Horse-hoeing husbandry

by Jethro Tull

But a single Acre (in the middle of a large Field of St. Foin) being drill’d late in October, the frosty Winter kill’d at least Nineteen of Twenty Parts[169] of that Bushel. At first it made such a poor Appearance, that ’twas by mere Accident, or it had been plow’d up for a Fallow; but, missing of that, a few Plants were perceiv’d in the Summer, which by their Singleness grew so vigorous, and so very large, that the Second Year of Mowing it[170] produc’d a Crop double to the rest of the same Field, which was drill’d in the Spring, with the same Proportion of Seed, and none of it kill’d: tho’ all this Field was a much better Crop than some that was sown in the common Manner, with Seven Bushels to an Acre. I have generally observ’d the thin[171] to make the best Crop, after the First or Second Year.

[169]But I believe, there might remain alive Three or Four Plants to each square Yard, standing single, and at pretty equal Distances.

[170]But Note, This Acre was dunged, and in better Order than the rest.

[171]But, notwithstanding I commend the Planting of St. Foin thin, that most of the Roots may be single; yet I have Fields that were drill’d with but Four Gallons of Seed to an Acre; and yet the Rows being Seven Inches asunder, the Roots are so thick in them, that the Ground is cover’d with the St. Foin Plants, which seem to be as thick (in Appearance) as most sown St. Foin, whereon Seven or Eight Bushels are sown on an Acre. And I have other Fields that were drill’d with about Two Gallons of Seed to an Acre (which is Five Seeds to each square Foot), the Rows Sixteen Inches asunder, that produce better Crops, tho’ the Ground be poorer. The drill’d St. Foin, being regular, is more single, tho’ as thick as the sown; and for that Reason always makes a better Crop, and lasts longer than the sown that is of the same Thickness, but irregular.

I have also often observ’d in Lands of St. Foin, lying dispersed in a common Field (but where there was not Common for Sheep), and where the Ends of other Lands kept in Tillage, pointed against the Pieces of St. Foin, and the Horses and Ploughs turning out upon the St. Foin[172] did plow and scratch out a Multitude of its Plants; so that it was thought to be spoil’d, and Law-suits were intended for Recompence of the Damage; that afterwards this scratch’d Part, supposed to be spoil’d, became twice as good as the rest of the same Pieces, where the Ploughs did not come to tear up any Plants.

[172]This Plowing and Scratching was a sort of Hoeing, which helped the St. Foin by a small Degree of Pulveration, as well as by making the Plants thinner.

The Reason why the single St. Foin Plants make the greatest Crops, is, that the Quantity of the Crop is always in Proportion to the Quantity of Nourishment it receives from the Earth; and those Plants which run deepest will receive most; and such as are single will run deeper than those which are not single.

Also the single do send out all round them horizontal Roots, proportionably stronger and larger, whereby they are better able to penetrate, and extract more Nourishment from the Staple, or upper Stratum, than the other can do, if there be a competent Number; which is, when ho’d, fewer than any-body imagines. ’Tis common to see a single St. Foin have a bigger Tap-root than Twenty thick ones: Their Length is in Proportion to their Bigness: Therefore that single Plant may well be supposed to have Twenty times more Depth of Earth to supply it, than all those Twenty small Roots can reach to. And tho’ these under Strata are not so rich as the upper; yet, never having been drain’d by any Vegetable, they do afford a very considerable Quantity of Nourishment to those Roots which first enter them.

The small thick Plants are so far from equalling the Product of the single, by their Excess of Number, that the more they are, the smaller, shorter, and weaker they become; less Nourishment they have, and the less Crop they produce; and are soon starv’d, decay, and die, unless reliev’d by the Expence of frequent Manure, or that the Soil be very rich.

Single Plants exceed the other by a Multitude of Degrees, more than a Giant does a Dwarf, in Strength, as well as Stature; and therefore when natural Grass happens to come, are so much the better able to shift amongst it.