Cultivation of Arable, Land. Oafs. After-culture of.- Crops of. 65 



tries*. It is probable, however, that by collecting and fovving the beft and moft 

 perfect of our own produce, this cxpenlive practice may be rendered unneccf- 

 fary. By fimilar attention moll of the different forts of oats are alfo capable of 

 being greatly improved both ia the quality and appearance of the grain. 



When this fort of grain is cultivated on fuch leys as are newly broken up, 

 there may frequently be danger, efpecially where the land has been long in the 

 Hate of grafs, both from the deftructive attacks of infects, and the foil becom 

 ing too light, open, and porous, from the decay of the grafly material, for the 

 fupport of the plants. The firft may probably in fome meafure be obviated, by 

 eating fuch lands very clofely wirh fheep previous to their being broken up, 

 as by fuch a method the ova of fuch infects may be much deftroycd, and their 

 propagation prevented. And the treading the crops by (heep, as well as the 

 roller, may likewife be beneficial in both refpects. Horfes have alfo been 

 turned in for the fame purpofc by forne cultivators.]&quot; For the above reafons, 

 it has been fuggefted as improper to put oat crops in on newly broken up 

 land, or even in the fecond year s cultivation of them, or what in fome diftricts 

 it termed a lea lreecb%. Peas and beans, according to the nature of the foil, 

 are, as has been feen, generally conlidered as the moft proper forts of crops in 

 thefe cafes. 



It is moftly confidered by writers on agriculture as a better and more correct 

 practice to fow grafs feeds with this crop than barley, as the tillage requifite 

 for the latter may difpofe it to become rank and be lodged, by which the grafs 

 will be drawn up weak through it, and in that way be greatly injured ; as well 

 as the barley, by the humidity thus produced, require a longer time in the field, 

 and in that way be expofed to more danger in cafe of a wet feafon fucceeding, 

 while with oats there is little rilk in thefe refpects, as the ftraw is much ftiffer 

 and more firm. Where oat crops are thin upon the ground, they grow ftrong, 

 and are confequently better capable offupporting themfelves without falling 

 on the ground. 



After Culture. The only culture that is neceflary for this fort of crop while 

 growing, is that of keeping it as clean and free from weeds as poflible, by 

 means of hand-weeding, and the ufe of the forceps. It is alfo a practice in 

 fome places to pafs a light roller over the crop after it is advanced a few inches 

 in height, when the ground has been (lightly moiftened by rain, by which the 



* Correfted Report of the North Riding of Yorkfhire. 



t BanniJfter s Synopfis of Huflbandr/, p. 101. + Ibid. p. 102. 



