iS OF THE BREAKING UP OF LANDS. Parti. 



III. Of Meadotvs and Taf.ure-lands. 



'~T^ HIS article comprehends fiiin-foin, lucerne, clover, and in 

 -*■ general all grounds intended to be plowed, in order to their 

 being town. It likcwife comprehends lands which are plowed only 

 every eight or ten years, either becaufe they are too poor to bear a 

 crop ever}^ year, or becaufe the country is not fufficiently inhabited 

 for all its lands to be cultivated. 



With refpedt to grafs-lands of every kind, the farmer ufually con- 

 tents himfelf with plowing them well. But as ground which has 

 relied a long time, is very hard, it is impoflible to plow it till it 

 has been foftened by the autumnal rains. 



This plowing, which muft be performed with a ftrong plough, 

 neceffarily leaves the land very rough and full of large clods, which 

 are mouldered by the winter's froft and rain ; fo that a fecond 

 plowing, if the fpring is not too v/et, fits it for fovv^ing oats. 

 Wheat muft not be fown in it, till, by frequent plowings, the earth 

 has been brought to a fufficiently fine tilth for that grain, which 

 requires more nouriflimcnt than oats. 



Lands which are plowed only every eight or ten ye^i's> are com- 

 monly burnt, that the fire may divide their particles, and the 

 afhes of the leaves and roots add to their fertility. As this pro- 

 cefs may properly be called a manure, we Ihall fpeak of it in the 

 chapter of Manures. 



IV. Of moift Grounds. 



'E do not mean to treat here of the draining of marflies, but only 

 to fpeak of fuch lands as, lying lov/, are overflowed with water 

 from the neighbouring grounds; or of thofe, which, by their hold- 

 ing of water, are always fo moift that they cannot be plowed. 



^In this cafe, if the land intended to be plowed, has any fort of 

 declivity, it will be fufficient to furround it with a ditch, to receive 

 the water from the neighbouring grounds, and likev/ife to carry oft* 

 its own too great abundance of moifture. ,But if there be a bottom 

 in the middle of this land, it will be neceffary to drain it, by a 

 ditch, which ftiall empty itfeif into the furrounding ditch. 



When the ground is nearly level, our farmers cut deep furrows 

 with a trenching-plough. 



The land, being thus dried, is treated in one or other of the 

 before mention'd methods. 



2 CHAP. 



