MAY.] MOW TARES. 323 



The straw, yet entire, divides the soil better ; its 

 fermentation goes on less rapidly, is less advanced 

 when the seed is sown, and, consequently, the dung 

 is more in a state of furnishing a greater quantity 

 of carbonic acid, which appears, with water, to be 

 the principal aliment of plants." 



I have since been informed of a variety of other 

 cases, which seem to give much weight to this new 

 opinion, that long dung is more beneficial in many 

 applications than that which is short and rotten, 

 and particularly upon all heavy and tenacious soils. 

 Its superiority upon grass-land seems equally well 

 established. Should this at last prove the real fact, 

 it affords a curious reflection on the erroneous con- 

 duct of such multitudes of practical farmers who 

 have been all their lives putting themselves to con- 

 siderable expence in carting and re-carting, and 

 turning and mixing, for no other purpose but to 

 do mischief. 



MOW TARES. 



Very forward winter tares in a mild spring will 

 be ready to mow for soiling this month. Great 

 care should be taken to make the men cut one en- 

 tire stitch along the field before they begin another; 

 and not in the common slovenly way in squares, 

 or irregularly, so as to preclude the plough or 

 scarifiers till much is done. Whether the work is 

 done this month or in June, it is of great import- 

 ance that the tillage, whatever it may be, is given 

 immediately ; the land is thereby preparing for 

 turnips; whereas if, from irregular mowing, the 



y 2 teams 



