Cultivation of Arable Land. Weld After-culture, S^c. of Crops of. 2-?S 



v/.th a light common or bufh-harrow, finifhing, when the foil is of the light kind, 

 by paffing a roller over it. 



After -culture. In the common practice of cultivating crops of this fort, no at. 

 tention is afterwards paid to them. But as the p ants are of flow growth, and of 

 courfe liable to be greatly injured in their progrefs by the rifing of weds &amp;gt; it mull 

 be of much advantage not only to keep them perfectly clean from them, but alfo 

 to have the mould ftirred about the roots of the plants. In the courfe of about a 

 month from the time of Cowing, the plants are moflly in a ftate to be eafily diftin- 

 guifhed ; a hoeing mould, therefore, be then given when the weather is dry, which 

 may be performed in the fame manner as for turnips, making ufe of fo me what: 

 fmaller hoes for the purpofe. It is advifed by fome to fet the plants out, in this 

 operation, to the diflance of three or four inches ; but it will probably be better 

 to let them have more room, as fix, feven, or eight inches ; which will not only 

 leflen the expenfe of the bulinefs, but contribute to the advantage of the crop. 

 When this operation is well executed, nothing further will be necefTary till the 

 fpring, when a fecond flight hoeing may be practifed about March, in a dry time j 

 and if any weeds rife afterwards, a third may be performed in May. But where 

 the land has been well prepared, one in the autumn and another in the fpring may 

 be fully fufficient. In fome cafes hand-weeding is practifed, but it is in general 

 too expenfive a method. 



The mod proper time for pulling this fort of crop is when the bloom has been 

 produced the whole length of the ftems, and the plants arejuft beginning to turn 

 of a light or yellowifii colour; which is ufually about the beginning or middle of 

 July in the fecond year. The plants are ufually from one to two feet and a half 

 in height. It is thought by fome cultivators to be advantageous to pull it rather 

 early, without waiting for the ripening of the feeds, as by this means there will: 

 not only be the greateft proportion of dye, but the land will be left at liberty for 

 the reception of a crop of wheat or turnips.* In this cafe a finall part mufl be 

 left folely for the purpofe of feed. 



In performing the bufinefs the plants are drawn up by the roots in fmall handfuls, 

 which are ufually fet up to dry, after each handful has been tied up by one of the 

 flalks, in the number of four together in an erect portion againft each other* 

 Sometimes they, however, become fufficiently dry by turning without being fet up.. 

 After they have remained till fully dry, which is moflly effected in the courfe of a&amp;gt;. 

 week or two, they are bound up into larger bundles, that contain each fixty hand*- 



* Martyn s Edition of Miller s Dictionary, art. Reseda Lutcola,. 



