JUNE. 413 



raves, a sort of turnip, with the ashes of burnt straw. 

 I observed several fields quite black ; and demand- 

 ing what it was, my guide told me of this com- 

 mon practice here: afterwards I saw them strewing 

 straw quickly over land, part of which had been 

 already burnt on. They do this on a wheat- stubble; 

 but not thinking that stubble enough is left, they 

 add much wheat-straw, and setting fire to it, burn 

 the weeds as well as the straw, and clean as well as 

 manure the land. With such quantities of fern 

 on all their extensive wastes, I asked why they did 

 not burn that, and keep their straw ? The reply 

 was, that fern makes much better clung than straw, 

 so they burn the straw in preference. As soon as 

 the operation is over, they plough the land, and 

 harrow in rave-seed. One large field, thus treated, 

 I saw ploughing for that crop. They both hoe and 

 hand-weed the raves, and have them sometimes 

 very large; many as big as a man's head. Use them 

 for oxen. 



SAINFOIN. 



When the plants of sainfoin are thin on the 

 ground, it is a very judicious practice to suffer the 

 crop to remain the first year for seed, which will 

 thicken the swath in the succeeding crops. The 

 seed will probably be worth 5l. per acre ; the straw 

 is good horse-fodder ; the plants are not at all da- 

 maged at present, and their number greatly in- 

 creased for the future. 



x. 



JULY. 



