( 76 ) 
bui still, the time gained for spring work is a suffi. 
cient inducement .to a practice that economises, not 
merely our labor, but the productive powers of the 
earth also, by soonest enabling us to shade the soil 
with a growing crop.(1) 
2d. What number of ploughings, preparatory to 
a crop, is necessary or proper ? 
The Romans were in the practice of multiplied 
ploughings. This appears, as well from the pre- 
cepts of Cato, as from the opinion of Columella, 
that “tillage, which does not leave the earth in a 
state of dust and render the use of harrows unneces- 
sary, has not been well performed.” Tull, and his 
disciples, carry the doctrine still further, and be- 
lieve that frequent ploughings enable us to dispense 
with even the use of manures. This, however, is ex- 
travagant: it is certain that the plough can do 
much, but it is equally certain that there is much it 
cannot do. 
Agricultural, like other business, having profit for 
its object, is a subject of calculation: its labor must 
be regulated by its end, and the moment the expense 
of this transcends the profit, it may be improvement, 
but it ceases to be farming. When, therefore, we 
hear of six ploughings, preparatory to a.wheat crop, 
we conclude, either that the plough will soon stop, 
or that it belongs to one of the Dilettanti, who thinks 
it below him to count the cost. In our own prac- 
(1) Those whohave any doubts about the importance of shade, have but to look 
at the effects ofa brush heap, or other collection of small bodies, admitting air, heat 
and moisture, during the spring or summer months. Under such collections he wil! 
finda much more vigorous vegetation, than in the uncovered parts of the field: the 
cause of this effect is, that the brush prevents evaporation. 
