26 THE PRACTICE OF TIJE 



fo; which determined him to leave out the 

 middle rows entirely, and to drill only two 

 rows upon a ridge. He then reduced his 

 ridges from fix feet to four feet and eight or 

 nine inches broad, and drilled two rows upon 

 each ridge, ten inches diftant. In this way, 

 the intervals between the double ro\vs, to be 

 hand-hoed, were near four feet wide ; which 

 is the proper room for a hoe-plough. In this 

 method, he had better crops than before, and 

 recommends it as the Deft. And his fervants 

 being now experienced in managing the hoe- 

 plough, he found f that four horfe-hoeings 

 were fufficient for a crop of wheat ; efpe- 

 ciallv as he could now hand-hoe the ten-inch 

 partitions deeper than the former feven-inch 

 ones. After harveft, all the preparation necef- 

 fary for a new crop is, to plough up the earth 

 in ridges upon the former intervals ; which is 

 eafily done, commonly at four furrows, or 

 fix at moft. This is one whole ploughing, 

 iuid the four horfe-hoeings are equal to ano- 

 ther ploughing, or two common ploughings 

 in all to an acre of wheat. 



it may feem very extraordinary, that a good 

 of wheat can be raifed upon ordinary 

 land by fo fmall a quantity of tillage ; and that 

 good fuccefTive crops of wheat can be raifed 

 by 'tillage alone, without any dung or ma- 

 nure, and without fallowing, or reft: feverai 

 circumftances concur to produce this effect, 

 the principal of which are the following : 



A ; , . ! <J 



i. In 



