180 WORCESTER SOCIETY. 



two or more ears, and braiding up. And again, what is quite 

 as important, is the proper preparation of manure. 



I did in this case as I have long practised doing, viz. ; cart 

 out in the autumn, aU the various kinds of manure that I could 

 gather, place in heaps in the field, being careful to give a due 

 proportion to the heaps, of the different kinds, and heap it high, 

 so as to turn the rain ; in the spring I cart as early as possible, 

 my green maimres to these heaps, and tip up all around them. 

 I then commence early in April, if possible, to mix them, fre- 

 quently being obliged to use an iron bar to break the frost in- 

 side the heap, taking care to throw the frozen parts outside. I 

 always go over it twice, and thrice if I can, keeping it heaped 

 high, in this way producing as early as possible a fermentation. 

 I have found, by attention to the above particulars, that a for- 

 wardness of the crop is promoted by a difference of weeks. 



When I spread manure wholly, I furrow usually but one 

 way, three feet apart. If on dry land, throwing part of the 

 furrow back with the foot, and dropping four kernels once in 

 two and a half feet. If on wet or moist land, drop in the same 

 manner on that side of the furrow that is turned out, levelling 

 first with the foot. Sandy knolls, I have found, may be made 

 to stand the drought by furrowing deep, and planting the seed 

 not less than four inches below the surface or level. And then 

 I am careful to line my field as soon as I have done planting, 

 as it has always proved a preventive to the depredations of 

 crows, if done before the corn is up ; but if they once get a 

 taste, it is not sure to keep them off after. And I have latterly, 

 having received great damage by crows in autumn, set my line 

 so high as not to interfere with ploughing, and obtained a twine 

 sufficiently strong to remain for my protection in the latter sea- 

 son, which has proved perfectly successful. I have not yet 

 come to the wise conclusion of a brother of the plough, never 

 more to plant an outside row, because of its unproductiveness. 

 There is, however, a row outside of the outside row, the prin- 

 cipal cause of the unthriftiness of the latter, consisting usually 

 of bushes, briars and grass, which I think well to dispense with, 

 and usually demolisii with a bog hoe ; and though I am a peace 

 man, I have declared a war of extermination against weeds, 

 ■vyhich, if allowed to grow, rob the crop of its best sustenance, 



