Cultivation of Arable Land. Madder Soil and Preparation for* 



muft of courfe be greatly injured in their growth : caution muft therefore be ufcd 

 in directing the feeding down of clover or other crops where the weld plant is 

 prefent. 



There can be little doubt but that crops of this fort may be cultivated with 

 much profit in fome cafes, where the foil is adapted to its growth, and from its 

 nature notdifpofed to the blight, or to lofc its moifturetoo much in the fummer 

 months ; but under the contrary circumftances its culture mould not be attempted, 

 Befides, from the great confumption of vegetable matter which it caufes, with 

 out contributing any thing in the way of manure to the land, it can only be intro 

 duced with propriety, perhaps, in fituations where manure can be eafily obtained.* 

 In thefe cafes, where the crops are cultivated withfufficient attention,it may be a good 

 preparation for wheat or turnip crops. 



When the weld cannot be difpofed of foon after it is pulled, it may be preferved 

 perfectly good feveral years by being put up in flacks, either in the barn or the 

 open air, care being taken to keep it from being injured by the attacks of rats or 

 other vermin. 



Madder. This is another plant of the perennial kind, that is fometimes cultivated 

 in large plantations in the field, for the fake of its long thick flefhy root, which is 

 employed in the art of dyeing, for the purpofe of giving a fcarlet colour.f It 

 \\ as formerly much more cultivated in particular diftricts than it is at prefent ; 

 the importations fromHolland having leffened the demands, and reduced the price of 

 it fo much as to render its culture incapable of being conducted with profit to the 

 farmer; 



The foils the moft fuited to the cultivation of this plant arethofe of the deep 

 fertile fandy loams that are not retentive of moi flu re, and which have a confider- 

 able portion of vegetable matter in their compofition. It may alfo be grown on 

 the more light~defcriptions of foil that have fufficient depth, and which are in a 

 proper (late of fertility. 



In the preparation of the land for the reception of the crop, it will beneceflary 

 to plough it up deeply before the winter into high ridges, in order that it may be 

 cxpofed to the action and influence of the frofts. And it mould be well water- 

 furrowed, that it may be kept quite dry. Early in the fpring thefe ridges 

 fliould be well harrowed down by a heavy long-tined harrow, and then ploughed 

 again in the contrary direction to a good depth ; and when, after this, it is not 

 perfectly clean from weeds, or not rendered fufficiently fine and mellow, another 



* Marshall s Rural Economy of Norfolk. f It is the Rvbia tinctoria, 



