4. He fears the Weeds will grow, and destroy his Crop: We hope they
will grow, to the end we may destroy them[237].
[237] For, before they grow, they cannot be killed; but if they are
all killed as soon as they appear, there will be no Danger of their
exhausting the Land, or re-stocking it with their Seed; and ’tis
our Fault if we drill more than we can keep clean from Weeds by the
Horse-hoe, Hand-hoe, and Hands; the First for the Intervals, the
Second for the Partitions, and the Third for the Rows: By the Two
former, as soon after they appear as they can; but by the last, when
they are grown high enough to be conveniently taken hold of.
5. We do not fear to plant our Wheat early (so that we plow dry),
because we can help the Hardness or Staleness of the Land by Hoeing.
6. The Two Furrows of every Ridge whereon the Rows are to be drilled,
we plow dry; and if the Weather prove wet before these are all
finished, we can plow the other Two Furrows up to them, until it be
dry enough to return to our plowing the first Two Furrows; and after
finishing them, let the Weather be wet or dry, we can plow the last Two
Furrows. We can plow our Two Furrows in the Fourth Part of the Time
they can plow their Eight, which they must plow dry all of them, in
every Six Feet; for they cannot plow part dry, and the rest when ’tis
wet, as we can.
7. We never plant our Seed under Furrow, but place it just at the Depth
which we judge most proper; and that is pretty shallow, about Two
Inches deep; and then there is no Danger of burying it.
8. We not only plow a deep Furrow, but also plow to the Depth of Two
Furrows; that is, we trench-plow where the Land will allow it[238];
and we have the greatest Convenience imaginable for doing this,
because there are Two of our Four Furrows always lying open; and Two
plowed Furrows (that is, one plowed under another) are as much more
advantageous for the nourishing a Crop, as Two Bushels of Oats are
better than one for nourishing an Horse: Or if the Staple of the Land
be too thin or shallow, we can help it by raising the Ridges prepared
for the Rows the higher above the Level.
[238] Very little of my Land will admit the Plough to go the Depth
of Two common Furrows without reaching the Chalk; But deep Land may
be easily thus Trench-plowed with great Advantage; and even when
there is only the Depth of a single Furrow, that may sometimes be
advantageously plowed at twice.
9. We also raise an high Ridge in the Middle of each Interval above the
Wheat before Winter, to protect it from the cold Winds, and to prevent
the Snow from being driven away by them. And the Furrows or Trenches,
from whence the Earth of these Ridges is taken, serve to drain off the
Water from the Wheat, so that, being drier, it must be warmer than the
harrowed Wheat, which has neither Furrows to keep it dry, nor Ridges to
shelter it[239], as every Row of ours has on both Sides of it.
[239] This is a Mistake; for the Ridges in the Middle of the
Intervals do not always, nor often in thin shallow Land lie high
enough to make a Shelter to the Rows, they being higher: But when
Wheat is drilled on the Level, ’tis sheltered by the Ridges raised in
the Intervals: But we never weed or hand-hoe Wheat before the Spring.