61 



is very striking, not only in the saving- of seed and 

 in the increase of produce, but in the more impor- 

 tant circumstance of preparing- the g-round for the 

 following- crop in such a manner as to render that 

 also more productive ; and it is remarkable that from 

 this improved tilth by the drill method, the num- 

 ber of sheaves is not only g-reater, but their pro- 

 duce also is proportionably increased, for in this 

 instance less than 53 sheaves of the drilled l)eans pro- 

 duced as much as 57 sheaves of broadcast beans 

 yielded. In hke manner, with respect to the barley 

 of the following- year, 34 sheaves from that part 

 ■which had been under the broadcast beans the year 

 before, did not produce more than 27 sheaves yielded 

 from the drilled part." 



In the Barony of Forth, where, from the abundance 

 of sea-weed, and excellence of the soil, much greater 

 crops of beans and barley are produced than appear 

 in the above calculation, the advantage of drilling- 

 would be proportionably greater. The triith is, that 

 beans do well in the latter place, in spite of the far- 

 mer, owing- to the quality of the land, and facility of 

 manure, but under good management they would be 

 most luxuriant. But I need not travel all the way to 

 Flanders for example of drilled beans — for in Scotland 

 they are universally drilled, fostered with the utmost 

 care, and much more productive than in the othei- 

 country — it is not uncommon to see in Scotland 20 

 acres under the drill beans, in a single field, without 

 even a sohtary weed among- them. I recollect having 

 seen some old and young woraen employed with hoes 

 in a very large field of l)eans, which appeared to me 

 perfectly clean. Curiosity led me to watch their ope- 

 rations, first at some distance, and afterwards to walk 

 up to them — but I must first tell you that all these 

 women, though without shoes and stockings, had their 

 heads covered \vith large bonnets of English nankin, 

 completely shading- their faces and necks from sun 

 and wind ; they also -wore very smart looking bed- 



