Ch. XVII. Old and New Hufbandry. 2 59 



The Expence of drilling cannot be much ♦, for as 

 we can hoe Six Acres a Day, at Two Furrows on 

 each Six-feet Ridge, fo we may drill Twenty-four 

 Acres a Day, with a Drill that plants Two of thofe 

 Ridges at once -, and this we may reckon a Peny Half- 

 peny an Acre. But becaufe we find it lefs Trouble to 

 drill Tingle Ridges, we will fet the Drilling, at moft 8 

 Six-pence per Acre. 



As every fucceflive Crop (if well managed,) is 

 more free from Weeds than the preceding Crop 5 

 I will {hz it all together at Six-pence (a) an Acre for 

 Weeding (b). 



For a Boy or a Woman to follow the Hoe-plough, 

 to uncover the young Wheat, when any Clods of 

 Earth happen to fall on it, for which Trouble there 

 is feldom necefTary above once (c) to a Crop, Two- 

 pence an Acre. One Peny is too much for Brine and 

 Lime for an Acre. 



Reaping this Wheat is not worth above half as 

 much as the Reaping of a fown Crop of equal Value; 

 becaufe the drill'd (landing upon about a Sixth Part 

 of the Ground, a Reaper may cut almoftas much of 

 the Row at one Stroke, at he could at Six, if the 

 fame flood difperfed alt over the Ground, as the 

 fowcd does ; and becaufe he who reaps fowed Wheat, 



(a) This is when the Land has been well cleanfed of Weeds 

 in the preceding Crop, or Fallow, or both. 



(b) This may be enough, if the Land be welF cleanfed the Year 

 before, and confidering that feverai Years in fuch there is no Oc- 

 cafion for Weeding at all : Andas this Calculation is comparative 

 with the old Way, we mould examine the Price of weeding the 

 fown Corn, which by the beft Information I can get, was in the 

 Year 1735. about 4*. per Acre for Weeding of Barley ; and of 

 Wheat, round about where I live, about 6 s. and in Wiitjbire, 

 15 s. per Acre for their Wheat, among!! which much Damage 

 is done by theWeeder's Feet, and yet fome Weeds are left. 



(c) But this Expence being fo fmall, 'tis better that a Perfofi 

 mould follow at every Hoeing, where we fufpedt, that any Da- 

 mage may happen from any Earth's falling on, or prefhng too 

 hard againlt fome of the Plants. 



S 2 muft 



