H 



[ 47 ] 

 CHAR VI. 



O/HOEING. 



OEING is the breaking or dividing the Soil by 

 Tillage, whilft the Corn or other Plants are 

 growing thereon. 



It differs from common Tillage (which is always 

 perform'd before the Corn or Plants are fown or 

 planted) in the Times of performing it - y 'tis much 

 more beneficial j and 'tis perform'd by different ln- 

 ftruments. 



Land that is before Sowing tilled never fo much 

 (tho' the more 'tis till'd the more it will produce) will 

 have fome Weeds, and they will come in along with 

 the Crop for a Share of the Benefit of the Tillage, 

 greater or lefs, according to their Number, and what 

 Species they are of. 



But what is molt to be regarded is, that as foon as 

 the Ploughman has done his Work of plowing and 

 harrowing, the Soil begins to undo it, inclining to- 

 wards, and endeavouring to regain, its natural fpe- 

 cific Gravity ; the broken Parts by little and little 

 coalefce, unite, and lofe fome of their Surfaces ; ma- 

 ny of their Pores and Interlaces clofe up during the 

 Seed's Incubation and Hatching in the Ground ; and, 

 as the Plants grow up, they require an Inqreafe of 

 Food proportionable to their increasing B|ulk; but on 

 the contrary, inftead thereof, that internal Superficies, 

 which is their artificial Pafture, gradually decreafes. 



TheEarthis lb unjuft to Plants, herownOff-fpring, 

 as to fhut up her Stores in proportion to their Wants ; 

 that is, to give them lefs Nourimment when they 

 have need of more : Therefore Man, for whofe Ufe 

 they are chiefly defign'd, ought to bring in his rea,- 



fonable 



