96 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



the expense ; but, generally speaking, not otherwise ; unless 

 the cleansing of the soil becomes highly requisite, or unless 

 it be so stiff, or sour, that nothing short of this process will 

 sufficiently mellow or sweeten it. 



Sometimes a process, similar to a complete Summer- 

 fallowing, may be found essentially requisite for old mea- 

 dows, of rough bottom, and clayey soil, and where the 

 grasses have failed; not only for giving such lands a 

 smooth furface ; but also for greatly increasing, and im- 

 proving, their products ; and sometimes it may be found 

 requisite to commence with a previous Winter-fallowing, 

 in order completely to mellow the soil, for being, in due 

 time, sowed with grass-seeds, the ensuing season. 



A complete Summer-fallowing is also the best prepara- 

 tive for a crop of flax. 

 See that article. 



Much of the lands of this Country undergo what may be 

 called a Summer-fallowing, in part, when intended to be 

 sown with Winter-wheat, or rye ; that is, the sward is 

 usually turned over in June; and then two ploughings 

 more, and perhaps three harrowings, are given the ground, 

 before the sowing is completed. 



Formerly, no grass-seeds were sown with the crop; but, 

 during the following years, in which the land was suffered 

 to rest, the supply of pasture it afforded was merely its 

 natural growth, which was usually of small account, The 

 crops of grain thus raised were generally proportionate to 

 this poorness of culture : After deducting from the crops a 

 very moderate rent for the land, the remainder, generally, 

 did not pay the Farmer for his labor in raising them. 



Fortunately, however, the use of gypsum has greatly en- 

 couraged the use of red-clover; and the difference which 

 this grass, with the aid of that manure, has effected in the 

 quantity of the grain thus raised, has probably served to 

 convince the more enterprising Farmer, that formerly this 

 part, at least, of his husbandry was very contemptible. 



Now he finds the average of these crops to be, perhaps, 

 twenty bushels an acre : Formerly they were about half that 

 quantity. Now, the clear profits in the crop, by the acre, 

 are, perhaps, from six to eight bushels of wheat : Formerly 

 they were nothing. The stunted growths of grass, with 

 which his fields were formerly clothed, did not usually 

 afford pasturage sufficient to pay a very light rent of the 

 ground ; while at present the two Summer's growths of 

 clover, after deducting the expenses of seeding, gypsum, 

 8cc. will afford him at least as much clear profit, as he 

 derives from his crops of grain ; and, in the mean time, his. 

 lands are gradually increasing in fertility. 



