not prevent it; for when used upon such grounds lald down to mowing, it presses the stones into the earth even with the surface, at the same time that it breaks the clods, and thus prepares the way for the scythe in in a cheap, and easy method. It is also usefully employed in reinstating the roots of meadow grasses, loosened and raised by the alternate freezing and thawing of the ground, and with similar view, may be passed over winter crops early in the spring. Without it, all crops of grain sown with artificial grasses, especially barley, cannot well be taken up clean with the rake. Some think a crop of barley in particular, will be larger for rolling, as it is a dry seed, that needs to be well enclosed with mould. Rolling after sowing and harrowing, will cause the mould to enclose the seeds, much of which otherwise lying in cavities that soon dry, is apt to fail of vegetating. It is useful in light dry soils, for preventing their moisture from evaporating too easily; and in depriving certain insects of their hiding-places in the cavities of the soil. Land on which turnips are to be cultivated will be much improved by rolling. Flax ought to be rolled immediately after sowing; it makes the seed vegitate equally, and prevents after-growth. It is necessary in rolling that every part of the ground receive an equal impression; once in a place is generally sufficient.

A wooden roller about 2 feet in diameter, and 6 feet in length, may answer the above purposes.

HOEING.

This is so important, that no crop can be expected without it. The deeper land is hoed, provided the roots are not disturbed, and too much cut to pieces, the greater advantage it will be to the plants. The oftener land is hoed, the more moisture it retains, the more the crops are nourished, and the better it stands droughts; drawing fresh earth up near the plants, increases their growth, makes them stand more firmly, and protects the roots from the heat of the sun. Hilling especially is hurtful; it prevents the roots from having so much benefit from rains, and deprives the lower roots of the influence of the sun. It should be done therefore by little and little, at several hoeings.

By hoeing, the land undergoes considerable preparation, for the reception of succeeding crops. In soils apt to bind after much wet, which causes plants to appear of a stinted growth, hoeing is of vast advantage in promoting their immediate growth and future progress. It serves to prevent the standing of water on the surface, so as to chill the ground, and check all fermentation in it, &c. But hoeing should cease, or be only superficial, when the roots are so far extended as to be much injured by it. Where land is tolerably free from obstacles, the frequent use of the horse plough to a considerable depth, renders the labour much less severe and expensive, and more advantageous to the crop, than to depend upon the hoe alone. The first time the plough is used, turn the furrow from the rows, as near to the roots as possible. At the next hoeing, and all after hoeings, the furrows are to be turned towards the rows, this prevents the plough from injuring the roots. The depth should be about the same as for any other ploughing, or the intention will be in some measure defeated. This may render it necessary sometimes to go twice in the same furrow. A plough, called a cultivator, has been constructed, with two moulboards, which turns the mould both ways at once.

The opinion entertained by some, that no hoeing at all should be done in a dry time, is irrational and ridiculous. They deprive their land of the benefit of the dew -suffer it to be overrun by weeds, and allow the ground to be so hard, that the rain when it comes will not penetrate it. There is no soil perhaps, except a thin sandy one, that will not be benefitted in hot, dry weather by frequent hoeings.

FALLOWING.

Fallowing is a mode of preparing land for the reception of grass seeds, grain, or other crops, by repeated ploughings and harrowings. Tull, Beatson, and other writers on agriculture, have contended, that summer-fallowing should never constitute a part of a good system of husbandry; that the necessity of fallowing may be ob

viated by the adoption of the drill husbandry, or, by a judicious rotation of crops. This remark will apply with peculiar force, to the soils and climate of NewEngland.

WEEDS.

The farmer views plants in a very different light from the botanist. All are weeds with the husbandman that give obstruction to the plants he propagates in his farm. It is in vain to expect good crops, and folly to go to the expense of seed and labour, unless they are kept free from weeds, and particularly, while they are young.

If weeds be neglected, or their destruction but partially performed, perhaps not more than one half of the crop, will be obtained, even from the very best soils.— To guard against bad kinds of grass and noxious weeds, plant such fields with potatoes as are infested with them. Be careful that seed grain, and grass seed are clean, and free from all foul seeds. Pull out the docks, &c. upon mowing grounds, before they go to seed. Remove the thistle, burdock, and every noxious weed from fences, &c.

(For the saving of weeds see manures.) Suffer no old field to lie waste, as a nursery for weeds; the expense of ploughing will bear no proportion to the after expense of weeding. Weed crops with the plough and hoe; not after the weeds are grown, but as soon as they appear. It is supposed that the expense of weeding wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax and hemp, would be abundantly paid in increase of grain: for, generally speaking, any given quantity of weeds growing with a crop lessens its product, in proportion to the weight of the green weeds with that of the growing crop. haying is over, all fern, or brakes ought to be cut, not only for the purpose of destroying them, but of increasing manure, by applying them as litter. If cut while the sap is in, and left to rot on the ground, they will greatly improve it. Sheep are much better than any other creature for destroying weeds, by pasturing.

DRAINING.

After

A point of importance in good farming, but in which our country is defective, is the draining of wet and marshy grounds. Much of our best land is not only rendered

useless by this neglect, but it often becomes the local cause of sickness and death.

Various methods of draining have been suggested by ingenious men, which are applicable to various soils. It is the opinion of Mr. Burgess, that if the system was thoroughly understood, and universally practised by the farmers of Rhode-Island, it would add one third to the value of the lands of the state; and by many intelligent men, it has been calculated, that should all the marshes, and meadow lands of New-England, be drained and embanked, where necessary, that she could sustain twice her present population.

Ifthe drain is small, a moderate quantity of earth, grass, or other matter easily clogs it, and obstructs the passage of the water whereas, if it be large, exactly the reverse takes place. If the drain is wide, and the earth taken from it removed to a distance, neither cattle nor frost can fill it up; but in spite of the trampling of the one, and the heaving of the other, a hollow must still remain.

The Farmer's Assistant gives the following method of draining bog-meadows effectually: First run a ditch through the middle, and draw off as much of its waters in this way as possible. Where the meadow is very wet and miry, commence at the lowest part of the ground where the outlet should be; and thence carry the ditch into the meadow, sinking it all the way, as low as will barely give the waters a current to run off; and the deeper this ditch can be sunk the better. Then turn a ditch proportionally deep all round the edge of the bog, for the purpose of cutting off all the springs. Then cross ditches are to be made, in number and size proportionate to the extent of the bog, and of the size of the middle and surrounding ditches. Generally speaking the deeper and larger the ditches, the fewer cross-ditches need be made. It should be remembered, that bog lands will settle down very much, after draining; for which due allowance ought to be made, in regard to the depth of the ditches.

To drain swamps, ditches ought to be of size and depth proportionate to the extent of the swamp; and the quantity of water to be carried off. Those round the edges of the swamp ought to be so placed as to receive all

the water from the springs which commonly run in on every side; or, if convenient, they should be so placed as to cut off the springs, by receiving them into the ditch. The months of August and September are best for this work. The proper proportions for these kind of ditches are, to be three times as wide at the top as they are at the bottom, and a little more than half as deep as they are wide. To prevent their falling in, it is adviseable to sow some strong-rooted grass on the sides. The most expeditious, effectual, and economical mode, where the ground is not too miry, will be to use a plough and ox-shovel. It is supposed that two men, a boy, and two yoke of oxen, will accomplish more in a day, than six men with only spades and shovels. With the scraper, all the inequalities of the ground, upon the borders of the ditch, can be conveniently filled up.

Covered drains being considerably more expensive than open ones, we do not think it necessary to describe them here, but refer the reader to the Complete Grazier or Plough Boy, 2d Vol. No. 35-6, for a full account of them.

IRRIGATION,

The advantages of water to grass lands, are these: it preserves a favourable degree of temperature; improves the crop, by the nourishing substances it conveys; destroys weeds; and, as a mere element it is beneficial, more especially in dry seasons. It contributes so much to their fertilization, that it is rather surprising, the practice of irrigation has not been more generally adopted.

The common principles of irrigation are,

1st. Such command of water, as will cover the largest surface with the least labour and expense.

2d. Muddy water (the effect of loosened soil and heavy rains) is most favourable to vegetation, because, besides giving the necessary moisture, it furnishes a considerable portion of alluvial matter.

3d. Water charged with sand or gravel, or very hot or very cold, is unfavourable to vegitation, and ought not to be employed, until, by standing in reservoirs, it deposits these injurious matters, in the one case, and in the other, requires the temperature of the atmosphere.