208 APPENDIX. 



tions, both of the New Syflem of Hufbandry, and Effence of 

 Agriculture, which were circulated in England, Ireland, and 

 America. 



In confidering the works of nature, through all the vegeta- 

 ble creation, and comparing them with the farmer's practice 

 of fowing, I found many defects in the latter, which crampt 

 the former from producing her abundance, but in nothing 

 more than in that of feeding the ground, as, in moft cafes, 

 three-fourths of the leed is thrown away by the piefent mode 

 of random fowing. 



Mr. Tull, and many other authors, had the fame idea, 

 which induced them to invent drill-ploughs, in order to re- 

 duce it to fome fort of a regular fyftem by drilling — but, by 

 all their efforts, it never could be made general. 



When I came to conhder the whole procefs, I found that 

 even dibbling was only half doing the bufinefs, as air and 

 roots, which keep the crop in health and vigour, can only 

 circulate two ways; I therefore caufi-d a machine to be made, 

 to place the corn regularly in a diagonal form, it was finifhed 

 in 1764, for which the Honourable Dublin Society voted me 

 a premium. 



With this machine I proved the proper diftances that the 

 grain fhould (land from each other, in order to give nature 

 liberty to produce her full increafe, but in thefe I found there 

 is no general rule without an exception, but that circum- 

 ftances muffc vary according to the foil, which, if of a deep 

 and rich quality, and kept clear from weeds, one grain, fet 

 in the middle of a circular foot diameter, will Itool to fill the 

 fpace — but if the foil be of a weak, fandy, or gravelly nature, 

 a grain would only fill about fix inches diameter; however, 

 this is mppofing eveiy grain to happen nothing, but to come 

 to maturity, which is too great a hazard to trufL to; therefore, 



experience 



