Chap. VII. Of We e d s. 77 



for their more vigorous Growth and plentiful Increafe 

 the next Year after •, and very rarely will the Farmer 

 fallow his Land Two Years fuccefllvely •, and often 

 the Dung, which is made of the Straw of fown Corn, 

 being full of the Seeds of Weeds, when fpread on 

 the Fallows, incumbers the Soil with another Stock 

 of Weeds, as ample as that the Fallowing has de- 

 ftroy'd •, and tho' perhaps many of thefe may not 

 grow the next Year, they will be fure to come up 

 afterwards. 



The other old Remedy is what often proves worfe 

 than the Difeafe •, that is, what they call Weeding 

 among fown Corn •, for if by the Hook or Hand 

 they cut fome Sorts (as Thirties) while they are young, 

 they will fprout up again, like Hydras, with more 

 Heads than before ; and if they are cut when full- 

 grown, after they have done almoft their utmofl in 

 robbing the Crop, 'tis like (hutting the Stable-Door 

 after the Steed is flolen. 



Hand-weeders often do more Harm to the Corn 

 with their Feet, than they do Good by cutting or 

 pulling out the Weeds with their Hands •, and yet I 

 have known this Operation fometimes cod the Farmer 

 Twelve Shillings an Acre •, befides the Damage done 

 by treading down his Wheat -, and, after all, a fuffi- 

 cient Quantity of them have efcaped, to make a too 

 plentiful Increafe in the next Crop of Corn. 



The new Hoeing-Hufbandry in Time will pro- 

 bably make fuch an utter Riddance (a) of all Sorts 

 of Weeds (b\ except fuch as come in the Air, 



that 



(a) A very pernicious, large, perennial Weed, like Barrage, 

 with a blue Flower, infefted a Piece of Land, (or Time out of 

 Mind: Hoeing has deilroyed it utterly ; not one of the Species 

 has been feen in the Field thefe Seven Years, tho 1 conflantly till d. 

 and ho'd. 



(b) I have now a Piece of Wheat drilPd early the laft Autumn 

 ypon an Hill, fallowed and well pulveriz'd : Part of it was drill'd 

 with Wheat in double Rows upon the Level Nine Years ago, 



Horfe- 



