〈…〉 Improvement, AND Seasonable Advice TO ALL Gentlemen and Farmers, How to prepare the Ground fit for Sowing Hemp and Flax-Seed; The Nature of it, with Directions how to Sow it, when Ripe how to pull it, and preserve the Seed when ripe: With Directions for Watering, Breaking, Swingling and Preparing it fit to be Hachell'd.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1691. To be had at the Booksellers in Westminster-Hall.   

Reasons for the speedy Sowing great quantities of Flax and Hemp in this Kingdom for the carrying on the linen Manufacture already set up.  
WHereas Their Most Sacred Majesties King William and Queen Mary( out of Their Princely Wisdom and Care of this Kingdom, and for the bringing down the greatest Enemy of it, the French King) have been Graciously pleased at the humble Petition of N. D. Esquire, and H. Million, and divers Honourable Worthy Gentlemen which did join with them, to Erect a Corporation, for the Setting up, and perpetual Establishing a linen Manufacture in England, by their Letters Patents bearing date May 27. 1690.  
And whereas the said Corporation for the better Establishing the said Manufacture in all parts of the Kingdom, and for the advancing Land thereby, and setting the Poor on Work, have pursuant to the said Letters Patents, admitted divers worthy Patriots to be Members of their Corporation, and thereby have raised a very considerable Stock, consisting of many Thousands of Pounds. And whereas also they have already set up the linen Manufacture, and made a very considerable progress in it, at Salisbury Exchange in London, and elsewhere, and have about six Thousand People at work already, and intend from thence to Branch it into other Parts of the Kingdom, with all convenient speed. And lastly, Whereas the said Corporation, that they may be supplied with Materials of English Growth, in the making all sorts of linen( for the greater benefit of the Nation, and the better answering the Ends of their Incorporation.) This Paper is now sent abroad, by a Lover of his Kingdom the better to publish and make known these things, and thereby to advance a work so beneficial to the whole Kingdom, as also to lay before all country Farmers, and Occupiers of Land, the following Reasons why they should contribute their part to it, in the fullest manner, and with the greatest cheerfulness, by Sowing forth with as great quantities of Flax and Hemp, as their present conveniences will enable them to do. The Reasons are these.  
1. That the Fleet, the great Bulwark of the Nation, and all the Merchants Ships of England, may be supplied with Sails and Cordage the next year, and that all the people of the Kingdom may be supplied with linen of all sorts for their many necessary uses, and all this by our own Work, and our own Materials, without sending Money out of the Nation, for that which may be had within it.  
2. Because Corn and cattle are so cheap( and there is so vast a store of the former) that they will not pay the Rent of their Lands, and the necessary Charges bestowed upon them, but Flax and Hemp will do much more, because they bear a double Crop at the same time, one of Seed and another of Flax or Hemp, both which Crops will be very considerable the next year, for the Seed will be bought up at good Rates to Sow again, and the Flax and Hemp cannot be cheap, because linen Cloth is excessively dear already, and likely to be dearer( because scarcer) before the next Crop of Flax and Hemp will come to make Cloth. I need not mention the great gains which some Men have made of their Crops of Flax this last year, who have paid all their Charge, and the Rent of their Land with the Flax Seed.  
But this I must say, that( in all probability) their Gains will not be less, if they be not greater the next year. And 'tis every ones Interest, to put in for a share of the first and greatest profit, which will be the greater, because many men will not venture, till they see the success of their Neighbours, and others will be long unwilling to go out of their old Road, though the new path be much better for them.  
3. Because the more Corn is sown in England, and the more cattle bread and fatted this year, the cheaper will the present stock of Corn and cattle become, which now lies dead upon the Farmers hands, and the cheaper will the stock be also which they shall raise, and add to it either in this, or in the following year. Therefore those that Occupy Lands( whether they be Farmers or Owners) must turn as much Arable, and as much Grazing Land as they can to Flax and Hemp.  
4. Because if the linen Manufacture does not go on in England( whether for want of a sufficient quantity of Flax and Hemp, or by other discouragements of the English themselves) the greatest part of the poor will have no work( or very little) and therefore no Money, and then they cannot buy, either of the Farmer, the Butcher, the Baker, or the Shopkeeper. and yet they must and will be fed and clothed. And therefore on that supposition, the Landlord, the Farmer, the Shopkeeper, and the rest that have something, must then keep the Poor in all things, and that also though their own condition will be very much worsted at the same time, by the fall of Land, by the breaking of Tenants, by the loss of Trade, and by the cheapness of all Inland Commodities. Besides, they must all pay Taxes too at the same time. But if the linen Manufacture go on and prosper apace( as hitherto it doth beyond expectation) the Poor will have work, and by consequence Money,( for the linen Corporation pay all their Workmen ready Money as soon as their work is done) and by consequence the Poor will then buy with their own Money which themselves have Earned, the Commodities of the Farmer and the tradesman. And then the Farmer will live and pay Rent to his Landlord, and the Shopkeeper will look up, for all their Goods and Commodities will rise, and their great charge to the Poor will abate, and more provisions( of Corn, cattle, and other things,) will be spent in the Nation than are at present, for when Men Earn Money they must spend it, and when they work hard, they will find it necessary to eat more than while they live Idle, or have but half employment. And then also they will wear out more of all kinds of clothes as well as of Working Instruments. Thus will the condition of all be very much bettered, and all be enabled to pay Taxes, which would not now be so heavy upon the middle sort of People, or any other, if Corn and cattle sold well, if Rents were well paid, and tradesman had a full Trade, or but tolerable good Custom.  
5. Because as those public Spirited Persons, who by their Joint-Endeavours have now raised a great Stock of Money for the linen Manufacture ought by no means to be discouraged, that shall Endeavour to furnish us with English linen, and other Goods, because their good is evidently the Nations good, and because they have supplied the great defect( the want of a large Stock) which has much hindered the success of the linen Manufacture in England, as oft as attempted by worthy Persons in times past, so if they be discouraged, and that Manufacture hindered amongst us now, now we have such a favourable opportunity to set it up( during the present War with France, and the prohibition of all French linen) we shall never retrieve it, we shall never have the like opportunity again. And if the Corporation to make linen, have not English Flax and Hemp sufficient for the year ensuing, they must either buy foreign, or their Manufacture will be at a stand, and if they do so, and buy a considerable deal, foreign linen Yarn( as well as Flax and Hemp) will come in in such quantities, and become so cheap, that you will not easily keep it out another year, nor regain the Ground you will lose this next. For all Trade does run in a Channel, and will not be presently diverted, or break its settled course.   

CHAP. I.  
Of the Soil.  
MOst sorts of Soils are fit, or may be made fit with good manuring, to sow Hemp or Flax upon; the best is accounted to be a warm, sandy ground mixed with Earth, and of this sort of Earth fit places to sow Hemp on, are old Meadows grown over with Moss, old Stack-yards, and places kept in the Winter for the Lair of Sheep or cattle.  
If your ground is something barren, you may enrich it as you do all other sorts of grounds.  
The ground fit for Hemp, may serve in many respects for to sow Flax; but Flax being of a more tender nature, requireth also a more tender care, both for choosing and manuring the ground you will sow it upon; you must therefore make these following observations.  
The goodness and fineness of Flax dependeth much upon the nature of the Soil; for upon heavy and rotten Moorish ground, groweth that Flax, which is called great black Flax; upon black and light ground, groweth Flax which is of the colour of Steel; if your ground is of several colours, the Flax that shall grow upon it will participate of the nature of the Soil, and so will be of several colours too.  
It w●ll thrive in any good sound Land, be it in what country soever; and that ground is best which hath lain long unplowed: As aforesaid the most fertile Soil is the best.   

CHAP. II.  
How to Till the Ground.  
AFter you have found your best ground, make it fit to sow your Hemp or Flax, that it may the easier incorporate itself with the Earth, to render it fit for your purpose. About the beginning of May, in a fair season, break up your ground with a strong Plough, such as are generally used in all strong day grounds, the Share being rather long than broad, and the Coulter rather somewhat bending than strait, and even, according as the nature of the ground shall require; which you will soon find out in turning up two or three Furrows; for according to the cutting of the Earth, you must fashion the temper of your Plough. To plow your Land well, you must throw down your Furrows flat, and betwixt every Furrow you shall leave a balk of Earth half as broad as the Furrow, and so go over and plow your whole Earth up, without making any difference or distinction of Lands: But if you fear any annoyance of water, then you shall lay your Furrows more high; near, and close together, dividing the ground into several Lands, and proportioning every Land to lie the highest in the middle, so that the water may have a descent or passage on either side.  
The ground where you sow your Hemp, would be like that where you sow Barley, or at least as often broken up, as you do when you fallow for Wheat, which is thrice, except it be some very mellow and ripe mould, as usual Hemp-Lands be, and then twice breaking up is sufficient, which must be done about the latter end of February, and the latter end of April, at which time you shall sow it.  
The ground for Flax must be ordered in the same manner, observing this, that the best Land yields the best Flax, and raiseth the best Improvement. The Land must be well ploughed and laid flat, and even. The best Land is old Meadows, which you must break up after mowing-time; plow it again about Christmas, again in February, and April, then make it very fine. And note that poor Land bringeth a bad Crop, light starveth, and withereth your Crop; too stiff bringeth most Bun or Pith, and very little Rind or Flax.   

CHAP. III.  
Of the Seed, and the manner of Sowing.  
THE best Seed for Hemp is the smoothest, roundest, and brightest, of a bright Colour, with the least dust in it; you must observe to Sow it reasonable thick, and not to lay it too deep in the Earth, but cover it close, light, and with so fine a Mould as you can possibly break with your small Harrows, then till you see it appear above the Earth, you must tend it very carefully, especially an hour or two before Sun-rising, and as much before Sun-setting, for Birds, and other vermin will pick the Seed out of the Earth. Your Ground being Cultivated in Autumn, will by the Winter Frosts be fit to receive your Seed; the latter end of March, or the beginning of April, the Moon being in the Wain, or declining, is a fit Season to sow your Seed, which you must immediately cover with the Earth, with a fine Harrow, or Bush, Harrowing it several times; if after that, you spread over it some pigeon dung, will be very useful to your Hemp, provided it may be done in moist Weather, for without moistness, the great heat of such Dung would burn the Seed.  
The best Seed for Flax, is the cleanest, newest, and largest, heaviest, brightest, round and plump, all of one Colour, especially at the sharp end, free from Worms, or Mites, which by curious inspection may be seen without the help of Glasses; but the surest way to choose the best, is to sow a little upon a hot Bed, numbering how many Grains you sow, in a Drachm, or any other weight; and observe how many come up, and how many do shoot above one shoot a piece; the Seed that was gathered from the first Crop of new broken up Ground is the best of all others; the second Crop is indifferent, but the third is not fit to be sowed, but will yield good oil.  
This Seed must be sowed in a warm Season, immediately after ploughing at any time in April. That Seed that cometh from the East country is usually very good, although it costs dear, yet it will easily repay the charge, and will last indifferent well, two Crops, then it is best to renew it again: But our own country Seed is as good as any, being well managed by a constant change. Of the best, two Bushels may serve on an Acre, but more of our English Seed, because it groweth smaller; you must be sure to sow it on good Land, the best Ground requireth to be thickest sowed; wet the underside of your Thumb, lay it upon the Ground, observe if it take up five, six or seven Seeds at once, accordingly you may judge proportionably to the goodness of the Ground; if you have under sowed,( which generally most err in) it gives room to Weeds, and makes the Flax grow course, and spread into Branches, which yields much Tow. In a wet Summer Flax is very apt to lodge, and be spoiled, which may be prevented as soon as you have done sowing, by sticking all over the Ground branches or cuttings of Trees, or Hedge-rows of two years growth, standing or leaning, not above a foot and half high above Ground, which will prevent the Flax to lodge; if the Seed be more than just covered in fine dust, it will hardly come up, in case the Wind dry or whither the Seed, before or after it is sowed, and you will lose your Crop; sow in temperate dry weather, but not when the East, or North Wind bloweth very hard.   

CHAP. IV.  
Of Harrowing and Weeding.  
YOur Ground being thus ploughed and sowed, be careful to harrow it into as fine mould as you can; now if your Ground be sown with Hemp, you shall not need to Weed it at all, because Hemp is so swift a grower, and such a poison unto all the Weeds, that it overrunneth, choketh, and destroyeth them.  
The same must be done concerning Flax, observing this only, that as it is much more a tender Seed, which brings forth more tender Leaves and Branches, you must watch what Weeds you see spring up, and in their first growth pluck them up, and throw them away, till you see your Flax to be grown above the Weeds, and then you may let it alone, for after it hath once gotten height, the Weeds won't over-grow it, and so can do it no harm. But the Ground should be such as will produce as few Weeds as possible, weeding being dangerous.   

CHAP. V.  
How to know when Hemp and Flax are ripe, and the manner of pulling and seasoning of them.  
YOU will know that your Hemp is ripe, when the stalk is grown white, or when you see the Leaves fall downward and turn yellow at the tops, for then it is full ripe; this will happen for the most part about the middle of July. As for the pulling of Hemp, it must be pulled up by the Roots, and not cut as Corn, and the best time for the pulling of it, is when it is full ripe; this is for pulling of Hemp for to make Cloth, but if you intend to save any for Seed, you must save the principal stalks and let them stand till the latter end of August, or sometime till the middle of September following, and then when you see your Seed turn brown and hard, gather it, for if it stand longer it will  shed very much.  
Flax is to be pulled in the same manner as Hemp, and it must be pulled when you see the Seed turn brown, and bend the head to the earth-ward; for it will afterward ripen of itself, as the stalk drieth. Observe that the Flax ripeneth a little after Hemp, and set apart the Plants which bear no Seed to distinguish them.  
And for the seasoning of Hemp or Flax, so soon as you have pulled it, you must lay it all along flat and thin upon the ground, for a day and a night at the most, and no more, and then tie it up in bundles, and rear them upright upon the ground, till you can carry them to the water, which is to be done as speedily as may be.   

CHAP. VI.  
Of Watering of Hemp or Flax.  
FOR watering, the best water is the running stream, and the worst is the standing Pool; yet because Hemp is offensive to Fish, it is fitter to use such Pits and Ditches as are less subject to annoyance, except you live near some broad and swift streams, and then in the shallow part thereof you may water your Hemp without danger. You must water it in this manner; Knock to the quantity of your Hemp four or six stakes in each row into the bottom of the water, and set them squarewise, then lay your bundles of Hemp down under the water, the thick end of your bundle one way, and the thick end of another bundle another way; and so lay bundle upon bundle, till you have laid in all, and that the water covereth them all over; then you shall put over-lyers of wood, and binding them over-thwart to the stakes, keep the Hemp down close, and especially at the four corners, then take great Stones and lay between and over the over-lyers, and so cover the Hemp close, that it may not stir, and so let it continue in the water four days and nights, if it be in a running water; but if it be in a standing water, let it continue a little longer; and then take out one of the uppermost bundles and wash it; if in the washing you see the Leaf come off, you may be sure the Hemp is watered enough: As for the Flax, less time will serve it, and will  shed the Leaf in three nights; and to know if it be sufficiently watered, dry a little of it, break and rub it, and the bun or pith will all come clean out.   

CHAP. VII.  
Of Washing out of Hemp, and Drying and Rippling of Flax.  
WHEN your Hemp or Flax is thus watered, take off the Stones, Over-lyers, or Wood, and unloosen it from the stakes; then take and wash out every bundle severally by itself, and rub it exceeding clean, leaving not a Leaf upon it, nor any filth within it; then set it upon the dry Earth upright, that the water may drain from it, which done, rear it up either against hedges, pales, walls, back-sides of houses, or such like, where it may have the full strength or reflection of the Sun, and being thoroughly dried, then house it.  
You must observe, that though you may carry your Hemp to the water within a night or two after the pulling, the same is not to be done with Flax, but it must be reared up, dried and withered a week or more, to ripen the Seed, which being done, take Ripple Combs, and ripple your Flax over, which is the beating or breaking off from the stalks the round bells or bobs which containeth the seed, which you must preserve in a dry Vessel or place till the Spring of the year, and then beat it or thrash it, and when your Flax is rippled, then sand it to the water.   

CHAP. VIII.  
Of Breaking and Swingling of Hemp or Flax.  
AFter your Hemp or Flax hath been watered, dried and housed, you may then at your pleasure break it, which is to be done in a broke of wood( whose proportion is so ordinary, that every one almost knows it) then break and beat out the dry bun of the Hemp or Flax from the rind which covers it, and when you break either, you shall do it as near as you can on a fair, dry, Sun-shine day, observing to set forth your Hemp and Flax, and spread it thin before the Sun, that it may be as dry as Tinder before it come to the broke; for if either in the lying close together it shall give again or sweat, or through the moistness of the Air or place where it lies, receive any dampishness, you must necessary have it dried sufficiently again, or else it will never break well, nor the bun fall from the rind as it should; but if the weather be not seasonable, and you have occasion to use your Hemp or Flax, you shall then spread it upon a Kiln, and making a soft fire under it, dry it upon the same; but because this is oft-times dangerous, and much hurt hath been received thereby through casualty of fire, I would advice you to stick four stakes in the Earth, at least five foot above the ground, and laying over them small over-lyers of wood, and open fleaks or hurdles upon the same, spread your Hemp, and also rear some round about it, but at one open side, then with straw, small shavings, or other light dry wood, make a soft fire under it, and so dry it, and break it; this will be done without any danger; and as you break it, you shall open your Hemp or Flax which you hold by handful, and look into it, beginning always to break the root-ends first; and when you see the bun is sufficiently crushed, fallen away; or at most hangeth but in very small shivers within the Hemp or Flax, then it is brakt enough; and then that which was before called a bait or bundle, is now called a strike, lay them together, and so house them. This is best done in a large great Oven, because it is not discoloured by the Smoke.  
Now that your Hemp or Flax may break so much the better, you must have for Hemp two several braks; one must be an open and wide-tooth'd, or nicked brak, and the other a close and a straight-tooth'd brak; the first being to crush the bun, and the latter to beat it forth. Now for Flax, you must first take that which is the straighter for the Hemp, and then after one of purpose, much straighter and sharper; for the bun of it being more small, tough, and thin, must necessary be broken into much less pieces. This must be used by a person used to break and swingle Hemp and Flax.  
After your Hemp and Flax is brakt, swingle it, which is done upon a swingle-tree block, made of an half Inch board about four foot above ground, and set upon a strong foot or stock, that will not easily move and stir; and with a piece of wood, called the Swingle-tree-dagger, made in the shape and proportion of an old Dagger, with a reasonable blunt edge, you shall beat out all the loose buns and shivers that Hang in the Hemp or Flax, opening and turning it from one end to the other, till you can perceive no bun nor shiver in it; and then striking a twist and fold in the midst, which is ever the thickest part of the strike, lay them by till you have swingled all; the general profit whereof, is not only the beating out of the hard bun, but also an opening and softening of the Tear, whereby it is prepared and made ready.  
Your Hemp and Flax being once swingled over, take and shape up the refuse stuff which you beat from the same severally, and not only it, but the tops and knots, and half brakt filth or waste, which fall from the broke also, and drying them again, cause them to be very well threshed with Flails, and mixing them with the refuse which fell from the Swingle-tree; dress them all well with threshing and shaking, till they be clean: If you have no occasion to use them for the present, lay them in some safe dry place till you have occasion. You call these Swingle-tree hurds: That which comes from the Hemp will make window-cloth, and such like course stuff; and that which comes from the Flax, being a little towed again in a pair of Tow-cards, will make a course harding, and this is sufficient for the Market, and for ordinary sale. But if you do intend to make Cloth, after your Hemp or Flax hath been swingled once over, you must swingle over a second time; and as the first swingling did take away the filth, and soften the rind; so this will break and divide, and prepare it for the Heckle; the Hurds which are the second time beaten off, you must also save; for that of the Hemp( being carded) will make a good Hempen-Harding, and that which comes from the Flax( used in that manner) a Flax-Harding, better than the former.  
FINIS.