296 THE TUENIP CROP. 



thoroughly to clean the land in the autumn, and also, at 

 the same time, to plough in the quantity of farm dung 

 allotted to the field, which would exert a good mechanical 

 effect on such soils (strong) by keeping them more open to 

 the influence of the winter's frosts. This practice is better 

 suited for sowing on the flat than on the ridge, as the 

 dung would stop anything like neat work in the spring. 

 If, from any circumstances, the land has not been properly 

 cleaned in the autumn, it must be attended to in the 

 spring: it is always far better to delay the period of 

 sowing for a week or two than to sow on a dirty or badly- 

 prepared seed-bed. 



When it is intended to sow the crop on the ridge, and 

 the land has been properly cleaned, and reduced, by 

 ploughing, rolling, and harrowing, to the proper state, the 

 double mould-board plough is sent into the field, and the 

 land laid up in ridges at the desired distances apart 

 usually 24 to 27 inches: 1 the latter is that generally 

 followed in the Lothians and other well-farmed districts 

 in the north, as allowing ample room for the growth of 

 the plants, and for the use of the horse-hoe in keeping the 

 surface clean. As soon as three or four ridges are drawn, 

 the carts should begin to distribute the farmyard manure 

 intended for the crop, the horse walking down the centre 

 furrow, and the wheels occupying that on either side with- 

 out disturbing the ridges. The dung is dragged out from 

 the tail of the cart in heaps of a given size and at given 

 distances (calculated according to the number of loads per 

 acre), and at once divided equally, and spread out at the 

 bottom of the three furrows by labourers who follow up 

 the cart for the purpose. As soon as the three rows are 

 finished a second plough should be sent in to split the first 

 set of ridges, and thus cover up the manure at the bottom 

 of the furrows, and form the crown of the ridge immedi- 



1 See general note in respect to distances apart at p. 224. 



