•gafe AeRICBLTURAL ESSAY*. 



In that system of agricultural operations, the hoed crops, as 

 corn, potatoes, &c. or peas sowed thick, so as to form a close 

 <;over to the surface, will keep the weeds under, so as to pre- 

 vent their going to seed ; until the seed of a winter or spring 

 crop of grain follows, and the tillage land laid down to grass 

 with clean grass seed. A strong sward will then be formed, 

 thro' which the tender kinds of annual weeds will not penetrate, 

 of which sort those generally are that are found in land that is 

 tilled. It is said that even the quitch grass, one of the most 

 noxious of all weeds, is by this means either destroyed or ren- 

 dered harmless ; for if it even flourishes in grass ground it 

 makes good hay. 



The limits of these short essays will not admit of a descrip- 

 tion of the particular weeds that infest our lands. 



The weed-called the Canada thistle, which is .perhaps most 

 prevalent in the northern parts of New-England and New- 

 York, flourishes in close and stiff" soils ; but does not prevail 

 often in those which are dry and gravelly, or sandy. In lands 

 ~which have been closely pastured for a number of successive 

 years, it will nearly disappear ; and in mowing grounds its 

 growth will be constantly retarded, where the grasses grow 

 uxuriantly. 



Pasturing, cultivating tall grasses, and Tceeping the lands 

 highly manured, will be found among the most effectual meth- 

 ods of getting rid of this thistle, except perhaps, the culture of 

 hoed crops. If they are not otherwise destroyed, they should 

 be cut up in autumn, about the beginning of September, and 

 iburnt before they have scattered their seed. 



1X is said by Mr. Deane, that "common thistles, cut an inch 

 above the ground, will not be so difficult to subdue, as those cut 

 at the same time with the hoe, and below the surface. In the 

 -former case the remaining stub of the thistle gets filled with 

 water, which rots and destroys the plant. This mode of cut- 

 ikng may operate with similar efficacy on the Canada thistle* 



