The mystery of husbandry, or, Arable, pasture and wood-land improved Containing the whole art and mystery of agriculture or husbandry, in bettering and improving all degrees of land ... : directions for marling, dunging, mudding, sanding ... : proper times for sowing, chusing good seed, and ploughing ... : how to keep corn and other pulse from being destroyed by birds, vermin, lightening, mildew ... : To which is added The countryman's alamack. / by Lenard Meager.

CHAP. XL.

Claver, or Clover-grass, how in the best manner to order the Seed, Sow and Increase it, for the improvement of Land.

THere are several sorts of Claver, called vulgarly, Clo∣ver-grass, from whence great advantage springs in the improvement of barren Land; it being my intent to encourage the industruous Husbandman in every thing that is convenient for improvement of this nature.

As for the Land proper for the increase of this, I hold that best, that is dry and warm; for though it be coarse, yet with a little Manure, it will produce excellent Grass of this kind: Land that has been sowed so often with Corn, that it will well bear it no longer without new dressing, will, nevertheless, serve this turn, especially earthy, well-mixed Land, of a middle temper, with a little improve∣ment, is excellent for it: You, for this, may manure it with Dung, Marl, Lime, or Chalk b••aten small; and lastly, your natural cold Land so ordered, will turn to good improv••ment, if it be well drained to prevent overflow∣ings, or the Water lying long upon it; and indeed, most sorts of Land well ordered, produce it, though some more in abundance than others.

And this I shall lay down for a general Rule, That the Land which is not too rank, or sat, for any sort of Corn, is not too good for this sort of Grass; but barren Land, without improvement by manuring, will not produce it to answer expectation: as for the ploughing, use it as di∣rected for Fetches and Pulse, Chap. ...

As for the great Claver, which is the best, the Seed of it is like that of Mustard-seed, but not so round, rather inclining somewhat to an oblong: The choicest of this is of a greenish yellow colour, some a little reddish, but the black is not so good; and therefore in the choice of your

Seed have a great care, for that is the main of the business to answer your cost and industry; and of this Seed we have as good among ourselves as any is brought from Holland, for what by their Kiln drying of it, and the Sea, in bring∣ing it over, it many times, taking Salt-water, deceives the expectation of the Buyer, and answers little of the charge; and to get it out of the Husk, which is somewhat difficult by thrashing or beating, it may be milled out with Stones, not too sharp, and hanging at a proper distance, that they may bruise the Husks but not the Seeds; yet, since it is to be had ready taken out, I shall not trouble the honest Country-man about this particular, for, if he has none of his own he must buy it, and try a little of it, whereby you may see how it will spring up, that you may not be frustrated in your Labour and Expence; a Gallon, or twelve Pound, is sufficient to Sow an Acre well, if it be lightly distributed, and if you Sow some of the Chaff of the Husk with it, it will thrive the better; and, that it may fill the Hand the better, to spread, mix with it some fine Earth, or fine Ashes, that the Wind may not scatter away more to one place than to another, for it being so very small, you cannot see how it lies on the Land, to know whether it is equally distributed; then again, it will not, as Corn, be drawn even by the Harrow; when it is not so, it must be sowed then in calm Weather, that the Wind may not have power to drive it, but that it muy fall incidiately to the Ground: You may sow Barley, or Oats with it, and the first Year it will not grow up so far as to hinder them; but then they must not be sowed so thick as in other ca∣ses, and when they are harrowed in, and this S••ed sown, after a gentle harrowing, or the drawing over of White∣thorn Bushes, will sufficiently cover it, and it will last on the Ground many Years: The best time to sow it, is the end of March, or the beginning of April, if it be likely to be a dry Season; late sowing may do in a fruitful Season, but early is most certain; and in this manner, on Ground where it takes, it will bear three Crops, two to Mow and one to Graze, the first by mid-May, the second about the latter end of August, and then by the beginning of October it will be grown up for Grazing, which you may continue

till January; it is best cut moderately green, when the Sap is in the Stalk and Leaf, and then, being well dried, renders it the sweeter and most nourishing, unless you keep it for Seed alone, and then it must grow up to its full growth, and be very dry, but then Stalks are good for little more than Fuel; however, the Seed, if well got out, will recompence the charge.

It is a very good feeder of Cattle, increasing Milk in Kine, and fattens Oxen above any other Grass, as being of a fat, sweet, and luscious nourishment; and sow a good Acre the second Year's growth for Mowing, and Feeding will return you the advantage of twelve Pounds, which is sufficient profit, seeing it will grow upon Grounds of twen∣ty Shillings an Acre, or under, very well, and last good forty five Years, with a little manure; and one advan∣tage is in it, that when it dwindles it prepares the Land for Corn, so that one under another it comes to great pro∣fit.