To the Agricultural Society. i^^ 



I found it a difficult matter, in a ftiff fward, to fubdue tlie blue 

 grafs in one fummer feafon, even with four or five ploughings, 

 until adoping the method of breaking up the fallow fliallow, 

 not exceeding five inches ; thereby the roots are expofed to the 

 fun and drought, and of confequence mud perifh much 

 fooner than if ploughed deep. The fecond ploughing, turTt 

 the yellow ground up, or nearly as deep as you would wifli ; 

 but obferve to make the laft rather the deepeil in the whole 

 feafon ; by that means the befl, warmefl; and fweetened ground 

 will be at the bottom. The froft foon fetting in after the feed is 

 committed, prevents the fubterraneous heats before-mentioned 

 from difturbing or emitting of the volatile falts, until the 

 fpring J the fprout that grain or vegetables are compofed of 

 having an attrading and abforbing quality for all matter of 

 its kind, and thereby has a longer time and opportunity to 

 attract and abforb thofe particles ; for the fource or flrength 

 lying at the bottom, and covered with uncharged ground, 

 muft take a longer time to make its way to the furface of the 

 earth ; neither will the lofs of exhalation be as great. 



Though this mode of proceeding is different from the 

 common pradice, yet I am convinced, from a three years 

 pra£tice (let the caufe arife from whatever quarter) that it is 

 preferable to the antient mode of making the lafl ploughing 

 the fhalloweft, or any other that I have praclifed, both to 

 fubdue the fward, and of leaving the ground in a better 

 prepared flate for the reception of feed. One of my neighbours. 



