500 Farming of the North Riding of Yorkshii e- 
seeds. They are broken up generally in the month of October, 
and ploughed somewhat shallow — from 4 to 6 inches deep. 
The consolidation and fertilization attained by their being un- 
stirred for eighteen months, and the treading of the sheep, give 
the soil consistency and solidity ; and this is generally now assisted 
by the operation of pressing, with an instrument consisting of two 
heavy annular pieces of cast iron affixed to an axle. This fol- 
lowing two ploughs presses down the interstices between the 
furrows, and thus forms a consolidated seed-bed in which the 
wheat is afterwards sown broadcast, and which falls principally 
into the furrows. Another somewhat common mode is to apply 
the drill ; and some parties still use the ribbing-plough, which, 
making furrows of some 4 inches wide, also assists, to a certain 
extent, the necessary consolidation of the seed-bed. 
The quantity of seed varies from 10 pecks to 12 (3 bushels). 
Experiments have been made, by a varietv of parties, with thin- 
sowing on all descriptions of soils. H. S. Thompson, Esq., of 
Moat Hall, Colonel Croft of Slillington, Mr. Ord of Melmerby, 
and the writer of this paper, have experimented with dibbling, 
thin-sowing, and various modes of departure from the ordinary 
plans of wheat-sowing. The whole, however, turned out a failure, 
or nearly so. Several seeds did not germinate ; the sample was 
coarse ; the produce inferior in weight and quantity ; and the land 
was found to be unfavourable as regarded weeds. The tendency 
is therefore not to depart from the practice of sowing at least 10 
pecks per acre, and as many as 13 are sometimes drilled on the 
land. The kind of wheat sown is the old " creeping red." Some 
eight years ago there was a most extraordinary disposition to try 
new varieties of wheat. About ten or twelve different varieties 
were introduced, and obtained some degree of favour; but the 
great promises held out were not realised, and most of them 
have given way before the old and long-tried kmds of wheat, 
and but little advantage on the whole resulted from the change. 
Occasionally artificial manures are applied to the wheat. Rape- 
dust, bones, and guano are the chief appliances, but only when 
there has been some deficiency in the turnip crop, or where a 
large proportion of turnips has from any cause been pulled off 
the land ; but even these artificial or hand tillages, as they are 
termed, are not generally in great favour, as there is foun<l to be 
much greater tendency in the wheat to be affected with mildew 
where they are used. Top-dressings are more commonly re- 
sorted to ; and where the appearance of a crop is considered un- 
promising, or any deficiency is apprehended, the habit is to apply 
soot, nitrate of soda, or even guano — care only being taken to 
apply these in a rainy time. I have seen as much as a difference 
of six bushels per acre increase in a crop by the latter application. 
