Brief Demonstrations of Certain, Plain and Easy ways, and means for the Improving of any manner of Barren-Land, although not worth xij. d. the Acre, and showing how to make the same become worth xx. s. xxx.s. or xl.s. the Acre yearly.  
Published for the benefit of the Nation, and for the Increasing of the wealth and Prosperity of all Nations, that shall in time Practise the same.  
By J. S. One that is desirous of the Public good.   

TO THE READER.  
GEntle Reader, having many things to mak● public for the good of the Nation, I shall only at the present briefly Demonstrate some few things that may make much for the Public good and the Prosperity thereof; In th●● small and ensuing Treatise, it is intended for the good of the Poor aswell as of the rich; and therefore, I shall in brief publish no more at one time than what the poor man may be able to purchase and attain to, aswell as the rich, and so shall proceed in the succeeding times; Every one is bound in duty to employ and improve those Talents that God hath endowed them with to his glory and the public good, and I hope no man can be offended thereat: if any such there be, they ought to know their Error is great, and their judgement will be great at the great judgement day of the Lord: I shall Conclude only desiring the Lord to bless and prosper all honest and lawful Endeavours, and rest always desirous of the Public good,  
I: SHARKWELL:   


CHAP. I. Concerning the use of the Manuring-Rowler.  
OF all Inventions for the easy and speedy Manuring of all sorts of Ground, there is none better or more useful than the Manuring Rowler, being rightly and seasonably used: The best season for using thereof is in the Autumn and Winter, when the ground is wet and not dry or hard frozen: Also, when the Snow beginneth to melt and the frost to thaw, the manner how to use it, is to fill it with Dung and other soil, or with good and fertile Earth, and then to draw it up and down in your field from one end to the other, until all the manure be vented out of the same, and then again to fill it, and use it after the same manner, until you have used and spent all your dung, hereby one load of Dung will do more good and improve your Land more than 3, or 4. Load laid on the ground, and spread after the accustomed manner: Also, ground that is not worth xij. d. the Acre, may in few years be made to become worth xx. s. or xxx.s. the Acre.  
These manuring Rulers may be made of what bigness you please; for they may be made no bigger than for a man to drive or thrrust afore him, and also they may be made so big as they may require one or two Horses to draw the same.  
Now if the later end of the Autumn or Winter season prove dry, and the ground be too dry to Manure and improve the same than you may moisten and water the same, as is declared in the Chapter, Showing how to water Ground in dry seasons where water is plentiful: And in moistening, or watering the same, be sure to moisten and water no more than you shall at that present manure well with your manuring Rowler, and water that well, and throughly that you would Manure.  
Also, if you would Improve any barren Land speedily then you must bring in the best mould you can get, and spread the same all over so much of your barren Land as you desire to Improve, and after you have spread the same, then to fill your manuring Rulers with Dung or other good soil, and manure the same when the ground is Wet as is before prescribed.  
Also, it is very expedient to Blow up your barren ground, if you have not plenty of good Earth to lay upon it and to manure it withal, and assoon as it is Ploughed up, then to manure it with your manuring Rowler; And what you Blow up one day, you should Manure the day following.   

CHAP. II. How to improve Barren Land not worth yearly xij. d. the Acre, and in make it become worth yearly xx. s. or xxx.s. the Acre.  
ONe of the best and surest ways to Improve any manner of barren Land both speedily and effectually is by making long Furrows, or Trenches, either with the Blow or Spade 12. or 18. Inches deep, and 12. or 18. Inches wide: these furrows and trenches should be made along from the South to the North, & distant some 14, 15, or 16. foot each furrow or trench from the other: these furrows being thus made should be filled up with the best, and richest Earth or soil that may be got near to the said barren land; and after they are thus filled, then at the season of the year for Planting, then to plant Quicksets, and all other small Plants of divers kinds all along in the said Trenches and furrows; or otherwise to set or sow Acorns, Nuts, Haws, and the seeds of other Trees in the said Trenches and furrows that it may grow up to a Hedge-row or hedge, and so to preserve them and let them grow.  
Now in the Spaces between the said furrows you may practise several points of Husbandry in manner following, as in one or 2, or 3. of the said Spaces between the said trenches or furrows, if you would have Meadow ground or Pasture; then when the ground is wet either with Rain or with Snow, you must manure the same with the manuring Barrow, or manuring Rowler, they being filled with the richest or fattest Earth you can get until the said Spaces become all mire and dirt; and after that bring the best green Turf you can get in Lanes, or along by Hedge-sides, from whence the same may be best spared into your said Barren ground, and spread the same all over the said spaces between the trenches covering the said barren ground therewith, that you would have to be good Meadow or Pasture ground; and after that fill your manuring Rowler with good mellow Dung and manure the said spaces therewith; In the Winter seasons and a little before the Spring, and so every Winter season when the said ground is moist, and it will become good Meadow or Pasture ground worth xx. s. or xxx.s. the Acre or more, and continue so for ever.  
Also, you should have a great care that no Cattle that will Crop come into the said ground before your Quicksets and Hedge-rowes be grown out of danger; and therefore you must preserve the grass for Hay, and in the Autumn, and Winter you may put in your Lambs, Calves, and Colts, and any other cattle that will not Crop, and it will breed them up very well and yield you profit enough.  
Now in the other Spaces you may use & practise other points or kinds of Husbandry at your pleasure, that are or hereafter shall be published; for in some of them you may set and sow Beans, and Pease after the same manner as is declared in the following Chapters. And in the other Spaces you may plant and set young Trees; In other spaces you may sow Roots, as Turnips, Carrots and such like, having manured, prepared and fitted the said ground and spaces for the said purposes.  
And in other of the said Lands and spaces having movable Folds made for the purpose to fold your Cattle in, you may fodder any Cattle you have in the said Lands, and improve it very much, and also improve your Cattle, by defending them from wind and weather in Cold seasons.  
These movable Folds are to be made of the lightest wood and boards as is to be obtained, as of Elm, Maple, Sallow, Willow and such like; also, those that shall desire to see the same, or only the Model of them, or to have them made, if they shall resort to such places, whereto they shall be directed in this Book; they may there see the same or be furnished with them if they please.   

CHAP. III. How to Improve any Barren Land not worth xij. d. the Acre.  
ANother way to Improve any manner of barren Land both easily and speedily; Is first to make long Furrows from the South to the North and fill them up with good rich and fertile Earth, as is declared in the former Chapter, and then to set Beans or Pease in their season all along in the said furrows; and then all along in the Space between the said furrows to make Holes either with a good round Stake or crow of Jron about 10, or 12. Inches deep, the wider the holes are the better; then fill up the said holes with the best Earth or mixed mould as is before declared for the Furrows; and set Beanes or Pease in the said Holes.  
Now after you have gathered your Beans and Pease, you may let the Stalks and hams remain and rot upon the ground, and then in the next wet Seasons ensuing, manure the said ground with the manuring Rulers filled with Dung, or other good Earth, or fertile mould, that may most easily be had.  
If your Barren ground be somewhat dry that you would manure, than it will be worth your labour to nail or fasten all the course old Linen or woollen Rags doubled or twisted together you have or can have, round about on the outside of your manuring Rulers, and then pour water upon them when you manure your ground therewith, and also you must moisten either the Dung or the fertile Earth very much with water, when that you put it into the manuring Rowler to manure your Land therewith; and so when the Rags shall grow any thing dry to wet them well again with water, by pouring it upon them.  
Also, it will be worth labour and very good to Manure your ground early in the Morning when the ground is very full of Dew, with the manuring Rowler.  
The several Benefits that will arise to all in the Nation will be many through the exercise of these points of Husbandry some whereof I will name; As first, all or most of the Poor in the Nation may be set on work in one kind or other throughout the Nation, to the great profit of the Owners of the barren Lands in the Nation; some being employed in making Trenches, Pits and holes, others in filling them up with earth, and others in Planting, Sowing, and setting Plants, or Seeds, or other things as is prescribed.  
Secondly, The maintenance of the Ministers and Gentry will be amended and increased.  
Thirdly, The Merchants, Tradesmen, and Handicraftsmen, will gain hereby; for all Trading will be increased.  
Fourthly, the Customs, and other revenues due to the State will be increased.   

CHAP. IU. Another way whereby Barren-fields may be improved.  
FIrst, you may blow Furrows from one end or side of your Field unto the other, and fill up the same with good fertile mould of Earth, if you desire to improve your Land by sowing or setting Beans, Pease or any other kind of grain in Furrows, and not by planting of Wood  
Also, you may Blow the said fields very well and so Harrow them, and then manure them with the manuring Rowler, and after plant and set Corn in the same; making holes with a Setting-stick made for that purpose, and putting in with your Seed fine small light mould that is sifted into the said holes, filling them up therewith.  
And after when you have gathered your Crop, then in wet Seasons if the ground be wet manure the said Fields with your manuring Rulers well filled with Dung, or other good soil, and your said fields will be extraordinarily Improved, and made fertile.   

CHAP. V Another way to improve Barren Land not worth xij. d. the Acre.  
ANother way to Improve any manner of barren Land, is by Digging many holes or small Pits one foot and a half deep, and two foot square, and then to fill up the said Pits or holes with the best Earth or mould that is to be got near unto the said barren Land, and then at the Season of the year that is best for Setting and Planting to set or plant such small Trees or Plants, as will agree best with the nature of the soil there laid, and not too much different from the nature of the soil of the said Climate, and indeed it will be very necessary to observe what Earth, or soil will improve best the said Barren earth; For as Oak will grow and prosper best in Clay grounds, so Elmes will grow and prosper best in rich Sandie grounds and other Dry moulds, and other sorts of wood; In other sorts of ground, as Willows in wet grounds, and Ash, Maple, Beech; and indeed most sorts of Wood will grow in mixed moles and Loamy grounds.  
Now than it is expedient that such Persons as will use these or the like ways in Improving of these Barren grounds, do Observe the natures of such barren ground as they desire to improve, as to observe whether it be wet Moorish grounds, or dry Sandy barren ground, or Chalky, Gravelly, or Clay, or Loamie ground; for as there be rich Sandy grounds, so there are barren sandy grounds, and as there be rich Loamie, gravelly and Clay grounds, so there be barren loamy, gravelly and Clay grounds. Now if you make your Trenches or little Pits in dry barren Sandy ground, then to fill the said Pits and trenches with the richest Clay or loamy Earth you can get, & also to manure the said ground with the same, and if you make your said trenches and pits in wet or Moorish grounds, then to fill both the trenches and pits with the fattest Sand, or driest rich mould well Chaulked, or you may put some Chalk into the said trenches or pits before the said Sand or Rich dry earth be laid in the same, and to manure the said wet ground with the like, spreading much Chalk or sand upon the said Moorish, or wet grounds. Now by this kind of Husbandry great profit will arise to the Owners of the said barren Land, and also to the Commonwealth and Nation; for hereby all sorts of Timber will become plentiful for all uses.  
These holes and Pits may be made as near together as the Planters shall please, for as the said Trees grow up and spread some may be Cut down and taken away to the owner's profit and others left to grow and spread, and always when they shall want space to spread and grow then to fell and take away some more, leaving others to continue growing until they shall be come to their full growth; Thus may barren ground that is not worth xij. d. the Acre, be made to bring in great profit, and be Improved from generation to generation, and in the end when all or most of the Trees be felled or taken away it will become and continue good Arable or Pasture ground for ever, if it be yearly Manured in its season as it ought, and may easily be done.   
FINIS.   

AT the House of There you may see the Exact model and manner of the improving Inventions, and receive further Instructions for the Improving of any manner of Barren Land if you please, and also be directed to such Persons, as will either buy or farm any Barren Lands that you shall be desirous to Sell or Let.