Systema agriculturæ, the mystery of husbandry discovered treating of the several new and most advantagious ways of tilling, planting, sowing, manuring, ordering, improving of all sorts of gardens, orchards, meadows, pastures, corn-lands, woods & coppices, as also of fruits, corn, grain, pulse, new-hays, cattle, fowl, beasts, bees, silk-worms, &c. : with an account of the several instruments and engines used in this profession : to which is added Kalendarium rusticum, or, The husbandmans monthly directions, also the prognosticks of dearth, scarcity, plenty, sickness, heat, cold, frost, snow, winds, rain, hail, thunder, &c. and Dictionarium rusticum, or, The interpretation of rustick terms, the whole work being of great use and advantage to all that delight in that most noble practice.

SECT. III. Soyls taken from the Sea or Water.

The richest of all Sands is what comes from the Sea-coasts and the Creeks thereof, and all Lands bordering on the Sea may be im∣proved by them; it is the usual practise in the Western parts of England for the people to their great charge in carriage to convey the Saltish Sands unto their barren grounds, whereof some of them do lie five miles distance from the Sea, and yet they find the same exceeding profitable, for that their inheritance is there∣by enriched for many years together, the greatest vertue consist∣ing in the Saltishness thereof.

Others say the Richness of the Sands is from the fat or filth the Sea doth gather in by Land-floods, and what the Tide fetches dai∣ly from the shores, and from fish, and from other matters that pu∣trifie in the Sea, all which the Water casts on shore, and purgeth forth of it self, and leaves in the Sands, while it self is clean and pure.

The Sands of fresh Rivers challenge also a place in our Im∣provements being laid on Land proper for the same, but more e∣specially if it be mixed with any other matter, as most usually it is, where it is cast on shelves at the falls of some Land-waters de∣scending from Hills or High-ways.

In Devonshire and Cornwal, and many other parts, they make a very great Improvement of the Sea-weeds for the Soiling and Manuring of their Land, and that to a very great advantage.

All manner of Sea-owse, Owsy-mud, or Sea-weeds, or any such-like, growing either in the Sea or fresh Rivers, whereof there is a very great quantity lost and destroyed, are very good for the bettering of Land.

In Cornwal there is also a Weed called Ore-weed, whereof some grows upon Rocks under high Water-marks, and some is broken from the bottom of the Sea by rough weather, and cast upon the next shore by the Wind and Flood, wherewith they Compost their Barly-Land.

Of Snayl-Cod, or Snag-greet.

It lieth frequently in deep Rivers, it is from a Mud or Sludge, it is very soft, full of Eyes and wrinkles, and little shells, is ve∣ry rich; some they sell for one shilling two pence the Load, ano∣ther sort they sell for two shillings four pence the Load at the Ri∣vers-side, which men fetch twenty miles an end for the Inriching of their Land for Corn and Grass, one Load going as far as three

Load of the best Horse or Cow-dung that can be had: It hath in it many Snails and Shells, which is conceived occasioneth the fat∣ness of it.

I am very credibly informed that an Ingenious Gentleman li∣ving near the Sea-side, laid on his Lands great quantities of Oyster-shells, which made his Neighbours laugh at him (as usually they do at any thing besides their own clownish road or custom of ig∣norance) for the first and second years they signified little; but afterwards they being so long exposed to the weather and mixed with the moist Earth, they exceedingly enriched his Lands for many years after: which stands also with reason, the Shells of all such Fish being only Salt congealed into such a form, which when it is dissolved of necessity must prove fertile.

There is in most Rivers a very good rich Mud of great fruitful∣ness, and unexpected advantage; it costs nothing but labour in getting, it hath in it great worth and vertue, being the Soil of the Pastures and Fields, Commons, Roads, Ways, Streets, and Backsides, all washed down by the flood, and setling in such places where it meets with rest.

There is likewise very great fertility in the residence of all Channels, Ponds, Pools, Lakes, and Ditches, where any store of Waters do repose themselves, but especially where any store of Rain-water hath a long time setled.

In Forein parts where Fish are plenty they prove an excellent Manure for Land; in some places here in England there are plen∣ty of some sorts of Fish, and at some seasons not capable of being kept for a Market, it were better to make use of them for our advantage than not; I presume they are of the best of Soils or Manures, but herein I submit to experience.

Doubtless there is not any thing that proceeds from the Sea or other Waters, whether it be Fish or the Garbish of Fish, Vegeta∣bles, Shells, Sands, or Mud, or any such-like dissolving matter, but must be of very great advantage to the Husbandman, if duly and judiciously applied.

Notes

• Of Water-Sand.
• Of Sea-weeds, and Weeds in Rivers.
• Of Oyster-shells.
• Of Mud.
• Of Fish.