250 On Summer Fallowing. 



only by destroying them, and their eggs, in the course of 

 the operation, but by exposing them to the attacks of rooks 

 and other birds. 



4. Its advantages for pulverizing, mellowing, and drying 

 the soil ; converting the roots and other remains of vege- 

 tables into soluble matter, as food for succeeding crops ; 

 for enabling the farmer to remove all obstructions to perfect 

 tillage ; and to adjust the surface, so as to promote the dis- 

 charge of water, and to facilitate future culture, can hardly 

 be questioned. 



5. During the fallow process, the land may in every re- 

 spect be brought into perfect order. All the small drains 

 in the field may be repaired ; lime and other manures may 

 be applied at a proper time, and thoroughly incorporated 

 with the soil. A well-conducted fallow, is more favourable 

 to the early sowing of wheat, than a previous crop of beans ; 

 indeed on clay soils, in a northern climate, it is impractica- 

 ble to sow wheat extensively, unless a considerable part of 

 the land has been prepared during the summer months. It 

 is, indeed, almost uniformly observed, that the grain of wheat 

 crops, sown upon regular fallows in September, or early in 

 October, is of the best quality, probably owing to their re- 

 ceiving the greatest heat of the sun, and thereby reaching 

 maturity earlier. 



6. But in no other way, than by a summer fallow, can 

 the clay land farmer depend upon a good crop of grasses. 

 Where beans are cultivated, the roots take away that nou- 

 rishment from the earth, by which the clover root should 

 be fed. The bean also encourages the white snail, a de- 

 termined enemy to clover. But the year after a fallow, the 

 land rarely fails to produce a crop of clover in great abun- 

 dance. There is no sacrifice that ought not to be made, to 

 secure a large crop of clover ; since, either for soiling, or as 

 hay, it goes much farther in feeding horses or cattle, than 

 any of the green crops that can be raised on a clay soil. Its 

 roots also are so bulky, as to enrich every soil on which it 

 is cultivated. 



7. Another advantage of a complete fallow is, that less 

 manure will produce an abundant crop, than when the prac- 

 tice is either neglected, or imperfectly executed. This is 

 an object of much importance, a scarcity of manure, being 

 the greatest evil, with which the arable farmer has to con- 

 tend ; and this fully compensates for the want of a crop, 

 which is so strongly urged against the fallow system. 



8. Exposition to the atmosphere is another advantage. 



