122 On Wild GarlicL 



OBSERVATIONS. 



A spring oat crop, sowed early, in the fallow intended 

 for wheat, is, by very many, believed to be the antidote 

 against garlick. Although I am opposed, in general, to 

 sowing oats on light soils ; and especially if they imme- 

 diately precede a wheat crop ; I am not among the 

 number, of those (if any there be) who will censure Mr. 

 Roberts's course of crops, as " an execrable rotation." 

 I see not that, for his object, he could have pursued a 

 better. There were two crops of Indian corn, two of 

 oats, and four of clover, plaistered generally. If he had 

 fall-ploughed every autumn, v/hile his field was in til- 

 lage, his object of destroying garlick, would have been 

 the sooner accompHshed , and other advantages would 

 have been gained. Successions, year after year, of the 

 same kind of grain, are not justifiable, nor profitable. 

 But his object was not so much for the crop, as for its 

 agency in the conquest of his enemy. Frequent stirring 

 for corn, and early ploughing for oats, were his means 

 of destruction of the pest he aimed to extirpate. My 

 experience for 40 years, has convinced me that the ear- 

 ly ploughing in the spring, and most especially if it 

 succeeds a Jfill plough? ?ig, is the remedy; and the oats 

 gain the credit. Among its disadvantages, oats has one 

 benefit intermixed. It compels early ploughing. Facts 

 are, I know, pro and con, on this subject — But it is dif- 

 ficult to judge of relations of fiicts, without knowing 

 concomitant circumstances. And many of these are 

 undesignedly, and without attending to their bearing on 

 the point, omitted. The desire to get a crop, to pay for 

 labour and expence immediately, warps the judgment. 



