FEBRUARY. 71 



For this purpose, and for many others, the sur- 

 face of the field is thrown on to lands (stitches, as 

 they are called in Suffolk, and ridges in some 

 counties) of such breadth, as shall very exactly 

 suit for one stroke or going of the drill -machine, 

 or for two ; a bout, as it is termed. The shafts 

 of the drill, are fixed, like those of a cart for one 

 li^r e, that quarters. This will he more particu- 

 larly explained elsewhere, but the horse- hoeing 

 implements, and scarifiers, and scufflers, whatever 

 inav be used, must be prepared according to the 

 drill machine, to fit the Bitches exactly. We shall 

 suppose the turnips to have been drilled, or sown, 

 on stitches sixty-six inches wide, which will admit 

 seven rows of b.irlcv to be drilled, at nine inches 

 asunder, besides leaving twelve inches for each 

 furrow. These lands being cleared of turnips, 

 either by shecp-feeuii'g, if the soil be dry, or by 

 carting oil" uith double breast carts (the horses and 

 \vheels moving only in the furrows), and the soil 

 on the surface being pulverized and opened in 

 some degree by frost?, the question will be, how 

 to prepare it for baric v or oats. The husbandry 

 universal in the kingdom, till very lately, was that 

 of ploughing such lund once, tuice, or thrice, for 

 spring corn ; the better farmers thrice, others 

 once, and a few twice. Upon very dry soils, the 

 evil was little more than that of a useless expence, 

 except, probably, a greater dissipation of the vola- 

 t'.'e particles of the urine of the sheep that had fed 

 on the turnips ; but upon all other soils more stiff 



F 4 and 



