OF SCOTLAND.
549
tings of the clover crop. After the seed is sown and careful-ly harrowed in, the surface ought to be smoothed by the roll-er, to ailow the free use of the scythe ; and the field shouldhe guarded for some days from the depredations of pigeons,who are exceedingly fond of tares, and will often do greatinjury, it is said, by picking up the seed, unless carefullywatched. Others contend that this injury is ideal, as pigeonspick up only what they discover on the surface, and the seedwhich is not covered does not grow.
Both horses and fattening cattle thrive well on cut tares,and even feed faster on them, than on cut clover, or any othergreen or succulent food whatever. When tares are wet, foul,or too green and succulent, especially after their pods areformed, the stock which is fed upon them, are sometimes liableto dangerous cholics, or to the disease of hoving, being aptto devour amazing quantities of this grateful food. Perhapssome dry food might be given alternately with the frequentsupplies which ought always to be furnished to soiling cattle.
§ 2. For seed .—When cultivated for seed, the managementof tares is so extremely similar in all respects to that of peas,as not to require any particular detail. Early sowing oughthowever to be studied, and the seed ought to be committedto the ground in March, or not later than the first of April,if a good crop is expected. The quantity of seed for thispurpose, must be smaller than when intended for soiling,otherwise the thickness of the crop may prevent the plantsfrom blossoming and ripening the pods sufficiently. In thiscase, three bushels to the acre arc quite sufficient. It maylikewise be mentioned, that a small quantity of beans, or a-bout a bushel to the acre, is sometimes mixed with the seed-tares with advantage, as they serve admirably to carry thetares from the ground, like sticks to garden-peas, by whichthe air is effectually admitted to the crop, and its blossoming,podding, and ripening materially assisted. The produce ofJthe beans is easily separable in the barn, by the employmentof proper riddles, which allow the tares to pass through, and
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