2y8 Mr. William Pitt on the Production and 



One of the greatest agricultural improvements of the last century, was the intro- 

 duction of turnips, by which fallows haye been very generally banished from light 

 land ; but as much the greatest proportion of the land of the kingdom is of a strong 

 or heavy quality, yet very proper for the growth of wheat : the introduction of a 

 good system, which would as generally banish fallows from heavy soils, would be a 

 still much greater improvement. 



In many of the common fields of the kingdom the soil is of a strong, deep, moist, 

 yet rich, fertile, and productive quality, not easily exhausted if kept clean froui 

 weeds and couch grasses ; for which purpose this land is fallowed every second, 

 third, or fourth year, and often so imperfecdy and incompletely done, that the 

 purpose is but half answered : such land should be completely drained, and might 

 be kept cleaner with a fallow crop, under active and spirited management, th^n it 

 is at present with fallow. 



Cabbages are well adapted for such land, if the allotment now used as fallow 

 were well worked early in the spring, and then dunged, and thrown into two-bout, 

 or four-furrow ridges, and planted with cabbages in |unej this would be a very 

 great resource either for fatting, or for dairy cattle, or for sheep. From Michael- 

 mas to Lady-day, as the cabbages are cleared off, the ridges should be broken down 

 for barley or oats, with which might be sown clover, or the land reserved for vetches 

 at pleasure. As this land is with difficulty accessible in wet weather in winter, but 

 would be more easily so after effectual drainage, the opportunity of frost for col- 

 lecting a store of cabbages should not be lost ; if, at other times, it cannot be ap- 

 proached with light carts, the use of asses and paniers has been found very effectual, 

 and superior to all other methods of conveyance tc3 moderate distances in dirty 

 countries. It is surprising what effects have been wrought in the conveyance of 

 brick for building, by women and children only, with this simple animal, so easily 

 kept and cheaply supported. I believe half a dozen asses so worked would, in a 

 season, convey the cabbages to a reasonable distance from a great many acres. 



For continuing a supply of green food from Lady-day to May, part of the ground 

 should be planted with Swedish turnips; these should be in rows in one-bout, or 

 two-furrow ridges, and planted out in May, or early in June; in which way they 

 will succeed well, and I believe it to be their best possible mode of culture. This 

 practice is annually and successfully exemplilied, by Mr. Tollctt, of Swinnerton 



