings flill plant 
 
 Leeks plant out in double rows. 
 
 Lettuces, fow the leventh crop in a cool 
 place. 
 
 Onions when their leaves wither, pull out 
 of the ground, and fow the firft crop of 
 Welfh, and laft crop to draw young. 
 
 Peas fown laft month will want fticking, 
 and fow the fourth crop of hotfpurs. 
 
 Plant beans, boorcole, cabbages, cauli- 
 flowers, celery, lavender, leeks, lettuces, 
 red cabbage, rofemary, favoys. 
 
 Prick out boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, 
 celery, coleworts. 
 
 Radifhes, fow the eighth, alfo turnep- 
 rooted and black Spanifh, and hoe the firft 
 crop 
 
 Sow carrots, colefeed, coleworths, endive, 
 finochio, kidney-beans, lettuces, onions, 
 parfley, peas, radifhes, fpinach, rape, tur- 
 neps, turnep-radifhes. 
 
 Spinach, fow the fixth crop, and the firft 
 of prickly thin, in a cool place. 
 
 Turneps, fow the fifth and principal crop 
 for winter ufe, and hoe the other crops. 
 
 Water beds of fcedlings, and all young 
 crops. 
 
 Auguft 
 
102 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 AUGUST., 
 
 LIfanders, angelica, chervil, fennel, 
 forrel, are now to be fown. 
 Beans fown laft month, will want water- 
 
 A 
 
 mg. 
 
 Boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers 
 and coleworts, lately planted, will require 
 hoeing around them, and earth drawn up 
 to their flems. 
 
 Broccoli, plant out the third crop. 
 
 Cabbages, for the firft crop at fpring, 
 muft be fown about the tenth day of the 
 month. 
 
 Cabbage-turneps prick out the fecond 
 crop. 
 
 Cauliflowers for the firft fpring crop, fow 
 about the twentieth, and (hade them in the 
 middle of the day by mats. 
 
 Celery, earth the firft crop for blanching, 
 and plant out the third. 
 
 Coieworts, plant out lome of the fecond 
 crop. 
 
 Crefs and muftard feed muft be gathered 
 if ripe, and fow every week for fallads. 
 
 'Cucumbers for pickling, fhould now be 
 gathered, and they will be free from fpots. 
 
 Endive, frequently tie up for blanching ; 
 plant out the third crop, and thin the fourth. 
 
 Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, may be 
 taken up it the ftallcs be quite withered. 
 
 Leeks 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 303 
 
 Leeks fini(h planting out. 
 
 Lettuces, for Handing through the winter 
 and forcing, muft now be fown very thin at 
 three different times. Plant out the laft 
 fown on a fouth border. 
 
 Melons in rainy weather mull be defend- 
 ed from wet, by putting hand-glaffes over 
 them ; and place fticks for the pickling me- 
 lons to run up. 
 
 Onions muft be frequently turned, that 
 they may be well dried. 
 
 Sow the fecond crop of Welfh. 
 
 Peas, fow fome hotfpurs on a fouth bor- 
 der for the fifth and laft crop. 
 
 Plant celery, endive, leeks, lettuces. 
 
 Prick out Anjou boorcole, cabbage-tur- 
 neps. 
 
 Radifties, fow the ninth and laft crop. 
 
 Seeds nearly ripe muft be guarded from 
 birds, — Sow alifanders, angelica, cabbages, 
 cauliflowers, chervil, crefs, fennel, lettuces, 
 muftard, onions, peas, radiflies, forrel, 
 fpinach, turneps 
 
 Spinach, fow the fecond crop of prickly. 
 
 Turneps hoe, and low the fixth crop. 
 
 Water feedling beds in a morning. 
 
 Weeds begin to grow very faft in moift- 
 weather, therefore muft be hoed frequently. 
 
 September. 
 
364 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 SEPTEMBER 
 
 ^^Romatic herbs and fhrubs, cut down 
 their decayed ftalks to ftrengthen the roots 
 and tranfplant them. 
 
 Beans planted in July mull be earthed up, 
 and the tops pinched when in flower. 
 
 Boorcole, plant out the third crop 
 
 Broccoli, plant out part of the fourth crop 
 
 Cabbages, plant out the fifth crop, and 
 prick out 'the firft crop on a fouth border, 
 and earth out any which want — plant out 
 third crop of favoysand red cabbages. 
 
 Cabbage-turneps, plant out the iirft crop 
 
 Carrots fown in July mull be hoed. 
 
 Cauliflowers fown laft month muft be 
 pricked out, watered and fhaded till rooted 
 — earth up the fourth crop, and break the 
 leaves if they begin to flower. 
 
 Celery, plant out the fourth crop and 
 earth up the firft and fecondto blanch. 
 
 Chardons will require blanching 
 
 Coleworts, plant out more of the fecond 
 crop, a few at a time, to thin the bed. 
 
 Crefs and muftard fow every week. 
 
 Cucumbers for pickling fhould be flnilh- 
 «d gathering 
 
 Endive, plant out a little of the fourth 
 crop to thin it, and give the reft more room 
 — tye up forac to blanch 
 
 Efchalots 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 50^ 
 
 Efchalots, garlic and rocambole, fhould 
 have all the offsets or fmall roots planted. 
 
 Lettuces mull be early thinned m the feed- 
 bed, if fown thick, and pricked out on 2 
 fouth border, to about four or five inches. 
 
 Melons for pickhng will be fit to gather. 
 
 Mufhroom-becis muft now be made. 
 
 Onions, finilh lowing early in the month 
 the Wellh onions, and weed thofc fown laft 
 month, before the weeds are high. 
 
 Plant boorcole, broccoli, cabbages, cole- 
 worts, endive, elchalots, garlic, rocambole, 
 tarragon.— Prick out cabbages, cauliflowers, 
 lettuces, — £ow crefs, Ipinach, muftard, tur- 
 aeps. 
 
 Spinach^ finifh fowing for fpring ufe, and 
 hoe that fown lalt month. 
 
 Tarragon-roots may now be planted 
 
 Turncps, turnep-radilhes, and black- 
 Spanilh, will all require hoeing. 
 
 Weeds muft be particularly attended to 
 among the onions and other crops. 
 
 Vol, n. Ctq Qaober 
 
:jo6 a new system 
 
 OCTOBER 
 
 J\S 0<?kober is the only time to crop a 
 garden before winter, omit not any thing 
 till next month. 
 
 Aromatic herbs and fhrubs in beds weed, 
 and fpread fomc earth over them. 
 
 Afparagus ftalks cut down, hoe the weeds 
 and fpread earth Irom the earth on them — 
 hotbeds prepare for forcing, and plant three- 
 year old plants for the firfl; crop 
 
 Beans, the early mazagan muft be plant- 
 'Cd on a fouth border 
 
 Boorcoie plant out the fecond crop, and 
 hoe the ground about the others 
 
 Broccoli, plant out the reft for the fourth 
 crop 
 
 Cabbages, fown in Auguft plant half out 
 in a warm lituation 
 
 Cabbagc-turneps, plant early in the month 
 and earth up the others 
 
 Carrots fown in July, finifh hoeing. 
 
 Celery, plant out the fifth and laft crop,, 
 and earth up the fecond to blanch 
 
 Coleworts, finilh planting. 
 
 Crefs and muftard fowon a hotbed 
 
 Endive, tie up to blanch, and plant more- 
 
 Elchalots, garlic and rocambole plant. 
 
 Ground which, is vacant, throw up in- 
 ridges 
 
 Hoe 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 307 
 
 Hoe boorcole, brorcoli, cabbages, cab- 
 Ijage-turneps, and draw up the earth to their 
 ^ems 
 
 Hoe carro^s and fpinach 
 
 Hotbeds prepare ior forcing afnaragus 
 
 Lettuces, plant out cabbage and brown 
 Dutch on afparagus beds 
 
 Mint, plant in pots on a hotbed,, 
 
 Mulhroom-beds cover well with ftraw 
 "and mats, to defend them from rain. 
 
 Onions mtSft be well weeded 
 
 Peas, the early hotfpurs, fow on a fouth 
 border, for a fird crop. 
 
 Plant afparagus on a hotbed for the firll 
 crop, and beans, boorcole, broccoli, cab- 
 bages, cabbagc-turneps, cauliflowers, celery^ 
 coleworts, endive, efchalots, garlic, lettuces, 
 mint, rocambole. 
 
 Plant out to ftand for leed, beets, parfley 
 cabbages, parfneps, carrots, turneps. 
 
 Pot-herbs and fweet-herbs on beds, weed, 
 0ir up the earth, and Ipread fome uver 
 them 
 
 Seeds of all forts fhould be trellied out, 
 dried and put into bags.- 
 
 Sow crefs and muflard on hotbeds. 
 
 Hoe fpinach for the laft time before win- 
 ter, and fow peas on a fouth border. 
 
 November 
 
3o8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 N O V E M B E Pc. 
 
 j^\NY thing omitted laft month, perlbrn* 
 early in this, before the rain prevents you. 
 
 Artichoke llalks cut down, and earth them 
 
 up. — Afparagus on hotbeds muft have air 
 
 given it, and make and plant the fecond bed. 
 
 Beets, cabbages and carrots, plant tor feed. 
 
 Cauliflowers under glalTes and frames, 
 give fome air to in the middle of fine days. 
 
 Celery earth up when dry, to blanch. 
 
 Crefs and muftard low on hotbeds. 
 
 Endive not planted out, take up, and plant 
 on the fouth Ade of a ridge. 
 
 Ground which is vacant, threw up int* 
 ridge*. 
 
 Hotbeds prepare for forcing of afparagus. 
 
 Mufhroom-beds guard from wet. 
 
 Peas and beans above ground, draw earth 
 up to, and place traps to catch mice. 
 
 Radifhes, early fhort-topped, fow about 
 the tenth, and i'pread llraw over the beds. 
 
 Roots of beets, parfley, falfafy, carrots, 
 potatoes, fcorzonera, parfheps, Ikirrets, 
 turnep-radilbes take up to preferve in land. 
 
 Sow crefs, mullard, radilh and rape on 
 hotbeds for fmall fallading. 
 
 Spinach lioe, it it be too thick. 
 
 Weed all the crops and rake off the weeds 
 to prevent their rooting again. 
 
 Dcgcmber 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 30$^ 
 
 DECEMBER. 
 
 A SPARAGUS muft be planted for the 
 -*^ third crop, and give it both light and 
 air to colour it. 
 
 Boorcole, broccoli and cabbages, muft 
 be well earthed up to keep them upright. 
 
 Cauliflower-plants muft have air, when 
 the weather is mild, &cpick off dead leaves. 
 
 Celery, when dry, earth for blanching. 
 
 Crefs, muftard, radifh and rape, fow oa 
 hotbeds every week. 
 
 Dunghilis, weed and turn in frofty wea- 
 ther. 
 
 Endive, tye up for blanching. 
 
 Hotbeds muft be attended to, and plenty 
 ^qf hot dung and loam provided. 
 
 Lettuces under glalfes muft have air given 
 them in the middle of mild days. 
 
 Mufhroom-beds muft have dry ftraw if 
 wanted. 
 
 Peas and beans above ground, earth up. 
 
 Roots for preferv^ing in fand fhould be 
 fined, before the froft lets in. 
 
 Snails, fearch for in holes. 
 
 Sow crefs, muftard, Sec. every week. 
 
 Tools, repair, grind and put in order 
 while you have leifure. 
 
 Traps muft be let to catch mice. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
TO A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 CHAP. LIX. 
 
 Preface to the Apfendix* 
 
 THE following obfcrvations by the au- 
 thor while on his travels, may fcem 
 fuperfluous and unnecefTary to an American 
 reader, being made in foreign countries ; 
 for fay they, the land and climate of thefe 
 countries are different from ours, therefore 
 how can this information be proper for us 
 to go by. 
 
 Thofe obfcrvations have been often made 
 to the author by men in all countries ; {q 
 confined are the ideas of human nature till 
 enlarged by experience or philofophical re- 
 fearches iato the works of nature. 
 
 It is a matter of wonder to me what fome 
 farmers think the earth of other countries 
 or kingdoms is made up of, when they ar- 
 gue that the management of lands in the 
 forementioned countries will not do for 
 theirs ; that they muil certainly know beft 
 what fuits their lands, who have lived there - 
 on all their life-time. Sec. 
 
 I fuppofe fuch reafoners think that the 
 earth in countries they have not fcen, is 
 
 made 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. ^ir 
 
 made up of fome very extraordinary mate- 
 rials; that if it produces fuch and fuch crops 
 the foil cannot be Uke theirs. 
 
 But they may be allured that the whole 
 world is made up of the fame materials of 
 fand, loam, clay, ftone, gravel, 8cc. that 
 clay will be clay, and fand, fand, in all coun- 
 tries ; that the grain proper for each fort in 
 one country, will alfo enfure fuccefs in ano- 
 riier ; and that if by induftry, ingenuity or 
 chance, a feed or any improvement be found 
 out in one country, it may be transplanted 
 
 or propagated in another with fuccefs. ■ 
 
 And the untravelled farmer may be far- 
 ther alTured, that the interior parts of each, 
 country is thus variegated. 
 
 1 have travelled over mofl parts of Ame- 
 rica, and muft own I am amazed at the 
 backwardnefs of their improvements, parti- 
 cularly when I confider the number of emi- 
 grants that have arrived from England and 
 other countries, who fhould have intro- 
 duced thofe pracHiifed in their countries. 
 
 Indian corn and tobacco are the chief 
 productions of the American farms, and I 
 believe the former to be the principal bar ta 
 a general improvement in other crops. It 
 is true wheat, rye, barley and oats are raifed 
 in America; but the produce is fo fmall that 
 ilfcarcely pa^^s the expencfei indeed it would 
 
 nat 
 
3IE A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 not pay half the expence and land rent, 
 were it as high as in England. The grain is 
 exceedingly fmall, which arifes from bad 
 management moftly in ploughing the ground 
 too thin or (hallow, and fowing their corn 
 too thick, which produces fmall ftraw, fmall 
 cars and fmall grain, which never will fill 
 the buihel to fatistad:ion 
 
 I have faid fo much to fhew the Ameri- 
 can farmer how necelTary it is to be acquaint- 
 ed with other countries and their manage- 
 ment, in order that he may improve in a 
 fhort time upon experiment, that has cofl 
 many people much labour and expence. — 
 For man is not Iik€ a brute to feed by in- 
 ftin^l, he acquires his feedin^^ and cloathing 
 by knowledge and ingenuity to make his life 
 comfortable and eafy, and in order -that my 
 American readers n^ay have an idea of 
 what is pafling in Europe I have given in the 
 following pages a fhort Iketch of my travels 
 and obfervations through iome parts there- 
 of. 
 
 GHAP; 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 313 
 
 CHAP. LX. 
 
 Nature of the Soil, and Price of the Land, 
 
 with many other inter ejling Subje^s, necef- 
 
 fary for a Farmer to know through Ireland, 
 
 I Thought it might not be difagreeable to 
 my reader to give Jhim an idea of the dif- 
 ferent forts of land, rent, manure, manage- 
 ment, Sec. in different parts of Ireland, 
 which by comparing one part v/ith another, 
 may both be ufeful and amufing to him. I 
 {hall begin in Dublin, as my memorandum - 
 book takes its rife from thence. 
 
 From Dublin to Drogheda, in Fingal, 
 near the fea fide, the land is a ftrong clay 
 foil, confequently good wheat land, and in 
 general as clear from fmut as mofl countries 
 w^hich I impute to the farmers 'tilling better 
 than in fome other places, and alfo manur* 
 ing with fhort rotten Dublin dung and lime; 
 but notwithftanding, I have feen a very 
 fmutty piece of wheat within iis^ miles of 
 Dublin. 
 
 Vol.il. Rr Lana 
 
314 A NEWT SYSTEM 
 
 Land lets at about eighteen (hillings an 
 Irifh acre, at feven yards to the perch. 
 
 The land in this country is very rich corn 
 foil; and let in a general way for about 
 twenty-one Ihillings an Irifh acre. 
 
 From Trim to Longford and Mullingar, 
 their is a great deal of fmutty wheat ; and 
 that as well as other green corn is damaged 
 by red worms. The land is good ftrong 
 deep wheat foil, and lets for about twent}'- 
 three Ihillings an Irilh acre. 
 
 From Mullingar to Ballymahan, and 
 Lanelborough, the land is not fo good, and 
 lets only for about fifteen fhillings an Irilk 
 acre. 
 
 From Lanefbo rough to Ro fc o m mo n, 
 Elphin, Boyle, Caftlerea, Ballinalloe, and 
 Loughrea, the land is very good, lets in a 
 general way, for about tv^enty-five ihillings 
 or twenty-iix fhillings an Irilh acre. It is a 
 deep loamy Ibil; at about three feet deep is 
 a rich limellone gravel, which they raiie, 
 and lay on as manure. 
 
 They make litrle dung, as they feldom 
 houfe their cattle. This country may be a 
 circumference of hundred miles, and I be- 
 lieve, there is not a fpot in our king's domi- 
 nions, of the iize, which is clearer from 
 black or fmutty wheat and red worms, than 
 this; which may perhaps he owing to their 
 
 making. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 315 
 
 making little ufe of dung, as it cannot be by 
 good tillage, they being great ilovens in hul- 
 bandry, except a few gentlemen here and 
 there ; indeed their land is fo good, that it 
 makes them idle, for turn it up in any 
 falhion, corn muft grow- 
 In the Queen's county, about Portarling- 
 •ton, Tullamore, Muntrath, and Marybo- 
 rough, the land is, a light corn foil, of an 
 inferior value, lets for about twelve fhillings 
 an Irifh acre. 
 
 In the county of Kildare, about Kildare, 
 Naas, Newbridge, and Killculling, the land 
 is light and fandy in a general way, and kept 
 much in tillage, lets at about fourteen fhil- 
 lings an acre. In this country they till pret- 
 ty well. 
 
 The county of Carlow, the land is fome- 
 thing ftronger than in the county of Kildare 
 and it in a general way holds fo ail the way 
 to Kilkenny. 
 
 It lets for about eighteen fhiilings an acre. 
 They have plenty of lime hereabouts, and 
 in fpots limeftone gravel. 
 
 In Kilkenny there are very confiderable 
 flour-mills, which gnnd a great deal of 
 wheat, and fend the flour to Dublin, though 
 it is fifty Irith miles land carriage. Their 
 miles as well as land are meafured with fe- 
 v«n yards to the perch. 
 
 What 
 
3i6 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 What encourages farmers to carry their 
 corn and flour fo far by land to Dublin, is 
 a bounty which they have paid them l?y the 
 government, viz. a half-penny for evc-y 
 twenty ftone of corn for every mile they car- 
 ry it above ten from Dublin ; but all within 
 ten miles of Dublin are exempted from the 
 bounty. 
 
 Every eight ftone of flour receives a boun- 
 ty of two-pence for every five mile, except 
 the laft ten miles next Dublin. 
 
 There is very little inland navigation in 
 Ireland, which makes this encouragement 
 of land carriage of great moment to that city, 
 in keeping down the markets; and it alfo 
 encourages farmers to fow more corn in the 
 interior parts of the kingdom, v/hich would 
 otherwife be negleded; and certainly no 
 country can be more proper for corn than 
 every part of Ireland. 
 
 1 know the kingdom well, and verily be- 
 lieve, there is not a fpace of ten miles to- 
 gether in the whole kingdom, where there 
 is not plenty of good manure, to be railed 
 out of the ground at a fmall expence. 
 
 The ifland in general abounds with lime- 
 ftone gravel, which is a fort of rich blue 
 foapy marl, intermixed with fmall cob- 
 bles or ftones^ but of a very rich limeftone 
 nature, and when thrown on the aground 
 
 with 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 317 
 
 with the marl, they ad alfo as a manure, 
 as the weather tempers them, and makes 
 them throw off a coat or crull, every year. 
 It is amazing what tufts of fweet grafs are to 
 be feen near thefe ftones. 
 
 Where limeilone gravel fails, there is ge- 
 nerally a greety fand, which is a very rich 
 manure ; in other places white marl, which 
 lies under bogs, and in moll places of the 
 kingdom, there is limeflone and plenty of 
 turf to burn it with ; fo that in fadf, Ireland 
 is a very rich country in this refped. 
 
 Though the county of 'Wicklow is a 
 mountainous country ; yetthere is Tome ve- 
 ry good fpots of land in it ; but in refped to 
 good tillage, we can fay very little for it. 
 
 They chiefly pay their rent by fat calves 
 and lambs, for which they are famous, and 
 bring them the diftance of forty or fifty miles 
 to Dublin, viz. from Wicklow, Gorey, and 
 about Caftlebridge. 
 
 This country is a compound of various 
 forts of land ; in the hollows or valleys it is 
 chiefly a good rich loamy corn foil, inclined 
 to clay. 
 
 And on the hills it is fandy, mixed with 
 fmall ftones ; and in fome places you fee 
 white marble ftones of a fmall lize. A great 
 extent of mountain covered with heath, or 
 ling, js to be found here, and which is very 
 
 improveable. 
 
3i8 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 improveable, both as to the nature of the 
 foil, and chcapncfs of manure, as hnieftone 
 is to be found in great plenty, and lime is 
 very proper for this fort of land. 1 have 
 icen it work miracles ©n land of the hke 
 kind, of which 1 fliall fpeak more fully in 
 its proper place. 
 
 Land (for this heathy mountain in its pre- 
 fent flate, cannot be deemed as fuch) lets, 
 from Dublin till you come near Wicklow, 
 for about twenty {hillings an acre ; but as 
 you go farther off, it lowers to about fifteen 
 Ihiilings an acre. I do not ftric'^ly mean all 
 the way from the city of Dublin, becaufc 
 it is to be expected, that land near fuch a 
 capital, fo far as two or three miles, muft 
 be very dear, perhaps four or five pounds 
 an acre. 
 
 The county of Wexford is a great corn 
 country, and particularly in the barony of 
 Fort and Bargy, they grow a great deal of 
 barley. The land is of a landy nature for 
 about five inches deep, and under that a bed 
 of clay ; in other places, a red, hard, ob- 
 durate, ruRy bad earth, by fome called ra- 
 mel. In fhort, a great part of the barony 
 of Fort and Bargy, is much fuch land as 
 they have in feveral parts of Chelhire. 
 
 At about five or fix feet deep in many 
 places, there is both marl and limeffonc- 
 
 gravel 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. s^f 
 
 gfravel to be found, but they are little fought 
 after. 
 
 T!iey make a gi*eat deal of ufe of lime 
 and fea-weed, particularly near the fea-fide. 
 
 Jn one particular fpot in the barony of 
 Bargy, they tell you, that every acre main- 
 tains a chriftian, a horfe, a cow, a pig and 
 dog. How true this may be I know not^ 
 but it is a common report in the adjoining, 
 neighbonrhood ; but be that as it will, the 
 place is extremely populous and well ftock-* 
 ed, and the land is rich as it is poflible ta 
 be made, and with no other manure thart 
 fea-weed, which they make ule of in great 
 abundance, and which produces the greateft 
 crops of corn I ever faw. 
 
 The middling price of land is about fif- 
 teen Ihillings an acre. The farms are not 
 ^ large in this as in many other counties m 
 Ireland. 
 
 The barony of Fort gentlemen are the; 
 mod hofpitable difinterefted, facetious fet of 
 people I ever met witji, ^ 
 
 They are a good neighbourhood, an^ 
 Mve in unanimity, and joyoufly with each, 
 other ; they keep a good table which is al- 
 ways open to their friend or neighbour : one 
 can (carce travel above a mile or two in this 
 country, without falling in with a gentle- 
 man's houfe, the proprietor qf which is 
 
 worth. 
 
320 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 worth from five to two thoufand pounds a 
 year, and every gentleman is a farmer ; what 
 corn he does not ufe himfclf he fells, there- 
 fore they are neither too little or too great ; 
 they are nowife flafhy, but live within their 
 fortune, and yet quite generous. 
 
 The common people are all Romans, like- 
 the reft of the kingdom, but not fo bigot- 
 ted in their religion, and feem to be well" 
 attached to the prefent government. They 
 talk Engliih well, and alfo fpeak Irifh one 
 to another, but their Irifh differs, fome- 
 thing from the rel\ of the kingdom. 
 
 They call themfelves Strongbowyons ; 
 that is, they came over from England in 
 Strongbow's time, and fettled in this barony 
 where their offspring has remained ever 
 fince. 
 
 This is a very plentiful cheap place to 
 live in, and particularly for wild fowl and 
 tifli. Their wild fowl chiefly confifls of 
 duck, teal, widgeon, barnacle, and win- 
 yard. 
 
 Widgeon and barnacle, though fcarce 
 eatable in any other part of the world, that 
 I know of, are here the mofl delicious mor- 
 fel I ever tafted, and remarkably Cat. The 
 winyard is a fpecies of fowl peculiar to this 
 place, I believe, for I never faw them elfe- 
 where ; they are not much unlike a widgeon 
 
 widgeon 
 
OF. HUSBANDRY. 321 
 
 v/idgeon, though fomething fmaller, but 
 fatter, lor if they be iTiot flying, they gene- 
 rally burft in the fall, by being fo immoder- 
 ately fat. 
 
 Thefe three forts of fowl are nearly of one 
 tafte, owing cejtainly to their feeding all up- 
 on one fort of food, which is a fort of fea- 
 weed peculiar to this coaft, and which is 
 thrown up, and left by the tide at high- 
 \\ ater-mark, twice in tw6nty-four hours ; 
 fo that they are regularly fed, which makes 
 them refortherein fuch abundance. 
 
 They can only be killed at night ; for all 
 day, they either remain on the water, or on 
 foine finall iflands, that are fix or feven miles 
 within the lea. 
 
 At night the fowler is prepared with a long 
 wide gun and a water-dog ; he places him- 
 felf fo as to command the length-wife of their 
 train of meat ; this he can eafily do, as he 
 fees where the water has left it the tide be- 
 fore, which is in a long narrow ftrip for fe- 
 veral miles together ; as foon as it is dulkifh 
 the fowls come up in a very great flocks to 
 feed, fo that they cover the ground as clofe 
 as they can fland; a fowler does nothing but 
 make ready; and needs only one fhot to load 
 his horfe home. It is almofl incredible vv'hat 
 a great number they will kill at a fhot. 
 
 They 
 
 Vol. II. S s 
 
3Z2 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 They are generally fold for four-pence or 
 fix-|)cnce a pair. 
 
 Kilkenny is about fifty-fix miles from Dub- 
 lin ; the direct road to it is through a very 
 fine country, viz. part of Kildare, Carlow, 
 and part o-f Kilkenny ; the towns you go 
 through are Naas, Kikullon, Timohn, Car- 
 low and Leighlen' ridge. 
 
 This is the finetl ride in Ireland, for fc 
 far together, as it is all an inclofed country, 
 without in.eiception of commons, or any 
 waile land ; and fifty- fix miles in h'eland is 
 a long way, as they meafure with ("even yards 
 to the perch. 
 
 But indeed there is not to be found fo fine 
 a ride for fo far togerher in his Majell)'s do- 
 minions, as m Ireland ; for if you begin be- 
 hind Kells, which is to the north of Dub- 
 lin, and go to Kilkenny, which is to 'the 
 South of Dublin, you ride for about a hun- 
 dred Irilh miles thro' five counties, namely, 
 the county of JVJeath, Dublin, Kildare, Car- 
 low and Kilkenny. 
 
 You have all the road, a good qoickfet 
 hedge at each fide of you, and all an inclofed 
 count y , ) ou do not go over an acre of ei- 
 ther bog, heath, mountain, common, or 
 any fort of waile land ; you are alfo accom- 
 panied part of the way with cither gentlc- 
 mens feats, or tovN'Uo, at the end of every 
 :\vo or tlii'ee miles. The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 323 
 
 The town of K Ikermy is famc'3 for four 
 rarities, air wirhoi t tog. water without mud, 
 coals v/itfK)ut Anoke, and the ilreets paved 
 with marble. 
 
 How this old tr idition arofe into proverb, 
 
 I know not, but they can in ftrianefs only 
 
 claim two of the four ; which is the two 
 
 laft. 
 
 They have marble quarries near the town 
 from which they botii build their houfc^ 
 and pave their Ilreets with ; but neither the 
 houfes or ftrcets cut any better (igurr, or 
 fcarce fo good, as other good tov/n in Ire- 
 land ; for every one knows that marble is 
 a very rough (lone, without great labour of 
 
 polifliing 
 
 The Kilkenny coals do not in the lealt 
 fmoke, for v. hich reafun they are made ufe 
 of all over Ireland, to dry malt with, and 
 in Kilkenny as common firing. 
 
 It is true, as they have no fmoke, there 
 is not fo grofs an air, or heavy clouds over 
 the city, as is over other great ^ cities or 
 towns, where the coals have a Imoke, which 
 afcencls to the clouds ; but the air is not ex- 
 empted from fog for all that, as there is no 
 commanding the clouds, fogs or miits of 
 other countries, but they will blow over it, 
 
 iuft as the winds fet ^ • _, , 
 
 ■^ Through 
 
324 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Through the city runs a fine river, over 
 which there are two new bridges, built of 
 marble, juft finiihed ; the old bridges were 
 broken down with a great flood, about five 
 years ago. The bottom of the river is gra- 
 vel, therefore the water is for the moft part 
 exceeding clean and clear, but I have fccn it 
 muddy. , 
 
 In the town of Kilkenny, and near the 
 river fide, (lands on an cmminencc, a fine 
 Gothic building, belonging to the Butler fa- 
 mily, which was erecfted in the reign of 
 Queen Anne, by the famous Duke of Or- 
 mond, whofe conduct is well known in 
 Ireland, for his government of that king- 
 dom. 
 
 And about two or three miles farther up 
 the river ftands the ruins of another of his 
 magnificent and delightfully fituated build- 
 ings, which are furroundingly ornamented 
 with an extending plantation of afh, and 
 other lofty towering trees, that (till remain 
 healthfully extending without the aid of 
 art. 
 
 The town of Kilkenny and environs is 
 not very large, or by any means remarkably 
 handfome or regularly built, as is fomctimes 
 reported by many who travel through, or 
 others who have dwelt there ; but it muH", 
 
 I think 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 325 
 
 I think, be acknowledged by all impartial 
 and difinterelled obfervators, that it is a rich, 
 populous and an improvable town, and car- 
 ries on a good trade in the manufacilory of 
 blankets, and many other woollen commo- 
 dities. 
 
 Travelling for about fifteen or feventecn 
 miles acrols the country towards Waterford 
 the laiid appeared fully to me to be, in 
 innumerable cafes, exceedingly barren and 
 bad, thefe qualities added to mountains co- 
 vered with ling or heath, cannot be of much 
 ufe to the landlord or tenant. This rents 
 from about five to ten Ihilhngs, per acre ; 
 tkere is here fome vmexceptionably rich and 
 fruitful valleys, that very well pay the huf- 
 bandm.Tn for his toil and labourious perfe- 
 verance, but mufl pay a higher price for 
 thefe advantages. 
 
 Waterford lies about twenty-four miles 
 from Kilkenny ; it is a tov/n of a pretty fmart 
 trade, and really now deferves to drop that 
 odium that has formerly been cafl upon it, 
 of very bufy, and nothing to do, like Water- 
 ford merchants : as they have now iomj- 
 thing to do, both in the Newfoundland 
 fifhery, and exportation of beef, butter and 
 
 > pork 
 
326 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 pork, in great abundance, they alio manu- 
 farture a great deal of frize. 
 
 Waterford is not lar^e, but a populous 
 rich town, and improving every day. 
 
 The land in this country is not good -, in 
 general about two thirds is a mountainous, 
 thin, weak land ; and any good veins there 
 are, are kept under dairies, fo that agricul- 
 ture IS negleded, and the poor alfo in a 
 flarving condition. 
 
 A great many men Ihip themfelvcs off 
 from Waterford, to ferve the feaion in the 
 Newfoundland fifhery, for which they will 
 get perhaps fifteen or fixteen pounds wages 
 lor fix or feven months. 
 
 Being great help to this neighbourhood, 
 for they generally Ipend it in the winter half 
 year. 
 
 Land lets here at about twenty fhillings 
 an arce, fuch as is fit for dairies, and lies in 
 valleys, but a great deal of high land lets for 
 about eight Ihillings an acre. 
 
 In about thirty or forty miles ride, viz. 
 from Dorrow to Limerick, through moft 
 part of the country of Tipperary, the coun- 
 try is almofl run wild, one would think, 
 with Iheep and bullocks ; for it is hard to 
 fee a corn-ltack, or a plough at work. 
 
 It 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 327 
 
 it was in this county the White Boys have 
 been fo troublefome. The land in mofl 
 parts, particularly Cafhel^ Tipperary, Clon- 
 mel, and down trom that to Limerick, is 
 very fertile, would bring great crops of 
 corn, but the great polTefTors of it are blind 
 to eveiy thing but bullocks and fheep. fo 
 that a2;nculture and every lort of trade is 
 baniihed ; which makes a fine country look 
 very naked, and its poor inhabitants meagre 
 and ragged. 
 
 There is fome of the richtft land that ever 
 I faw in ail my travels in this county, and 
 the county of Limerick, called the golden 
 vein ; and yet it cuts the pooreft afped as 
 to its poor inhabitants, owing to its being 
 kept under il.ock. 
 
 The flaple of the land confifts of a deep 
 loamy clay ar corn foil, will bring either 
 wheat or any other fort of grain, without 
 fallow, dung, or any other manure; in 
 fliort, it is rich beyond expreffion. 
 
 Land lets here for thirty and thirty- 
 five fhillings an acre, great fai-ms toge- 
 ther. 
 
 As they feldom make ufe of dung, ex- 
 cept tor fetting potatoes, they are little trou- 
 bled with fmutty wheat; but they are vifited 
 wiih red worms fomctimes when they turn 
 up freAi ground. 
 
 Thr 
 
^z'd A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Tlie graziers are gentlemen who eat and 
 wear well, and drink plenty of punch and 
 claret, an eafy fufficiency feenis to dance 
 among them; but the poor are mifcrably lo 
 and they are moiUy Roman Catholics, lor 
 there is fcarce any poor in Ireland of aay 
 other religion ; numbers of them I heard 
 fay they were content with their reftri^ted 
 fituation, and feemcd avcrfe to the interfe- 
 rence of any laws that feemed to offer for 
 their relief. Others who felt naturally a 
 glow of freedom, exclaimed againil the il- 
 liberality of thole that make laws and go- 
 vern, faying, at die fime time, how can 
 thofe people expecil we can be good fubjccls 
 while their conduc!:! in not fharing equally 
 with us, the bcnchts of the country which 
 is held (tet to our proteflant neigbour. 
 
 In Ihort they are a very numerous and 
 opprelTed body of people, that have to en- 
 counter and wade through a fea of impoli- 
 tic laws and troubles. 1 think, if 1 had it 
 in my power to enad two or three laws, I 
 could make Ireland one of the Urongeft 
 and richcfl illands his Muiefty has, as its fi- 
 tua ion is good for trade both by fea and 
 land ; the furface of the earth by nature, 
 is i[i general very rich, but where it is not 
 it is eafjly made fo ; for all over Ireland the 
 interior parts of the earth abound with rich 
 manures of all forts. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 329 
 
 The kingdom is alfo variegated with va- 
 riety of loughs, rivulets, and bogs ; fo that 
 there is no vv^ant of fire or water. 
 
 Likewife the kingdom is very populous, 
 therefore muft, with the above advantages, 
 add both ftrength and riches, were they 
 made ufeful members of fociety, and all to 
 ftand by the Proteftant caufe. 
 
 The gavel-adl indeed, has done won- 
 ders in bringing over the rich; but nothing 
 has yet tranfpired to change the poor Ca- 
 tholics ; they are a fet of poor deluded 
 creatures, and it is a pity but an a6l would 
 pafs (which might be eafily pointed out) to 
 relieve them. 
 
 Moftly all over Ireland the fairs for cattle 
 are very large; but particularly in Con- 
 naught: the fair of BallinaQoe is incredibly 
 fo for wool, horned cattle, fheep and horfes, 
 I am credibly informed, that the cuftoms 
 amout to feven hundred pounds ilerling a 
 year; which fhews its immenfe value, as 
 the toll for a fcore of iheep, perhaps worth 
 thirty pounds, is only three-pence, and 
 three- pence each for a cow, or any other 
 cattle. 
 
 The poor generally fow a little flax feed, 
 which they buy from a fort of petty mer- 
 chant, at an extravagant price, perhaps 
 for five or fix (hillings a Winchefter peck, 
 for which they get a years credit, till they 
 
 Vol. 11. Tt fpin 
 
330 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Ipin it into thread, in confideration of 
 which they pay about two hundred per 
 cent. 
 
 If they run in debt for half a peck or a 
 peck ot flax-feed, they give a note payable 
 before the fummer-alfizes in the enfuing 
 year; if they mifs payment they are fure 
 to be procelTed at the aifizes. 
 
 And here the merchant or creditor has 
 another apothecary's profit, of about eleven- 
 pence to the fliilling; for he will buy a 
 blank procefs for a penny, and fill it up 
 himfclf ; he charges for the procefs an En- 
 glifli Ihilling, which is thirteen-pence Irilh, 
 and perhaps the original debt will not be 
 ^bove two or three fliillings. 
 
 If the debtor do not pay it before the 
 afTizes, he is decreed, which is eight fhil- 
 lings and four-pence expence. An honeft 
 man would abhor the oppreflion. 
 
 . It is generally Roman Catholics that are 
 thofe Jevvilh like merchants, for there are 
 few Proteftants in that trade, and there are 
 none in Ireland more opprefTive to Romans, 
 than Romans them lei ves. 
 
 The county of Cork is very large, fo 
 confequently confifts of various forts of foil, 
 but the major part is mountainous, and lets 
 perhaps at about eight ihiliings an acre; 
 but in the valleys it is high priced, perhaps 
 twenty Ihiliings an acre. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 331 
 
 The favourite manure of Ireland, viz. 
 limeftone gravel, is fcarce to be found here ; 
 but they have plenty of limeftone, which 
 they burn with whins, and comes pretty 
 cheap ; it is common to fee a lime-kiln that 
 will contain four or five hundred bufhels 
 of lime. 
 
 Though we cannot fay much for the neat 
 hufbandry of thefe farmers, yet I cannot 
 pafs by them without taking notice of a 
 piece of invention, I think very praife- 
 worthy, and interefting to every one fituated 
 as they are. 
 
 I obferved above, that they have plenty 
 of limeltone, which they make into lime 
 by burning it with whins, other firing be- 
 ing fcarce; and as they make ufe of a great 
 deal of lime, they confume great, quantities 
 of this fort of fuel, therefore it requires 
 contrivance to keep up a proper fund for 
 that purpofe. 
 
 This is done by raifing large ditches for 
 fence; and as their land lies high, and the 
 country fcarce of flielter, being thin of woods 
 or hedges, they fow each fide of the bank, 
 which they raife by making the ditch, with 
 whin-feed; and when the whins are ready 
 to cut for fuel at three years old, they cut 
 only one fide of the ditch, and leave the 
 other for flicker and fence till the cut fide 
 grows to fulfil that ofBce, then they cut the 
 
 oldeft 
 
332 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 oklefl fide for fuel ; fo they go on alternate- 
 ly, cutting the oldeft fide from generation 
 to generation. This is a piece of manage- 
 ment that I would highly recommend to rny 
 American readers in their cleared land, as 
 whins are not only a fence, flicker, and firing ; 
 but alfo good food for cattle all winter; they 
 being an evergreen and full of fap, the Iheep, 
 horfes, and horned cattle delight in thenx 
 while young. Several farmers in Wales have 
 large fields which they cut fuccefiively, 
 from a year to two, or three old, and have 
 mills turned by a horfe to grind them for 
 their horfes, which ferves inftead of corn; 
 and others who have not mills, beat them 
 in a morter, with a wooden mall, filled in 
 the l^ead with horfe nails : when the whins 
 are thrown in the manger they will fwim 
 with liquor, of which the horfes are fond. 
 
 And thus they are fupplied with fuel, 
 fence, and fhelter, from the fame ditch, 
 which perhaps takes up not more ground 
 than two yards, though by meafuring round 
 the top of the bank, we fhall find a furface 
 for the whins to grow on of near four 
 yards. » 
 
 How many places are there in America, 
 England, Scotland, and Wales, that are 
 fcarce both of fire, fence, and fhelter, that 
 would be glad of wliins to burn inflead of 
 flravv and cow-dung, which are ufed in ma- 
 
 ^7 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 333 
 
 ny parts, particulary in England. And how 
 eafy and cheap would it be for them to raife 
 thefe three valuable articles of fire, fence^ 
 and ftielter, by the above method ? 
 
 But though this fimple method is very 
 praife- worthy ; yet it falls much fhort of 
 the great oeconomy they pra(5life, by break- 
 ing limeftone to powder, and applying it 
 as manure for land inftead of lime. 
 
 It anfwers the fame end, comes much 
 cheaper, and lafts longer than lime; it an- 
 fwers for any fort of land, but befl for 
 flrong, as its angular points cuts through 
 and opens it, and the weather foftens the 
 little flones, fo that it keeps peeling and 
 difcharging a cruft, which adls as a perpe- 
 tual manure till the latl bit be wafted. 
 
 I happened in company with a gentleman 
 farmer who firft tried it, and he aiTured me 
 that it anfwered full as well as lime, and 
 that it did not cod half fo much breaking. 
 
 I viewed a piece of grafs ground covered 
 with this bruifed limeftone, which aflonifh- 
 ed me with furprife, at feeing fuch a fine 
 verdure in the middle of a very barren field, 
 moftly grown over with heath; but as far 
 as the limeftone had been laid on, it had 
 quite changed the nature of the foil, killed 
 the heath, and fubftituted honey-fuckles 
 and wild clover in its place. 
 
 Several 
 
334 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Several more gentlemen about Mallow- 
 were following this pradlice, and doubt not 
 but it will in time be univerfally uied there, 
 inftead of burning lime, particularly where 
 firing comes high. 
 
 I am fatisfied that limeftone bruifed to 
 powder and laid on grafs ground, is better 
 than lime or even any other manure, parti- 
 cularly if the ground be ftrong, coarfe, and 
 four, or inclined to heath or ling; and it is 
 far the bed manure I know of for fuppeiling 
 mofs. 
 
 A man may break a chaldron or four 
 quarters in three days, or in lefs, if the 
 ftone be of a foft nature. 
 
 The fmaller it is broke, the fooner it will 
 take efFecfl ; none ought to be left larger than 
 a hade nut. 
 
 A great improvement might be made by 
 a horie-mill, to grind limetlone in,, in the 
 nature of a bark-mill or an oil-mill. 
 
 The city of Cork is a very rich flourifh- 
 ing place, and drives on a confiderable trade 
 in the exportation of beef, pork, and but- 
 ter. 
 
 It is alfo improving very much in its 
 buildings ; it is a ready market for a farmer 
 to vend the produdl of his land in. It is 
 well fituated for trade; and ihould there 
 ever be a union becwecn I^ngland and Ire- 
 land, it would loon be a far richer city than 
 Dublin. The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 335 
 
 The upper part of the county of Sligo, 
 Mayo, and Galway, leading to the weltern 
 fea, the land is only good in fpots ; in all 
 thefe counties there is a great deal of gra- 
 velly, rocky, heathy, fhallow land, inter- 
 mixed with bogs ; however in the worfl of 
 it there is every necelTary material for im- 
 provement. 
 
 In thefe counties land varies much in 
 price, according to its value, but, upon a 
 medium, it may be rated at about twelve 
 fliillings an acre. 
 
 There is no part in Ireland where land 
 varies fo much as in the county of Leitrim. 
 In order to give my reader an idea of it, 
 I {hall juft mention, that in the year 1759, 
 I let about five hundred acres of land, in 
 four different farms, all lying within one 
 ring fence, one for fix fliillings, another for 
 twelve fliillings, another for eighteen Ihil- 
 lings, and another for a guinea, being one 
 pound two flii lings and nine-pence Irifli cur- 
 rency, per acre. 
 
 And indeed the land varies accordingly 
 through the county, in fome places fine rich 
 limeftone foil, in others ftrong cold clay 
 foil, all grown over with rufhes, and in 
 others thin gravel foil, grown over wdth 
 heath. 
 
 But this county, like moft others in Ire- 
 land, abounds with all forts of manure for 
 
 improve- 
 
336 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 improvement, fuch as limeftone gravel, 
 white rich marl, a fine rich fand mixed with 
 {hells, and limeftone in abundance, together 
 with turf in plenty to burn it with. 
 
 I have had extreme good wheat and corn 
 of all forts here. I feldom fee them troubled 
 with fmutty wheat, or red worms, which 
 is perhaps owing to their fweet method of 
 manuring. 
 
 Their method of farming is very bad, 
 atid their way of yoking horfes as barbarous ; 
 they draw their plows and harrows with 
 their horfes tied by their taiis. I have very 
 often feen a mare and her offspring, viz. a 
 three years old, two years old, and one year 
 old colts, plowing all a-breafl, two going 
 upon the plowed land and two upon the 
 unplowed land with neither hemp or iron 
 about them ; their whole gearing confifled 
 of a whity, or twifled flick, tied to the hair 
 of each horfe's tail, and fo through a hole 
 made in a long pole or flick, which reached 
 the breadth of the four horfes, and ferved 
 by the way of a fwingle-tree, which pole 
 is faflened in the middle by another withy 
 to a hole bored in the end of the plow- 
 beam. 
 
 The man that drives, or more properly 
 fpeaking, leads the horfes, has a long flick 
 to which each horfes head is tied with a 
 withy halter J the man by holding the flick 
 
 has 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 337 
 
 Jias all the horfes at his command ; he walks 
 backwards before the horfes heads all the 
 day ; when he wants them to follow him, he 
 pricks them with a long flick he has in the 
 other hand, in the end of which a fharp nail 
 is fixed. Thu^ we fee them equipt in the 
 plow way. 
 
 They harrow in the fame wooden manner, 
 having a withy faflened to the hair of each 
 horfe*s tail, and to a harrow which each 
 horfe drags ; the harrow teeth are made of 
 whin flalks inflead of iron, fo that in fadl 
 there is neither hemp, leather, or iron, ex- 
 cept the coulter and fock, about theii* teams ; 
 and yet I have feen as good corn grow there 
 as I ever faw in England, which is all owing 
 to the natural goodnefs of their land, and 
 maiden manure they raife out of the interior 
 parts of the earth. 
 
 Was no better plowing or management 
 ufed in England, we fhould grow nothing 
 but weeds inflead of corn. 
 
 The greatefl misfortune which generally 
 attends their crops, is that of their being 
 too rank, fo that the corn is fmall and lean, 
 as the richnefs of the foil, and the foftnefs 
 of the climate, together with the double 
 portion of feed they throw into the ground, 
 forces it too much into flraw. 
 
 But as I have defcribed their barbarous 
 method of drawing their horfes by their 
 
 Vol. lie U u tails 
 
33S A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 tails, I muft alfo do juflice to the legiflature, 
 by telling my reader, that they have made 
 a law to put a flop to this cruelty which has 
 in a great meafure contradled it to the moft 
 diftant or remoteft parts of the country at 
 prefent, but formerly it was general all over 
 the kingdom. 
 
 The counties of Monaghan, Tyrone, Lon- 
 donderry, Fermanagh, Donegal, Down, 
 Caven, Armagh, and Antrim, are in the 
 north of Ireland. 
 
 Moft of thele counties flourifh much ia 
 the manufadluring of linen cloth, particu- 
 larly towards the fea-coaft, oppofite Scot- 
 land. 
 
 The moft conftderable manufadluries 
 begin at Dundalk, and fo on to Newry, 
 Loughbrickland, HillftDorough, Lift^urn, 
 Belfaft, Lurgan, and Armagh: through 
 all thefe places the land is very good, ex- 
 cept fome mountains interfperfed here and 
 there. 
 
 The lands here are in general better in- 
 clofed, and divided into fmaller farms, than 
 in the reft of Ireland, which is a great bleiT- 
 ing to the inhabitants, and adds much to 
 the beauty and richnefs of the country; 
 becaule when a man is not over-burdened 
 with land, he can, as it were, make his 
 farm into a garden, by attending to, and 
 beautifying every part of it; and he cer- 
 tainly 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 339 
 
 tainly can make one acre, well cultivated, 
 produce as much as five in its wild barren 
 Hate. 
 
 What pity it is that the worthy gentlemen 
 of Ireland will not open their eyes to fuch 
 plain fadls, and curtail thefe unmerciful 
 farms, that ruin the beft part of this fine, 
 healthy, and eafy to be made, a very rich 
 kingdom. 
 
 The land within the ride of the laft men- 
 tioned towns, lets at about eighteen fliillings 
 an acre. It is in general, flrong wheat foil; 
 but however their chief crops are oats, 
 beans, and potatoes. 
 
 Here are many little bogs lying between 
 the hills, under which is a good white 
 marl ; there is alfo plenty of limeftone, aild 
 lime is often ufed as manure. 
 
 The right honourable lord chief baron 
 Fofter has an eftate at Colon, in the county 
 of Louth, amounting to about two thou- 
 fand acres, that formerly let at half a crown 
 an acre, which he has improved by lime 
 to fuch an amazing degree, that it now 
 lets from eighteen to twenty- three fliillings 
 an acre ; an immenfe rife indeed : and what 
 is more, the firft crop generally paid the 
 expence of liming, though he had the lime- 
 ftone to carry four miles, which is a dif- 
 tance that feldom happens in Ireland. 
 
 The 
 
340 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 The coals that burn it he gets front 
 England. He told me that he can lime well 
 for four pounds an acre, at feven yards to 
 the perch; aiid he lets the land the firft 
 year to break up to fet potatoes in, at four 
 pounds an acre, the next year he lets the 
 fame land where the potatoes grew, to fow 
 oats in^ at three pounds an acre, and thd 
 third year to fow again with oats, at fifty 
 fhillings an acre. 
 
 In all this, he is at iio other expence, but 
 jufl laying the lime on. 
 
 Sometimes inftead of oats after potatoes, 
 they fow flax- feed or bare; but they may 
 fow what they will, as they are fure of 
 good crops. 
 
 The lime generally lies on the fod about 
 a year before it is broke up, and as it lies 
 pretty thick, it prefles down any grafs, 
 heath, or other rubbifh that may be on the 
 land, and turns it to dung, by which means 
 it ferments and unites the lime to the fbd 
 and particles of earth, which otherwife 
 would not incorporate and unite fo kindly. 
 
 The original llate of this land was a 
 heathy wild mountain, without hedges, 
 ditch, tree, or bulb of any fortj and had 
 as wild a look as the liighlands of Scotland. 
 
 The flaple of the ground is inclined to 
 a clay gravel of a reddifh caft, intermixed 
 with thin ilaty gritty ftones. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY, 34^ 
 
 The fituatioii of the ground is not to be 
 called very hi^h^ nor is it level, but in 
 waving hills, and takes a good pull for a 
 carnage to attain the top. 
 
 They generally plow in all this country 
 with four horfes, two before two, except in 
 breaking up grafs ground, then they gene- 
 rally ule fix. 
 
 They grow a great deal of bats and 
 round eared barley^ in the counties of 
 Louth and Down^ till you come to Do- 
 naghadee. 
 
 Farther north towards the county of An- 
 trim, Donegal, and Londonderry, the land 
 lowers in its value^ having a great deal of 
 flrong, cold, fpewy, rufliy, and heathy- 
 land interfperfed all over the country; and 
 the country is alfo uneven, rlfing very 
 much into hills, fometimes to a difagree- 
 able height. 
 
 They grow little elfe here but potatoe^^ 
 flax, and oatSj the oats moftly of the black 
 fort ; not but the land will grow both wheat 
 and beans, as I have feen good of both 
 raifed by gentlemen, but the farmers do 
 not care to venture out of their old track 
 of hufbandry. 
 
 The land here varies much in rent; in 
 good fpots and near towns, it lets for 
 about twenty fhillings an acre; but in the 
 high and more opea country, it does not 
 
 let 
 
342 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 lee perhaps for more than ten fhillings 
 an acre. 
 
 CHAP. LXI. 
 
 Oti trenching Land near Glajgoiv with Spades, 
 
 UPQN finifhing my travels, and obfer- 
 vations through Ireland, I took a tour 
 through Scotland and England, to make 
 further oblervations ; but as I do not think 
 it of moment enough to trouble my Ameri- 
 can readers with it, having fufficient mat- 
 ter of more confequence, I fhall only men- 
 tion one piece of management of trenching 
 land with fpades near Glafgow, to which 
 I referred my reader, from page 44. vol. I. 
 
 When the farmers here have a piece of 
 ground wore out by tillage, fo that it will 
 not bring any more crops without manure, 
 is then trenched with a fpade, fometimes 
 two, and fometimes three fpit deep; that 
 is, they begin and dig thiee fpade-grafts 
 deep, and make a trench, into the bottom 
 of which they throw the top fod, and over 
 that the fecond fod or fpade- graft, and alfo 
 the third, fo that the bottom fpade-graft, 
 taken up at three feet deep, becomes the up- 
 per ftratum for corn to grow in. 
 
 If 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 343 
 
 If the farmer lets his land to be trenched 
 by the acre, the price is let without varying, 
 and is as follows. 
 
 For trenching two fpit, or fpade-graft 
 deep, (without fliovelling the loole mould 
 out after the fpit) forty Ihillings an acre; 
 for digging two fpit, and {hovelling the 
 loofe, forty- five fhillings an acre ; for digg- 
 ing three fpit, without fliovelling, fifty-five 
 fhillings an acre ; for digging three fpit deep, 
 and {hovelling, three pounds an acre. 
 
 They find by experience that it is better 
 for the land, and they are more fure of a 
 crop of any fort after trenching, than if 
 they lay on lime or any other manure to the 
 amount of three pounds an acres ; and wh^t 
 is more furprifing, this is pradlifed in a 
 country where manure is plenty and eafy to 
 be got. 
 
 After fuch trenching, the land will bring 
 five or fix good crops before it need be trench- 
 ed again, and it will grow corn even of one 
 fort without changing from generation to 
 generation, if it be again trenched to revive 
 its exhaufted fpirits at proper periods. 
 
 I know fome of my readers, who only 
 caft a curfory view upon things, may think 
 my account fabulous, but 1 afTmre them 
 what I have faid is abfolutely fad ; for I faw 
 the whole work performed with my own 
 eyes ; I faw alfo the crops grow, and I ne- 
 ver 
 
344 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 ver faw better wheat, oats, and barley in my 
 life; and I took particular notice of fuch 
 trenched corn as it happened in town-fields, 
 and found that ridges along fide which 
 were dunged and fallowed, were not fo 
 good by much, nor fb clear of weeds; 
 that both the ear, grain, and ftraw were 
 fmaller. 
 
 When we confider the thing attentively, 
 it is eafily accounted for, particularly if 
 the land be of a proper fort, viz If loomy 
 clay or loomy fand, or fand itfelf ; becaufe 
 if land be ever fo poor, it is generally 
 covered with a coat of fome fort, either 
 flubble, weeds, or grai's, which being 
 thrown into the bottom of a trench, and 
 covered with earth two or three feet thick, 
 it ferments, rots, and evaporates its vola- 
 tile fpirits, which penetrate through every 
 particle of the body of earth over it. 
 
 In fhort the whole body thus mixed, mud 
 be in a ftate of ferment, beiides the weeds 
 and rubbiili being buried too deep for vegi- 
 tation, rots and becomes manure. Any 
 reafonable man will allow that there muft 
 be a wide difference between the root of a 
 weed growing and partaking of the ftrength 
 of the g»ound, and the fame root being rot- 
 ted to feed the ground ; but as I have han- 
 dled this fubjedl pretty fully in another part 
 of this work, I fhall drop it here. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 345 
 
 CHAP. LXIL 
 
 The Price of Labour and ViBuals in the fever at 
 Counties of Ireland^ in Order to give an 
 Idea of the different State oj the Tivo King- 
 dom in thefe Particulars, 
 
 DUBLIN, beef by the quarter at two- 
 pence half-penny a pound, from Mi- 
 chaelmas to Chriftmas, but is very dear in 
 fpring, which is chiefly owing to the fcarce- 
 nefs of winter feeding, as the people of Ire- 
 land fow very little turnip-feed. 
 
 Good beef in April perhaps will give four* 
 pence a pound by the quarter. Mutton 
 keeps at a much more equal price; for as 
 their land is good, and their winters mo- 
 derate, fat fheep will keep their flefh through 
 the winter, fo that the markets feldom vary 
 above a penny a pound ; it fells at Michael- 
 mas at two-pence half-penny a pound, and 
 in fpring at three-pence half-penny a pound. 
 Pork and bacon bears an equal moderate 
 price, which is owing to plenty of potatoes 
 for feed, for they feldom feed fwine with 
 beans. 
 
 Pork at two-pence and two-pence half- 
 penny a pound; bacon at three-pence half- 
 penny a pound. 
 ■ Vol.11. Xx Veal 
 
346 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Veal in winter is five-pence and fix-pence 
 a pound, but in May and June at two- 
 pence. 
 
 There is as good and as bad veal in 
 Dublin as in any part of the world. Calves 
 fell here from two fliilUngs to four pounds 
 a piece. 
 
 All the dairies near Dublin fell their calves 
 as foon as they drop for two or three fliil- 
 lings a piece, which is a barbarous cuftom : 
 but the county of Wicklow which chiefly 
 fupplies Dublin market, keep their calves 
 three or four months old ; nay, I am told, 
 fome will keep them five months old. In 
 fhort, they make very good veal, and they 
 are alfo famous for early lambs in this 
 county, by which Dublin market is fup- 
 plied. 
 
 In Dublin, a good goofe for two fhillings, 
 a good fowl for eight-pence, rabbets, are 
 dear, as there are few warrens in the king- 
 dom, the land being too good for them, Co 
 that there are fcarce any to be got, except 
 tame rabbets bred in houfes. 
 
 Frelh butter in Dublin is high in winter, 
 eight-pence and ten-pence a pound, and in 
 fummer at five-pence and fix-pence a pound. 
 
 Wheat this year from twenty to thirty- 
 two fhillings a barrel, or four bufhels Win- 
 chefter meafure, in the fame market the 
 fame day. 
 
 The 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 347 
 
 The quality of wheat varies much, ac- 
 cording to its cleannefs or drynels. They 
 are very often obliged to dry it on malt- 
 kilns. 
 
 Englifli wheat generally bears a higher 
 price than the beft Irilh by two fhillings the 
 barrel in the fame market. 
 
 They import from England a great deal 
 of malt, which is fuperior to the Irifh made 
 malt by three fhillings a barrel. In fliort, 
 the Iriih maltfter cannot be content with 
 moderate profit, for if he cannot profit 
 other ways, he will have it in weight or 
 meafure. 
 
 Formerly they ufed to fell by meafure, 
 then they grew it out fo much, that it had 
 no ftrength in it; and as they never fift it, 
 but fell cums and all together, it was fo 
 long one might almofl fill the bufliel with a 
 dung fork. 
 
 The legiflator faw the cheat, fo made an 
 a<5l to fell by weight, and now the extream 
 is full as much the other way, for they do 
 not above half grow it, fo that the thick 
 end of each grain does not turn to malt, 
 but dries and becomes a hard flinty fub- 
 flance, which weighs heavy in the bufliel, 
 but yields no fpirit to ftrengthen the ale. 
 Thus the publick are impofed upon by the 
 maltfliers being too avaricious, and not do- 
 ing the fair thing. 
 
 Malt 
 
348 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Malt fells at about fixteen fliilUngs a bar- 
 rel, or four bufliels. 
 
 Oats being fo general a crop in Ireland, 
 bne might exped: them to be very cheap ; 
 but however, though a great many are 
 grown, there is alio a great confumption, 
 as all the poor in general eat no fort of bread 
 except that made of oats ; and the time of 
 the year when potatoes are out of feafon^ 
 their whole living is oat-bread and butter-^ 
 tnilk ; but fo long as potatoes are good they 
 fupply the place of bread; therefore oats 
 bear a better price than could be expcdled, 
 bemg fo general a crop. 
 
 t^otatoes in the year 1759, was a failing 
 Crop, which made- dats and oat-meal very 
 dear. 
 
 Good oats fold this year in the interior 
 J)arts of the kingdom at fourteen and fifteeil 
 ihillings a barrel, which is at the rate of 
 thu'ty fhillings a quarter. The year after, 
 being a good potatoe year, I bought good 
 oats at five lliillings a barrel. This fhews 
 the great dependence there is upon potatoes, 
 
 in the year 1769, good oats fold at twelve 
 fliillings a barrel in Dublin, grey peafe at 
 eighteen fhillings a barrel, and a large field 
 bean at twenty Ihillings a barrel. 
 
 The round black magazine field bean 
 fcarce any to be got, being little lbv\ed in 
 Ireland. White boiling peale at thirty ihil-^ 
 
 lings 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 349 
 
 lings a barrel. Very little rye is made ufe 
 of. 
 
 All forts of artificial grafs feeds are im- 
 ported hither from England. 
 
 Bricklayers, mafons, and houfe carpen- 
 ters or joiners, are two fhillings a day*, 
 Labourers in Dublin a ihilling a day ; but 
 farmers labourers in the country round Dub- 
 lin, is eight-pence in winter without meat, 
 and a fhilling in fummer. 
 
 In the counties of Wexford, Kildare, 
 Garlow, Weflmeath, and Queen's County 
 labourers are fix-pence a day in winter, 
 and eight-pence in fummer, without meat. 
 Beef and mutton two-pence and two-pence 
 half-penny per pound in the cheapeft feafoa 
 of the year. 
 
 Mofl cguntry gentlemen kill their own 
 meat, and the country labourers and far- 
 mers fddom eat any ; ih that the chief con- 
 fumption is by the tradefmen and fliop- 
 keepers in market towns. 
 
 Eggs and fowls are cheap. Good chick- 
 ens at three half-pence and two-pence a 
 piece. Lean geefe at eight-pence a piece, 
 lean turkeys at ten-pence a piece, and a 
 roafting pig for a fliilling or fifteen-pence, 
 eggs at {even or eight a penny. 
 
 In the counties of Kilkenny, Cork, Ker- 
 ry, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Gal- 
 way, Leitrim, Mayo, Rofcommon, Sligo, 
 
 Clare, 
 
$50 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 Clare, Londonderry, Tyrone, and Far* 
 managh, being diftant from Dublin, and 
 partly deflitute of trade, but fubfifting 
 chiefly by grazing, the living and labour 
 is cheap, and partly bears an equal rate in 
 all thefe counties. 
 
 Beef and mutton at the cheapeft feafon 
 from three half-pence to two-pence a pound, 
 lean geefe at four-pence a piece, lean tur- 
 keys at fix-pence a piece, chickens at a 
 penny a piece, eggs at ten a penny, roaft- 
 ing pigs at fix-pence a piece, butter at 
 three- pence a pound. Day labourers at 
 four-pence a day in winter, and fix-pence 
 in fummer, no meat, plough- wrights a 
 fliilling a day and meat, houfe- carpenters 
 or joiners two fliillings a day, no meat, ma- 
 fons two {hillings a day, no meat. 
 
 The reader is to take notice, that in 
 fpeaking of labourers, I fpeak in. general 
 terms, fuch as are employed by gentlemen 
 and farmers all the year round; but in 
 market and great towns, at times, par- 
 ticularly in March and April, when the 
 fhop-keepers and tradefmen are fetting their 
 potatoes, labourers are perhaps fix-pence or 
 eight-pence a day and meat. However this 
 is a matter of little confequence in the 
 farming way, but I thought proper to 
 take notice of it, left fome unthinking 
 readers, not making proper allowances for 
 
 thefe 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 351 
 
 thcfe things, might think my account er- 
 roneous. 
 
 Corn is at a more equal price, fince a 
 bounty was given by the government for 
 land carriage, fo that there is not above four 
 or five per cent, difference between the coun- 
 try and DubHn prices ; and when a mifs 
 year in the potatoe crop happens, DubHn 
 is the loweft market, they being obhged to 
 fend corn apd meal into the country to fup- 
 ply the deficiency of potatoes. 
 
 The counties of Down, Louth, Donegal, 
 and Armagh, being manufacfluring coun- 
 tries, labour and victuals bear a higher 
 price than in the grazing countries. Beef 
 and mutton at two-pence half- penny and 
 three-pence a pound, geefe at eight-pence a 
 piece lean, turkeys at ten-pence or a fhilling 
 a piece, chickens at two-pence or three- 
 pence a piece, pork two-pence a pound, a 
 roafting pig a fhilling, oat-meal at fixteen 
 pence a peck, baft wheat at twenty-eight 
 Ihillings a barrel, malt fourteen fliillings a 
 barrel. 
 
 Labourers at fix-pence a day in winter, 
 without meat, and eight-pence in fum- 
 mer, without meat; houfe-carpenters two 
 i3iillings a day, and mafons two fhillings 
 a day. 
 
 A farmer's man fervant fix pounds a 
 year, a llrong boy three pounds a year, a 
 
 woman 
 
352 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 woman fervant three pounds a year, a lufty 
 girl thirty (hillings a year. 
 
 There is little difference in the "wages of 
 yearly fervants in any part of the king- 
 dom. 
 
 The gentlemen of Ireland give good en- 
 couragement to Englifh fervants and Rew- 
 ards, with good charadlers. 
 
 Ireland is two hundred and feventy-five 
 miles long, one hundred and. fifty nine 
 miles wide, and fourteen hundred miles in 
 circumference. 
 
 Their land and mile meafure is by feven 
 yards to the perch. 
 
 Their weight and meafure are all Win- 
 chefter. 
 
 CHAP. LXIII. 
 
 Some approved Receipts in Phyfic^ and Surge'- 
 ry^ by the moji able Men of th^ Faculty in 
 England. 
 
 AS I have faid every thing that is ne- 
 ceflary in Hufbandry; and as this 
 work may fall into many hands who live 
 in the country, at a diftance from help in 
 time of ficknefs, &q, J thought, it might 
 
 not 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 353 
 
 not be airjirs to give a few chofen receipts, 
 for the cure of diforders xao(\. common to 
 the human body. 
 
 It is common in books of Phyfic to add 
 feveral receipts, for the cure of one difofder; 
 but as I do not place this book among that 
 denomination, I fliall in general, put one 
 receipt for one diforder, and fuch as has been 
 tried, given, qr approved on, by the mpft 
 able men of the faculty in pngland^ 
 
 To Jlay luoofinefs, 
 
 TAKE a yery good nutmeg, prick it full 
 of holes, toaft and grate it, then boil 
 it well in milk, and eat it in a morning; 
 pr the nutmeg toafted and grated in a glals 
 of red port, will dp full as well and fejdom 
 mifles of a cure. 
 
 To take out the Fi?'e^ of a Burn or Scaid, 
 
 Scrape a raw potatoeandapply ittoaburn 
 pr fcald, as a poultice, when it is dry apply 
 another till the fmarting has done; there is 
 nothing fo quick and fure as this. The fore 
 may be healed with yellow balilicon, or by 
 nothing but dry lint laid on the place cover- 
 ed with a linen rag burned brown and laid 
 over it, if very bad it may be waflied with 
 allum whey ; but the operation of the potatoe 
 poultice is fo eifedtual that it feldom breaks 
 the fkin. 
 
 Vol.11. Yv To 
 
354 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 To Cure a Cough inclining to a Conjumption, 
 
 Take balfam of fulphur one ounce, and 
 oil of anifeeds one ounce, mix them toge- 
 ther and take a tea fpoonful every morning, 
 and evening the firfl and laft thing, this 
 has recovered thofe when in a confumption. 
 
 For the Gripes, 
 
 Take a glafs of fack warm'd, and dijQblve 
 in it as much Venice-Treacle^ or Diafcordiuniy 
 as a hazehiut; drink it off going to bed; 
 cover warm. 
 
 For the Stranguary. 
 
 Take half a pint of plantane-water, one 
 ounce of white fugar-candy finely powder'd, 
 two fpoonfuls of lallad-oil, and the juice of 
 a lemon ; beat all thefe together very well, 
 and tirink it off. 
 
 For a Draught in a Fever, 
 
 Take of fal- prunella one ounce, and dif- 
 folve it in fpring-water, and put as much 
 fugar to it as will fweeten it ; fimmer it over 
 the fire till 'tis a fyrup ; and put fome into 
 poffet-drink, and take it two or three times 
 a day, or when very thirfty. 
 
 • 
 A Plajler for an Agud 
 
 Take right F^fw/V^-turpentine, and mix 
 with it the powder of white hellebore-roots, 
 
 till 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 355 
 
 till 'tis ftiff enough to fpread on leather. 
 It muft be laid all over the wrift, and over 
 the ball of the thumb, fix hours before the 
 fit comes. 
 
 For a Chin-Cough. 
 
 Take a fpoonful of wood-lice^ and bruife 
 'em, and mix them with breafl-milk, and 
 take them three or four mornings, accord- 
 ing as you find benefit. It will cure ; but 
 fomc muft take it longer than others. 
 
 To take off Blacknefs by a Fall. 
 
 Rub it well with a cold tallow candle, 
 as foon as 'tis bruifcdj and this will take 
 off the blacknefs. 
 
 To break a Boil. 
 
 Take the yolk of a new-laid eg:g, fome 
 honey and wheat flower; and mix it well 
 together, and fpread it on a rag, and lay it 
 on cold. 
 
 A Poultice for a hard Snvelling. 
 
 Boil the fineft wheat-flour in cream till 
 'tis pretty thick ; then take it off*, and put in 
 mallows chopt; ftir it, and apply it as hot 
 as can be endured ; drefs it twice a day, and 
 make frefli every time. 
 
 To 
 
356 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 To Jlay Voiniting, 
 
 Take afli-leives, and boil them in viiie- 
 gar and water, and apply them hot to the 
 Itomach ; do this often^ and put the hands 
 in cold water. 
 
 A Poultice for afore Bi-eafly Leg^ or Arm. 
 
 Boil wheat-flour in ftrong-ale very well, 
 and pretty thick ; then take it off, and fcrapd 
 in fome boars-greafe ; let it hot boil aftei* 
 the greafe is in ; ftir it well, and apply it 
 hot. 
 
 For /pitting Blood, 
 
 Take of cinnabar of antimony one ounces, 
 and mix it with two ounces of confer ve of 
 red rofes ; and take as much as a nutmeg at 
 night and morning. 
 
 To cure the Tooth-ach. 
 
 Let the party that is troubled with the 
 tooth-ach lie on the contrary fide, and drop 
 three drops of the juice of rue into the ear 
 on that fide the tooth acheth, and let it re- 
 inain an hour or two, and it will remove the 
 pain ; if a needle is run through a wood- 
 loufe, and immediately touch the aching 
 tooth with that needle, it will ceafe to ach: 
 fometimes tooth-ach proceeds from a cold, 
 fo that the air gets between the gums and 
 
 the 
 
Ot MtrSBANbRY. 35? 
 
 ike te^th, and raifeS theiii but of the fockefj 
 ■v?hich caufes a very great pain tho' the teeth 
 be all found, the cure in this cafe is to prefs 
 a cork very hard betw^een the teeth a conii- 
 derable time to prefs them down even, and 
 rub the gums v^ith gun-powder till they 
 bleed. 
 
 An excelkni Medicine for Shortnefi of Breathe 
 
 Take half an ounce of flour of brimftone^ 
 a quarter of an ounce of beaten ginger, and 
 three quarters of an ounce of beaten fena, 
 and mix all together in four ounces of ho- 
 ney; take the bignefs of a nutrtieg night 
 and morning for five days together; then 
 once a week for fome time; then once a 
 fortnight. 
 
 To ct&e a piinpltd Face^ and fixjeelen tht 
 Blood, 
 
 Take fena one ounce, put it in a finall 
 none pot, and pour a quart or more of boil- 
 ing water on it; theta put as many prunes 
 as you can get in; cover with paper, and 
 fet in the oven with houfhold-bread ; and 
 take of this every day, one, two, three, or 
 m.ore of the prunes and liquor, according 
 :^s it operates ; continue this always, or at 
 ieaft half a year; 
 
358 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 To cure the Dropjy^ Rheujfiatifm^ Scurvy^ and 
 Cough of the Lungs. 
 
 Take EngUp orris-roots, fquills, ahd ele- 
 campane-roots, each one ounce, hyfTop and 
 hore-hound-leaves, each one handful, the 
 innet* rind of green elder and dwarf-elder, 
 of each one handful, fena one ounce and 
 half, agarick two drams, ginger one dram ; 
 cut the roots thin, and bruife the leaves, 
 and put them into two quarts of the beft 
 Lisbon wine ; let thefe boil an hour and half 
 on a gentle fire in an earthen mug, very 
 clofe ftopt with a cork, and ty'd down with 
 a bladder, that no air come to it, and fo fet 
 it in a large pot of boiling water ; fet it fo 
 that no water get into the mug, which mufl 
 hold three quarts, that all the ingredients 
 may have room to go in ; when it is almofl: 
 cold, ftrain it out very hard; you muft 
 fcrape the elder downwards; take this for 
 a week together if you can, and then mifs 
 a day ; and if that does not do, go on with 
 your other bottle of the fame ; take it in a 
 morning falling, ten fpoonfuls at a time, 
 without any pollet-drink ; it will both vomit 
 and purge you; it is an unpleafant tafte, 
 therefore take a lump of fugar after it; 
 ■when it is quite cold, after it is flrain'd •if, 
 let it ftand in a flagon to fettle a night and a 
 day, then bottle it up clear and fine for ufe: 
 it is an admirable medicine. 
 
 To 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 359 
 
 To cure a Cancer, 
 
 Take a dram of the powder of crabs-claws 
 finely fearced, and made into pafte with da- 
 mafli-rofe-water, and dry'd in pellets of lo- 
 zenges; powder the lozenges as you ufe 
 them, and drink the powder in whey every 
 morning falling: if there be a fore, and ic 
 is raw, anoint it with a falve made of dock- 
 roots and frefh butter ; make a featon or ilTue 
 in the neck, keep a low diet ; keep from any 
 thing that is fait, four, or ftrong. 
 
 To cure the Joint-E'uiL 
 
 Take good (lore of elder-leaves, and di- 
 ftil them in a cold ftill ; let the perfon drink 
 every morning and evening half a pint of 
 this water, and walli the fores with it morn- 
 ing and evening, firfl warming it a little, 
 and lay frefh elder-leaves on the fores, and 
 in a little time you will find they will dry 
 up, but be fure to follow it exa61:ly ; it has 
 cured when all other remedies have failed., 
 
 For the Green- Sic kne/s. 
 
 Take centaury the lefs, and wormwood 
 and rofemary-flowers, of each a handful, 
 gentian-root a dram, coriander-feeds two 
 drams; boil thefe in a quart of water, fweet- 
 en it with lyrup of fleel, and take four or 
 five fpoonfuls in the morning, and as much 
 in the afternoon. To 
 
56o A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 To take off Freckles, 
 
 Take bean-flower- water, or elder-flowcrr 
 water, or May dew gather'd from corn^ of 
 either the quantity of four fpoonfuls, ai^d 
 add to it one fpoonful of oil of tartar very 
 jiew drawn ; mix it well together, and pftei} 
 y^alli the face with it; let it dry pn. 
 
 A Salve for a Sprain. 
 
 Take a quarter of a pound of virgin-wax, 
 a quarter of a pound of fr^nkincenfe, half 
 fi ponnd of burgamy-pitch ; melt them well 
 together, flirring them all the while till they 
 are malted; then give them a good boil, and 
 ftrain them into water; work it well into 
 rolls, and keep^t for ule; the more it i^ 
 
 'Mk 
 
 work'd, the bett^lp is ; fpread it on leather. 
 
 To take out Spots of the Small-Pqx, 
 
 Take half an ounce of oil of tartar, and 
 as much oil of bitter almonds ; mix it toge- 
 ther, and with a fine rag daub it often oa 
 the face and hands, before the air has pene- 
 trated into the fkin or flefli. 
 
 A Receipt that curd a Gentleman ivho had (^ 
 long time jpit Blood in a great ^jmntity^ 
 and ivas iva/icd ivith a Coiifumption. 
 
 Take of hylTop-water, and of the pureft 
 honey, of each a pmt; of agrimony and 
 
 colt^- 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 361- 
 
 coltsfoot, of each a handful ; a fprlg of rue, 
 brown fugarcandy, liquorice flic'd, fliavings 
 of harts-horn, of each two ounces; anifeeds 
 bruifed one ounce, of figs fliced, and raifins 
 of the fun ftoned, of each four ounces : put 
 them all into a pipkin with a gallon of wa- 
 ter, and boil it gently over a moderate fire 
 till half is confumed; then fi:rain it, and 
 when it is cold, put it into bottles, being, 
 clofe ftopt : take four or five fpoonfuls every 
 morning, at four in the afternoon, and at 
 night, the laft thing: if you add frefh water 
 to the ingredients, after the firft liquor is 
 flrain'd off, you will htlve a pleafant drink, 
 to be ufed at any time when you are dry. 
 
 An infallible Cure for the s^^hping Confump^ 
 
 tion, ^^f 
 
 Take half a pound of raifins of the fun 
 ftoned, a quarter of a pound of figs, a quar- 
 ter of a pound of honey, half an ounce of 
 Lucatellu's balfam, half an ounce of pow- 
 der of ileel, half an ounce of flour of ele- 
 campane, a grated nutmeg, one pound of 
 double refin'd fugar pounded ; flired, and 
 pound all thefe in a mortar ; pour into it a 
 pint of fallet-oil by degrees ; eat a bit of it 
 four times a day the bignefs of a nutmeg ; 
 every morning drink a glafs of old Malaga 
 fack, with the yolk of a new-laid cg^^ and 
 as much flour of brimftone as will lie upon 
 . Vol. 11. Z z a fix- 
 
362 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 a fix-pence ; the next morning as much flour 
 of elecampane, alternately ; and if this will 
 not cure you, the Lord have mercy upon 
 you. 
 
 For the Scurvy, ^ 
 
 Take a pound of guaiacum-bark, and half 
 a pound of faflafras, and a quarter of a 
 ^ pound of liquorice ; boil all thefe in three 
 quarts of water, till it comes to three pints; 
 and when it is cold, put it in a vefFel with 
 two gallons of ale : in three or four days ie 
 is fit to drink, and drink no other drink for 
 fix or twelve months, according to the vio- 
 lence of the diflemper; it will certainly 
 cure. 
 
 For Corns on the Feet, 
 
 Take the yeft of beer, (not of ale) and 
 rpread it on a linen rag, and apply it to the 
 part aflfeiSted ; renew it once a day for three 
 or four weeks ; it will cure. 
 
 For Chi/blanes, ivhen broke, 
 
 Roaft a turnip foft, beat it to mafh, and 
 apply it as hot as can be endur'd to the part 
 affeded ; let it lie on two or three days, and 
 repeat it two or three times. 
 
 For 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 363 
 
 For a Cough fettled on the Stomach, 
 
 Take half a pound of figs fliced, raifins 
 of the fun ftoned as nnany, and a (lick of 
 liquorice fcraped and fliced, a few anifeeds, 
 and fome hyfTop wafli'd clean j put all thefe 
 in a quart of fpring-water, boil it till it 
 comes to a pint ; then flrain it, and fweeten 
 it with white fugar-candy : take two or three 
 fpoonfuls morning and night, and when the 
 cough troubles you. 
 
 To give Eafe in a violent Fit oj the Stone. 
 
 Take a quart of milk, and two handfuls 
 of dry'd fage, a pennyworth of hemp feed, 
 one ounce of white fugar-candy, and one 
 ounce burdock feeds : Boil all thefe together 
 a quarter of an hour, and then put in half 
 a pint of rhenifti-wine. When the curd is 
 taken off, with the ingredient, put it in a 
 bag, and apply it to the grieved part; and 
 of the liquor drink a good glafs-full. Let 
 both be as hot as can be endured. If there 
 is not eafe the firft time, warm it again, 
 and ufe it. It feldom fails. 
 
 For the Strangury, 
 
 Take three fpoonfuls of the juice of cha- 
 momile in a fmall glafs of white-wine, 
 thrice a day, for three days together. 
 
 To 
 
364 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 To procure eafy Labour. 
 
 Take half a pound of figs, half a pound 
 of raifins of the fun fton'd, four ouncts of 
 liquorice fcrap'd and flic'd ; one fpoonful of 
 anifeeds bruifed ; boil all thefe in two quarts 
 of fpring-water, till one pint is wafled; 
 then drain it out, and drink a quarter of a 
 pint of it morning and evening fix weeks 
 before the time. 
 
 To procure fpeedy Delivery ivhen the Throivs 
 are gone. 
 
 Take half a dram of borax powder'd, 
 and mix'd with a glafs of white-wine, fome 
 fugar, and a little cinnamon-water: if it does 
 no good the firft time, try it again two hours 
 after, fo likewife the third time. 
 
 To bring the AJter-Blrth, 
 
 Give 30 or 2,^ drops of oil of juniper in 
 a good glafs of fack» 
 
 To prevent After^Pains. 
 
 Take half an ounce of large nutmegs, 
 and toaft them before the fire, and one 
 ounce of the beft cinnamon, and beat them 
 together; then mix it with the whites of 
 two eggs, beating it together in a porringer; 
 and take every morning in bed as much as 
 
 will 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 365 
 
 •will lie on the point of a knife, and foat 
 night J and drink after it the following 
 caudle : 
 
 Take a quarter of a pint of Alicant wine 
 or tent, a quarter of a pint of red rofe-wa- 
 ter, and a quarter of a pint of plantain- 
 water; mingle all three together, and beat 
 three new-laid eggs, yolks and whites, and 
 make a caudle of them; put into it two 
 ounces of double-refin'd fugar, a quarter of 
 an ounce of cinnamon; you mull boil the 
 cinnamon in the wine and water before the 
 eggs are in; and after all is mixed, put to 
 it half a dram of the powder of knot-grafs ; 
 take of this fix fpoonfuls morning and even- 
 ing after the electuary. 
 
 To Jlop Floodings, 
 
 Take the white of an egg, and beat it 
 well with four or five fpoonfuls of red rofe- 
 water, and drink it dW morning and night 
 nine mornings together; it has cured when 
 all other things have failed. 
 
 Let the party often take ifing-glafs boiled 
 or dilTolved in warm new milk, a pint at a 
 time. 
 
 A Piajler for a Weaknefs in the Back. 
 
 Take plantain, comfry, knot-grafs, fhep- 
 herd's-purfe, of each one handful; ftamp 
 
 them 
 
366 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 them fmall, and boil them in a pound of oil 
 of rofes, and a little vinegar ; when 'tis well 
 boiled, drain it, and fet it on the fire again, 
 and put to it four ounces of wax, one ounce 
 of chalk, bole-armoniac one ounce, and ter- 
 ja-figillata one ounce ; boil all well, keepiivg 
 it ftill ftirring ; then cool it, and make it in- 
 to rolls, and keep it for ufe; fpread it on 
 leather when you lay it to the back. 
 
 A Drink for the fame. 
 
 Take four roots of comfry, and of knot- 
 grafs and clary one handful, a fprig of rofe- 
 mary, a little galengal, a good quantity of 
 cinnamon and nutmeg fliced, the pith of the 
 chine of an ox. Stamp and boil all thefe in 
 a quart of mufcadine, then drain it, and 
 put in fix yolks of eggs ; fweetcn the caudle 
 to your tafte with double refin'd fugar, and 
 drink a good draught morning and evening. 
 Take of crocus m arris, and conferve of red 
 rofes mixed together, three or four times a 
 day. 
 
 For the Dyfentery or Bloody-Flux, 
 
 Take an iron ladle; anoint it with fine 
 wax; put into it glafs of antimony, what 
 you pleafe; fet it on a flow fire, without 
 flame, half an hour, ftill ftirring it with a ' 
 fpatula; then pour it out on a clean linen 
 
 cloth, 
 
OF HUSBANDRY. 367 
 
 cloth, and rub ofF all the wax. Grind it to 
 powder. 
 
 This is the receipt as I got it ; but I kept 
 it three quarters of an hour on the fire, and 
 coiled not rub off any wax. The dofe for a 
 boy of 7 or 8 years, 3 grains ; for a weak 
 adult, 5 grains ; for a ftrong woman, 1 2 or 
 14 grains; for a very ftrong man, 18 or 20 
 grains. 
 
 N. B. I never gave above 14 grains, and 
 in the making of it put about a dram of wax 
 to an ounce of the glafs. It fometimes vo- 
 mits, always purges, and feldom fails of 
 fuccefs. I always intermit one day at leaft 
 betwixt every dofe, 
 
 A good Purge. 
 
 Infufe an ounce of fena in a pint of wa- 
 ter, till half be confumed ; when 'tis cold, 
 add to it one ounce of fyrup of rofes, and 
 one ounce of fyrup of buckthorn ; mix chem 
 well together- this quantity makes two 
 ftrong purges for either man or woman, and 
 four for a child. 
 
 For the Green-Jicknefs, 
 
 Take an ounce of the filings of fteel, or 
 nifty iron beaten to powder, and mix it 
 with two ounces of the flour of brimftone ; 
 then mix it up into an eleduary with treacle; 
 
 the 
 
368 A NEW SYSTEM 
 
 the party mufl take the quantity of a nut- 
 meg in the morning fading, and at four in 
 the afternoon, and continue it till cured. 
 
 For Cojlivenefs. 
 
 Take virgin-honey a quarter of a pound, 
 and mix it with as much cream of tartar as 
 will bring it to a pretty thick elecfluary, of 
 which take the bignefs of a walnut when you 
 pleafe ; and for } our breakfaft, eat water- 
 gruel with common mallows boil'd in it, 
 and a good piece of butter; the mallows 
 muft be chopt fmall, and eaten with the 
 gruel. 
 
 For the Hiccup, 
 
 Take three or four prelerv'd damfins in 
 your mouth at a time, and fwallow them by 
 degrees. 
 
 For the Cramp. 
 Take of rofemaiy-icciv..^, and chop thrni 
 very fmall, and few them in fine linen, and 
 make them into garters, tie the garters tight 
 below the knee, and wear them night and 
 day ; lay a down pillow on your legs in the 
 night. 
 
 N I S. 
 
 M fL State Colleftt 
 
UBRARY. 
 
 Didtkm of Horticulture, 
 

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