The London and Country Brewer | Page 3

This Grain I annually sow in my Fields on diversities of Soils, and
thereby have brought to my knowledge several differences arising
therefrom. On our Red Clays this Grain generally comes off reddish at
both ends, and sometimes all over, with a thick skin and tuff nature,
somewhat like the Soil it grows in, and therefore not so valuable as that
of contrary qualities, nor are the black blewish Marly Clays of the Vale
much better, but Loams are, and Gravels better than them, as all the
Chalks are better then Gravels; on these two last Soils the Barley
acquires a whitish Body, a thin skin, a short plump kernel, and a
(unreadable) flower, which occasions those, fine pale and amber Malts
made at Dunstable, Tring and Dagnal from the Barley that comes off
the white and gravelly Grounds about those Places; for it is certain
there is as much difference in Barley as in Wheat or other Grain, from
the sort it comes off, as appears by the excellent Wheats that grow in
the marly vale Earths, Peas in Sands, and Barley in Gravels and Chalks,
&c. For our Mother Earth, as it is destinated to the service of Man in
the production of Vegetables, is composed of various sorts of Soils for
different Seeds to grow therein. And since Providence has been pleased
to allow Man this great privilege for the imployment of his skill and

labour to improve the same to his advantage; it certainly behoves us to
acquaint ourselves with its several natures, and how to adapt an
agreeable Grain and Manure to their natural Soil, as being the very
foundation of enjoying good and bad Malts. This is obvious by parallel
Deductions from Turneps sown on rank clayey loamy Grounds, dressed
with noxious Dungs that render them bitter, tuff, and nauseous, while
those that grow on Gravels, Sands and Chalky Loams under the
assistance of the Fold, or Soot, Lime, Ashes, Hornshavings, &c. are
sweet (unreadable) and pleasant. 'Tis the same also with salads,
Asparagus, Cabbages, Garden-beans and all other culinary Ware, that
come off those rich Grounds glutted with the great quantities of London
and other rank Dungs which are not near so pure, sweet and wholsome,
as those produced from Virgin mould and other healthy Earths and
Manures.
There is likewise another reason that has brought a disreputation on
some of the Chiltern-barley, and that is, the too often sowing of one
and the same piece of Ground, whereby its spirituous, nitrous and
sulphureous qualities are exhausted and worn out, by the constant
attraction of its best juices for the nutriment of the Grain: To supply
which, great quantities of Dungs are often incorporated with such
Earths, whereby they become impregnated with four, adulterated,
unwholsome qualities, that so affect the Barley that grows therein, as to
render it incapable of making such pure and sweet Malts, as that which
is sown in the open Champaign-fields, whose Earths are constantly
rested every third Year called the Fallow-season, in order to discharge
their crude, phlegmatick and sour property, by the several turnings that
the Plough gives them part of a Winter and one whole Summer, which
exposes the rough, clotty loose parts of the Ground, and by degrees
brings them into a condition of making a lodgment of those saline
benefits that arise from the Earths, and afterwards fall down, and
redound so much to the benefit of all Vegetables that grow therein, as
being the essence and spring of Life to all things that have root, and
tho' they are first exhaled by the Sun in vapour from the Earth as the
spirit or breath thereof, yet is it return'd again in Snows, Hails, Dews,
etc. more than in Rains, by which the surface of the Globe is saturated;
from whence it reascends in the juices of Vegetables, and enters into all

those productions as food, and nourishment, which the Creation
supplies.
Here then may appear the excellency of steeping Seed-barley in a
liquor lately invented, that impregnates and loads it with Nitre and
other Salts that are the nearest of all others to the true and original
Spirit or Salt of the Earth, and therefore in a great measure supplies the
want thereof both in inclosure and open Field; for even in this last it is
sometimes very scarce, and in but small quantities, especially after a
hot dry Summer and mild Winter, when little or no Snows have fell to
cover the Earth and keep this Spirit in; by which and great Frosts it is
often much encreased and then shews itself in the warmth of well
Waters, that are often seen to wreak in the cold Seasons. Now since all
Vegetables more or less partake of those qualities that the Soil and
Manures