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7. "Tares. 



This article is not much cultivated in Scotland, a few 

 acres on every farm being only raised for soiling horses, 

 between the cuttings of clover-, but a spirited and intelli. 

 gent farmer near Edinburgh, (Mr Allan of Craigcrook), 

 has carried it to a still greater extent. He considers tares 

 one of the most valuable crops he can cultivate. If taken 

 to market green, they bring L.2j per acre ; and when 

 kept for seed, twelve bolls may be got per acre, which, 

 Mr Allan says, will fetch from L. 3 to L. 4 per boll. 

 The proper time for sowing tares for x.*ed, is about the 

 second week of March *, in drills about thirty inches 

 wide ; and three firlots of tares, is, in that case, a sufficient 

 quantity of seed, but it is thought better to sow rows of 

 beans and tares alternately, as the beans keep up the. 

 tares ; in that case, half a boll of tares, and the same 

 quantity of beans, is sufficient for seed. In favour of 



* Mr Kerr observes, that the time mentioned is very pro- 

 per for a crop of tares intended for seed. But what are wanted 

 for cutting or soiling, ought to be sown two or three times, 

 to give a succession. The first as early in February as the 

 season will allow, to come in immediately after the first cur- 

 ting of clover. A second crop, in the beginning or middle of 

 March, to stand for seed. And a third sowing in the end of 

 March or beginning of April, to cut green for the horses 

 during harvest. Beans answer excellently, to stake the tares 

 intended for seed ; but those which are meant to be cut 

 green, ought to have a small admixture of oars ; which both 

 serves to hold them up, admits the air, aids the scythe, anj 

 increases the food. 



It is a pity our Scots climate does not answer for winter 

 tares. Mr Kerr tried them twice ineffectually ; but was told 

 they sometimes come forward to cut before clover, but very 

 rarely. The earliest sown tares in spring, should, however, 

 be of the winter sort, being the hardiest. 



K 



