favourable for the Growth of Seed. 
53 
sheep are often turned upon the field to tread it thoroughly. This, 
although answering the purpose exceedingly well, cannot be 
looked upon as a satisfactory plan ; but it must be admitted that 
no rolling produces equal firmness. When this difficulty con- 
tinues, notwithstanding that the press-roller has been used, and 
time given to the land to settle, so as to sow upon a stale furrow, 
the better remedy will often lie in a change of the course of 
cropping, so as to sow upon a clover-ley, which is decidedly the 
moie frequent and desirable preparation for wheat on these light 
soils. 
There appears to be a strong objection to ley- wheat in some of 
the northern counties, and, in such cases, the only remedy will 
be to sow the land whilst it is wet, as this can scarcely fail 
to give it all the firmness which is required. 
The great advantages of clover-ley for wheat consists in the 
firm furrow which can be turned over when it is ploughed, to 
promote which object our best ploughs effect the inversion of the 
furrow, without materially breaking it. Upon clay soils, and even 
upon strong loamy soils, a careful ploughing of the clover-ley is 
found to produce a sufficiently firm seed-bed for the wheat, espe- 
cially when it is allowed to lie for some time to get settled, so that 
the seed may be sown upon a stale furrow. The use of a share or 
skimcoulter with the plough, as it assists in burying the turf more 
completely, is generally desirable, otherwise the clover is apt to 
spring up between the furrow-slices, which is very objectionable. 
As the land gets lighter in its character, the well-known 
land-presser comes in as a valuable help. These implements are 
generally made with two pressers, which, following immediately 
after two ploughs, very completely compress the two furrow-slices 
turned over, and give the land the required solidity. I have fre- 
quently found it an excellent plan to use a small drill in con- 
nexion with one of these pressers for sowing clover-ley, when the 
land is disposed to be rather adhesive in its nature, especially in 
wet seasons. Such land can often be ploughed up quite dry 
enough for immediate sowing ; but, before a sufficient breadth of 
it can be prepared for the day's work of a large drill, it gets too 
wet to be worked, and often has to lie a considerable time before 
it is again ready for drilling ; whereas the use of one of these 
press-drills admits of the ground being pressed, sown, and har- 
rowed close after the plough, whereby an early and good seed- 
time is secured. 
Another important condition at the time of sowing is the 
degree of moisture present in the land. Upon clay soils I con- 
sider the seed should be sown whilst the land is as dry as pos- 
sible : it will be sure to receive moisture from the fall of 
rain, but wetness in the land causes the particles of the soil to 
