]£ ON THE FOOD OF PLANTS* 



ground far formed part of an extensive forest; or more probably when 

 a » es * these extensive downs were subject to the plough. 



Being solicitous to know whether these seeds were ante- 

 diluvian, 1 took earth from different depths, and soon got 

 below the stratum in which these seeds are found. 



The necessity of air for the vegetatiou of seeds will ac- 

 count for pffects which in agriculture are too frequently ob- 

 served. 

 Injurious- cf- If soon after wheat or barley has been sown on what is- 



fectsofahar- ca jj e( j_ a running sand there falls a dashing rain, the sand 

 dened surface. , ° . . ° . . 



runs together, that is, it forms a crust, which in a great 



measure is impervious to air, and scarcely a grain of corn 

 will grow; or if on clay land, during a time of drought, a 

 garden plot is watered, and left exposed to the scorching 

 beams of a meridian sun, the ground will bake, that is, the 

 surface will be hardened, and being thus rendered irapervi- 

 F *t ntio ous to air > ve o etat ^ on ceases « I* ut *f tne surface has been 

 previously covered with fern leaves, as practised by skilful 

 and attentive gardeners, no such effect will be produced. 

 The plot may be watered and vegetation will be rapid. 

 Advantage of The admission of air, and its vast importance to the 

 harrowing growth of plants, will account for the good effect produced 

 by harrowing our wheat crops in spring, as lately introduced, 

 and now universally adopted by our best farmers. The 

 good effect produced is made apparent by the luxuriant 

 thenu * growth of pease, beans, turnips, and cabbages, after they 



have been hoed ; and is at present so well understood, that 

 many agriculturists hoe their turnips twice, and their beans 

 four times, not merely with a view to the destruction of 

 weeds, but because they observe the benefit arising to their 

 crops by a free admission of air into the earth. The pal- 

 pable advantage of this practice has led many farmers to 

 consider the principles on which the practice has been 

 founded, and to try by experiments how far it can be 

 pushed. 



In this pursuit, and satisfied of the benefits to be derived 

 dereduanecM- fr° m loosening the surface of the ground contiguous to his 

 •arjr. crops, the Rev. Mr. Close has given up the broad-cast hus- 



bandry, keeps the hoe constantly in motion, and nowiinds 

 that he has never ©ccasiou for a fallow. 



But 



crop 



or hoeing 



