WELD. 



March, or the beginning of April, the fowing of the weld- 

 feed is beft deferred till May, when it may be difperfed 

 over the land, and left in that manner to be wafhed in by the 

 rains. With bean and pea crops, it is often fown before the 

 lall breaking or hoeing of the crops in the latter end of 

 June, or beginning of July. In cultivating it with clover 

 and grafs-feeds, it is often fown at the fame time with them ; 

 but a better praftice is, perhaps, to delay it till fome time 

 afterwards, as both thefe crops require to be fown at too 

 early a period for this plant to rife fafely. But in cafes 

 where no other fort of crop is grown with weld, which is 

 probably the beft method, it is ufually fown evenly over the 

 furface of the land, and covered in by harrowing with a light 

 bufli harrow, having afterwards recourfe to the roller in light 

 forts of land. 



Though it is common in cultivating crops of this lort, 

 not to pay any attention to them after being fown ; yet as 

 the plants are of flow growth, and hable to be greatly in- 

 jured in their progrefs by the rifing of weeds, it mull be of 

 much benefit not only to keep them perfeftly clean, but alfo 

 to have the mould ftirred about their roots. In about a 

 month from the time of fowing, the plants are moftly in a 

 flate to be eafily diftinguifhed ; a hoeing (hould be then 

 given when the weather is dry, which may be performed in 

 the fame manner as for turnips only, ufing fomewhat fmaller 

 hoes for the purpofe. Some direft that the plants in this 

 operation (hould be fet out to the diftance of three or four 

 inches ; but it is better to let them have more room, as fix, 

 feven, or eight inches ; which not only leffens the expence 

 of the bufinefs, but contributes to the advantage of the 

 crop. In the fpring, a fecond flight hoeing may be prac- 

 tifed about March, in a dry time ; and if any weeds rife 

 afterwards, a third may be given in May. Where the land 

 has been well prepared, one hoeing in autumn and another 

 in the fpring may be fully fufficient. Hand-weeding, 

 though praftifed by fome, is in general too expenfive in 

 thefe cafes. 



It may be obferved, that the proper period for pulling 

 this fort of crop is when the bloom has been produced the 

 whole length of the ttems, and the plants are juft beginning 

 to turn of a light or yellowilh colour, as in the beginning or 

 middle of July in the fecond year. The plants are ufually 

 from one to two feet and a half in height. It is thought by 

 fome advantageous to pull it rather early, without waiting 

 for the ripening of the feeds, as by this means there will not 

 only be the greateft proportion of dye, but the land will be 

 left at liberty for the reception of a crop of wheat or tur- 

 nips ; but in this cafe, a fmall part muft be left folely for 

 the purpofe of providing feed. In the execution of the 

 work, the plants are drawn up by the roots in fmall handfuls, 

 and fet up to dry, after each handful has been tied up by 

 one of the ftalks, in the number of four together in a fort of 

 ereft pofition againft each other, as is done in fome other 

 kinds of crops. 



It is remarked, that fometimes they, however, become 

 fufiiciently dry by turning, without being fet up. After 

 they have remained till fully dry, which is moftly effected 

 in the courfe of a week or two, they are bound up into 

 larger bundles, that contain each fixty handfuls, and which 

 are of the weight of fifty-fix pounds each ; fixty of thefe 

 bundles conftituting a load. Thefe laft are tied up by a 

 ftring made for the purpofe, and fold under the title of 

 woold cord, in many places where this kind of crop is much 

 grown and provided for the dyer and calico-printer. 



On account of the weld plant being extremely uncertain 

 in its growth, and the whole crop feldom becoming in a ftate 



to be pulled at the fame time, it is proper to have an ex- 

 perienced labourer to direft the bufinefs of pulling, in order 

 that the pullers may not proceed at random, but take the 

 different parts as the plants become ready, or in danger from 

 the blic;ht. In which laft cafe, the greateft poffible difpatch 

 ftiould be made, as the lofs of weight in the produce will 

 daily increafe, and the grower be of courfe greatly injured in 

 the quantity of it. 



After the weld is become fufiiciently dried, which is 

 known by the crifpnefs of the leaves, and the ftems turning 

 of a light colour, and when the plants are ripe, the feeds 

 flielling out ; according to fome, it ftiould be ftacked up 

 lightly in the barn, in order to prevent its taking on too 

 much heat ; while others advife, that it ftiould be ftacked 

 up clofely in the manner of wheat, being left to fweat in the 

 fame way as hay, as the more this takes place, the better ; 

 the quality of the weld being thereby increafed, if there be 

 no mouldinefs. When the crop has ftood till fully ripened, 

 the feed may be taken before it is put into the barn, which 

 may be eafily procured by rubbing, or flightly beating each 

 of the little handfuls againft each other over a cloth, tub, 

 or any other convenient receptacle, as, by threftiing, the 

 quantity of the weld would be much reduced in weight. 

 The price of this fort of feed is moftly about ten or twelve 

 ftiillings the bufliel, which may be fold to the feedfmen in a 

 ready manner. 



It may be obferved, that in crops of this kind the pro- 

 duce is in fome degree uncertain, depending much upon the 

 nature of the feafon ; but from half a load to a load and a half 

 is the quantity moft commonly aff^orded, which is ufually 

 fold to the dyers at from five or fix to ten or twelve pounds 

 tlie load, and fometimes confiderably more. 



This is a fort of crop which is moftly difpofed of to the 

 dyers and calico-printers, as well as other manufacturers. 

 The demand for it, however, is fometimes very little ; while 

 at other times it is fo great, as to raife the price to a very 

 high degree. 



Weld is a crop which is particularly liable to be injured 

 by the blight, which probably has induced the growers of 

 it to raife it with thofe of other kinds, efpec4ally of the grafs 

 fott ; becaufe, where the weld crop does not fucceed, a 

 portion of ftieep feed may be afforded by the others, for 

 winter and fpring ufe. It is noticed, that the blight fre- 

 quently comes on fo fuddenly, that crops which appeared 

 healthy, and in a vigorous ftate of growth, during the whole 

 of the winter and fpring, promifing a large produce, are 

 about the month of May attacked by this vegetable difeafe, 

 fo as to be nearly deftroyed. It is known to be prefent by 

 the plants, efpecially about the lower parts of the ftems of 

 them, turning of a yellowifli or pale reddifti colour, while 

 the upper parts remain green, and feem healthy. When it 

 appears early in the month of May, there is always danger 

 of the crop being deftroyed ; but when it comes on at a later 

 period, or where the plants from other caufes, as the dry- 

 nefs of the feafon, begin to change colour in the flianks, the 

 only chance is that of having them pulled as expeditioufly 

 as the bufinefs can be performed, and in the readieft manner 

 poffible. 



It may be remarked, that it would feem better and more 

 convenient to cultivate this crop alone, or without any mix- 

 ture of other plants ; as, in the former way, it muft be much 

 injured and confined in its growth, on account of the clofe- 

 nefs and ftiade produced by the plants of the other crops 

 that furround it. It is the cuftom, too, when grown with 

 other crops, efpecially thofe of the grafs kinds, to very 

 commonly feed them down in the winter and fpring feafous 



with 



