166 THE PRACTICE OF THE! 



may lie open during the winter, to carry off 

 the rain-water, and keep the wheat dry till 

 fpring. The laft hoeings in fummer mould 

 earth the rows up on both iides> which will 

 help to ftrengthen and fupport the wheat. In 

 this way, there is little occafion of hand- 

 hoeing, except for the narrow flips left by 

 the hoe-plough next the wheat, and the rows 

 are eafily cleaned of weeds. Great crops 

 have been obtained in this method of cul- 

 ture, where the rows were but two feet dif- 

 tant : but if they are drilled at the diftance 

 of two feet and an half, the fpaces may be 

 deeper hoed, which will be more advan-s 

 tageous to the crop and the land : though 

 the two- feet rows are very profitable, and 

 will probably be at firfl preferred by farmers. 



It is proper to prepare land well, that is 

 intended for wheat ; and, if the land will 

 bear to be deep-ploughed, the crop will be the 

 more plentiful. This is a circumftance not 

 fufficiently attended to by many farmers ; and 

 fome writers have been io ignorant, as to re- 

 commend mallow ploughings, as of four or 

 five inches : but plants are nourifhed by their 

 roots, and the more good well-tilled earth 

 they have to fpread in, the more vigorous 

 the plants will grow, and the greater crop 

 they will produce. Many inftances might be 

 given of this .; but it may be fufficieut here to 

 take notice, that, in cultivating madder, very 

 little or no manure is uied, but the land is 



dug 



