44^ Upon Strai^hting Ridges. N(5v. 



fitu:'.tion the operation is undoubtedly mofl: difficult to execute *, 

 whereas on dry foils, very little judgement or fkiil is required 

 to accomplilh this change, with fatety to the ground and advan- 

 tage to the occupier. 



In 1794, I fallowed and ftrai^hted a field of about thirty 

 acres, which had been oats the preceding year. The foil was a 

 "wet clay, and the ridges were very unequal in breadth, from ten 

 ro thirty feet, intermixed with butts or gufTets, which are al- 

 ways detrimental to fuch lnn;is, as they occafion the ploughs, 

 &c. to turn often upon the other ridges, by which means the 

 prints, or marks of the horfes feet, are left unfilled up. The 

 firft operation confided in cleaving down the ridges. The field 

 was then ploughed acrofs, and thoroughly harrowed; but before 

 the broad ridges could be brought ho a level, feveral pioughings 

 were necefTiry, which were accordingly given. The feafon, 

 however, was far advanced, before thcfe iiecefTary operations 

 could be effL'fled ; and, as lime could not at this time be applied 

 with advantage, 1 was under the neceflity of laying it up in 

 heaps, in an adjacent grafs field, fo as it might be expeditioully 

 laid on whenever the field was ftraighttd. The next confidera- 

 tion was, to form the ridges in fuch a manner, as to prevent 

 water from ilagnating upon the ground. With this view, I run 

 them partly eaft and weft, and partly nortti and fouth, as the 

 level would admit. When the ridges were thus formed and ga- 

 thered up, the lime was applied, and a good crofs-harrowing 

 given, in order to fill up the furrows. 



It being now the latter end of October, and the weather very 

 wet, 1 thought it advantageous, in giving the feed-furrow, to 

 yoke the horfes in line, and not abreail, as is the ufual practice. 

 At this time, fome well meaning old-fa(hioned farmers in the 

 neighbourhood appeared very zealous to correal my miilaken 

 ideas : — they even called out to my fervants, * What ! is your 

 mafter going to fow wheat there ? He will repent if he does. 

 Tell liim he has fpoiled the field for years to come. * Thefe 

 kind advices and exclamations, however, had but little efFe£l. 

 1 was determined to (hake myfelf out of the trammels of the 

 old fchool, and accordingly went on with my operations. The 

 w|jple field was fown on 6th and 7th of November, and the 

 braird appeared about the beginning of December. The wea- 

 ther having been wet for fome days after the wheat was fown, 

 it appeared rather thin in March, but always retained a dark 

 green colour. It improved much during the fummer months ; 

 and, at harveft, turned out as good a crop as ever I faw upon 

 fuch poor wet foil, the produce per acre being from 32 to 34 

 AVinchelter bufliels of good marketable grain. Next year I 



ploughed 



