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cond growth, the following expedient has been successfullyemployed to force in some measure the more early ripeningof the crop, by putting an effectual check to the new growth.A person walks up and down between the drills, having anold scythe-blade set in a wooden handle, like a cimeter, withwhich he switches off the succulent tops. If the crop be ex-tensive it will require several persons armed in this mannerto go over the whole. This plan was devised in imitation ofgardeners, who very commonly nip off the summits of theflowering stems from their late beans, to make them ripenearlier. At first sight this may appear an expensive process >but as one man can easily top-dress two acres in a workingday, the expence cannot much exceed one shilling per acre ;and it is not improbable, that in moist seasons this operationwould occasion the crop to be ready for the sickle a fortnightearlier, while perhaps an additional week may be gained inthe h -inning process.
It seems unnecessary to allow beans to remain uncut afterthe first week of October; as any benefit after that period,will probably be more than counterbalanced by the loss frompostponing the seed time of the subsequent crop of wheat.Under these circumstances the practice recommended by MrM itchel, of carrying the bean crop from the place of its growth,immediately after it is bound into sheaves, and setting it upto dry in another field, is admirably calculated for allowingthe sowing of wheat in due season. Qn land which is of aproper quality, and in good condition-for producing an abun-dant crop of wheat after beans, the difference in value, be-,tween a crop of wheat, and a crop of barley, will amply com-pensate for the additional trouble and expence of this remo-val. The difference in the value of these crops, can hardlybe less than three guineas in favour of wheat, perhaps oftenfive guineas per acre.
lleans in Scotland are almost universally cut by means ofthe sickle; generally by old ones that arc not fit for reapingother grain ; and it is of great moment that they be cut very