THE COUNTRYMAN'S RUDIMENTS: OR, An ADVICE To the FARMERS in EAST-LOTHIAN how to Labour and Improve their Ground.  
Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty; And are to be Sold at their Shop, 1699.   

DEDICATION. To the Young Nobility and Gentry of Scotland.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
THere needs no Rhetoric to illustrat the many and great Advantages, that accresces to a Nation by the diligent Practice and due Encouragement of Husbandry. The thing speaks for itself: Neither need I tell you, how Worthy, Noble and Excellent an Employment it is, for those whom GOD hath blessed with large and opulent heritable Possessions. It is indeed an Employ below no man, no not of Kings and Princes; The Holy Writ records the same of Uzziah, as one of his best Characters. Cicero in his Cato major, treats very largely of it, and in his most excellent Book of Offices, penned for his Son Marcus to direct him in his Youth, Life and Conversation: He says, that of all Beneficial Industry, certainly there is not any thing more agreeable or more worthy of a man of Honour and Reason, than the Culture and Improvement of the Earth.  
Of the Exercises of Husbandry, Hiero, Philometer Attalus and Archelaus, all Kings, have writ most fully; Zenephon and Mago have done the like and besides them Cato, Varro, Pliny, Collumella, Virgil, Cressentius, Palladius, and many others of later times, not a few of the Ancients have placed the summum bonum in them, and have deified these men, who were most famous in that Profession, as Apollo, who red the Herds of Admetus' King of Thessaly, Mercury and his Son Daphnis, Pan and Protheus.  
Virgil calls Husbandmen fortunate, and Horace Blessed; to fortify this, the Oracle of Delphus pronounced Aglaus the most happy man (when the Potent and Rich Croesus did expect the Honour,) and that because he had a little Farm in Arcadia, and never stirred from it; it is therefore no dishonour, for your Honours to apply yourselves this way, which was so highly Honoured among the Ancients, which was no ways shameful, for many Roman Emperors, and most Potent Kings, not only to direct (which is all I require of you) but also to Till, Sow, Graft and Plant their own Lands; This did Dioclesian, and Attalus, having voluntarly quited their Empires to follow this Course of Life. Cyrus also, that great Monarch, when his Friends came to see him, was wont to Glory in nothing more than in a Garden of his own Planting. Seneca Planted Plain Trees (a Tree indeed which I recommend to be Planted near gentlemen's Houses, and on their Avenues) and digged Fishponds with his own hands, he delighted to be no where more willingly then in the Fields, where he is said to have studied that most excellent Book of Morals; In a Word, it was thought so truly Honourable, that the most Noble & Ancient Families had their Rise and Surname from some particular Country Employments, as the Fabii-Lentulii, the Ciciroes, Pisos, from these Grains, the Bubulci, Statilii, Tauri, Pomponii, Vituli, Vitelli, Porcii, Cato's, Aunii, Caprii, and many others, from their different Herdings; and tho' Cornelius Agrippa in his Vanity of Sciences, doth abundantly Satirize all other Employments, yet he hath nothing to say against this, but that it is the effect of Sin, that makes us be at all this pains, which we must all acknowledge.  
I must confess, that I am very well satisfied to see so much Industry of late, about the Dwelling-Houses of the most of the Nobility, and Gentry within this Kingdom; As also, so great Proneness and Inclination for Trade, and shall be very sorry, if they meet not with due Encouragement from the Government.  
I am glad also, to hear, that His Majesty is not very well pleased with our vaging Abroad, nor with our Unnecessar and Expensive Court Attendancies.  
All these things makes me to hope, that your Honours will set up, for what is the real and true Interest of your Country, and for that which in time, will tend to your own particular Profit, and the Aggrandizing of your Families.  
And really, when I now consider the great Scarcity that hath happened for several years bygone, next unto the just Judgement from GOD upon us for our Sins, I must impute it in part, to our great neglect of Husbandry, and therefore, as the sensible effects of the sad Calamity, aught to be a Spur to all sincere Christians to humble themselves for their Sins, which bring on such Judgements, so it ought to be an Incitement to all those, whom God hath blessed with Estates to Double their Diligence in the Improvement of their Grounds, and that not only by precept but example, that the Land be not reduced to utter Misery.  
I shall not multiply words upon this matter, tho' the Theme be very large and capacious, the Subject matter being so obvious to every man: But shall only say a few things.  
Husbandry enlarges a Country, and makes it as if ye had conquered another Country adjacent thereto; And I am sure, a Conquest by the Spade and the Plough, is both more just, and of longer continuance, than what is got by Sword and Bow.  
Husbandry gives lmployment to many poor people, and sure they are much better employed so, then under the masquerade name of a Soldier in time of peace  
Husbandry breeds up and accustoms men to Labour, which as it keeps a Nation from many Vices, which are the ordinar Concomitants of Idleness; So when necessity requires, it fits and enables them for warlike Performances, much better than by any formal, idle, lazy way of Driviling; and this Cato and Vegetius affirms.  
The Romans thought it no Disparagement to take their Generals from the Plough, and they thought it no dishonour to return to the same again; they thought toil and labour to be the best way of excercising their Soldiers, and this their Camps, Ways, theatres, Baiths, Aqueducts, and Form of Military Discipline, which consistted of long Marches, speedily performed, under the load of Weighty Armour, both Offensive & Defensive, as also Provision; doth abundantly testify.  
In fine, Husbandry is the Stock, and Trade the Improvement of that.  
Husbandry is the Foundation, and Trade the Superstructure.  
Husbandry furnishes Materials for Trade, and maketh Barter go for Money, so that we Trade with our Goods, and bestows our Money at Home, amongst our own People, which still tends for the further Improvement of our Lands.  
Up then brave Youths, leave off Courts and Politics, especially when at so great distance from you, and in another Kingdom▪ Follow Husbandry and Trade, two necessary Twins, who like Man and Wife, ought not to be separated.  
To what a prodigious greatness do ye see other Nations have come to, who, before the Union of the two Crowns, were not to be accounted much above us, and this all by Husbandry and Trade, which we have hitherto neglected, whether by a plain and singular stupidity, or by some other ill made Bargains, I shall not venture to determine.  
If you fall to this then in good earnest, laying aside the general advantage to the whole Nation, I am persuaded you shall find more pleasure and profit this way, then in the old trodden Path to London, and in time this old Distict verified.  
Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri  
Casus in est illic, hic erit artis opus.  
Which strained to our purpose, may run thus.  
It's no less virtue to improve our Lands,  
Then to gain more from other Bankrupt-hands.  
The first's true management, the others lot,  
Be not then wise behind hand, as the Scot  
Go on then Noble young Men, and by your Example, let the People under you see how to do; For I must say again, we are all more taken by Example, then by Precept: I have indeed good hopes of this rising Generation, and I hope they shall both see their Predecessors Errors, and fall upon good Mediums to redeem their evil spent time, and thereby shall evite the Consequences of many poor unfortunate Courtiers; as the Poet expresseth it, 
Vitam animas, opera & sumptus, impendimus aulae.  
Proemia pro meritis quae retributa putas?  
Aula dedit nobis rescripta votata papiro,  
Et sine ment son●s & sine corde manus  
Paucos beavit aula, plares perdidit  
Sed & hos quoque ipsa quos heavit perdidit.   
I shall trouble your Honours no further, now that I think I have used Reason enough to persuade you to so good and necessary a Work; But in case of obstinacy, that I may leave you without excuse, and that I may have this to say for myself, that neither Rhyme nor Reason could convince you, of what is infallibly both your Duty and Interest: I shall conclude with, and set before you, the Opinions of two very famous Courtiers, Horace and Buchannan, the one a favourite of the favourite Maecenas, and the other of the Earl of Murray, commonly called the good Regent.  

Horace Epod. 2.  

Beatus ille, qui procul negotiis  
Ut prisca Gens mortalium,  
Paterna rura bobus exercet suis,  
Solutus omni foenere.   

Before Ambition, Malice, Envy, Strife,  
Had found the way to shorten humane life:  
Before the use of Gold came in Request,  
Solid Contentment was man's only Guest;  
Before vain Titles, and a Court were Known,  
Man lived Tranquilly on what was his own,  
He owed no Debt, neither had aught to crave,  
Save what from his own Lands he hoped to have.  
His Father's Lands therefore with care he ploughs.  
With lowing Bullocks, them in time he sows  
With hopeful Grain, which quickly doth afford,  
A just requital to its frugal Lord.  
So all his Val's with Fruitful Corn abound,  
His Pastors green with Flocks are checkered round.   

Non excitatur cassico miles truci:  
Nec Horret iratum mare:  
Forumque vitat, & superba Civium  
Potentiorum limina.   

Nor is he raised by Mars his hot alarm,  
Neither from angry Neptun fears he harm,  
He shuns Law Suits, and so needs not attend  
In Anti-Chambers of big looking Men,   

Ergo aut adultâ vitium propagine  
Altas maritat populus:  
Inutilesque falce ramos amputans.  
Feliciores inlerit.   

But as his Vines grow up he doth apply  
Both Art and pains them carefully to tie  
To some strait Pole he prunes the fruitful (Vine,  
The Barren he roots out, and plants again.   

Aut in reducta valle mugientium  
Prospectat errantes greges:  
Aut pressae puris mella condit amphoris;  
Aut tondit infirmas oves;   

Sometimes in bending val's, he's pleased to see  
The bellowing wandering Herds feed quietly,  
At other times the woolly Flocks he shears,  
And the sweet honey from its Comb he clears,  
And stores it up for the enshewing years.   

Vel cum decorum mitibus pomis caput:  
Autumnus arvis extulit;  
Ut gaudet, insitiva decerpens pyra,  
Certantem & uvam purpurae;   

But when long looked for Harvest shows his head  
Adorned with Fruits of which we stand in need  
How doth he joy to pull the grafted Pear,  
And clustered grapes, which smallest twigs do bear  
Whose purple colour doth by far excel  
The purpled robes of Kings on earth who dwell.   

Qua muneretur te, priape, & te, pater.  
Sylvane tutor finium.   

Therefore to the Preipus praise redounds;  
And to Sylvanus the Guardian of our bounds.   

Libet jacere modo sub antiqua ilice;  
Modo in tenaci gramine.  
Labuntur altis interim ripis aquae  
Queruntur in Sylvis aves.  
Fontesque lymphis obstrepunt manantibus:  
Somnos quod invitet leves.   

For by your care we free from anxious thoughts  
Safely rest under the Oaks Shaddie Boughs;  
Anon in some green Meadow down we lie,  
While from high Banks the pearled Streams glyed by.  
As careful Nurse, when Babes go to their rest,  
Chant forth some Sonnet such as please them best.  
So do the Birds their Tenor, Trible, sing  
Amidst the Groves, while Fountains murmuring,  
Does beat a Counter Bass, and doth entrap  
The painful Ploughman in a quiet nap.   

At cum tenantis annus hibernus jovis,  
Imbres, Nivesque comparat,  
Aut trudit aecreis hinc & hinc multa cane.  
Apros in obstantes plagas.  
Aut ameti levi rara tendit retia,  
Turdis edacibus dolos;  
Pavidumque leporem, & advenam laqueo gruem  
Jucunda captat praemia.   

But when cold Winter comes with Rains and Snows,  
His hoary Head with purled locks he shows  
By jov' command, then doth the painful Swain,  
Order his subtle toils, and then doth train  
By force of cures the wildest Boars therein,  
Or else by slighter Nets, whole Nights doth watch,  
The hungry Blackbird in his Snares doth catch  
By Gins the fearful Hare and Stranger Swan  
Falls as a victim to she Husbandman.   

Quis non malarum quas amor curas habet,  
Haec inter obliviscitur?   

Amidst these pleasures innocent and just  
Who will not soon forget the ills of Lust.   

Quod si pudica mulier in partem juvet,  
Domum atque dulces liberos:  
Sabina qualis, aut perusta solibus,  
Permicis uxor appuli:  
Sacrum & vetustis extruat lignis focum  
Lassi sub adventum viri:  
Claudensave textis cratibus laetum pecu●  
Distenta siccet ubera:  
Et horna dulce vina promens dolio  
Dapes inemptas apparet:   

But if you have a Chaste and Virtuous Wife,  
The true support and comfort of man's life,  
Who bears her part in your Domestic cares,  
And manages your children's small Affairs,  
Like to Sabina, or brave Appules' Dame,  
Who by Sols Rays lovely, but black became,  
Her Household fire with seasoned wood does burn  
As she attends her wearied Lords return.  
She also doth the skipping Ewes restrain  
Within their twisted Folds, that she may drain  
Their well stored Duggs of all their Milky gain.  
So from sweet Hog-sheads cleaned she draws her Wine,  
Both fresh and brisk, that he & she may dine.  
On unbought Dainties neatly cooked in time.   

Non me lucrina juverint conchylia,  
Magisve rhombus, aut scari,  
Si quos Eois intonata fluctibus  
Hiems ad hoc vertat mare;  
Non afra avis descendat in ventrem meum,  
Non attagen jonicus  
Jucundior; quam lecta de pinguissimis  
Oliva Ramis arborum  
Aut herba lappathi prata amantis, & gravi  
Malvae salubres corpori  
Vel agna festis caesa terminalibus,  
Vel haedus ereptus lupo.   

Lucrinas' Oysters, nor the Turbot Square,  
Neither the Scarian Fish, the gild-head rare  
May with these Dainties any ways compare,  
The Scarian Fish is said to chaw the Could,  
And may be found after an Eastern Flood,  
And is accounted most delicious Food,  
I have no Gust for Africa's choicest Fowl,  
The Asian Black-Cock I love with my Soul,  
And yet in pleasant taste it can't compare  
With a green joicie O i've pulled with care,  
Nor with a Lamb killed at abounding Feast,  
Nor with a Kid catcht from a Ravenous Beast.  
When dressed and disht by fair Sabinas' Laws,  
With wholesome mallos Meadows Sorrel sauce,   

Has inter epulas, ut juvat pastas oves  
Videre properantes domum▪  
Videre fesses vomerem inver●um boves  
Collo trabentes languido:  
●●●tosque vernas, dius examen Domus  
●ir cum revidentes lares.   

Amidst your Banquets when with ease you see,  
Your fathed flocks come home, most joyfully:  
Also your Oxen when their labours done,  
With wearied necks chaffed by the Showers, and Sun,  
Their reversed Ploughs lay down at their return.  
The numerous Offspring of your homely Cell  
Thus by your care in Riches doth excel  
All others wants by change you can supply,  
Thus happily you live, and thus you die.   

Haec ubi locutus: faeneratur Alphius,  
Jam jam futurus rusticus,  
Omnem religit Idibus pecuniam:  
Quaerit Calendus ponere.   

By this Discourse Alpheus highly charmed,  
And for a Country life is bravely armed,  
Recals his Money, and resolves no more  
To be a scourge and Tyrrant to the poor.  
But in a Four-nights time his mind doth change  
And in its wont Usuries doth Range  
To take from Flesh what is bred in the bone,  
All men may see how hardly it is done.    

G. Buchannani Baptistes, Chorus 1.  

Ficta crudelis pietas tyrranos,  
Impios mores stola simbritatae  
Celati in pano tenui recondit  
Nuda se virtus tuguri sub umbra  
Rustici, nec se titulis superbis  
Vendit: insanosque fori tumultus  
Ridet, & plausus popularis aurae  
Nec iliens magni foribus pritoni  
Assidet vitae tacitos beatae  
Rure secreto sibi no a tantum  
— Exigit annos.     

To the Reader.  
CUstom hath decreed, that any Treatise, how small and trivial so ever, is not worth a Farthing, if it want a Preface and Dedication, tho' the Author should know nothing to say for himself, save to Deprecat the Readers Wrath, and beg his Mercy.  
I fear this will not serve my turn, for these brave and gallant Sparks, to whom I have Dedicated this Schedule, will stop their Ears and Cry: They are the melancholy Fancies of some old Cashiered Courtier: The present Court-Favorits will laugh at me, and think they know better things: The Soldier will cartill me, and plunder me too, if he can: The Husband man will Curse me for doubling their Labours: The Landlords will malign me for favouring, the yeomanry so much: The Lawyers will revile me as an ignorant enemy to their Employment: The Grammerians will rail at me for breaking Prissians head so often: The Rhetoricians will redicule my homely Style; And above all, the Poets will insult over me, for invading their Province with my barbarous paltry inconsistent Rhyme.  
In short, there are many more whom I will not name, who will give me no thanks for my pains, and no doubt Phisiologists, Logicians and Sophisters will consult how to destroy all my arguing by their Sylogistical Sophisms.  
But for the veracity of the thing itself, and my integrity in the design, I give them all a fair Defiance▪ for the seat of Truth is in the Heart▪ not in the Tongue-neither imports it how we tell Truth, since falsehood only wants Eloquence.  
Euripides calls Truth plain and simple, and Theophrastus says▪ the most ignorant are very well able to speak before the most learned, when they say nothing but what is true and reasonable; Therefore to speak Jntelligibly not Rhetorically, to intend the truth of the Matter not the Ornament of the Language, is the duty of every plain, honest ingenuous man.  
I know the Style and Rhyme, is indeed as rude and unpolite. as the most censuring can call it; but the subject Matteris Excellent, Profitable, and National.  
A pretty man is nothing the worse of being clothed in a homely Dress, and I think the Ploughman hath as good a Privilege to coin words as the most learned Philosophers. and the one is as good and significant as the other.  
To conclude Tho. the Poesy take not with the more delicate & refined Spirits yet it will go very well down with the Shearers in a Harvest day, or with the whistling Ploughman at his Blow, and I think it may answer well enough to the tune of Down the Burn Davie, with small reduplication. To the carping and Satirical Critic, I only say, 
Carpere vel noli mea vel ede tua.  
Qui Moevium non odit amet tua carmina Loeli.   
Your humble Servitor, A, B, C,   

Advice to the Farmers of East-Lothian.  
THere are many large and learned Treattises of Husbandry, which indeed contain all that is necessary for the Management and Improvement of Grounds to the best Advantage; But these Books are either so dear and ill to be had, that they cannot be easily got by ordinar Farmers; or else they are so general and intricat, and the Mannurs or Goodings proposed so difficult to be purchased, that they lose themselves in a Labyrinth, not knowing well what Method to follow, amongst so many proposed, and thereby are wholly discouraged.  
Such Treatises also propose different ways of ordering Grounds according to the different nature of Soils, and that most prudently: but yet it leaves the honest Husbandman who is generally Illiterate, to guests what will prove best for his Grounds, which readily doth occasion Mistakes in the Application.  
This cannot well be prevented, but by a particular Treatise for a particular Shire or Bounds of Land, whereof the person who gives his Advice hath particular Knowledge, and hath made it his Business to understand the husbandmen's way of Labouring, and the Faults and Defects thereof.  
This small Treatise is therefore principally designed for East-Lothian: but there is no Bar nor Let why other places may not follow the same method, if their Ground and Soil will allow.  
Although I am not to say any thing altogether new, or unheard of before: nor are you to expect extraordinary Inventions from me; yet I dare be bold to say there was never such a good, easy Method of Husbandry as this, so succinctly extensive and methodical in all its parts published before. Neither shall I affright you with Hedging, Ditching, Marling, Chalking, Pairing and Burning, Draining, Watering, and such like, which are all very good Improvements indeed, and very agreeable with the Soil and Situation of East-Lothian: but I know ye cannot bear as yet, such a crowd of Improvements, this being only intended to initiat you in the true Method and principles of Husbandry. I shall begin with the easiest first, and as I find you t●ke and practise it, you shall hear more & ●●●e ●ooner from me. I shall then as briefly and plainly as possible, and in your own Terms and manner of speaking give my Opinion (with all submission to better Judgements) how to order your Grounds for the best Advantage, that so you may work more by the Head, and less by the Hands.  
The Soil of East-Lothian generally taken, is accounted the best of any County or Shire in Scotland; and although it pays too dear a Rent, yet it is as capable to be Improven beyond what it is at present as any in Scotland.  
The poor Farmers that they may pay their dear Rent who are ordinarily industrious enough, work hard, but without any Method or Project, whereby both they and their Grounds suffer, and so consequently the Landlord.  
In East-Lothian the Farm-Rooms as they are commonly called, are divided or distinguished in Infield and Outfield Land: that is to say, in these Lands where they lay their Dung yearly, and these upon which they never lay any Dung.  
The Infield Land (where Wheat is sown) is generally divided by the Tennent into four Divisions, or Breaks as they call them, viz. One of Wheat, one of Barley, one of Pease, and one of Oats; so that the Wheat is sown after the Pease, the Barley after the Wheat, and the Oats after the Barley.  
The Outfieid-Land is ordinarily made use ●●promiscously, for feeding of their Cows, Horse, Sheep and Oxen, It's also dunged by their Sheep who lie in Earthen Folds; & sometimes when they have much of it, they Fauch or Fallow a part of it yearly.  
As to the Method for Labouring the Ground where Wheat is sown, it is absolutely impossible that any Soil how good soever, can hold out with profit to the Farmer, by this rude way of ordering it; unless it be some parcel of Ground adjacent to some Burgh or Villadge, where they can have plenty of Dung, or to the Sea, where they can have plenty of Sea Ware.  
The English who indeed excel in the Knowledge of Husbandry, do not handle their Grounds (tho' very good) so rudely; the Ground must rest, as well as the Husbandman, if you expect favour from it.  
Therefore I have known and seen, that in the best and fertilest Soils in England for Corn, the fourth or third part of their Infield-Land rest yearly; but most ordinarily a third. Yea I have seen in several good and fertile Grounds, as in Leicester, Northhamptoun and ‛ Vorcester Shires, the whole third of their Infield-Land lie Fauch, by which Method, they did sow both their Wheat and Barley after Fauch; then their Oats after their Barley and Pease after the Wheat. And indeed I observed their Corns extraordinary good; for such gentile Treatment of the Ground, did not only cause a great Birth of Stalks upon the Ground, but made the Stalks and consequently the Head so strong that it did not fall down and grow sloumy as some would fancy it would do. And the Husbandmen told me, that they had tried several ways, but by this Method they found most Profit, although they were not able to dung the third part of their Land that lay Fauch.  
But I will not urge new Beginners too far at first, left they scare and prove skittish, and so throw off my Advice altogether, as unbroken Colts do their Riders.  
In the first place, therefore I shall advise such as sow Wheat & whose Ground is of the best and in the best Condition; to divide or cast their Infield Land into five equal Breaks; whereof two Breaks of Pease, one of Wheat one of Barley, and another of Oats. By this Method you shall sow both your Wheat & Barley after Pease, which without all question is the far better Method than that which is at present more generally used. This although it be the better way than the former, in four Breaks, yet it is no ways sufficient to bring your Ground into any tolerable state and condition, unless you Fauch also.  
Therefore, I advise you in the next place, to Fauch or Fallow some part of these two Breaks designed for Pease.  
I will not positively determine how much you shall leave resting of these two Breaks, lest I discourage you too much; but I dare affirm, the more you leave, the greater Advantage; yet much of that must depend upon the prudence of the Farmer. If his Ground be in any tolerable condition, he may Fauch the less; I say tolerable: For I do assure you, there are none, or at least, very little, in so good a condition as the goodness of the Soil is capable of: So that I think of the best Grounds, a third at least of each of these two Breaks designed for Pease, may lie Fauch; and the half where the Grounds are not so good: which may be thus ordered. The third part of that Break of Pease, fauched and designed to be sown with Wheat the ensuing year, must be ploughed about the Martinmas. That is to say, after your Wheat is sown for that year, fallow down that third part of the pease-break designed for Wheat the next year; so that the first thing you are to do after Harvest, is to Till and Sow your Wheat for the year to come: and the next to that, is to Till and Fallow for the Wheat to be sown the year thereafter.  
The reason why I would have you fallow it so early is, that it may get all the Winter Frost, but be sure to plow it with also shallow or thin a Furrow as ye can, that it may only rot the Stubble, and render the ground below mellow and soft for the next ploughing  
The first ploughing, must be, that they call gathering of the Rigs to an height, that where the Ground is moist, it may lie dry all the Winter time, and consequently be sitter for the next ploughing, which is called Cleaving.  
Your second Ploughing must be about the end of June, or beginning of July between and which time you must have soiled your Ground with all the Dung, Lime▪ or any other Manure during the whole Winter & Spring by past; For I do not look upon it as good Husbandry to lead out your Dung in the Winter time for your Wheat-fauch, because much of its Stength is taken away by the Winter Rains, neither in the Summer time, till immediately before the second ploughing, because much of its Spirit and Goodness is exhaled by the Summar-Sun and withering Wind.  
This second ploughing must be, by cleaving the Rigs, a Term so well known that it needs no Explanation; but be sure to plow it as deep as ye can, that the new Earth may be brought up most against the ensuing Seed time: And after it is so ploughed, you must harrow it well by Thortering, that is to harrow cross the Rigs, as also the ordinar way; by which Method you shall bring the Crowns and Furrows of the Rigs to an equal thickness of Earth, and recover all the Couch-grass and other Weeds, ordinarily called Wrack from amongst it, and thus it may lie till Michaelmass, or the time your Corns are got in.  
Then let it be the first Land you plough after your ordinar way for Seed, having first led out any other Goodings ye have purchased since your last ploughing; Blow it with a tolerable deep Furrow, that it may cover the Seed well, and endure the Winter washing Rains the better.  
Nota, I have observed, that abroad, where their Grounds are very light & Stenory, they have sown Wheat and Barley upon the Surface of the Earth after the second Ploughing, then tilled it over with a thin Furrow, and sometimes harrowed it over thereafter, and sometimes not; which no doubt is a very good Method of Husbandry, and may be practised with advantage where the Grounds will allow: This in their terms is called under-fur sowing.  
By thus ordering your Fauch, with plough when the two parts of the same Break upon which Pease grew that year, and likewise designed, for wheat will not, by reason of the dry Season which ordinarily attends that time of the year, and so it will prove your earlyest Wheat, will soon take Root, the Body of the Pickle will be turned to a Root, like that of Grass or other Herbs before the Winter Frosts and cold Rains, and consequently be free from being slain, blecked, and many other Inconveniencies; the being free of which, beside many other Advantages, is more than sufficient to recompense you for all your pains.  
As for the third part of your Break of Pease, fauched and designed for Barley, I think ye need not plow it till about Lambmass, by which ye will gain the whole Winter and Summars-Grass.  
Nota, though you have a Cropped both of your fauched Wheat and Barley both in one and the same year, yet the Ground rests two Winters and one Summer for Barley, whereas it rests only one Winter and one Summer for Wheat: This being considered, as also that the Barley is not so impoverishing a Grain as the Wheat, you may expect as good a Cropped of the Barley as of the Wheat though you should lay less Dung and Gooding upon it.  
It cannot therefore be expected, that ye can lay any Summer-dung upon your Barley Fauch, unless it be Sea-ware to these Lands that lie contiguous to the Shore, or Burgh Dung to these who are adjacent to a Town, because the Wheat being to be first sown, will require all you can make, but after your Wheat is sown, let all you can purchase be laid on your Barley-fauch betwixt and the next ploughing.  
The next ploughing, or Steering as they call it, must be at or about Candlemas (the ground being alwise dry,) both Ploughing and Harrowing being after the same manner you did with your Wheat-Fauch.  
The Reason why I advise you to lay on your Dung at this time, is, because Winter dung not having time to come to a perfect Corruption and Consistence, when laid on at Seed time, if the Season prove dry by its internal Heat, does much more Prejudice than good to the Barley, whereas being laid on at this early stirring time, it not only impregnats the Earth with its Heat, but is also fully incorporate with the Earth against the next ploughing.  
Though the Wheat be quite otherwise ordered, as I have shown already, yet the full Corruption of the Dung at that time of the year, and the succeeding Winter-Season, prevents these last named Inconveniencies, and tends rather for its advantage.  
You may possibly ask me, why I advise you to stir your Barley so soon.  
It's because of the early Fallowing of it, for if it should lie untouched till March or April, the ordinar time of Stirring the Bear-land with you, the Grass would begin to take root and Spring, and it would be grown too much to itself, (as they call it) and so the design of Fauching Fail in part.  
Next, I advise thee of Stirring it so soon that in case ye find it not in so good a condition as you desire, as sometimes it falls out, when the Winters prove Rainy, without Frosts, especially in Clay-grounds, that then you may give it another Furrow before you sow it, and this you may do in March or April, according to your accustomed manner; But than you must remark, that if ye give it but three Furrows, as generally will hold, you must sow it with the first of your Barley, but if you be necessitat to give it four Furrows, it must be sown amongst the last, for there must be a competent time betwixt the two last plowings, that in light & Couch-grass grounds, the Weeds and Grass may breard and spring up, and in Clay grounds that the Earth may come again to some closness and consistency, and resume its natural Moisture before the Barley be sour stir always deep, that new Earth may be brought up, as I said of the Wheat. For the last ploughing called Seed furrowing, let your Furrows be as thin and narrow a● can be, and as small harrowed as possible, for it has no Winter Colds nor Frosts to bide, however let it be duly Water-furrowed, if the Ground require it; for ofttimes a sudden Spait of Rain scalds the tender Grain, and thereby the superface of the Ground becomes more hardened when dry Wether comes thereafter.  
In these Grounds where no Wheat is sown, where the Ground is good, the Infield-Land is ordinarily divided in three Divisions or Breaks, Pease, Barley and Oats; so that the Barley is sown after the Pease, and the Oats after the Barley. All that I shall say upon this, is only to remark, That where the Tennent pays his Rent much in Barley, he is ofttimes necessitat to sow Barley after the Oats, as well as after the Pease, which I look upon to be none of the best ways of Husbandry. Where the Tennent pays therefore much Barley, I do advise him to cast his Ground in four equal Breaks, viz. Pease Barley, Oats, and one in Fauch, which must lie after the Crop of Oats.  
Labour and Manure the fourth Break of Fauch as I have ordered before; and thus ye will not only be able to sow a double quantity of Barley, without sowing any after Oats, but also ye will find your Ground fall into a good Condition.  
But if that Method, which indeed is the very best, be too harsh a Pill to swallow at first; then I shall propose, that according to your own Prudence, ye may make what quantity ye please; Fauch either of your Pease or Oat breaks, such as are in worst condition, but rather of your Oat-Break; then Labour and Manure it as is above-prescribed, and ye shall find great benefit by the same. Thus much of the Infield-Land; but still the more Ground ye Labour as is before advised, the more profit.  
Before I proceed to speak of the ordering of the Outfield-Land, I must remove an ordinary Objection against what I have said of Fauching of the Infield-Land.  
The Farmers with whom I speak, tells me we have a dear Rent to pay, and all our Ground is little enough to pay the same, we may not spare so much yearly unsowen.  
But their Advantage is the very thing I design; and there cannot be a good Master, nor a good Countryman, who looks not upon the Tenants' profit as his own. I do therefore entreat you seriously to consider this which followeth, and your Objection evanisheth.  
Suppose you leave as much Fauch as would have sown you three Bolls of Barley, and that reasonably you might expect the third Increase, by which you would have gained six Bolls beside your Seed, three three being nine, three your Seed, six is the product. Now this I confess you lose for one year only; now see how you are repaid with more than triple Interest.  
You fallow three Bolls of Barley sowing, and having ordered it as is before said, you may reasonably expect the sixth Increase. For this I do assert and maintain, and Experience shall make every man know it, that what ever Ground will yield the third, fourth or fifth, by the ordinar Custom will double it by this Method for three years to come: and at the end of these years, leave it in a better condition than it found it; for a good Cropped of Corns makes a good Stubble, and a good Stubble is the equalest Mucking that is. And I must say this by the by, that if in East-Lothian they did not leave an higher Stubble than in other places of the Kingdom, their Grounds would be in a much worse condition than at present they are, though bad enough.  
Now three times six being eighteen, your Seed being three, the Product is fifteen; of which allowing six for the year it lay Fauch, and six that it would have produced the second year if it had not been fauched, which makes twelve; yet all is repaid you by the very first Crop after Fauch, and three Bolls more; for twelve and three make fifteen, which was the Product.  
Then for the other two succeeding years, according to the above named Calculation, ye have thirty Bolls increase besides your Seed, & three of Gain for the first Crop, in all thirty three; from which you must defalct twelve of Increase for two years more, that the same Ground would have produced, though it had not been fauched; so twelve from thirty three, there remains twenty one; by this it is evident, that the Farmer gains twenty one Bolls in three Crops. By this new Method of three Bolls sowing, more than he would have done by four Crops of the like quantity of Seed the ordinary way; and leaves his Land to the Boot, in a much better Condition than what it was formerly. But suppose you shall continue for ten or twelve years this way, still increasing the quantity of your Fauch, as ye see cause, what a vast Difference will arise, such a prodigious Increase as shall leave no room for Comparisons. I shall not therefore trouble you with any further calcul I am afraid some of you will be puzelled enough to understand what I have said already; but I hope in time, Experience will make you find it: and then a full Purse, and full Belly, warm clothes, and a good Stock, will persuade more than all my Rhetoric or Arithmetic can do.  
And to encourage you to this Method, I think your Masters should forbear for two or three years, the Rent of any such Land as you lay Fauch proportionally; by which to your own Conviction, I am sure the strength of your Objection is taken off, and in that time you will have enough to repay the same.  
As for the Outfield Land, which is ordinarily the highest, lying driest, and worst Grounds.  
In East-Lothian the ordinar way of Labouring these Lands is by Folding, Fauching & Lyming.  
As for the making of Sheepfolds of the Surfice of the Earth, digged up with many little Divisions, that the Sheep and other Bestial may Dung them the more equally. Though it be no where so much practised as in the Lothians, and in the Merse, where indeed they not only use it, but abuse it, by taking more Crops after their Foldings, than their Ground is able to bear; by which they reduce it to such a condition, as it is neither profitable for Corn nor Grass for many years to come; Yet if rightly used, I account it a most excellent and profitable part of Husbandry, especially for these Grounds that lie betwixt Moor and Dale as they call it, which are ordinarily the most improvable Grounds in the Country.  
I do therefore advise the Tennent to Dung his Folds well and throughly, and yet never to take any more Crops than three, or in extraordinary good Grounds and well Dunged, four at the most; by this Method the Ground will soon come to a Sward again, and be fit for the same use, the strength of the Ground being that way preserved.  
But if any think fit to Lime these Foldings, let them lay on their Lime with the very first Cropped: And as they Dung their Folds in the Summertime, with the same breath, let them spread on the Lime; I know they use to do it the second Cropped, but I assure you the first is best, because no part of the strength of the Ground is exhausted, and consequently it will endure the longer. Next, the Lime so mixed with Dung, will imprignat, and so have effect upon the Ground the very first Cropped, more than it will do otherwise for two Cropts to come, for this is a true maxim, never lime Ground when it is weak, for then the lime wants Matter to work upon, and generally does more hurt then good; but when ye have brought your Ground to the greatest Strength it is capable of, than lime and you shall find profit.  
As for these Grounds which you intent to lime that hath not been Folded, I approve of laying on the Lime on the Lee Ground, that is to say before it be ploughed, rather than after Fauching, and more especially if the Ground be light, because Lyme being of a subtle spirituous piercing Nature, tends alwise downward, and being laid upon Fauch-land, it falls into the Furrows, and having no Crust to support it, consequently stays not above so long, as when it is laid upon the grassy superface, where fixing by the Summer showers into the Roots of the Grass, it incorporats with the Superface of the Earth, which is ordinarily the best and fertilest part of the Ground, and thereby renders it Mellow and fit for receiving the Seed.  
I confess indeed in strong Clay Grounds, if ye fallow before and after a frosty winter, harrow well in the Summer time by thortering and other wise before you lay on your Lime, it is very good husbandry; Therefore I do advise you to lay on your Lime alwise (if by any means you can) in the Summer time, for by winter liming ye lose a great deal of it both by Snows, Rains and Frosts, which chills too soon such a delicate hot manure as lime is, and carries it to the Ground before it be incorporate therewith; Lyme therefore your Clay-land in the Sumner, Fallow it at Lambas, Harrow it well after the first Frost, Seed fur and Sow it some time in February, and through GOD'S Blessing, you may expect a good Cropped of Oats that same year.  
Or which is much better, if ye fallow upon Clay-Ground in the winter time, plough and harrow it over again betwixt and Lambas, sow it at the time appointed, which will do very well: But for the Reason's abovespecified I think it will not last so long as when it is laid on upon Lee.  
I advise you to take no more Crops of your limed Ground without resting, than seven or eight in the best Grounds, five or six in Grounds which are not so good, three or four in your worst, and generally according to the strength of your Ground, ye may take more or fewer as ye see Cause.  
But if ye intent to reduce it into a part of your Infield-Ground, and give it the ordinary Goodings in its Towers, than ye may continue it as long as ye think fit, but by no means let it bear above three or four years before dunging, by this gentle Treatment of your Lands, you may safely plow your limed Lands after three or four years resting, for two or three years together and find good increase. By which you will get als many Crops after your lime, as now you use to do and much better, tho' at a greater distance, and still your ground in good Condition, no ways run out, as experience teacheth us, but als capable to be improven as formerly.  
Cold Clay requires a greater quantity of lime then light dry Ground, and moist Clay more than dry Clay, because it requires the more heat to overcome and qualify its moisture.  
But I am of opinion that take your moister Clay Grounds, and these who lie upon a Lavel, so that the moisture has no descent from off them, and plow it twice or thrice, I mean gather the Rigs up to as great a height as you can before limeing, then lime according as has been before directed, and I doubt not but ye shall find als great an increase as upon any other Ground whatsomever.  
This also I must say for all hanging Grounds in general whither Infield or outfield, that they lose a great deal of their strength & Goodings by their winter Rains; And therefore I prefer the lavel Grounds as best, not only for Grass but Corn, providing alwise they have no Springs nor unnatural Summer Moisture within them, those who are such, must be ditched and drained and kept from Pasturage; But all the prejudice the Husbandman sustains by the other, which is only by the Supervenient Rains, and run from of other Grounds in time of Winter may be easily remeided by a little patience in waiting until such time as they are driest, and this both for Ploughing and Sowing, & so this will rather tend for their benefit than prejudice, for I can assure you there is scarce any better point of Husbandry, then to contrive some lavel piece of Ground, so as it may receive or gain what the higher lying Lands lose.  
In all moist clay Ground you should make your Ridges Narrow, Strait and high, gathered without turnings and windings, as ordinarily they are, that so the Rain and Moisture may have free passage to the Furrows.  
Every distinct break of Land should have Head-rigs and Foot-rigs well & exactly gathered up, and alwise kept in good order, by this you preserve not only your Ground from the impetuous fall of Rains that come from the hills above, but you do also preserve the goodings from running off the saids Lands by the use of the Foot-rig, and thereby does observe the Act of Parliament made for preserving of highways. Thus much of liming only, I do not advise the limeing of the Infield-Land, rather let it rest. And for these who have much Outfield Land in their Rooms, to endeavour by limeing to bring in als much Ground as will answer for a fifth Division or Break; And this by ordering it as I have already advised, will become as good Infield Land as any they have, and continue as long.  
As for the Fauching of Out-field Land without any design of Liming it, I cannot much advise you to it, unless you have great quantities of it, especially of Moorish-Ground, upon which ye design to bring a stool of Grass, and this also is most effectually done by Liming, but where that cannot well be had, you must follow the next best.  
But if ye will fauch, Winter-fauching is certainly the best for such an Improvement, and two Crops in bad Ground, and three in the best, is sufficient for a time.  
But in regard the Roots of the heath and heather are not so easily got out, & destroyed after two years' rest, you may plow it again for one year, and so forth, till it take the desired effect.  
For Grass, I know it is a very great rarity in East-Lothian amongst the Husbandmen, neither can they well have it (as at present their Farms are ordered) unless they turn some part of there infield Land to Grass, & lime as much of their out-field Land as corresponds thereto, and really I know not whether that Method might not prove in time the best Husbandry for all the infield Land, notwithstanding the Charges and Expenses thereof, it could not be done indeed suddenly, and quickly, but the way is easy and obvious enough, and would quickly defray its own Expenses; For ye may remember I said before, that the outfield Lands are the lightest and highest Grounds, and being generally of a very good Soil here in East-Lothian, which is evident by their bearing very good Wheat and Pease after limeing, and yet bearing no considerable Quantity of Grass, ' as by sad experience is found, and the infield on the other side being capable to prove very good Pasturage, and generally able to produce very good Hay when right ordered, as some Gentlemen who hath done so hath found by Experience; For these Reasons, I say there might be such a change, and that with very great profit both to Landlord and Tennent.  
But this being designed only as an A, B, C. or Introduction to (I hope) better things, I shall not insist upon it, lest it choke you too much.  
Therefore I do only advise you, that ye may have at least some Grass to keep your beasts in good Condition, who must assist you to improve your grounds, to endeavour to choose out some of the most convenient and moist places you can, wherever it is to be found in your Ground: and set it apart for horse grass, the Horses must work all your Work, lead all the Materials for Improvement, which is indeed the greatest Charge they deserve, therefore to be well seen too, their work being rather more in Summer than in winter.  
Having found out such a piece of Ground as is above described, I must in treat you (for now single advice I fear will not do) to get it enclosed.  
I have observed so many usless Stones lying upon most of the laboured Grounds in East-Lothian, that as it would be a good piece of Husbandry to free the Land of them, and thereby save both Oak and Iron, and ease Smith, Ploughman and beasts to the boot, so it would be no difficult task to rickle up a dry Stone dike round any piece of Ground so designed.  
If you have not the Conveniency of Stone near you, a good strong earth Dyke and Ditch will do very well, both which your Servants at their spare hours may very well do without any Charge to their Master, and I am very confident your Masters will furnish you with Trees and hedge Timber to plant round the same.  
This will prove great advantage to you, more than if it were bearing you red Wheat, as they say:  
For first, it will save you the Expense of a horse hire, sometimes two; for if all your horse be not at the work, two or three must have a herd to keep them.  
Secondly, you will get your horses kept out all night, which indeed is very refreshing to a hard wrought beast to eat and rest himself at pleasure during a sweet pleasant Summer's night, and more especially for mares who have their Foals sucking upon them.  
Thirdly, Thereby you will gain much more labour from your Servants▪ a great part of whose time was taken up in gathering Thistles and other Garbage for their horses to feed upon in their Stables, and thereby the great trampling and pulling up and other destruction of the Corns while they are yet tender will be prevented. And this I must say is a greater prejudice than most of the Farmers have been aware of.  
fourthly, The Planting grown up will render it both more fertile and warm, and prove beneficial for upholding the Farmer's houses, and Neat Graith, which I am of the opinion they should have for their encouragement, providing they so hain the Timber, that it may grow again.  
And lastlie, where six or eight horses feed, the same Ground will maintain two good Cows for the House-wise, without doing prejudice to the horse-grass, for they will Feed most upon the Grass that arise from the horse dung, which is called Tath, as the horses will also do upon that of the Cows; and so the Ground will be kept very clean, but by all means keep it free from Sheep, Summer and Winter.  
For the remainder part of your Out-field Ground, I appropriate it all entirely for Sheep, for all the Out-field Lands being generally high as said is, are fittest for them, and they are really most profitable when rightly ordered, both for your Family by their Milk and Wool, or by furnishing you either with a fat Sheep or Lamb, either for your Family, or the Butcher.  
Besides their Pasture being kept clean from all other Beasts, they will prosper exceedingly, and be kept free from the Rot, which oftimes is occasioned by the Dung of other Beasts, which many poor Farmers in East-Lothian finds by woeful Experience, and then you will make the more Foldings, the more ye have of them, which is very profitable, as is above said: The old Proverb says, a Summer fed Ox, and a Winter fed Cow.  
As for your Labouring Oxen, and other yield Beasts, they require indeed to be well fed in some moist Pasture, tho' the Grass be course it matters not much, providing it be long, and enough of it, to fill their Bellies, which will alwise make them strong & fleshy, though not Fat, which is unnecessar, but for the Shambles.  
Now since these dry Out-field Grounds cannot be a fit Pasture for your Oxen, neither will ye be willing to spare any more of your Infield Ground, as you do for your Horses, nor will I advise you: Therefore I think some place in the Muires should be provided for them.  
If the Commons of Innerweek and Dumbar were divided according to each Paroch proportion, who have Right and Interest therein, it would very well serve that turn, and might, by a Diligent and exact Care, keep some yield Sheep upon the driest parts thereof, but in this I am not resolved. But since it is not so, I could wish, that these who have Interest therein might meet together, and fall upon some ways, how to feed Oxen and yield Beasts thereupon, rather than Sheep, for the Ground is generally so moist, that a man loses his Stock of Sheep oftener by Rot, than get any good by feeding thereupon.  
It should also be Stinted and Proportioned, that in be not over burdened, & I am confident, by this way of ordering, it might not only feed & maintain all the labouring Oxen, of those who have Right of Pasturage on the same, but also of these who have no Right to it, who might be taken in for payment, as these who have the Property. Farmers in Lamermuir do the same to us now.  
But till that be adjusted, the next best is for three or four Farthers in the low Country of Lothian to take a Farm in common amongst them in their Mure Grounds, where they may order things as their necessities require; and I am confident that this method, if rightly gone about, would be found most profitable, and that several ways, with which I shall not trouble you at present.  
Nota, It is most profitable for Gentlemen who have enclosed, or are incolsing large Parks about their dwelling houses.  
Thus having gone through briefly and according to my design, the particular ways of ordering your Ground, I shall subjoin thereto some some few generals, which if rightly gone about, and prudently applied, will tend certainly for your Advantage.  
Endeavour to plow all your Grounds as dry as you can. And all your Clay Ground as early as you can.  
Sow all sorts of Grain as dry as you can, I mean the Ground being dry according to the old maxim, set wet and sow dry; yet if the Land be hard, being wet ploughed, and having gotten no Frost to sofen it, in that case you must either wait upon a shower, or sow it in the sounding, as they call it, that is to say, before it be fully dry, and then be sure to harrow it well, intermitting a day, two or three betwixt the several harrowing; And by this Method ye may bring it to a tolerable good condition.  
As to that common Country Rhyme, sow Wheat Sinking, Pease Winking, Oats Clinking, and Bear Drinking; I make no such difference, only I doubt not but that all the honest Labouring-men will be content to sow all their Grains Drinking, as their hard labour, doth but equitablie require.  
Wheat and Pease require to be Thicker sown than Barleie and Oats, and Wheat thicker than Pease, because it has the Winter storms to endure.  
I approve the Method of stipeing and moistening the Wheat in Bryme or Salt-water, and drying it with Lime before it be sown; It both makes it sow thick, warmeth the Pickle, and preserveth it from Fowls and Vermin: but whether it preserves it against being blacked, I have not yet found out, neither I fear shall, till it be certainly known, whether that misfortune fall upon the Root or the Ear.  
I think it also a very good thing to moisten your Barley before it be sown, especially in dry Seasons, but not with Salt-water, Bryme or Lime, for that the Season of the Year will not admit, yet I do advise it where they sow Winter Barley.  
Change your Seed often of all Grains, but especially of Oats; but remark, that it does best from a worse Ground to a better, and from a Colder to a Hotter.  
Let your Seed Corn be likewise well dight, and the weakest of the Pickles taken from it, for the foulness and dirtiness of Grounds proceeds from the one, and the soon degenerating of the Seed from the other.  
As for your houses, such as have them already built, must keep them as they are; but for building of new ones, let all sit-houses as they call them, stand East and West, their Doors and Windows to the South, because they are warmest.  
Their Barns must stand North and South from the West end of their Sit-house, their Doors East and West, because the Wind blow most that way, and they are best for winnowing of Corns. If your Farm be large, I advise three Barns, one for Wheat and Barley, one for Oats, and the third for Pease, thereby you will be able to feed your Beasts equally with any sort of Straw that is most proper for them in its Season.  
Their Barn-Yard to the West of their Barns, the best place for drying and winning of Corns in Stacks, and if it be a Colline rising Ground, so much the better.  
Their Stable and Byres from the South-end of their Barns, East and West, their Doors to the North opposite to their sit-house, for the Conveniency both of Hearing and attending their Beasts, and furnishing them with Straw from their Barns.  
Their Entry from the East, because that seldom or never there blows a high Wind from that Airth; And therefore your dunghill is least prejudged, but be sure to have no Entry, but one to your Closs, for two Entries blows away all your Straw, and the other manure and dries the Dunghill too much: if you build a house for Chaff, Strae, nait graith and such like things: build it on the East-side of your Closs North and South, so your Closs will be the warmer, and your entry to your sit-house being betwixt the North Gavil of your Chaff-house and the East Gavil of your sit-house, may be cleansed and kept clean, which the rest of the Closs ought not to be.  
Build all the Walls of your houses with stone and lime, for Stone and Clay is the Destruction of all, the Rain moistens the Clay, the Stone and Timber slides, the Wall falls, the Roof, Timber and all breaks, and so both men and beasts are in danger of their lives.  
Cover your houses with a few Divots and plenty of Straw, which they call Thatch and Divot, take notice and mind them yearly by stinging them with Straw alwise where they begin to fail, but never add any more Divots, and you shall find great profit thereby, for the frequent falling of Houses consumes much time to the Tennent, besides the Charge and loss of it; Therefore I advise you never to put cover upon cover, otherwise ye may be certain with the first great Rain and Frost in the Winter Season, you will bring down the whole house about your Ears, although it be new and reasonably strong built.  
Plant round all your yards with Ash & Elm trees, with which your Masters will furnish you, and in time they will serve to keep up the whole instead of Houses; & I am of opinion the Tennent should have the cutting of them, as I have said before in the like case, providing that he hain and preserve the old Stocks, that they may grow again.  
For your Yard, I do not mean your Barn-yards, but a piece of Ground set apart for Cabbage, and other Roots, let it alwise be at the North-side of your Sit-house, where you may have a little door to go in at, by which it will be preserved from the Summer scorching Sun, and Southern Wind, the two greatest enemies to Kitching Grounds, designed only for ordinar things. I think half an Aiker of Land is sufficient for the Quantity, unless where the Farm is little, the Yard may be the less, a good large Grass Yard is also very useful upon many occasions.  
For the ordering of your Yard, I shall propose nothing but what is both profitable and easy; In the first place, then plant Cabbage and Summer Kaill, which is all that is necessary for Herbage, Leeks, Sybous and other curious Herbs not being for your handling.  
For Roots, I advise you only to sow Potatoes and Turnips, a larger or less quantity as you affect most, but rather Potatusses, because being once planted, they will never fail, they require little more labour than to keep the Ground where they grow free from Grass; The Flandrian Bowers make so much of this Root, and had such pletnie thereof, that both the Confederate and French Army found great support thereby, by feeding the common Soldiers most plenteously, it is both delicious and wholesome.  
For Turnipes, you must sow them about the middle of June, and by Hallowmass, you will find them excellent Provision for your Family, take them up before the Frost come on, and hang them up on the Roof of your Victual house, and they will keep well the Winter, your Potatis succeed when the Turnips are ending, and your Cabbage may be preserved in the same manner, till your spring Kail come in.  
The advantage of the Potatis is so excellent and useful, that in England and several other places Abroad, the poor People boil them, dry them, mix them with a little Meal, kned them, and make them up in Bread, which is a most useful and wholesome Food, especially in times of Scarcity; Of the Joice of them also stilled, they make most excellent Aquavitae; This is all that is necessary for you to have in your Yards, except it be some Turkey Beans, and for want of these, some good ordinar Beans and Pease, which will not only tend for the gooding and improvement of your Yard, but are very good also to boil with your Pork, and keep your Servans also from treading down your Fields of Pease, they are also very useful for your Bees.  
Each Farmer may therefore have one Hive or two of Bees, the ordering of them is so well known, that I shall not say any thing, but that they will be found very profitable, & no charge.  
Be careful to gather as much Summer Dung as possible, Dung being the Mother of Corn, for that end buy Straw wherever you can get it, for bedding your Closes, Byres and Stables in the Summer time, it is ordinarily cheap then, and ye cannot bestow half a Mark better, than upon a Threave of good Wheat or Bear Straw, which being rightly used, will make more Dung than ten Threaves eaten by Beasts in the Winter time; but be sure not to neglect the shoveling and cleansing of your Close after every shower of Rain, then carry all to your Dunghills, which you must carry up equal and tied, all which are necessary for the equal way of Roting, and though they seem trival in themselves, yet they ought not be neglected.  
Green Fairn or Brachens, if they be within a mile of you, are well worth your pains of bringing home; bed your Close with them, in the same manner as with Straw, it makes a most excellent Manure, far above that of Rushes.  
The Turse of Mossy, or any four, moist, Rusbie Earth, may be well brought home a mile off, and may be either thrown into your Close, to be trodden to Dung with your Beasts, or laid by Lar, as they call it, upon your Dunghill, which being covered afterwards with Dung, then with the Turf, and so forth, which makes a most excellent compost, and it is alwise good to lay the Foundation of your Dunghill this manner of way.  
Lyme and Earth mixed and made up in Heaps in the Fields, after a years standing, proves a very good Manure for the In-field Land, especially for these who are thin of Earth, as the preceding compost is also.  
Sea-Sand is good for Clay Grounds, for besides the Saltness by its Sharpness, it cuts the Clay, and saves much Labour; there is no loss to lead it a Mile.  
In short, there is not an easier and more profitable way, then to mix Metal with Metal, that is to say, dig Pits in the Ground, and cover over your Lands two or three Inches thick, the light Sandy Ground with clay Grounds, and the Clay-Grounds with Sand grounds, try this but once, and ye will be persuaded of the truth of it.  
Nota, It holds also upon Grass the same way used, only it must be harrowed very small.  
If your Grounds lie within three Miles of a Burgh or Village, it is worth your pains to lead Dung all the Summer time, and lay it upon your Wheat Fauch, especially having a Cart way thereto. Sea Ware may be led two Miles with profit, and is most excellent for your Bear Fauch.  
If a Tennent have a large Farm, he ought to abstain from all manner of Work himself, except in cases of necessity; It is an ordinary saying, a good Grieve is worth▪ two Workers, he needs not be idle though he work not with his hands, let him work with his Noddle, Project and Contrive, Grieve and Oversee the Execution of his Project; let him sow his own Corns, much depends upon a good and equal Sower: look to his Shearers that they shear clean, and reap that which GOD hath given them, the contrary of which I have observed, to be among the greatest faults of many in East-Lothian, where generally speaking, I am sure they leave more behind them, than grows upon several Out-field Grounds in many places of Scotland, and at least the Seed of what they sow themselves.  
This bad custom hath not only its rise but is supported by a certain Lazy Idle Employment, called gathering, which a Greedy sort of people have perverted from its proper usefulness, for whereas none should have the Liberty of gathering, save the Poor & Indigent People, who are not able to do any manner of Work, or the Children of those poor People, when they cannot come abroad themselves, and their Children fit for no Labour, or Service; Now it is become a Trade, and a very cheating one too, for strong healthy people, and many of them no ways Indigent, hire Shearers in their place, that they may follow that unlawful Employment, and so eat the Bread out of the Poors Mouth: It is observable also, that they go alwise, where they have most Friends amongst the Shearers, and as amongst Soldiers every one follows his Leader, & then they are sure not to want; And now since the Farmers think it not worth their while to take notice of it, (though I think their bad Crops by gone should teach them some Wisdom) I think the Justice of Peace should nottice it.  
The Farmer himself should also cast all his Stacks to the proof and see it well dighted; and for that end he should learn to Write, and know the common Rules of Arithmetic, that he may keep an exact Book of all his Sowing and Increase, he should also be every Night at the Redding of his Barns, and Lock in the Doors thereof himself.  
In fine, he should frequent Mercats and Fairs, and know how all things are Sold and Bought; that so he may put off his old Oxen, and Horses, and other things: As also to Buy such things as are nceessary for him, at the best Advantage: By this Method, I am sure he shall never be idle.  
I am against great Farms, it is almost impossible to improve a great Room to that advantage as a lesser; I think two Ploughs sufficient for the greatest, the Rent being about six Chalders of Victual, when the Ground is very good, and four in that which is not so good, but I am most fully convinced, they should take long Leases or Tacks, that they may not be straitened with time, in the Improvement of their Rooms, and this is profitable both for Master and Tennent.  
Now having given you my Opinion in as few words as is possible, how to order all things to the best Advantage, I think it very necessary before I conclude, to teach you how to take Land, that is to say, how to make a good bargain with your Landlord, for the Lands you are to pay Rend for, and if ye succeed in this, it will prove a great Encouragement for you to bestow all the Pains and Charges I have required of you.  
The Lands of East-Lothian, generally speaking, pay all their Rent in Victual, which at the first view appears to be a very easy way for the Tenants, he threshes out so much of the Product of his Ground, and delivers it to his Master for his Rent, gets his discharge▪ and is neither troubled with Mercats nor ill Debtors, it doth also resemble also the Primitive simplicity, when the use of Money was not so much as known, and things went by Excambion, or changing things of which we had more than sufficient, for those things we wanted, and stood in need of, as Corn for Cattle, Milk for Oil, Wool for Flax, etc. But since the state of things are very much altered now, from what they were of Old, I have observed this Victual-Duty to prove ofttimes very prejudicial to the honest Farmer.  
Therefore I do advise all Tenants to endeavour to take their Farms so, as they may have half Victual and half Money for their Rent, and that for these Reasons.  
First I have observed ordinarily, the thing that breaks the Tennent is bad years, that is to say, bad Crops, when the Ground brings not forth according to its usual Fertility.  
When the Crop proves bad the price of Victual ariseth often to the Double, and Pease to the triple of what they are sold at in the years of Plenty.  
In these Years, the poor Tennent not having wherewith to pay his whole Rent, whatever he falls short in a Year of Scarcity, he is not able to make it up in two or three Years of Plenty, because then the Corns sell at a very low rate, and so being once entangled with Debt, he is discouraged to prosecute his Labour with Diligence, Expense and Heartiness, and so dwingels away to nothing.  
Now suppose a Tennent, who pays six Chalders of Victual of Yearlie Rend, should in place thereof, pay only three Chalders, and 300 pounds' Scots in Money, which is the ordinar Account made of Victual in East-Loathian, for the Lands sell generally at 2500 Marks the Chalders, the interest of which is 100 pound Scots Yearlie, and thus the Chalder of Victual is worth a hundred pounds Scots commwibus Annis.  
Suppose then he pays 300 pounds, and three Chalders of Victual, and a Dear Year comes in the worst of Years; generally Tenants are able to pay four Chalders for six, at least the half; So that by this Method, in a bad Cropped, he is alwise able to pay his Victual Rent, & if a good Cropped or two follow, he will be alwise able one way or other by sale of Beasts or otherwise, to recover his Money Rent.  
But suppose he hath one Chalder to sell, that Chalder in a dear year will render him double Money, and sometimes more; So that he will be but 100 pound in his Master's Debt by this Method, which a plentiful Year will easily discharge; Whereas by the other Method he would have been in about four.  
As to an Objection that may be made, that in cheap years, it will be difficult for the Tennent to raise 300. lib. out of his three Chalders of Victual, considering the low prices Mercat Charges, breaking of Merchants and such like, considering all things, I think there is no great weight in it.  
For first, It is to be considered, that the Years of plenty may well bow a Tennent, but can never break him,  
Secondly, Your Land is either very ill taken, or else in plentiful Years ye will have a greater Quantity of Corns to spare then the exact three Chalders for which ye pay the Money.  
And thirdly, The difference consists mainly in the price of Oats, and Pease, for Wheat and Barley are seldom or never at less value than 100 lib. the Chalder, and Oats (for few Tenants pay any quantity of Pease) made in Meal, will in the cheapest Years arise to near 80 lib. the Chalder; So that there will be but twenty pound of loss upon the Chalder in the very cheapest Years, which is no great thing, considering that experience teacheth us, that the ruin of Tenants proceeds mostly from bad Crops, which by the Method proposed might be prevented.  
And by the by, I must add this, that in plentiful Years, the making the Oats in Meal, is a very good part of Husbandry, for there is evident advantage by the selling of it out in the beginning of Harvest, when all the unprovident and unfrugal must buy; As also for two years' provision for your Family, that in case of a succeeding bad Crop, you may sell and spare your Corns with advantage. For your Pease keep them by you in a cheap Year, for once in three Years ordinarily they will double the Stock.  
And lastly, the provident Husband man will endeavour to reir up a Cow or Colt, and many otherways he may employ his Corn when it is cheap, as by feeding of Swine, Poultry etc. All which will soon make up that small difference I have brought it too, and much more. There may some object, that the Master will not consent to make such an alteration, because he finds the value of Money is continually arising and it is but just & reasonable, that the price of Corns and Cartel should rise proportionally, for if the Government should make the 40 shil. pieces to pass for three pound Scots, which is a third more value than what it is. Is it not als reasonable, that I should raise the price of the Victual a third also, since the Money is no better and the Victual no worse then formerly, what ever value be put upon it. They say also that the Conversion of the ipsa corpora to Money, is a kind of Dilapidation; And the uncertain value of our Corn, is evident by the Conversion of Bolls of Victual payable to Aba●cies or the like unto half a Mark for each Boll, which is paid this day according to the value of the present case, whereas those who are in the same Circumstance with them, and who had not made the Conversion pay the full Boll this very day, It is also evident by the half-crown piece coined in Regent Mortons' time, which now passes for a Crown.  
In answer thereto, first, There is no good Master who will scruple such a thing, which evidently tends so much to the advantage of his Tennent and nothing of loss to himself, for when he gets 100 lib. for the Chalder of his Victual, he gets as much as the Interests of his money comes to, & his Money well secured besides, which is enough in all conscience, if he be not an Usurer.  
Secondly, it tends to the general advantage of the Nation, for in a good Yeamandrie, both the Riches and Strength of a Nation consisteth, as Witness our Neighbours in England.  
3 As to the objection about the Coin, the altering and overvaluing of the Coin of a Nation, is certainly noways advantageous, but prejudicial to a National Interest, and ought not to be done, this is so evidently demonstrated by several hands already that I shall say nothing of it: Only if the Lands were set for Money, as is proposed, I hope these who are in the Government, who are generally all Landlords would see that they and the Nation receive no prejudice that way.  
Fourthly, Though this should happen, ye need not doubt, as all other things rises in price, the Rents of Lands will rise also.  
And Lastlie besides all, it will in time give Encouragement for fewing, both to Master and Tennent, of which I shall speak next.  
I observe the ordinary Methods with the Tenants in East-Lothian, is, when it pleases GOD to bless their Labours, so that their Stocks increase, than they take another Room, and after that a third, and so forth, and after all, comes a bad Year, and Dishes up all.  
I would therefore advise a Tennent, when GOD blesses his endeavours, and he finds that he has some foregear, as they call it, that he would go to his Master, and tell him, he is content to give him some Money, providing he will give him some ease of his Yearlie Rent. The Method I propose, is this.  
If a Tennent pay six Chalders of Victual, or three Chalders of Victual, and 300 lib. Scots Yearlie, which I think the best way, or the half, third, fourth or fifth part of such a Rent; for as I said before, the six Chalers of Victual is the greatest Rent that ought to be in any one Farm. This Tennent comes to his Master, and says, I will give you 2500 Marks, if ye will give me down a Chalder of Victual, or 100 pound Scots of my Yearlie Rent, and give me an heritable Right to it, for myself, Heirs and Successors, for the remander part of the Rent, this can be made applicable for any Room of whatsoever Rent, or any Sum whatsoever offered proportionally.  
This I do advise the Master to accept because if he be a frugal man, he knows how to make als good use of his Money, and it evidently insures the rest of his Rent; and if he be a Spendthrift, it is als good to take of his own as to borrow from his Neighbours, and possibly turn Bankrupt altogether.  
If the same Tennent purchase more, I do advise both Master and Tennent to do the same till the half Rent, or at most two parts of the Rent be thereby exhausted, and thereafter the Tennent & his Successors are to pay the Superplus to the Master for ever, & are to be obliged to keep good Horse & Arms to attend him, and maintain their Houses in good and sufficient condition, and this I call feving of Land.  
I know this is not the ordinar and strickest way of Feving, according to the Feudal Law, or conform to the practice in some places, especially in the West of Scotland, where, upon the death of the Master or Tennent the Feu-duty is doubled, and for that of a singular Successor, the whole intrinsic value of the Lands so holden for a year, is payable to the Landlord, where also several Clauses anent Alienations without consent of Superiors, and other unreasonable irritant Clauses place against the poor Vassals, whereby when an unjust and hard Master succeeds, or very frequently a Lawyer, there are many evident Advantages to be taken by reason of the Ignorance of the poor Vassals.  
But as I dislike such Courses, so what is said is all which I understand and mean by Feving: And it seems most reasonable, that as I will not advise Masters to diminish their Rents above the one half, by this new way of Feving, So that I should not subject the poor laborious Husbandman to any irritant Clauses, neither to vast Entries, which in time probably may destroy both him and his Succession.  
Thus in as few and plain words as I could, I have finished my Advice, that what is said may be easily understood by the meanest Capacity. I have used your own dialect and form of speaking, I wish from my heart you would follow and practise what is folly Writ and intended for your Instruction, which will encourage me to a second Treatise, for Husbandry is an inexhaustible Treasure; there are many Excellent things to be said upon it, both new and old, but Paul may Plant and Apollo's water, yet it is GOD who giveth the increase, which that he may do, be diligent in prayer for the blessing of the everliving GOD upon your endeavours, that you may be blessed in your Basket, blessed in your store, blessed in your Herds, that your Pastures may abound with Flocks, and your Valleys with Corns & that he may set a Hedge about you & all that you have, & may be your God and the God of your Seed, & to let you see by this excellent Mixture of Spiritual with Bodily Exercises, that you are as happy as a World can make you, and thereby preserved from Envy, and consequently render you absolutely contented with your own manner of Life. I shall conclude with a Poem, in commendation of a Country Life, and the Pleasures attending the same, as follows.  

A POEM in Praise of a Country Life, and the Pleasures thereof, in Imitation of Virgil in the Epilogue of his second Book of Georgics.  
AGricula in curvo terram dimovit aratro.  
Quos ramifructus quos ipsa volentia, rura  
Sponse tulere sua carpsit.  
I Sing the Pleasures of a rural Life,  
Void of all carping care, & wrangling strife,  
Blest with bright Phoebus' Beams, Birds bear their part.  
With charming Notes, without acquired Airt  
They warble forth their Maker's Praise so High  
As frightens Night and rouseth slumbering Day.  
None beats their Time, and yet they all agree  
Without a Book in perfect Harmony.  
Bass, Counter, Tenor, Trible there you'll hear,  
There's no discord to choack a tender Ear.  
All play their parts with a melodious Sound,  
From topping Rocks while Echoes answer round  
The drowsy Trees awakened with their call  
Burst forth in leaves where instantly they fall  
With all the cunning that can be expressed.  
In various forms to build their circ'led Nest,  
Where they may Nestle and bring forth a choir  
Of well set voices for the coming Year.  
The cheerful Lambs attending on their Dames,  
In sprightful skips perform their harmless games  
Whiles in a crowd they run and one doth gain  
Who's strait applauded by ' his following train  
Another runs alone while all look on,  
And cheers his Metal with a pleasant Tone.  
Yet all obey when called and each doth know,  
By his Dame's voice to which place he should go,  
They running call and calling run with haste  
To quench their drought by sucking of the breast  
The other Beasts in herds both wild and tame  
With gentile pace feed through the flourie plain  
Forget their Winter's toil and stormy Showers  
And seem delighted with the vernant Flowers  
Under the shades of Arched Groves they rest.  
Then up again and feed where they think best  
Not dieted by Ploughman's straitened hand,  
Both ease & Food they have at their command  
So free from care they drink the pearled streams  
Breath a pure Air and shuns Apollo's Beams.  
Mountains they mount and vernant meads with haist  
Are all cut down to please their wanton taste.  
Ceres makes haste to hoard up plenteous Store  
For man and beast when Spring can do no more,  
Fish, Fowl and Beasts brings forth all what they can,  
And mother Earth produces all for man.  
The tender Grain by hopeful Peasants Sown,  
No sooner Roots than up again it's Grown.  
The Blade the Stalk, and then the tender Ear,  
In its green Cover softly doth appear.  
Fearing the blustering wind it pipes about,  
Finding all fair it Gently ventures out.  
Then frankly nourished by Earth's fattening Clot,  
It forms its Kirnal in its chaffy Coat.  
Which warmed by Appolo's warming Rays,  
Blade, Stalk and Husk apparently decays.  
The Ear does bow his head, the Stalk doth bend,  
And doth the Sickle with consent attend.  
Thus Flowers do blow, and fruit Trees throu the Field.  
As Bees their Honey, Cows their Milk do yield.  
The painful Swain collects what Nature gives,  
Clothed with content, most happily he lives.  
Can Court or Camp, can Bench or Bar afford,  
Such innate pleasures to its fretful Lord.  
Galen may kill, not cure, and Merchants cheat,  
Seamen may drink and swear, and rivals hate,  
Strumpets may pox the Sparks, and they in pain  
Prompt with revenge, may pay them back again  
The Priest may bawl at all, yet long to try  
These amorous moods, themselves to mortify.  
But happy he who Aglaus like doth dwell,  
Within the confines of his Country Cell.  
And whose content doth free him of the sense,  
Of deadly vice and its Experience.   
FINIS.