410 HORTICULTURAL MEMOIR3. 



land is prepared for sowing by means of two 

 ploughs. A small plough precedes, and opens 

 the furrow to the depth of four inches, and is 

 followed by a larger plough, drawn by four or 

 six oxen and as many horses, which deepens the 

 furrow to ten or fourteen inches* This plough 

 is called the Grande Charrue y and as the small 

 farms into which Guernsey is divided, do not ad- 

 mit of such an army of cattle in the possession of 

 any one farmer, this work is performed by a 

 contribution of the neighbours, who are repaid 

 by the like joint-stock assistance, the whole 

 being attended with a holiday-like bustle, that 

 cannot fail to surprise a stranger. I need not re- 

 mark, that a more accurate system of husbandry 

 could accomplish the subsequent trenching and 

 turning up of the first furrow with much less 

 force. The spade is used for this purpose in 

 some parts of France as well as in Jersey, but 

 is less expeditious and economical than a judi* 

 cious use of the trenching-plough. As soon as 

 the clods are capable of being broken, the har- 

 rowing commences, and is repeated till the soil 

 is pulverized, and reduced nearly to the state of 

 garden mould. The whole of these processes 

 ure intended to loosen the soil to as great a depth 

 as possible. * 



The seed should not be more than a year old, 

 as it is uncertain when of a greater age. It is 

 sown broadcast, and in a day just so windy as to 



