Chap. IX. Of Wheat. ^ 



broad (a), with a Ditch on each Side, of almofl a 

 Foot deep, the Rain-water runs off fuch narrow 

 Ridges as faft it falls, and much fooner (h) than 

 'tis poflible for it to do from broad Ridges. 



And the deeper the Soil, the more occafion there 

 commonly is of this high Situation ; becaufe fuch 

 Land is wetter for the mod Part than fhallow Land, 

 where we cannot make the Furrows fo deep, nor the 

 Ridges fo high (c) 9 as in deep Land; for we muffc 

 never plow below the Staple. I fee the Wheat on 

 thefe ho'd Ridges flourifh, and grow vigoroufly, in 

 wet Weather, when other Wheat looks yellow and 

 fickly. 



The fame wide Interval, which is ho'd betwixt 

 Ridges the Firft time, with Two Furrows, mull have 

 had Four Furrows, to hoe it on the Level ; or elfe 

 the Furrow, that is turn'd from the Row, would 

 rife up, and a great Part of it fall over to the Left- 

 hand* and bury the Row ; but when turn'd from a 

 Ridge, it will all fall down to the Right-hand. 



You muft not leave the Tops of the Ridges quite 

 fo narrow and (harp for Drilling of Wheat, as yon 

 may for drilling Turneps; Wheat being in treble 

 Rows, but Turneps generally in fingle Rows (d). 

 This is our Method of making Ridges for the Firft 

 Crop of drill'd Wheat. 



{a) This is the Breadth the Ridges are generally left at, when 

 the Furrows are hoed from them, and thrown into the Intervals. 



{b) Water, when it runs off very foon, is beneficial, as is fecrt 

 in water'd Meadows ; but where it remains long on, or very near 

 the Bodies of terretfrial Plants, it kills them, or at leafl is very 

 injurious to them. 



[c) If we mould make our Ridges as high on a mallow Soil, 

 as we may on a deep Soil, there would be a Deficiency of Mould 

 in the Intervals of equal Breadth with thofe of a deep Soil. 



(d) A fingle Row taking up lefs of the Breadth, may be afford- 

 ed to have more of the Ridge's Depth ; becaufe it leaves the In- 

 terval wider. 



i 



H But 



