130 THE PRINCIPLES OF 



and-a-half inches of the surface soil which contains the 

 weeds including the couch. On a previous occasion I 

 mentioned that immediately after harvest the weeds are 

 weak, the couch lies near the surface, and it is weak from 

 the overshadowing of the corn crop. Then follows the drag 

 or heavy harrow, which has no difficulty in penetrating to the 

 bottom of the work. The moved portion is thoroughly 

 knocked about with the heavy drags, once rolled, four times 

 harrowed in different directions to bring the couch out, twice 

 chain-harrowed to separate the couch from the adherent soil, 

 couched, burned, and the ashes spread. That ends the first 

 series of operations. Next plough it, four* times drag it, 

 roll it, four times harrow it, twice chain it, couch it, burn, 

 and spread the ashes. That is the second series of opera- 

 tions. That ought to be sufficient to clean a field. Thirdly, 

 in places where couch and other weeds are most prevalent, 

 we may have to repeat these operations a third time in 

 certain spots, and in such case plough them, give them a good 

 dragging, harrow, chain, couch, burn, and spread the ashes. 

 Two coats of couch very often are brought out, and the 

 third couching will generally be partial only, and restricted 

 to the foulest spots of the field. Then cart the dung on, 

 and give the winter furrow as deeply as is advisable, but not 

 so deeply as to bring up any of those injurious materials or 

 seeds of weeds or other drawbacks, and leave it till the spring. 

 Such is autumn cultivation. 



Briefly reviewing the above given cultivations, observe that 

 there is a principle or method running through them. First, 

 the section of the ground containing couch and other weeds 

 is detached from the section below it by the plough, the 

 broad share, or the cultivator. Next this weedy portion is 



* The numbers of operations here recommended are not intended to 

 be understood as absolute, but are given as fairly approixrnating to 

 what is usually necessary. I. W. 



