Farming of Cambridgeshire. 
41 
works ; by others, in the manner we term striking, or back-bout- 
in^. This is done by turning one furrow to the land, and in 
returning to turn over this furrow, and the furrow or earth on 
which it was laid, so that it lies all in gatherings for the frost to 
enter and pulverize it. As soon as the weather is fine and dry 
these lands are dragged across with a harrow, called the Stafford- 
shire harrow, which is certainly the best implement I ever saw 
for getting out couch-grass or root-weeds. Those who have had 
Finlayson's harrows have discontinued using them, and prefer the 
Staffordshire harrow, which requires four horses to work it. A 
set of common harrows follow the Staffordshire, then a light roll, 
followed by another set of common harrows, then a set of one- 
horse, light, jingling harrows. The couch and roots are all thus 
brought to the surface, and then picked up by women and 
children, and burnt. These operations should only be carried on 
when the land is so thoroughly dry that the dust will fly about ; 
and it is a complete waste of horses' time to do such work at any 
time when the land is not perfectly dry. Many farmers collect 
the burnt ashes and mix with bones or guano, and drill with the 
turnip or rape, for which purpose they are very valuable. But 
unquestionably the good they may do in this will not repay for 
the previous exhaustion they had caused to the land. I have seen 
some farmers drilling in burnt couch-ashes mixed with bones, and 
giving the land a good dressing ; but yet they had so imperfectly 
cleansed the land from the couch-grass, that by the time it came 
round for fallow again an abundant supply of couch would be 
afforded for producing ashes for the same purpose. I consider 
when the land is fallowed it should be thoroughly cleansed from 
all couch-grass, &c. ; for, in fact, every weed that grows extracts 
as much nourishment from the soil as would produce an ear of 
corn. It is the sandy and gravelly soils which are so much 
subject to couch-grass. On the chalky soils, so subject to char- 
lock, this plan of striking on to bouts will be found the most 
effectual manner of causing the dormant seeds to vegetate in the 
spring. And here I must admit I am quite ashamed of my 
county ; for notwithstanding its most excellent farming in many 
parts, we still continue to be disgusted in the spring by witnessing 
whole fields of barley as yellow as saffron from the charlock 
when in blossom ; whereas by strict attention for a few years, 
never allowing a head to seed, they might be, as I have known 
them to be by many of my friends and neighbours, completely 
eradicated. 
After all the couch and roots have been thus destroyed, and the 
few annuals allowed to vegetate, another good ploughing is given, 
the land being first marked out into proper-sized lands, and in 
the direction intended for it to lie. We thus have the first. 
