362 
On the Use of the Water-Drill. 
and rapid growth in the early stages, was seldom attained. The 
crop was almost invariably, either partially or wholly, destroyed 
by those numerous insect " pests " whose destructive energies 
are so commonly brought into active operation in such cases, 
occasioning grievous disappointment to the farmer as he witnesses 
the destruction of his hopes, and sustains the loss consequent 
upon the failure of his crop. And the loss of a green crop is 
not a matter of trivial importance, as it frequently implies injury 
to the succeeding cereal crop ; and not uncommonly the whole 
rotation on that field is affected, causing heavy pecuniary loss. 
But since my adoption of this new method of sowing these crops 
I have scarcely ever sustained any such loss, but have almost 
uniformly succeeded in securing a full and even plant, with a free 
and vigorous early growth ; so that what was formerly the rule has 
now become the exception, and vice versa. But he must be a bold 
man, and a warm enthusiast indeed, who would venture to assert 
that the benefits accruing from the adoption of any principle, or 
the employment of any implement, on one peculiar description of 
soil, must of necessity equally result from its application to every 
other. Hence I would speak modestly with reference to the 
water-drill, and the benefits consequent upon its adoption. And 
although it has on my own farms and in my own immediate 
neighbourhood effected such important changes, and been at- 
tended with such successful results, yet I dare not affirm that 
equal success would of necessity attend its introduction under 
other circumstances and in different localities. Indeed, I have 
witnessed facts which go clearly to prove that this would not be 
the case. There are unquestionably certain peculiarities and 
varieties of soil where its use would be attended with positive 
mischief. And I would far rather admit and candidly acknow- 
ledge this to be so than seek in any way to cloak or deny it ; 
I believe, however, that these are very exceptional cases, and 
require a good deal of searching to find them. I have met with 
one and only one such case, and that was upon tlie farm of Mr. 
Charles Howard, at Biddenham, near Bedford. Here, tlie super- 
phosphate being sown with the water, and passing in this Huid 
form from the drill into the soil (which evidently possesses some 
peculiar chemical properties), appeared to form a sort of concrete, 
and made the land set and become unkind, whicli resulted in a 
,very sickly and unhealthy growth of tlie j)lant. Doubtless there 
are a few other cases which in some respects may resemble this, 
but, from close observation and a rather extensive knowledge, 1 
believe them to be very few indeed. Throughout this county, 
and also in some of the districts of Lincolnshire, where farming 
is so efficiently conducted, I have had opportunities of observing 
