346 OF THE SOWING OF SEED. 



hoed, cleaned, and finished, before the 10th of June. It 

 is contended, that they may always be drilled by a proper 

 machine, when the land can be harrowed, an$ that the 

 objections to the drilling of peas are groundless. 



In regard to white crops, some eminent farmers, Mr 

 Brown of Markle in particular, consider the advantages of 

 the drill system, for white crops, to be at best problemati- 

 cal.* The intelligent farmers, however, in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dunbar, whose lands are subject to annual weeds, 

 and who sow a great der.l of wheat in spring, have adopt- 

 ed the drilling system with much success, and consider it 

 essential for the culture of their land. 



Some experiments made by Mr Hope of Fenton, East 

 Lothian, are among the most satisfactory and decisive I 

 have met with, on the subject of drilling. From them, he 

 is inclined to draw the following conclusions : l.That it is 

 of no advantage to drill winter-sown wheat, as the crop is 

 rarely injured by annual weeds, and where the soil is in- 

 fested with root-weeds, as the crop, in ordinary cases, will 

 completely meet in the rows, before the root-weeds make 

 much appearance, it is impossible, without injuring the 

 crop, to render much benefit to the land with the hoe. 



* One of my correspondents remarks, that in regard to the drilling of 

 white or culmiferous crops, lie has had no experience; but it appears 

 to him, that the operation is tedious and minute, without any adequate 

 benefit. The drilling of these can never be meant for cleaning the 

 ground ; a very good farmer will have it clean before they are sown in 

 it. It is not so easy, however, to get the better of annual weeds. Mr 

 George Culley was of opinion, that the drilling of white crops, was not 

 productive of greater crops of grain, so far as his experience reached ; 

 but drilling is essential for the extirpation of annuals. The Culley fa- 

 mily, were under the necessity, therefore, of drilling many of their white 

 crops at Wark, and their other farms, until the yellows, (runches, red- 

 backs, or charlocks, as they are jometimes called), were completely era- 

 dicated. 



