Of the Culture of Crops while growing. 347 



tides in the soil, and by covering the ground, keep up a 

 kind of stagnant moisture on the surface, at the same time 

 excluding atmospheric influence, and the animating influence 

 of the sun. The effect of this attention to the destruction 

 of weeds, is experienced in the produce, the return being 

 from 20 to 30, and on high conditioned lands, 40 bushels of 

 wheat per acre ( I<53 ), a considerable proportion of which is 

 attributed to the crops being so carefully hoed. 



This practice has been deservedly celebrated. In general, 

 crops remain in a state of neglect from seed-time to harvest, 

 whereas, in the Vale of Gloucester, the business of the arable 

 process, does not seem to be set about in earnest, until the 

 crops get above ground. By means of this attention to the 

 crops while vegetating, many extensive common fields in 

 Gloucestershire, have been cropped year after year, from 

 time immemorial, without the intervention of a fallow ; and 

 thence have obtained the name of ' Every Year's Land.' It 

 is a maxim in this district, however, that pulse and corn 

 shall be grown alternately. The hoeing is chiefly perform- 

 ed by women and children, industry is encouraged, the poor- 

 rates kept down ; and both the farmer and the public are 

 essentially benefited by the process ( l64 ). 



When a dry spring, succeeds a wet winter, the surface of 

 strong land is often rendered so hard, and crusted, as to ex- 

 clude the air, and, by confining the seed, to prevent the due 

 evolution of its parts. The roots of the corn, being unable 

 to penetrate freely into the soil, the wheat assumes a yellow 

 and sickly appearance ; a diseased state, which may, and 

 ought to be cured, by harrowing the wheat moderately, and 

 immediately rolling it ( 16S ). 



Another useful practice, during the process of vegetation, 

 and which is extensively practised in various parts of Eng- 

 land, is that of top-dressing the growing crop, when it is 

 suspected that the land is not rich enough to bring a full 

 crop to perfection. This should be done early in the spring, 

 when the land is sufficiently dry to bear the treading of 

 horses, without poaching. After the manure has been ap- 

 plied, the land should generally be harrowed and rolled. 

 Soot, ashes, and other light manures, are thus most advan- 

 tageously made use of. 



Sheep are variously employed during the process of ve- 

 getation. In some parts of England, they are turned into 

 crops of beans, to devour the weeds, and they leave the 

 beans untouched. They are frequently folded on fresh sown 

 wheat, which requires treading ( l66 ). When the crop is 



