252 On Summer Falloiving. 



certainly well calculated for strong soils, being an excellent 

 preparation for wheat. When drilled, they enable the far- 

 mer in some measure to keep his land longer in a clean state, 

 than could be done were that operation to be omitted- Yet 

 their culture cannot prevent fallow from being necessary at 

 certain periods, when the land becomes foul and hard by 

 cropping. Potatoes, planted on part of a fallowed field where 

 the soil was favourable, with a greater allowance of manure 

 than the naked fallow, proved so severe a crop, that the part 

 cultivated with potatoes, yielded a less crop of wheat, than 

 the ground that had been fallowed : the after crops on the 

 fallowed part, were likewise more abundant; and the land 

 much cleaner in the end. Swedish turnips were also sown 

 early, and taken off the field in September; but the soil was 

 found to be so much exhausted by that root, that the suc- 

 ceeding crop of wheat was less than the usual average. 



On this subject, so far as respects Scotland, it may be 

 proper to add, that a great reduction in the frequency of 

 fallows, has already taken place, since the introduction of 

 the turnip husbandry on light land ; and though on the 

 clayey adhesive soils above described, they can hardly be 

 ever totally abolished, in that part of the united kingdom, 

 yet there is ground to hope, that in process of time, circum- 

 stances may occur, which may prevent the necessity of recur- 

 ring to them, even so often as is requisite at present. The 

 climate may improve as cultivation is extended ; by more 

 effectual draining, and the frequent additions of lime and 

 dung, the texture of the strongest soil will be altered, and 

 necessarily become more of a loamy nature; by repeated 

 cleanings, the quantity of weeds, of all descriptions, must be 

 greatly lessened ; instruments also may be invented, which 

 may prove more effectual for cleansing and pulverizing the 

 soil, than those at present in use ; new plants may likewise 

 be discovered, or a more advantageous mode of cultivating 

 old ones may be introduced ; and it is impossible to fore- 

 see, what improvements may be effected by draining ; in 

 consequence of which, the cultivation of wet and strong soils 

 may be facilitated, and either stock may be fed upon the 

 ground, or its produce may be removed with less injury. 

 But till these alterations take place, the Scottish farmer 

 will not easily be induced to relinquish the advantages he 

 derives from a well-executed summer fallow. 



