How to order any land, so as it may reteyne all the moysture that falleth thereon, and to improve it thereby

HOW TO ORDER ANY LAND , SO as it may reteyne all the moysture that falleth thereon : And to Improve it thereby .

FOr asmuch as the fatnesse of the soile is washed away , when in the winter season the ground is so wet , that every showre is not received , and drunke in by the earth where upon it falleth , but passeth away , and carieth with it the Fatnesse , and Richnesse of the soyle that should remayne vpon the superficies of the earth , whereby barrennesse doeth ensue daily , although daily the Husbandman doe manure and dung the same . Therefore every one ●… t would reteyne the Fatnesse and Richnesse of their owne soyle for their own Land , must use meanes to reteine that , that would and doth carry away the Richnesse and Fatnes of their soyle from the same . And that every man may reserve the Fatnesse of his owne soyle for his owne Land , it is necessary to use and practise these points of Husbandrie hereafter declared . As first to mound his Land with bankes in every place where the water may have vent , and Current from of the same ; secondly , to turne the vent and Current of all Land-waters into his owne ground , out from the high wayes , wast-grounds , and Commons belonging to or lying neere his owne Land , and if these two shall not be found Remedies sufficient , I shall hereafter declare some other . I know the latter is practised a little by some , but it is so little that it is to little purpose . For what availeth it for a man to let the water in at one place , and to let it goe out at a thousand , but every man reteyning all the water that falleth upon his owne ground , shall in short time finde it very availeable , for if this kinde of husbandrie onely were but used halfe the time that it hath beene neglected , men should finde their Lands to bee greatly Improoved by the same , the which every one may easily doe , and that to their owne great profit and advantage and to the profit and advantage also of their farre Remote neighbours .

For if every one doe but consider how divers grounds hath beene much Improoved by watering , and overflowing the same neere unto Rivers , that in former times have beene but little worth , then they cannot deny , but that they also in high grounds may improove their Land by watering and overflowing the same , and that they may overflow it by stopping the vents and Currents of the water that shall fall upon the same , 〈◇〉 when they shall bring the land-water vpon the same from their owne Corne Feilds , highwayes , and other wast grounds and Commons .

Also , then will not their farre Remote neighbors , that use to bee annoyed with floods , and others that liue in Fenne Countries , bee so much annoyed with water as commonly they are , nay ; if every one did but truely , and duely observe and practise this kind of Husbandry , they would not be annoyed at all : and therefore it must needs bee advantagious and profitable for those that live in Fenny Countryes , and others in the vale Countryes that are annoyed with Floods , as well as for those that live upon hilles and high grounds .

Now how easily it may bee effected , may any one soone understand , that can but understand how easily mischeifes may bee prevented , when they are prevented at the first arising and beginning before they come to a head , and how easily an Inconvenience may bee helped when every man shall put to their helping hands any one may judge . Wee know that the many sparkes of fire in Towne and Citty , so long as they are kept within bounds are serviceable , and there is no dammage or danger susteyned by them ; but if by misfortune or negligence they get out of their bounds what disasters doe they cause . Even so the many drops that doe fall in a Countrey if they should bee kept within bounds in the severall Closes and Lordships wherein they fall , they would be serviceable , and advantagious , which other wayes destroy whole Feilds of Corne , breake downe Bridges , drowne Cattle , and sometime overturne houses , and worke much other mischeifes also , for we may all very well know , it is never well with England when the Corne in the golden vales of England is destroyed through floods ; now as the Husbandman may easily reteyne all the water that falleth upon his owne ground for his owne profit , and advantage , in his severall enclosures , so may he as easily open a vent for his water at any time if there be cause and let it out from one Close , wherein there is no need , or where it may be harmeful , and bring it into another wherein it may doe good , and where there may bee great need thereof : now if there be any that cannot conceyue how or which way this point of husbandry may be effected with great facility and ease : let them but repaire unto the Author , or unto his Assignes ; and they will after taking view of their land show how easily it may be done .

How to prepare barraine Land that yeeldeth no profit , for the Improoving of it , and how to make it Fertill .

THe first thing to be done when you would improove your barrain dry ground , is where it is levell , 〈◇〉 where it can be easily brought to a levell , to mound it 〈…〉 in square plots & Closes , or otherwayes , as it shal be found most convenient with bankes . In such manner as that you may reteyne , and keepe all the water or moisture within the bounds thereof that shall fall upon it , or that may arise from Snow , or that may otherwise be brought upon the same .

Thus when it is well bounded , and mounded with bankes may you dung it well , or manure it in what sort you like best , and you shall be sure not to loose any part of your dung or manure through hastie and sudden showers , that commonly doth wash away a great part thereof .

But when it is dunged well , and well soked with moysture , or when it is in a manner overflowen ; then to manure it with dung or other Fat earth in the Manuring barrow will mightily Improove it , for the drawing of the manuring barrow up and downe , and the trampling of the ground when it is so moyst , or overflowen , will increase your manure , and dung exceedingly : For no man can be Ignorant , how trampling , Carting , and such like actions in wet weather , and when the ground is wet doth increase myre and dirt exceedingly in any place : Yet some may obiect , why then are not Foot-pathes , and High-wayes more Fertile then other places , being they are more frequently trampled , and travailed upon then other places are . Vnto whom I answere , if highwayes and Footpathes were trampled , and travailed on onely in wet weather , and when they are wet , they would be farre more Richer in soyle and more fertile then they are ; for as trampling and travailing in wet weather increaseth soyle and Dirt , so in dry weather trampling and travailing wareth and wasteth away both the Dirt and soyle , and causeth Barrennesse and yet how many wayes and pathes also if they should not be yearly supplyed with gravell , and such other barren , and durable materials would grow Impassable through myre & soyle . Also although trampling and trauayling is good to improove ground , yet continuall trampling , and travailing is hurtfull to ground , because it hindereth the growth of the grasse , and yet in Heathes , and Commons , where are pathes , and tracts that are but seldome trampled , is no heath , yet is there grasse , and more would there bee if they were not overlayd with sheepe , and Cattle , and trampled more in dry weather , then in wet that keepes it under , and hinders the growth thereof .

Againe , to manure ground that is dunged when it is wet , with the Manuring barrow trimmed also with dung , or other Fat earth , or soyle , will increase other manner of soyle and Dirt , then bare trampling or travailing will , and also it will improove it more . If there be any that thinke drowning and overflowing of ground will not improoue it , because in some places they are faine to cut Furrowes and trenches to draine the same , let them inquire of those who have used the overflowing of ground that lyeth by Rivers , and have improoved the same , and use it yearly . Indeed arrable ground when it is sowen should haue Furrowes , and trenches to draine the same , because too much moysture is hurtfull to most kinde of graine ; and therefore they should make their Furrowes so , as that the Raine that falleth upon their Cornefields , may have vent and Current into their pasture ground and lay Feilds , and then they may there environ it so with a banke , as that it may not any wayes breake forth of the same . Thus therefore , if it be one , two , three , foure , or fiue Acres , or more that you would improoue , thus you may order and prepare it , and improove it , and unto any who willeth or desireth to learne more , I will yet shew him divers more excellent wayes .

The severall benefits that will arise from Mounding of ground with bankes and stopping of Currents of Land waters .

IT will mittigate the great Floods , If it caueth them not to cease altogether , that so annoyeth the Fennie Countryes and other places . It will improove high grounds , and cause plenty , and prevent dearth and scarcity :

It will Increase the old Springs , and make new springs to breake forth , and arise in divers places , and that especially , If having more Land-water in any place then can be reteyned vpon the same , they make deepe pits or wells for the same to Run into ; or if they turne the Current of their water vnto their dry and thirstie Lands , that will receive and drinke in all .

Hereby also , they may store themselves with water in the dry and upland Countryes against the summer times and dry seasons , where they haue any gravelly , or Clay Ground .

Arguments shewing whither this point of Husbandry bee possible and profitable or no .

BEcause a man cannot speake of any new wayes or points in Husbandry , but divers well experienced men , doe presently judge the same to be Impossible , or else unprofitable . I will heere breifly discusse these two Questions : that so every one that will , may conceive how possible and profitable they may bee : First , to shew the possibility thereof ; let any one place a leaking vessell in the raine , where no spoutes may runne into the same , and see if it will ever be filled with the raine that shall descend therein ; For all sorts of ground will not hold water , and may bee compared to leeking vessels , except onely the gravelly , and the Clay ground ; so that if men doe but banke their ground a little to keepe the water that falleth thereon upon the same , It will not long abide , if it should descend never so fast vnlesse it be in gravelly and Clay grounds . And here I know many will say they cannot practise this point of husbandry without damnifying themselves , because of necessity where there is no dry thirsty Land neere , and abundance of Clay or gravelly ground altogether in one place , they must needes drowne some of their owne ground if they should stop the vent and Current of the water , and reteyne all that falleth thereon upon the same , unto which I answere , although men in some places should drowne 3 or foure Acres in an hundred Acres , yet they cannot be damnified thereby , because those who know what a pond of an Acre , or more is worth , cannot be ignorant that 3 , or 4 , Acres of Land thus drowned in some places , may yeeld more commodity then ten Acres of dry Land that is worth 30. shillings the Acre .

Againe for the generall , better is it to have some hundreds of Acres drowned , and made Fish-pooles , then to have many thousands of Acres lye barraine , and unfruitfull .

And that such places will be as store howses for water against the summer times and dry seasons , no man can deny , for whereas I have spoken of watering of ground in dry seasons where water is to be had , and some have asked how they should provide water , here is one way , whereby they may provide water in hilly Countryes , and high grounds farre off from Rivers ; And although it may be impossible for any one man to reteyne the water within his owne ground that falleth in many mens Lands ; yet is it possible for every one to reteyne the water that shall fall within his owne ground . And therefore not Impossible .

A breife Answere vnto what may be objected : or hath beene objected .

I Know many there bee , that will say they know many more excellent points of husbandry , then yet hath beene discovered by mee , and I must confesse , I know many particular Husbandmen that doe conceive , and understand those secrets in husbandry , that generally is not conceived , nor understood by many that use husbandry , the which I have forborne to treat of , because I would not seeme to discover , what I know to bee understood , and practized by any one already , although I am not ignorant of the same ; and that divers husbandmen and others , doe know divers more excellent poynts then hath been discovered , I will beleeve . For I my selfe know many more excellent poynts then I have yet discovered , and yet I know and beleeve that divers that shal succeed unto this generation shall know , & understand , and discover more , then shal be vnderstood , and discovered by any one in this generation . Now to avoid further Controversies ; If there be any that shall thinke , or object , that any one point herein discovered , is vnpossible , unprofitable , or not worth the practizing , let them but help the Author vnto any barraine Land and they shall soone see the contrary prooved , for their satisfaction .

And whereas some I know will be apt to object , That the water lying upon the ground in the winter season , will breed Rushes , and Sedges ; I answer , the Manuring barrow ( if it be trimmed and used as it may bee ) will keepe the ground from bearing of Rushes and Sedges ; and also it will kill both Rushes and Sedges in any ground that is naturally inclined thereunto .