OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 67 



production. When ground is treated in this barbarous 

 manner, the foot finks into it after harrowing as into a 

 bed of afhes, whilft that, which is properly tilled, has 

 an elafticity to the tread, that can eafily be diftinguifhed 

 from the dead foftnefs juft mentioned ; fome land there 

 is, however, of fuch a fortunate texture, that even this 

 treatment does not ruin it, but what is the confequence ? 

 It encourages other farmers to go on with this deftruc- 

 tive practice, until their land is fo completely exhaufted, 

 that it is incapable even of yielding grafs, and can only 

 be recovered by lying in lea, and the application of 

 earth, that has not yet felt the baneful influence of the 

 fyftem fo generally in ufe. There is fcarcely any part 

 of this county, in which the effect of land thus abufed 

 may not be feen j as foon as the farina of the feed is 

 gone, and the roots are left to fhift for themfelves, the 

 hollownefs of the ground is fuch, as not to afford them 

 nourishment ; in confequence the plants die, and leave 

 their place to be occupied by weeds, which from their 

 conftitution are better enabled to flruggle with accu- 

 mulated difficulties. 



SECT. \ Fallowing, 



FALLOWING is feldom praftifed, except in a few in- 

 ftances where a gentleman or farmer of experience and 



K 2 fpirit 



