'394 Letter from a Scots Farmer^ Odi. 



Before leaving this celebrated county, which well defcrves 

 the attentive examination of every agriculturift, it is proper 

 to notice the pra£lice, recently introduced, of dibbling wheat. 

 We did not find it to be upon the increafe \ and, from an ex- 

 amination of feveral fields managed in this way, it did not 

 appear that the crops would be fuperior to thofe fown in 

 tlie broad-caft manner. One of the chief advantages, viz. 

 that of hoeing, was generally neglected ; and the faving of 

 feed, in the firft inftance, is compenfated by the extra ex- 

 pence attending the procefs. 



•Froni Lynn, we came to Wijbeach in CambridgeJJjire. — . 

 Tlae whole of the land is of a marfhy defcription, carrying 

 fine grafs, and alfo corn, wj'iere it was tolerably drained. 

 On entering Lincolnfhire, we found a continuation of the 

 fame rich foil j and, about Long Sutton, the natural quality 

 is fuperexcellent. Travelling on by Holheachy Spalding, and 

 Sleafordf we viewed the fined pallures imaginable ; and, 

 where the plough was ufed, which wag but fparingly, the 

 crops were equally good, unlefs in thofe places where the 

 Spring floods had occafioned the feed-time to be too long de- 

 layed. There is an extent of ground, nearly fifty miles in 

 length, of this kind of land, before we reached the dry upper 

 parts of this county, through which the roads are uniformly 

 made with fand, digged from the fubfoil of the adjacent fields ; 

 and this mode of repairing them, occafions a heavy expence 

 to the traveller. Perhaps, no tra£t in the kingdom is capable 

 of fupporting a greater ftock, during the Summer months, 

 than the one juft examined. 



Before our arrival at Lincoln, v/e pafied through many 

 barren heaths, and numerous rabbit-warrens. Lincoln is a 

 large city, and the cathedral an elegant piece of archite£l:ure. 

 "We did not hear of any manufactures being carried on here ; 

 though the raw material being more plentiful in this county, 

 than in any other part of the kingdom, led us to think the 

 woollen manufacture might be fucccfsfully introduced. 



Leaving Lincoln, we found an extenfive common-field, all 

 in fallow, at the very gates of the city, which appeared to 

 haye got two ploughings, and was carrying a ftrong crop of 

 thiflles. Numerous flocks of (hecp were folded upon this 

 fallow-field, which certainly gave fine encouragement for the 

 pofTclTors to clean the ground. It is no wonder, that fo 

 many Englifh writers declaim againft fallow, for, under fuch 

 management, as pra£tifed upon the field before us, the lofs 

 of a year's- rent, and value of the labour, would fcarcely be 

 compenfated by the fuperior value of ne:it year's crop. 



But 



