x8oo. Review of Middle/ex Survef. 'j0 



It Is our opinion, that if the fyftem of ploughing In this 

 county was reformed, much more gain would accrue to the 

 proprietors, than by appointing land do£lors and agents, as is 

 eagerly recommended by our author. 



We do not coincide in opinion with Mr I^Iiddleton, refpefl- 

 ing the breadth of ridges on wet lands. Experience jultiiles 

 us in faying, that the ground, in every cafe where the bottom 

 is wet, ought to be raifed up, which narrow ridges will not 

 admit j and that the breadth of the ridge, in fuch cafes, fliould 

 always be in direct proportion to the depth of the foil. 



A ftriking inftance is afforded, page 148. of this work, be- 

 ing rather a general furvey of the kingdom, than cor, fined to 

 a fingle county j for the pradlices of five different counties, 

 viz. Aberdeen, Merioneth, Ealt Lothian, Dunbarton, and 

 Perth, are given in one fingle page. 



We apprehend, the rotations of cropping, recomm.ended in 

 this work, are liable to exception ; and would neither prove 

 profitable to the farmer, nor beneficial to the ground. For 

 inflance, take rotation, number 4th, 



Peas, 



Beans, 



Corn, 



Clover, 



Tares, 



Turnips, 



which Is a rotation that no man in his fenfes would pra£llfe. 

 If there be a juit and true principle in farming, it is, that le- 

 guminous and culmiferous crops alternately afford the great- 

 eft poflible return from the foil. Whatever might be the 

 profit from the above crops, in the vicinity of a great city, 

 we are certain. that, in ordinary cafes, a farmer would pay 

 little or no rent, if he followed fuch a rotation. Mr Middle- 

 ton puts too much dependence upon the merits of a rotation ^ 

 for every thing muft depend upon the manner in which the 

 rotation is followed out in all the different proceffes of ma- 

 nagement. When he fpeaks of taking three green for one 

 white crop, upon the worfl or more exhaufted land, he ap- 

 pears not to have paid due attention to his fubjedl- Bad lands 

 are not calculated for green crops ; and experience proves, 

 that it is eafier to raife a heavy crop of wheat, than a crop of 

 turnips, upon Inferior foils. 



Our author fays, page 167, that the old doclrine of fallow- 

 ing for wheat, is exploded ; but we think he is rather hafty in 

 making fuch an affertlon. In Tome fituations, it is an eafy 

 matter to lay afide Summer fallow, and to raife wheat after 



green 



