v.] PLANTING. 



is lost by gajJS, Upon the best part of my field, 

 this year, just about one third has been lost by 

 gaps, occasioned partly by the birds and partly 

 by the negligence of my planters, to whom cir- 

 cumstances prevented me from giving the proper 

 overlooking. This is a matter of the greatest 

 importance, and I beg, therefore, to press it upon 

 the attention of the reader. 



68. That a man, any man, should deposite 

 the grains along a whole field precisely at six 

 inches apart, is a thing not to be expected by 

 any reasonable person. That which I could not 

 do myself, I have certainly no reason to expect 

 from an agricultural labourer. To measure every 

 distance would be to make the work too tedious ; 

 but still the distances may be measured, and 

 that too, with very little trouble, and with very 

 little delay in the performance of the work ; and 

 the way that I intend to do the thing is this, sup- 

 pose me to have three planters. I will have for each 

 a little straight piece of wood, six feet long and 

 perfectly straight. I will have it painted black, 

 and have a while mark painted round it, all 

 round it, at every six inches. The planter, with 

 the grains in his pocket, lays down his stick on 

 one side of the drill, and puts a grain at the 

 bottom of the drill opposite to every mark upon 

 the stick. He then moves his stick on and does 

 the like again 5 and thus keeps on until the drill 



