On  the  Fanning  of  Somerset. 
7 4fJ 
220  yards. 
the  taking  down  of  this  hedge  would  add  an  acre  of  available 
land  to  the  farm.  The  amount  of  land  injured  inside  these  two 
small  fields,  to  say  no- 
thing of  the  other  side  of 
the  hedge,  is  two  acres 
and  four-filths,  allowing 
that  a breadth  of  10 
yards  only  is  injured, 
which  falls  short  of  the 
fact. 
It  is  difficult  to  sav  to 
a/ 
what  extent  hedges  ought 
to  be  removed,  but  if,  by 
way  of  beginning,  it  were 
agreed  as  a general  rule  *D 
that  fields  should  be  not  less  than  10  acres,  and  that  ash  and  elm 
trees  should  be  cut  down  when  they  injure  arable  land,  a great  step 
would  be  gained. 
Causes  and  Remedies  of  Foulness  of  Land. — The  cause  is  mainly 
overcropping  with  white  crops,  neglect  of  growing  green  crops,  and 
of  keeping  them  clean  when  grown  ; and,  as  will  be  noticed  in  the 
Marsh,  want  of  draining.  The  remedies  are  so  obvious,  that, 
except  in  reference  to  weeds  affecting  certain  soils,  which  are 
noticed  in  their  places,  it  may  suffice  to  say — “Where  there’s  a 
will  there’s  a way.”  The  drill  and  the  horse-hoe  soon  pay  their 
expenses. 
On  farms  which  are  already  tolerably  clean  it  would  be  well  to 
adopt  the  plan  of  going  over  the  stubbles  in  the  autumn  with 
small  forks,  to  fork  out  the  couch  while  it  is  in  patches  and  the 
roots  near  the  surface  ; it  may  then  be  gathered  into  heaps  to  be 
carted  away.  I saw  a field  of  Mr.  Hudson’s  at  Castleacre,  in 
Norfolk,  so  cleaned  at  a cost  not  exceeding  Is.  an  acre,  and  had 
great  pleasure  on  returning  home  to  find  that  two  friends  and 
neighbours  had  long  practised  something  of  the  same  sort.  I 
mentioned  the  practice  to  a very  good  farmer  near  Sherborne, 
and  was  told  the  thing  was  impossible  without  a ploughing  first. 
Cultivation  of  Green  Crops. — Not  much  can  be  added  to  what 
has  been  stated  in  the  accounts  of  the  best  farms.  Green  crops 
in  the  vales  suffer  more  from  warmth  and  drought  than  from  any 
other  cause.  It  may  be  taken  as  an  established  fact  that  in  the 
low  ground  early  sowing  of  turnips  and  swedes  is  sure  in  ordinary 
seasons  to  lead  to  mildew7.  It  follows  as  a consequence  that  the 
drills  should  not  be  so  wide  as  in  the  north  of  England,  where 
the  root  has  a longer  time  to  swell. 
It  is  now  an  admitted  principle  among  gardeners,  that  to 
roughen  the  surface  in  drought  is  the  sure  way  to  prevent  evapo- 
vol.  xi.  3 c 
