SOILS. 15 



wliatcvfr tlie depth of the natural soil lacks of 

 twenty-four inches, is to be supjilicd hy forcings that 

 is, carrying in soil from the adjacent fields ; for it 

 is not advisable to trench up and mix mucli of the 

 subsoil (of whatever texture it be) with it. In- 

 deed, in many cases, gardens are almost ruined by 

 the injudicious admixture of the subsoil with the 

 surface-mould. The method is this. 



To take three crops off the first surflice, and then 

 trench three qnt deep^ by which the bottom and top 

 are reversed, and the middle remains in the middle. 

 Take three crops off this surfiice, and then trench 

 two spit; by w^hich the top becomes the middle, 

 and the middle the top. And take also three crops 

 off this surface, and then trench three spit ; where- 

 by, that which was last the middle, and now^ top, 

 becomes the bottom ; and that which is now the 

 bottom, and w^as the surface at first, now becomes- 

 surface again, after having rested six years. Pro- 

 ceed in this manner alternately : the one time 

 trenching tw^o spit deep, and tlie other three ; by 

 which means the surface will always be changed, 

 and wall rest six years, and produce three. 



Hence there will always be nexv soil * in the gar- 

 den for the production of wholesome vegetables ; 

 and hence also will much less manure be required, 

 than when the soil is shallow, and the same surface 

 constantly in crop. 



* I presume the appellation is consistent with the idea we 

 have of New Soil, as certainly in reality there is no such thing ; 

 but, by this process, it will be in a great measure renovated^ 



