WEEDS OF AGRICULTURE. 343 



root by the beginning of July, and thus have gradually, 

 from the commencement of the drought, left the surface to 

 the full occupation of the weeds which prevail. The farmers 

 see that they have no probable interest in resisting this pre- 

 valence ; and no implement but the scythe or the plough 

 could intercept it. Thus, in hot seasons, and on shallow 

 soils, we see these weeds very numerous in many places, and 

 the crops worth very little ; but had the season been wet at 

 the time the corn was sown, the crops would have kept 

 ahead. 



I should be sorry if by this explanation it were under- 

 stood, that this condition of the soil, so full of seeds, and so 

 liable to produce excess of weeds, were at all defended. T 

 have seen such a piece of poor, sandy gravel in Holkham 

 Park, in the hot year of 1818, with a light crop of peas faa 

 it must be), but scarcely more than five plants an acre of 

 corn-poppy ; whereas, before Mr. Coke took it under his 

 own management, it was annually covered with them. In 

 the same Park, I have crossed diagonally over a piece of 

 wheat, measuring forty acres, and found but three plants of 

 cockle, without seeing any other weed. Certainly you 

 cannot have good crops where you are liable to smothering 

 weeds ; the very existence of the weeds shows bad manage- 

 ment. In fact, I have seen the poorer convertible land tilled 

 until it would bring no crop, and grass seeds are thrown 

 upon it with the last attempt to get barley. For several 

 years after, it-has been perfectly covered with may-weed and 

 other weeds, such as underlings, &.c. 



Land may be rendered inert and unfertile from an excess 

 of manure, as well as from the want of it, severe and avari- 

 cious annual cropping long persevered in being understood in 

 both cases. Over-stimulus, as in the first instance, wears 

 out, or renders inert, the principle of fertility in the land ; 

 and in the latter instance, the want of stimulus produces the 

 same effect. The underhng weeds above mentioned flourish 

 and prosper under this state of the land, brought on by 

 either cause. The remedy is therefore obvious, viz. rest ; 

 or, give a clear-out summer fallow, and if in the first-men- 

 tioned case (which is to be met with in deep fen land and in 



