Chap. VII. OF THE BREAKING UP OF LANDS. 15 



It does not appear, that light grounds require quite fo many plow- 

 ings. It might ev^n be feared, leaft by frequent turning of fuch 

 lands, and expofing their parts to the fun, they might be exhaufted : 

 for as the fun robs the light foil of its moiflure, fome of the more 

 volatile particles, fit for the nourifliment of plants, might be car- 

 ried off with it : yet experience fliews, that light lands are bettered 

 by being plowed; either becaufe the breaking and llirring of their 

 particles renders them fitter to receive the moifture of rain and dew, 

 to profit by the influences of the air, and be penetrated by the rays 

 of the fun ; or that, as Mr. Tull thinks, the internal pores are better 

 fitted for the extenfion of roots ; or again, becaufe frequent plow- 

 ings deftroy weeds, which are more apt to grow in light grounds 

 than in ftrong, efpecially when they are dunged. 



To prove by an experiment, what we have jufl: advanced with 

 refped; to light foils : let us fuppofe one half of a field to be in- 

 differently plowed, and the other half to be plowed extremely well. 

 Some time after, and in dry weather, let the whole field be crofs- 

 plowed. The land of that half of the field which was thoroughly 

 plowed, will be of a darker colour than that of the other half which 

 was but flightly plowed. This fliews the benefit the land has 

 received by plowing. 



Some break the clods of earth with a roller. This is of great 

 fervice when the land is not too wet, in order to prepare it for 

 plowing. But if the earth is very moift, the roller will do it more 

 hurt than good. 



Others think to fupply the want of plowing, by harrowing their 

 land greatly after it has been fown. But this way of fcratching 

 the earth is of little fervice ; and when it is moiil, the horfes poach 

 and damage it confiderably. 



CHAP. VII. 



Of the Management of Lands neivly broke up. 



WE {hall treat in this chapter of lands which have not been 

 fown of a long time, and which are to be fitted for wheat 

 or other grain. 



Such lands may be divided into four claffes, viz. 1 . Wood-lands, 

 2. Commons. 3. Failure, or Meadow. 4. Mariliy-lands. We iliall 

 fpeak of each of them feparately. 



L Of 



