Mr Hunters System of Farming. 109 



does, when he makes the intervals from twenty-four to twenty-six 

 inches *. 



Mr Hunter begins to sow winter wheat after turnips, whenever 

 the weather will permit in January, and continues sowing, when the 

 weather is dry, till about the twelfth of March. He afterwards sows 

 the whole of his turnip break or shift, with summer wheat, of that 

 sort recommended by Sir Joseph Banks. He had it from Lincoln- 

 shire several years ago, and has sown it at all times, during the spring 

 months ; but he has now ascertained, that the proper time of sowing it, 

 in the climate of his neighbourhood, is the two last weeks of April. 



The weight of hay, from clover and rye-grass, may average 150 

 stones of twenty-two pounds each, per English acre. But this is the 

 weight in spring. If weighedy>0w the field, it would weigh a good 

 deal more, though produced on a soil, not much calculated for a crop 

 of hay, namely, a light soil, incumbent on gravel. Where the soil is 

 of a better qualify, 200 stones have been produced. 



Mr Hunter sows wheat after clover, about the middle of January, 

 if the season will allow, if not, as soon after as possible. He ploughs 

 his clover stubble early in December, so that the snails, or other ver- 

 min, bred among the clover, may be turned up and destroyed. For- 

 merly, he used to plough and sow in November, but these vermin, 

 not being then in a torpid state, crept into the ground again, and 

 coming out in spring, thinned the wheat materially. Ploughing in 

 December, and sowing in January or February, have answered his 

 purpose of destroying them effectually. 



The produce of wheat after clover, is eight bolls per Scotch acre, 

 or twenty-seven bushels per English acre ; that of oats is ten and a 

 half bolls per Scotch acre, or fifty-two bushels per English acre. 



Mr Hunter pastures very little with cattle or horses ; indeed he 

 proposes giving it up altogether, unless in barren soils, where the 

 plough cannot be introduced ; and he means to convert any clover 

 that may be left from soiling, into hay, for his horses in winter and 

 spring. By giving fourteen pound of oats per day to a horse, with 

 ruta baga, he has been able to save a third part of the allowance of 

 oats given to his horses, when no hay or ruta baga were used. On 

 the above allowance, Mr Hunter's horses are worked nine hours every 

 day, when the weather will permit. 



The manure hitherto given to turnips by Mr Hunter, has not been 

 so great as he wished ; but as the quantity on the farm increases, a 

 greater proportion has been applied. Mr Hunter is quite satisfied, 

 that the land can never be over-manured for turnips. 



The depth of the first furrow, for the turnip fallow, is from nine to 

 twelve inches, where there is a depth of soil ; the after- ploughing 

 about six or eight ; after the turnips have been eaten off, the plough- 

 ing ought to be about three inches for wheat, to prevent the seeds of 



This can only be attempted, however, where the land is in very good con- 

 dition. Intervals of from twenty-eight to thirty inches are to be preferred, with 

 land not in good condition, or where abundance of manure cannot be given. 



