49 



son of the year, before the barley seed-time, is so neces- 

 sary for perfectly cleaning the land, that no saving of la- 

 bour could compensate the want of them, which saving 

 of labour, is supposed to be the test, if not thf only reason, 

 that can be given, for sowing barley on a winttr furrow. 

 As to the absurdity of burying that part of the surface 

 after being prepared and meliorated by the influence of a 

 winter atmosphere, and bringing up a soil less prepared, 

 he asks, may not this be rather more speculative than 

 solid ? He is much inclined to think, that it would be 

 much better to give the land another ploughing, as it 

 would mix and soften the soils, render them more capa- 

 ble of receiving and covering the seeds, and enable them 

 to spread their roots to greater advantage, by which a 

 more certain crop would be insured. Upon the whole, he 

 is clearly of opinion, that it would be impossible to keep 

 the ground clean, and in such good order for a succession 

 of crops, without sowing barley, or something of the same 

 kind, after having gone through all these operations. 



On the other hand, it is contended by a number of in- 

 telligent English farmers, that spring crops may be suc- 

 cessfully sown without spring ploughing. That the land 

 can be effectually cleaned from root weeds by a couch- 

 rake, and may be sufficiently stirred and pulverized by the 

 cultivator or scuffler. 



On strong land in Suffolk, indeed, after scarifying 

 merely, they sow barley, or oats, after fallow, or beans, 

 or pease, or tares, or after \vhat is called a bastard fallow. 

 In all these cases, the tillage is given in autumn, and the 

 crops are put in so early, that they are infinitely cleaner 

 than if a spring ploughing were given them, which would 

 have prolonged the sowing for six weeks or two months 

 later. 



For beans, this practice has been found peculiarly ex- 

 cellent, and has been attended with such success, that it 



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