1803. Remew of the Neiv Tarmer's Calendar, 199 



under the phjfical circumftances in which Britain is placed. 

 Soil and climate, in a few dillri6ts, may render it partially eli- 

 gible, but we repeat that it can never bcicome generally preva- 

 lent. 



Mr TuU was affurcdly the father of this hufhandry in Britain ; 

 but it is notorious, that neither he nor any one of his imitators 

 ferved themfclves oy afting up to it. Our author improves upon 

 Tull, for he grants that manure is necefl'ary to render the fyf- 

 tem perfed ; whereas the other thought that tillage was all in all. 

 An ingenious defence of Mr TulPs hypothecs is, however, at- 

 tempted, though the refult is ver v queftionable. Our author rea- 

 fons in this manner : * Manure beltowed upon land fown broad-caft, 

 is barely adequate to the fupport of the weeds fuffered to grow 

 upon it ; therefore, if the weeds are extirpated, manure may be 

 omitted, and the land will flill be as rich for carrying corn crops.' 

 Granting the premifes, we deny the conclufion, unlefs it is pre- 

 vioufly eftablilhed that broad-caft crops are univerfally foul, and 

 drilled ones perpetually clean ; none of which neceffarily follow. 

 In our opinion, broad-cafl crops Hand a better chance of being 

 clean at autumn, if the ground has been fuitably prepared, than 

 drilled ones ; for, in the firfl cafe, the clofenefs of the crop pre- 

 vents an under vegetation at the end of the feafon ; whereas, if 

 drilled crops do not meet and fill up the intervals, a vegetation of 

 weeds enfues at the end of fummer, after the hoeing feafon is 

 over, in fpite of every previous effort. That fuch will be the refult, 

 every farmer will bear tellimony ; therefore manure becomes as 

 neceflary in the one fyfliem as the other. The anecdote of a youn^ 

 farmer, who loft a Chinefe boar, and found him at laft in a co- 

 ver of docks and thiftles upon his fummer-faHow, may be true, 

 for all that we know, but, at the fame time, is altogether irre- 

 levant. He who keeps his fallow in fuch a miferable condition 

 at feed-time, it may fafely be prefumed, would not have had his 

 row culture in a lefs flovenly lituation ; nay, perhaps, it would 

 have been in a worfe ftate, feeing that ten times more dexterity 

 and attention are required in the laft, than in the former cafe. 

 Arguing in our author's way, infidels often charge the bad morals 

 of profelTors to religion itfelf, though it is impoffible that any fuch 

 efFe6l fhould be produced. To praclife fummer fallow, is ab- 

 flraftedly no evidence of bad farming, though it is unquellion- 

 ably true, that many fallowifts are not good farmers. 



We obferve hypothetical objeclions to drilling, with replies 

 to each, in imitation of a rejoinder in defence of fallow, made in 

 one of the county furveys ; but the objeftions are weak indeed, 

 and do not require a cafuift to anfwer them. We have looked 

 into the furvey alluded to, and fee Ittie connexion betwixt the 

 ijibjeBions, and what is there flated ou the fubje<^ of drilling. Take 



our 



