Atpicnlture of Shropshire. 9 



again directed to the fallows, and by the aid of lieavy diajjs and 

 rollers, the land becomes reduced and well intermixed. If the 

 soil is foul, it is worked into a finer tilth than would otherwise 

 be thought desirable. The endeavour should be to get the soil 

 exposed to the action of the air and sun as perfectly as possible, 

 and yet avoid reducing it into such a pulverized state, that heavy 

 rain would, make it run together. This can be very readily 

 accomplished when the land is free from weeds and rubbish, but 

 when the land is foul, it must necessarily be reduced, in order 

 to clear it. Throughout the summer months our proceedings 

 must be regulated by this principle ; and by alternately inverting 

 by the aid of the plough, and intermixing the soil by the aid of 

 drags and rollers, we shall store the soil with those elements of 

 fertility which it is capable of secreting within its particles, 

 and which are there jealously retained until required for giving 

 vigour to the growing plant. The argument that fallows arc 

 unnecessary is fallacious ; upon certain soils they are superior to 

 any other mode of management. 



Many of the agreements under which Innd is held in this dis- 

 trict require that the land under fallow shall receive fovr 

 ploughings — one before March, and three in May, June, or July ; 

 and these ploughings will be sufficient for making a good fallow, 

 provided the land is well dragged (and rolled if desirable) in 

 the mean time. There is a very strong feeling amongst many 

 farmers here against ploughing across the land, and it is there- 

 fore usual for the plough always to follow the same line, and for 

 the drags and scuffles, &c., to go across the furrow slice, 



I must here again refer to the importance of commencing the 

 fallow — either bare fallows, or for a fallow crop — as soon after 

 harvest as possible. Tlie advantages of autumn cultivation are not 

 sufficiently appreciated in this district ; with a peculiarly tenacious 

 soil, in a treacherous climate, the autumn work is the key-stone 

 of success. If the surface can be pared with Bentall's broadshare, 

 and the weeds, &c., burnt and ploughed up early in the winter, 

 the work in the spring will be materially lightened, and the 

 fallowing will be carried out much more effectivehf. Valuable as 

 this time is for bare fallows, it is especially important when a 

 fallow crop is going to be raised ; and the peculiarity of the dis- 

 trict makes these operations — which are so generally acknow- 

 ledged to be important — of more than usual influence. 



The fallows are generally limed, and frequently dunged also ; 

 100 bushels of lime and 12 cubic yards of dung per acre is tlie 

 quantity prescribed in most of the agreements, and this is a 

 suitable allowance for such land. The dung is frequently 

 spread on the land before the stubble is ploughed ; and this 

 is considered a successful plan, as the dung keeps the land 



