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TRI 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



TRI 



crops, less danger may be apprehended from this than from 

 any other extreme, as a great number of plants will be sup- 

 plied by the tillering or shooting out of new stems from the 

 joints about the surface, in consequence of the mould being 

 laid up against them. The quantity usually sown in Hert- 

 fordshire, in the broadcast method, is two or three bushels ; 

 but in the county of Norfolk they sow broadcast from two 

 to two and a half bushels; and in the drilling and dibbling 

 methods from five to six or seven pecks. In Essex they sow 

 broadcast about two bushels and half; and from seven to 

 ten pecks in the drilling and dibbling methods. A large 

 quantity of seed is sown in Sussex ; some, four bushels on 

 ley-land, and three upon tilth; others, three and a half: but 

 when this crop succeeds Peas at an early time, they sow 

 only three, which is the medium quantity ; but, if late, more. 

 In Berks, from two and a half to three bushels are generally 

 sown in the broadcast sowings of this crop ; and, in Oxford- 

 shire, two, two and a half, and sometimes three bushels. 

 The depth of putting in the seed should not generally be 

 more than from one to two or three inches ; and the best 

 farmers change their seed-wheat frequently. A soon as the 

 seed has been put into the land, it should constantly be laid 

 as dry as possible by the construction of proper drains and 

 water-furrows ; so as in all seasons to keep the water from 

 stagnating upon it. In the culture of Wheat, after it has 

 been put into the soil, there may be some difference, according 

 as it has been sown, or to the preparation of the land, with 

 other circumstances ; but in all cases it should be kept 

 perfectly clean and free from weeds, either by the horse or 

 hand hoe, as weeds not only injure the crop in its growth, 

 but lessen the value of the sample when brought to market. 

 The stirring of the mould also on the surface among the plants, 

 may frequently be useful in other ways, in addition to that 

 of preventing the growth of seed-weeds ; for as in the heavy 

 kinds of soils that are most adapted to this grain, the more 

 superficial parts are liable to become so hard and baked as 

 not to be easily penetrated by the newly-formed or coronal 

 roots of the plants in the early spring months, especially 

 when they are very dry, and have been preceded by much wet, 

 loosening of the earth by any means whatever must be very 

 beneficial. The effect of its becoming hard, and baked, is 

 shewn by the unhealthy yellow colour, and slow growth of 

 the crop ; and in that case it has been suggested that har- 

 rowing once or oftener in a place may be of much service in 

 the early spring months. Where the crops are tWin, and of 

 feeble growth, the operation may produce good effects, by 

 affording a sort of earthing up to the weak plants, and thereby 

 promoting a more vigorous growth, at the same time that a 

 number of new shoots are sent off' from the joints thus covered, 

 and the crop becomes full and abundant. It has been ob- 

 served by a late writer, that the practice of scarifying the 

 young drilled Wheat-crops should constantly be performed in 

 February, and not later than March ; but that some have not 

 supposed it to be so very beneficial, from not having performed 

 it at the proper time. And the drilled and dibbled crops, 

 where this method is not employed, particularly in the latter 

 mode, where only one row is placed on a flag, must be hand- 

 hoed in the interval, the first time in the beginning of the 

 above month, and a second time towards the end of it, or a 

 little later. The' business of thistling the Wheat-crops should 

 also be carefully performed in May, or in the very early 

 part of the following month, in all cases where it may be 

 necessary. The practice of rolling should also be employed 

 without having recourse to the harrow, or, after it has been 

 used, being highly beneficial where the surface is cloddy, 

 aud the operation is executed when the ground possesses a 



medium degree of moisture, as well by forcing the roots of 

 the Wheat into the earth, as by causing the new stems to rise. 

 And in thin light soils, when this sort of grain is cultivated 

 upon them, much benefit may also be produced in this way 

 by the roots of the plants being prevented from being so 

 easily loosened and thrown out of the ground. In cases where 

 the land is not in a sufficient state of fertility or prepara- 

 tion to bring the crops to perfection, some persons make use 

 of top-dressings, and employ both fluid and solid manures. 

 The fluid sort consists principally of the draining of dunghills, 

 and the solid of various kinds of birds' dung, bone-dust, soot, 

 peat-ashes, and saline matters. The latter should be thinly 

 sown over the crops with as much evenness as possible, as 

 early in the spring as horses can without injury be admitted 

 upon the land ; and if it can be performed when the weather 

 seems inclined to be moist, that will be an advantage, and a 

 roller may then be passed over the crop with good effects. 

 Where the former substances are used, it will be necessary to 

 take care that the plants be not injured by the application of 

 too large a quantity. The proper season for performing this 

 business is February. It has also been suggested, that the 

 method of transplanting Wheat may be had recourse to in 

 particular cases, as, where there are some parts of such crops 

 too thickly set upon the ground, while others are too thin, 

 irregular, or patchy ; for by thinning and setting out the 

 crowded plants, the whole produce will be greatly improved. 

 When Wheat is raised in the garden, one acre will produce 

 sets enough to plant a hundred, when planted after being 

 properly divided at the distance of nine inches from each 

 other ; and as the business of transplanting is to be performed 

 in the spring, it is supposed that crops may be raised in this 

 manner on land possessing more moisture than is likely to 

 produce healthy Wheat in general. Besides, clean crops may 

 be produced in this way with much greater certainty, as, 

 where the ground is ploughed over just before the plants are 

 set out, the grain may rise much quicker from them than the 

 weeds from their seeds, which are overpowered by the crop. 

 The custom of feeding down Wheat-crops, where too forward 

 or luxuriant in the early spring months, by means of sheep, 

 is a practice often found to improve the produce. The good 

 effects are supposed to arise from the removal of the upright 

 central stems, by which means different new lateral stems, or 

 root-scions, are sent off or brought forward with more vigour 

 by the acquisition of a larger proportion of nutritious matter 

 from the joints, in consequence, that must otherwise have 

 been exhausted in supporting the central stems. This method, 

 however, is found to succeed best on such strong and fertile 

 lands as are apt to produce a larger proportion of straw than 

 can be properly supported. In which cases, advantage has 

 been said to be derived by feeding off the blade at two or 

 more successive times; but, in effecting the business, great 

 care is necessary to see that the whole is completed before 

 the crop begins to spindle, otherwise more injury than good 

 may be produced. On the poor sort of ground tins practice 

 must be employed with great caution, as it often will retard 

 the growth of the grain ; and on lands where the crops are 

 thin, the sheep may injure them by biting too closely. The 

 animals ought not therefore to remain upon the crops in wet 

 weather, when the surface of the ground is much loosened ; 

 nor after sudden frosts and thaws, when they are very likely 

 to pull up and destroy the plants. On the other hand, the 

 treading of the animals may prove very serviceable in all the 

 light sorts of Wheat-land, where the crops are thin ; as they 

 not only press the earth more closely about the roots of the 

 plants, but the stems in many instances will be so forced 

 into the <rround, and covered up, that new shoots will be 



