FLO 



FLO 



147 



water not only makes an essential ' 

 alteration in their food, but also 

 excludes them from the free air, 

 which is essentially necessary to 

 vegetation. It is no wonder, there- 

 fore, that it proves their destruc- 

 tion. 



The flowing of two summers is 

 found suflicient to kill every plant 

 of the woody kind, so that it will 

 not sprout any more. But some 

 advise to drawing off the water in 

 August, that the groiuid may be, 

 for a few days, heated by the sun. 

 The plants thus suddenly pass from 

 one extreme to anothcr,which will 

 doubtless tend to destroy them the 

 sooner. But when the season is 

 so dry that another pond of water 

 could not be immediately raised, 

 the drawing off had better be omit- 

 ted. 



Another intention of flooding is, 

 to enrich the soil. Some lay their 

 low grasslands underwater during 

 the whole of the winter. This may 

 be a good method for lands which 

 are so low and wet, that none of 

 the best grasses can be made to 

 grow on them. The poor water 

 grasses will grow the faster ; and 

 the crops of such hay as it is, will 

 be the larger. 



But places where clover, or 

 herds-grass, or red-top will flou- 

 rish, should not be flowed during 

 the winter : Because the winter 

 frosts are known to be necessary to 

 the production of these grasses. 



Flooded lands should always be 

 laid bare early in the spring, that 

 the growth of the grass be not pre- 

 vented : Or that the ground may 

 be dried so early as to be fit for 

 tillage crops. And ditching of 



flooded lands, at least round the 

 borders, will be necessary to lay 

 them dry enough for tillage. 



As standing water catches dust 

 from the atmosphere, and always 

 contains niore or less of the finest 

 particles of soil, it deposits a rich 

 sediment ; a fat slime, therefore, 

 will remain on the surface after 

 the water is removed. And a time 

 should be chosen for drawing it off", 

 when the air is calm, and the wa- 

 ter clearest, that as little a quanti- 

 ty as possible of the food of plants 

 may pass otfwith it. Such land is 

 no more liable to suflR r by drought 

 than the fertile land of Eg> pt, which 

 is yearly enriched by the overflow- 

 ing of the Nile. 



Though winter flooding do not 

 suit the nature of good grasses, a 

 few days flooding in the spring and 

 fall will not hurt them ; but will 

 enrich the soil, and so promote 

 their growth. The soil will have 

 the same advantage as intervale 

 land, which is made rich and fruit- 

 ful by occasional flooding : Yea, a 

 greater advantage, as the water 

 may be applied and removed at 

 pleasure. 



FLOUR. " It has been gener- 

 ally supposedjthat if wheat be much 

 injured during a bad harvest, the 

 flour made from it will not ferment, 

 or bake into loaf-bread, and that it 

 is only fit for distillation, or to be 

 eaten by live stock. But such 

 ideas seem to be erroneous. With 

 the aid of soda the flour may be 

 much improved ; and at any rate 

 may be made into cakes, or biscuit, 

 and consumed with safety and ad- 

 vantage." Code of Agriculture. 

 The carbonate of magnesia of 



