Husbandry anatomized, or, An enquiry into the present manner of teiling and manuring the ground in Scotland for most part and several rules and measures laid down for the better improvement thereof, in so much that one third part more increase may be had, and yet more than a third part of the expence of the present way of labouring thereof saved / by Ja. Donaldson.

CHAP. VII. Concerning Sowing and Planting of se∣veral Garden Seeds, and Roots.

IN this Art I profess not much Know∣ledge, Yet (perhaps) I have something more than every Husband-Man, and all I intend here, is only to give some few Directions, to such as are altogether ignorant in this matter, how to provide themselves in some common Roots and Herbs, for the use of their Kitchens: Because I have been recommending the Use of Roots and Herbs, as more profi∣table for House keepers, than to make alwayes Use of Grain for Maintainance of their Families. Wherefore least they object against my Advice, in pretending difficulties from their want of skill in this Art, and the natural Barrenness of the Ground.

To solve these difficultys, I say ac∣cording to the Measures already laid down, for bringing every kind of Ground to a temperat Constitution, I have shown already that any kind of arable Ground may be made fertile by industrie: And I say again by Hedging and Planting, fence your Garden from Storm and dung it well, you may have Roots and Herbs a∣bundance therein.

To bring your Gardens therefore to a good Condition. First, Digg up or delve your ground, at first about a foot deep: The soard of your ground throw the bottom of the Furrow or Trench, and if there be any Weeds or stones in it, gather them out, this being done about Hallowday, or some time in the Winter; Then in the Spring, so soon as you find it season∣able for sowing of Seeds, dung your Garden and delve it over again, cast∣ing

it in Plots or Beds. And then you may sow Carrot, Parsneep, Tur∣neep, or Onion Seeds, or any other common Seeds you please, and as soon as any Weeds begin to spring, be sure to pluck them up; In the Furrows you may plant Cabbage, I need not tell you how to set or plant common Kale, few or none but what has abundance of them already.

But when your Ground begins to fail, which perhaps it may do within twelve or sixteen years, even thô y•• dung it every year, by the frequent labouring and breaking up, it begins to fail, and turn somewhat dead or lifeless, which cannot be helped, but by letting it rest two or three years, or else by Trenching, which is done thus, First cross your Br••••k or Plot of Ground, make a Ditch about two or three foot broad, four inches deep∣er than the Crust of the Earth, or

deepth you have digg••d before, throw the Earth quite out, and seatter it upon the laighest part of your Plot, then dig as much of your Ground next to this Trench, and throw the upermost of the Earth into the bottom thereof; and the new Earth you find below lay uppermost; and when you have occasion to Trench this Ground again, you must dig three or four inches deeper then before, and as of∣ten as ye Trench, raise three or four inches new ground, and dung it and sow as before.

I also recommended Potatoes; as a very profitable Root for Husbandmen or others that have numerous Fami∣lies; And because there is a peculiar way of Planting this Root, nor com∣monly known in this Countrey: I shall here shew what way it is ordi∣narly planted or set. But first, know there be two sorts of them, the one

knotty and some thing redish colour∣ed, the other long, some thing after an Oval Form and white, this last is set whole, and when the Stalk is grown up, a dozen or perhaps more Potatoes groweth round about the Root thereof, but the cornered sort must be cut in small peeces, before they be set.

Now the manner of Setting or Planting them, is thus, The ground whereon they are set must be dry, and so much the better it is, if it have a good Soard of Grass. The Beds or Rigs are made about eight foot broad, good store of dung being laid upon your Ground, (Horse or Sheep Dung is the most proper Manure for them.) Throw each Potatoe into a knot of dung, and afterwards digg Earth out of the Furrows, and cover them all over, about some three or ••our inches deep; the Furrows left

between your Riggs, must be about two foot broad, and little less will they be in deepth before your Pota∣toe be covered.

You need not plant this Root in your Garden, they are commonly set in the Fields and wildest of Ground, for enriching of it. The common way Potatoes are made us•• of, are boyled and broken and stir∣red with Butter or new Milk, also roasted and eat••n with Butter, Yea some make Bread of them by mixing them with Oat or Barley Meal, after they are broken & stirred with Milk, other parboyl them, and bake them with Aples, after the manner of Tarts: Several other wayes are they made use of, as eating among Broath, & broken with Kale. To be brief, Potatoes are as usefull and profitable about a Husbandmans Houses, as any kind of food, I know.

I might insist in shewing farther, How any Farmer possessing a Mailen as in Chap: 3. May by Roots and Herbs, not onely save ten Bolls of his Grain, but even ne're twice so much. From the middle of August till Ianuary he may have Po∣tatoes, in March and April Parsneeps, from May to October, abundance of Milk, Kail and Carrots, and Turn∣neeps, &c. after Lambmass. But having insisted beyond my Expectation, let what is said suffice at the time, and if this pass the Press again (there being but a few Coppies of this Im∣pression) perhaps the World may have it with some Addition and A∣mendments; In the preceeding Chapter as a special means to enrich your Ground, I thought to have in∣formed you, that where you can have the Conveniencie to set Water upon your Land, it will much en∣crease the growth of Grass.

The way to perform this, where you can draw a Ditch alongst the head of your Field, and foregainst the head of every Rigg, make a little Gape, that you may close or leave open at your pleasure, and then draw Furrows with your Plough and Spade squint wayes▪ in the declining of the Hill, from the Furrow between your Riggs, to the top or middle thereof, where it is left without any Condu∣it; Then it spreadeth, and wa••ereth the Ground. But that it may not run away as soon as it falleth down to the Furrow again, you may raise it to the middle of the Riggs as before: Thus renew your Conduits till i•• come to the lowest part of the field.