Cultivation of Grafs Land. Extirpating courfe Plants. 41 3 



the fcythe is employed. With one man and ahorfe twenty acres may be cut in a 

 day. It is advifed where the lands are in pafture that as foon as the thirties are in 

 full flower the tool fhould be fet to work in the lengthways of the ridges where 

 they exift, the cutting parts being kept very (harp. When they have been cut a day 

 or two, and are withered by their expofure to the fun and air, the ground fliould 

 be cleared, and well rolled in a crofs dire6iion,with a very heavy roller ; which, it is 

 faid, focrurties the hollow (lumps and renders them pervious to water, that the 

 roots quickly decay and become rotten. It is alfo capable of being ufed for other 

 ftrong weeds, and its operation is rendered more effectual by having the lands pre- 

 vioufly cleared from rubbiih and fubjecled to the adlion of the S-ward-dreJJer and 

 roller in contrary directions. Both thefe implements are reprefented in his Mi*. 

 nutes of Agriculture and Planting. 



Plants of the rufh kind may be eafily removed by preventing the flagnation of 

 moiflu re near the furface, by judicious under or furface drain ing, and the appli 

 cation of fubftances of the faline or calcareous kinds, fuch as afhes, lime, drift 

 from the roads, and other fimilar materials. Thefe are bed made ufe of in a dry 

 feafon, in either the autumn or fpring ; but the latter is probably the beft, as thefe 

 abforbent materials will thereby be made ufe of at the time fuch plants begin to 

 fhoot and eftablifh themfelves, and when there will be the leaft danger of theit 

 operation being leflened or prevented by too great a degree of moifture. It has 

 been ofeferved, that in naturally coarfe meadows, or fuch as become fo in confe- 

 quence of rufhes growing upon them before they have been rendered fufficiently 

 dry by draining, it forms a great improvement to apply a thin coat of fand evenly 

 over the furface of them, in the proportion of from twenty to thirty common 

 loads.* By this means the fward is rendered much finer, and a much better fort 

 of herbage brought up ; white clover being predominant in moil cafes. 



There is another method that, in particular fituations, may be moreeafy and con* 

 venient, and which has been found to quickly deftroy plants of this coarfe kind 

 by bringing up thofe of a finer defcription. This may appear extraordinary at 

 firft to thofe who have not feen its fudden and aftonifhing effects in this way. It 

 is that of conducting water over the furface of fuch grounds ; but in this intention 

 it fhould not be fuffered to have the leaft degree of flagnation, but be conveyed 

 off with as much expedition as poflible by fuitable drainage. 



. In particular cafes there is another fort of plant that is apt to fix and efbu 



* Kent s Hints. 



