Chap. VI. Of H o e i n g. 63 



In Hand-hoeing there is always lefs Seed, fewer 

 Plants, and a greater Crop, ceteris paribus, than in 

 the common Sowing : Yet there, the Rows mufl be 

 much nearer together, than inHorfe-hoeing; becaufe 

 as the Hand moves many times lefs Earth than the 

 Horfe, the Roots will be lent out in like Proportion ; 

 and if the Spaces or Intervals, where the Hand-hoe 

 only fcratches a little of the upper Surface of them, 

 mould be wide, they would be fo hard and Hale un- 

 derneath, that the Roots of perennial Plants would be 

 long in running thro' them ; and the Roots of many- 

 annual Plants would never be able to do it. 



An Inflance which fhews fomething of the Differ- 

 ence between Hand-hoeing and Deep-hoeing is, That 

 a certain poor Man is obferv'd to have his Cabbages 

 vaftly bigger than any-body's elfe, tho' their Ground 

 be richer, and better dung'd : His Neighbours were 

 amaz'd at it, till the Secret at length came out, 

 and was only this : As other People ho'd their Cab- 



Obferve, that as wide Intervals are neceffary for perfeft Horfe • 

 hoeing, fo the largeft Vegetables have generally the greateft Bene- 

 fit by chem; tho' fmall Plants may have confiderable Benefit from 

 much narrower Intervals than Five Feet. 



The Intervals may be fomewhat narrower for conftant annual 

 Crops of Barley, than of Wheat ; becaufe Barley does not fhut 

 out the Hoe-Plough fo foon, nor require fo much Room for 

 Hoeing, nor fo much Earth in the Intervals, it being a lefTer Plant, 

 and growing but about a Third-part of the Time on the Ground ; 

 but he that drills Barley, muft refolve to reap it, and bind it up 

 in Sheaves ; for if he mows it, or does not bind it, a great Part 

 will be loft among the Earth in the Intervals : But 'tis now found, 

 that in a wet Harveft thebeft Way is not to bind up drilPd Barley 

 or Oats ; but inftead thereof, to make up the Grips into little 

 Heaps by Hands, laying the Ears upon one another inwards, and 

 the Stubble-ones outwards; fo that with a Fork that hath Two 

 Fingers, and a Thumb, 'tis very eafy to pitch fuch Heaps up the 

 Waggons without fcattering, or wafting any of the Corn. 



'Tis alfofeen, that when the Reaperstake Care tofet their Grips 

 with the But-ends in the Bottoms of the Intervals, and the Ears 

 properly on the Stubble, they will fo ftand up from the Ground, as 

 toefcape much better from fprouting, than mow'd Corn. 



bages 





