14- Cultivation &f Arable Land. Whtat. Crops cultivated ftffer. 



In the more early diftricfls, and where the lands are preferved in good order 

 by judicious modes of cropping, wheat may alfo be grown after beans, whether 

 cultivated in the drill or broadcaft fyftem, with fuccefs, as there may be fufficient 

 time to give the neceiTary preparation before the period of fowing ; which cannoc 

 be the cafe, as has been feen, where they are late, and there is only time for once 

 ploughing.! 



In other places it is, however, found advantageous when this fort of crop is ta 

 be grown after either peas, beans, or tares, to plough the land in as light or fhal. 

 low a manner as poflible, and then harrow and rake out the roots and weeds, 

 fo as that they may be con fumed on the ground in heaps ; the field being after 

 this formed into proper ridges for the reception of the feed by ploughing again a 

 few inches deeper than at the firft. And in fome cafes it is even harrowed after 

 the fecond ploughing, and ploughed a third time. J 



Wheat is occafionally cultivated after turnip crops ; and which may in many 



wheat, he fnould give it the due tiHage as early as poffible which fhould be regulated by the foil, as ore 

 fome it may be better to truft to the (kirn, fcarifiers, and fcufflers, than the plough. Where the land 

 is very clean, the great fkim of the ifle of Thane t is capable of culling through every thing, and loofer* 

 the furface fufficiently to enable the harrows to render it as fine as poflible, being picked and 

 burned by women- Where not fo clean, the Kentifh broad -mare maybe more effective. In other cafes- 

 the fcuffler may be fufficient for the purpofe. It is added, that &quot; when he has got the furface to his 

 mind, he is to confider whether or not he mould plough it, which is advifable if the foil be of a firm, 

 folid, tenacious quality, and if he does not intend to drill the wheat: if he (the farmer) ploughs 

 fuch. a foil, he may not have any apprehenfion of root-fallen wheat, failing roots from a loofe bottom ; 

 but he will bring up a new furface that may drill with difficulty, whereas that which has received 

 the influences of the crop, atmofphere, and of his late operations, will be in exactly the right temper 

 for the drill to work in. If the foil is of a more loofe, friable quality, and he fhould plough down 

 the fine furface he has gained, he will give the wheat too loofe a bottom, and he will run the chance 

 of a root-fallen crop. In all fuch cafes, or in any that have a tendency to this circumftanee, he- 

 fhould determine not to plough at all, but drill directly ; a method in which he faves tillage, and has 

 the probability of a better produce. This is a new practice on ftrong land, but he has feen, fuch 

 fuccefs in it as leaves no reafon for doubting the foundnefs of its principles. Mr. Ducket, on a fandy 

 foil, did it, he fays, for years, and with great effect. It fhould be remembered, that whatever other 

 circumftances may influence the growth of this grain, it loves a firm bottom to root in, and rarely 

 flourifhes to profit when it is loofe and crumbly ; nor will a depth of fueh mould do if the under ilra- 

 tum in which it will attempt to fix its roots, be from its quality repellent. The heft bafis is the iil- 

 tivatablc earth firm from not having been lately difturbed.&quot; 



i Donaldfon s Modern Agriculture, vol. II. 



J Middleton s Report of the Agriculture of Middlefex, p. 166, 



