CULTIVATION. 99 



lumps are fassed up. If land is taken when just moist 

 and slightly crusted, the work is easier and more satis- 

 factorily accomplished. Fass work is so important that 

 it is necessary to closely review the objects of fassing. 



It has been stated that fassing is necessary to destroy 

 weeds, and the importance of weeding will be considered 

 below. When fassed, the surface of the soil is always culti- 

 vated, and the soil is brought more fully under the influence 

 of the atmospheric weathering agents. However the fassed 

 surface is soon desiccated and rendered devoid of micro- 

 organism activity, and consequently it is doubtful if the 

 cultivated upper surface contains any more food than the 

 lower undisturbed layers of soil. Fassing is but seldom 

 undertaken with a view to mixing the soil, as this can be more 

 cheaply done by other means. In fassing crops on ridges, 

 land is brought to the plant root from the neighbouring 

 ridge; this is a useful but not necessary function of fassing. 

 After applying manure to growing crops, it is necessary to 

 cover the manure with a thin layer of soil, to prevent its 

 being carried away by the irrigation water. The crop is 

 not fassed after manuring but rather the manure is applied 

 before an ordinary fassing. In other words, there is no 

 special fassing given entirely for the sake of covering the 

 manure. 



Crops are not usually fassed with the object of destroying 

 weeds, for there are often no weeds when fassing is under- 

 taken ; they are not fassed to cultivate the surface nor to 

 mix the soil, nor are they specially fassed to incorporate 

 manure with the soil. Hence it follows that they are fassed 

 with a view to the attainment of the fifth object, namely the 



