36J A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



practice cannot be too strongly recommended as much superior,- 

 where none but the greatest slovens think of sowing them broad- 

 cast. They are there very generally either set by hand, or drilled 

 by a machine ; in the former case women and children are princi- 

 pally employed, who set from 3 to 4 bushels per acre of the large 

 tick bean, or less measure of smaller sorts. 



The expence of hand-setting there in 1807 was about 8s. per acre, 

 and a quart of cyder daily to each setter. A gentleman by letter 

 thus informs the writer : " We excel in nothing so much as setting 

 beans \ it is superior to the most perfect drilling. They are all set 

 by line, and we prefer setting them north and south, to have the 

 benefit of sunshine between the rows. They are hoed three times 

 with the gardener's common hoe, and they produce sufficient to 

 satisfy the cultivator/' The time of setting is February and 

 March. 



Various machines are now in use for drilling beans (see "Imple- 

 ments"} ; and the expence may be reckoned at less than one- 

 half of that of setting : it is practicable upon all broken land, 

 particularly after fallow wheat ; but turf land should be set by 

 hand, and if clean hoed, must equal any fallow for wheat. 



Pease are extremly well adapted for drilling by a machine, their 

 globular form insuring a delivery with great accuracy. They 

 should be grown only upon land in clean culture, and kept perfectly 

 clean by the hoe, which they may be when in rows ; the land is then 

 fit for any crop. Turnips after the early sorts, and wheat after the 

 latter, or any other crop, at pleasure. In the neighbourhood of 

 London <60. per acre was made long ago by early pease for 

 podding, immediately succeeded by turnips, also for the market ; 

 and both cleaned in a garden style : the same practice is applicable 

 to this county in all dry warm situations near a populous town or 

 neighbourhood. The garden Rounceval has long been sown in 

 the common fields of Milwich with great success. 



Vetches, of the winter kind, are very properly sown in autumn, 

 upon land intended for wheat fallow the next summer, as the crop 

 may be used green or made into hay, in time for working such 

 fallow ; if the vetches are well manured for, less manure would be 

 required for the fallow. It would be a good plan to muck for the 

 vetches, and lime the fallow for wheat. Ten tons per acre of green 

 retches, or from two tons and a half to three tons in hay, may be 

 thus obtained instead of barren fallow. It may be here observed, 

 that vetches mown before they are in full blossom, will shoot again 5 



