;jlf5 Cultivation of Arable Land. Preparation of Land for Grafs Seeds* 



rolling in the early fpring months ; and by the frequent interpofition of fuch forts 

 of crops, in the courfes that precede thofe of grafs, as have a tendency, from the 

 peculiar nature of their roots, to loofen and render the foils fine ; fucb as thofeof 

 the bean, cabbage, rape, and clover kinds. The lighter forts ot land may be 

 brought into a proper condition for the reception of grafs-- feeds, by repeated 

 ploughing and harrowing, or fcuffling, and the frequent introduction in the pre 

 vious crops of fuch forts of green fallow crops, as have a power, by the great de 

 gree of made and stagnation which they afford, as well as by the culture which 

 they require while growing, of bringing the foil into a fine friable (rate. Thefe 

 are turnips, potatoes, tares, fainfoin, and others of a ilmilar defcription. It has 

 been obferved by an intelligent cultivator, that where the grafs- feeds are to be put 

 into the ground with grain crops in the fpring, the tillage mould be performed 

 with more than ordinary attention ; which, in the cafe of turnips, will depend 

 greatly upon their being confumed at fuch an early period as will admit of the 

 ground being thoroughly broken down and reduced j for if there be much delay f 

 and the fcafon prove unfavourable, a bed of mould, fufficiently loofe and mellow, 

 will not be procured for the reception of the feeds : and when grown with fpring 

 corn, the lands mould be ploughed over three times : and where the firft of thefe 

 earths can be given early enough to be influenced by the vernal frofls, it will be 

 found to be much more beneficial.* The ufe of the harrow and the roller will be 

 occasionally necefTary after the different ploughings, according to the nature and 

 ftate of the land. Btit where the fowing is executed in Auguft the fame degree of 

 attention is not believed by fome to be fo neceflary, as the time and feafon afford fo 

 full an opportunity of bringing the ground into fuitable order, that the moft in 

 attentive cultivator can fcarcely experience any other difficulty than what originates 

 from an unufual wetnefs of feafon. f 



But befides this finenefs of preparation in the foils, it is neceflary that the method 

 of cropping and application of manure in the preceding courfes be fuch as to leave 

 them in a (late of high fertility and richnefs ; as no good grafs-land can befuppofed 

 to be produced where the lands have been worn out and exhausted by the pre 

 vious crops, a practice which has, however, been too general in the returning of 

 arable lands to the condition of grafs. Mr. Marfhall has indeed very juftly ob 

 ferved, that the want of proper condition in the lands at the time of their being 

 laid down to fward, added to thofe of improper forts of graffes and bad feeds, is 

 the chief caufc of their not fucceeding. According to fome, manure ought to be 



* Clofe in Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. Ill, + Rev. A. Young in Ibid. 



