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 ...

The Second General Peece of Im∣provement contains the discourse of facilitating the charge and burden of the Plow, and a demonstration of the Figures thereof.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Discovers the severall Abuses of the Plough.

BEfore I proceed in this discourse, I will lay down these two or three Maxims or Conclu∣sions.

First, that whatever moveth upon the Land, or that worketh in the Land, and carrieth the least earth or weight with it, must needs move or work easi∣est. A wheel the lesser ground it stands upon, the easier it turns, and the lesser the wheel the easier still; so the Plough, the more earth or weight it carries with it, the more strength must be required. The naturall furrow it must carry, but the lesser compass both in heigth and length it bears upon the Plough, the easier the Plough must go.

Secondly, the more naturally any thing moves, the more easily, and the more Artificially, the more difficult∣ly.

Thirdly, the sharper or thinner is any tool, the easier it pierceth, and the less strength is required; so contrary, the thicker or duller any tool is, the more strength must work it; and;

Fourthly, that which is the plainest and truest to the Rule, and admits of least multiplication of work, must needs be easiest.

All my endeavours shall onely be the application of all these to the Plough, and that as naturally as I can by truth of Workmanship, to discover the Plough and Plough-Irons to the most exactness, which will be all the ease that I can give it, or any man yet ever did or could: If any other shall endeavour to discover by Engine or otherwise, to supply the strength of horse and man to draw the Plough, I know an easie Plough will go more easie, and shall therin rejoyce.

And because I find so many different names given to the members of the Plough according to the Country phrazes, & few of one Country understands another Countries terms, I shall confine my self to one name to each member all a∣long my discourse, for the better understanding of the Rea∣der.

As for the Plough-sheath, Wrest, Beam, Share, and Coul∣ter, they retain these names clearly in most parts and so I shal continue them.

But for Plough-handles, some call them Stilts, and some Hales, and some Staves I shall confine my self to the name of Handles.

For the Plough-head, some call them the Plough-throck, some the Plough-chip, &c. I shall retain the term of Plough-head.

And the Shield-board, some call Breast-board, or Earth-board, or Furrow-board, I shall retaine the Shield board.

And for the Coumb, or Whing of the Share, which is that which goeth upward upon the Shield-board, I shall term the Coumb.

And for the Tush or Phin of the Share, which is that that cutteth out the bottom of the Furrow as the Fish doth di∣vide the water, I shall call it the Phin of the Share, & so I shall avoyd multiplication of tearms, and a littl shorten and clear my discourse, and so proceed.

As for the giving an addition of ease unto an ordina∣ry

way of plowing, and the taking away of some of the strength which is so great a burthen to the Husbandmans, is of very vast concernment, and will take up a very large dis∣course the effecting whereof I shall endeavour under these following heads.

1 To discover the severall abuses or hindrances to the welll-going of the plough, with some remedies thereto.

2 To give you the descriptions, with the Figures of several sorts of ploghs now in use.

3 To demonstrate wherein the chief ease of the plough consists, with the easiest growing plough and the advantage gained thereby.

4 To discover to what sorts of Land and seasons of plow∣ing each plough is most suitable, with a double plough yet unknown, and a plough that shall both plow and harrow at once.

The Abuses or hindrances to be removed are many, wherein I shall speak to particular abuses only.

And first I shall speak to particular abuses only pre∣judiciall [ 1] to the ploughs easie going in the Blacksmith, or he that makes the Irons for the plovgh, I not being of the opini∣on as many are, that the Irons should be made to the plough, but that the plough be made to the irons; I therefore shall be bold to say, that if Plough Irons be not made exceeding true in all points, according to the Land you have to plow, and wrought fair and smooth, a plough-wright or plow maker shall not, nor cannot work true to a false foundation and if it be not wrought true, it shall hardly go true, unless after much wearing, being wrought into work, it may plow; reasonable well at last, and by that time the plough may be worn out, but never with that ease, nor continuance as it would by truth of Workmanship: Another abuse in him is the not steeling his plough-irons well, and making them ex∣ceeding sharp and well pointed.

The second abuse is in the plough-maker, who works ac∣cording to certain coarse Rules he hath learned by trade, knows not how to hold a plough himself, nor to apply him∣self

to the nature of the Land according to the alteration of it, nor scarce is able to discern the falsity of the Smiths work∣manship; and is not able to apply himself to all sorts of Lands, or those severall sorts of Tilths the Husbandman gives, he shall never make a Plough to go with ease by his rules, unless he chop upon it by chance.

[ 3] The third abuse may be in the Plough-holder, and if he have not abilities to order his Plough, to fix and alter his I∣rons, and his Plough too, according to the severall natures of Lands he ploweth, and according to the manner of his Plowing, and keep his Irons in a true and keen posture; some∣time he is to cast down his Land, sometime to raise up, and sometime to plow up hill and down, sometime even levell Grounds, in all which if he have not some good experience, though both Smith and Plough wrights do their parts, yet because the Plough-holder cannot be made aswell as the Plough, many good Ploughs are utterly spoyled in the usage or abusage

[ 4] May be in the Lands, when the Lands as some almost at any time, or with any Ploughs are not workable; or when Land is over-wet or over-dry: now all Ploughs are not to go up∣on all Lands, nor at all times but men must be so knowing, as to have their severall Ploughs for each sort of Land and seasons, otherwise they will moyle horse, m••n, and Ploughs un∣speakably.

Now as to the discovering some remedies or cures against these abuses, and first as to the Smith, his Truth of Work∣manship lieth chief in these three materials of the Plough, I the Share, 2 the Coulter, 3 the Shield or Breast-plate (as some call them) Shivers: All which they being made true, and according to the naturall cast of the surrow, that so the earth stick not upon the Plough, but the Irons wear bright and clean, it is a good sign of the truth of Workmanship on his part. I shall onely prescribe these particulars for the ad∣vantage of the Share; if it be a Share made with a pan to put upon a wooden head, then I do advise the pan be made pretty deep, and somewhat deeper than our ordinary Shares are made, but not too large or wide a pan in bredth, and the

phin made broad, descending or whelmiug to the right hand; it hath these two advantages; first the deeper the pan is, the thicker and stronger may the head be put on, and the longer it will last.

2 The Tush or Phin of the Share will whelm the more being set down to the work which is the Levell or bottom of the head, or rather a little lower, which will give great ad∣vantage to it of clearing the earth at the throat, or first en∣trance upon the nose of the Shield-board with more ease, for if it stick there, it will be gone all along the Plough at once: A Share made most hanging from the very nose of the Breast-board, and not flat as most are; the figure whereof could I describe it like the side of a hill into a level meddow, would give a perfect demonstration of it, which I shall endeavour as near as I can; it should be pitched or set upon the Plough-head somewhat hanging also on the right hand, and the Plough-head pitched hanging also: As for the breadth of it, I leave that to each mans experience as his land requires; if upon a stony land, or twichy woody Land, it must be nar∣rower, and the more flinty the narrower; but if it be upon a gravelly it may increase in bredth, and so it may upon a clay, and more upon a mixed earth, and more upon a pure earth of sand, and most of all upon the Lay-turf, however upon all I would have it cut up very cleanly the full bredth of the Furrow thou carriest with thee, and not rend and tear it up with the breadth of the Plough, which increaseth the weight and strength; and most Ploughs are guilty of this inconvenience, especially where they goe with their narrow long pointed shares.

But now if you demaund whether it be best to have the Coumb or Wing fixed to the Share, or put into the Share with a hole through and Riveted below, or whether to have none at all, but onely a shiver or plate upon the Breast or Shield-board, placed curiously upon the Share, exceeding tite, and as closely filled and wrought to the Sharepan as may be.

I answer, first, that could you have the Coumb or Wing so fixed, welded, or wrought solidly to the Share, with its

true whelming, hollow, cross winding, compass, just answr∣ing the cast or turn of the Furrow, which cannot be descri∣bed by a Figure: this being wrought fair and smooth, and as broad as possible you can get it, wil be the best. And this is reasonable well done in many parts of Hartfordshire, in some parts of Northamptonshire, and Bedfordshire, and in ma∣ny other parts, onely the Wing or Coumb is not broad e∣nongh; but the best pattern for this is upon the Bastard-Dutch Ploughs, who work them so broad, as they cover all the nose of the Breast-board, eight or nine inches broad, and twelve or thirteen inches high, and give the truest compass of any: I have seen of this fashion in Holland in Lincolnshire, and many there are of them upon the Marshes and Sea-coast of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where the Dutch plough is much used, but the true Dutch share is otherwise so costly, and made especially for boggy soft land, very troublesome and curious to be wrought, and more curious to be kept, and by our Countrey men the nicety of it will not be endured, nor indeed will it work in most part of our Country Lands, and therefore I forbear further incoragement thereto, than to this small branch thereof. The weelding compass of the Co∣umb.

But as to the fixing or weelding on the Coumb, I stand indifferent, because I think there is another way as good and easie, however let the Share without the Coumb be made as aforesaid, and then with a Shiner or Breast-plate curiously wrought a little hollowish at the nose, and so con∣tinuing along, being placed so close to the Share, that grass straw, roots, or weeds get not betwixt it and the Share to choak it in the Breast; for then it is utterly spoyled of its case: the Shiner will do best to be continued all along the Breast-board one solid plate compassed and cross winding from the middle; the over end forward looking one way towards the Land, and the over end backward towards the furrow; and so must all your shield or breast boards be hewen or sawen, and compassed with fire, and wrought fair or smooth afterward. This shiner if wrought fair, as high as the earth works upon the plough, and have his true com∣pass

with the Breast board, may also be of excellent ease to the plough; for after it hath gone, and is scoured bright, the earth will slip off, and pass away with much ease, and will carry no earth at all, which is to the great ease of the plough; and both these are better than a Coumb put through the Share-pan, and so come up along the nose of the Shield-board, and there nayled to strengthen the neck of the plough, or else put up into the plough-beam to strengthen it either; yet this I also prefer before those that have neither this, nor the aforesaid helps. And as for other fashioned Shares, whe∣ther made to the single wheeled plough, or to the double wheeled plough, whether with a pan, or without a pan, it matters not, so that at the first entrance of the earth it be rightly compassed, and cast for the cleanly running over the furrow, and the Share point made very small, sharp and well steeled, be it long or short.

2 As to the Coulter, his truth of Workmanship lyeth in this, whether it be Dutch or English Coulter, that it be well steeled and wrought sharp and thin on the edge; the point al∣so looking forward, if English, and the edge alway placed just forward, neither carving, or turning towards the Land, for that will alway be apt to draw the plough too wide, nor yet into the furrow, for that will be alway apt to work it to go too narrow, but just straight forward by a straight line to the pitch of the plough; but if a Dutch Coulter, then the wheel to be very well steeled, and about ten inches high, and to go as true as possible; for the false cutting of the wheel will make you work at a great uncertainty, which Coulter is not usefull neither upon stony, gravelly, flinty, broomy, gossy, or rooty ground, but upon pure turf, or pure mould, on which it goeth very easie.

The midst of the wheel had need be an inch thick because of wearing, and so wrought thinner and thinner towards the edge round, untill it come to be as thin as a knife if it were possible; but because this Coulter is with many of high e∣steem, and of some advantage, and yet not much known, I will give you the figure of it, as also of the best sort of English, for its compass, and a sharp thin well tempered edge, that

tends most to the ease of our English Coulter, and it shall be where I give the description of the Ploughs I intend to shad∣dow forth.

And as the Plough-holder or Ploughman may much pre∣judice the easie going of the Plough, so one rightly quali∣fied may in great measure advantage it, although the Plough be made never so exact and true; and therefore I give these two or three generall Rules to the Plough-holder, which are naturall to any sort of ploughs whatever, although there are some different rules appertenant to some particular Ploughs, as the double wheeled plough, and the Turnwrest Kentish ploughs, which would be too tedious to discourse, but these I leave to the plough-mans practice being easily found out by two or three dayes experience.

The first generall Rule shall be that the plough-man be able to judge and determine within himself the truth both of the plough-wright, and the Smiths workmanship, and in case he find an errour therein at first to mend it, which is far easier done than after the plough or irons be wrought into a greater error; yea that it is possible it may not be reco∣verable.

And secondly, having his plough and all his Accutrements compleated, then to the triall of it, and therein be sure to make the first tryall of your plough vpon land workable, and regular lands, not upon lands above measure hard rooty, rushy, twichy, or any way unfeacible, because upon such lands a true demonstration of the goodness and truth of the plough cannot be discovered, nor any Rule can be ob∣served.

2 Because such lands will more easily and suddenly wrench, writh, or put a new plough out of its work before it be wrough into its work. A rough new plough being somewhat like an unbroken horse, which may easily be spoy∣led in the hand of a violent mad-cap Rider, but if the horse be kindly used, and taken of his untamedness by degrees, by ease, kindness and patience, he is made a horse for ever; so after that in ordinary land, your patient discreet plough-man have well scoured your plough, brought it to a true

furrow both for breadth and depth, and set your Irons as it will goe it self with the very bearing of the hand to keep it steady, then you may afterward be bold to put it to any service, or any lands whatsoever the strength of it will abide, and it may be serviceable for many years.

Thirdly let him be sure having once got his plough into a perfect furrow, his plough avoiding all the earth as it takes it on at Breast, and carrying a fair clean furrow along with it, and turning its furrow cleaverly also from it, then let him not neglect a day, but iron his plough with slips or clouts in all the wearing places, smooth and even, and strengthen the neck of it with an iron bolt, from the bottom of the head through the beam, and there strongly drawn up and cottered fast, if he have none before, that the Head may not draw the least, for after a plough is drawn in the Neck or Breast, it is probably wholly spoyled; and then alway be carefull in keeping your Irons sharp, and clean wrought, your Coulter edge thin ground, and Share phin as sharp as may be, and very small point upon your share, all well steeled and tempered, your plough shall go with great ease and truth.

But lastly, the plough-man must have a little regard to his Teem or Draught, and to the well geering or ordering them, if he will take all advantages he may or ought for ease, and therefore must alway make his Horse or Ox as sui∣table as may be, not some high and some low, but of an e∣quality as even as may bee, much might bee spoken herein by way of reprehension and advice too but I must forbear, onely advise that if your horses be unequall for height, then place the highest formost, and so your higher next, and your lowest last; many reasons may be given therefore; however make your Horses and Oxen as equallas you can possibly, if they be unsizeable, your highest draw up your lowest, and your lowest draw down the highest therfore endeavonring all you can that all draw by a streight line is best, and preserves the full strength of your Teem or Draught for your plough, which otherwise you lose a very confidera∣ble part thereof, and let your Gears or Harness be strong and easie.

Secondly be as carefull as in sizing them for their height, so also in matching them for their spirit as near as you can. A horse of a dull sluggish spirit, and heavy, is fittest for slug∣gish service such as your heavy loads, or weighty draughts, fitter for carting than plowing; your quick lively spirited Horses will be best for your plough, and the dull horses will be best to be placed together at what service soever, and then they will not deceive their fellows, which many times is the spoyl of many a good horse; your false deceitfull Horse that will draw but at his own pleasure, and fail you and his fel∣lows at a stand or dead lift, as we say, is exceeding unservice∣able, and must be avoyded as much as is possible: Yet if he be quick sprited, and full of metall, he may do best at plough and harrowing, and being sized with his fellows is usefullest in that service of any other whatsoever.

Lastly, he must be able to judge of his Land, and the sea∣sons of plowing, and to sort his severall ploughs to each al∣teration, otherwise he shall not be able to plow all his Lands, nor indeed any at some seasons; and because of this I shall say more hereafter, I shall dismiss my plough-man with this exhortment, be as willing to learn as thou hast need, and abandon those poor silly shifts men make to preserve themselves ignorant and unserviceable, as they have been plough-men all their dayes and are not now to learn, and men may as well be too precise, and better ploughs cannot be made than their Country affords, and could better have been devised they would long since: With hundreds more so childish, as are not worth an Answer, but these exceedingly stifle and choak Invention, and will do my Readers Imitation of these rude Discoveries.

CHAP. XXIX.

The second Generall, whereby I shall descend to the description of the severall Ploughes in use, and shew you the defects in some, and the Ad∣vantages others have, and what Addition I can give both from my own Observations, or o∣therwise, to make up as compleat an easie Plough as my Experi∣ence will make out.

I Shall therefore confine my discourse to three or four sorts of ploughs.

First the Wheel-plough, I mean the double wheeled plough.

2. The single wheeled plough, and the foot plough.

3. The simple plain plough, without wheel or foot.

4. The Dutch Bastard, or plain Dutch plough.

Many other sorts there are, as some alter in their heads, some in their Beams, some in their Stilts, &c. and most in their Shares, and all almost according to the Country of which they are, of al which it were too endless to discourse but I onely name these, because I conceive all these usefull in some sort of Land or other, and a good husband had need be stored with two or three sorts of them at all times, espe∣cially he that hath severall sorts of Lands, of all which I shall say but little, yet a word of each; but I shall reserve the main of my discourse for those very particular branches of the plough that shall make out that I shall give ease ther∣to.

And first, as for the double wheeled plough commonly

called the Wheel-ploug, and is of most constant use in Hartfordshire, and many up-Countries; and is very usefull upon all flinty, stony, or hard gravell, or any other hard Land whatsoever after it comes to be beyond its natural temper, is an excellent good form, & a very usefull plow, and very necessary that al great Corn-masters have one of these for strength, that so he may not force his other plows which are made on purpose for lands in a Tillable cōdition, & so are made more light & portable than these will bear to be, but these will go and work well with a great strength, when other ploughs will not to any pur∣pose; and because much addition of ease cannot be given to this plough, which I shall not advise to but in the cases aforesaid, when and where other ploughs cannot work, these Lands being under an extreme. And as to such extremes, nor none else will any ordinary Rule hold, that I may not work against the stream, lest I swim alone; I will only give you a short description with the draught or figure therof, and as any addition may be given to the plough in any of its members, it shall not be restrained from an application to this as wel as to any other.

This is usualy drawn with Horses, or Oxen geered dou∣ble two a breast and indeed so they draw the strongest but tread the Land the more, but why they may not be put single in wet seasons, or in dangerous times, I know not.

This Wheel-plough is made of a strong clest Ash-beam, about six foot long, and is contrary to all other beams in the Compass of it the crook or compass wherof looketh upwards, and the Land-handle thereof is placed at the great or neather end of the beam, as other ploughs are for it is usually made with one handle, and the plow-staff is instead of the Furrow-handle, and is very long an∣swerable to the length of the handle, the length wherof I much approve, and could wish it were observed in every plough whatsoever, it tending much to the easie and cer∣tain holding of the plough.

The Sheath is made of the toughest, youngest Ash, and

perfect & dry that can be got, and set with a very good mortess very much forward, joynted exceeding true and close into the beam, and driven up so exceeding hard, with a bragget behind it to hold it from declining, that it stands and will to its work in the strongest land whatsoever.

The Head is pitched as strongly at the neather end of the Sheath and Stilt as can be, and pinned through both, and the Share is pitched upon the Head at a very deep pitch and somewhat hanging, that so the plough may goe much a shore, because the holder usually goes two furrows off the plough wider on the near side the plough: And as it is pitched deep, near a full yard pitch, so it is also very broad, being near half a yard, and that I conceive arises from the former Reason, because of the mans going so far wide of his plough. Their Shares are made exceeding narrow, and very strong, and run∣ing out to a very exceeding long small point, very well stee∣led, and sometimes they add a Tush or Phin, but they make it very narrow also, and so it must needs be, the hardness, and stoniness of the land not admitting of it: And the Coul∣ter stands a little above the Share-point, and not before it, but rather behind it.

As for the Wheels that bear it, being eighteen or twenty inches high, are made of about six spokes of wood or iron, fastened into a little short Hub or Nath, and a bark hoop or iron binding round about them: they run upon an iron Spindle about two foot long: which runs round in a Boul∣ster which the iron spindle beareth, and it is three or four inches thick, and lieth betwixt the wheels about fifteen or sixteen inches in length or more, and at least eighteen or twenty inches in height, standing up to bear the plough-beam, & upon the same Boulster goes up an Iron pin eight or nine inches above the Beam, and to gage it for its true depth; to the middle of which Boulster is fastened a short chain backward with a strong iron Coller almost like a round Ring which encompasseth the Beam, and is moveable, and to be put forward or backward, to make the plough goe deeper or shallower, as occasion is, and is held in its place with an Iron Hammer; the helve or shaft all of solid Iron,

[illustration]

and that is to be taken in or out of the beam at pleasure, to let it down or take it up as cause requires: and when the plough turns out of work at Lands end, it must have some cord or strong whit-leather thong to come up from the boulster, to keep the beam from slipping off being empty. And so you have a short verball description of the Wheel-plough as it is used in most parts of England.

This Wheel-plough requires a great strength; and the greater because of the great length they are made of, which carrieth such a long and heavy weight of earth upon it, that it adds exceedinly to the burthen of it, which may be easily removed in some measure, by contracting the plough into a shorter, and somewhat narrower compass, and taking off as much of the weight and load both of Wood and Iron, as the strength of the work will bear upon which it is to be em∣ployed; yet it being a very useful plough upon some lands & at some seasons. The Figure expect with the other ploughs.

There is another double Wheeled-plough, & it is called the Turn wrest plough, which of all ploughs that ever I saw, surpasseth for weight and clumsiness: it is the most of use in Keut, Picardy and Normandy, and is called the Ken∣tish plough with us.

The beam may be made of any wood for the bigness of it, but Ash is best: but the two handles are made of one forked peece of any wood, and the beam tenanted into the Stlit below the Fork, and so it runs down into the plough-head, and is there tenanted and pinned into the head; and as for the Sheath, that is a good strong peece of dry Ash tenan∣ted into the beam, directly down right, but looking for∣ward at the neather end, and fixed into the Head somewhat as other ploughs are, but the Sheath far bigger downwards: the plough-head is pitched at a very great depth, or else at random for depth, being carried with two Wheeles as the former, but nothing like so neat nor easie; and for bredth, it is pitched just under the Beam upon a straight line, and so it ought to be, as you shall see anon. As for any Shield or breast-board, it hath none at all on either side the plough,

as all other have, but a little peece of wood set along the Sheath forward, about five inches broad, closing upon the Share just as if you would cut a Die in the midst from corner to corner, and place the flat side to the Sheath, and the edge forward, which is their breast-board. The Share is put up∣on the plough-head with a pan half round upward, and flat downward, and is, or ought to be tushed a little on both sides, as our ordinary ploughs are, and so runs out to a sharp point.

They have one Wrest or two, some one and no more, but sometimes two, which I should conceive alwaies and at all times best; and this Wrest is to be put upon pins, one in the Sheath, standing just under the Breast board, and the other unto a longer pin or round staff fixed into the bottom of the handle, as wide as the furrow, and this Wrest is no other but as a round stick about two foot long, or rather a half rovnd one, with two holes in it to put the aforesaid pins into; and at every Lands end this Wrest must be turned on the other side; so if they have two must they both be alter∣ed also, and one placed two or three inches higher than the other, and the highest is to be placed broader by an inch and half, or two inches, and sometimes three inches than the low∣ermost to cast the furrow cleanly over.

And for the Coulter, that is also moveable in the Coul∣ter hole, it being made very wide, at every Lands end, to which purpose they have a strong ground Oak-plant, about an inch and half over, that is very tough, and with that they will, having two pins placed upon the top of the Beam, one an equall distance from another, and both equally di∣stant from the Coulter, wrest or writh the Coulter from one side to another, and there hold it till they come to the lands end, and there turn both Wrest and Coulter.

And thus you have a rude description of the Turnwrest or Kentish plough, and the Figure you should have, would it advantage my Reader half so much as it would cost the cutting; but they are so common in Kent all the Countrey over, and that so near London, that I had rather when thou hast a mind invite thee thither to see the thing it self

which will give thee better satisfaction than all the Figures can dot.

Yet thus much learn from hence, that the Land that ly∣eth so upon the side of a hill, as there is no plowing it up∣ward and downward, may very well be plowed with this plough, and best of all, and it is especially usefull hereto; or it you have any flat levell peece, where you would not have one furrow discovered, this will do it also; the formost Horse or Ox alway going in the furrow, and the nearest alway upon the Land, and alway double; and I am consi∣dent it may be cast into a neater form, and made to very good advantage; the weightiness and ugliness of it I hate, but the Turnwrest conceit I like, which my occasions have not permitted me to experiment, of which I shall say no more at present, but that the Turnwrests to cast the furrow is very good and usefull for the two sorts of ground above∣said.

I shall now come to the one wheeled Plough, and of that I shall give you also somewhat a large accompt, be∣cause it is an excellent good one, and you may use it upon almost any sort of Lands, which the Figure and descripti∣on of the same, which shallbe drawn into that shape and form that will admit of more lightness and nimbleness than any of the former.

You may see the use and fashion of it too at Collonell Blunts near Greenwitch in Kent, a Gentleman of great e∣steem and honour in his Country, who hath made very many of them.

The main Plough-beam is very short, about five foot long, made of very good wood, but small and light as may be, to which is another false Beam added below the Coul∣ter hole, under the other and fixed to it by a staple, drove up into the true Beam, with a capping upon the false beam end, or some other way, the form whereof is not much materiall, which false beame is that by which the plough is drawn, and gives opportunity by a Standard put into the end of it, bored full of holes; and passing through

the Master-beam, to let the plough up and down to any gage of depth or shallowness whatsoever, and indeed that beam is the guide of it.

The Sheath is pitched very forward from the beam into the mold of the Share whose Share-mold, as I may call it, is made as long as the Head should have been, & is of the same use as the plough-head is of, & is made of two smal slips, not so heavy as the Head would be, & there being no head at all, the Land-handle is put into the Share-mould with an iron pin, and so is the plough-sheath also, and there fixed fast with an iron pin, and the Share forward made like ano∣theher Share; and then just before the Breast-plate is a hole made through the Share, and there is rivetted, or else with an iron hook put into a long iron slipe, which is made an inch, or inch and half broad, and so comes up to the beam just before the nose of the Shield board, and so runs through it, and is cottered upon the top of the Beam lying upon the Shield board, and the Shield board is compassed a little hollow in the very breast, and so from before the middle, begins to whelm and wind towards the furrow, and so winds more and more to the very end, and this Breast-board is placed close upon the Share, which is made with a long point, and broad or narrow phin, as the land re∣quires; and sometimes, and any time any ordinary Pan de Share may bee used, and placed upon a Head as other ploughs are; either with a narrow point for gravell or stoniness, or with a broader Phin, and long sharp point, for mixed, sandy earthy Land, as well as that fashioned Share, and be of the same use as I conceive.

The Pitch of these Ploughs are about, or above two foot in depth, and about eight or nine inches in wide∣ness: This alway carefully observe that the uprighter you pitch your plough to goe the narrower, and the more hanging, the broader. As for the depth, I conceive it is not much materiall, because it is born up from the false beam till it come to a true working pitch; and in the false beam is planted an Iron Axeltree, about one inch or a little more in bigness, and about one foot long nine or ten inches

before the end of the false beam, and put in square into the beam, that it may stick fast; and at the other end of the Axeltree runs a wheel upon it, about eighteen or twenty Inches, or may be a little higher, or lower, as you please, which guides the plough from that false beam, that it can∣not sting or draw into the ground, & so is drawn at the end of that false beam, either with Horse or Oxen, with Cock or Clevies, as you have occasion or do desire; but because this plough cannot be fully discovered by the most familiar dis∣course, but will require the Figure also I will here give ye it, as near to the life as possibles.

That which is the Standard, fastned in the lower beam, and runs through the over, to gage the plough, is made near two foot high, and in the over end is made two holes to put the Horse-raine throngh, to come from the Horse head to the very plough handles, to guide him to and fro, and under them divers removing holes, and one or two in the beam equall to those in the Standard, and an Iron pin put through them both. This plough neatly made, and very small hath been drawn with one horse, and held by one man, and plowed one Acre a day at sowing time in a moyst season; and as Collonell Blunt hath related to me, he hath with six good horses six men, and six ploughs, plowed six Acres a day at sowing rime, in light well wrought Land.

The Figure expect with his fellows.

CHAP. XXX.

Shall discover some generall faults that may be incident to all sorts of Ploughs, and give you the description of the Dutch and Norfolk Ploughs.

I Shal now proceed in this place, though not so Methodically as I should, to disco∣ver the usuall faults of many ploughs of all sorts, and most ploughs in England are tainted with some of them.

1 When they are made too big both of Wood and Iron, that is bigger than the work requires, they are the heavier to be drawn, carry the more weight with them, and require the more strength to draw them. A husbandman must have his severall ploughs if he will carry on his work comfortably.

2 Fault may be in the roughness and ill compassendness of the Share, as aforesaid; and when a plough is made too thick in the very breast; of this fault are many ploughs in some parts, and though it help well in the sudden cast of the furrow, and wil carry a great furrow with it, yet it goes very sore; of this fault are the plough in Holland in Lin∣colnshire, which otherwise have a gallant cast of the Shield board as I ever saw, which I have before at large descri∣bed.

3 Is the shortness of the handles, by which a man cannot command his plough with that ease and truth as he might do if his handle had length and compass: A short upwright handle exceedingly dislike, a man having very little power to command the same, & when the plough is not truly held it never goes easie.

4 The straitness of the Breast-board neither made nor drawn compass and croswinding for the cast of the fur∣row,

a very great fault to the Ploughs ease.

5 The placing the Wrest even with the Breast-board, and as long as it, or near as long, nay I have in some parts seen it longer. It is as great a hindrance to the easie and true going of the plough as any I know, and yet by very few discerned or reproved; I say, & had I time I would give rea∣sons enough to clear it, that a good broad Wrest; and five, six, or seven inches shorter than the Shield-board, is best, which being at the further end set even, or a little under the breast-board, and at the neather end where it is pinned, either to land, handle, or otherwise it be set two inches nar∣rower and under the Shield-board, is both easie to the hol∣der and to the cattle, and a main advantage to the turn and strike of the furrow, and especially the plough being made no broader behind than a just furrow breadth.

6 And lastly the dulness of Irons, and either not clouting at all, or else uneven rough clouting and plating your ploughs, is a considerable hindrance both to the ease and lasting of ••ste plough.

And these, or any of them all are generalls, and will hold, let them be upon what plough they will, or upon what Lands they wil, or in what seasons soever, and are greathin∣drances of the good of plough and Plowing: And there∣fore what fashioned ploughs soever you make; take heed of these Rocks, and for what seasons soever you make them, a∣voyd them all, and then if thou wilt follow thine own Country fashion doe, and God bless thee with it. I say not that these are all the faults, for there are many more, parti∣cularly treated of also aforegoing, but these are such as may be prevented in any common sort of ploughs whatever, & most of them In al sorts, & wil put such an advantage to the ploughs ease, as with observing the foregoing directions also will be woth thy imitation.

In Norfolk and Suffolk are very good ploughs in many parts of the Country, & upon the sandy parts two horses & one man will plow at ordinary seasons, and almost any land of that sandy nature, two Acres of a day, & many times one man with two horses hath plowed three Acres in one

day: They seldom go with above two horses, and may with one horse, and one man; and if they plow any strong land, that they are forced to put in three or four, they set them double, and have but one man to plough and drive: Their ploughs are very small and light, and little compassed, all which are great advantages, but the greatest is the Land, which is a pure sand for the most part, and very easie work∣ing land; yet though this be the easiest, yet we have in ma∣ny hundred places of this Nation very sandy light land, & very earthy mouldy land, a light mixed chissely land, and abundance of Errable Land in very good Tilth, where men usually go to plow with four horses or four oxen & a horse, and seldom less, but many times more (which might as wel if not better be done with two) unless at seed time, now and then two oxen and a horse, or three horses and two men, which is a wonderfull charge to the poor Husband∣man, the extremity of which charge were it but removed, would be sufficient of it self to make him thrive and pros∣per. I shall conclude this discourse with a relation I had frō a Norfolk Gentlman of very good worth and credit in that Country. Upon the Marsh-lands bordering upon the Sea-coast, a Gentleman set an hundred Acres to a man to plow, he covenanted with him to find him horse, and ploughs, & irons and meat for the horses, and he was to find onely all mans labour, and he allowed him eight horses for the work, and for the mans labour that he was onely to find to plow this land: the man covenanted to plow this Marsh-land, w^ch is a mixed earth, & we have many thousand Acres as easie plowing in England, almost in al Countris for 5^d. an Acre, & performed it; he plowed his 8 acres a day, he found but 3 men to the work, he went to plow with two Teems, two horses and one man to one plough, and two horses and one man together in the morning, & one man to shift them at noon, and meat and gear them, and then he brought in two Teem in the afternoon, two horses in a Teem with the same men, and so plowed, as aforesaid, his eight acres: I saw the ground thus plowed, & the poor man got his three shil∣ling and four pence for his men and himself, that is ten∣pence

a day a man, which is good wages in Norfolk. It is a wonder that we should be so slothfull, when some are so in∣genious.

As for the Dutch plough I have also considered, which exceedingly differs from our severall fashioned Ploughs, therefore I shall not give you the large description thereof, because as it is the pure Dutch plough, it is only applyable to Fen ond Marsh-land, where there is neither stone, nor root nor hard place, and the chiefest advantage it hath to east and expedition is in the breadth and sharpness of the share which is made about a foot and a half broad, some more; and sharp in the point; and as thin in the phin as a knife, and wrought most curious: a good share being worth above twenty shillings, which casts up a very grear broad Furrow, very clean, and easie as is possible, out of which I have contracted as much there-from, in the descrip∣tion of my Share as I can possibly allow to our uncertain changeable Land, to advance the ease which many times alters the temper and strength twice or thrice in one land.

And then for the Coulter, that is also especially applya∣ble to the aforesaid Land, but may be used upon any fair, pure, lay, turf, being old pasture. And thus I have given you the description & leave it to thy imitation; a good one will cost a mark or fifteen shillings; onely say you can hardly have a Smith in the country to work well upon it, and far worse upon the share; but as to the bastard Dutch, which is somewhat nearer appliable to our Lands, I have taken from it as much as it will afford me both in the cast of the Shield-board, which is very good, as also in all the other parts of it, and do apply it to the plough hereafter descri∣bed; and shall ingeniously acknowledge I have some branch from every of these roots, and from the Norfolk plough, and one wheeled plough also, from all which I find, that the shorter and lesser any plough is made, having its true pitch, with its true cast on the Shield-board, and short Wrest, and sharp irons, the far easier. Of all which having so seriously considered, made and tryed them almost every

one upon severall sorts of Land, and experimented them to the full with my own hands to my great expence, shall de∣scend unto my third General head for easing the plough.

CHAP. XXXI.

Thereby to demonstrate wherein the chief ease of the Plough consists, with the easiest going Plough, and the advantages gained thereby.

I Shall not with the least disparagement to a∣ny of them (giving them their due praise and honor) draw forth a description of the most easie-going Plough I can, & contract it to the least charge is possible; having all these helps and lights; and to add nothing thereto were a shame to an ingenious man.

I will therefore take a short beam, deeper one way than another, of a tough and dry young Ash, betwixt five foot, and six foot long, rising in the Coulter-hole, and strong there, but thence declining both wayes for strength, and so growing smaller, wrought round and smooth, my Sheath most exactly fitted into the beam, and pitched pretty for∣ward, and driven up so close with a little lace or bragget put behind the Sheath into the beam and Sheath, just but∣ting at both ends when the Sheath is driven up, which shall stand as a Buttress to support it, and may be as serviceable as an Iron dog as many use; my nearer Handle put upon a Tennant through the same, and drawn close with two or three wooden pins, and then both sheath and handle ten∣nanted exceeding close into the head, being about two foot long, not standing upright nor level, but beam-handle and sheath hanging from a perpendicular point one fifth or

sixth part to the Land on the nearer hand; my Furrow-handle with two good round staves planted on my Land-handle, as wide in the ends as a man can hold them, being very long and wel compassed and fairly wrought; my share formerly described pitched true upon my head, and drawn up with an iron bolt through head and pan into my beam, and cottered up, my share standing rather more hanging than the head doth, so close and true, as that water cannot pierce betwixt them either with a Coumb weelded on, rightly compassed, laid into my sheild-board, placed as high as the earth works up, and as smooth as may be, to the end my breast not being too thick at the nose, nor widening too suddenly, and as soon as the earth comes to the middle my Shield-board to widen, whelm, or compass, as if it would lie upon the furrow, and so to widen and whelm more and more unto the very end; or else a shiner planted upon my share, most close wrought, compassed and nayled to the sheild-board in the form before prescribed.

My Wrest a large hand breadth, planted under my sheild-board bottom, and narrower than it, and rather yet nar∣rower to the sheild-board end, so that it retain the just and full breadth of my furrow and no broader, it both goes easier, and helps the cast of the furrow: I desire it be well plated too, but shorter by five or six inches than my sheild-board, and by two inches than my Plough-head; my whole Plough boarded up so close as no earth may get into it, and plated very well and smooth in every wearing place what∣soevor: As for the pitch both in breadth and depth, that must be resolved both from the height you make your Plough, if high in the chest, your pitch must be the deeper about eleven or twelve inches, or about ten or eleven and a half; if to go single you must pitch it broader, if to go dou∣ble narrower: Every common Plough-wright can help you here, & also understand what is here dirrcted; my irons kept both hard and sharp in points and Phin, and this plough be∣ing once well scoured and clean, if it go not with as much ease as nature doth admit, or Art hath hitherto discovered, I will acknowledgemy mistake; but what strength may

draw it I shall not determine, I have told you what hath & doth draw the other ploughs before described, and could you shew me all the Lands, and all the temperatures at all seasons of those Lands, I could easily demonstrate that, but to me it is s••fficient if that I have both rationally and expe∣rimently discovered to thee the best plough & easiest that I know or have read of in the world, as I have cordially don, and given thee the product of my experience, and from each removed the inconvenience, and drawn out the quintessence as I am able. If this plough be preserved from any earth cleaving at all to it, bee as little in compass as any, have the advantages of sharp irons, and perfect true Workmanship, as that it need no Wheel which is a weight, and requires strength, and is of no use but to guide the Pitch, and this Pitch be made so true of it self as it will goe without it, and the Wrest cut shorter which gives much ease, and makes the plough go more certain, and the furrow turn better, and all these are as an addition to it; I con∣ceive and know less strength will draw it; to which if you please you may add the Dutch Coulter, it going some∣what easier, and is best for the pure turf without stones, but the other being kept as sharp is more certain, and not subject to be cast out of the ground, and will do exceeding well in wrought tillable land, if you keepe it a little before the share, that it may cut first, and one thought wider also but never within the share: 'Tis true in irreguler extreme land either for stones, roots, or hardness, I am at a loss, and for that end advise to the double-wheeled plough, which though it will be no otherwise advantaged to ease than as it is well and compleatly made, yet it is for strength & to supply extremities and cases of necessity without rule.

But thus much I will say, that take or make me such a plough, aforesaid described, upon any of the aforsaid lands, where the easiest and best ploughs are used (which I could wish had bin before now discovered which would have sa∣ved me this labour (and make tryall of it, and as the land is lighter and easier so make the plough lighter and lesser, and if it go not easier by a considerable part, my judgement

fails me; I am sure these particulars considered, and solidly put in practice throughout this Nation, may very well save one third part of the charge and toyle of Horse and man; nay in some parts I am confident neare one halfe, and if to the best plough it will give but the least addition, it is satis∣faction enough to me; but I very well know, it wil save one horse in four, and I believe one in three, as most Countries use, and one man in two. All that I have said is but to the pitch, and making the body of the plough. I say againe, if any contend for wheel or foot, he need but give his plough a little deeper pitch, and he may adde either thereunto, as wel as to any other, and please himself. The description of it shal follow in the end of the 33 Chapter.

And if you object, what shal guide the plough for depth, and keep it from stinging in clay ground, and how may you let it up and down as the nature of your land requires.

To which I answer, that having both in your plough, and plough-irons brought your plough to a true and perfect pitch, it wil require but litle help herein, yet hereby you may much answer your desire in two particulars.

1 In your hindmost gears you may at your chain that is put upon your plough-cock, or clevies, which ought to be made short linked on purpose to take up or let down as you see occasion.

2 Your hindmost, or Fil-horse at the back-band, which may be to take up or let down, you may ease your self at plearsue; and so I descend to the last General head.

CHAP. XXXII.

Containes the Applicatory part of Ploughs use, wherein I shall endeavour to hold forth to what sort of Land, and to what sea∣sons or Tilths of Land each Plough is or may be most serviceable.

IN the description whereof I shall in generall say, that when lands come to that extremi∣ty of hardness as the plough is forced be∣yond its gage or pitch of Truth, and that nothing but force will overcome it, then we must be content to lay by our hopes of ease and all our ploughs whatsoever that were made upon that account; for it is concluded that all good Husbands will take their seasons, which seasons are chiefly for all their Summers crops, in Winter when the Land is moyst & workable, from November untill March, and for all Winter crops the foundation of that work is to be laid in Win∣ter, as in the end of December and Ianuary to fallow as wee call it, al our strong coarse lay Turf, when wee may work it wel and clear it up to the bottom, which being once wel ploughed in a right season, it will work reasonable well in the hardest season the next plowing, and so very well the next, and so throughout, when it is compleatly plowed at the first; which first opportunity if it be overpassed by too much business or sloth or otherwise makes all the rest of our Tilths uncomfortable; every common Husbandman knows these things.

And for this Tilth, or season of plowing, and these sorts of Lands especially being very rough, hilly or banky, your Wheeled-ploughs will not work, but will be cast out by e∣very

hill: for this use I shall advise you to the plain plough made a little stronger than ordinary, with a true pitch both for breadth and depth, and because both wheel and foot too will cast it out at every hill, and some men cannot hold a plough without either; and possibly thy land may be un∣certain Land, that is, some clay, and some sand, and some mould, each of which will alter the going of the plough, therefore in this case let an iron foot be made, with a sharp edge like a Coulter forward to the bottom of the shank, & the foot made flattish, and very thin at both edges, and a little stronger in the middle, rising like a Place fish, and no thicker, and that will cut your hils before your Coulter, and keep it out of the ground too from stinging or draw∣ing into the clayes; but yet a good Plough-holder with a good Plough, will cast this away also in the roughest lands, and meerly with this hinder chain, & backband of his hind∣most horse take it up at pleasure, and even play with it too in the strongest workable work, when another shall moyl himself like a Beast, as we say.

But to hasten, when by a drought you are out of work, then I say as afore, that with strength your wheeled-plough will doe exceeding well, and none like it, your double wheeled one I mean, and your single wheeled ploughs too being exceeding strongly made, will tear up any reasonable ground, but in regard the wheel goes but upon an Axeltree, and that is fixed but in one end, in the false beam end also, it cannot be so strong as the other by far, therefore I advise every good Husband to one of these, the body of whose plough may be made to the same advantages heretofore pre∣scribed.

As for the casting down a land, or plowing any flat land, almost any plough wil doe well, and so your broad-breast∣ed ploughs will turn over a great furrow, though your Shield-board have little compass; but as to the setting up a Land, or ridging it, as most call it. I would have a narrow brested plough, with an exceeding whelming compassed Shield-board, increasing both in the breast by small degrees, and in the compass of the Shield-board with a very broad

and short Wrest, which adds one or two degrees of cast or compass to the Shield board; for in this work you will most apparently see the ease and advantage thereof

The Coulter having first done his office by going before, and dividing out the furrow.

The Share his, in cutting it up clear, and raising it from the solid Land.

The breast of the Shield-board takes it and gives it a cast and turn, that it is ready to fall.

The Wrest keeps its furrows breadth (for the horses easie going) and not suffer the furrow to drop short of its true place, but least it should stand an edge.

The Heel, or hinder end of the Shield-board comes, being longer than the Wrest, and standing as it were overlooking to see what it will leave, and like a Ladies tryal, gives the Furrow a sweep, or a good check, and bids it lye there in its proper place and not stand upon the edge.

And thus each member having done his office, one taking it from another regularly must needs admit of the greatest ease. A Saddle-tree is made of many peeces, and some com∣pass one way and some another but all to the true compass and easiness of the horse-back, so a plough it might be made of fewer parts and lesser compass, but that sewer will not give the true compass or cast of it, and deliver his furrow upon the best advantage.

As for your ordinary seasons of plowing your Land be∣ing in good Tillage, any well ordered, and truly compassed plough will do, you may help your self sufficiently in the making of your irons, if you would have the edge of your lying furrow lye up higher, which will yeeld most mould, then set your Share-phin the shallower, and set your plough the broader, and hold it the more ashore, the Plough-man going upon the Land, and it will lay it with a sharp edge, which is a gallant posture for almost any Land, especially for the lay Turf beyond compare.

But if you would have you land lie most even and flat, then set the Phin of your Share deeper, or holding, as some call it, & set your plough the narrower, & the holder alway

alway going in the furrow, and the Shield-board end will so humble it, as you may lay it upon a levell; this is best for land of which you will make a fallow, or cut and burn the Turf, or for land you intend to lay flat to grase. If the fur∣row should be all at once turned at the very breast, then it would go just as if you would put a Mold to root with her breech forward; which plough I have seen, but how the fur∣row would lie I know not, nor well what strength to draw it; but then there need neither be use of the hinder part of the Shield-board, nor Wrest neither; or if you would have it cast all in the Shield-board as some do that make no Wrest at all, then it will either not clear up the furrow well, set the furrow upon an edge, or else the hinder end of the sheild board, must whelm beyond all president or rule; or if you would have it made so thin in the breast as to cut through like a knife, and turn nothing till it come to the midst of the Shield-board and end of the Wrest and Shield-board, then there it gives too sudden a check too, and causeth the earth to choak and mouther upon the Breast board, that it will not slip away with ease; so that as I said before a medium in all, each member doing its particular office, preserves the health and comfort of the body.

These things (and many more which might be ncessary, I will forbear to speak to) are accounted niceties among ma∣ny, the knowledge whereof hath cost me much, and therefore am able to affirm that the very mystery of Ploughmanship lyeth upon the knowledge and practice of them, and so I proceed to the double plough, and the description thereof.

CHAP. XXXIII.

Holds forth a description of a double Plough carrying two Fuorows at once, and both pro∣portionable to a Furrow one ordinary plough shall carry: With a plow that shall both plough and Harraw both at the same time; and how to make a plough last a dozen years.

THe double plough shall be as plain as may be, it shall consist of one long Beam of an ordinary length, and another short one, little above half the length of the other. The first plough may be made up compleat in all the members thereof according to the last preceding description of the plain plough except the handles which may be very short, only so long as may receive the Beam with the Land-handle, and place the Shield-board on the furrow side, which may be done without any but a round staff from the Beam to the Shield-board; which handles excepted, it is one compleat plough in all particulars. The hinder end of the Beam is to be left a little stronger, because of fastening the other beam firmly thereunto; and then I proceed to the making of the hindermost Plough, which must be made in all the members and branches like the other, except the beam cutt off about three inches before the Coulter-hole, and the handles of this at length and strength as an ordinary strong plough is made, just according to the pattern of the plain plough.

Which being done, and the handles upon the last plough, you must set to the placing of it in his place which I disco∣ver thus, the first plough standing in its working posture, the other plough with is the handles to it to be affixed on the

nearer side, or left-hand, one furrow breadth wider than the other, just in the very same posture both for depth and breadth as the other doth, and so held off: from the first ploughs beam by alining, or filling of wood just that sub∣stance as may continue it firm and fast to a just furrow, and there drawn close and firm to that Master-beam with two small iron boults, and a broad float or two of wood, all which may be so keyed and cramped up, that it may be as one solid beam, and so move as the first moves, either for height or depth, which it must needs do, and this I conceive may be best used with a plough-foot to guide the depth of it, unless you place a wheel to that foremost beam, but not in a false beam, because I have not experience of applying this doubleness to those deep pitched ploughs, but in the end of that beam you may have as good a mortess as your beam will bear, which is the mortess for the foot, and there∣in you may place a square good strong piece of tough Ash, or rather of iron, into which you may have your iron Axel∣tree with its square end sitted into three or four severall holes of it, by which means you may set your plough at a working gage, and there continue it, and alter it as you see cause; which plough thus marshalled, you may well plow upon ordinary errable land that is in good tillage a double proportion, and also upon fair clean lay Turf, and this you may manage with two men and four good horses, but not either upon stony land, or rough land, the description and dis∣course wherof I give not in as of any great advantage above the other plain plough, but for variety sake, and to pro∣vok others to the amendment and perfecting of this disco∣very; yet I for present see not, but it may be of excellent use & expedition upon many lands in England; and to say much more is needless, in regard of what hath been before spoken and experience of a good ploughman will order it at plea∣sure.

And so I shall onely discover one other plough that will both plow and harrow of it self at one and the same time, and it is used in severall places in Norfolk, yet casting about with my self the advantages and disadvantages also,

and finding not how it will so well suit with our common wayes of Husbandry as to be a general advantage, I shall say the less, only tell you the manner of it, It is a common light Plough as all theirs are, and as little and light a Harrow, which may contain three little Buls, & about five Tines in a bull, which is made light also, and fixed to the plough at the one end of the beam, so that as the plough turns this turns also, and as the plough turns one furrow, the harrow harrows it over, reaching two more furrows, and so by the over-reaching it strikes two or three times in one place, which is sufficient for the covering any corn whatsoever shal be sowen upon Norfolk lands; but finding these two pre∣judices against it, viz, either this land must be sowed as the land is plowed, & so it will take up a mans time sowing an Acre, when otherwise a man will sow nine or ten Acres in one day, or else it must be sowed before plowing, and then it must be plowed in, and harrowed upon the top of it, which falls not under my experience, having known much land ••all far the heavier and more subject to bind and bu∣ry, than if onely lightly covered with the plough, and laid more open; and now thou ••ast the story, that such a thing is; and may be done, may thy own experience be the deter∣miner of the matter, but after the writing hereof having communicated thus much to a Gentleman of art and worth, do find that another addition may be made thereto, which is how to drop the corn, corn by corn proportionably to that quantity I desire to sow upon an Acre, which if by his assistance I can experimentally make out, I fear not to give you plough, and harrow, and seedsman all at once, and all to work with two horses and one man upon some lands, and with three horses upon all of this nature, & al to be done almost within the same compass of time that you are upon the plowing of it, it shall not require one hour in the day more; w^ch if I shal accomplish, you shall save near three parts of your seed also, and a considerable peece of labour too and not fail to have a better crop through the blessing of him that waters all, than ordinary wise. All which I hope to have brought into substantiall experience upon my own

lands by the next edition, and then expect the faithfull com∣munication thereof. One word more which would have come in more seasonable about the description of the plain plough, and that is how to make a plough that may last ma∣ny years ten or twelve, or fifteen years, yea I heard a work∣man affirm he would make one should last twenty years: As for the manner of the plow it is sufficiently spoken to alrea∣dy, all lyeth in two things: one thing is the wood it is to be made of, and the other is the workmanship of it.

The wood, especiall of the Sheath and plough-head, which is the materiall fundamentall peece in the Plough, must be made of heart of Oak, which to me at first seemed strange, but upon a full debate of the matter I find that if it be young tough Oak, & wrought so exact true in the joynts as may be, & kept so close boarded up as that water cannot get into any of them, and laid alway dry, and so kept, but while in working, and every part of it well clouted & plated with iron, and drawn close in the throat from a hole in the Share, through the Head & part of the Breast-board with a through iron pin which is to be wrought somewhat bigger under the head, that so it may somewhat strain the share to a more perfect closure, and stronger sticking to the head and wel cottered up through the beam, being bored with a long shanked Auger through al: And al the rest of the wood to be young white tough Ash, and wrought compleat and true in every joynt, & laid up when out of use, both out of wind & weather, & out of question a good plough may well serve a mans uncertain life: and so having as I hope, in some good measure supplied that deficiency in Husbandry Mr. Hartlips Legacy chargeth us withall in the fifth page of his Book, and so proceed to the next peece of Improvement.

Notes

• Plough irons made very true.
• The remedies of the ploughs abuses.
• A description of the plain share.
• The Coulter how best made
• The Dutch Coulter.
• The best way for the tryall of a new plough.
• Plough well clouted, and irons sharp & smooth kept.
• Size your Horses or Ox∣en equal.
• A good cha∣racter of a good Plough-man.
• Plough-beam.
• Wheel plows described.
• Plough-sheath
• Plough head.
• Plough-wheels
• The Turn-wrest plough.
• The single wheel plough.
• A president of land plowed for 5 s. an A∣cre plough and horses found.
• The dutch coulter is appliable to any pure clean land.
• The onely ad∣vantages for making the ea∣siest going plough.
• The descripti∣on of the plain plough.
• The benefit of a broad and short Wrest.
• What ease and advantage this plough and the directions will afford.
• The season of plowing for summer corn
• The season for plowing for winter corn.
• A foot descri∣bed as will go in hilla••ground▪
• A plow to cast down land.
• A plow to set up land.
• The particular use of many of the members of the wel regulated plough.
• How to plow as it may yeild most mould.
• How to plow as your lay your land most level.
• How to set the double plough together.
• The plough wi••h a harrow affixed.
• Plough har∣row, seedsman, and all in one plough••o work all at one time.
• The lasting plough that may endure many yeares,