^74 Cultivation of Arable Land. Liquorice. Soils proper for.. 



that fhould be avoided as much as poflible, as the.growth of the .teafcl plants mud 

 onfl:antly be injured by it. . . 



From the nature of the foil, the preparation that it; undergoes in rendering it fit 

 for the growth of the plants, and the fine ftate of pulverization and cleannefs that it, 

 is kept in by the after-culture which is neceffary, it becomes well, adapted for the 

 reception of a wheat crop after the teafels are removed, and which may moftly be 

 put in on one ploughing. But as the teafel robs the foils on which it is grown of a. 

 confiderable portion of their fertility, as is evinced by its fucceeding the moft per 

 fectly on lands that are newly broken up from the (late of old fward ; it may not 

 be advifabie to follow it by fuch grain-^crops, except when the.grounds are very, 

 rich; but to interpofe fome fort of green crop, either of the bulbous-rooted or. 

 ftem kind, 



Liquorice* This is a plant fometimes cultivated in the field for the fake of its. 

 roots, which are made ufe of for various purpofes. It is a hardy perennial of the ( 

 deep-rooted -kind. The fpecies mcftly grown is the common fort ;* the roots of 

 which are faid to be more fweet and juicy than thofe of the others. An &quot;open 

 Situation is always to be preferred for this plant. . 



The foils moft fuited to the growth of the liquorice plant are thofe of the deep 

 light fandy loams, as the goodnefs of the crops depends upon the roots penetrating 

 to a confiderable depth. 



The preparation of the land is effected either by the fpade or the trench plough ; 

 but the firft is the more perfect method. In either way the ground muft be well loof- 

 ened to the depth of three feet or more, the autumn before the planting is intended ; 

 and a fufficient proportion of well rotted dung then intimately incorporated with 

 the mould. In this iiate the land is to remain till the time of planting, when 

 another ftirring of the earth mufr. be performed to the fame depth, the mould being 

 Jeft as light as poflible. 



The land being thus prepared, it is neceffary to provide a fufficient quantity of 

 fets. Thefe mould be taken off from the fides or heads of the old plants, care be 

 ing taken that each of them have one or two good eyes cr buds, and that they be 

 perfectly found. They mould be about ten inches in length. 



Time and method of planting. The bed feafon for putting the fets into the ground 

 is in the early part of the fpring, as foon as the frofts are over, as about the latter end 

 of February or beginning of March. 



There are different methods of putting the plants in, fome preferring the fet- 



* The Gtycyrrhiza glabra. 



