ty, or fometimes more, Pounds a Year, by planting Hops judiciously upon it; which is the great Motive that induces me to give a Work of this Nature to the Publick.:

ARTICLE

W

ARTICLE I.

HEN a hop Garden is to be laid out, the three following Particulars fhould be confide red, viz.

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First, Whether you have or can procure any Ground which is fit for the purpose.

Secondly, Whether fuch Ground is well fituated.

Thirdly, The quantity of the Ground, that one may the better guess how much it will produce.

If the Ground we defign for a Hop Garden be not your own Inheritance, take it to your felf upon a long Leafe, left another Man reap the Fruits of your Industry and Expence.

Memo

Memorandums of the Ancients, &c. Concerning the Aptness of Ground for Ve getation, with fome particular Examples relating to the Improvements of the Moderns, by Culture and Ma

It is a receiv'd Opinión, that Earth which is falt, and of bitter Tafte, is neither good nor apt to be reconcil'd by Manure. Hefiod and Virgil favour that Doctrine, and feem to inforce it. But I find by Experience, that there is no Soil whatever but may be rendred tractable, and become profitable to the Owner with good Ma nagement.

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I fhall not however repeat what I have faid before, in many of my Works, concerning ftubborn or unfertile Grounds, but in general remind my Reader that to rectify Clay use Sand; and to meliorate Sand ufe Clay. Since the Volumes I have formerly publifh'd, I have practifed this Method,

and have improv'd many Grounds by it, greatly to the Advantage of the Proprietors, even to increase their Estates to more than twice the Value.

But let us inquire a little further into the Opinions of the Ancients. Didymus and Solinus tell us, that fuch Earth as is white or chaulky, or all Sand without a mixture of perfect Earth, or a Clay which will gape or crack in hot Weather, fuch Earths they do not allow to be fit for any Plant.

When I confider their Sentiments of the Matter, I need only refer to what I have faid before to fome of my Readers; but to others, who may want a further Explanation of my Meaning, Chalks may be mended by fharp Sand, or moory or heathy Ground; and Clay may be mended in the fame Manner with Sand of the most barren Kind, and fuch Sand may be also improv'd by foft Chalk or Clay, or any other Soil which carries carthy Particles, and has a viscous Quality in it.

If Earth happens to be brought into

good Order by any of these Means, it may yet lie too dry or too wet: For Lands after the beft Manure, if they are fubject to Land-waters, or Springs, will yield no Profit; therefore all Opportuni ties fhould be taken for draining any Grounds that are annoyed by Waters, before we begin to fow or plant any thing upon them.

If the Grounds are fubject to Waters, hollow ditching is a certain Remedy, as is now used in Hertfordshire, Effex, and the Counties adjacent.

An old Writer, when he speaks with regard to the Goodnefs of Earth, tells us, that when a large Clod of Earth cleaves to your Fingers like Wax, or is clammy or flippery after it is opened by Water, that Earth is deem'd a profitable Land.

By this I fuppofe he means fuch Ground as generally carries with it a viscous Quality, fuch as all Clays and Chalks do; this fort of Earth the Farm

ers tell us has a Fatnefs in it; but a Writer of a hundred and fifty Years

ftand