SOILING. 



and fuccefs of fuch tree-plants will very much depend upon it ; 

 and, befides, it may be advantageous in other ways. In cafes 

 where tliis is negleded, or improperly managed, there is 

 often much injury fullained by the young tree-plants, as they 

 are not unfrequently liable to be more choaked up and incon- 

 venienced in their growth by the rifing of coarfe grafles and 

 other produftions, than if the foil had not been prepared 

 previoufly to the trees being put into it. Thecaufe of this 

 n thought, by Mr. Loudon, to be extremely plain ; as, if 

 the foil, by preparation, be better fuited to the growth of 

 trees which are foreign to it, it mull be much better adapted 

 to the growth of the plants which it naturally produces in 

 abundance. Confequeutly, to check and remove theie, fo 

 that the roots of the young tree-plants may range, and ex- 

 tend themfelves in a free manner, fo as to require and enjoy 

 the full ftrength and fupport of the foil, muft be of very 

 material benefit in raifuig plantations of the tree-kind. 



The nature of the cultivation which is to be purfued muil 

 be varied fo as to fuit the particular quality of the foil, the 

 fituation, and the kind of plantation for which it is employ- 

 ed ; but tlie great objcft, in all fuch cafes, fhould con- 

 llantly be, to have in view utility, with as much immediate 

 profit as pofTible, without the rifle of injury to the young 

 tree-crops. Confcquently, wherever the ground or foil is 

 capable of admitting and producing any fort of proper ufe- 

 ful vegetable, and the roots of the trees do not mterfere by 

 approaching too nearly to each other from the different 

 rows, fome of them fhould be planted, or the feeds of them 

 luwn in a regular manner, all along the centre parts of the 

 intervals between fuch rows, for fome length of time, as a 

 year or two, and more in fome inllances, after the planting 

 has been performed. The moft ufcful and valuable vegeta- 

 ble crops to be grown in this way, are thofeof the potatoe, 

 turnip, cabbage, dwarf bean, and fome other fimilar ones of 

 the green kind. The introduftion of fuch crops neceflarily 

 fuppofes that the whole of fuch planted grounds are to be 

 wrought over, and kept in a clean order by fome proper 

 means, daring the k-ngths of time that have been flated ; 

 after which they need only be hoed over two or three times 

 in the courfe of the year, until the furfaces of them be co- 

 vered and concealed by the trees, which they will moltly be 

 jbout the fourth or fifth year from the period of planting; 

 All the work of the above kmd, where the fcale of plant- 

 ing isextenlive, may be executed by means of the plough 

 and horfe-hoe ; except occalionally, perhaps, fome little 

 hand-hoeing about the bottom items of the tree-plants, 

 where there might be danger in letting the other tools work 

 too near them. Where, from different circumllances, it 

 may be impoflible to introduce the plough, the fpade and 

 hand-hoc muil, of courfe, be had recourfe to in working 

 the foil. But wherever the foil is incapable of admitting 

 and producing ufefnl vegetables, or where it may bethought 

 not advifeable to grow and cultivate them, the ground or 

 foil may perhaps be the moll properly and advantageoufly 

 prcferved in clean order, fimply by hoeing over the furface ; 

 or fometimcs probably by light ploughing or working with 

 the fpade, for a year or two at lirll, and then to depend on 

 hoeing. The chief point in all cafes is the promoting the 

 progrt-fs of the young trees, and the preventing them from 

 being injured by the Itiflnefs, rawncfs, and want of cleannefs 

 in the foil. 



Whenever the furface of the ground or foil is covered by 

 the young trees, there is no longer any necellity for cultiva- 

 tion, it being from that time prcferved in a Uiflieienl loofe 

 and open Hate, and the furface properly free from weedy 

 matters, by the clofenefs and fliade of the trees, and the 

 annual falling of the leaves j and particularly where the 



planting confiileof reiinous trees. It is noticed, tdo, by the 

 above writer, that it is the peculiar property of deciduous 

 plantations, that the furface among them is covered with 

 herbage of the paiture kind, the feeds of which ihould be 

 fown when the trees are about nine inches or a foot in dia- 

 meter, they having been well prcferved from weeds pre- 

 vioufly to the period of fowing. See Plantation and 

 Planting. 



It is not improbable, but that when the bufinefs of pre- 

 paring and cultivating the foil for plantations becomes better 

 underflood, and its ufes and advantages more fully appre- 

 ciated, more fuitable implements, tools, and contrivances 

 may be provided for accomplifhing the work in a more eafy, 

 ready, cheap, and convenient manner, than has yet been 

 employed. 



Soils, Culling Surface of, the opening and breaking the 

 furfaces of them in different intentions ; as for the purpofe 

 of rendering them more dry and firm, of producing a more 

 mellow, mouldy, or powdery ftate in them, and for im- 

 proving the nature of their fwards and grally herbage in 

 thofe of the moffy, rough, mowing, and pallure kind«. 

 It may likewife be ufeful to them for fome other purpofes 

 in hufbandry. It is performed in different manners, and by 

 different means, according to the circumllances of the dif- 

 ferent cafes, and the ufes which it is defigned to fcrve. See 

 Spike Roller, and Sward Culler and Drefir. 



Soil, in Zoolooy, is ufed in fome parts of England as the 

 name for the phoca, or fea-calf. 



This creature, in Cornwall, they frequently find fleeping 

 on the fhore, and kill him, fometimes by fhooting, and fome- 

 times by itriking him over the head with long poles. He de- 

 fends himfelf, when on fliore, by throwing ilones backwards 

 with great violence. 



SOILING, in /Igrtculture, the praftice of fupporting 

 animals of different kinds, in the lummer feafon, with green 

 food of various forts, cut daily, and given to them in racks 

 in the houfes, flails, or yards. A vail number of different 

 plants and grafl'es may be had recourfe to in this intention, 

 as almoll all thofe which have a quick and luxuriant growth ; 

 as lucern, tares, clover, faintfoin, chicory, &c. And it 

 has been fuggefted, that by having recourfe to foiling, a 

 greater variety of plants may be confumed, and confcquently 

 prevented from running to walle. Alfo, that if the con- 

 fumption of plants be an objedl principally r-garded, it is 

 obvious that the benefits thence derived will be very great, as 

 experience has clearly proved that cattle will eat with avidity 

 many plants, if cut and given to them in the houfe, which 

 they never will touch while growing in the field ; fuch are 

 the dock, cow-parfley, thillles, nettles, and numerous other 

 plants, But to whatever circumftance this may be attri- 

 buted, the fart if, that the animals will eat thcin without 

 exhibiting any marks of diflike or reluAance, even when 

 they are not preffed by hunger, and they often greedily de- 

 vour fuch planf;, as loon as they are brought in from the 

 field, and before they can hare poflibly had time to become 

 hungry. There are even vegetables, which, in a green 

 flate, are poifonous to cattle ; but which, when cut and 

 dried into hay or fodder, may not only be given with im- 

 punity, but are alfo catin with avidity. Such as the water- 

 crowfoot, with which, Ur. Pulteney fays, the cottagers in 

 the vicinity of Ringwood, on the banks of the Avon, almoft 

 entirely fupport their cattle ; and fo eagirly do ihefe ani- 

 mals conlume it, that they deem it unlafe to allow thcra 

 more than a certain quantity. Cows indeed arc aliertcd to 

 be fo peculiarly fond of this vegetable (which keeps them 

 in good milking condition), that, exclulivc of the fcanty 

 pittance which they obtained on an adjacent hcath.^rr cowt 

 N a i »nd 



