Cultivation of Arable Land. Oats. Time of f owing- of. 61 



is performed by turning over the furrows at the diftance of from twelve to eighteen 

 inches from each other on the unbroken land. In this way one half of the fuper- 

 ficial part of the land remains unmoved, and the furrows- being thrown on 

 it much furface is expofed, and the foil p;reatly improved, at the fame time that 

 the root weeds are deftroyed. If this procefs be accomplimcd in. the rnoft perfect 

 manner, and in the autumnal feafon, the foil is considerably ameliorated and im 

 proved by the frofts during the winter, and by being- well broken down by the 

 harrow in the fpring, having a complete ploughing immediately before the feed 

 be put in, s the foil becomes in an excellent condition for this fort of crop, even 

 \vhere the land, is of the ft iff and heavy kind. There can indeed be little doubt 

 but that, by the land s undergoing a more full and complete preparation than is 

 ufual for this crop, the quantity of produce maybe greatly increafed, as the 

 fibrous roots of the plants are more enabled to extend themfelves in the loofe earth 

 and thereby to afford a. more perfecl fupport to the plants. In ibrne cafes as 

 where, the land has been much reduced and exhaufted by the previous cropsj or 

 in breaking up thin poor foils where the proportion, of turfy material is incon- 

 fiderable, and when the prices of other forts of grain are low, it may be advan~ 

 tageous to have. recourfe to the ufe of manure, as by fuch means it is probable 

 that a third more produce at leaft might be grown.. 



Time of Jo-wing.. In this bulinefs it is necefTary to keep in mind that the earlier 

 the feed is put into the. ground the fooner in general the crop will be ready to cut. 

 In the more, fou them parts of; the kingdom, it is often the cafe to put this fort of 

 feed into the earth towards the latter end of February, when the feafon is dry and 

 fine; but March is in . general the oat feed feafon. And in fome experiments 

 this fort of crop has been found to fucceed well when put in early in January. On 

 fuch foils as are naturally dry and parching it is by much the bed practice to fow 

 early, in order that the crop may be .well eflablifhed before the hot weather com- 

 mences. And befides there may be a greater chance of the grain efcaping the ra 

 vages of the worm that often attacks fuch crops ; and when this infect is prefent 

 its ravages may be more eafily prevented. As this fort of crop is liable to be 

 Injured by. very fevere winters, it can feldom be fafe to put it in the autumn, 

 efpecially in the northern parts of the ifland ; but inthefouthern diftricts it may be 

 done with propriety in particular cafes, as where the land is of a very dry and 

 friable nature, large crops having been aflerted to have been grown in this way in 

 combination with tares in fome inftances.,* 



* Corrected Report of Middlefex, p. 187V - 



