ig6 Review ofth^ New Farmer* s Calendar, May 



We are aware, that the author of the calendar, in 11 rid con- 

 fiftency vx'ith the principles he profefTcs, ma/ urge, that land 

 woula never be foul, if the drill or row hufbandry was regularly 

 praclifed ; but if this v.'as ur^ed, we would reply, that the row 

 hufbt.Klry is imprafticable upon the orenerality of foils, and that 

 fummer fallow is the alone beft way for pulverifing and prepa- 

 ring fuch for corn crops. Notwithftandlng what is maintained 

 in this treatife, we are inclined to believe that firong clays can- 

 no: be drilled with the lead profpecl of advantage, in an average 

 of feafohs ; nor do we think, fafhionable as the row culture may 

 be, that the mania has feized the poUeiTors or occupiers of ob- 

 durate conientious foil's. We know it is almofl phyfically im- 

 poflibie to form a drill for beans, upon plays, in the month of 

 March, when the feafon is wet, even when the intervali] are from 

 27 to 30 inches ; and that to get them rowed, it is necelTary to 

 put them in after every third ploui^fh. If this be the cafe, when 

 the intervals are fo wide, what would be the confequence if they 

 •were narrowed to 9, 12, or eve.i 18 inches? The feed would 

 nec<j(liiri^y be put in, after every tnfl or fecond plough, Vv^ith a 

 fmall hand drill, and the large complicated dr'Hing machines, fo 

 ilrenuondy recommended, would be tolally ufelefs : but this is not 

 all, fuch foils cannot be horfe-liocd, unlefs the intervals are of the 

 greatexl widenefs, for tney turn up, when flirred, in fuch lumps or 

 clods, as would inevitably deflroy the grcatefl: part of the young 

 plants. If the intervals were wide, the produce would, of courfe, be 

 proportionally decreaf jd, while the quality of the grain produced 

 would, iVom a continuance of tillering, be materially injured. 

 With bca s this does not happen; for the pods being placed up- 

 on the middle and under part of the ilalk, the introduction of 

 air i^ abiolutely necelTary to increafe their number, and to bring 

 the ^ rum to maturity. Wheat, barley, and oats, are differently 

 ciicumllanced. With them the grain is placed upon the top; 

 confequently the introdudion of air is lefs required, and, at all 

 eveiits, we are confident, that with equal management, and upon 

 ai. equality of foils, a greater produce will be gained from cul- 

 mifeious crops upon cluy foils, according to the old hufbandry, 

 than can pofllbly be gained by the introduction of row culture. 



T'le author of the calendar, however, appears to hold differ- 

 ent f^ntiments, a-idfpeaks of the Itronpeil and wettell clays being 

 ^ advantageoull}' tilled, without the affiitance of fummer fallowing. 

 T.' uiefe affertions we beg leave to demur. If a perfon was de- 

 fcribing the climate of Jamaica, and, in his defcription, ftated 

 that it vas intenfely cold, it might with juHice be maintained, 

 that he was altogether unacquainted with that ifland. In like 

 manner, any one that recommends drilling llrong clay, with all 

 f^rains, may, without breach of charity, be fuppofed not pofleffed 



