Cultivation of Arabic Land. Tuhilpi Aftef-tutiurt lioeing. 145 



the ridges of the field lying in the direction of eaft and weft, the opefation is be 

 gun from the caft end of them and the north fide of the field ; the ploughman 

 counting off to his right hand, on that fide, a certain number of ridges, as fof 

 inftance iix, enters upon the feventh, and, proceeding wed, pares a furrow-flice 

 from the north fide of it, and turning to the left, in returning does the fame to the 

 fouth tide of it.* Continuing in this way to go weft, the fame operation is per- 

 formed on the north fides of each of the fix ridges that lie to the north of that from 

 which he fet out ; and in returning eaft, on the fouth fides of the fame number of 

 ridges which lie to the fouth of it. After having completed in this manner one 

 pitch of work, confiding of thirteen ridges, he is to begin again in a fimilar man 

 ner, and proceed in the fame way till the whole of the field is gone over. After 

 the weeds turned in by this firft operation are fuppofed to be perfectly decayed, the 

 fame work is performed in the contrary direction on the other fides of the ridges, or 

 thofeleft in theother operation, over the whole field. -j- This method of hoeing or 

 cleaning turnip crops, which appears to have been practifed with much fuccefs on. 

 a light fandy foil, free from ftones, by Mr. James M Dougal, a farmer at Linton 

 in Scotland, is, it is obferved, carried on as long as the flems of the turnip plants 

 will admit the plough to pafs. In this mode the plants are never earthed or fet 

 up, it being the opinion of the above cultivator that they thrive better without 

 that operation. And, befides that, in feeding them off with fheep, they get bet 

 ter at them, and have a more eafy footing, as well as more comfortable lying. 



In accomplifhing thefe operations, it is obferved that great care is neceflary to keep 

 the plough as near as poflible to the plants on the ridges, as by that means dif 

 ferent advantages are attained, fuch as the greateft poffible proportion of weeds 

 being removed from the plants ftanding on the pared ridges ; the l.irgenefsof the 

 furrow flices thus raifed being fufficient to cover up all the weeds that grow in the 

 intervals, between the drills of turnips on the pared ridges and thofe upon which 

 the furrow flices are turned. Befides, the moifture may be better prefcrved in 

 droughty feafons for the growth of the crop, and the foil more perfectly aerated, 

 in confequence of being more frequently ftirred. It is obvious alfo, from one fide 

 of the ridge only being pared at a time, and the other left firm and unpared, that 

 the plough may be capable of being brought nearer to the turnips without the rifK. 

 of loofening them too much, or turning over the earth on which they fland, than 

 could be the cafe if both fides were pared at the fame operation. ;[- 



* This ridge is fometimes provincial!) denominated thefain ng ridge. 

 t Farmer s Magazine, vol. II. p. 50. J Farmer s Magazine, vol. II. p. 5. 



VOL. II. V 



