THE SCOTS GARDENER 



the two open trenches meet at the height, for the 

 same reason. 



The latter end of harvest the ground is softest for 

 trenching, and it lying all winter open to the wea- 

 ther is thereby meliorated. For as trenching doth 

 well prepare hard, barren, and untoil'd ground, so 

 doth it such as is exhausted by long and unskilful 

 usage ; and if at every trenching you apply proper 

 manures mixt with the second spading, or under 

 the last shovelling, and in five years re-trench, it 

 will become to your wish, for all gardens, and plan- 

 tations. 



The next excellent way of preparing ground, is 

 fallowing : begin as soon as you reap the crop; but 

 let the ground be something moist, altho' you should 

 stay for a sho wre ; if it be not late in autumne, you 

 may fallow in November, especially if stiff ground, 

 and re-stirre in March or April when you plant or 

 sow: and altho' you should neither plant nor sow 

 it that year, keep it clean of weeds in summer by 

 hawing, &c. and at autumne fallow again ; but as 

 intrenching, so in this work, you should mix it with 

 proper soil. 



Make use of the English fashion of spades, which 

 are now common, and let every two delvers have a 



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