THE BREAKING UP OLD GRASS. 47 



%vhich have fibrous roots, which extend horizontally in every 

 direction. 



The efficacy of ploughing in green crops, has been particu- 

 larly noticed in the essay on wheat culture, &c. But as it is a 

 most important me cus of fertili. ing the soil, from the fermenta- 

 tion gradually converting the vegetable substances into the 

 food of plants, it should be here remarked, that in those cases 

 where they do not prove efficacious, it must necessarily be 

 from some circumstances of bad management or inattention, 

 which counteract the obvious tendency of the substances to 

 that conversion, which is necessary to enable them to act. 

 Every vegetable particle under the surface, dissolves and yields 

 gasses, which may be either taken up by the roots of plants, 

 or carried away by the atmospheie ; but crops may be so im- 

 perfectly buried as to convey those gasses into the air, instead 

 of retaining them in the soil. If this operation be not strictly 

 attended to, failures may be expected. The best way of pro- 

 ceeding is to roll down the crops Vvith a barley roller, and to 

 add a skim coulter to the plough, going in the same direction 

 as the roller, to plough six inches deep, and to have no other 

 successive tillage than shallow on the surface. The effect of 

 the operation, like many others, will depend on the execution. 



Improvement of Land et Breaking up Old Grass 

 WITH THE Plough. 



The f*ll«wing remarks fr«m the agricultural Encyclopedia, 

 appear to have been the result of observations, founded on the 

 experience of tlie best English farmers. 



The author of these essays has thought proper to abridge 

 them, and occasionally adopt his own language, so as to ren- 

 der it more intelligible, and more applicable to the condition of 

 the American farmers. 



By old grass is meant that which has remained a great num- 

 ber of years without being turned up by the plough. Although 

 few branches of husbandry afford room for more successful 

 cultivation than the breaking up of old grass, yet it generally 

 happens that those so engaged seldom gain much profit to 

 themselves, or convey any benefit to the land unaer their man- 



