222 



HOI'S, 



idea has been unjustly disputed. Anotl>er practice, 

 founded on direct contrary principles, has begun to 

 take place ; that of scarifying grass with a plough, 

 consisting only of coulters, or harrow teeth. The 

 advocates for this practice assert, that the burthen 

 of hay (not the beauty of grass as a lawn) is much 

 increased by loosening the surface, for the roots 

 to have the power of a fresh vegetation : that the 

 fault of most pastures is the being quite bound 

 and hard ; that rolling increases this tenacity, and 

 is consequently pernicious. Experiments are men- 

 tioned, which prove that grass-lands are infinitely 

 improved by this operation of scarifying ; and fur- 

 ther, that its use is extremely great when the ope- 

 ration precedes the manuring of grass-lands ; for 

 that much difficulty is found, to get the manure 

 "below the surface, for the roots to feed on ; whereas 

 if it l>e scarified well, the ground is opened so 

 much, that whatever you spread on it gets at once 

 to the roots ; consequently a small quantity so ap- 

 plied, goes as far as a much larger laid on in the 

 old way. 



HOPS. 



The chief business of this month, in the hop- 

 ground, is that of poling. In an article of cul- 

 ture so extremely operose as that of hops, and 

 which, at the s;:me time, employs the largest 

 capital of any branch of English husbandry, the 

 only object which should be expected in a work of 

 this sort, is slightly to touch on the chief works to 

 be done, not by way of direct ing how all are to be 



performed, 



