FARMER'S MANUAL. 93 



bear to sow as late as the last week in Septem- 

 ber, and be as forward when the frosts of winter set 

 in, as your poorest lands, sown in the first week. It 

 the weather is fair, and your grounds dry, at seed- 

 time, you may cover with the harrow, unless upon a 

 clay, or stiff soil, which is apt to bake, your crop will 

 then be best when covered with the plough, upon 

 narrow lands, with deep furrows ; also, when the wea- 

 ther is moist, and your lands wet and heavy, cover 

 with the plough : in both cases, the harrow, after co- 

 vering, leaves "the land close and dead, and your 

 grain will lack roots sufficient to insure you a good 

 crop. I have said, say one bushel of rye to the acre, 

 because this is the common practice, and it does 

 well ; but some farmers sow only half a bushel to the 

 acre, others again only one peck to the acre, where 

 the soil is light, and not exposed to be killed by the 

 winter. I can say from experience, that I have sown 

 1, 2, 3 and 4 pecks to the acre, upon a light soil, 

 and upon the same field, and could not discriminate 

 correctly the difference in the appearance of the 

 grain at harvest ; yet I practice the common mode of 

 one bushel to the acre. Let experience be the only 

 guide to your practice. 



This is the time to ensure your crop ; let your lands 

 be well prepared, and rendered as mellow as possi- 

 ble, by deep ploughing ; let your seed be steeped for 

 24 hours, before you sow it, in a strong pickle of sea- 

 salt, with saltpetre, or in any rich liquid manure ; 

 then rolled in plaster, and sown immediately ; then 

 dressed with one bushel of plaster to the- acre, sown 

 on the furrows, if your seed is covered with the 

 plough, or it may be sown and brushed in lightly with 

 the harrow; With this practice, and the blessing of 

 God, you may expect a good crop, if your fences arc 

 good ; but if they are bad, you have no right to ex- 

 pect a blessing; this is your own wilful neglect. 



Your orchards, at the same time, claim your atten- 

 tion ; your early apples, which fall, will soon ro* 



