„ e,at For remarks and additional
obſervations.
2ꝑͥ n——
induſtrious farmer put on that footing of ſecurity which has been ſhewn to be enjoyed by others who inhabit the ſame ſort of country—we have ſeen what he is inclined to purſue merely from the force of that example which has been ſet him by the late Mr. Wing as before-mentioned; and it remains to examine, whether the ſyſtem is, or is not calculated for obtaining profit to the utmoſt extent which the ſoil is capable of. To conſider this, I muſt premiſe, that fen land is, generally ſpeaking, too light, and too much inclined to graſs, and, I may add, too much impregnated with the ſeeds of various deſtructive weeds, owing perhaps to its former miſmanagement, to admit of ſummer prepa-— rations for vegetable crops; and very little of it is con- vertible to the growth of beans and other pulſe grain; be- cauſe the richneſs of the land would run them ſo much to ſtraw, that they would produce nothing. Hence it follows, that any fyſtem is impracticable on which dependance is to be placed, for keeping up the heart of the land by alternate Ciops, of a meliorating or improving nature, to act in con- traſt to thoſe of an exhauſting quality.
Granting theſe premiſes to be juſt, how is it be continued in a proper ſiate when brought into culture? by no other means, that I know of, than by laying it down to graſs with the ſecond crop of corn Wwhilſt it is in good condition; for it has been before obſerved, that the firſt crop is generally too rank for ſeeds: But the whole is not meant for graſs, ſince, without a due proportion of tillage, the farmer is de- prived of many advantages; neither will the ſoil itſelf, in general, admit of being always kept in graſs. How then is it to be reſtored to a ſtate of tillage? not by ſummer fal- lowing, for that is admitted to be impracticable; not by meliorating crops of corn, for thoſe are unfit for the land; not by exhauſting crops of corn, for thoſe muſt neceſſarily weaken the foil, and leave it poorer than they found it. The foundation then can only be laid by paring and burn-
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