Sect. 8. Another history, showing the efficacy of Lime in this particular.

Before we give over this discours of Lime, we shall adde to what hath been said already, that in some other parts of Ireland, where this manuring with Lime was not used nor known, the vertue of Lime in this particular hath been found out by meer chance. For some persons known to me, who lived but a few miles from Dublin, having understood that the crowes (wherewith they were much plagued, and who did use to make very great spoil of their grains) would not. touch the corn wherewith the Lime was mixed, did cause unslaked Lime to be mingled with water, making it as thinne as if it had been for the whitening of walls, and very well besprinkled the corn therewith, before it was carried to the fields to be sown, and that after this manner, the corn lying on a heap, one turned it with both hands, whilest another sprinkled on the fore-said stuff, doing so until the whole heap was thoroughly besprinkled; at other times they mingled dry Lime with the corn, and afterwards besprinkled the whole heap with fair water through and through, for the same purpose, and hereby they did not only obtain the aforesaid end, of preserving the corn from the crowes, but had thereby a fairer and better crop, than ever before their land had produced.

Sect. 9. Of Sea-sand.

Lime is much used in the province of Munster, as in other parts of Ireland, so for to manure the ground withal, where the sea-sand likewise is greatly used to the same end, not only in places lying on the sea-side, but even ten, twelve, and fifteen miles into the land, whither it was carried in some places by boats, and in others upon carts, the charges being sufficiently recompensed by the profit comming from it. For they used it for the most part only upon very poor land, consisting of cold clay, and that above half a foot deep: which land having been three or four times plowed and harrowed (in the same manner as is usuall to be done with fallow) the 84 sand

sand is strawed all over very thinly, a little before the sowing time: the which being done, that land bringeth very good corn of all sorts, not only Rye and Oates, but even Barley and Wheat, three yeares one after another; and having lyen fallow the fourth year, for many yeares after it produceth very clean and sweet grass; whereas formerly, and before it was thus manured, it produced nothing but moss, heath, and short low furze: which herbs are fired upon the ground, and the ground stubbed, before it be plowed the first time.

It is not any peculiar sort of sea-sand, nor out of any particular places, which is used for this purpose, but that which every where lyeth on the strands. And this manner of manuring the land with sea-sand is very common in the two most Westerly Shires of England, Cornwall, and Devonshire, from whence those, who first practised it in Ireland, seem to have learned it.

Sect. 10. Of Brine or Pickle.

The goodness of the sea-sand consisteth chiefly in its Saltness, for which reason pickle itself is very good for this purpose: it being very well known to severall English dwelling about the Band and Colraine, that were Farmers of the Salmon-fishing there, who used every year carefully to keep the foul pickle, comming of the Salmons at their repacking; and having powred it among the ordinary dung of cattle and straw they did let them lye a good while a mellowing together. Hereby it was greatly strengthened and enriched, so that the land being dunged with it, did bear much better and richer crops than that which was manured only with common dung without the mixture of it.

CHAP. XII.

Sect. 1. Of the Marle in Ireland, and the manner of
Marling the land there.

ARLE is a certain sort of fat and clayish stuff, being

MAR

as the grease of the earth; it hath from antient times been greatly used for manuring of land both in France and England, as may appear out of Pliny in the sixth, seventh, and eighth Chapters of his seventeenth Book. The same also is still very usuall in sundry parts of England, being of an incomparable goodness: The which caused the English, who, out of some of those places where Marle was used, were come to live in Ireland, to make diligent search for it, and that with good success at last; it having been found out by them within these few yeares, in severall places; first in the Kings-county, not far from the Shanon, where being of a gray colour, it is digged out of the Bogs; and in the County of Wexford, where the use of it was grown very common before this Rebellion, especially in the parts lying near the sea; where it stood them in very good steed, the land of it self being nothing fruitfull. For although the ground (for the most part) is a good black earth, yet the same being but one foot deep, and having underneath a crust of stiff yellow clay of half a foot, is thereby greatly impaired in its own goodness. In this depth of a foot and a half next under the clay, lyeth the Marle, the which reacheth so far downwards, that yet no where they are come to the bottom of it. It is of a blew colour, and very fat (which as in other ground, so in this, is chiefly perceived when it is wet) but brittle and dusty when it is dry.

Sect. 2. The manner, charges, and profit of Marling

the ground.

The Marle is layed upon the land in heaps, by some before it is plowed, by others after, many letting it lye severall moneths ere they plow it again, that the Rain may equally divide and mixe it; the Sun, Moon, and Air mellow and incorporate it

with the earth. One thousand cart-loads of this goeth to one English acre of ground; it being very chargeable, for even to those who dig it out of their own ground, so as they are at no other expences but the hire of the labourers, every acre cometh to stand in three pounds sterling. But these great expences are sufficiently recompenced by the great fruitfulness which it causeth, being such, as may seem incredible; for the Marled-land, even the very first year, fully quitteth all the cost bestowed on it. There besides it is sufficient once to marle, whereas the ordinary dunging must be renewed oftentimes.

Sect. 3. The usage of the Marled-land, practised by
them of the County of Wexford.

The good usage of the Marled-land, to keep it in heart for ever after, doth consist, in the opinion and practice of some, in letting it lye Fallow at convenient times, but the ordinary manner, commonly practised by the inhabitants of the County of Wexford, and counted the best by them, is, that having sowed it five or six yeares together, with the richest sorts of Corn, to wit, Wheat and Barley (especially that sort which in some parts of England, and generally in Ireland, is peculiarly called Bear, being a much richer Grain than the ordinary Barley) it being afterwards turned to Pasture, whereunto it is very fit, forasmuch as it bringeth very sweet grass in great abundance: For the Marle is also used on Meddows at the first, with very good success, improving the same most wonderfully.

If the Marled-land be thus used, and by turns kept under Corn, and Grass, it keeps its fruitfulness for ever; where to the contrary, if year after year it be sowed till the heart be drawn out, it's quite spoyled, so as afterwards it is not possible to bring it again to any passable condition by any kind of dunging, or marling. This would ordinarily be done in the space of ten yeares; for so long together the Marled-land may be sowed, and bring every year a rich crop of the best Corn. Nevertheless this is not generall, but taketh place only in the worser kind of ground; for where the land of it self is better

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better and richer, there after Marling, Wheat and other Corn may be sowed, not only for ten yeares together, but longer: for very credible persons have assured me, that some parts of the County of Wexford having borne very good Corn for thirteen yeares together, and afterwards being turned to pasture, it was as good and fertile as other Marled-grounds that had been under Corn but five or six yeares.

Sect. 4. Of the Marle in Connaught.

The Province of Connaught (by what hath been discovered) is much more plentifull in Marle, than Leinster, as in other Counties, so in those of Roscomen, Sleigo, and Galloway, almost in every part of it. It is there of three severall colours, some being white as chalk, other gray, and some black; but none blew, as that in the County of Wexford. It lyeth nothing deep under the upper-ground, or surface of the earth, commonly not above half a foot; but its own depth is so great, that never any body yet digged to the bottom of it.

The land which they intend to marle in this Province, ist commonly plowed in the beginning of May, and lying five or six weeks (until it be sufficiently dryed and mellowed by the Sun and Wind) they harrow it, and then having brought the Marle upon it, five or six weeks after it is plowed again, and a third time about September: After which third plowing they sow it with Wheat or Barley, whereof they have a very rich crop the next year.

Sect. 5. Property and usage of the Marled-lands in

Connaught.

Land Marled in that manner as we have said, may be sowed ten or twelve yeares together; the first eight or nine with Wheat, and Bear, or Barley, and the remaining three or four yeares with Oates, afterwards the land is turned to pasture, and having served some yeares in that kind, it may be Marled anew, and made as good for Corn as at the first.

For the observation of those of the County of Wexford, that land may not be Marled more than once, doth not take place in Connaught, where it is an ordinary thing, having