NOTES. 61 



tager, derive their principal sources of profit. It is in vain to cultivate well, 

 if the corn is not afterwards attended to, and protected from trespass ; neither 

 of which, the Irish farmer thinks of doing effectually. Generally speaking, the 

 industrious and assiduous husbandman, will find a source of emolument by at- 

 tending to objects, from which the indolent and ignorant occupier, would not 

 think of deriving any advantage. Remark by Edward Burroughs, Esq. 



161 This sum is not to be considered a common expenditure, but a peculiar 

 and extraordinary case. 



162 Essex Report, vol. i. p. 306. Mr Blaikie remarks, that thick plants of 

 wheat, are generally benefited, by hoeing, if done early in the season. But it 

 is a dangerous practice to hoe thin plants of wheat at any time. It is impossi- 

 ble to perform the operation without cutting up some of the plants, and smother- 

 ing others with earth drawn upon them by the hoes, which makes bad worse as 

 to the set of plants ; and stirring the soil in such cases, causes an exuberant 

 growth in the plants, and consequently mildew in the crop. It is a better 

 method to well roll thin plants of wheat early in the spring, and afterwards 

 pull out seeding-weeds by hand, in preference to using the hoe. 



163 Gloucestershire Report, p. 115, &c. Similar practices are adopted 

 with success in several other districts. Perhaps were more attention paid to 

 the preparatory processes, or, were the fallowing system adopted, there would 

 be less occasion to work the land, after the crop was above ground. But above 

 all, by the adoption of the " Drilling system," such tedious processes might be 

 avoided. 



164 Marshall's Gloucestershire, p. 91, and 100. 



165 Middlesex Report, p. 213. 



166 Middlesex Report, p. 213. On the naked chalk soils about Dunstable, 

 this is beneficially practised with sheep, and sometimes with swine. Bedford- 

 .shire Report, p. 373. 



167 Herts Report, p. 85. 



168 Middlesex Report, p. 213. 



169 Some sorts of sheep, particularly wedders, do not agree with such suc- 

 culent food as young corn. 



170 It was tried more than forty years ago in Oxfordshire. Mr John 

 Blackwall, an intelligent farmer in Derbyshire, has long practised this mode 

 with great success. Report, vol. ii. p. 133. The same plan of topping, may 

 be extended to pease, with much advantage, for the purpose of accelerating 

 their ripeness. 



171 Nothing, perhaps, would be of more importance, in the cultivation of 

 the clay soils of Britain, than a variety of beans, that would ripen a month or 

 six weeks earlier than the present kind. It would be useful to see some ac- 

 count of any trials that have been made for that purpose. Mr Burrell, mem- 

 ber for Sussex, and Mr Stone of Basildon, in Berks, strongly recommend the 

 Heligoland bean, as both early and productive, and more easily harvested in a 

 wet season. By others, the superiority of this bean is, however, disputed. A 

 species of bean, that will stand even the severity of winter, has likewise been 

 tried in Essex and other districts, but has not yet been extensively cultivated. 



172 Vol. i. p, 522. 



173 Mr Coke cuts down his wheat very early, even when the ear and stem 

 are greenish, and the grain not hard. He says that the wheat, thus early reap- 

 ed, is always his best sample, and he gets 2s. a quarter for it more than for 

 wheat cut in a more mature state. He perhaps, loses something in the mea- 

 sure, the skin being thinner, and the grain probably, not quite so bulky ; but, 

 if this be true, it is fully compensated from his suffering no loss by shedding 

 on the ground, which, when the ear is ripe, and the weather windy, is often 

 not inconsiderable. Dr Rigby*s Report, p. 29. 



174 Brown's Rural Affairs, vol. ii. p. 310. Young's Calendar, p. 420. 



