I Had preceded certaine affirmed errours, that of late came to my hands, by a priuate confutation of a generall causlesse applause, had not the vaine shew of maintaining the poore, beene the noted colour for their maintenance: I therefore then spared my conceit thereof, till now prouoked by this spirit that I euer feared would giue the first prouocation. I taxe him not, but wish that his Bookes were not so vniuersally branded, that so his affec­tation of odde nouelties, might be in part obscured.

It much contenteth me, that this noueltie hath his pas­sage, though I endeuour to shew the vanitie of it being thus farre passed: my hopes are, that it will set an edge to good Husbandrie, which with vs for many yeares hath beene generally neglected.

The originall of the Spade, I attribute to Caine A­dams eldest Sonne, with inference vpon holy writ, and Iosephus more particularly. Excellent spirits succeeding him, labored after some easier and more profitable course, from whome in course of time proceeded the Plough. The [Page]first inuentors whereof in euerie seuerall kingdome, being thought worthie to bee deified, reade Virgil and Plinie for Ceres: Diodorus for Isis: and Dionisius the second, who is reported first to haue yoked Oxen to the Plough. But now the reuiuers of the Spade, a thing in vse onely in the infancie of the world, must be glorified. If our purpose bee to reduce the old world, before by degrees things came to perfection, then in my iudgement it were best beginning at the woodden dagger. But if we desire to know how of late it came in vse, at home let vs conferre with the Dutchmen about Sandwitch, and some Gardeners about London: if abroad, trauell Germanie, where you shall find many presidents thereof; suruay the Prouinces, peruse the Easterne Countries, and they will manifest, that it hath beene long in vse. The truth is, these last two yeares haue drawne it amongst vs into some more generall vse. For they being drie and extraordinarie temperate, the weedes increased not as in former yeares: the stalke was short, the care not so long nor so heauie: it stoode therefore in these yeares with all aduantage, and so profitable onely in their like. In wet yeares it will ledge, with all the disaduanta­ges subsequent, and therefore vnprofitable in them. I might prophecie, that as the two precedent yeares reuiued it; so the two succedent yeares will leaue no memorie of it: and yet this present yeare promiseth good successe to it, which iustly might dis-harten my opposition to this nouel­tie, were not my ends in seeming to oppose, desires to per­fect to the generall good.

The Plough, which now is generally in vse, can compasse with the aide of two or one, as the Country requires, an Aere or two in a day. Three­score [Page]ordinarie Countrie labourers, can hardly digge an Acre at two Spades, whereof I haue made triall. If a Husbandman appoint thirtie Acres for Wheate, which is no great proportion, it will re­quire threescore men to digge it, and twentie wo­men or children to set it. If one imploy fourescore for seuen weekes space, which will be the least time, accompting chaunge of weathers, what shall his neighbour Farmors doe? depend vpon the fauour of the labourers for hauing Corne or no Corne? But if it be well considered, it will appeare, that if a Parish haue three thousand Acres of arable, the labourers inhabitants cannot compasse 100. I dare affirme not fiftie Acres: what then can bee the pro­fit to digge and set some fiftie Acres in a Parish? is it possible to equall the sowing of three thousand, or three hundred Acres? If then it cannot be vsed with any generall good to the Commonwealth, it is not to be preferred before the Plough, nor to be bruted as a matter of that consequent.

The ground must be digged at a Spade, a Spade & a halfe or two Spades. If most profitable, then two Spades. If two Spades, then will the ground, being made loose so deepe as it can afford nutriment to the rootes of the VVheate at any time, yeeld at one time his full vigor, so as I cannot vnderstand, but that the second crop will bee poore, and the third none at all. For soyle to supplie, it cannot be but to small parcels, and that to no purpose, except there be threescore loade vpon an Acre, and that wel tur­ned in with the old earth. For a Spade and a halfe, which is the fittest depth, because Spades are made to make it but one worke, it admitteth small or no [Page]difference. For a spade depth, I confidently set down a subsequent vse of the Plough, of better profit then that. When the second crop is taken after the Spade, at two, or one and a halfe depth, it being double weeded euerie crop, so as neither grasse groweth vpon the supersicies, nor life remaineth within the earth, what then shall be done with it? It will remaine like a Gardiners ground, out of the which the Gardiner by often digging hath taken the hart: which I desire to be examined of them, to know what gifts they haue, to extract the vertue out of the earth, and after a third croppe of that ground, that at the first was couered with dung, what profit they haue left to the owner? On the contrarie, the Plough affordeth three crops, and then yeeldeth vpon the rest some profit for Catle, & so euerie yeare continueth his labour and increase, whereas the other cannot to any purpose yeeld a­boue two crops in foure yeares, except extraordi­narily helpt. So it leaueth the Commonwealth de­stitute of the continual profit. And it is not the glut of plentie, but the ordinarie increase that maintai­neth the Commonwealth.

In some grounds digging is of small or no vse: as in stiffe Clay a verie generall earth: Light Sand: Grauelly grounds: or such grounds, as at halfe a Spade depth affordeth a barren earth. The Clay will not be broken: if it could, it would yeeld no such encrease. The light Sand, will afford his full profit, as well after the Plough, as any labour what­soeuer. The stonie ground will require infinite la­bour, [Page]and yeeld no better profit. The ground that hath a barren earth at halfe a Spade, can onely bee vsed by the Plough. So these containing the grea­test quantities of our arable grounds in England, and these not in that kind to bee vsed with profit answerable to the charge: I affirme, that the Plough is to be preferred.

The ground, wherein the Spade is imployed, must be digged, set, weeded twise, vpheld, being set diuided in beds if so profitable, and it must be kept a Moneth before Haruest. The charge of the digging of an Acre will amount to three pound, more if it come to a generall vse: The setting, thir­teene shillings and foure pence: The weeding twise, the first time, thirteene shillings and foure pence: The second, sixe shillings and eight pence. The vp­holding it with rayles on the out sides, as good hus­wiues doe their Onions, or as Gardiners doe their Pease, will bee a charge in some Countries at the least of one pound sixe shillings and eight pence the Acre. It must bee kept a Moneth, which for a youth at foure shillings the weeke meate & drinke, commeth to sixteene shillings, I say it must be kept, because no grounds are so rich to afford it so plenti­fully as those that adioyne to dwelling housen, nor none so conuenient to be helpt as them, then is it of necessitie that the Birds will lie vpon it with great preiudice, therefore it must bee kept. The totall charge, is at the least sixe pound thirteene shillings and foure pence vpon an Acre, besides the rent of the grounds, Vnderstanding this, I demaund where [Page]the Husbandmen bee, that now liuing vpon so ex­cessiue racked rents, can disbursse the charge of ma­ny Acres. Besides, there is a necessitie in this worke, where so many must bee employed, of a Bailey of sufficiencie, whose charge is to be thought vpon by the way.

The charge of the Spade you haue heard, and euerie man knoweth the charge of the Plough. For the inconueniences of the Spade, it is more subiect to weedes. For wee see the richer the ground, the more weedie; and the more pliable and gentle the mould is, the weedes more abound, as it is manifest in Gardens, so as it cannot bee otherwise, but that in a wet season the weeds will ouergrow the Corne, and in many yeares not possible to bee helpt. For it being in eare, the weeders will doe more hurt then good: and it is the wet after it commeth in eare, that also causeth the weede that choketh the Corne: this euerie experienced man knoweth. Yet to those that haue set and must weede, I perswade the end of March, and the beginning of Aprill for their first time, and at that first time, I perswade the doing of it thoroughly. It is more subiect to bee blasted and smutten, for that by the freenesse of the ground, it will be sooner in eare: yea, so soone as at the begin­ning of May it will shew it selfe, being then subiect to the frosts & dewes of that season, the losse where­of witnesse the Corne in the Marshes. By birdes I know it will receiue great preiudice, which will be so sensible, as with the time, wee will in our rich grounds by our housen, returne to sowing [Page]rootes. As for the ledging, I cannot but professe that onely that will discourage all affecters of this nouoltie, for many stalkes will come out of one roote, euerie stalke will be slender and long, euerie eare will bee heauier and longer then ordinarie, or else, no possibilitie of such increase as is talked for, and it must be exoeeding rancke. If a smaller stalke, longer, heauier [...]red, and thicker set then ordina­rie, how is it possible to be vpheld? Experience will teach, that the least wet in Summer, will cause a dislike of the Spade and reuocation of the Plough, who commeth not so soone into eare, who is stronger stalked, not so long, heauie, nor so thicke set. Also, I know the place within twentienliles of London, where this last yeare for all the temper of it, that set Wheate, did ledge and come to small or no profit. The Corne that is set, is more subiect to the mould, Mouse and worme: for the ground be­ing lighter, they haue the freer passage in the earth, and it must maintaine a Mould-catcher, if vsed in any quantitie. The difference in my vnderstanding, betweene setting and sowing is: That in sowing, the Birds wil picke vp some of the Cornes at seede time, and the grasse wil preiudice the Corne in comming vp. The Birds (they say) taketh away much of the Corne sowne, but none of that set; I admit that, but what part of the Corne is it? is it any but the loose Corne? if sowne timely in the yeare, if late, I confesse the Crowes will scrape some small quanti­tie out of the ground: but if it be sowne vnder Fur­row; then is it euerie way as safe as that which is set, and where it is not, the proportion of sowing is [Page]three bushels vpon an Acre in good ground, and for setting halfe a bushell or a pecke, as some would haue it. That being so, it cannot bee but vpon eue­rie Acre, where three bushels are sowne, that there will a bushell remaine to come to perfection, so as the Birds cannot be of that preiudice, as to make it seeme nothing in comparison of the Spade. But if sowne before Michaelmas vnder furrow, then is it as safe from Birdes as that which is set. For the grasse a fallow killeth it, & leaueth it vpon as good terms. Also, it may be raked off at much lesse charge then buried by digging. I must confesse, that there is a great fault committed in England, for sparing a litle charge in weeding; especially in good grounds. Yet there are that take vp the defence; that so they want the after Pasture, the leauing of the Fogge on the ground there to rot and be as new compost. Al­so, the grasse after his season of cutting, sendeth downe into the earth againe that nutriment which it receiued, which may be obserued in the omitting to cut Meadowes in their due time. But these are answered: for in being not weeded, if the yeare proue wet, the Corne is at losse: if drie, the increase will be double, especially in rich grounds, as by ex­perience you shall find: vse it, and perswade the vse of it, how slender so euer the crop seeme to be, and of what nature so euer the ground bee. I affirme therefore, that an Acre of ground turned vp before Christmas, so as it may lie in a Winter fallow, then in May compost to the equall goodnesse of the ground, set and Ploughed crosse, & laied in a Sum­mer fallow, after stirred, and then Ploughed and [Page]sowne vnder forrow three weekes before Michael­mas, will yeeld an equall crop with the Spade, and exceede it, in that it will afford three crops one af­ter another, and the other but one to any purpose. I will not disgrace a proofe I meane to make triall of for Barley. And that is to giue to a peece of ground foure earthes, euerie one deeper then other, hauing a Plough for the purpose. After two of which, to breake and leuell the ground with a great Oxe harrow, which I perswade to al good husbands for Summer graine. After the other two, to rake a­way the grasse that the light Harrow leaueth till it be as leuell as a Garden, and then set it, which be­ing discreetly vsed, will not exceede aboue ten shil­lings more charge vpon an Acre, by the ouerplus of the graine that is sowne: and so I doubt not; but to haue as great a quantitie (alwaies prouided, that I take care to weede it) as hee that diggeth and set­teth it. I conceit well, that when a peece of ground is cleane out of heart by Ploughing, and the earth vnder the Plough, cōrinueth as good as that aboue, that then this houeltie be vsed as being there of best vse. Yet a Plough may so be made and handled, as it may goe deeper by halfe a foote then ordinarie, yea a foote, proportioning the strength of the Teame and Plough together. I haue perswaded some verie eager to set Wheate, that they should doe it in the beginning of March next if the ground bee rich as it ought to bee; thereby to preuent the smut, the weede, the length of the straw, and so ledging and I hope of their hauing a good increase: for the best crop that euer I saw, was a Summer crop of wheate [Page]in a rich ground. Besides, I except not against beds of Corne vpheld by those that loue nouelties, for I know that without some strengthning it will ledge & come to nothing. And I aduise all those that this yeare hath beene at great charges in digging and setting, that in the latter end of March in a drie time, they get wood, and either rayle their grounds thorow at sixe foote distaunce, as Onions are for seede, or set stickes cleane thorough the ground for the Corne to rest vpon, as Pease haue: Or else at e­uerie foure foote in breadth, set rowes of stickes which will be sufficient. But all things considered, I resolue that the old good Husbandry of the Plough is most profitable for the fields, and the later Hus­wifrie of rootes and necessarie prouision for the house, most profitable for the Gardens.

It may be, that some will obiect that hitherto I haue erred from the state of the question, prouing onely the Plough of better vse then the Spade, for the generall or particular good; whereas I ought to haue proued also setting of Corne to be inferiour to sowing. For that it is setting, which is specially to be regarded in this new art & not digging. I answere, that if digging were not as the soule of this questi­on, and setting but as the body, I would neuer haue set penne to paper. But in all reasonable vnderstan­ding, it is the loosning of the ground, whereby the earth may yeeld nutriment to the rootes, and the rootes increase and take strength so easily in the earth that yeeldeth so great increase. As for setting, it is nothing but forme at such a distance, and such a [Page]depth: The distance they say of foure or fiue inches: the depth three or foure inches. The Gardener, a certain time after his Parpsnips & Carrats are come vp, if they appeare to thicke, taketh out the smallest and setteth againe: so may also the Corne be vsed, where it is too thicke, by those that haue nothing to doe. But if the thinnesse of the Corne cause the profit, it may be sowne as thinne as set, onely not so iust at a distance, yet as profitable. For the depth, I know no difference, betweene that and sowing vn­der furrow: it resteth onely in the distance. And that a Bushell orderly sowne vnder furrow vpon an Acre that is digged, will yeeld as great profit as halfe a bushell set, I challenge any man to the practise. Be­sides, I vouch him authoritie for the increase of sow­ing, such as neither his reading nor practise shall euer shew me the like for setting. I haue no Hebrew for the Text; but I haue all translations agreeing. Genes. 26.12. Isaacke sowed in Gerar of the Phili­stins, and found in the same yeare an hundred fold. And till this place bee answered, I iustifie the true state of the question to bee betweene digging and Ploughing, concluding euer, that at much lesse charge to as great profit, the Plough may bee vsed by good husbands.