1 10 Extracts from the 'Replies to 



Ii is a general rule among farmers on arable farms, to wiih to plough a deal of 

 land, whj^h, so far as I have experienced, is a mistaken notion, for if you over 

 plough and have more in tillage than you are able to manure, and keep in good 

 condition, and properly clean, so as to be sure of having good crops according to 

 the season, you get yourself into a deal of work, and waste seed, and make land foul 

 and full of weeds, and in bad condition for any kind of crop the ensuing year, not 

 fit for any thing but a summer fallow, which summer fallowing is not the true mode 

 of farming, but I do not totally explode it myself, particularly if in a country 

 vhere land is naturally poor, and manure scarce. I begin with a wheat crop, 

 and all other crops in the same proportion, according to value. Suppose I have 

 30 acres for wheat, the land in no great condition, and rather poor of itself, and I 

 cannot manure it all, 1 then run a risk whether I get two quarters per acre, or not. 

 Suppose I have only 20 acres, and it is in my power to work and manure it well, 

 so as almost to assure myself three quarters per acre, if not more ; and from the 

 30 acres I only get 2 quarters per acre, or but 60 quarters, it takes 7 quarters of 

 seed to sow it. Now, if I have only 20 acres, and 3 quarters per acre, it is 60 

 quarters, and only takes for seed not quite 5 quarters ; then I am getting as much 

 produce from 20 acres as from 30, and saving 2 quarters of seed and one-third 

 less labour, and ten acres of land, which will produce something or other if ever 

 so poor; if it produce even nothing but couch-grass, it will be a help to maintain 

 stock of some kind, or if ploughed, it might give vetches with one furrow, which 

 are a very beneficial crop upon any kind of land to cut as a green crop, and will 

 not impoverish but will mellow the land, and improve it for any other crop the 

 ensuing year. Thus over ploughing on any kind of farm is both a loss to the 

 farmer and the community at large; for the fresher the land is in any country, the 

 more corn it will produce. 



If the 100 acres of arable land bad been divided into three lots, say 40 acres 

 of wheat, 30 of barley, 30 of oats, the barley land would take all the manure, 

 (330 tons) and would make but a poor return for the present year; but as clover 

 and grass-seeds are mostly sown with barley, so the produce of the clover will only 

 come in the ensuing year, which will pay the rent of the land, taxes, &c. and 

 make up the deficiency both of the barlfiy and oat crop ; and afford more clear 

 profit than the 100 acres all in wheat. The expense of seed and culture, reaping, 

 &c. would be nearly the same as for wheat. 



