169 
gtick with a $>eg crossways, about two or two and a half 
inches from the point according to the land) putting three or 
four seeds in a hole and these holes to be from twenty inch- 
ps to two feet apart, according to the richness of the land ; 
for good land, if room be given, will produce very luxuriant 
plants in good seasons ; but if too nearly planted so that air 
cannot circulate, they do not thrive well: attention to this 
is necessary in every way of sowing it. I have been most 
successful in this last process. Woad very often fails in its 
crop from the land not being in a condition, or from want 
of knowing how to destroy the botts, snails, wireworms, &c. 
that so often prey upon and destroy it, as well as from inat¬ 
tention to weeding, &c. Crops fail also from being sown 
on land that is naturally too dry, and in a dry season ; but 
as the roots take a perpendicular direction, and run deep, 
such land as I have described (with proper attention to my 
observations) will seldom fail of a crop : and if the season 
will admit sowing early enough to have the plants strong 
before the dry weather comes on, there will be almost a cer¬ 
tainty of a great produce. 
These plants are frequently destroyed in the germination 
by flies or animalculae, and by grubs, snails, 8cc. as before 
observed ; and in order to preserve them, I have steeped 
the seeds, with good success, in lime and soot, until they 
begin to vegetate ; first throwing half a load of flour lime 
on the acre, and harrowing it in. Then plant the seeds as 
soon as they break the pod, taking care not to have more 
than one day’s seed ready ; for it is better to be too early 
than to have their vegetation too strong before it is planted, 
lest they should receive injury ; yet I have never observed 
any injury in mine from this, though I have often seen the 
shoot strong. Either harrows or rollers will close the holes. 
If the ground be moist, it will appear in a few days, but it 
will be safe and a benefit to the land to throw more lime on 
the surface, when, if showers invite snails and grubs to eat it? 
they will be destroyed, which I have several times found ; 
