DIV 



DOO 



109 



three inches deep. The surface 

 may be chopped into pieces hy a 

 broad axe with a long helve, and 

 the sods pulled out with an instru- 

 ment made like a dun^ croom. — 

 The farmer may probably hit upon 

 a good time for this work in De- 

 cember, when there happens to be 

 no snow, and when it will not in- 

 terfere with other farming business. 

 The lower part of the ditch may 

 be done in the following summer, 

 or autumn. In a free and firm soil, 

 a ditch may be begun with a 

 plough, drawn by an orderly team 

 that will keep to the line. This 

 saves labour. 



To make a ditch straight, and 

 equal in all its parts, it is recom- 

 mended that the work be regulated 

 by a frame of slit deal, nailed to- 

 gether, to the exact size of the in- 

 tended ditch. It may be a rod or 

 more in length, and as wide as the 

 intended ditch. 



DIVISIONS, of a Farm, lots en- 

 closed for the convenience of til- 

 lage, pasturing, mowing, &c. 



The judicious dividing of a farm 

 into lots, may save much labour, 

 especially much travelling from 

 one part to another. The more 

 square lots are made, the more is 

 saved in fencing. Crooked fences 

 should if possible be avoided, not 

 only to save expense, but to add 

 beauty to a field, or plantation. — 

 All tillage lots, and especially small 

 ones, should be nearly of equal di- 

 mensions on all sides ; for if a lot 

 be out of square, the labour of 

 ploughing will be increased, as 

 there must be a number of short 

 furrows. If a lot be long and nar- 

 row, crosa ploughing will be either 



prevented, or the labour of it much 

 increased. 



When it can conveniently be so 

 ordered, the lots designed chiefly 

 for tillage should be nearest to the 

 house and barn, to save labour in 

 carting manure, and to prevent loss 

 in getting in the crops. The near- 

 er grain is, the less it will shatter 

 out in carting. The mowing lots 

 should be next to the tillage, if the 

 soil permits; as these must be 

 dunged, and their crops carted : 

 The lots for pasturage should be 

 contrived to be next, and the wood 

 lots farthest of all the lots from the 

 house, that so the view of the oth- 

 er lots may not be obstructed too 

 much by trees, 



DOOR DUNG, a manure taken 

 from the back yards and doors of 

 dwelling houses. 



Though it may seem to be made 

 up of chips, saw dust, and several 

 other matters that appear unpro- 

 mising, yet there are various sub- 

 stances intermixed with them, and 

 soaked into them, which contain 

 food for plants in abundance, A 

 large proportion of the dung of 

 swine and of fowls, which are ex- 

 cellent manures, are contained in 

 the compost. It has, besides, the 

 sweepings of the house, blood, 

 small borjes, shells, and other ani- 

 mal substances ; also suds, ashes, 

 soot, urine, together with salt par- 

 ticles, which are some of the best 

 of manures. 



It is, therefore, no wonder if this 

 filth is found to be very conducive 

 to the growth of plants, as it really 

 is. 



Some think it best to let it lie 

 year after year in the yard, that it 



