194 THE GORSE CROP. 



objects to be attained are freedom from stagnant water 

 and from weeds. The class of soils usually selected for 

 gorse rarely suffer from wet, save when they contain in- 

 terstratified beds of clay, in which case a good system 

 of drainage, carried across the clay strata, will always 

 relieve the land of the surplus moisture, and render it fit 

 for the crop. As regards weeds, the ground ought to be 

 as effectually cleaned as has been recommended for the 

 lucerne and sainfoin crops, as the -young gorse is an ex- 

 tremely delicate plant, and is liable to be greatly injured 

 if they are allowed to accumulate during its early growth. 



Gorse may either be sown by itself, or treated like the 

 foregoing plants, and sown down with the grain crop. If 

 the former method be adopted, it should follow a straw 

 crop, by which ample time would be afforded in the 

 autumn for thoroughly cleaning the land, while the 

 stubble would assist in keeping it loose and open to the 

 winter's frosts and rains. If the soil be good enough to 

 render the latter mode desirable, the same precaution 

 should be taken as to the width of rows of the straw 

 crop that have been already recommended. In either 

 case, the seed should be deposited by the drill, in rows 

 from 18 to 24 inches apart, and about 1 inch deep. 

 Where a grain crop is taken, the rows of the two crops 

 should cross each other at right angles, the harrows and 

 light roller finishing the operation. From 8 to 10 Ibs. of 

 seed per acre are sufficient to insure a thick plant ; and 

 the latter end of March or beginning of April is the best 

 time for the purpose of sowing. 



The only attention the crop requires the first year is to 

 be kept clear of weeds by means of hoeing ; this, where a 

 green crop has been taken, will hardly be necessary, if 

 the land was well prepared and cleaned previous to 

 sowing. The voung plants, however, are extremely deli- 

 cate, and require to be carefully protected from weeds; it 



