236 OP FALLOWING. 



up the ridge, which both lays the ground dry, and rips up 

 the furrows. The second ploughing is given as early as 

 possible after seed-time, when the ridge should be cloven 

 down, by a strong furrow, preparatory to cross-ploughing, 

 which is a most essential part of the process, and one that 

 ought to be carefully and substantially executed. About 

 the end of June, the land should be so completely reduced 

 by harrowing and rolling, as may permit couch-grass and 

 other root weeds to be gathered by the hand. It should 

 then be ridged up, when, if sufficiently cleaned, dung may 

 be applied ; but if not in that state, another ploughing must 

 be given, previous to the application of manure, after which 

 it ought to be seed-furrowed, by the end of August, and of 

 course be ready for sowing any time after the middle of 

 September. It has been found, that by allowing land to lie 

 for several weeks between seed-furrowing and sowing, it 

 gets consolidated before the roots of the plant strike in the 

 ground, in which way the plants are not so apt to be thrown 

 out of the soil by the spring frosts.* 



The process of fallowing, therefore, according to the 

 Scotch system, is both laborious and expensive, but it is the 

 pivot on which depends the proper cultivation of clay lands 

 in Scotland. The number of ploughings, (including one 

 or more cross-plotighings), where the soil is subborn, must 

 be as many as from six to seven. Rolling repeatedly is also 

 necessary to break the clods, in order that access may be 

 had to the root-weeds mixed with the soil, and the land 

 must be harrowed for the purpose of bringing those weeds 

 to the surface. There is reason however to believe, after 

 every solid clod has been crushed and reduced by the roller, 

 that this object may be attained by the scuffler, when the 



* Communication from Mr Hope of Fenton. Consequently a stale 

 furrow is considered to be essential. 



