New Englands Prospect: A true, lively, and experimentall description of that part of America, commonly called New England: discovering the state of that Countrie, both as it stands to our new-come English Planters; and to the old Native InhabitantsWood, William, active 1629-1635
History
New Englands Prospect: A true, lively, and experimentall description of that part of America, commonly called New England: discovering the state of that Countrie, both as it stands to our new-come English Planters; and to the old Native Inhabitants
Wood, William, active 1629-1635
Indians of North America -- Massachusetts -- Early works to 1800; Massachuset language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc. -- Early works to 1800; Massachusetts -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Massachusetts -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
To returne to the Subject in hand, there is so much hay-ground in the
Countrey, as the richest voyagers that shall venture thither, neede not
feare want of fodder, though his Heard increase into thousands, there
being thousands of Acres that yet was never medled with. And whereas it
hath beene reported, that some hath mowne a day for halfe of a loade of
Hay: I doe not say, but it may be true, a man may doe as much, and get
as little in _England_, on _Salisbury_ Plaine, or in other places where
Grasse cannot be expected: So Hay-ground is not in all places in _New
England_: Wherefore it shall behoue every man according to his calling,
and estate, to looke for a fit situation at the first, and if hee be
one that intends to live on his stocke, to choose the grassie Vallies
before the woody Mountaines. Furthermore, whereas it hath beene
generally reported in many places of _England_, that the Grasse growes
not in those places where it was cut the fore-going yeares, it is a
meere falshood; for it growes as well the ensuing Spring as it did
before, and is more spiery and thicke, like our _English_ Grasse: and
in such places where the Cattle use to graze, the ground is much
improved in the Woods, growing more grassie, and lesse weedy. The worst
that can be sayd against the meddow grounds, is because there is little
edish, or after-pasture, which may proceede from the late mowing, more
than from any thing else; but though the edish be not worth much, yet
is there such plenty of other Grasse and seeding, that there is no want
of Winter-fodder till _December_, at which time men beginne to house
their milch-cattle and Calves: Some, notwithstanding the cold of the
Winter, have their Young Cattle without doores, giving them meate at
morning and evening. For the more upland grounds, there be different
kinds, in some places clay, some gravell, some a red sand; all which
are covered with a black mould, in some places above a foote deepe, in
other places not so deepe. There be very few that have the experience
of the ground, that can condemne it of barrennesse; although many deeme
it barren, because the _English_ use to manure their land with fish,
which they doe not because the land could not bring corne without it,
but because it brings more with it; the land likewise being kept in
hart the longer: besides, the plenty of fish which they have for little
or nothing, is better so used, than cast away; but to argue the
goodnesse of the ground, the _Indians_ who are too lazie to catch fish,
plant corne eight or ten yeares in one place without it, having very
good crops. Such is the rankenesse of the ground that it must bee sowne
the first yeare with _Indian_ Corne, which is a soaking graine, before
it will be fit for to receive _English_ seede. In a word, as there is
no ground so purely good, as the long forced and improoved grounds of
_England_, so is there none so extreamely bad as in many places of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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