214 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



work, but also the constituents of the manure will be in a very- 

 available state at the time the young crop requires them, besides 

 being intimately incorporated with the soil by the subsequent 

 operations performed on it. The land having been ploughed 

 up in a rough state in autumn, or early winter, as before 

 mentioned, may be allowed to remain so till the following spring, 

 when it should receive a harrowing to destroy any seedling 

 weeds that may be springing up. When the sowing season 

 approaches, the land should be cross-ploughed, harrowed, and 

 rolled, and afterwards repeatedly grubbed, harrowed, and rolled 

 till it be reduced to a fine state of tilth. After each harrowing, 

 all weeds should be carefully collected and removed, and the 

 proper cleaning of the ground, previous to the sowing of all 

 kinds of green crops, cannot be too strongly inculcated. The 

 number of ploughings, grubbings, &c., necessary to be given in 

 order to obtain the required degree of pulverization, depends 

 on the nature of the soil and its previous treatment ; where the 

 soil is naturally loose and friable, a single ploughing with one 

 or two operations of the two-horse grubber, will suffice ; but 

 where it is of a more tenacious character, the labor will propor- 

 tionately increase. When the desired degree of pulverization 

 has been effected, it is to be finally rolled and drilled. 



In those districts where the climate is very dry, and the soil 

 also dry and light, and liable to become destitute of a sufficiency 

 of moisture for the growth of the young crop during the 

 summer months, green crops are usually grown on the " flat; " 

 but in this, or any other country possessing a humid atmosphere, 

 and consequently little danger of the above results, the raise- 

 drill system is to be recommended, and is almost universally 

 adopted. 



The land being prepared as above described, drills should be 

 opened, twenty-seven to thirty inches apart, with the double 

 mould board plough, or, if it be not at hand, the common 

 plough must be used. If the manure had not been applied, in 

 autumn, it should at least have been carted out during the 

 winter months to some convenient place closely adjoining the 

 field intended for the crop, in order to facilitate the application 

 of it now. When the drills are opened the manure should be 

 immediately deposited in quantity proportionate to the require- 

 ments of the land, all lumps well broken and divided, and 



