CROPS. 233 



is a point upon which all farmers are not agreed. Where the 

 land is liable to be heaved by the frost, deep sowing of three and 

 four inches is recommended ; and in such cases, the wheat is 

 often ploughed in, and the land left in a rough state, which is 

 supposed better to shelter the plant. By the best farmers, great 

 pains are taken in the selection of the seed- wheat. It was once 

 held and upon as high authority as that of Sir John Sinclair 

 that imperfectly ripened and scarcely merchantable wheat, since 

 it would germinate, would answer equally well the purpose of 

 sowing as the best formed and best ripened wheat. This was 

 even recommended as being a saving of seed, since more kernels 

 in number would be contained in a bushel of shrivelled or half- 

 ripened wheat than in one of full and plump grain. This notion, 

 however, is exploded ; and wheat is understood to follow the 

 universal rule, that, to produce the best, it is necessary to propa 

 gate from the best. Many farmers take pains, in selecting their 

 seed, to take the best sheaves in their hands and strike them 

 against some hard body, without threshing them either by ma 

 chine or flail, thinking that, by this process, the fullest and ripest 

 grains will drop out, which they save carefully for seed. 



It is deemed of great advantage, in the spring, to drag or har 

 row the crop ; or, where it is in drills, to scuffle it, as I have already \ 

 described ; or to hand-hoe and weed it. which, being light work, 

 is generally done by women. I was about to say by old women ; 

 but I am not positive in that matter ; for field-work, and poor 

 clothing, and poor living, give an appearance of old age which is 

 premature. Wheat is sometimes rolled in the spring before bar- 1 

 rowing ; and when far advanced in the autumn, it is sometimes S 

 fed down by sheep ; the effect of which is supposed to be, to ^ 

 strengthen the stalk and to cause it to tiller or spread more. 



The time of harvesting wheat has been matter of much dis 

 cussion ; but the results of repeated experiments, with a view 

 to determine the best time, all point to an early rather than a late 

 cutting. The best rule for harvesting is not merely when the stalk 

 below the head has changed color, and the circulations have con 

 sequently ceased, but when the grain, though it has ceased to 

 yield any milk upon pressure, is yet soft. It then ripens well in 

 the sheaf; it yields more and better flour ; and none is lost by 

 shaking out, as when it is suffered to stand until it has become 

 dead-ripe. Some farmers recommend that the wheat should be 

 20* 



