300 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



land ploughed up in June and allowed to lie in the hot 

 sun without rolling for a week or more, loses much of its 

 moisture. 



102. In the preparation of the soil, the great points 

 to be aimed at are the getting of it into a state of fine pul- 

 verization, or " tilth " as it is called, and its perfect free- 

 dom from weeds. These are gained by different modes of 

 culture, varying according to varying circumstances of soil, 

 climate, and locality. A general mode of preparation of 

 the soil is to plough it in the autumn as early as the other 

 labours of the farm will permit ; this ploughing is generally 

 done in the direction of the ridges, the furrow to be pretty 

 deep. Previous to ploughing thus, if the land be much 

 infested with weeds, it will be advisable to cross-plough it 

 with a shallow furrow ; and then h'arrow it either with a 

 single or double turn, according to the weediness of the 

 land. The weeds are then gathered together in heaps and 

 burned, or better still, carried to the compost heap. After 

 the land has thus been treated, it is finally ploughed in the 

 direction of the ridges, with a deep furrow as already ex- 

 plained ; and left for the winter. The preparation of the 

 soil in spring will be more or less easily accomplished, ac- 

 cording to its nature ; if of a good tilth, a one ploughing 

 across the furrows thrown up in the winter will be all that 

 is required before drilling for the seed. But in many soils 

 of a more adhesive character, the working will be of a much 

 more complicated character, before they can be brought into 

 the finely pulverized condition so essential to a good crop. 

 The following may be taken as an example of what will be 

 required in the way of the spring preparation of an average 

 quality of soil neither very heavy nor very light. The ridges 

 ot the last winter ploughing are ploughed across, and a turn 

 taken with a heavy harrow or drag if the land is heavy 

 along the ridges, or a double turn with a light harrow if 

 the land is moderately heavy. The land thus harrowed is 

 next rolled, and then a double turn of the harrow across 

 the ridges, and the weeds collected for burning or to be 

 taken to the compost heap. The land is then ploughed in 



