IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CULTURE' OP VEGETABLES. 53 



and inclination, to proceed with redoubled exertion, as the 

 best return in my power. 



The liberal patronage and encouragement bestowed on Agriculture, 

 agriculture by the Society has powerfully contributed to 

 awaken the country to a just estimation of its importance, 

 as the basis of individual happiness and national prosperity; 

 ami at this moment the empire owes its preservation and se- 

 curity to it. 



i submit with trreat deference the result of my recent Ad y anta 8 es of 



v ° J well clearing 



operations. I am disposed to flatter myself, that they may and working 



lead to important consequences and" discoveries, highly be- 8 round - 

 neficial to agriculture. The experiments I have made tend 

 to establish the double advantage of well cleaning and 

 working the ground. First, as it frees the land from weeds ; 

 and secondly, as it conduces to the growth of the crop. It 

 affords likewise a very strong demonstration in favour of 

 using manure in its freshest state, by which not only the M anure# 

 great usual expense of making dunghills will be saved, but 

 the manure made to extend to the improvement of a third 

 more land. 



Most of the farm I occupy was in that state of foulness as Foul ground 

 to require, according to general practice and opinion, a cleaned b y 

 succession of fallows to clean it. Being unwilling to adopt 

 a system, which is attended with such loss, I determined to 

 attempt to clean a part of it by green crops, and for such 

 purpose to allow a much greater distance between the 

 Stitches, than had' ever been in practice. My firfi expe- Cabbages, 

 riment on this plan was made on a crop of cabbages ; they 

 were planted in a quincunx form, allowing four feet and a 

 half between each plant, in order to allow room for the 

 plough to work in all directions. I adopted this plan of 

 field husbandry, as affording the greatest facility in clean- x 

 ing the crop, though I believe it never was before so prac- 

 tised. Two thousand three hundred and fifty plants were 

 set per acre (eight thousand is not unusual in the common 

 method), and each plant had, by computation, an allowance 

 of a stone of manure, or less than fourteen tons per acre; Manure 

 though the common quantity is generally from thirty to 

 forty tons per acre. The manure was deposited as deep as laid deep. 



the 





