[ 159 3 



abroad, and bring part of r!ic earth against the comb ; the seed is 

 then sown and harrowed with two horr.es abreast, each* horse going 

 on the comb; they then (with a plough called a combing plough) 

 divide it; the plough being conftructed to throw one halt' of it as 

 a furrow to tlie right, and the other to the left; the laborers then 

 go over the ridges a second time with their mattocks, and strike 

 those furrows towards the middle of the ridges, winch effectually 

 covers what •. ain the harrows may have left uncovered, and leaves 

 the ridges in the shape of a neat asparagus bed. 



This method is very well calculated for clayey and wet lands 3 

 where it would be dangerous for the cattle to trample on the 

 ground. 



An acre a day is the usual quantity ploughed. 



On light loam the following rotation is practised. 



ist. Wheat. 2d. Peas. 3d. Barley. 4th. Winter Vetches, 

 which produce a good feed by the latter end of March, or begin- 

 ning of April, and are fed a second time, at the latter end of May; 

 the land is then ploughed once, and sown with turnips, which are 

 hoed and consumed befoie Christmas ; and 5th. Wheat again. 



A better system is adopted by some, vtis. substituting barley as 

 the fifth crop on which clover is sown. The clover is well ma- 

 nured the ensuing winter, spring fed, and cut in the autumn for 

 seed; after which wheat is sown on one ploughing as the seventh 

 crop. 



In the parish of Bishop's Lidiard they frequently plough their 

 wheat stubble soon after harvest, give it a good dressing of rotten 

 donoc, and let it lie in ridges during the winter. In the month of 

 February or March they sow carrots, which are fit to be dug up 

 the latter end of July ; they then sow turnips or plant cabbages, 

 and after those sow barley and grass seeds. On rich sandy loam 

 this husbandry cannot be too much extolled. 



It is not the general practice within these hundreds to give the 

 arable land a compleat fallow. They more frequently introduce 

 what they call a pin fallow, which is ploughing after vetches, 

 clover, or beans, two or three times, to prepare for a succeeding 

 crop of wheat. In this way they put on a good dressing of rottea 

 dung before the last ploughing. 



X 2 On 



