86 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. VI. 



good full pitch, which done, the ground remains in that state till some time 

 before Candlemas, when the next operation is to upridge it, crosswise to 

 the direction in which it was last ploughed ; and it thus lies until the end of 

 April or the beginning of May. The ridges are then split down with a 

 Strong double-breasted plough ; and in order to pulverize the top and sub- 

 mould, they are scarified crosswise, completely harrowed, and laid into 

 three-feet ridges. The furrows are drest with a compost of dung and 

 mould, of 25 to 30 one-horse cart-loads, holding about 20 bushels each, 

 per acre, and the ridges are again split down with the double-breasted 

 plough. The manure in the furrows being thus covered, the ridges are 

 now rolled with a roller, which, takincj two ridfjes at a time, reduces their 

 tops to an even and uniform bearing. Turnips are then drilled upon the 

 ridges ; the plants are set out upon the rows with a hand-hoe, and the in- 

 tervals are horse-hoed as often as occasion may require. 



As soon as the field is cleared, which is always before Candlemas, the 

 first operation is to split down the turnip-ridges, and the land is left in that 

 state until near the time for sowing barley, when the next tilth which it un- 

 dergoes is that of closely scarifying it diagonally and crosswise, until it is 

 in a fit condition for the reception of the seed ; which, after the necessary 

 harrowing and rolling, is then drilled — in nine inches apart, requiring about 

 two bushels of seed per acre, and yielding an average produce, taken from 

 the crops of the last three years, of 45 bushels 3 pecks, of 511b. 2oz. each, 

 per acre ; the weight of the broad-cast barley being 501b. 12oz. 



Previous to the last tillage operation which is given to the barley, and a 

 month or six weeks after it has been sown, ten pounds of red, and two 

 pounds of yellow clover are sown broad-cast per acre ; which, with the aid 

 of a dressing of peat or turf ashes, applied in the spring of the year, "will 

 yield an average produce of 2S cwt. of hay, per acre, from the first swath. 

 The after-grass is then fed down as close as possible, and the ley is broken 

 up with a skim coulter plough, which cuts the furrow-slice on the land-side 

 to a thin feather-edge, leaving on the furrow-side a small comb or balk : 

 the feather-edge slice is cast down to the bottom of the furrow, and 

 the small balk, with the great body of the slice, is taken up a good full 

 ])itch, and whelmed completely under. The field is then rolled smooth 

 and close down, and after harrowing to obtain a sufficiency of loose mould 

 for the drill to work in, the wheat is put in nine inches a-part ; the seed 

 required is about five pecks *, and the average produce is 24 bushels per 

 acre, weighing each 6llb. 2oz. ; the weight of tlie broad-cast wheat being 

 6 lib. per bushel. 



Under this management, calculating prices as in the foregoing account, 

 and rent, tithe, and assessments as nearly the same, the average of the 

 charges and the returns were — 



To expense of imnip crop . 

 Do. of barley Jo. . 

 Do. of clover do. 

 Do. of wheat do. . 



£l-i 9 £34 11 3 



thus leaving a balance, in four years, of 10/. 2s. 3d., or a net average profit of 

 21. 10s. 6jrf. per annum, leaving about 15s. per acre annual gain beyond what 

 was made under the broad-cast system. The same report, imleed, furnishes 

 several otiier statements nearly to the same effect, and containing the spe- 



* The statement says " luo hiishe/s :'' but the sum charged in the account is only for 



five pi cks. 



