110 



but in land of a very dry quality, the drought is fre- 

 quently very prejudicial to the crop of oats, which re- 

 quire moisture, and consequently should be sown early 

 in dry soils and climates. 



per acre. It may be proper to explain the circumstances as 

 they really stood. Upon entering to a field of three year 

 old grass, he was urged to sow it with wheat in the spring, but 

 declined to adopt such a scheme, as having something in it to him 

 quite novel. He was induced, therefore, by the advice of an emi- 

 nent agriculturist in East Lothian, who much disapproved of 

 the wheat scheme, to make the above trial. When told the re- 

 suit, and when asked, if wheat would do much better after one 

 crop of clover, though it might alter the case a little, he 

 gave a decided opinion in favour of oats, even in that case. 

 What induced some to approve of wheat upon old grass af- 

 ter pasture, in this case, was, the superior excellence of 

 the soil, and its uncommon tenderness. The wheat and; 

 oats were both sown near the middle of February, both 

 equally well harrowed, and covered with the mould ; but the 

 former, besides being deficient in quantity, was much infe- 

 rior to good wheat, while other spring-sown wheat, on such 

 land, but not sown after pasture, was as rine as usual. 



Other intelligent farmers, also, object to wheat after grass. 

 Mr Andrew or Tillilumb, near Perth, states, that if only one 

 ploughing is given, to wheat after grass, the slug-snail eats it 

 up. This is also partly the case, though it gets several 

 ploughings, unless they are given very early in the season, as 

 thus he apprehends the ground does not yet get time to rot 

 and pulverize, so as to gather that firmness and closeness 

 which would prevent their lodging therein ; and besides, he 

 thinks that there is a something about the ground after grass, 

 which is not congenial to wheat : hence, though the snail 

 may not devour it about this time or in winter, it dies away 

 in the spring, or blights in summer. 



Another farmer remarks, that he sometimes sows a few 

 acres of wheat, by preparing it with rag-fallow; that is, by 

 giving the ley two or three furrows, and proper harrowings, 

 to reduce the turf. However, if the loss of winter pasture, 

 extra work beyond what an oat-crop requires, and the foul 

 state the land is commonly left in, by this practice for fallow, 

 is put to the debtor side of the wheat account, perhaps this 

 method of growing wheat, does not prove more profitable 

 than an oat crop. He has tried, he adds, wheat after grass, 

 but never found it answer with only one furr*w. 



