?0 Review of Middhfex Survey. Jan. 



green crops ; but we are of opinion, that no man, who is ge- 

 nerally acquainted with the foil and climate of Great Britain, 

 v^ill attempt to explode Summer fallow altogether. The ad- 

 vanced (late of agriculture has already> in a great meafure, 

 fuperfeded the necelnty of refortiiig fo frequently to the an- 

 cient pra6bice of fallowing for cleaning the ground ; but while 

 we mention this, we are at the fame time confident, that a 

 great proportion of the arable land in the kingdom, could not 

 be kept clean, or in good order, without being completely 

 wrought during the Summer months. In thofe counties 

 where the harveft is early, and the crops removed from the 

 ground before the heat of the fun is abated, the land may be 

 \vrought in a very perfe<ft manner after carrying a crop ; but 

 in all iltuations where the harved is late, and no tillage can 

 be given before Winter, it will be found abfolutely neceflary 

 to praclife Summer fallowing at ftated periods, without which, 

 the foil, in procefs of time, would be overrun with weeds. 

 This remark is fupported by the condition of the lands in the 

 vicinity of almoft every great town, where, from high rents, 

 and flock of manure, the farmer is tempted to proceed in 

 raifing corn crops much longer than the rules of good hufban- 

 dry will juftify. A number of improvers have gone from one 

 extreme to another : From cenfuring the old mode of one 

 fallow to two crops, which was a very improper practice, 

 they have gone the length of condemning Summer fallow al- 

 together. 



Speaking of the m.anagement of Meadows^ Mr Middleton 

 fays, pages 224 and 225 — 



' Manure is invariably laid on meadow land about the month of 

 October, while it is fufficiently dry to bear the drawing of loaded 

 carts without injury ; and when the heat of the day is fo moderated 

 as not to exhale the volatile parts of the dung. 



' This large trail or diilritt of day land would have been of lit- 

 tle or no value in ajlatd of aratlcn. The difficulty of tilling it ; the 

 expenfive teams which muft have been employed on it ; the few 

 months in every year wlien it could be ploughed with fuccefs ; and 

 the uncertain produce of fuch a foil, are circumftances which would 

 have kept doivn its value to Utile or nothing. But, marh the difference ! 

 Laying it donvn to permanent grafs, has been the yaeans of advancing its 

 rent to 3/. an acre, and of its producing, in a medium of feafons, t'wo 

 tons of hay per acre, of the highejl quality in the world for the feed of 

 horfcs. ' 



That clay land, efpecially where manure can be purchafed 

 in quantities, is of little or no*v;ilue, we exprefsly deny. No 

 kind of foil will pay fo-well for manure, nor will any yield 

 fuch profitable returns of wheat and beans, as clay and heavy 



loam, 



