PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT OF SOILS. 31 



happens, where the latter mode is practised, that the weeds 

 come up so strong, that before sowing it is necessary to 

 cut them up with the horse hoe, as the harrow would be 

 ineffectual in removing them. Where the former method 

 is adopted, the plough alone is sufficient to remove the 

 weeds. The seed is sown under the furrow, in what is 

 called the " spraining system," one seedsman sowing to two 

 ploughs, the ploughs merely reversing the furrow formerly 

 dunged. The seed should not be sown when the soil is too 

 dry or in a dusty condition, as the young plants are in this 

 state of soil apt to become "root-fallen ; " and even where the 

 soil is of a closer texture and this is not likely to happen, 

 wheat does not nourish so well as when put in after rain. 

 Indeed, Mr. Roberts an authority on this point says that 

 land cannot be too wet for sowing wheat provided it works 

 kindly, and the seed can be well covered. There are, however, 

 some soils of sandy clay which should not be worked or 

 stirred while wet, as they will run together and form a hard 

 crust of soil, through which the young plants have a diffi- 

 culty to penetrate. The best period for sowing on soils of 

 the kind now under description is from the last week in 

 September to the middle of October ; the plants rarely be- 

 come winter-proud on soil of this description. We have 

 said that under draining is one of the essentials required in 

 all soils ; some maintain that this being attended to in 

 clayey soils, there is no necessity for upper water furrows. 

 Mr. Roberts says that he thinks this a mistake, for he finds 

 that upon soils of this nature the surface water does not 

 go off sufficiently quick without it. 



15. When land of this kind now under consideration, 

 clayey or tenacious, has been got into a high state of cul- 

 ture, it is frequently made to carry a crop of turnips or 

 mangolds. But these crops cannot always be got off the land 

 in time, so that spring wheat has to be sown upon it, and 

 the seeding delayed till January or February. White tur- 

 nips grown upon the fallows, and fed off during Octo- 

 ber and November by sheep, form an excellent preparation 

 for wheat on clayey soils in high condition. In cases 



