K T XE.] SOILING. 373 



them, but the object of the Flemings is not to give 

 their attention to this business till every thing that 

 concerns wheat-sowing is over. The plants are large, 

 and two feet long ; a man makes the holes with a 

 large dibble, like the potatoe one used on the 

 jEssex side of London, and men and women fix the 

 plants, at 18 inches by 1O inches; some at a foot 

 square, for which they are paid 9 liv. per munco 

 of land. The culture is so common all the way 

 to Valenciennes, that there are pieces of two, 

 three, and four acres of seed-bed often met with. 

 The crop is reckoned very uncertain : some- 

 times it pays nothing ; but in a good year, up 

 to 300 liv. the arpent (100 perches of 24 feet), 

 or 8l. 15s. the English acre. They make the 

 crop in July ; and, by manuring th.e land, get 

 good wheat. 



SOILING. 



Soiling on lucerne, tares, clover or chicory, 

 should go on through the whole of this month. 

 In some soils, and situations, and seasons, it may 

 not be possible to do any thing in it in May, but 

 now these plants will every where admit it. The 

 mowings should be daily, and attention paid that 

 the food be not left loaded in carts, or given in the 

 racks or cribs in such quantities as to ferment, 

 which presently renders it unpalatable, and conse- 

 quently refused by horses and cattle, much waste 

 ensuing. If the number to be fed be not so great as 

 to demand a one-horse cart load for every bait, 

 it will be proper to have an ass car for this purpose, 



B b 3 as 



