Part 5

Three Years Rent at 5s. the Acre, 0 15 0 Plowing twice and Harrowing, 0 12 6 Planting, 0 7 6 Houghing, 1 Digging up the Roots, 1 ------ Total 3 15 0

Suppose each square Yard, should produce but the Moiety of what before was mentioned, and sold but at three farthings the Pound, the Amount will be 27l. 3s. 6d. from whence a Profit ariseth beyond most of our Cultures, now in general Use, and the Tannage may be accomplished, at about a Moiety of the present Expence.

Probably, this Estimate of the Charge and Profit, may not be so exact as to be strenuously defended; but if defective, there is Room enough for any reasonable Addition or Deduction, without much Prejudice to the Argument; different Soils, often one and the same will be attended with different Charges; The finer, the Earth is made, or the more it is broken, before Planting the better Vegetation succeeds; at first shooting up of the Herbage, particularly where the Ground is foul, houghing, or pulling up the large Weeds, will be necessary, that the Growth of the Tormentil may not be chequed; in a little Time it will clear its self. As the Roots run superficially, not streeking at most 5 or 6 Inches in perpendicular Depth, the Charge of digging them up cannot be so much, as that which attends Potatoes.

The Propagation may be effected by planting the Crowns of the Roots, (that Part, from whence the Herbage ariseth) in either Autumn or Spring, in the same manner as Horse Raddish, splitting the Crown, so as to leave a Bud on every Slice, then setting them in the Ground, about an Inch in Depth and allowing each Set, 5 or 6 Inches square of Ground. When you take up a Plantation, you will have an Abundance of small Roots that arose from the shedding of the Seed, and from the Runners, that will scarce be worth the Drying, but very proper for Planting: If you cut from either Extremity of the Root, a Piece of about half an Inch in Length, it will grow very well. The whole Root, if cut into such Pieces, may be planted. In all these I believe the Charge of Planting might be saved; if you scatter them before Harrow, the passing of that over them, will cover them with Earth sufficient; or at least, the most Part of them.

You may Plant the Runners, as you do Strawberries, in the mention’d Seasons and Distances, and considering the Numbers of fibrous Roots, already shot forth, it may be allowed the speediest Method.

The Seeds ripen about August or September, when ripe, they are of brownish Colour; as they are very apt to shed, the Time of ripening must be heedfully regarded; It would be adviseable to cut the Hawm or Herbage, a little time before the Seeds ripen, laying it on a Cloth, or winnowing Sheet in the Sun, when dry, rub the Seeds out with your Hands, and separate them from the Chaff. In March the Ground being prepared, you may sow and harrow, or rake them into the Ground.

The Cutting of the young Stems, if planted in May, will grow.

The Roots when collected, are to be washed very clean, from the Earth that will remain with them, for otherwise, that Dirt when in the Layers, settleth into the Pores of the Hyde or Skin, and causeth Numbers of Spots, and Discolourations.

In fair Weather, it not being a succulent Root, they will sufficiently dry if spread on a Floor, or a clean Part of the Field; a little Wet, will in no case damage them. In case of very wet Weather, and continued, they may be Kiln dryed, in the same Manner as Bark.

When dryed, they must be bruised or ground, either more or less, according to the Uses design’d, or to the Proportion you require them to spend in. In case they should not be sufficiently washt, when they are pounded, or ground a little, it would be adviseable to sift the Dirt, or Earth, which by this Means is broken, and seperated from them.

When thus prepared, you must proceed in the same Manner, and lay away, intirely, with the same Circumstances as with Bark.

It hath often been objected, That if this Method should obtain, Planting would be discouraged, and so prejudice the landed Interest. That it is used in the Canary Islands and that though it may be done effectually there, yet the Produce of our Country might have Qualities very different, or not exalted to such a Degree, as to be of a requisite Force.

To these, I would answer.

That Bark would always bear a Price, in Proportion to the Rate of what is substituted in lieu thereof; It would be far from being rendered useless, but only suffer a Diminution in Value.

That Diminution would be more than ballanced by the accelerated Growth, and Worth of the Timber. At present we fall our Woods so young, and at such improper Seasons, on Account of the Bark, that the Timber is neither so good, and little more than fit for Ribberies, and Cabbins; whereas otherwise, was the present Inducement, the great Price of Bark diminished, we should have full, and well grown Timber, cut at a due Season, and proper for Edifices, and Shipping.

The Improvement of those Lands that now are unprofitable, or not far from such, would be another Ballance, if not wholly, yet in Part, to the apprehended Injury.

The Use of this Root hath not been confined to the Canaries. The Reverend Mr. Lucas Jacobson Debes, in his History of the Islands of Feroe says Page 120, “Here groweth a huge Quantity of Tormentil, which the Inhabitants, having no Bark of Trees to tan their Hydes with, make Use of; God and Nature having revealed to them the Dryness of that Herb, so that they tan their Skins with it, and therefore call it Bark.” And Page 271. “The Men wear Shoes of Neats Leather, tanned with the Roots of Tormentil.”

The first of these Islands, is in the Latitude of 28, the other in 62. Yet we find the same Roots used for the same Purposes, though probably they may differ in Degrees of Power.

A great Degree of Heat is not a Quality requisite to the Perfection of all Vegetables. Saffron in France exceeds the Produce of Spain, as much as the little we have in Ireland excells the Product of England.

Our Temperate Climate seems in some Degree, to be more adapted to Vegetables of this Species of Power, than those that are deemed hot. Our Bark is allowed to excel the Bark of those warmer Climates, as also our Timber.

It is a contested Point, whether the Tormentil is not the Plant, the Greeks called Britanica; probably so named from its plentiful Growth in that Island.

One great Advantage, arising from this Tannage should it become general, will be, that it will give Imployment to a great many Poor People, that will be set to work in gathering, or raising such a Quantity of those Roots, as will answer the present annual Import of Bark; as also the Tannage of some, if not the Whole of those Hydes, we now export unwrought; besides the great Numbers, that will be employed in the encreased Tannage.

Thus, with as much Brevity, as the Nature of the Subject would admit of, I have given a Narrative, of what I hope will be as satisfactory, on a candid Perusal as I am assured, it will be beneficial to the Publick, in all its Consequences; if the Method laid down be but pursued with common Care, and Assiduity. It requiring no greater Skill than what at present is used in Bark Tannage; no Alterations in Forms, or Utensils.

If the Instructions, laid down, should appear to Any insufficient, or imperfect; I shall always with Pleasure be ready to render them, if in my Power otherwise. I have made a Plantation, very near this City, that if the Curiosity of Any should prompt them to a farther Information, in that Particular, they there may meet with it. As this Tannage is constantly carried on; it is open to the View of Any that desire it. I have several Thousands of Pounds weight of these Roots by me; I never refusing the buying of any brought to me. If any Tanner wants, he may have it at the Price, I gave to the Countryman, or be directed where, or how to be supply’d, until a Demand makes it a Market Commodity.

Our Necessities, and those daily encreasing, first prompted to this Essay. The Authority of Books, I have not relied on, but a Series of Experiments that employed several Years in the Pursuit. If I have pointed out, or cleared from Incumbrances, an advantageous Path that may lessen the Import of Bark, extend our Tannage by our own Produce, and give a Support to any Number of Poor; I regard it in no other Sense, than having done Part of that Duty, I owe to a Country, which in Gratitude, I would call mine.

I might justly incur a severe Censure, if I should conclude, without testifying with all due Acknowledgements, a grateful Sense of my Obligations, to the Honourable House of Commons, for the Vote they were pleased to pass in my Favour, on the Report of the Committee; that I had, after a full Enquiry, answered the Allegations of my Petition; and for the Resolution, they entred into, of giving all proper Encouragement to so useful a Proposal.

Far from being insensible, that all new Attempts of this Kind, are apt to subject the Author of them, to the Name of a Projector, and render him the Object of Reproach and Suspicion; when I was fully satisfied in the Facts, on which this Method is grounded; I communicated it to some Persons, who are as little liable to be impos’d on themselves, as they are above all Suspicion of imposing on others; under the Sanction of whole Characters, such an Imputation would at once be removed. By their Directions I preferred my Petition, and notwithstanding the Success was not altogether such as they desired; I hope they will not deny me the indulging a sincere Gratitude, in particulary owning the Obligations to them, who so warmly espoused my Interest, grounded upon that of the Nation. I shall venture to say no more, than as I flatter my self they can clear me from any Imputations of Sinister or Mercenary Views; So I can promise my Endeavours shall always tend to hinder a Blush, for the Kind Representations, they have been pleased to make in my Favour; and that I shall always study to approve my self what is my chiefest Ambition to be, and what only intitles me to their Patronage; a Pretender to no other merit, but Plain dealing.

I should have published this sooner, but that I waited the Success of some repeated, as well as new Experiments; all which on the best Examination I am capable of making, have tended to an intire Confirmation; That the Tormentil Roots Tan all Hydes and Skins as effectually, cheaper, and in less Time than Bark, and is easily propagated.