CROPS. 239 



that he &quot; would not turn a furrow after the dew had evaporated. 

 I have no doubt that a large portion of that fertilizing quality in 

 the soil, which daring the summer months is constantly exhaled 

 from the earth, is by the dew brought again within our reach ; and 

 it would be wise to avail ourselves of the opportunity of again 

 burying it in the soil.* In the second place, I would by all 

 means use a heavy roller after each ploughing. It would fill all 

 the cavities left by the plough, and, by pressing the soil more 

 closely upon the weeds, would hasten their decomposition and 

 much retard the evaporation from the soil.&quot; An eminent judge 

 was advised, when he gave his decisions, never to give the reasons 

 for them : his decisions might be right, but the reasons for such 

 decisions might not be the true ones. Mr. Keely might have 

 benefited by the same caution. His facts, without question, are 

 as stated, but the causes which he assigns for the result may not 

 be those which have produced it ; yet the suggestions of such a 

 man are entitled to consideration. 



The harvesting in England is performed in three modes ; by 

 the sickle, by the common scythe, or by the Scotch bow or 

 cradle. The sickle is fast yielding to the other instruments. 

 The wheat is cut higher by it than by other modes, and there 

 are therefore fewer weeds or foreign substances gathered among 

 the straw, to fill the manure with pernicious seeds ; and the straw, 

 being clean, is not liable to be heated in the stack. But, if the 

 seeds are not carried into the manure, they are left in the field, 

 and in some cases with equal disadvantage. The grain being- 

 cut high, more straw is lost upon the ground ; and reaping with 

 the sickle is comparatively a slow process. Where the crop is 

 much lodged, however, or matted, the sickle is almost indispensa 

 ble. Mowing the grain with a common scythe is practised in 

 many places. A skilful mower lays the grain with great precision, 

 so that it is easily gathered and tied. The crop is, of course, 

 cut very low, and the straw is much mixed. The Scotch bow, 

 which is merely a hoop, extended upon the handle of the scythe 

 so as to receive the grain in falling, that the workman may de 

 posit it evenly for the binders, is much used, but, I may be 

 allowed to say, is very inferior to the cradle, with its four or five 

 fingers, in use in New England and New York. 



* It will be recollected that this is the opinion of a plain and practical farmer, 

 some years before Liebig detected the presence of ammonia in rain-water. 



