TARE. 



the whole, he fuppofes, that by a judicious combination of 

 this plant with thofe of turnips, clover, and fainfoin, the 

 poor downs, (heep-walks, and other wafte lands may be 

 rendered from ten to thirty times more valuable than they 

 are in their prefent flate. 



The tare in all its varieties is a plant which, in refpeft to 

 foil, according to the author of the Prefent State of Huf- 

 bandry, admits of confiderablc latitude, growing without 

 difficulty or trouble on all the varieties, from that of the thin 

 gravelly, to thofe of the deep and tliff clayey kinds, but 

 flourifhing in the moft vigorous and perfed manner on thofe 

 of the gravelly, loamy defcriptions, that are not too moill or 

 wet at particular feafons. 



. With regard to the preparation of the land for this 

 fort of crop, there is lefs care neceffary than for many 

 other kinds of gralTy forts of crops, as it will fucceed 

 well where the foil has not been fo much broken down, 

 or reduced into fine mould ; but it always grows in the 

 moft perfeft and vigorous manner where a good degree 

 of pulverization and finenefs has been produced in the land 

 by proper tillage. But in common, two or three plough- 

 ings, with occafional good harrowings in the intermediate 

 times, may be fully fufficient for the purpofe, at whatever 

 feafon the crop is to be put into the ground. 



As to the lowing of the feed of this crop, it has been 

 obferved, that as the feed of the fpring tare docs not fuc- 

 ceed well when fown for the winter crop, nor that of the 

 winter kind when put in for the fummer produft, care 

 fhould be taken to keep the feeds of the two forts as per- 

 feftly diftinft as poffible. And that as they are, from their 

 being both of nearly the fame colour and fize, as well as 

 their agreeing in other particulars, extremely liable to be 

 mixed in the feed-lhops, it may be the beft praftice for the 

 cultivator to preferve his own feed, as by that means he may 

 not only be certain of having the feed good in its quality, 

 but of the right forts, and, of courfe, may depend more fully 

 on his crops. And it has been fuggefted by the writer of 

 the Middlefex Report on Agriculture, that fteeping the 

 feed in dry feafons may be of utility in promoting the 

 quick vegetation of the crop in many fituations of land 

 and peculiarities of feafon. With regard to the quan- 

 tity of feed that ihould oe employed, it fhould, of courfe, 

 vary according to the nature of the foil, and the time as well 

 as manner of fowing. But from two bulhels to two and a 

 half are the proportions moft commonly recommended in the 

 broad-caft method of fowing. But on poor forts of lartd, 

 where the feed is fown late, and the climate is backward, 

 three bufhels may not be too much. And it has been alfo 

 obferved by a late writer, that where the crops are either 

 to be cut for foihng, or to be fed down by live-ilock, the 

 proportion of feed Ihould be confiderably increafed, as 

 not only a greater produce is thereby provided, but the 

 growth of the crops rendered more quick and full. In the 

 drill method of fowing, when at the diftance of fix inches, 

 two bulhels of feed will be quite fufficient ; and where the 

 diftances are larger, ftill fmaller proportions of feed will 

 anfwer the purpole. 



In regard to the periods and manner of fowing thefe forts 

 of crops, it is evident that the former muft vary with the in- 

 tentions of the cultivator ; but the winter fowings (hould be 

 performed fome time between Auguft and Oftober ; and in 

 expofed fituations and poor foils, more early than in thofe of 

 the contrary defcription. As for the fpring fowings of 

 thefe crops, they may be executed from the beginning of 

 March to the end of April, or even earlier, with fuccefs. In 

 fome places, as on the down lands in Suffex, they find great 

 advantage from fowing fpring tares in June with a light mix- 

 VoL. XXXV. 



ture of rape or cole feed, as about a quart to the acre, on 

 the fame land, as furnifliing a good and nutritious feed for 

 weaned lambs in the autumnal feafon. 



With regard to the mode of fowing crops of this nature, it 

 is moftly that of the broad-caft, which fhould be performed 

 as evenly as polTible over the furface of the well-prepared 

 land ; the feeds being afterwards well covered in by proper 

 harrowing, in order to prevent their being picked up by 

 birds, and to enfure their perfeft vegetation and growth. 

 It has been fuggefted, however, that in rich clean foil, it is 

 probable the row method would fucceed well with this fort 

 of crop, as is the praftice in fome of the fouthern diftrids 

 of the ifland, according to a late praftical writer. And 

 with fome it has been the cuftom to fow a little rye with 

 their winter tare crops, and a fmall quantity of barley with 

 thofe of the fpring, on which, however, it has been well ob- 

 ferved, that as plants of different forts never fucceed well 

 together, it is probable that little advantage can be derived 

 from the praftice, cfpecially as the tare is not a plant that 

 ftands much in need of proteftion in the early flages of ita 

 growth, and may be injured by too much fhade and clofc- 

 ncfs. The former of thefe forts of feed, and fome others, 

 may, however, be occafionally blended with it, and fown at 

 a good green feed for fome forts of young animals, as 

 already noticed. 



It has been fuggefted in the firft volume of the Farmer's 

 Magazine, that the moft produftive method of fowing this 

 crop, when intended for feed, is to mix them amongft beans 

 when drilled, at the rate of one firlot of tares to one boll of 

 beans. 



It is further ftated, however, as obvious, that when tares 

 are intended for green food, there is no neceflity for mixing 

 them with beans. But that when fuch is the purpofe, they 

 require to be fown tolerably thick, fo as the furface may be 

 early covered ; and if the ground is good, and recently 

 dunged, an acre of them will afford as much keep for horfes 

 and cows, as can be gained from a full clover crop ; at leaft 

 the writer has found them fully as beneficial. 



It has been found that crops of this fort are capable of 

 being grown well after wheat or barley, but that they may 

 be grown after almoft any fort of crop where the land is in 

 good heart, and properly prepared for the purpofe. 



In regard to the after-management of thefe forts of crops, 

 from their covering the land in a very complete manner, 

 when they are fufliciently full, they do not require any great 

 attention during their growth. 



And in the procefs of making tare-crops into hay, more 

 attention is found neceffary than in thofe of moft of the arti- 

 ficial graffes, as wet is more injurious to them, and they re- 

 quire more fun and air ; but in other refpcfts they demand 

 the fame cautious management, in order to prevent the 

 foliage from being loft. 



The moft proper time for cutting for this purpofe is, ac- 

 cording to the author of the Synopfis of Hufbandry, when 

 the bloffbras have declined, and the crops begin to fall flat on 

 the ground. When well made, the hay is of the beft and 

 moft nutritious quality or properties, being extremely ufcful 

 in many intentions. 



The writer of the Report of the State of Agriculture in 

 Middlefex, ftates the produce as the refult of experience, in 

 having frequently weighed greeo tares, to be ten or twelve 

 tons per acre, which is a large crop. And when made into 

 hay, at about three tons the acre, which ffiews the vaft difad- 

 vantage of making thefe crops into hay. The value of the 

 produce, eitimating it as if the whole were made into hay, 

 being in that diftrift from twelve to fifteen guineas the acre ; 

 and in fituations where other forts of hay fcU at fifty fhil- 

 P lingi 



