There being no Danger from these Furrows lying long open, we are not confined to any precise Distance between the times of Hoeing, for which we need only regard the Weather, the Weeds, and our own Convenience of Opportunity and Leisure.
’Tis an Advantage when these Furrows lie open on each Side of the double Row till Harvest; for then there need only Two Furrows to be plowed on a Ridge to throw down the Partition in order for planting the next Crop; but if at the last Hoeing the Furrows are turned towards the Row, they must be plowed back again after Harvest before the Partition can be plowed: This requires double the time of the other; and the sooner the Partitions are plowed, the more time they will have to be pulverized before they are replanted. Indeed this Advantage is only when the Rows are to be planted where they were the Year before; for this is rather a Disadvantage when they are to be planted in the Intervals. Whether these Furrows lying long open next the Rows in very hot dry Climates may be prejudicial, cannot be known, but by Trials.
As from the external Superficies of an Acre of Pasture on a rich Soil, Animals take more Pabulum than of an Acre on a poor Soil; so Vegetables take more Pabulum from the internal Superficies of a rich Acre than of a poor one; the Pulveration, or Superficies of Parts, being equal. See [p. 44], [45]. From whence there is no Encouragement for making Trials on very poor Land.
’Tis no great Matter whether the Rows are drilled on the Partitions, or the Intervals; for the Crops of a Field, Four Years successively drilled on the Partitions, were very good. After the Partitions had been plowed, and lain open till the Weather made them pulverizable by the Harrows, and then turned together by Furrows larger than those which opened them, much Earth of the Intervals was mixed with them. This is the strongest and lowest Ground I have; and if there should be much wet Weather after Harvest, it is so long in drying, that we take the first Opportunity the Weather allows for planting the Wheat, which is generally done in the above manner, because it is the shortest; but, without some such Reason to the contrary, I prefer planting the Rows on the precedent Intervals.
My Field, whereon is now the Thirteenth Crop of Wheat, has shewn that the Rows may successfully stand upon any Part of the Ground. The Ridges of this Field were for the Twelfth Crop, changed from Six Feet to Four Feet Six Inches: In order for this Alteration, the Ridges were plowed down, and the whole Field was plowed cross-ways of the Ridges for making them level; and then the next Ridges were laid out the same way as the former, but One Foot Four Inches narrower; and the double Rows drilled on their Tops, whereby of consequence there must be some Rows standing on every Part of the Ground, both on the former Partitions, and on every Part of the Intervals: Notwithstanding this, there was no manner of Difference in the Goodness of the Rows, and the whole Field was in every Part of it equal, and the best, I believe, that ever grew on it. It has now the Thirteenth Crop, likely to be very good, tho’ the Land was not plowed cross-ways.
The proper Times for Plowings and Hoeings depending upon the Weather, and other Circumstances, cannot be directed but by the Reason and Experience of the Practiser, as has been said.
The Number of Ridges being increased, as their Breadth is now diminished, occasions somewhat the more Plough-work, we likewise use more Handwork than formerly; but the Profit of this increased Labour is more than double to the Expence of it.
The Decline of the Woolen Manufacture furnishes us at this time with Plenty of Hand-hoers and Weeders; because they can earn much more by working in the Field than by Spinning at home.
’Tis better to make Fifteen Ridges on an Acre, than to leave any Earth unmoved by the Hoe-plough in the Middle of the Intervals; but when Ploughmen, by Practice, understand well to use the Hoe-plough, they will plow the Intervals clean, tho’ the Ridges are only Fourteen on an Acre.
Bearded Wheat is in this Country called Cone, and that which has no Beard Lammas. I observed formerly the Bread of White-cone had a little yellowish Cast, which I now suspect was from the Mill-stones; for I have seen it be very white these many Years, since the Millers know better how to grind this Wheat. Cone wheat Westwards yields Six-pence a Bushel more than Lammas; but towards London the contrary.