Practical Agriculture. 
591 = 525 
ind the more haste the less speed. The farmer may be too late 
jifter all his exertions. Besides, if the roots be gone early, and 
he spring be a little backward, what is to carry the flock on ? 
)n the other hand, if a green crop follow the swedes, these 
nay be fed off at leisure up to the middle of May, when, indeed, 
t is too late for barley, but in good time for turnips, and when, 
ilso, the grass will be surely ready for the sheep. Then there 
vill be an abundance of green food, a regular succession of it, 
nd facility for its leisurely consumption. I have heard the 
pinion too often expressed to doubt its accuracy, that barley 
iken after wheat is a more even crop, and of a kinder quality 
)r malting, than after turnips, the folding on which makes the 
round too rank for barley ; but what is the barley's bane is 
16 wheat's blessing. This wants manure, and that of the fold 
; the most economical. The treading of the sheep, too, on 
le soft turnip-ground (if it rain, so much the better) is highly 
eneficial, and consolidates the land more than folding on clover- 
■a would. There is no pressure like their thin, sharp, cloven 
et. Wheat thrives in Hampshire as well on turnip-break as 
1 clover-lea or better (though this is not the case elsewhere 
1 chalk soils) ; and, besides, there is no danger of wire-worm, 
he labour also is better distributed for men and horses, who, 
i well as the shepherd, are hurried at a busy time to get in 
irley after swedes. There is still an opportunity for slipping Arguments for 
1 a crop of stubble-turnips, of rye, or of vetches, between the ^'^'^^ turmi. 
heat and the barley, if wanted, and circumstances are favour- succession 
)le. When two turnip crops are taken in succession, as in the 
iltshire and three-course systems, a large supply of sheep- 
od is provided, and consequently a larger stock of sheep kept 
-the great desideratum. The second crop of turnips, after 
Iding on the swedes, is more certain, and increased depth of 
il can be gained. Deep-ploughing is the universal remedy for 
thin staple ; subsoil must be turned up from time to time, 
posed to the air, and added to the surface soil. But for wheat, 
!ep-ploughing will not do ; the ground is not sufficiently 
nsolidated, and the plant will heave in the winter frosts : 
oreover, there will be brought up charlock and the red poppy, 
liich cannot be kept down by any amount of hoeing which 
leat can receive, and which will occasionally grow up with 
id stifle the good seed. Now, for both of the turnip crops, you 
n plough as often and as deeply, and hoe as much as you like ; 
lile in the second turnip crop there is a certainty of effectually 
bduing the weeds which escaped in the first year, and of 
iving the land perfectly clean for wheat." 
As in some other counties, sainfoin is a necessity for the Sainfoin, 
alk farmer who has no water-meadow ; and a seventh or 
VOL. XIV,— s. s. 2 s 
