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On Harrowing JVheat in the spring. By John Lang. 



Read January 12th, 1809. 



A paper lately appeared in the Aurora, which was 

 likewise published a few days ago by Mr. Poulson, 

 intitled an accidental improvement in agriculture. The 

 subject was the advantages which might be derived 

 from harrowing grain at certain periods of its growth, 

 which had been discovered by harrowing a piece of 

 oats, for the purpose of covering grass seeds. But the 

 place is not mentioned, nor the person by whom the 

 discovery was made. The writer concludes by ob- 

 serving that this discovery may be of use as an advan- 

 tageous mode of hoeing in broadcast husbandry. 



I remember many years ago of reading a very well 

 written paper on this subject in some periodical publica- 

 tion, I think it might possibly be Dr. Anderson's "Bee." 

 This writer besides detailing the results of sundry ex- 

 periments, gives likewise the rationale (as the French 

 say) in something like the following words. " In every 

 instance where the soil has been finely pulverised, whe- 

 ther by harrowing, or frost, or by any other means ; if 

 heavy rains succeed, and afterwards dry weather, a hard 

 and compact crust or cake is formed all over the sur- 

 face, in which the young plants of wheat, rye, barley, 

 or oats &c. stand fixed as if they were growing out of 

 a brick wall, and by pressing against their tender sides 

 prevent the expansion of their parts." 



Another effect is, that this hard crust or cake prevents 

 the free access of light and air to the roots so necessary to 



VOL. II, B 



