354 



WEEDS OF AGRICULTURE. 



out. But, instead of the autumn deep ploughing, as ordi- 

 narily practised, Mr. Dickson ploughs at first only from 

 two to three inches deep; if the land is on the flat, he uses 

 his grubber and scarifier, which cuts to the depth of from 

 two to three inches, and 4^ feet wide, and which performs 

 the work exactly of five ploughs. The eggs of the slug are 

 here brought to the surface, and exposed to the effects of 

 the sun and air, which, as far as regards the eggs, is com- 

 pletely effective in causing their destruction, as well as in 

 lessening the number of the perfect slugs. This accom- 

 plished, the usual depth of ploughing is given at the proper 

 season. Two pieces of wheat on the same field exempli- 

 fied this in a striking degree this season ; the crop of the 

 one, which had been treated according to the common 

 practice of first deep autumn-ploughing, had to be 

 ploughed up in the spring, as scarcely a single plant of 

 wheat was left by the slug, although the young plants 

 at first were strong and healthy. On the other piece 

 of wheat, which had been treated as above, the crop was 

 full and excellent. 



Since the above was sent to the press, I was much 

 gratified to receive the following information from an 

 enlightened agriculturist (Thomas Neames, Esq. of Chislet). 

 Last season Mr. IVeames had a large ley field ; a portion 

 of the ley he scarified, or broke and stirred the surface 

 until the surface plants were all destroyed, or nearly 

 so. The other portion of the ley was ploughed in the 

 ordinary manner ; the scarified portion was also now 

 ploughed, and treated in the usual way for wheat. In the 

 spring, tlie scarified piece was scarcely deficient of a plant, 

 and the crop proved an average one ; while the other por- 

 tion of the field, which was treated in the usual way, had 

 nearly the whole crop destroyed by the slug ; which 

 very frequently happens, if the farmer neglects to dust 

 the clover stubble with lime; or does not use a presser to 

 consolidate the surface, to prevent the motions of the slug. 



It seenis clear, therefore, that all the surface plants of 

 the ley should be completely destroyed by scarifying and 



