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in lading down pasture lands. If pasture as well as mowing 

 lands were always laid to grass in a rich condition, with plenty 

 of the kinds of seed adiipted to the soil, many pastures would 

 produce double the quantity they do at present, and be also in 

 a better state for tillage when broken up. But no farmer 

 should puS his plough into grass land unless after a course of 

 crops in tillage, he can lay it to grass in a condition at least as 

 good us it was before. 



In ploughing hilly land it is very important to prevent the 

 soil from being washed away by rains. Much injury has been 

 done to lands of this description, by the wasting effect of rains, 

 the land gullied, the vegetable mould and richest earth washed 

 away, and the soil either irretrievably injured, or to such a 

 degree, that its fertility could be restored only at a great 

 expense. The method of horizontal ploughing practised in 

 some parts of Virginia, seems the most effectual security 

 against this evil. 



As an instance of what may be done by an active, 

 and skilful farmer, I will mention the case of that celebrated 

 English farmer. Robert Bakewell. Mr. Bakewell was a tenant 

 occup^dng a farm of four hundred and forty acres, about one 

 fourth arable, and the rest grass. On this farm, and from the 

 produce of it, he kept one hundred and fifty horned cattle, 

 four hundred sheep, and sixty horses. These animals were all 

 well fed, in an excellent condition, and many of them the best 

 animals of the kind in the kingdom. Mr. Young, who visited 

 this farm, and who gives this account of it, says, the cattle 

 were all as fat as bears. If the live stock on a farm of one 

 hundred acres were in the same proportion, there would be 

 thirty four neat cattle, ninety sheep, and fourteen horses. This 

 was undoubtedly an extraordinary instance, but it proves how 

 productive the soil may be rendered by judicious cultivation. 



I am of opinion that by skilful management, it is practicable 

 to keep a farm in a condition of constant improvement for an 

 indefinite time, to render it from year to year, the season 

 being equally good, more productive ; — and that this may 

 be done from the resources of the farm, without any great 



