OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 83 



4th. Time of fmving from the latter end of March 

 until the beginning of May ; fo much depends upon 

 the feafon, it is very difficult to determine, what is the 

 moft proper time for fowing; this year, 1801, for 

 example, was favourable to early fown barley, unfa- 

 vourable to that, which ,was fown late, and yet the 

 ground in the beginning of May had a more promifing 

 appearance than in the beginning of April. Much de- 

 pends upon judgment, in taking the ground in proper 

 order ; but, as much depends upon the circumftances 

 of the weather after fowing, it is a moft eligible thing 

 to have ground properly dry for the feedj if, how- 

 ever, it is nearly devoid of moifture at that period, and 

 that rain does not fpeedily follow, the grain -does not 

 equally vegetate, and that, which . remains ^without 

 growing for any time, . never overtakes the reft, but 

 remains green at harveft, whilft the firft fprouted feed 

 is ripe. Barley appears to me more liable to this, mif- 

 fortune than any other grain; the caufe of which is 

 probably the advanced feafon, at which it is generally 

 committed to the ground, and its confequent drynefs. 

 I fhould think it a good method, where a confiderable 

 quantity of this grain is to be fown, to let the fewer in 

 dry weather follow the plough as clofe as poffible, 

 after the laft ftirring, before the moifture evaporates, 

 rolling the ground immediately. ; which tends not only 

 to keep it from efcaping, but from the finenefs it gives 



the furface, permits any cafual fhowers to penetrate 

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M 2 with 



