MODE OF [Chap. 



to this use^ instead of that of planting potatoes, 

 when they shall discover that a quarter of an 

 acre of ground may be made to fat a couple of 

 hogs, and give a great deal of good food to the 

 family besides. 



65. I now proceed to speak of the act of 

 planting, which is a thing of the greatest import- 

 ance ', because, unless this be done properly, you 

 have not the proper number of plants 3 the 

 plants do not come up altogether as they ought 

 to do ', and, in short, according to the old saying, 

 " the ship is lost for the want of a half-penny- 

 worth of tar." I have before recommended that 

 the manure, if any, should be in the ground pre- 

 vious to the last ploughing. The surface of the 

 iield being finely broken by the harrow, and by 

 the roller if necessary ; and, if you plant in hills, 

 the marking having been performed, you go 

 with a hoe, and make at every crossing a little 

 place about a inch and a half deep, and about six 

 inches in diameter, and there, taking from your 

 waistcoat pocket five or six seeds, lay them down 

 round the little place you have made ; then, draw 

 the earth over them, laying it upon the seeds to 

 about an inch and a half deep, taking care that 

 the earth be fine, and have no clods amongst it, and 

 press the earth down upon the seeds with your foot 

 or the back of your hoe. If the ground, in spite 

 of your exertions, be generally rough upon the 



