If this were the case in such a dry season as 1793, would the consequences be if the fallows were at all times to be wrought with the plough, without attempt ing to drag the roots to the surface by the operation of harrowing ? In wet weather, the land might appear black above for a few days ; but the enemy being still in die house, would soon make his appearance. By care t, fly gathering all the root weeds, when the land is re duced by harrowing, which on many soils is only prac ticaffit: after the roller is used, an Ay in converted into a friend ; for if the stuff, thus is ac cumulated into a heap, freluchtly turned over, tul it rots, and mixed w ith lime, a most excellznt compost is pro dun ed.
There is little danger that ck._y land will ever be too lunch reduced by the difierent harrowing:, and rollings proposed to be given ; as the last furre.w. ii t,.;:,.en deep, will raise a mould sufficiently rough fur coveting the seed, z•nd for otecting the wheat (luring Inc winter. Upon such soils, nothing but frost will reduce and mel low the land pet seedy ; and we have seen the necessity of leaving fields of this description to be wrought in the spring from the absolute impossibility of erad,eating or killing the touch, till ed by this powerful auxi liary'.
We may mention another argument in favour of gothei ing root weeds :—That in no other way can the purpose for which fallow is intended be so cheaply at tained. Every furrow that is given will at least stand the farmer 128. per acre ; and if hand gathering will save one single ploughing, its expense is amply repaid ; while at the same time we contend, that more root \reeds are taken off by gathering them once, than will be des troy( d by a couple of ploughings, allowing the season to be ever so favourable.
We have heard of other writers that condemn clean summer fallow altogether, as an unnecessary waste of rent and labour ; which, in their opinion, might be saved, and the ground kept in perfect good order by a proper rotation of crops. We apprehend upon all clay soils this is impossible ; as every farmer who possesses such soils knows, by experience, the difficulty of keeping them clean, even with the assistance of summer follows. They are so often ploughed wet, from necessity, that a sourness and adhesion are contracted, which cannot be corrected without exposing it to the hot summer sun, and reducing it by frequent ploughings and harrowings. No crop can be substituted in place of fallow, for turnips are destruction itself. Drilled beans, as is already said,
will do well as an assistant to fallow; but however much this clop may tend to kerfi land clean that is already in good order, we apprehend, from the necessity of sow ing them early, that they will never answer as a sub stitute for one of the most radical of all improvements, —a clean summer fallow.
A general introduction of the row or drill husbandry has been proposed by some writers, particularly by the author of the New Farmer's Calendar, as a substitute for summer fallow ; and many ingenious reasons have been urged to prove the inutility of the practice, and the folly of those who adhere to it. The author of the Calendar even goes so far as to maintain, that fallowists can bring forward no arguments but hypothetical ones, in defence of the system which they support. These matters being of great importance to the cause of agri culture, we cannot refrain from noticing them in a manner.
In the first place, let any person reflect on the con dition of all land incumbent on a retentive subsoil, in an average of years, when spring seeds are sown. Land of this description, which has been ploughed in winter, will, in the spring season, when ploughed a second time, turn up raw and wet, even when the surface is tolerably dry, and in a workable state. The new turned up fur row is tough and waxy in the first instance, but after.
wards, especially if a hot sun prevails, the surface be comes hard like a brick, even before the bottom or subsoil is tree or the superabundant moisture there ac cumulated. Under these circumstances, the processes of (trilling cannot be executed upon clay soils with the slightest prospect of advantage. It is even difficult to form drills lor beans ill many seasons, though this grain drilled at y, hie intervals. To drill wheat, barley, or oats, upon clay soils, in the spring months, may be regarded as a measure physically impossible to be executed. Such grains must necessarily be drilled with narrow internals, 9 or 12 inches tor example ; and though practicable on light soils during dry weather, could not, with the slightest prospect ol success, be un dertaken upon those of a different description. The cor rectness or justice ol these arguments, will not be ques tioned by any person versant in the culture of heavy lands, or by tho e who have paid attention to the diffi culties of performing seed-work upon them in the majority of seasons.