TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 121 



good, has been drained by repeated, or improperly managed crops, 

 the best remedy for recovering such exliausted land, is by a few 

 months fallowing ; and by frequently stirring it, and clearing it 

 of every sort of vegetable substance. By this plain and easy 

 mode (a sort of abstinence, if I may so express myself,) not only 

 will its tone be recovered by the influence of air and moisture 

 from the atmosphere, but weeds will be extirpated, and insects of 

 every sort (and particularly the grub) will be effectually destroyed 

 by being dejjrived of that food which is absolutely necessary for 

 their subsistence, at the time the solar heats occasion a change 

 from the oviparous state." 



I did not clearly understand the whole of those odd expres- 

 sions ; but I however perceived, that Mr. Fish is, as I imagined, 

 a very learned land doctor. I therefore candidly told him that I 

 understood, only in a general way, all he had said, in which there 

 seemed to be no small portion of good sense. I therefore re- 

 quested him to go on, and tell me particularly the mode he would 

 pursue with that farm, if it were in his own occupation. 



He continued — " If that farm were mine, and I should be 

 glad it was, if I had not so many other fish to fry," (here he con- 

 descendingly suited his expression to my comprehension,) " I 

 would, in the first place, clear the garden, comprising several 

 acres, of all its rubbish, and lay the whole under a clean fallow, 

 for at least six months. I would frequently stir the soil, and 

 would not in all this time allow a weed to rear its head. Whilst 

 this operation is carrying on, I would enclose 10 or 15 acres of 

 the most level and best land, and pare off the sward and coarse 

 grass, forming small heaps all over the field, and then set fire to 

 them. The ashes should, if possible, be ploughed in immediately.* 



• We observe by the Agricultural Report for 181 2, a full confirmation of this practice. 

 it is there stated, " that the newly enclosed lands in England, have in general proved 



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