70 Of Hoeing. Chap. VI. 



were not worth the taking up ; which proves, that in 

 thofe Plants that are planted fo as to leave Spaces 

 wide enough for Repetitions of Hoeing, that Inftru- 

 ment can raife more Nourifhment to them, than a 

 good Coat of Dung with common Tillage. 



Another Thing I have more particularly obferv'd, 

 viz. That the more fucceffive Crops are planted in 

 wide Intervals, and often ho'd, the better the Ground 

 does maintain them ; the laft Crop is {till the belt, 

 without Dung, or changing the Sort of Plant; and 

 this is vifible in Parts of the fame Field, where fome 

 Part has a firft, fome other Part a fecond, the reft 

 a third Crop growing all together at the fame time ; 

 which feems to prove, that as the Earth is made by 

 this Operation to difpenfe or diftribute her Wealth to 

 Plants, in Proportion to the Increafe ot her inner 

 Superficies (which is the Pafture of Plants) ; fo the 

 Atmofphere, by the Riches in Rain and Dews, does 

 annually reimburfe her in Proportion to the fame 

 Superficies, with an Overplus for Intereft : But if that 

 Superficies be not increafed to a competent Degree, 

 and, by frequent Repetitions of Hoeing, kept increaf- 

 ing (which never happens in common Hufoandry) 

 this Advantage is loft; and, without often repeated 

 Stercoration, every Year's Crop grows worfe \ and it 

 has been made evident by Trials, which admit of no 

 Pifpute, that Hoeing, without Dung or Fallow, can 

 make fuch Plants as ftand in wide Intervals, more 

 vigorous in the fame Ground, than both common 

 Dunging and Fallowing can do without Hoeing. 



This Sort of Hoeing has in Truth every Year the 

 Effect of a Summer-fallow ; tho' it yearly produce a 

 good Crop. 



This is one Reafon of the different Effects Plants 

 have upon the Soil ; fome are faid to enrich it, others 

 to burn it, i, e. to impoverifh it*, but I think it 

 may be obferved, that all thofe Plants, which are 

 ufually ho'd, are reckoned among the Enrichers; 



and 



