352 OF THE SOWING OF SEED. 



3. As to a stale or a recent furrow, Mr Brown of Mar- 

 kle is of opinion, that a stale furrow is best for corn crops, 

 but that turnips, and other green crops, should be sown as 

 speedily after the land is ploughed as possible. With regard 

 to wheat after fallow, he always wishes that the ground 

 should remain unsown, fora fortnight after foe last plough- 

 ing is given, so that it may get into a consolidated state, 

 and be able to sland the harrowing process, without being 

 too much subdued. But such operations must, in a great de- 

 gree, be regulated by the weather, it being often necessary 

 to sow the ground as fast as it is ploughed. It is a com 

 mon custom, when bean stubbles are to be sown with 

 wheat, to plough in the forenoon, and sow in the after- 

 noon, otherwise a season would often be altogether lost. It 

 is in vain to say, that land ought not to be sown in an im. 

 proper state. Farmers are obliged to do many things they 

 do not like, owing to unfavourable seasons. They can- 

 not have in their possession, or cannot always procure for 

 hire, a sufficient strength of men and horses^ to do every 

 thing they like, more especially when the soil is of a strong 

 nature, or even a greasy loam. But, those who are of opi- 

 nion, that a recent furrow may be used with propriety, 

 for crops in general, admit, that old sward or turf, often 

 requires frost, before it can be harrowed with effect, and 

 thai land must be ploughed in many instances, at a sea- 

 son when it cannot be sown. Whenever land turns up in 

 any degree wet after turnips or beans, it is always the 

 better of frost to meliorate and melt the furrows, which 

 sometimes turn up whole and entire. 



4. 1 am informed by an experienced farmer, that old 

 wheat, if kept in the stuck unthreshed till wanted, is greatly 

 superior to new seed. The former springs immediately 

 when sown, whereas the latter will not vegetate well, till 

 it gets rain, which may not happen for some time, more 



