CORNU COPIA:

A Miscellaneum of lucriferous and most fructiferous Experiments, Observations, and Discoveries, immethodically distributed; to be really demonstrated and communicated in all sincerity.

Quarto, containing sixteen pages.

To the Generous Reader.

SIR,

If any thing in my discoveries, &c. happen to be destructive to your credency, I crave the candour of your mild and gentle censure, and so much favour, that I may by your fair leave illustrate all dubiums; the clouds of which obstruction I shall, by your admission, most apparently dispel, both by rational confirmations, and experimental attestations. Et quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne facias.

Imprimis.

discover a certainty to raise two thousand pounds per annum de claro, with less than two-hundred pounds stock, unhazarded, and beyond contradiction, without the least aspersion of usury, extortion, oppression, engrossing, or any monopolising, unconscionable, or dishonourable way whatsoever. This design may be advanced to a far greater proportion, add exceedingly to the good of the publick, and may be fortified with firm and convincible reasons, to any that shall waver in their belief.

Item, A certainty another way, with five-hundred pounds stock unhazarded, to raise, de claro, two-thousand pounds per annum and upwards, without aspersion, as above, and without the least imaginary inconvenience or prejudice whatsoever, but to the general good, especially to the poor, with the free allowance of all the country; which hath been found true by the unquestionable testimony of experience, and will sound consonant to reason, and be undeniably satisfactory as

the other.

Item, A certainty, with less than five-hundred pounds stock, unhazarded, to raise, de claro, one-thousand pounds per annum, and upwards, and so with less or greater sums proportionably, by even, honest, and generous courses as above. Which may be made conspicuous, valid, and most compleat.

Item, To discover a credible way without charge, more than ordinary expences, whereby an industrious man, but of a reasonable capacity and fortune, may contrive to himself five-hundred pounds per annum,

and upwards, without prejudice to any, or dishonour in the least kind unto himself. Which may be made easy and familiar to our reason, by evidence strong enough to silence doubt, and procure credency.

The like, but with small charge more than conveniency of livelihood, whereby a man, of an ingenuous and generous condition, may, by compendious, facile, and conscionable ways, gain a thousand pounds per annum and upwards, with as much freedom, sincerity, and regularity, as with the particulars above-written, being a meridian truth, too clear to be eclipsed by contradiction.

Item, With less than fifty-pounds stock constantly visible, and no way endangered, to advance de claro one-thousand pounds per annum, with all claritude and uprightness. This may be confirmed to the ob servation of any, whose curiosity shall incline him to the easy trouble of experience.

Item, To make in all probability with two-hundred pounds stock in three years, four-hundred pounds, and in three years more to make the four-hundred pounds eight-hundred pounds, and in three years more to make the eight-hundred pounds sixteen-hundred pounds, without adventure by sea; and so with less or greater sums proportionably, by even, honest, and charitable ways. This will result a serene and an unrefutable truth to the nicest observation, and may be made indubitable by arguments of reason and experience.

Item, Divers other feasible and confirmable transparencies and expedients, of very great consequence and transcendency, to be performed by active and publick spirits, without any stock adventured, but se cured as before, and to be enjoyed by those that will use the means.

The following relate to the exceeding great advantage of husbandry.

Imprimis, A seed to be sown without manuring, in the coarsest, barren, sandy, and heathy grounds, which will be very much improved thereby, that will afford three crops a year, and will cause kine to give milk three times a day constantly, with full vessels, and to become fat withal, and to feed all other cattle fat suddenly, together with calves, lambs, and swine, without either hay, grass, or corn, or any thing in relation to corn; and likewise to preserve and feed all sorts of poultry and fowl fat in a very short time, as geese, turkies, pheasants, &c. and to make them lay and breed extraordinarily, and to continue all sorts of cattle and fowl exceedingly healthful, and all without any considerable charge, one acre of wheat being most commonly worth but five or six pounds with the charge, and an acre of this but one crop in three worth twelve pounds and upwards, and in a manner without any charge. This (besides what is specified before) may be so disposed of, that it might advantage every housekeeper throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, eight-pence per week constantly; and the better sort, a double, treble, and a quadruple proportion, and upwards.

Item, Another kind of seed to be had, which will likewise afford three crops a year, and two loads and a half in one acre (one load thereof being worth two loads of ordinary hay) besides an excellent winter-pasture till March; it will cause kine to give milk as before, and

will feed and preserve all sorts of four-footed beasts, and cause them to become fat in a very short time, without any other grass or pasture; and the seeds thereof will feed all sorts of poultry fat, and make them lay as before; and this may be performed in barren, sandy, and heathy grounds, and must be sown but once, and will continue so four or five years; and then this grass will so improve the ground for four or five years more, without manuring, that it will afford excelient crops of wheat and barley: and afterwards you may sow the ground with the same seed again, which will hold on that course both for grass and corn constantly; and an acre of this grass will keep three cows winter and summer in the highest condition; and the seed of one acre may be justifiably worth about seventy pounds, besides the winter-pasture, and about seven loads and a half of hay, which no man will part with under five pounds the load, that rightly understands the benefit thereof. You may keep your swine constantly in a yard, or in an orchard, which will mightily advantage the fruit-trees; and, by giving them only a liquor to drink, made of what is before specified, with a little of this hay, they will become fat in a very short time, and with this liquor only you may keep as many swine as you please. And, as for your kine, you need not turn them into any grass at all, but keep them in a yard, or some little parcel of ground. So you may save all your muck, and they will thrive the better, being kept from the flies, which cause them to waste themselves and their milk, and, in some grounds, to spoil as much grass as they eat, by running about. I know a gentleman, that keeps them tied up all the summer, as they do in winter, and finds greater benefit thereby; and in that manner likewise he keeps his feeding cattle all the summer, and feeds them off presently, without any considerable trouble, and with very little charge.

Item, A most excellent discovery, with one slight plowing and har rowing, or but raising the ground in the least kind, to enjoy six crops in one year, proportionable to the fruitfullest grass, and so constantly every year, without any further trouble or charge at all; which is so wonderfully fruitful for milch-kine, that, besides the double increase of milk, and better by far than any other milk, it will afford two skimmings of excellent cream, such and so good, that the like was never heard of; this exceeds all other food for cheese; and, when all the cream is taken off, the milk will be as good again as any other in that kind. This seed will cost nothing, and will sow itself after the first year, and will afford, in seed, above a thousand for one.

Item, Another seed, that, when grounds are laid down, and quite out of heart, the grass thereon will maintain the greatest sheep very lusty and fit for slaughter, and yet there hardly appears any thing they can eat. This seed, being provided and sown upon meadows and pas ture, would mightily advantage the grass to very great perfection, with the application of the way for growthsomeness but newly devised.

Item, Another seed to be had, the grass whereof causeth cattle to give milk in abundance; you may sow your dry, heathy, and barren grounds therewith; and such land as you intend to let lie, being out of heart, and not in a place convenient for muck, and, sowing but once with this seed, it will last good seven years, without any further trou

ble. The ordinary burden is a load and a half per acre; and after seven years you may break it up, and sow it with corn, without manuring, till it be out of heart, and then sow it with the same seed as formerly; for it doth very much fatten the ground, and inrich it, and will thrive extraordinary well upon dry land, where nothing else will grow; and, when the grass and plants are destroyed with the parching heat of the sun, this flourisheth very much; and after seven years, if not with corn, you may sow the land again with the same seed, and all with little charge. The truth is, it will last ten or fifteen years. Sir Richard Weston saith, it will be cut seven or eight times in a summer; but then the rich and fat grounds are best, and those that are high and dry.

Another seed to be sown, without manuring, upon good land, but somewhat loose and light, not very dry, nor over moist, one bushel to six corn will serve; it is to be cut twice a year, and affords excellent winter-pasture till March; and it is exceeding good for all kinds of cattle, as well young as old, and exceedingly fatteneth all sorts of cattle, and lean beasts especially; and horses will grow fat therewith in eight or ten days, and to milch kine it procureth exceeding great store of milk; after once sowing it will last near fifteen years, and the hay will continue good three years.

To discover a grass growing here in England in its natural soil, that, being orderly husbanded, will transcend clover-grass, St. Foyne, Lucerne, or any other outlandish grasses whatsoever.

Item, A root ordinarily to be had, which will increase wonderfully with little charge or trouble; it will feed all kinds of cattle, horses and swine especially, very fat, as those formerly, without either grass or corn; and will feed poultry likewise, as before; it will make very good bread, cakes, paste, pyes, and both crust without, and food within; and will hardly be destroyed, once planted, but will constantly increase of themselves; they will likewise grow, being cut in slices and so put into the earth.

Item, A seed, which may likewise be disposed of, without plowing, upon very poor ground, deemed uncapable of any fertility at all; which will advantage the ground very much, and afford at least thirty pounds an acre per annum, or perform what was professed before for all sorts of cattle, poultry, &c.

Item, Another seed, the fruit whereof, upon the same sort of ground, though very mean, will feed all kinds of cattle, especially milch-kine, increasing their milk exceedingly, as before, and will afford two crops

a year.

Item, Another seed, that, being tilled but once, will last, without any further labour, trouble, or charge, four years; and will mightily inrich, improve, and fatten the ground for goodly corn four years after, without manuring; and is excellent for horses, hunting-dogs, poultry, and swine: and may be very well rated at an hundred pounds per annum, and upwards, the benefit and great increase thereof truly

considered.

Item, Another great experiment in ordinary grounds without muck; which by a new invention, five acres thereof have this last year afforded

above two-hundred pounds benefit in one acre, rent and all charges defrayed; and, being still ordered according to directions, will continue no less advantageous, and inrich the ground very much.

Item, Trees to be had here in England but in one place, which being rightly planted, though in ordinary grounds, one tree will in a short time afford out of the root thirty plants, and every one of those thirty will in a short time afford thirty more; and these trees are at their full growth in twenty years; and after seven years every tree improveth yearly worth one shilling a tree, until its time be up. For pleasantness and use, this tree hardly hath its parallel; they need be planted but ten feet distant, and they much advantage the grass. Besides, there is another seed to be sown amongst them, that will, in some places, far exceed the benefit of the grass, the trees being very tall and strait, useful for timber, carts, trays, bowls, &c. being very white and tough. By thirty pounds, deposited in a way concerning these trees, may be returned, at twenty years end, ten-thousand pounds benefit.

Item, To raise wood more in twenty years, by new ways lately discovered, than in forty years naturally.

Item, Experienced ways lately in practice by divers gentlemen, and a long time continued by some of them, to preserve and feed horses, for labour and travel, in the best condition, without hay or corn, several ways, and neither of them instanced before.

There is a knight in the country that hath advanced his estate above a thousand pounds per annum, by planting of one ordinary commodity in the country, on the coarsest sort of ground, which may be performed in some places by others.

A gentleman, by planting an acre and half of ground, received lately. near two-hundred pounds profit in one year, without tillage. These two not hinted before, and to be practised by others, and the last with an additional benefit.

Item, By two sorts of creatures ordinarily to be had, may be gained, de claro, above five-hundred pounds per annum; and by another there hath been, and may be got, above five-hundred pounds per annum; and either of them with very little trouble, and the charges of all three not considerable, and all to be acted within doors.

A gentleman in Norfolk made lately ten-thousand pounds of a piece of ground, not forty yards square, and yet neither mineral nor metal; and as beneficial places may be discovered elsewhere in England.

To advance ground from five shillings an acre to fifty pounds an aere per annum, by ways apparently maintainable, and not by tillage.

Item, After seven years to make twenty pounds an acre per annum constantly, without tillage, as the other, with very little charge, and with the ordinary sort of ground not limited before.

Item, A ground in Kent, of thirty acres, did lately produce, in one year, a thousand pounds benefit, without tillage.

To make grapes grow upon oaks, more plentifully, as pleasantly, and as full of juice as any other grapes whatsoever.

Item, To make grapes ripe as soon as cherries.

Item, Perfect directions for a vineyard, there having been many