Thomas Tusser—Agriculture in Rhyme [pp. 723-731]

THOMAS TUSSER-AGRICULTURE IN RHYME.
barism; it is just the same as if you desired your servants to
trample and "roll over your bread and butter."
For faint cattle he recommends the use of bay-salt; and in
his February's husbandry gives some directions for the management of their dung, which betrays a deplorable want of
knowledge in its economy:
"Who layeth on dung, ere he layeth on plow,
Such husbandry usebh as thrift doth allow:
One month ere ye spread it, so still let it stand,
Ere ever to plow it, ye take it in hand.
Place dung-heap alow, by the furrow along,
Where water, all winter-time did it such wrong:
So make ye the land to be lusty and fat,
And corn thereon sown, to be better for that."
In another place, however, he recommends the farmer to,
use the mud from ditches and ponds as a dressing for their
land.
They harvested their corn, it seems, then, much after the
same manner as at the present day. They reaped their wheat
and moved their stubbles; and this they carried as we do now,
as soon as possible after harvest:
"For fear of destroying with cattle or rain,
The sooner you load it more profit ye gain."
And as to barley, Tusser says "The mowing of barley, if barley do stand,
Is cheapest and best, for to rid out of hand:
Some mow it, and rake it, and set it on cocks;
Some mow it, and bind it, and set it on shocks."
They let out, at the period when Tusser wrote, it seems,
the harvest-work either by the acre or by the day; of which
modes of getting in the corn he seems to prefer the latter:
"By great will deceive thee, with ling'ring it out,
By day will dispatch, and put all out of doubt."
His directions to the farmer with regard to the treatment of
his harvest-men and the poor gleaners, and his warm hopes
for the farmer's success, betray the excellent benevolent spirit
with which he was actuated. He says " Corn carried, let such as be poor go and glean,
And after thy cattle, to mouth it up clean;
Then spare it for rowen till Michel be past,
To lengthen thy dairy, no better thou hast.
In harvest-time, harvest-folk, servants and all,
Should make altogether, good cheer in the hall;
And fill out the black bowl of blythe to their song,
And let them be merry all harvest-time long.
Once ended this harvest, let none be beguil'd;
Please such as did help thee-man, woman, and child.
Thus doing, with alway, such help as they can;
Thou winnest the praise of the laboring man.
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