72 Cultivation of Arable Land. Tcafel After-culture of Crops of, 



means of fpades which have long narrow bitts not more than about four inches in 

 breadth, having the length of fixteen or eighteen inches. With thefe the land is 

 commonly worked over in the intervals of the plants three or four times during the 

 fummer months ; and about the beginning of November, when they fland too 

 clofc ly together, they mould be drawn out, in order to fill up any vacancies that 

 may have occurred. When there are flill too many plants remaining, it is fome- 

 times a practice to prepare another piece of ground, into which thefe are tranfplant- 

 ed. It is, however, found that thofe plants which are never removed produce the 

 bcft heads.* 



In the enfuing winter, as about the latter end of February, the land between the 

 plants is to be again worked over by the narrow fpades, care being taken that 

 none of the mould falls into the hearts of the plants. And about the middle of 

 May, when they begin to fpindle, another digging over is given, the earth being 

 raifed round the root-items of the plants, in order to fupport and prevent them 

 from being blown down by the wind. Some cultivators perform more frequent 

 diggings, that the ground may be rendered cleaner and more mellow ; confequent- 

 ly the growth of the plants be the mod effectually promoted, f This bufinefs is 

 commonly termed Jpaddling t and is executed with great difpatch by labourers that 

 are accuflomed to it : the ufe of the hoe has been attempted by fome in perform 

 ing it, but without fuccefs. j; After thefe diggings nothing further is neceffary 

 till the period of cutting, which is generally about the month of July, which is 

 known by fome of the uppermofl heads beginning to blow ; as, when the bloflbms 

 fall, they are ripe, and in a ftate to be cut. 



This is a work that mould be performed as the heads become ripe ; but is moff- 

 ly executed at three different times, at the diftances of about ten days or a fortnight 

 from each other. It is done by means of a knife, contrived for the purpofe, with 

 a fiiort blade and a firing attached to the haft. This lafl is done in order 

 that it may be hung over the hand. A pair. of flrong gloves is likewife necefTary. 

 Thus prepared, the labourer cuts off the ripe heads along the rows, with about 

 nine inches of flem, and ties them up in handfuls with the ftem of one that is more 

 perfectly ripened. On the evening of the day on which they are cut, they mould 

 be put into a dry fhed ; and when the weather is fine and the air clear, they mould 

 be taken out, and expofed to the fun daily till they become perfectly dry. Much 

 care mult however be taken that no rain falls upon them. In doing this, fome 

 make ufe of long fmall flakes or poles, on which thefe handfuls are hung. 



* Correfted Agricultural Report of Somerfet, t; IbicL \ Ibid. 



