Chap. XVII. Old and New Huibandry 260 



which being eaten by trefpaffing Sheep in the Winter, 

 was fomewhat blighted) ♦, the Michaelmas after that 

 was taken off, the fame Field was drilled again with 

 Wheat, upon the Stubble of the former, and hoed: 

 This Second Crop was a good one, fcarce any in the 

 Neighbourhood better. A Piece of Wheat adjoining 

 to it, on the very fame Sort of Land (except that 

 this latter was always reckoned better, being thicker 

 in Mould above the Chalk), fovvn at the fame time 

 on dunged Fallows, and the Ground always dunged 

 once in Three Years; yet this Crop failed fo much, 

 as to be judged, by fome Farmers, not to exceed the 

 Tythe of the other : That the hoed Field has re- 

 ceived no Dung or Manure for many Years paft, is 

 becaufe it lies out of the Reach for carrying of Cart- 

 Dung, and no Fold being kept on my Farm : But I 

 cannot fay, I think there was quite fo much Odds 

 betwixt this Second undunged hoed Crop and the 

 fown ; yet this is certain, that the former is a good, 

 and the latter a very bad Crop. 



I could give many more Inftances of the fame Kind, 

 where hoed Crops and fown Crops have fucceeded 

 better after hoed Crops than after fown Crops, and 

 never yet have feen the contrary ; and therefore am 

 convinced, that the Hoeing (a) (if it be duly per- 

 formed) enriches the Soil more than Dung and Fal- 

 lows, and leaves the Land in a much better Condition 

 for a fucceeding Crop. The Reafon I take to be very 



{a) This is more efpecially meant of Fallows in the common 

 Husbandry, and a moderate Quantity of common Dung, or the 

 Fold : And there may be fuch a poor Sand, or other barrenifh 

 Soil, fo fubje<ft to Conftipation in the Winter, as to require Dung 

 when planted with Wheat, there being no general Rule without 

 Exceptions; and 'tis impoflible for me to know the Number of 

 thefe Exceptions. Well it is for the Hoer, whofe Land is of fuch 

 a kind, that he can keep it in Heart without Dung by Hoeing , 

 for when he has no Fold, he plows his Ground with Oxen, and 

 plants it moftly with Wheat, the Straw ^hereof being for other 

 Ufes, he can make but very little Dung. 



obvious; 



