4. On Seed 1Tork.—Sowing in the broad-cast way may be said to be the mode universally practised in North Britain; for the trifling deviations from it can hardly be admitted as an exception. Upon well prepared lands, if the seed be distributed equally, it can scarcely be sown too thin; perhaps two bushels per acre are suffi cient; for the heaviest crops at autumn are rarely those which show the most vigorous appearance through the winter months. Bean stubbles require more seed than summer fallows; because the roughness of their sur face prevents such an equal distribution; and clover leas ought to be still thicker sown than bean stubbles. Thin sowing in spring ought not to he practised, otherwise the crop will be late, and imperfectly ripened. No more.
harrowing should be given to fields that have been fill lowed, than ,vitat is necessary to cover the seed, and level the surface sufficiently. Ground which is to lie in a broken down state through the winter, suffers se verely when an excessive harrowing is given, especially if it is incumbent on a close bottom; though, as to the quantity necessary, none can give an opinion, except those who are personally present.
5. On Pickling the &ed.—This process is indispen sably necessary on every soil ; otherwise, aunt, to a greater or less extent, will, in nine cases out of ten, as suredly follow. Though almost all practical farmers are agreed as to the necessity of pickling, yet they arc not so unanimous as to the moclits ojvrandi of the pro cess, and the article which is best calculated to answer the intended purpose. Stale urine may he considered as the safest and surest pickle ; and where it can be obtained in a sufficient quantity is commonly resorted to. The mode of using it does not, however, seem to be agreed upon; for, while one party contends that the grain ought to be steeped in the urine, another party considers it as sufficient to sprinkle the urine upon it. Some, again, are advocates for a pickle made of salt and water, sufficiently strong to buoy up an egg, in N1 hick the grain is to he thoroughly steeped. But rt hatever difference of opinion there may be as to the kind of pickle that ought to be used, and the mode of using all admit the utility of mixing the wetted seed with hot lime fresh slacked ; and this, in one point of ‘iew, is ab solutely necessary, so that the seed may be equally dis tributed. It may be remarked, that experience juAt tics the utility of all these modes, provided they arc attentively carried into execution. Tt.ere is sonic dan
ger from the first; for, if the seed steeped in urine is not immediately sown, it will infallibly lose its vegeta tive power. The second, viz. sprinkling the urine on the seed, seems to be the safest, if performed by an at tentive hand ; whilst the last may do equally well, if such a quantity of salt be incorporated with the water, as to render it of sufficient strength. It may also be remark ed, that this last mode is oftener accompanied with scout, owing no doubt to a deficiency of strength in the pickle; whereas a single head with smut is rarely dis covered when urine has been used.
6. Diseases of is subject to more dis eases than other grains, and in sonic seasons, especially in wet ones, heavier losses are sustained from those dis eases, than are felt in the culture of any other culmife taus crop with which we are acquainted. Wheat may suffer from the attack of insects at the root; from blight, which primarily affects the leaf or straw, and ultimately deprives the grain of sufficient nourishment ; from mil dew on the ear, which operates thereon with the force of an apoplectic stroke; and from gum of different shades, which lodges on the chaff or cups in which the grain is deposited. Theorists often neglect these dis tinctions, or confound the different disorders to which this valuable grain is exposed; but the practical farmer, who sedulously examines his crop in every stage of its growth, will not readily fall into such errors.
It has, without inquiry, been taken for granted by some people, that blight, mildew, and rust, are the same disorder, though roost agriculturists have hitherto reck oned them separate diseases, brought on at different pe riods, and occasioned by different causes. It may be laid down as a primary principle, that the proximate cause of every disease which attacks the stalk and car of w heat plants may be found in ;he state of the wed. titer at the time, conjoined with the irtunistanees of soil, situation, and the set d that has been used It is difficult to classify these diseases, or des( ribs them in a distinct manner; because the sentinwies, or rather the language of agriculturists on t is arbitrary and indistince that tl.ey are, by the gri at body of farmers, attributed to atmospherical luau ence solely, yet much confusion arises in their noiren clature; for many people use the terms or and rust, as synonymous, though, to us, they appear to be distinct diseases.