OF SCOTLAND.

487

seldom after the last, especially on good soils, except whenunfavourable seasons have prevented the possibility of sowingwheat on lands that have been fallowed for that purpose.After turnips or pulse, it is sown with one ploughing only,and as quickly afterwards as possible, upon what is termedhot-fur , so as not to allow time for the newly turned up soilto lose its sap. When, however, these soils happen to turnup very coarse and cloddy, it is sometimes judged proper toharrow and roll the land, and to give a second or even athird ploughing, to reduce the soil to good tilth. This is of-ten more especially necessary, on the land where the last of theturnip crop has been consumed, when a considerable droughthas set in after the surface has been much trampled upon inconsuming the turnips, by which the soil becomes so harden-ed and consolidated, as to require the industrious use of theplough, harrows, and roller, to render it proper for receivingthe barley seed, which if possible ought always to be sown ona fine tilth *. After beans and peas, it is usual to give twoploughings for barley, one before winter as soon as tire pulsecrop is removed, and one in spring immediately before sow-ing the barley. Ho necessary and useful is it to soiv barleyimmediately after ploughing, that it is usual eycry day to sowall the land which has been seed furrowed.

As clover and rye-grass generally accompany this crop, thefields sown with barley are often finished off’ with the hea-vy roller. So far as is known to the reporter, barley is ne-ver sown without ploughing; and the scarificator being animplement hitherto but little known to Scotch husbandmen,it is of course never employed in the culture of this grain.

* Some farmers are of opinion, that all turnips should be drawn and removedfrom the field, and the land ploughed up into ridges, to be moistened with rain,and mellowed with frost in due time; and that the turnips should be stacked,and consumed in the months of March, April, and May, on a pasture field, orin the feeding sheds, or straw-yard. Others never stick any turnips exceptingruta-baga, for consumption in May ; and they prefer eating the turnips on the■g^uitd throughout the whole of April.