AGRICULTURE, 189 



SO thick and strong, as to make it difficult for the plough Cuhivation of 

 to get through it. The winter proved so mild that it had ^^ans an4 

 done it little good. In many parts the harrows could 

 not break it, and the grass was obliged to be cut and 

 carried off by the hand. The advantage of a second 

 ploughing would have been great, but by attempting it I 

 might have lost the season for getting in the beans; I was 

 restrained therefore from attempting it. — Forty acres 

 were drilled before the end of February 1804, with a 

 drill of the construction of Mr. Mac Dougals, six feet 

 wide, sowing the rows at twenty-six inches apart. The 

 weeds and roughness of the land would not admit of th» 

 drills being kept exactly straight, which occasioned ad- 

 ditional trouble in cleaning, as also soma loss in the crop. 

 Forty-nine and a half Winchester bushels were sown.— 

 I have been thus particular, to convey a just idea of the 

 uncommon foulness of the ground, and the difficulty I 

 had to contend with in consequence of it. The beans 

 came up extremely well, notwithstanding the extreme 

 severity of the spring. No step was taken in cleaning 

 till the 10th of May 1804; this neglect proceeded from 

 the multiplicity of other business, and my over-man be- 

 ing unacquainted with the drill husbandry, and the ad- 

 vantages of beginning to destroy the weeds as early as- 

 possible ; from the 10th of May till the middle of July, 

 which was as long as it was practicable to continue, the 

 ploughs and harrows were constantly employed, and it 

 was twice hand-weeded during the time. The cutting of 

 the beans commenced the 20th of August : had the wea- 

 ther permitted, it might have been a week earlier. The 

 method followed, which I had practised with success the 

 year before, was to cut and spread the beans thinly, and 

 to leave them exposed to the sun two days previous ia 

 binding. By the 26th, the whole was cut, and the field 

 cleaned by the 29th. — I gained by these means above a 

 moiith, which on wet laudisof infinite advantage; I had 

 great mortification in finding, after cutting the beans, the 

 stitches extremely foul, notwithstanding all the pains I 

 had taken. Any thing so dirty as this ground could sel^ 

 dom be met with ; the season was very favourable, and I 

 began to clean it immediately ; I gave it two ploughings, 

 Vol. XV,— Nov. 1800. C c and 



