47 



It may be proper also to observe, that some farmers, 

 convinced of the advantages of frequent ploughing, keep 

 an extra stock for that purpose. Mr Andrew of Tilli- 

 lumb, states, that he has always had four pair of work- 

 horses, and generally in spring and autumn he has been in 

 the custom of making up a fifth pair for harrowing, by 

 yoking a saddle-horse and young colt. This is rather 

 more than is usually kept on farms of such an extent, 

 (112 Scotch acres), but he has an advantage by it, as he 

 is thus able to dress his land the more completely. For 

 potatoes, he gives four ploughings, and sometimes five ; 

 for beans and barley, always three ; for wheat after oats 

 or beans, three ; which he finds effectually secures it a- 

 gainst the depredations of the slug-snail. 



Here it may not be improper to take notice of a prac- 

 tice, which was known in Scotland many years ago, that 

 of spring sowing, without spring ploughing, and which is 

 still occasionally adopted. Lord Kames, in his Gentle- 

 man Farmer, first printed anno 1776, has strongly re- 

 commended it, even though the scarificator or scuffier 

 was then unknown *. Mr Fletcher of Balinshaw, in For- 

 farshire, was accustomed to sow barley on a winter fur- 

 row, above twenty years ago. A respectable farmer in 



* The preferable method for sowing oats, and especially in 

 clay soil, is to turn the field over after harvest, and to lay it 

 open to the influences of frost and air, which lessens the tena- 

 city of clay, and reduces it to a fine mould. The surface 

 soil by this means is finely mellowed for the reception of the 

 seed ; which it ivonlil le a pity to Intry by a second ploughing be- 

 fore soiuing. We are taught by experience, that this soil 

 ploughed before winter, is sooner dry than when the plough- 

 ing is delayed till spring ; and as early sowing is a great ad- 

 vantage, any objection on account of**the superficial crusting 

 is easily removed by a strong harrow, which would produce 

 abundance of mould for covering die seed. Kames's Gentle- 

 man Farmer, p. 95. and 96. 



