46 CULTIVATION OF THE TEAZLE. 



ends in disappointment, and debt only remains. 

 This is most truly a casualty crop ; and the manu- 

 facturers are so sensible of the risk and trouble at- 

 tending the cultivation of this plant, that they pre- 

 fer purchasing to growing it for their own use ; and 

 I know one who has declared his loss in the attempt 

 to exceed 500/. 



It has been thought that the cultivation of teazles 

 exhausted the land, and some landlords in conse- 

 quence have forbidden the growth of them in their 

 agreements; perhaps I can be no sufficient judge 

 of the accuracy of this idea, from our limited growth, 

 but speaking locally, such land as we make use of 

 for their culture is of so inferior a nature, that little 

 deterioration can ensue from any crop. The teazle, 

 having a tap root, does not exhaust the superficial 

 soil as a fibrous-rooted plant would do; the ground 

 on which they grow is hoed, and turned by the 

 spade repeatedly, and up to a certain period kept 

 free from weeds ; but as the plant is forming heads, 

 little attention seems given to the eradication of in- 

 trusive rubbish, and, consequently, after gathering 

 the crop the soil is frequently in a very foul state, 

 and from hence the chief injury to the land may 

 arise, rather than from the teazle plant. Though 

 this crop requires no manure, nor affords any to the 

 soil, yet the removal of the earth so repeatedly by 

 the hoe and spade becomes equivalent to a fallow : 

 with us a wheat crop often succeeds the teazle, and 



