Improvement of arable Land. 1 1 1 



little fodden with Rain, before you proceed 

 to fpread them ^ or if it be a dry Seafon, and 

 there is no Probability of Ram, )ou may, 

 when the Wind is ftill, give them a gentle 

 Spreading 5 but if there be much Wind ftir- 

 ringj it will prevent their equal Scattering, 

 In the Operation of Burn-bating particular 

 Care is to be taken that the Turf be not over- 

 burnt ^ for if it be reduc'd to white Afhes, the 

 nitrous Salt will be exhaufted^ and the more 

 moderate and regular the Fire is, the better 

 the Salt is fix'd. The Ground under the 

 Hills ought to be pared fomewhat lower than 

 the Surface of the Earth, to check the extra- 

 ordinary Fertility occafion'd by the Fire in 

 thofe places beyond the others : And thefe 

 Parings are likewife to be^ equally fpread, 

 otherwife it is impoffible you fhould have a 

 Crop of Corn of equal Growth or Goodnefs. 

 Some Perfons burn with the Earth, the Roots 

 of Gofs, Broom, Stubble, &c, and others 

 pare oiFthe Heath and Turf, and after having 

 made them into little Hills, fire and burn em 

 to Afhcs:^ and into every Heap they put a Peck 

 of unflack*d Lime, which is to be cover'd over 

 with the Aflies, and fo left to ftand'till the 

 Rain comes and flackens the Lime, after which 

 both are to be mingled together, and fpread 

 over the Land. This Burn-bating is a prodi- 

 gious Improvement to barren heathy Ground 5 

 the firft two or three Years it will produce 

 furprizing Crops of Corn, infomuch that a 

 Man may in that Space of Time make the In- 

 ^ Q. 2 heritance 



