Oil Cropping and Cultivating Light Land. 



87 



manure, it almost invariably answers a good purpose. A v6ry 

 short time has elapsed since the breaking up of the old and very 

 prevalent notion that barley, after being mown, must be exposed 

 to the action of nine dews. In the very hnest weather perhaps 

 this custom might be beneficial, as it would improve the colour 

 of the grain, and make it thrash better ; but as this long delay 

 not only secures the effect of the nine dews, but, very often, the 

 injurious influence of as many showers, and the expense of constant 

 and sometimes unsuccessful attention to prevent it from growing, 

 this tardy process at length gave way to the present p. an of 

 housing as soon as the corn and straw are in proper condition. 

 In the third quarter of our system there is a considerable change, 

 owing to the substitution of peas or winter beans for a portion of 

 the seeds. To keep up the exact rotation seeds should be sown 

 with all barley or wheat planted after the root-crop. Hay, if 

 reckoned at its market price, is found to be the dearest food 

 which stock can possibly eat. Partly owing to this, partly owing 

 to a greater economy of hay, by cutting hay and straw together 

 in our chaff-cutters, and also owing to a higher degree of fer- 

 tility, attained by the different management of our fallows, and 

 to some other causes, it is now common to leave a portion of the 

 barley-course free from seeds, to be planted with winter beans 

 in the autumn, or with peas the following spring, all coming 

 for wheat in due course. Winter beans grow on much lighter 

 soils than the spring varieties, tick, massagan, &c. 



When the land is perfectly clean it is an excellent plan, at the 

 usual time of grass-seed sowing, to hoe in some trefoil and Dutch 

 clover among the winter beans ; they produce some autumn food 

 for sheep, and, by forming a kind of ley, tend to solidify the land 

 for the succeeding wheat-crop. After the peas are harvested, 

 and with favourable weather, it often answers a good purpose 

 to scarify the surface of the pea stubbles about two inches deep, 

 to destroy all weeds, and stir in at the same time some rape or 

 mustard, which gives increased firmness to the land, and pro- 

 duces grateful food for the succeeding wheat-crop. 



But, however clean the land may be, however much artificial 

 and yard manure may be at command, this deviation frota seeds 

 to peas and beans requires all the judgment and all the know- 

 ledge which can be summoned, of the food required by, and the 

 conditions necessary to secure, a good wheat-crop. For, in com- 

 paring a crop of beans and peas with a crop of hay, we must not 

 forget that we shall often find the succeeding wheat-plant 

 revelling on a good clover ley, but sickened and root-fallen when 

 planted after beans or peas. Instances out of number could be 

 given, showing that they almost invariably injure the succeeding 

 wheat crop. Having access to artificial manures of almost every 



