246 History of the English Landed Interest. 



sheep and lambs " quite a month earlier than conld clover 

 alone. 



Provided there was a certain amount of rain, September was 

 considered the best month for sowing wheat ; the first fortnight 

 for getting it in on the summer fallows ; the last fortnight 

 on the " clover lays." On hea\^ lands a bearded variety, 

 termed "great" or "clog" wheat, and "rivets," were pre- 

 ferred ; and for obtaining the best flour, white or red Kentish 

 wheat was used. Steeping in brine or other pickles was less 

 in fashion than in Tull's days ; the idea that any of these 

 preparations fructified the seed being exploded, though it was 

 still recognised that they preserved the grain from being eaten 

 by worms and grubs, or destroyed by smut and other diseases. 

 Merely washing it in pure water enabled the farmer to 

 discover the light chaffy corns ; so that by skimming with a 

 quick hand all seed that did not sink directly to the bottom, 

 he made sure of sowing none but the soundest wheat. On 

 wet soils three-feet ridges were preferred, so that every furrow 

 acted as an open drain ; but on drier soils, such as those freed 

 from the surface-water by underground drains, the flat process 

 of cultivation was found to answer better. It was generally 

 recognised that two bushels per acre was a fair proportion to 

 sow ; but some farmers still adhered to the practice, initiated 

 by Tull, of sowing a less amount. Water-furrowing was 

 largely practised, the spade being introduced to deepen and 

 perfect the results obtained by the plough. Under the four- 

 course rotation wheat succeeded clover, and the best farmers 

 used the trench-plough in order to remove a thin slice four 

 inches thick before a second plough deepened the same furrow 

 by some three inches. In this way the sod was buried, and 

 the surface had a layer of mould which could be harrowed 

 to the moderate degree of fineness suitable for wheat culture. 

 This crop often, however, succeeded beans, in which case, 

 more than one tillage being required, it could not be sown 

 much before November, 



As soon as the wheat had been harvested, the land was ready 

 for ploughing as a first preparation for turnip culture. It 

 received " the second earth " in March, and another stirring 



