Cultivation of Arable Land. Wheat. Feeding Crops of. 2.3 



range the roots of the plants, and with a flick break the edges of the holes, than 

 the mould might cover them. Wet weather was purpofely felected for the occa- 

 fion ; but it proved fo wet^ that they were delayed for more than a week ; during 

 the whole of which time two or three wheelbarrows full of plants were lying cx- 

 pofed on the tumbrel ready for infertion. Thefe plants were ufed, not without fome 

 apprehenfion. The t ran fp Ian ting was not concluded till the sift of the month 

 (March). At harveft-time it would have been impoflible to have diftinguifhed 

 the tranfplanted from the drilled wheat, but that the plants of the former were 

 placed confiderably wider from each other. It is imagined, from recollection only, 

 that the plants, on an average, formed fquares of from twelve to fourteen inches 

 with each other. They branched abundantly, and bore well ; the ears were as 

 numerous and as heavy as the drilled wheat. There were certainly four acres 

 tranfplanted. The expenfe of the bufinefs cannot be well eftimated, becaufe of its 

 irregularity in this particular cafe. At the time it was tranfplanted, wheat fold at 

 about iixty-five millings per coomb. Two bufhels an acre would have been in- 

 fertcd, and the fetting, on account of the irregularity, would certainly have been, 

 twelve (hillings per acre. 



. 

 Setting four acres, at 1 2s. 28 o 



Two coombs of feed, at 6^s. _ 6 10 o 



8 18 o 



It is not believed that the expenfe of the undertaking much exceeded a fourth; 

 part of this. .It is fuppofed that the whole bufinefs of tranfplanting might be done 

 for thirteen or fourteen millings an acre ; and one acre of feed plants would fuffice 

 for a great many acres. When the plants are taken from a crop which is intended 

 to remain, the holes which the trowel makes fliould be prefTed down with the foot,, 

 in order that they may be rilled with earth, and not expofed to drought or too much 

 wet. In trying experiments of this fort, it is bell not. to venture on too large a- 

 fcale at firft. 



The feeding of wheat, crops, where too forward or luxuriant in the early 

 fpring months, by means of flieep, is a practice that has been found of much be 

 nefit in many cafes. The good effects in fuch inftances are fuppofed to arife from 

 the removal of the upright central items, by which means different new lateral 1 

 Hems or root-fc ions are fent off or brought forward with more vigour, by the.- 

 acquifition of. a larger proportion of nutritious matter from the joints in confe 



