11O BARLEY AFTER TURNIPS. [MARCH, 



tenacity, which have been sheep-fed lately, the sur- 

 face may be firm and trodden. The degree will de- 

 pend upon the weather that has taken place, whe- 

 ther wet or dry; but if the farmer has a strong and 

 heavy hoe in his hand, or a spade, he will easily 

 perceive whether or not the temper of the surface 

 will let the scarifier work effectually. In this re- 

 spect, more attention is necessary now than in Fe- 

 bruary, as the advanced state of the season has 

 lessened his -chance of frosts, which are more ef- 

 fective in giving friability than any other circum- 

 stance. If this tool works well, or is likely to work 

 well by the 20th, its use should preclude the 

 plough ; but if, from the state of the surface, 

 compared with that of the soil, at the depth of five 

 inches, it appears that a ploughing is really neces- 

 sary, in such case, the prudent farmer will, of 

 course, give it. His grand object, in this exami- 

 nation, is to avoid turning down a surface which is 

 in a friable state, and -bringing up another, which 

 will harden, by north-east winds, into clods <>f 

 Iricli, as they are sometimes called. Let him- only 

 have the circumstance in contemplation, and he 

 will then be guarded, on one hand, against being 

 wedded to customary tillage, ;md, on the other, 



>t being too ready to trust to new method 

 which he may have had little or no experience. 

 It must, however, at all events, be prudent to 

 make a trial in . -Id, as the result will bring 



more conviction than any previous reasonings. 

 Such trials may be made, whether he sows his 



barley 



