94 O/Wheat. Chap. IX, 



much do the Jong Winter's Rains caufe the Earth to 

 fubfide, and the divided Parts to coalefce, and lock 

 out the Roots from the Stock of Provifion, which, tho* 

 it was laid in abundantly at Autumn, the Wheat has 

 no great Occafion of until the Spring ; and then the 

 Soil is become too hard for the Roots to penetrate % 

 and therefore mud ftarve (like Tantalus) amidft 

 Dainties, which may tempt the Roots, but cannot be 

 attain'd by them. 



But the new Method of Hoeing gives, to ftrong 

 and to light Land, all the Advantages, and takes 

 away all the Difadvantages, of both •, as appears in the 

 Chapters of Tillage and Hoeing. By this Method the 

 flrong Land may be planted with Wheat as early as 

 the light (if plow'd dry); and the Hoe-Plough can* 

 if rightly apply'd, raifc a Pafture to it (a), equal to 

 that of Dung in both Sorts of Land. 



About the Year 1701, when I had contrived my 

 Drill for planting St. Foin, I made ufe of it alfo for 

 Wheat. Drilling many Rows at once, which made 

 the Work much more compendious, and perform'd 

 it much better than Hands could do, making the 

 Channels of a Foot Diftance, drilling in the Seed, and 

 covering it, did not in all amount to more than Six- 

 pence per Acre Expence, which was above ten Times 

 over-paid by the Seed that was faved ; for One 

 Bufhel to an Acre was the Quantity drilPd ; there re- 

 main'd then no need of Hand-work, but for the Hoe- 

 ing ; and this did coil from Half a Crown to Four 

 Shillings per Acre. This way turn'd to a very good 

 Account, and in confiderable Quantities •, it has 

 brought as good a Crop of Wheat on Barley-flubble^ 

 as that fown the common Way on Summer-fallow 5 



fa) Becaufe the Hoe may go in it all the Year, and the Soil 

 being infinitely di<vifible y the Divifion which the Hoe may make 

 whilft the Crop is growing, added to the common Tillage, may- 

 equal, or even exceed, a common Die&ng with Dung, as I have 

 otcen experienced. 



and 



