OiO AGRlCUnTT'KAL WUSEUMc 



and injdrjoas to it. The time of sowin;i- is Mav, tl:c 

 particular time depending nuieh upon the season, iind 

 state of the soil, which should neither he wet nor (hy, 

 but when the surface can he reduced as lino as that ot' 

 a garden bed ; every ciod the size of an ego- ou«ht 

 to be broken, for much of the value of the crop depend- 

 ing on the regularity of the seed vegetating, too much 

 attention cannot be had to weed on })ntiiug it in. Two 

 bushels of seed are usual/y sown upon an acre — 

 the seed covereci by the harrow, and in some cases, the 

 larger lumps or clods, iirc by garden Or hand-rakes 

 drawn into the furrows. Weeding is an operation w hicii 

 ought to be, and there, is caretuily jjerfoimcd, and on 

 ^vhich much depends ; hence the cai e as to (he state tlir 

 land is iti, which is sown with the crop, A dry season 

 after sowing, sometimes causes the plants to come 

 up in two crops, in which case, or when by mismanage- 

 ment the crop is too thin on the gi'ound, it is irrepara- 

 bly injured; for such is ilie nature of this plant, (hat 

 %vherever it stands uncrowded, at the root, wherever it 

 taiscs its head above others which surroiuid it, it shoots 

 out lateral brar.ches, and loses its upward tendency. 

 The goodness of the crop on the contrary, depends up(fR 

 the plants rising evenly witli only one stalk or stem, 

 from the root to the seed; for at whatever height it 

 ramifies, there the length of the line or flax fibre termi- 

 liates; the branches being worked off in dressing. 

 A full and even crop upon the ground, is therefore 

 desirable, to obtain which every due precaution is ta- 

 ken, such as sowing a full quantity of seed, harrowing 

 the land fine, and breaking those clods, which cause 

 the scc:ds that fall upon (hem to rebound, and form a 

 circle round it, leaving a vacancy in the centre, which 

 encourages an early ramification in the plants. Hence, 

 arises the disadvantages from a second vegetation, 

 Avhere those plants which are most forward, overtop the 

 others, shootout their side branches, which injure (he 

 under growth, as w^ell as the i)lants which bear them. 

 'J'hc young plants being very tender;, and liable tj) 



