The new and admirable Art of setting of Corn: With all the necessary Tools and other Circumstances belonging to the same: the particular titles whereof, are set down in the Page following.  
ADAM'S TOOL REVIVED  
Magnus Deus in minimis.  
Imprinted at London by Peter Short, dwelling at the sign of the Star on Bredstreet hill. 1600.   

The Contents of this Book.  

1 How this invention began.  
2 The reason why Corn doth shoot up into so many ears rather by setting then sowing.  
3 The manner of digging and laying of the arable grounds in this new practice.  
4 The several instruments for making the holes for the grain, and covering them.  
5 At what depth and distance your corn must be set.  
6 Whether it be good to fill the holes with common earth, and to prepare the seed before it be set.  
7 How to make choice of your seed corn.  
8 The difference of yield between the plough and the spade, with some new addition to the plough.    

The new found Art of setting of Corne.  

CHAP. 1. How this invention began.  
Here I may rather probably conjecture then certainly determine how this new conceit in setting of grain began. Happily some silly wench having a few corns of wheat, mixed with some other seed, and being careless of the work she had in hand, might now and then in steed of a Radish or Carrot seed, let fall a wheat corn into the ground, which after branching itself into many ears, and yielding so great increase, gave just occasion of some farther trial. Peradventure the great and rich fertility that doth usually happen in the setting of beans and pease, might stir up some practising wit or other to make the like experience in wheat and barley. Or who knoweth whether that Enigmatical marriage between Bacchus and Ceres so closely couched in such figurative terms by johan. Baptista Porta, in his Magia naturalis in the perclose of his title, de novis plantis producendis, might give some light unto this new and late invention of ours. And lastly, I have been credibly informed that this manner of pricking in of corn, hath by the public impression of an ancient writer (whose name I cannot yet obtain) even in plain and naked terms been long since discovered and manifested to the view of each reader. But it shall not greatly skill from whence this profitable devise had his first beginning (although for the honour of my country, I could wish the same were fronted with the name and title of an English Author) and that as it hath pleased the great God of heaven in his unspeakable mercy and love, and in these times of dearth and penury, to offer a most plentiful increase of our best nourishing, Manna unto us: so that we may in all dutiful manner, with one heart and voice together, give all thanks, honour, and praise unto so great and bountiful a benefactor, whose name is glorious in the heavens, and whose mighty power extendeth itself over the face of the whole earth, cui laus in saecula saeculorum. Amen.   

CHAP. 2. The reason why Corn doth shoot up into so many ears rather by setting then sowing.  
THe consideration hereof may well deserve to be handled in the second place, in my opinion, both quia turpe est Philosopho quidquam sine ratione proffer, as Tully holdeth: and also for that it is a principal motive to stir up a number of drowsy wits to the practice hereof; who not as yet finding or conceiting any sensible reason for the same, are rather content with the fly-bitten and lean jades, to live or starve upon the bare common, then by seeking out of better pasture, to gather more flesh upon their backs, and to grow in better liking in the sight of all that shall behold them. Such winter Corn then as is usually sown before or about Alhallownetide, in my poor reason, must of necessity lose a great part of his generative virtue, and radical humidity, both by the extreme nipping of the cold Northern and Easterly winds, and the bitter frosts and hail, together with the great abundance of the cold rainy showers, which in the Winter season do so plentifully attach and fall upon the Grain, lying then either naked and bare to all weather, or very slenderly clothed with a poor and thin garment, not able suffientlie to defend the inward and secret fire of nature, from such outward and piercing enemies; yea, though it have taken root, and gotten some head before this boisterous weather do happen, yet by reason that the root is shallow, and hath taken so slender hold in the ground, either the inward Balsamum is washed away with moisture, or nipped with extreme cold, that it cannot possibly send forth so many spiring stalks and ears as naturally it would; beside, the earth being full of clods, and not sufficiently broken into a fine mould with the Plough, the Corn cannot so easily and plentifully by this attractive nature draw for his own nourishment such store of that vegetative salt from the earth, as it desireth; the virtue and strength whereof is more at large handled in my Book of husbandry, printed Anno 1594. and in that learned discourse of M. Bernard Palissie, in his Book entitled, Des eaux & Fonteines. But on the other side, when as the corns of wheat shall lie so deep within their true and natural bed, even their own mother's belly, the earth being made so hollow & open with the spade, whereby they may also draw sufficient nourishment at their pleasure, then are all these outward and injurious storms of hail and rain, so sufficiently defended by this armour of proof, as that the corn having his true and natural putrefaction (being not performed without the help of a kindly heat) doth afterwards in his due season bring forth that infinite multiplication, whereof we have had so many and rich experiments of late, far beyond all the hopes and harvests of all our predecessors.   

CHAP. 3. The manner of digging and laying of the arable grounds in this new practice.  
WHen and how to dig, weed, or trench your grounds with the spade, is a matter so trivial and well known already to every country Coridon, as that I hold it not a fit subject for a Scholars pen, and therefore here I must refer you to those beaten paths, wherein every simple Gardener hath walked a long time: only the depth of digging, and true laying of the ground, seems to be material in this our new kind of husbandry. Some in this late practice, by their experience commend the breaking up of the ground a foot and a half deep, and some two foot, and some but one foot; but in my opinion since that, three, or four, or five inches at the most is a sufficient depth for the corn to lie in, I see no reason but that eight or twelve inches more, is a depth sufficient for the corn to root in. This being granted, then shall you have this farther benefit ensuing, that at the next breaking up and digging of your ground, you shall turn up such mould, as hath not spent his strength in the former crop, the fruit whereof you shall find in the next harvest. And here I must of necessity acknowledge that M. Taverner in his Book of Experiments, concerning Fish and Fruit, being of this years date, hath bereaved me of one of my best observations in Orchard grounds, the ignorance whereof I hold to be one of the special and principal causes that so many of our English Orchards do never yield fruit answerable to our charge and travel: the secret whereof is this briefly. Every ground hath naturally an upper crust of earth, which by the lively and vivifying heat of the Sun, the comfortable nature of the Air, together with the congelative part of the rain (for so M. Bernard Palissie termeth it, being the first Author of a fift element) which often falleth upon the ground, is made more rich and fruitful than all the residue of the earth beside, which upper crust in some ground is a foot, in some two, and in some three foot deep, and in some not above half a foot. And under the same upper crust is either a hot chalk, a dry sand, a barren gravel, or a cold lean clay or lome, or such like. It is therefore requisite that you set your young trees in such sort, as that the roots may run and spread within that upper crust: and if you set them deeper, they may happily grow, but never bring forth fruit in any plentiful manner: nay, though the earth should consist of one and the self same vein, and of one colour and nature in show, yet because the Sun doth not give his impression nor digestion unto the earth, but to a certain depth (which I guess not much to exceed two foot) you shall find that all the rest of the mould under that depth will be lean and hungry, not having any strength or fatness in it. And this is the reason why such earth as hath been digged out of vaults and Cellars, not having received any life or comfort from the Sun beams, though of never so black and rich mould in outward appearance, if it be spread upon garden grounds, doth make them utterly barren and unfruitful. That which is here spoken of Orchard grounds, I would have all wise and skilful husbandmen to apply also to their Corn grounds, that in any case they never dig deeper with the Spade, than the strength of the ground will bear, and so by their ignorance discredit a work and practise of so great expectation. Now concerning the laying of your grounds, either in ridges and furrows, or in a declining level, whereby the rain may have a sufficient conveyance, after they have once received their due moisture from the clouds: this resteth in the discretion of the husbandman, who best knoweth the moisture or dryness of his own grounds, and accordingly may give such a current unto them, as may best fit the several natures of each ground or soil. And here I may not omit that ease and speed in breaking up of grounds, which some of our late practisers have found out, by making the first entrance with a deep cutting plough, and then pursuing the same with the spade, whereby much charge, labour, and expense of time is avoided.   

CHAP. 4. The several instruments for making the holes for the grain, and covering them.  
IT is an old saying, that hands were made before knives: and I doubt not, but the same may aswell be verified in tools. For to my remembrance, the first man that ever attempted the setting of corn, made the first holes with his finger. But this course being afterwards found to be very long and tedious, an instrument was devised, having many teeth or pings, like a rake, with a staff fastened in the midst of the backside thereof, which being thrust into the ground, did at one instant make twelve or twenty holes more or less, according to the number of teeth or pings therein. Afterwards this tool was also disliked, as not making sufficient riddance of ground, and in place thereof a board of three foot or thereabout in length, and twelve or ten inches in breadth, was thought upon, having divers holes bored therein, according to such distance as every particular man best fancied, through each of which holes a wooden dibber or pin was thrust into the ground, being of the bigness of ones finger, and of three or four inches in length, having a shoulder or hole with a cross pin, to keep one self same certainty in the depth of each hole. The last devise that as yet hath come to my view (but now rejected, because in the drawing out of so many pings the holes do choke) is a board of the same largeness with the former, driven full of round pings of three or four inches deep within the board, and placed each from other in equal distance by a true proportion, which at one impression maketh so many receptacles for the corn, as there be pings in the board. These boards are directed by a Gardiner's line, first strained to some reasonable length, or by the eye, and thereby a strait course is kept in the setting. When each hole hath received a corn, then must you rake over the ground to fill up those holes with earth again: and during all the time of setting and raking, you must stand or kneel upon one of your boards, which you must remove from place to place, as your setting and raking from time to time requires.  
Hear for the satisfaction of the simple, I have thought good also to set down the length of your boards, together with the true boring of them between each hole: and therefore if you have five inches distance, then may you in a board of ten inches broad make two rows of holes, the first and last hole being two inches and a half from each side, and if the length thereof be two foot and eleven inches, then may it well contain two rows of holes, having seven holes in every row, the first and last hole being distant from each end two inches and a half: and when the ends or sides of two such boards so bored, shall be laid together, they will make a true continuance of one self same skantling and distance of five inches through all your works: if you work upon four inches, then leave at each side and end of your board two inches: and so in a board of three foot in length, and one foot in breadth, you shall have nine holes in each row one way, and three holes the other way.  
And it is to be remembered that every two workmen (whereof the one maketh the holes, and the other setteth the grain) must have two boards to work upon: and yet some be of opinion, that one man may perform both the works.   

CHAP. 5. At what depth and distance your corn must be set.  
I Have been informed that the observation of three inches deep, and three inches distance, hath brought forth 30. quarters of wheat upon one acre of ground, and that four inches in depth, and four in distance hath yielded but twenty quarters: happily the ground or the seed corn might make the difference. Some speak of five inches deep and five in distance, with exceeding great increase: the true finding out of which proportions may easily be obtained by several trials made at several depths and distances together, at one time, and in one self same piece of ground. Only here I must remember you of that which was spoken of before, in the title of digging, chap. 3. that concerning the depth, you must have an especial care, that your seed may lie within the rich crust of the earth, and that his bed wherein he lieth, may also be of the same goodness, or else the plough will discredit the spade.   

CHAP. 6. Whether it be good to fill the holes with common earth, and to prepare the seed before it be set.  
IF the ground be a rich and kindly wheat ground, you shall find a sufficient increase by filling them up with their own proper mould: for so have the greatest and most usual trials been hitherto made already; yet some pregnant wits, desirous to exalt nature to the highest degree of perfection, have attempted the filling up of those holes both with Pigeons dung, sheep's dung, and cow dung, and such like, but with no good success at all, quaere if this dung had been first rotten into perfect earth and then bestowed. Neither do I see any reason in fat and lusty grounds, why any further increase should be sought for then hath been found already, for that the earth is not able to carry a greater burden, than she hath borne of late by these usual practices which have been made. But in barren and spent grounds, it were greatly to be wished, that by some artificial and cheap means, a plentiful crop of corn might be had and obtained. For the better furtherance whereof, I leave these few conceits to the favourable consideration of those, whose farms are greater than mine, and have had more familiar conference with nature than myself, referring them also farther both unto the literal and secret sense of my book of Husbandry before mentioned. And here I think it not amiss to cite in the first place that learned and poetical Husbandman, who in his first book of his Georgickes' hath these Hexamiters.  
Semina vidi equidem multos medicare serentes  
Et nitro prius, & nigra perfundere amurca:  
Grandior ut foetus siliquis fallacibus esset,  
Et quamuis igni exiguo 
* Citò coquerentur.  properata maderent;  
Vidi laeta diu & multo 
* Probata.  spectata labour  
Degenerare tamen: ni vis humana quotannis,  
Maxima quaeque manu legeret, etc.  
Here we see Salniter and the mother or Lees of oil commended: but whether Virgil do mean a steeping or imbibition of the grain in the Lees of oil, wherein there hath been a solution of Niter, or the corn only sprinkled over with them both in the setting; it is left to the consideration of the reader. But howsoever he intent the same, our country doth neither afford store of Niter, nor yet of Amurca, to perform many (if any) acres therewith; and though it did, yet would it prove a work of greater charge and trouble (as I suppose) then would be endured: unless it were in some small practice, and for the trial of a magistery, or upon some richer seed than wheat, which in less quantity would prove more profitable than any ordinary grain, whereof there are some few of English breed, if I be not deceived.  
But now let us leave Virgil to his poetical vain, and let us come to that glorious Neapolitaine johan. Baptista Porta, who expecteth a general applause of the whole world, for his last and learned book of Magia naturalis (as in his preface to the reader, by a recapitulation of all his infinite readings, charges, and conferences with the greatest clerks of his time, he would intimate unto us) and washing our eyes first in Eyebright water, let us see whether we are able to pierce and penetrate into these thick and foggy clouds of skill, which he hath in so many close and figurative terms (as willing to vaunt of his own wit, but unwilling to benefit others) so strangely delivered unto us. I find in the latter end of his third book, entitled de novis plantis producendis, and over the 21. chapter, this superscription.  Quomodo fruges satis amplo foenore exsatu colligamus, & è vineis vinum. 
Whereupon he discourseth in manner following:  luculentam, satisque exoptatam coronidem huic nostro libro imponeremus, docebimus quomodo frumentacea, & legumina satis amplo foenore è satu colligamus, & è vineis vinum. Res profecto immensae utilitatis, ut ex uno modio plus centuplo proveniat. Sed ne quis, quod centuplum plus accipiet, dixerim, putet velim hunc exactum modiorum numerum ex uno sato collecturum: nam anno, coelo, solo, & syderibus renuentibus, minor erit collectio, sed non tam minor, quin quintuplo usitatum non superet; at his faventibus, ex uno modio centeni quinquageni reddentur. Sed pollicitatio haec nostra aliquibus paradoxum videbitur, sed si sanae mentis essent, maximum profecto videri deberet paradoxum, cur ex sato semodio ducentos modios non recipiamus, quum ex sato, & concepto acino, videamus radicem in multiplices & numerosoes culmos fructificare, plus minus quindecim, & in spica sexaginta grana contineri? mitto Byzacij Africae solum Plinij, quod uno grano quadringenta paucis minus germina miserit, misitque ex eo loco procurator Neroni CCCXL. stipulas ex uno grano. Sed causam venemur, unde id accidere possit. Sunt qui dicant id evenire, quod pars maior iacti frumenti ex volucribus, talpis, vermibus, alijsque subterraneis animalibus devoretur. Sed id falsum arguitur, quod ex sato lupini modio non plus minus quindecim recipiuntur, quin lupinum impunè iaceat derelictum, ab omnibus animalibus sua ingrata amaritudine tutum, & suis in thecis, vaginulisque plus minus centum grana contineantur. Sunt alij, qui id eoelo ascribant, frigorum, calorumque iniurijs, vel imbrium frequentijs, ut nunc torpeant gelu arua, nunc siti infestentur, nunc in herbarum copiam luxurient, nunc macie intabescant; sed hoe falsum congruit argumentum, quod exmaximo coelifavore, neque ex uno triceni redduntur. Sed ne latius evagemur, dicimus non omnia spicae & vaginulae grana nasci, nam alia Deus ad escam animalium, alia adsemen destinavit. Sunt in spicis grana; quasi abortus & degeneres foetus, quae non foeticant sed desciscunt in vitium. Sunt quae è glumis in spicis emicant habitiora, quae ad propagationem producuntur. Praeterea nec debito tempore seruntur, destituunturque debito agricolarum opere: unde si his obuiabimus; omnia ex voto succedent. Semina enim prolixioribus radicibus implexis, longè latéque sub tellure serpentibus, numerosiores culmos deproment, circumundique spicis vallatis. Sponsa ergo suo viro ducatur, non ex primis vel ultimis natis sed è medijs, quia imbecilles sunt, ac balneo secreta & unguentis delibuta & pingui depasta caprarum veterum Vulcano, & Baccho associata cubile molle, & optimè stratum calefiat: vivifico enim calore in amicam naturam coeunt, & dulcioribus amplexibus stringuntur & haerent. Sic animata viro semina, non degenerem, sed legitimam prolem donent. Suo foecundo lumine Luna praesit, nam ferax feracem reddit, id restat praemonendum, uxorem Baccho ducendam non capillis destitutam, nam suo decore capite destituto spernitur à viro sponsa, neque haberet, quo noxia purgarentur, sed solum cincinnis orbetur; sic enim minus compta, plus suo placebit & viro. Which for the better understanding of such as are no Latinists, I have thought good to translate into our natural language, as followeth.  

How by setting and planting of Corn or vines; a great and plentiful increase may be had.  
That now at length, according to mine own desire, I may shut up this book of plants with a most famous and renowned conclusion, I will here declare how all kind of corn and pulse, together with the vines themselves shall recompense all our labours with great increase. A matter without all question of singular profit, to receive more than an hundred bushels for one. But lest I be mistaken in this great proportion, I would not have any man to think, that I do here set down any exact number of bushels, from which nature can at no time vary: for if the year, the heavens, and the ground itself, together with the fatal influence of the stars, do all conspire together, the number of our bushels will fall short, but never so short, but that they will by five degrees exceed the accustomed yield. But if all these concur and afford their several favours, then may we well expect 150. bushels of one. But this proud promise of ours may happily seem a paradox unto some, unto whom, if they were of any sound & sharp judgement, it should rather seem a greater paradox, why half a bushel should not rather give 200. hundred bushels again, when as we do often see, that one corn being set and well rooted, doth stem up into divers stalks, yea sometimes to the number of fifteen, more or less, each ear also containing threescore corns within it. I do here omit to speak of Bizatium, that fruitful ground of Africa, whereof Pliny maketh mention, where out of one corn four hundred stalks did branch: and the Governor of that place did also send to Nero 240. stems arising from one grain. But let us seek out and hunt after the true reason hereof. Some be of opinion, that the cause why the same fertility doth not happen in our usual and ordinary manner of sowing, is, for that a great part of the seed which is sown, is devoured by the fowls of the air, by Moles, worms and other creeping creatures within the ground. But this is manifestly disproved in the sowing of lupines, whereas seldom we do reap little more or less than fifteen bushels for one, although the same be so bitter a kind of pulse, that none of all these devouring creatures will once touch it, but lieth safe within his hose, each cod containing much about an hundred grains: some attribute the same unto the heavens, and the injuries arising of heat, cold, and continual showers of rain, that do often happen; so as sometimes the grounds are benumbed with frosts, and sometimes parched with heat, sometime they make a rich & fertile show, and sometimes they whither and waxed barren; but all this is easily convinced. For that admitting that the heavens do afford all their favourable influences at once, yet do we scarce obtain at any time thirty for one. But now to come nearer to our purpose, we do affirm that each corn that is found within the ear is not apt to grow, for God hath created some of them for the food of living creatures, and some for seed corn. There be in every ear certain abortive and bastardly corns, which will never fructify, but become utterly unprofitable; and in some ears there are corns which are more beautiful to behold then the rest, which nature hath ordained for propagation. Besides all this, the seed itself is not always sown by the husbandman in his due time, neither hath it all his due rites and ceremonies performed. So that if we can meet with all these imperfections and errors, then will all good success follow, according to our own hearts desire. For the roots being large in spreading under the ground, and each embracing other in their manifold wreathe, will thereby send forth a greater number of stems, beset and garnished with ears on every side. For the better accomplishment whereof let the bridegroom make choice of such a wife as is of the middle sort, and not of the first or last borne, because they are of a weaker constitution, let them both go into a warm bath, and there anointing themselves with sweet ointment, and with the fat food of old Goats, being mixed with Bacchus and Vulcan; let their soft and even laid bed be gently warmed: for by that vivifying heat they will unite themselves in an amiable manner, and be knit and joined together in most sweet and loving embracements: and the seed being thus quickened by the powerful heat of the man, will in the end bring forth a kindly, and no bastardly issue: Let the Moon be predominant with her prosperous light, for she being fruitful, will also make the same to fructify the better. But yet I must admonish you of one thing more, that such a wife as is fit for God Bacchus, must not be bald and without hair, for so wanting the due ornament of her head, she might happily be despised of her husband, neither should she have whereat to purge her own excrements, only let all curl and periwigs be laid aside, that so being the more reckless in her attire, she may seem more pleasing and acceptable to her husband.  
And what if all this mystical marriage between God Bacchus and the Goddess Ceres (at the solemnisation whereof only Vuloan and Luna were present, as though neither Saturn, jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, nor Mercury, nor the rest of that celestial crew were neither worthy to dine nor dance at the Wedding) what, I say, if all this great mystery or magistery of nature, as Baptista Porta would have it to appear, be nothing else but a soaking of corn in wine, or in the new must thereof, before it be set? Might not this without the profaning of Nature, or her sacred Maxims been safely and without offence in plain terms delivered to the public view of the world? But let us examine the particulars of this parable. The wife (he saith) must neither be of the first nor last, but taken out of the midst: and here, because he shall be his own expositor, I refer you to his secret for enlarging of the Gourd, pag. 137. where he citeth these verses out of Columella,  
Sive globosi  
Corporis atque utero nimium quae vasta tumescit  
Ventre legas medio, sobolem dabit illa capacem.  
And this, saith Porta, is not only to be observed in this plant, but in all others likewise, for those seeds which are contained within the midst of the bulk are more perfect themselves, and bring forth more perfect plants then those weak and imperfect ones, which occupy the outtermost places; and so the grain, he saith, in the middle of the ear bringeth forth a larger corn than those which grow in the top or bottom thereof.  
Concerning the bath and ointment wherein Vulcan and Bacchus are used, I think he meaneth some fat temper made with cowdung or goats dung, the older the better, moistened with wine or new must, whereby Bacchus is signified, in whom the secret fire and heat, which he holdeth, may also resemble Vulcan, under whose name fire is sometimes signified, as in that saying of Paracelsus, In Vulcano veritas: and in this compound, the goddess Ceres is lapped before she be set into the ground; or else the ground and mixture are after watered with wine, or else the corn is first steeped a certain time in wine before the grain is bestowed in the earth: any of these constructions seem probable, and to have some affinity with his figurative terms.  
Her bed must be very soft, and delicately made, whereby he doth manifestly insinuate the very digging with the spade, which worketh the mould into a most fine and subtle body: the warming of the bed, and those sweet collings and clippings together are intended to be wrought with the moistening heat of Bacchus. It seemeth also that he would have this setting performed in the increase, or toward the full of the Moon. The corn he would have to be set together with his chaff about it, which he termeth the hair, whereby nature purgeth the excrement of the head, but not with the beard of the ear, which hath a curled kind of grain upon it. Let this satisfy, that I have aimed at the mark, the pin being so far off, and clean out of sight. But what should we vex our spirits in beating out the sense of this mystical Latin, when as without all other circumstance, we see that one corn pricked into the ground, bringeth forth eight hundredth corns at once, whereas Porta speaketh of two hundred only at the most, even when heaven and earth do all join hand in hand together to help his invention? And who knoweth whether he mistake the reason of his own conceit, for happily the mellowness of the ground being opened and broken with the spade, did of itself perform the great wonder which he writeth of, and then both Bacchus and Ceres, and Luna may have jacke Drums entertainment.  
Now if I were also disposed to attire and disguise a plain secret in his figurative robes, what a deep and drunken riddle could I here set down of steeping barley or wheat in new ale in corns (although I hold the wort, so it be of the first rap, to be much better) for this doth seem to be his own natural bath, whereby it should receive a multiplying virtue in his own kind? I fear to prosecute this secret any farther in such Philosophical terms, lest some novice in Alchemy should suppose that I do go about to unfold and disclose the sacred materials and working of the Philosopher's stone, and yet to speak in good sooth, I durst undertake to perform as much with ale or beer as Bap. Porta shall do with his sack and sugar, or Claret wine and Lemons, let him make his choice.  
And because Virgil hath spoken of Niter, I have though good also, as a Parallel to the same out of M. Bar. Googe his book of Husbandry, fol. 33. b. to sot down the steeping of Beans in the water wherein Salt Peter hath been dissolved, and why not other grain and pulse, as well as Beans? And thus you have Rome & Naples answered with Surrey and London, I pray God all may bring forth one good conclusion for our commonwealth of England.  
But why should we spend these costly liquors that are fit for Taverns & Alehouses, then for rustical imbibitions? when as with common water and the dung of cattle, especially of Oxen, Kine, and Sheep, or Pigeons dung (whereof more quantity, with a great deal less charge (being not much inferior in effects) may so easily be had & obtained) Then hear me with patience, & if I happen to slip, stay me with a friendly band, and so happily I may save some of you from many a dangerous fall. There is a great opinion conceited, yea publicly maintained by good Authors in their several books about imbibition of corn in some fat and fructifying liquors; but neither the strength of the liquors, the time of imbibition, nor the proportion between the liquor & grain, hath as yet been thoroughly sounded, nay scarcely touched by any; which three points I hold to be so material, ans that without the knowledge of them all in some good measure, nothing else but clamours against the writers, and errors in the practisers are like to ensue.  
And first concerning the strength of your liquor upon your dung, you cannot lightly err, so as you let the same rest upon a sufficient quantity thereof, until it have gotten a deep colour, and a strong smell & savour from his ingredient: as suppose you put two parts water to one third part of dung, suffering the same to infuse four or five days, and stirring the same once or twice every day, till it have gotten out all the heart & strength of the dung, or so much thereof as the water is able to receive; them after some settling, strain this liquor through some course cloth, & if it will not run, then add more water unto it, for here your special care must be, that your liquor do not grow too thick: after all this, let the same repose 12. or 24. hours, & then gently drain away the clear from the grounds or fetical residence, and so have you a liquor sufficiently prepared to steep your corn in: & for the better performance hereof, you may boar a hole within an inch of the bottom of the vessel, or half an inch, according as you shall see the same to run clear & not muddy into your receiving vessel.  
And as for the time of imbibition, it is a rule in natural Philosophle, that every thing hath his stomach, which doth never leave drawing & attracting unto itself such matter as is apt for it, until it be glutted; and then as being overcharged, it loatheth and spueth out even that which otherwise it most desireth: as it doth manifestly appear in the stomach of man, wherein by overgorging itself a Nausea doth presently ensue. This is yet made more manifest in the art of dying, where, if in your blewes and greene's you work with Indigo, or in Stammels, Crimsons, Carnations or Scarlets, you work with Greine or Kutcheneele, the cloth when it hath received his glut of colour, though never so often dipped after, will nothing at all exalt itself in beauty or richness of colour; even so it fareth with corn, after it hath imbibed so much liquor, as it can well bear and brook without breaking of the hull, the is it time to drain away the water: and yet we see, that Pease, though they be steeped till they sprout a little, that they will grow notwithstanding, I leave the adventuring of wheat and barley so far unto them, that list by often and manifold trial to search for the period of this practice.  
Lastly, for the better finding out of a true proportion between the corn and your liquor: first, put your corn in the vessel, and add so much of your fat liquor unto it as will cover the same. And if the corn drink it up, then add more liquor thereunto: and the only fear in this work, is least if you overcharge your corn with water, that the water will rather draw the strength from the corn, than the corn draw strength from the water  
And thus I have discovered the true use of all imbibitions: which have hitherto been confirmed by some, and condemned by others, each several man reporting according to his own experience. But the errors may from henceforth be easily prevented by a careful observation of these few rules already delivered in as plain and simple a manner (as respecting the general good, which was the primum mobile of this Discourse) I could possibly devise or publish.  
Hear I think it not impertinent to our purpose to set down several means for the enriching of ground, the trials whereof, by way of imbibition, I refer to each man's particular experience.  
Sea Kilpes and sea Tangle, and other sea weeds are found by experience to enrich both arable and pasture grounds exceedingly. Shreds of woollen cloth strewed upon pasture ground will bring forth grass abundantly.  
The dregs of beer and ale applied to the roots of trees, and other smaller plants, will make them flourish and prosper mightily, Seeds steeped in brine, proportioned according to Sea water, which consisteth of one part salt, and fifteen or twenty parts water, will in divers grounds procure a good increase.  
The Soot of Chimneys, both engendered by Sea-coal, as also by wood and charcoal in a very small quantity, worketh great effects this way.  
There is a salt which the Petermen upon the refining of their Peter, do separate from the Peter, this salt (if I be not deceived) is the salt purchased from the ashes, upon which the Petermen power their foggy liquors to clear them; one work (unless it be a great one) doth not yield much above a bushel thereof weekly: this salt I take to be a true vegetable salt, and therefore exceeding profitable, either to be strewed upon grounds to be mixed amongst the seed corn, or for imbibition.  
shavings of horn, upon mine own experience, I must of necessity commend, by the means whereof, I obtained a most flourishing garden at Bishop's hall, in a most barren and unfruitful plot of ground, which none of my Predecessors could ever grace or beautify either with knots or flowers.  
I have had the like experience with singular good success by strewing the waste soap ashes upon a border of summer Barley, whereof three ears would have counterpeized any five that ever came to my sight: you may see a plentiful discourse of these soap ashes in my book of husbandry.  
Some commend greatly the watering of ground presently after it is sown, with an artificial Brine, consisting of an eighteenth or twentieth part of salt: this is performed by a hogshead or some other such like vessel drawn upon a sled, having one of the heads bored full of small holes like a watering pot.  
The residence or grounds of the Oad fat, serve also to enrich ground with.  
Malt dust may here also challenge his place: for four or five quarters thereof, are sufficient for an acre of ground.  
The hulles which are divided from the Oats, in the making of Oatmeal, either in their own present nature, or being burnt to ashes, make an excellent substance for enriching of ground. Fearne either rotten to dung by a mixture of earth amongst it, or consumed with fire into ashes, maketh a singular soil to lay upon barren and hungry grounds.  
When the Iron stone or oar is burnt, those fine ashes that are sifted from the same, do prove a most excellent substance for the enriching of wet meadows, or Marish grounds, especially such as are rushy, slaggie, or sedgy, and will bring the same to a fine sweet grass: you shall find the ground every year better than other, with a manifest and apparent difference between that parcel of your ground which you have enriched therewith, and all the rest of the same field, both by the glorious green colour which it carrieth, and also by the delight of the cattle continually feeding thereon, and refusing the other till that be spent. There is plenty of this matter to be had in Sussex, Essex, Wales, and such other shires wherein there hath been any long continuance of iron works, and those hills which consist of this matter are worth the breaking up, though they be ancient and have lain long uncovered; but the best and heartiest, is that which hath been kept always covered and defended from the rain: this kind of soil is also good for wheat ground, and three loads thereof are a sufficient proportion for one acre: and if you intent the same for grass, you must spread it upon the ground about alhallountide. The light of this secret I received from a Yorkshire Gentleman, a man both of great gifts and great possessions, who assured me of three years trial made by himself with very good success, whose opinion is, that three loads thereof will enrich one acre of ground for seven years at the least.  
Sal Armoniake being a volatile salt, first incorporated and rotten in common earth, is thought to be a rich mould to plant or set in (quaere of steeping grain in water, having a true proportion thereof first dissolved in it) but he that can prove so fortunate as to find out the true Sal Armoniake of metal, shall be able with small quantity to work great wonders in this kind.  
Dogs and Cats, and other beasts, and generally all carrion buried under the roots of Trees, in a due time will make them flourish and bring forth fruit in great abundance.  
Here I cannot omit a strange secret delivered by a Gentleman of good worth unto me, even before this work was fully perfected, which I have reserved for the conclusion of this title. He assured me of a gentleman, at this present dwelling in Cornwall, who being very industrious, and searching into the works of Nature, would needs attempt the sowing of Wheat in his arable grounds, being of such kind, nature and quality, as was merely repugnant and unfit for that grain, as the experience sell drawn upon a sled, having one of the heads bored full of small holes like a watering pot.  
The residence or grounds of the Oad fat, serve also to enrich ground with.  
Malt dust may here also challenge his place: for four or five quarters thereof, are sufficient for an acre of ground.  
The hulles which are divided from the Oats, in the making of Oatmeal, either in their own present nature, or being burnt to ashes, make an excellent substance for enriching of ground. Fearne either rotten to dung by a mixture of earth amongst it, or consumed with fire into ashes, maketh a singular soil to lay upon barren and hungry grounds.  
When the Iron stone or oar is burnt, those fine ashes that are sifted from the same, do prove a most excellent substance for the enriching of wet meadows, or Marish grounds, especially such as are rushy, slaggie, or sedgy, and will bring the same to a fine sweet grass: you shall find the ground every year better than other, with a manifest and apparent difference between that parcel of your ground which you have enriched therewith, and all the rest of the same field, both by the glorious green colour which it carrieth, and also by the delight of the cattle continually feeding thereon, and refusing the other till that be spent. There is plenty of this matter to be had in Sussex, Essex, Wales, and such other shires wherein there hath been any long continuance of iron works, and those hills which consist of this matter are worth the breaking up, though they be ancient and have lain long uncovered; but the best and heartiest, is that which hath been kept always covered and defended from the rain: this kind of soil is also good for wheat ground, and three loads thereof are a sufficient proportion for one acre: and if you intent the same for grass, you must spread it upon the ground about alhallountide. The light of this secret I received from a Yorkshire Gentleman, a man both of great gifts and great possessions, who assured me of three years trial made by himself with very good success, whose opinion is, that three loads thereof will enrich one acre of ground for seven years at the least.  
Sal Armoniake being a volatile salt, first incorporated and rotten in common earth, is thought to be a rich mould to plant or set in (quaere of steeping grain in water, having a true proportion thereof first dissolved in it) but he that can prove so fortunate as to find out the true Sal Armoniake of metal, shall be able with small quantity to work great wonders in this kind.  
Dogs and Cats, and other beasts, and generally all carrion buried under the roots of Trees, in a due time will make them flourish and bring forth fruit in great abundance.  
Here I cannot omit a strange secret delivered by a Gentleman of good worth unto me, even before this work was fully perfected, which I have reserved for the conclusion of this title. He assured me of a gentleman, at this present dwelling in Cornwall, who being very industrious, and searching into the works of Nature, would needs attempt the sowing of Wheat in his arable grounds, being of such kind, nature and quality, as was merely repugnant and unfit for that grain, as the experience of the greatest part of the Country round about him did manifestly declare. And this he performed only by infusing his seed corn four and twenty hours in a strong liquor, that had descended from his muck-heape into a receptacle of brick: but he never infused his corn (as I am informed) till the liquor had been of two years date, and he always dried his corn before he sowed it: quaere if in less time and without drying, the same effects will not follow.    

CHAP. 7. How to make choice of your seed corn.  
Such corn as is rubbed between ones hands out of the middle of the ear, the upper and neither part thereof being first divided, I hold (with Bap. Porta) to be the most fruitful seed of all the rest, and that the hand, though it be a more labour-some work, doth perform this better than the flail, which maketh no division of the grain, and yet bruiseth a great part thereof by the violence of the stroke. But if your threshed wheat content you, than is it best either to pick each corn by itself, and so to divide the good from the bad (which is a fit work for children, and may the rather be endured, for that so small a proportion of seed will serve to set an acre, viz. 12. pints thereof, if each grain be at siue inches distance, as some have observed) or else to power your corn into a tub of water, stirring it up and down, whereby the best and heaviest corns will sink to the bottom, and the lightest grain will fleet and float in the top, which may easily be severed. I know no other means serving for the choice of your seed corn, saving those which are so usual and common; as that they deserve no place amongst new inventions, and therefore I do here advisedly omit to touch or name them.   

CHAP. 8. The difference of yield between the plough and the spade, with some new addition to the plough.  
HE that reapeth four quarters of wheat out of one acre by his plough, doth hold himself well contented, as with a rich crop, which is eight at the least for one. I know the greatest number do scarcely attain seven for one, and many but six for one: but if he have ten or twelve for one, than he acknowledgeth himself to have received an extraordinary favour and blessing from the heavens: yet (because both happily, and by credible report it is come to my hands) I will here set down one rare experiment performed this last year with the plough, wherein no doubt the Actor did strive even in the strength of his wit and spirit to make the best imitation which he could of the spade. The ground having a natural declining or descent by his own situation, was first cross ploughed with a very deep cutting plough, and then ploughed over the third time with a shallow plough, that made very close & narrow furrows; then was the seed sown by a skilful sower, and then harrowed over; and by this new practice the owner obtained 15. quarters (I dare not say 20.) upon each acre which he sowed. I do not cite this strange & admirable experiment, either to overthrow the whole frame of my former work, by undermining the foundation thereof, or to hinder the labours of so many thousands of poor and distressed people, which by digging and setting are like to be profitably employed in this land by means of the spade (whose estates with all Christian commiseration I do pity, and am willing to relieve) but professing all the good I can, and by all the means that I may, to advance the common good of the whole realm, & knowing that if this new practice of digging by good success thereof do happen to become general in and over the whole land, notwithstanding the realm be populous, & surcharged with infinite numbers of poor men, women, and children, and maimed soldiers, that yet there will scarcely be found workmen enough for the tenth acre of land: I say, for the better increase of all such grounds where the plough must of necessity be used, I was bold to insert this inventition, to supply the defect of labourers, which otherwise of necessity would ensue. And yet if I may believe those infinite reports, which are now with open trumpet sounded into each man's ear, in commendation of the spade, there will be no comparison between the plough & it, though all men would join all their wits together for the better furtherance thereof; out of many of which reports, I will only remember these few.  
A justice of Peace & Quorum of my acquaintance, dwelling in Essex, and desirous to make a trial of that wonderful experience, so commended at the Court of Requests bar by a Counsellor, who had seen the same the summer before, would needs set a parcel of ground with his own hands, as soon as he came from Michaelmas term last to his house: in April the same began to show very green and full of blade, and in harvest time each corn brought forth at the least 27. ears, some 30. and some 32. with forty grains in each ear, whose proportion is at the least a thousand for one. For the truth of which report, I dare gauge my credit, I know the Gentleman to be so temperate and well advised of his speech.  
I do hear of another Gentleman dwelling in Surrey, who hath reaped 16 bushels out of one pint of wheat which he set, and that some corns brought forth 40. & some 48. ears having 66.68. & 72. corns in each ear, I could name the Gent. dwelling, & place of the trial, but this which I speak I dare warrant to be true, having good ground of credit for the same.  
In Northamptonshire there grew barley this last summer, amongst the which there was found some roots having 120. ears upon one root, with thirty grains at the least in each ear.  
I have also heard by sundry reports of 20.30. & 32. quarters of wheat upon an acre, & of 15. quarters of barley upon an acre; yea there have been some which have reported, that they have had 15. quarters of wheat upon one acre by this manner of setting, the ground being spent and out of heart by often ploughing before.  
And if I should report all the several trials that have been made by several persons, aswell of the Nobility as others, within these two last years, I should both weary myself with recording, and you with reading such infinite numbers of practices as I could produce, sed ex his reliqua.  
I will here either borrow leave, or commend without leave, a new, light and portable Pump, being of late graced with her majesties most favourable privilege, which I am bold to publish, together with this artificial husbandry, because I know no better means to give a public notice thereof unto all my country men then by this pamphlet, which taking the wings of fame unto it, is like to disperse both itself and his companion abroad in a most speedy and sudden manner through all this little Island. This Pump is of wood, & movable from place to place by one man's labour: it is kept with very small charge in good reparations: it is cheap, and delivereth great store of water in a little time by his double stroke to a reasonable height; it occupieth small room; it serveth to empty Cellars and ponds; it is very necessary for all merchants ships, and other ships of war, whereby all superfluous water may be safely conveyed out at the neither portholes in a great leak happening by fight, or otherwise. But the most general, use thereof (as I take it) will be for all those stately houses and buildings which border upon the river of Thames, or any other river, whereby they may receive sufficient store of water to serve all their offices and gardens belonging to the same. You may hear farther of the Author of this Invention by the Printer hereof.  
H. PLATE Esquire.