70 
THE farmer’s manual. 
This, amongst many others, goes to assist the farmer 
to take every possible advantage of the several parts 
of his farm, at each successive season of the year, 
with the greatest success and profit. 
Coarse or hog meadow, by draining, may be con- 
verted into pasture grounds, which for a time will be- 
come more profitable; but with a little attention in 
cutting up the bogs, and keeping them down smooth, 
with a common bog- hoe, such lands may be greatly 
improved in their pasturage state, and by the assist- 
ance of manure, they may be reduced to mowiti^ of a 
good quality, at a very small expense; 10 bushels of 
lime to the acre would do well. If it should be ne- 
cessary to carry your drains across your plough lands, 
where an open ditch would obstruct your ploughing, 
waste your grounds, and become foul with noxious 
weeds, which by their seeds would also foul your 
lands ; you may lay a cheap covered drain to pre- 
vent these evils, in the following manner, viz. dig your 
drains with as much descent as possible; lay upon 
the bottom an oak or chesnut plank, 12 inches wide 
or more ; cover it with two others, 6 or 3 inches wide 
or more ; let the covering pieces rest together at the 
top, over the centre of the bottom plank ; fill up your 
ditch and till as before ; such a drain is both cheap, 
and easy to he laid, and also to be kept free ; the til- 
lage upon the ground where it passes, will soon re- 
pay, and if your drain is conveyed into other mowing, 
this also will richly repay. 
Arable Lands. 
In the course of my remarks, I have noticed parti- 
cularly the subject of pasturage, mowing, and the til- 
tage of arable lands, with a reference to their gene- 
ral and particularcullivation ; both in regard to then' 
present profit, and future improvement in value. " 
The subject of arable lands, as regards the general 
improvements of a farm, shall now claim some atten- 
tion. 
