9 . YORKSHIRE. 71 



cidcnt, or by mifmanagement, the plants be 

 too thin upon the ground, the crop is irre- 

 parably injured. 



The nature of flax is fuch, that where It 

 has room at the root, or whenever it gets its 

 head above the plants which furround it, it 

 fends out Jtde-brancbes, and lofes in a great 

 meafure its upward tendency. But its good- 

 nefs as a crop depends on its running up with 

 onefingleftalk from the root to the feed. At 

 whatever height it ramifies, there the length of 

 line terminates. The branches are inevitably 

 worked off in dreffing ; and the ftem itfelf, 

 unlefs it bear a due proportion to the bulk 

 of the crop, is likewife worked out among 

 the refufe. 



Hence the neceflity of having an EVEN, 

 FULL CROP. Clods before the fowing, by 

 making the feeds glance in falling, prevent 

 the furface from being evenly feeded ; and 

 thofe which remain when the feeds are in th? 

 ground, prevent them from rifing regularly. 

 The infant plants, unable to pierce the clod, 

 form themfelves in a circle round it, leaving 

 a vacancy in the center favourable to their 

 pajly ramification. 



F 4 This 



