AGRICULTURE. 
earth before thrown towards the rows of 
wheat. This should be performed immedi- 
ately after harvest, that, before the rows are 
sowed, there may be time for slightly stir- 
ring the land. The intervals of the second 
year occupy the place taken up by the stub- 
ble of the preceding. 
The banishment of the plough in spring, 
to as great a degree as possible, has taken 
place, in consequence of this most useful 
and happy innovation. All peas and beans, 
barley and oats, not only may be put in on 
an autumnal ploughing, but actually are so 
in many parts of the country (especially 
in Suffolk) ; the stiches in this ploughing 
being carefully thrown to the precise 
breadth suited to the intention of the far- 
mer, whether to use only one movement 
of the drill, or what is usually denominated 
a bout of it ; on which subject opinions 
differ. By the winter frosts a friability is 
given to the surface of the soil, so great, that 
very early in the spring, after one scarify- 
ing and harrowing, the corn may be drilled, 
and without a horse foot treading any where 
but in the stich furrows, where it can do no 
injury. Instead of losing this admirable 
gift of the atmosphere (which cannot be 
renewed), as was done by the former prac- 
tice of at least two spring ploughings, it is 
thus completely preserved, and the delay, 
expense, and vexation occasioned to the 
farmer by the succession of rains and north- 
easterly winds, giving the dreadful alterna- 
tive of mire and clods, are wholly avoided. 
From a comparative estimate of the pro- 
fits attending the different modes of hus- 
bandry, that of the new is stated, after 
various experiments, to be very nearly in 
the proportion of three to two : and mak- 
ing the utmost allowance for the influence 
by which the sanguine temperament of the 
partizan will interfere with the dispassionate 
calculations of philosophy, the advantage 
on the side of profit is indisputably and 
greatly with the modern system. It is also 
to be observed, that most of the accidents 
attending crops of wheat originate in their 
being late sown, which on the old plan is 
unavoidable; whereas in the new method 
the farmer may plough the furrows for the 
next crop as soon as ever the first is re- 
moved. The ground may be ploughed dry, 
and may be drilled wet. The seed, moreover, 
is not planted under the furrows, but at the 
precisely proper depth. The seed has all 
the advantage of early sowing, therefore, 
and the crop is more certain than by any 
other mode. The land also is much less ex- 
hausted by this method, the weeds being 
completely destroyed by the hoe, and none 
of the plants existing to draw nutriment 
from the ground but what attain their full 
maturity ; whereas in the usual practice 
seeds are permitted inevitably to impove- 
rish, and three-fourths of the plants them- 
selves, after having derived a certain and 
a considerable portion of vegetable food 
from the soil, perish abortively. The state 
of the land, therefore, must necessarily and 
obviously be left far better by the new 
mode than by the old. 
The practice of drill-husbandry has been 
justly remarked to be the management of 
the garden brought into the field ; and the 
grand question relating to it is, whether the 
extraordinary expense of this finer cultiva- 
tion be compensated by the superior qua- 
lity or abundance of its crop . f 'which the 
most sagacious and experienced judges have 
determined in the affirmative. 
Even admitting, for a moment, after all, 
that the practice is not, on the whole, su- 
perior, or equal, to the old mode, its intro- 
duction has at least been highly serviceable 
in correcting and refining the old method of 
cultivation, and some of the reputation of 
the new one, may undoubtedly be allowed 
to have arisen from a comparison with slo- 
venly and defective methods upon the old 
plan. 
With regard to white crops, there are 
many practitioners of liberality and sense 
who reject this practice, although with re- 
spect to potatoes, cabbages, beans, and 
often turnips also, it is admitted by them to 
be unexceptionable. On a soil, however, 
in which the drill-machine can move with 
freedom, there appears no reason, and 
it may be almost said, no excuse, for the 
rejection of the modern system, which 
indeed, however recently it may have been 
introduced into this country, is practised in 
every part of China, and is used also by 
the inhabitants of the Carnatic, and, from 
the decided aversion of these nations to in-, 
novation, may naturally be supposed to have 
been their practice for a vast succession of 
ages. Tobacco, cotton, and the castor-oil 
plant are cultivated by it, as well as every 
species of grain. 
THE CULTURE OF GRAIN AND ROOTS. 
Of the various plants raised for the nou- 
rishment of man, wheat is of the chief im- 
portance. To prevent the disease so fatal 
to this vegetable, called the smut, steeping 
its seed for from twelve to twenty-four 
hours in a ley of wood ashes, in lime water, 
and in a solution of arsenic, is completely 
