OF SCOTLAND.

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in favourable seasons, when peas have arrived at that stageof growth when they fall over, they entirely cover and over-shadow* the ground, so as completely to suffocate all weedswhich attempt to grow after that period ; except on such spotsbetween the rows, as happen to be left bare, by two adjoiningrows falling over in opposite directions. When that happens,every careful husbandman ought to have these bare spotsagain gone over with the hand-hoe, and diligently hand-weed-ed close to the rows.

§ 5. Harvest management .—The harvest work of peas dif-fers materially from that of wheat, oats, and barley, or evenbeans. The bandsters wade in among the crop in advance ofthe reapers, and twist a number of bands or ropes from therankest growing peas, which they throw upon the standingcorn before the reapers. The reapers lay these bands behindthem on the bare ground, and tear up the crop with thepoints of their reap-hooks, usually employing old ones whichare kept on purpose from the preceding year. The reapedpeas are laid in moderate sized bunches upon the bands, w iththeir heads all one way; and are left unbound in that situa-tion to wither for several days. After the sheaves are bound,they are commonly left on the ground to dry for a week ortwo, during which time they are repeatedly turned, mostlyonce a day. This operation is easily performed by a few peo-ple walking along the rows, and turning every sheaf complete-ly over with the point of a book. Sometimes they are put upin small cocks like hay, and never bound at all.

§ 6. Produce and application .—The produce of peas is ex-ceedingly variable, and more dependent on seasons tlmn thatof any other grain. In some years, even on soils best adapt-ed for their culture, the crop, so far as grain produce is con-cerned, may scarcely be worth threshing•, while in favourableseasons, from thirty to thirty-two bushels may be reaped froman acre, more especially on good soil newly limed. Such pro-ductive crops are however uncommon, and perhaps twentybushels may be considered as a fair average, even on goodsoils and in favourable seasons.