52 G/Hoeing. Chap. VI. 



And I have been informed by fome Perfons, that 

 they have often made the like Obfervations ; that, in 

 the drieil of Weather, good Hoeing (a) procures 

 Moifture to Roots ; tho' the Ignorant and Incurious 

 fanfy, it lets in the Drought-, and therefore are afraid 

 to hoe their Plants at iuch Times, when, unlefs they 

 water them, they are ipoil'd for Want of it. 



There is yet one more Benefit Hoeing gives to 

 Plants, which by no Art can pofnbiy be given to 

 Animals : For all that can be done in feeding an Ani- 

 mal is, what has been here already faid of Hoeing ; 

 that is, to give it fufficient Food, Meat and Drink, 

 at the times it has occafion for them ; if you give an 

 Animal any more, 'tis to no manner of Purpofe, un- 

 lefs you couid give it more Mouths, which is impofii- 



ent Colour may not appear until the Farrow be turn'd back to 

 the Row, having lain fome time to be fomewhat pulveriz'd (or 

 impregnated) by the Weather, &c. 



This Experiment I often made on Wheat drilPd on the Level 

 before I drill-d any on Ridges. 



The plowing one Furrow in fandy or mellow Ground mikes a 

 Pulveration, which is enjoy'd firit by thofe Plants that are the 

 neareit to it ; and alfo delivers them from the Weeds, which, 

 though there may be very few, yetthere is a vaft difference between 

 their robbing the Wheat of its Pafture in the Row, and the 

 Wheat's enjoying both that and the whole Pafture of the Furrow 

 alfo. 



I never remember to have feen a Plant poor, that was conti- 

 guous to a well-hoed Interval, unlefs overpower'd by a too great 

 Multitude of other Plants ; and the fame Exception muft be made, 

 if it were a Plant that required more or lefs Heat or Moifture, 

 than the Soil or Climate afforded. 



(a) When Land is become hard by lying too long unho'd, the 

 Plough in turninga deep Furrow from each Sice of a fingle Row 

 of young Plants (fuppofe of Turneps) may crack the Earth quite 

 through the Row, and expofe the Roots to the open Air and Sun 

 in very dry Weather; but if the Faith wherein the Plants ftand 

 be fine, there will be no Crack? in it : 'Tis therefore the delaying 

 loeinjj too long that becafions the Injury. But to hoe with 

 Advantage againft dry Weather, the Ground muft have been well 

 tilled or hoed before, that the Hoe may go deep, elfe the Dews, 

 that fall in the Night, v, ill be exhal'd back in the Heat of the Day. 



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