On Spade Husbandry. 377 
Epiglottis, and passing through that channel. At any rate, a 
ribbon of tape tied lightly round the neck will prevent it. 
The stop-cock when required in action is managed as quick 
as thought. 
I am sorry that my avocations prevent an extension of these 
observations. I shall for some time take leave of the subject of 
respiration and suspended animation, and content myself with 
recommending in my prelections the invention I have proposed, 
stating always the yrounds of that recommendation. 
I have the honour to be, sir, 
Your obliged and most obedient, 
May 10, 1822. J. Murray. 
. . 
LXXVI. On Spade Husbandry. By Mr. Wm. Fatra. 
{The following letter from Mr. Falla, detailing the experiments of four suc- 
cessive years in the cultivation of wheat by the spade, was addressed to 
Mr. Owen, of Lanark, and is published by him in an appendix to ‘* A Re- 
port to the county of Lanark of a plan for relieving public distress, and 
removing discontent, by giving permanent productive employment to the 
poor and working classes.” We republish it, because the state of agri- 
culture is such at this moment, that it is of the utmost importance to give 
every possible publicity to all plans calculated to lighten the burdens, or 
in any respect alleviate the sufferings of the large portion of the popula- 
tion engaged in agricultural pursuits; and none can add so much to the 
stock of knowledge on this subject, as men like Mr. Falla, who take truth 
and experience for their guides, and who never cease to prefer facts to 
theories—and a little practical good, to a great deal of hypothetical ad- 
vantage. | 
Gateshead, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nov. 13; 1820. 
DEAR Sir, —DeEINe persuaded that it is a subject of the very 
first importance, I readily obey your request to furnish you with 
the particulars and results of my experiments in the cultivation 
of land, for the production of wheat, by the spade. {t may not 
be without its use, previously to detail to you the circumstances 
that brought my attention to this subject. 1 therefore take the 
liberty to state, that my principal occupation, for between thirty 
and forty years past, has been the cultivation of land, chiefly for 
the raising of trees and seeds for sale ; and finding, as | was ex- 
tending my concerns in that way, about sixteen or eighteen years 
ago, a difficulty in procuring a sufficient number of men to work 
the land with the spade, I substituted the plough in working 
those parts where a considerable quantity of vacant ground hap- ° 
pened to lie together, and fancied, that, besides getting through 
the work with more facility and convenience, which I certainly 
did, I was doing the work in a manner equal to work done with 
the spade. The effect of the first use of the plough was not of 
so much bad consequence as when repeated ; the beating of the 
Vol, 59, No, 289, May 1822. 3B subsoil 
