of old Grafs Lands on a d'lreSl Clay. 269 



twenty fpring and fummer weeks. Some labour, and a con- 

 fiderable expcnfe, will be requifite to bring ihis ftubborn, lie- 

 rile foil to a Itate of'ferlilitv. 



I would firli recommend the furface to be pared and burned, 

 and the a(hes to be i'ecurcd dry upon the headlands of the 

 fields, bv a covering of earth, fods, or thatch. This opera- 

 tion nuiil be liniflied in the fummer. As foon as the au- 

 tumnal rain^ have nioiltened the foil fo a? to enable a plougji 

 to turn a furrow feven or eight inches deep, riiis operation 

 fliould be performed, forming each ridge with only two furr 

 rev's, three feet from the ceiilre of one ridge to the centre of 

 the other. Then let the fcaritier, with three long tines, or 

 teeth, pafs at the bottom of every furrow to loofen the foil 

 five or fix inches deeper. Water furrows fliould be cut fo as 

 to lay the land dry all the winter. Should the winter prove 

 favourable, the tops of thefe ridges may, be harrowed down 

 with the tixed harrow, and the fcarilier pafled again through 

 the bottom of the furrows, and the ridge formed over this 

 deeply pulverized foil : if not, they mud remain until per- 

 fectly dry in the fpring. In tilling foils of all denominations 

 in which the clay predominates, this general rule fliould be 

 obferved ; no injury will be futiained from ploughing them 

 when wet, previous to the winter frofts ; but all the horfes 

 on a farm had better remain idle than touch a furrow in the 

 fpring, until the foil be perfeftly dry. When in this latter 

 Ihitc. harrow down the tops of the ridges; fcarify, with Mr, 

 Cooke's fcarifier, the bottoms, and once more reverfc the 

 lands, iorniing the ridges where the furrows were. Thus, a 

 (kplh of fifteen inches of finely pulverized foil will be ob- 

 tained by two half plonehings, two fcarityings, and tvvohar- 

 rowingsj at lead the foil will be fo much opened to that 

 .depth as to admit the rain water to pals freely. Every lliower 

 .will not make a pafte on the furface, neither will forty-eight 

 hours fun form it into bricks. In fliort, by Itirring this land 

 deep you avoid the iniurics to which it was before expofe<| 

 by cxceflivc wet or drought, and the foil will become healthy 

 aud productive. Should it not be fufficienlly pulverized for 

 turnips, fcarify, harrow, and roll, with a heavy roller only 

 five feet long, until a garden tilth be obtained, leatving the 

 land, when completely fine, on ibrce-feet ridges. Previous 

 to putting aflics on for drilling turnips, best down three Qf 

 four inches of the lops of the ridges with a lied, or beam of 

 wood five feet long, annexed to the handles of JNIr. Cooke's 

 fcarifier. On this bed of finely pulveriv,t:d mould in the fur- 

 yows fpread the adiCH; about eighly bufhilson aw acre. This 

 Worl^ will be eafily pcrfor^ied, as ihc horfc will walk in the 



furrow, 



