The English improver improved, or, The svrvey of hvsbandry svrveyed discovering the improueableness of all lands some to be under a double and treble, others under a five or six fould, and many under a tenn fould, yea, some under a twenty fould improvement / by Walter Blith ... ; all clearely demonstrated from principles of reason, ingenuity, and late but most real experiences and held forth at an inconsiderable charge to the profits accrewing thereby, under six peeces of improvement ...

CHAP. XXVII

Speaks of the usage of St. Foyne and La-lucern.

I Proceed to the discovering of the use and ad∣vantage of St. Foyne a French Grass, of which I mnst use plain dealing, and not put my Rea∣der upon improbable experiment, as is my chiefest aym. And as in some part of my for∣mer discourse I promised to bring down to our practice some Out-landish Experiments which were hinted at and disco∣vered unto Mr. Hartlib by Letter to be a great deficiencie to us in our Improvements the non-practice thereof; so I must, and will hold forth no more than I can make proof of to the face of the world. Therefore my self having not made a full Experiment thereof, onely I have sowed of it this year, shall give the relation of the manner of the Husbandry thereof, and the fruit you may rationally expect, and the Lands upon which it is to be sowen, and so leave it and you to your own experience and Gods blessing.

I shall not trouble you with the description of it as an Herbalist, because as in this, so in no other is it my design to search out the nature of any Herb or Plant in it self, but

as it is most profitable or usefull for my main design, The Im∣provement of Land

St. Eoyn is a French Grass much sowed there,* 1.1 upon their barren, dry, hasky Lands, and sometimes in our Gardens hath a kind of it been much sowed, called the French Hony∣suckel; it is of one excellent property yeeldeth abundance of Milk, and upon that account may be very advantagious to many parts of the Nation: it groweth best as it is said, upon the barrennest lands, hilly and mountainous, which I am induced to beleeve upon this score, because it is rendred to be worth but nine or ten shillings an Acre, which some would not think worth experimenting, but if so, and it will grow upon our worst land, I am sure there is thousand thousands of Acres in England, not worth one shilling an Acre, and if that being sowen upon such land it will with one sowing advance it to that worth, and so continue for di∣vers years, it is very well worth our imitation and practice; it will raise betwixt a load and a half, and two load of an Acre: Besides it is rendred to have another excellent quali∣ty, which is not to barrennize Land, but to better or fatten it, and after seven years growing it so roots large and ma∣ny, somwhat like Licorish, that the Plowing up of them, is a very good soyl, and much fattens the Land for Corn: it is excellent for soarding Land the first year a great advan∣tage. It hath been sowed in divers parts of England, as in Cob∣ham Park in Kent, &c. where it thrived very well upon chal∣kie dry banks.

The seed is first to be had out of France, where it is sold for about three pence or a groat a pound, but here it was sold very dear at nine pence; ten pence, or twelve pence a pound this yrar. It is most like a Parsnip seed, only a little browner in colour, and somewhat rounder and fuller made like an Oyster, it is very light, and so many pounds go to a strike, and it must be sowed far more in quantity than you doe the Claver seed, because it is so great a seed; for ever the smaller the seed the further it goeth: I conceive for e∣very pound of Claver you sow, you had need sow two of this, if not more; but I leave it to your own experience,

you will easily find a fitting proportion upon the first tryall; but the thicker the closer it grows, and stocks the ground the better, and destroyes other seed or weeds.

The manner of sowing it may be with Oats or Barly & so much as grows up with the Barley may be cut with it,* 1.2 and then preserved, or else if it be very fruitfull, it may be moed in the latter end of the year, and then preserve it for mowing for six or seven years after; for by that time it will have lost the spirit of it and be overcome by our English grasses; and then be fitter to plow for Corn again.

But if men will be at charge, the best way commended to me is this, to prepare your Lands and make them fine, as when you sow barley, and then plow in these seeds as the great Gardeners do their Pease, yet not altogether at so great a distance; but yet let them make their ranges near a foot di∣stance one betwixt another, and the grass will flourish like Pease especially if they draw the plow throngh them once, or twice that summer to destroy all the weeds; but whereas he speaks of using the great Claver thus also, I am somewhat jealous he is mistaken herein, because the thicker it grows and the closer, with one continued thickness, the better either to mow or grase, The experimenting I leave to thee.

There is also the La-lucern,* 1.3 another French Grass, which is excellent Fodder, and is rather preferred before the St. Foine, and it is as advantagious to dry and barren lands, and hath been lately discovered there, and is now of great credit amongst them, but for my own particular experience, I can say little and therefore say thus much, only to provoke the Ingenious both unto the search, experimenting, and com∣municating to publick view, not one man being sufficient for the experimenting all discoveries that may be made here, and elsewhere, I am confident every Age, nay every day will bring forth something or other worth our embracements.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The descripti∣on of St. Foyn.
• * 1.2

  The manner of sowing it.
• * 1.3

  La lucern.