Chap. IX. Of Wheat. 10 $ 



the Earth is wet as Pap ; it fuffices that it be moift, 

 but moifter in light Land than in ftrong Land, 

 when we drill. 



If the Two Furrows, whereon the treble Row is 

 to fland, be plow'd wet, the Earth of the Partitions 

 may grow fo hard by the Spring, that the Roots 

 cannot run freely therein, unlefs there be Dung to 

 ferment and keep it open. 



So we fee, that a deep Bank, made of wet Earth, 

 will lie faff, for feveral Years, when another, made 

 of the fame Earth dry, will moulder, and run down 

 very foon •, becaufe its Parts have not the Cohefion 

 that holds the other together, it continues open, and 

 more porous, and crumbles continually down. 



I have feen Trials of this Difference betwixt plow- 

 ing Dry, and plowing Wet, for planting of Wheat, 

 both in the Old Way, and in the Drilling Way, but 

 mod in the latter ; and never faw ar In (lance where 

 the Dry-Plowing did not outdo the Wet; if the 

 Wheat was not planted thereon before the Earth was 

 become moift enough at Top. 



And ftrong Land, plow'd wet in November, will 

 be harder in the Spring, than if plow'd dry in Auguft ; 

 tho' it would then have Three Months longer to 

 lie. 



After Rain, when the Top of the Ground is of a 

 fit Moifture for Drilling, harrow it with Two light 

 Harrows, drawn by a Horfe going in the Furrow 

 betwixt Two Ridges (a) •, once will be enough, the 

 Furrow being juft broken to level, or rather fmooth 

 it for the Drill. 



If the Veerings (b) whereon the next Drop is to 

 ftand, be plow'd dry, we may drill at any Time 



during 



(a) Once Harrowing is generally enough, but not always. 



(b) The Word veering is, I believe, taken from the Seamen, 

 and fignifies to turn ; It is the Ploughman's Term for turning Two 

 Furrows toward each other, as they muft do to begin a Ridge : 



H 4 and 



