82 THE PRACTICE OF THE 



" are all in the fame heart before planting ? 

 " From my own experience, I am inclined to 

 " conclude they will not." 



This objection refers to Mr. Tull's method 

 of drilling wheat upon fix-feet ridges (or fe- 

 venty-two inches), and two rows upon each 

 ridge ; which two rows, the author fuppofes, 

 occupied four inches ; and then he afks, will 

 any one fay, that in the nature of things four 

 inches can be made to produce as much grain 

 as feventy-two; feventy-two he means, or the 

 land all fown as thick as it is ufually done. 

 The anfwer is, yes; the four inches can be 

 made to produce as much as the feventy-two 

 commonly does ; and for this we -have this 

 author's own authority: for he acquaints his 

 readers, p. 213, when fpeaking of the alter- 

 nate Hufbandry, " that Mr. Tull had often 

 " upon two rows in fix- feet lands, at the rate 

 " of five quarters of wheat on an acre." 

 This is a great crop, much greater than us 

 commonly obtained by farmers, who cover all 

 the ground with plants. But covering all the 

 ground is no fure way to obtain a full crop : 

 for plants do not produce moft feed when 

 they ftand thick upon the ground, but in pro- 

 portion to the room and nourimment their 

 roots have in it, which the author feems not 

 to have confidered ; nor to have known, that 

 Mr. Tull had left off drilling wheat upon fix- 

 feet ridges. He alfo reckons the horfe-hoeings 

 of wheat as fb many whole ploughings, 



though 



5 



