Chap.VII.
Of Pasture grounds, their order, profit, and generall vse.
Diuersities and vse of Pastures.
Hauing alreadie sufficiently entreated of errable Grounds, Gardens, Orchards, and Woods of all kindes, I thinke it most méete (as falling in his due place) here to write of Pasture grounds, which are of two kindes: the first, such Pastures as lye in wood land, mountainous, or colde climes, and are enclined to hardnesse and barrennesse, and therefore onely imployed to the bréeding and bringing forth of Cattell: the other such as lye in lowe, warme, and fruitfull soyles, and are most fertile and aboundant in encrease, onely imployed to the fatting and féeding of Cattell.
Of barraine Pastures.
And now to speake of the first sort of Pasture, which being somewhat barraine, is preserued for bréeding, you shall vnderstand that it is generally dispierced ouer all this Kingdome, and particularly into euery Countrey, for according to the veanes and mixture of the earth, such is either the richnesse or pouerty of the same, and of those seuerall mixtures I haue spoken sufficiently before in that part of this Booke, which entreateth of errable ground. Then to procéede to my purpose, it is the first office of the Husbandman when he séeth and knoweth the true nature of his earth, and perceiueth from perfect iudgement that it is of very hard encrease,Signes of barrainnesse.which as the temper and mixture of the soyle assures him, so also he shall better confirme by these fewe signes and Charracters, which I will deliuer: as first, if he sée grasse slow of growth, and that no Spring will appeare before May. If in stead of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, and Honisuckle, you sée your ground furnished with Penigrasse, Bents, and Burnet. If yousée much Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, or if you perceiue the scorching of the Sunne burne away the grasse as fast as the raine had brought it forth: or if you finde quarries of stone néere vnto the vpper swarth of grasse; or if your ground bring forth Lyng, Bracken, Gorse, Whynnes, Broome, Bilburie, or Strawburie: or if your ground be morish, full of quick-myers, mossie or full of blacke Flint, any of these signes make it to be most apparant that the soyle is barraine and of hard encrease.
Bettering of soyles.
And then as before I said it is the Husbandmans first office to prouide for the bettering and perfecting of his earth, which he shall doe in this sort. First, if he perceiue that the barrainnesse of his ground procéedes from want of good Plants,Sowing of good seedes.as from want of Clouer-grasse, Dandylion, Honisuckle, Cowslop, and other swéet flowers, then he shall repaire into the fruitfull Countries, and there buy the hay séedes and swéepings of hay-barne-flowers, which he shall euery Spring and fall of the leafe sowe, as thin as may be, vpon such Pastures, as he shall either lay for meddow, or preserue for the latter Spring after Michaelmas.For abundance of grasse.But if he respect not the goodnesse of grasse, but the abundance of grasse, as those husbands doe which liue in or about great Cities, then he shall dung those grounds which he will lay for meddow at Candlemasse; or those which he will graze or eate in the first beginning of the Spring, at Michaelmasse before, with the oldest and rottennest meanure he can get, of which the best is the rotten staddell or bottomes of Hay-stackes, or for want of it the meanure of horse-stables, swéepings, and scowrings of yards and barnes, the mudde of olde ditches, or else good Oxe or Cow meanure, any of which will bring forth abundance of grasse.
The imperfection of meanure.
Yet thus much I must aduertise the Husbandman, that this meanuring of Pasture grounds carries with it diuers imperfections, for though it occasion abundance of grasse to growe, yet the meddow or hay which comes thereof, is so ranke, loggie, and fulsome in tast, that a beasttaketh no ioy to eate thereof, more then to holde very life and soule together. Also the grasse thus meanured which you intend to graze or eate with your Cattell, is by meanes of the meanure so loose at the roote, that Cattell as they bite plucke vp both the grasse, roote, and all, which being of strong & ranke sent in the mouth of a beast, maketh him loathe and cast it out againe, and so not striue to eate to be fat, but onely to maintaine life.
To helpe a slow Spring.
Now if your Spring be slow, and late in the yéere before your grasse will appeare aboue ground, it is méete then that you enclose your ground, and not only maintaine the fences with high and thicke Quick-sets, but also with tall Timber-trées, whose shade and strength may defend many colde blasts from the earth, and adde vnto it a more naturall warmenesse then it had before, for it is onely the coldnesse of the soyle which makes the grasse long before it grow. Also in this case it is méete that you lay (as the husbandman tearmes it) all such Pasture as you intend to graze at the spring following, in Nouember before, & so not being bitten from that time till Aprill following, no doubt but your spring will be both good and forward. There be others which helpe their slow springing grounds by stocking them in the latter end of the yéere with great abundance of shéepe, who although they bite néere to the ground, and leaue little grasse behinde them, yet they so tread and meanure it with their hot meanure, that it will spring after it commeth to rest, much more early and faster then it was wont. So that to conclude in a word, to make a barren ground spring earely, is to kéepe it warme, let it haue long rest, and meanure it well with Shéepe.
To help Knot-grasse and Speare-grasse.
If your ground be troubled with Knot-grasse or Speare-grasse, it is a signe of too much colde moysture in the earth, and in this case you shall with a great common Plough, made for such a purpose, turne vp great furrowes through your ground, and make them so descend and fall one into another, that not onely the moysture bred in the earth, but that which falls vpon the earth, may haue a swift passagefrom the same, and so your soyle being drayned and kept dry, all those wéedy kindes of grasse will soone perish.
To helpe Sun-burning.
If your ground be subiect to the scorching or burning of the Sunne, then you shall vnderstand that it is directly contrary to the last soyle we spake of: for as that by too much moysture is made barraine by colde, so this by too much want of moysture is made barraine with heate: wherefore the Husbandman shall in this case draw all his draynes, to bring moysture into his ground, which sometimes watring and sometimes ouer-flowing the same, will in the end bring it to a reasonable fertility, for it is a rule, that where there may be ouerflowes,To helpe quarries of stone.there can seldome be any hurt by Sunne-burning, vnlesse that such soyles be vpon Limestone ground, or néere vnto other quarries of hard stone, which lying néere vnto the vpper swarth of the grasse, doth so burne the roote, that the vpper branches cannot prosper. In this case the bringing in of water doth rather hurt then good, wherefore your best course is partly by your owne industry, and partly by the labours of others, who are traded in such commodities, to let forth your ground to Stone-diggers or Lime-makers, who digging the quarries out of the earth, and then filling vp the emptie places with rubbish and other earth, the soyle will in short space become as fruitfull as any other, for it is onely the want of taking roote; or the burning vp of the roote, which makes this kinde of earth barraine.
To help Ling, Braken, &c.
Now if your ground bring forth Ling, Braken, Gorse, Whinnes, or such like: you shall pare off the vpper swarth of the earth, and lay it in the Sunne to dry, in the height or heate of Sommer, and being throughly dried, you shall lay them in round hollow heapes one sod ouer another, then putting fire vnto them, burne them into ashes, which done, spread the ashes, like a meanure, ouer all the ground, and you shall sée those wéedes will no more spring or grow in that ground.
To helpe morishnesse or quick-myers.
If your ground be morish or full of quicke myers,you shall then by small draynes or trenches draw away the water, and turne it into some lower ditch or current, and so bringing the ground to a stability or firmenesse, there is no doubt but fruitfulnesse, will presently follow after.
To helpe mossinesse.
Lastly, if your ground be mossie, and bring forth in stead of grasse onely a soft fussie and vnwholsome mosse, your onely best way to cure the fault, is in the Winter time to tread it much with the féete of Cattell, as by making of Hay-stacks in diuers parts of such ground, and so fodring your Cattell about the same, and so yéerely altering the places of your Stackes or Réekes to goe ouer all your ground, & without doubt the treading of the ground will kill the mosse, and the meanuring of the Cattell, and the expence of Hay-séeds vpon the ground, will soone bring the earth to much fruitfulnesse and goodnesse.
The generall vse of barraine grounds.
Now for the generall vse of these barraine grounds, it is to be vnderstood, that albe by the meanes before shewed, they may be helpt or bettered, yet they are but onely for bréede or encrease of Cattell. Whether the grounds be seuerall and enclosed, or vniuersall and common: whether they be Woods, Parkes, or Pastures, or Heathes, Mores, Downes, or other wilde and vnlimitted places, and these grounds shall be deuided into thrée parts, the first and most fruitfullest lying lowest, lying néerest to the riuer or some running streame, you shall preserue for meddow, and not suffer any beast to bite vpon the same from Candlemasse, vntill the hay be taken from the ground. The second part, you shall graze or eate from Candlemasse till Lammas, which would be that which lieth most plaine and bleake, and most subiect to all weathers. And the third part, which is the warmest and safest, you shall graze from all-Hollantide till Candlemasse, and betwixt Lammas and all-Hollantide you shall eate vp your eddish or after-crop of your meddowes.
What Cattell are to be bred.
Now whereas I speake generally, that these barraine grounds are for the bréede of Cattell, yet you shall vnderstandme particularly, as namely, what Cattell for what soyle, for euery barraine earth will not bring forth Cattell alike, as some will beare a faire Cowe or Oxe, yet but a little Horse: and some will bring forth a very goodly Horse, yet but a very little horned beast, therefore you shall obserue that if your ground lye any thing lowe, or be subiect to much moysture, and so not extreamely barraine, but although the Spring be late, yet after it springeth, it yéeldeth a reasonable bit, this ground is fittest to bréede Cattell vpon, as Cowe, Oxe, and such like: but if it lye high and dry, if it be stonie or mountainous, haue much reflection of the Sunne: or though it be some-what more barraine then the former earth, and in the best part of the Spring yéeld but a short, yet swéet bit, this ground is fittest to bréede a faire and large horse vpon: but if it be extreamely barraine colde and moyst, stonie or mossie, so it be replenished with any good store of Vnderwood, then it is fit to bréede small hard Nags vpon, or Geldings of a meaner size, Goates, wilde-Swine, or such like. And lastly, if it be extreame barraine, colde, and dry, and altogether without any kinde of shelter, but subiect to euery blast whatsoeuer, this ground is fit onely to bréede Shéepe vpon, as we sée by daily experience in the seuerall parts of this Kingdome: so that to conclude, you shall beare in your memorie, that where you bréede your beast, would be reasonable bit: where you bréede your Horse good ayre and warmth, and where you bréede your Shéepe, there much spaciousnesse of ground. And thus much briefly for the nature and vse of your barraine grounds.
Of fertill grounds.
Now to procéede to your fruitfull and rich grounds, whose very encrease and abundance of grasse, without any other curious relation shewes their fertility, there is little obseruation to be held in the ordering & disposing of them, for being naturally good of themselues, there néedeth little Art to the maintainance of the same, onely to haue an especiall care to the fencing and safe kéeping of them, to the due time of eating them with your Cattell, and to obseruea fit proportion of rest for them, in which they may grow and gather head for the maintainance of such beasts as shall féede vpon them. And to these, as an especiall rule aboue the rest, must be added a carefull diligence not to ouer-stocke or loade your ground with more Cattell then it may conueniently beare, for if your ground be neuer so fruitfull, if it be ouer-prest with multitudes of Cattell, it cannot by any meanes yéeld you the profit of your expectation, but returne you losse and dammage.
The deuision of rich grounds.
These fruitfull and rich grounds would be deuided into two parts, the one pastures, or grounds for continuall féeding or nourishing of Cattell all the yéere, the other meddowes, from whence you shall gather your Winters prouision of Hay, for the preseruation of your Cattell, which are either for labour or sale in the Market, and of these two parts I will speake seuerally.
The generall vse of rich grounds.
Yet before I begin to speake largely of them, it is méete you know the generall vse of these rich and fruitfull grounds, which is indéede the féeding or fatting vp of Cattell, either for foode in your owne house, or for sale in the Market, to the Butcher, Drouer, or men of such like place or profession. For indéede to bréede much vpon these rich grounds, is neither profitable to the Husbandman, nor is the beaste so bred, either so comely or Market-able, as those bred in the harder soyles, as wée may note in our experience, if we will suruay the bréedes of Cattell inGloster-shire,Sommerset-shire, andLincoln-shire, which for the most part are bred vpon excéeding rich and fertile ground: yet if we take view of them, we shall finde that albe they are tall and large, yet they are of slender shape, leane-thighed, crumple-horned, and oft tender and dry skinned, which is a fault very note-worthie amongst Graziers, and indéede are nothing so eyely and Market-able, as those beasts are which are bred inYorke-shire,Darby-shire,Lancashire, and such like, all which are bred vpon hard and barraine grounds, yet haue goodly, large, and round bodies, close trust, thicke, andwell coupled together, faire heads, veluet skinnes, and as the Prouerbe is, are so beautifull in horne and haire, that they are euery mans money, in euery Market. So that I conclude, that albe vpon the rich ground you may bréede good Cattell, and it is necessary also so to doe for the maintaynance of stocke, yet the generall vse, and that which is the greatest profit to the English husbandman, is to graze and féede the same.
Of Pastures and ordering them.
Now to procéede to my former purpose, touching that part of rich ground which I call Pasture, because it is onely for féeding, you shall first prouide that they be very well fenced, according to the nature of the Country, either with ditch, pale, rayle, dead hedge, or quicke-growth: you shall also sée that they be well stored with water, that is swéet and wholesome, for putrified water bréedeth many mortall and infectious diseases amongst Cattell. These Pastures must euer be your highest ground, and such as lye safest from inundations. Those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to from the beginning of Nouember, you may féede at Candlemasse following with heilding beasts, or such as are but beginning to féede, but with your fat beasts not till our Ladies day after: those Pastures which you lay or giue rest to at Candlemasse, you may very well féede at May following: those which you giue rest to at May-day, you may féede at Midsommer, for then the spring is swift and plentifull: those you lay at Midsommer, you may féede at Lammas, those you lay at Lammas, you may féede in October, and generally all the Winter following: onely you shall obserue, that those Pastures which lye most in danger of water, or any other casualtie, be first eaten, least by too long delaying an vnseasonable time come, and so you be both preuented of your hope and profit.
Manner of feeding of cattell.
In the eating of your Pasture grounds, are many things to be obserued, as first for the féeding of your fat Cattell, you must by all meanes be sure that they haue full bite, which is to say, length of grasse: for cattell, whosetongues are the principall gatherers vp of their foode, neither can nor will bite néere vnto the ground, except it be extreame hunger which compels them, and then they take little ioy in their foode. Next you shall oft (as any fit occasion will giue you leaue) remoue and shift them into fresh grounds, and not expect that they should eate your grasse downe to the bottome, but onely as it were scumme and take the vppermost and choisest part thereof, and so they will féede both swiftly and throughly: and for that grasse which they shall leaue behinde them, you shall eate it vp after them with your labouring or worke-cattell, and lastly with your shéepe. It is very good also amongst your fat beasts euer to haue a leane horse or two: for your fat beasts taketh delight to féede with them, and sometimes to bite after them, there being as it were a kinde of sympathie or liking of each others tastes. After your grasse is fully knit, and hath receiued his whole strength, which wil be at Midsommer, then you may suffer your fat beast to eate a little néerer vnto the ground till after Lammas, because there is an extraordinarie swéetnesse therein, springing from the heate of the Sunnes beames onely. These few obseruations well kept, there is no doubt but your Cattell will féede well to your contentment, then when you sée that they are sufficiently fed, according to the ayme of your purpose, whether it be for the vse of your houshold, or the vse of the Market, you shall forth-with imploy them accordingly, for it is both the losse of time and money, not to put them off by sale or otherwise, so soone as they are come to the end of your desire. For those rich grounds will sometimes make two returnes in the yéere, sometimes thrée, which is a great profit. And I haue heard sometimes of foure, but it is very rare, and the Cattell so returned must be very well stricken with flesh before they be put vnto féeding, but if your ground will returne leane beasts fat twice through the yéere, it is commodity sufficient.
How to know a fat Beast.
Now because it is not sufficient to say sell or kill yourCattell when they are fat, except you haue the Art and skill to know the same, you shall obserue these few rules following, and they will sufficiently instruct you in the same. First, when you sée your beast in the generall shape and composure of his body shew most faire and beautifull, each member being comely, and each bone couered, in such sort as a perfect shape requireth, as no eye is so stupid as cannot tell when a beast looketh well or ill-fauouredly, you shall then guesse the beast to be well fed, especially when you sée his huckle-bones round and not sharpe, his ribs smooth, not rough, his flankes full, his natch thick, and his cod round. This when you shall perceiue, you shall handle him, and griping him vpon the neathermost ribs, if you féele the skinne loose, and the substance soft vnder your hand, you may be well assured that the beast is very well fed outwardly, that is vpon the bones. You shall then lay your hand vpon his round huckle-bones, and if that féele, vnder your hand, soft, round and plumpe, you shall be assured that the beast is well fed both outwardly and inwardly, that is, both in flesh and tallow: then you shall handle him at the setting on of his taile, and if that handle bigge, thicke, full, and soft, it is a true signe that the beast is very well fed outwardly: then handle his natch-bones which are on both sides the setting on of his taile, and if they féele soft and loose, it is a signe that he is well fed, both outwardly and inwardly. Lastly, you shall handle his cod and nauell, if it be of an Oxe, and the nauell onely if it be a Cowe, and if they handle thicke, round, soft, great, and plumpe, it is a most assured signe that the beast is very well tallowed within. And thus when any of these parts or members shall handle in contrary manner, you shall iudge of the contrary effects. And thus much touching the knowledge of a fat beast.
Of Meddowes and their ordering.
Now for the second part of these rich grounds, which are meddowes, they ought to be the most fruitfullest and richest of all other, lying low and leuell, and being now and then in the Winter season washt with inundations,yet not too too much drencht or washt with the same: for as the moderate ouerflowing of waters enricheth and fertiles the soyle, to the too much soking or long resting of the water rotteth the earth, & bringeth it to barrainnesse, neither is it altogether necessary that euery meddowe should lye so low that it might be ouerflowed, for there be some high grounds which are frée from those floods which will beare meddow in very sufficient manner, & although the lower meddowes doe abound in the plenty of grasse, yet the higher grounds euer beareth the swéeter grasse, and it is a rule amongst Husbandmen, that the low meddowes do fill, but the high meddowes do féede, the low are for the Stable, but the high are for the Cratch, and that which is long will maintaine life, but that which is short will bréede milke.
Preseruation of Meddowes.
The chiefest respect you shall haue to your meddowes, is to defend and preserue them from Moales, and such like vermine, which roote vp the earth, and destroy the swéet and tender roots of the grasse. Next, that you note in what places of the meddow the water standeth longest, & from thence, by small furrowes or draynes, to giue it a frée passage, so that the meddow may as it were cleanse & be dry in one instant. Lastly, you shall maintaine the banks of all such ditches & other fences bordring about your meddowes in good and sufficient manner, both for kéeping out of water after your meddowes begin to grow, as also for kéeping Cattell from eating them in the night or other times, which is a great depriuation and losse of the profit you expect to come from them: for you shall vnderstand, that if any ouerflow shall come vnto your meddowes after May, it will leaue such a sandy filthinesse in the grasse, that except very moderate showers fall swiftly, and sodainly, to wash it out againe, the Hay which shall be got of that crop, will both be vnsauorie and vnwholsome, and bréed in your Cattell many dangerous and mortall sicknesses.
When to lay Meddowes.
The best times for laying of meddowes to rest, is, if the meddow lye high, as in vp-land Countries, or if the soylebe cold, or the springing thereof slow, at Candlemasse: but if the ground be more warme, temperate, & of some more fertility, then you may lay it at our Ladies day in March: but if the ground be most fruitfull, then if you lay it at May-day, it will be early enough. Also in the laying of your meddowes to rest, you shall consider the state of the ground, as whether it be eaten néere and bare, and with what Cattell, as Horse, Oxen, or Shéepe: if it haue béene eaten bare with Oxen or Horse, then you shall lay it earlier in the yéere, for it will aske a longer time to grow againe: but if it haue béene eaten with Shéepe (although they bite néerest to the ground) yet you may lay it so much later, because the meanure which they bestow vpon such good ground, will quickly hasten on the Spring: but if your meddowes haue not béene eaten bare, but haue a good déepe fogge vpon them still, then you may lay them the latest. Also in the laying of meddowes, you shall consider whether they be common or priuate, if they be common meddowes, and that no olde custome binde you to the contrary, you shall lay them to rest earely in the yéere, that recouering a forward Spring, you may cut them so much the sooner, and so haue the better after-crop, and the longer time to eate it: but if your meddow be priuate, and at your owne particular disposing, then you shall lay it according to your owne necessitie, and the goodnes of the soyle, obseruing euer to giue it full time of growth, and not to cut it till the grasse be full ripe, for it is better to let it grow a wéeke too long (so the weather be seasonable for the withering of it) then to cut it two dayes too soone, because when it is too earely cut, it not onely looseth the strength and goodnesse, but also the substance and waight, and in the drying shrinketh and wasteth to nothing.
When to mow Meddowes.
Touching the fittest time to cut or mowe your meddowes: If they be laid in a due season, it is held of all the best English husbandmen generally to be a wéeke or a fortnight after Midsommer day, as namely about the translation of Thomas, which is euer the seauentéenth day of Iuly,and without question it is a very good time for all men to begin that labour, if their grounds be fruitfull and of earely growth: but in as much as diuers grounds are diuers in their growth, some being much more hastie then other some: and for as much as some meddow may as well grow too long as too little a time, as in high land Countries, where the heate and reflection of the Sunne will burne and consume away the grasse, if it be not gathered in a due season, I would therefore wish euery good Husbandman about a wéeke before Midsommer, and a wéeke after, to view his meddowes well, and if he sée them turne browne, if the Cock-heads turne downeward and stand not vpright, if the Bels and other vessels of séede open and shed their séedes, if your Honisuckles haue lost their flowers, and the Penigrasse be hard, dry, and withered, then you shall truly vnderstand that your meddow is ripe and ready to be mowne, and the longer it standeth, the more it will loose of the substance, and when any of the contrary signes appeare, as when the meddow lookes gréene and fresh, the Cock-heads looke vpright, the Bels are close and hard, the Honisuckles flowing and purple, and the Penigrasse soft and moyst, then is your meddow not readie to cut, nor will the Hay that is so gotten be other then soft, fuzzie, and most vnwholsome, no beast taking delight to eate of the same.
The inclination of the weather.
Now to these considerations, you shall adde a carefull obseruation of the state and inclination of the weather, and if you finde that the weather is disposed to much wet or incertaintie, then you shall forbeare to mowe, because that moysture will still maintaine and hold the grasse in his perfect strength so long as it groweth: but if it be once cut downe, then the wet will soone rot and spoile it: but if you find the weather enclined to drought and fairenesse, then you shall with all spéede cut downe your Hay, for one loade got and brought into the barne without raine, is worth two that hath béene washt, though but with the smallest shower. There be some Husbandmen that inthe mowing of their meddowes, will obserue the state of the Moone, and other planetarie coniectures, but they are fitter for those which séeke curiosities more then profit, for mine owne part I would wish euery good husband but to know truly when his crop is ripe, and then to gather it in the most constant and fairest seasons, which the rules already set downe will most amply shew him.
The manner how to mowe Meddowes.
Now for the manner of mowing your meddowes, although the generall act resteth in the hands of the mower, and that it is hard and impossible, in words, to expresse the Art of the action, nor is it néedfull that euery Husbandman be a mower, yet for those rules which the English Husbandman should know and obserue, I will in no sort omit them. You shall then know that in the mowing of your meddowes you shall mowe them smooth, plaine, and leuell, and as the Husbandman tearmes it, with such an euen board, that a man may no more but discerne the going in and comming forth of the Sythe: and this shall be done so close and néere vnto the ground, as is possible for the worke-man to get, especially if it be in publique and common meddowes, because the swap and first crop is all the maine profit you can challenge your owne: nay, you shall doe it also in your owne priuate and seuerall meddowes: for although an ignorant custome haue drawne some of our Husbandmen, to say and beléeue that there is no losse in the sleight and insufficient mowing of priuate meddowes, because say they, what I loose in the Barne, my Cattell findes on the ground, yet they are much deceiued in that opinion, for what they so leaue on the ground halfe cut halfe vncut, is no good foode, neither pleasant nor sauorie, but dry, hard, and bitter, and indéede no better then sower fogge, which may fill, but cannot nourish, and who then will be so simple, as not to preferre swéet Hay before such vnsauorie grasse? therefore be carefull to mowe your grasse euen, and close by the ground, for it will make the fresh grasse spring vpwith more ease, and be much pleasanter in taste.
How to make Hay.
Next after the mowing of your meddowes, followeth the making of your Hay, which is a labour that must be followed with great care and diligence, for it is an old saying, that dearth beginneth at the Hay-barne dore, and he that is negligent in that, can hardly be good husband in any thing else, then to shew you how you shall make your hay, you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand for a generall rule, because Hay must be made according to the nature of the grasse, and the soyle where it groweth, some being apt to wither and make soone, as that grasse which is finest, and hath in it least wéedes, others will be long in making, as that which is full of thicke, strong, and sower grasses, many wéedes, bunnes, and such like hard stalkes, which are not easily dried, therefore it is the part of euery good Husbandman, either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature of his grasse, or else to follow the customes of the Country and soyle wherein he liueth, but the first, Knowledge, is the better Science. But to procéede to my purpose, I will in the natures of two sorts of grasse, the one fine, the other course, shew you the generall making of all sorts of Hay.
To make fine Hay.
First, then for the making of your fine rich grass into Hay, if it grow in great abundance, thicke and close, and so lieth in the swathe, you shall haue one with a Pitch-forke to follow the Mowers, and to spread and throw the grasse thinne abroad, that the ayre and sunne-beames may passe through it: and this is called in most Countries tedding of Hay. The next day, after the Sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground, you shall turne that which the day before you tedded, and then if you haue any more new mowen, you shall ted it also. The next day following, as before, when the dewe is from the earth, you shall turne your Hay againe, and so letting it lye till the Sunne be at his height, begin to stir it againe, at which time if you finde it is reasonably well withered, you shal then draw it into windrowes, that is, you shall marke which way thewinde standeth, and the same way that it bloweth, the same way with Forks & Rakes one after another, gather in the Hay into long, great, thicke rowes: then you shall make those windrowes into large Cockes, of which the biggest is euer the best, for they will defend themselues from raine, if happily any shall fall, whereas the little small Cocke lying light together, taketh in the raine like a spunge, and so makes the Hay a great deale much worse then otherwise it would be; when your Hay is thus set in safe Cocke, you shall let it rest a day or two, that it may take a little sweat therein, which will make the Hay wondrous pleasant and swéet, then when the Sunne is got vp to a pretie height, you shall open those Cockes, and after the sunne and winde hath passed through them, you may if the grasse be clean & fine of it selfe, without ranke grasse, load it, and carrie it either into the Barne, or such other place, as you haue appointed for the receit thereof: but if it haue any ranke grasse, which you sée vnwithered amongst it, then you shall make it vp againe into safe cockes, and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away. And thus much for the making vp of fine Hay.
To make course Hay.
Now for the making of course grasse into Hay, which you must suppose to be grasse growing, in colde, moyst, woodie, and barraine grounds, full of wéedie, rough, and stumpie hearbage, long in growing, late ere it can be gathered, and therefore depriued of much of the Sunnes strength, to swéeten and wither it. This grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne and tedded, as is before said: the next day you shall make it into little grasse Cockes, as bigge as little Moale-hilles, and so hauing layne a day or better, then breake them open, and let them receiue the sunne and winde, for they will heat and sweat a little in the grasse, which make it Hay the sooner & better: then after the Sunne hath spent all his power vpon it, you shall make it vp into little Cockes againe, putting two of the first Cockes into one, then hauing so layne another day, breake them open againe, and giue them the Sunne:then make them vp againe, and put thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so let them lye another day, then breake them open as before, if the Sunne shine faire, and at euening make them vp againe, putting thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so euery morning after the Sunne is vp breake them open, and at euening make them vp againe, till you finde that the Hay is sufficiently well dried, and sweateth no more in the Cocke: but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry, without stemme, smoake, or vapour arising from it, which both your hand and eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing, and then you may at your pleasure leade it home, and house or stacke it as you shall haue occasion.
Vse of Hay for cattell to breed or labour with.
Now for the vse of Hay, it is two-folde, that is, either for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or Cattell for labour, or else for the féeding of Cattell for the Market, or for slaughter: for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or the Cattell which are imployed in your Plough or other labours, whether it be draught or trauell, you shall make choise of the swéet, and well-dried Hay, which is of fresh and gréene colour, well withered, sound, and perfect Hay, though it be long, loggie, and not excéeding much swéet, it matters not; for being well Inned and dried, it will serue sufficiently for those purposes: and with this Hay to mingle sometimes Wheat-straw, Rye-straw, Barly, or Oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding, or bréede Cattell: but for worke-beasts, except necessitie constraine, let them haue Hay simple of it selfe, during the busie time of their worke, but when they rest, you may vse your discretion. For the times of giuing Hay or foddering to such Cattell as are in the house, the best is in the morning before they goe to labour, in the euening when they come from labour, presently after their drinke, and at night when you goe to bed. But for those Cattell which goe abroad, as Shéepe, heilding Beasts, and such like, to fodder them morning and euening, is out and out fully sufficient.
Now for the vse of Hay for fat cattell, you shall make choyse of the fruitfullest, swéetest, finest, and shortest Hay you haue, being full of flowers, pleasant and odoriferous to smell on: and although this Hay be mixt with some roughnesse, yet it is not the worse, for though your fat beast make thereof great orts, yet is the losse not great, for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell, which will eate them with great eagernesse. This Hay would in the first gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little hartie gréennesse that it may a little mow-burne, and alter the colour to a Redish brounnesse, but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould, rot, or putrifie, for that is fulsome and bade, but onely alter the colour, and therby make the smell swéeter and stronger. This Hay will entice a beast to eate, and will strengthen and inable his stomacke, and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst, that hardly any water will quench him, and the Grazier takes it euer for an infallible signe, that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallow wonderfully increaseth. For the ordinarie times of foddring your fat cattell, if they be in the stall, and as we say, tyed vp by the head, the best is in the morning before and after water, at noone; in the euening before & after water, and late in the night, when you goe to bed, but if they féede abroad, and take the benefit of Fogge and after-grasse, then to fodder them Morning, Euening, and high-noone is fully sufficient.
Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel, eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined, and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.