40 
Agriculture of the Islands of 
its fourth quarter. In former times tliis was much more thought 
of than it is now ; only those of the old school attend to it. As 
Ijefore observed, wheat is sown in most cases after potatoes, 
parsnips, or carrots ; in this case the land is clean, and requires 
no preparation beyond manuring. The manure employed is 
generally vraic ashes, i. e. the ashes produced by the burning of 
dried seaweed. Seaweed is collected in great abundance on the 
coast and dried for the purpose of burning. If the land be rich, 
as in most cases it is, having been highly manured for the root- 
crops, 2^ tons per acre of ashes will be deemed sufficient. A 
few days before ploughing these ashes are carted from a dry 
place (in which they are stored and kept as free as possible from 
the action of the atmosphere) to the field, where tliey are spread 
evenly on the surface. If the sowing takes place before Christ- 
mas, it is frequently the custom to sow the seed on the surface 
before ploughing, and then plough it in Avith the manure about 
5 inches deep ; this mode is preferred by many. If sown in 
January — the usual time — the land will first be ploughed about 
7 inches deep, then the seed be distributed broadcast, and, if 
properly done when the ground has been well harrowed length- 
ways, the seed will rise in drills the breadth of the furrows. 
Nothing more is done to it before the end of March, Avlien it is 
hand-weeded, if required, prior to the clover and other grass- 
seeds being sown in it, which takes place as soon as the wheat is 
4 or 5 inches high ; it is then altogether left until the harvest 
season, which we shall describe later. The varieties of wheat 
commonly sown are known in Jersey as Velouze and Petit 
Blanc ; the former is the best for rich soils on account of the 
strength of its straw, which prevents it from being laid by 
storms or continued rain, but the Petit Blanc is more esteemed 
for the qualitv of its flour. The Velouze, or Downy, is the 
most prolific, yielding, in the rich and well-cultivated parts of 
the island, 50 bushels per acre, but, as a general medium, 45 
bushels may be taken. The quantity of seed sown varies ; for- 
merly, as much as 200 lbs. weight was sown per acre, but 
now one-fourth less is used, and found to be sufficient. The 
only preparation that the seed undergoes before sowing is to 
steep it in bluestone and water for 8 or 10 hours. Sometimes 
salt is used, in which case it is mixed with hot water until it is 
stronij enough to float a potato ; when cold the wheat is thrown 
into it, and left for 10 or 12 hours, after which it is taken out, 
and dried with a little unslacked lime. 
The wheat being sown, the next object will be to attend to 
the parsnip and jjotalo crops, which in duo rotation follow 
turnips. For parsnips, the land is covered with a good coat- 
ing of seaweed, which is gathered fresh and applied at once ; 
