FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 97 



By this culture, too, if his lands are smooth, and tolera- 

 bly mellow, he may obtain his crops of grain with no fur- 

 ther ploughing, than the mere turning of the sward under. 

 At ail events, if they are too hard, or too rough, for this, 

 he may, nevertheless, get them into better order for sowing, 

 with the same labor he formerly bestowed on them. 



And, as a sward of natural grasses usually requires much 

 longer time to rot, than a sward of clover, he need not 

 break up the latter before the first of August ; by which 

 means he reaps nearly all the benefit which the second 

 season will afford of this grass. 



In this way, a season is not lost by fallowing; and, on the 

 whole, it is pretty profitable and good culture for much of 

 the rough arable lands of this Country, which have not been 

 fited by Nature, or by art, for the finest cultivation. 



But the English Farmers say their lands will eventually 

 become tired of bearing clover, or wheat, too constantly. 

 Perhaps the same will be the case here. If so, it will 

 indicate the necessity of fiting such lands, if practicable, 

 for a more perfect culture, by judicious rotations of crops; 

 or, at least, of appropriating them to the growing of other 

 grasses, and grain. 



But, as there is nothing like Summer-fallowing, properly 

 speaking, in thus raising alternate crops of clover and 

 wheat, or rye, that process would probably be found neces- 

 sary, at the end of every ten or twelve years, to cleanse the 

 soil of its increasing growths of weeds. Particular care 

 would also be requisite, to keep out all grasses from the 

 soil, but the clover; and this would be most easily and 

 effectually done, by repeated harrow ings before, and after, 

 sowing the crop of Winter grain. 



What is called Summer-fallowing in this Country is often 

 thought necessary, by most of our Farmers, for the purpose 

 of roting a stiff sward ; but this can be effected equally well 

 by a Winter-fallowing, and without any loss by the ground 

 being unproductive during a season. Thus, if a stiff sward 

 be turned under by the first of November, it will be found 

 sufficiently roted, for most crops, the ensuing Spring; and, 

 with proper managment, the Spring crop may be advanta- 

 geously followed by a Winter-crop, or by another Spring- 

 crop, as may be found most suitable to the soil. 



Winter-fallowing ought to be more attended to in this 

 Country ; and, in most cases, it should be the substitute of 

 such Summer fallowings as our lauds usually receive. All 

 Spring-crops should be preceded by this process, unless 

 preceded by hoed crops; and even where a hoed crop is 

 cultivated on a clayey, or a wet soil, the ground should be 

 thrown up into high narrow ridges in the Fall, in order to 

 be more easily and effectually mellowed the next Spring. 



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