OF FALLOWING. 243 



This will be more especially the case, if the crop is laid 

 down without dung, as rich manuring is very apt to occa- 

 sion that disease. Upon the best soils, indeed, many ag- 

 riculturists refrain from dunging their fallows, reserving the 

 manure to the year when the land is either under clover or 

 beans, though at that time it cannot be so frugally applied. 



As fallows are the surest foundation for growing wheat, 

 and as bread-corn is the only article of which this country 

 is in danger of being in want, it is an additional reason, 

 why the fallowing system should be continued upon clay 

 and heavy soils, especially as these soils can, by no manage- 

 ment, be fit for sowing wheat on them in the spring ; and 

 it is .uniformly observed, that the grain of wheat crops, 

 sown upon regular fallows in September, or early in Octo- 

 ber, is of the best quality, owing probably to their reach- 

 ing maturity earlier, and receiving the greatest heat of the 

 sun. 



Mr Cuthbertson of Seton Mains, informs me, that on 

 consulting with several very intelligent farmers, it was their 

 universal opinion, that there could be no mode of manage- 

 ment introduced upon a strong clay soil, so proper, or so 

 profitable, as fallow. Where land is improper for the growth 

 of turnip, how is the soil to be kept clear of all the noxious 

 substances which infest such soils, but by fallow ? It is cer- 

 tainly true, that beans are a crop well calculated for strong 

 soils, after they are put in good order, and an excellent 

 preparation for wheat; but at the time when beans are re- 

 quired to be sown upon strong soils, no opportunity what- 

 ever is afforded to the farmer, of effectually cleaning the land 

 of couch-grass, and other weeds, which will always be pro- 

 pagated in abundance, where summer-fallow forms no part 

 of the system. Were peas or beans to be sown even so late 

 as the end of May or the beginning of June, still it would 

 be impossible, in the short space of dry weather which may 



