52 THE PRACTICE OF THE 



" arguments to be produced, to (hew, that 

 " the great benefit of fallowing, at whatever 

 ' feafon, is the deftruction of weeds, and mere 

 " pulverization, without any reference to fup- 

 pofed acquiiitions from the air : a flrong 

 " one is the equality of crops that fucceeci 

 ** complete fallows and other crops : the 

 " latter, if fufficient care has been taken to 

 ** deftroy the weeds, are generally as good as 

 " fuch as follow compleat fummer fallows. 

 " Wheat, for inftance, after beans well hand- 

 " hoed, is as good : after peafe, if a great 

 " crop, the lame, without any hand-hoeing at 

 all; after clover alib, in which the land is 

 " bound, and matted together with roots : 

 " and the great fertility of new-broken-up 

 ' grafs lands, fhould look, as if the very con- 

 " trary ftate to fallowed lands was moft be- 

 ct neficial. Many writers talk of the benefit 

 " of thick fiiade, and the putrid fermentation 

 ' of thick and luxuriant crops. It may be 

 " all very true; but iurely the whole is 

 " founded on principles extremely different 

 *' irom the acquisition of aerial benefit by 

 <c fallowing ! I know of none in which they 

 ** agree, but the killing of weeds. 



" The acquifition of nitre, fay fome, is well 

 * c known to be greatly effected, by land being 

 " ploughed on to the ridge in winter ; and 

 ' nitre,, fay others, is the principle of vege- 

 <f ration. This fact, of nitre being fo very 

 " beneficial, feems rather to be a dedur.io-n of 



" reaibn, 



