poffible to fow too much faintfoin feed; for the thickness of the plants will keep down the weeds, and the ftrong plants will often kill the weak ones without hoeing.

Mr. Tull advifes to make the faintfoin hay, when dry, into cocks; but our Farmer judges him much mistaken, and advifes to windrow and then carry it. He obferves, that heavy rain will run through the largest cocks of faintfoin hay for any that lies light) and fpoil it with muft. He therefore exhorts (and we think rightly) to ftack it as foon as dry, and carry up a tunnel. On the fame principle he advifes to thatch the ftack immediately.

On the method of preferving the feed in the hay, our Farmer obferves that vermin are fonder of it than of corn. On the other method of preferving it when threfhed, Mr. Tull directs to prevent its fweating too much, by laying layers of wheatftraw and of faintfoin feed alternately.

Mr. Tull is very ample in his encomiums on faintfoin. Our Farmer allows them, in general, to be juft; but he obferves, rightly, that although Mr. Tull magnifies the profit of this plant beyond that of clover, it can never be fo general an improvement, as it difagrees with clay lands, which are threefourths of this kingdom.

In his 16th chapter, on lucerne, our Farmer obferves, from Mr. Tull, fome curious things of this grafs, viz. firft, that fuperftition has banifhed it from the Roman territories, where, fecondly, it was cultivated by the old Romans at a vast expence; and, thirdly, held in fuch veneration, that iron must not touch the place on which it grew. In France it is faid to produce on one acre ten tons! The greater heats of the fun, and less rain in that country than ours, may reasonably be supposed to make it fuit better to that climate, as its enemy, natural grafs, lefs prevails there.

Mr. Tull affirms, that lucerne was never known to flourish in England above three years in the old husbandry; but our Farmer, on his own experience, contradicts this affertion. He thinks alfo that Mr. Tull, who recommends hot gravelly foils for its culture with us, was led into his mistake by a neglect of the difference of climate*; and that two or three pounds of feed. are fufficient for an acre; but the feedfmen recommend treble the quantity. In this advice we apprehend them to be inAuenced by a profpect of their own immediate advantage.

We agree with our Farmer that, in the drill husbandry of this plant, it must suffer from horfe-hoeing in narrow intervals; and that, in wider, more ground is loft.

* But are not hot gravelly foils more neceflary in a climate which has lefs fun?.

On

On the whole, we apprehend that hand-hoeing must be a neceflary, though expentive, culture for it.

We know, by experience, that tranfplanted lucerne is preferable to the untranfplanted. The elegant Author of this improvement reckons only as much green food on an acre, thus managed, as will keep two horfes, and allow a cutting for hay. We apprehend lucerne hay, when moft fuccefsfully made, to be a mere bauble; and we fear that the produce in green food, according to Mr. Hart's eftimate, will not leave generally much profit.

Where ground lets very dear, as near cities and great towns, and a gentleman has fervants at leifure to attend the hoeing, we apprehend that lucerne may anfwer as a fummer food, which it would be very expenfive to bring from a confiderable diftance for horfes in conftant ufe for the coach or faddle.

Our Farmer thinks that three acres of drilled lucerne will fully employ a man, and that they will keep in fummer fix or eight horfes. Let him then who propofes to cultivate this plant, calculate whether, in his fituation, this expence of a man, and the rent, will excecd his expence of keeping the horfes otherwife. The profit muft depend on circumstances.

On chapter the 17th, of burnet, we have little to obferve, only that Mr. Miller feems as unreafonably partial againft, as Mr. Rocque was for, this grals.

The fpecies of this plant we know to be as numerous as thofe of almost any kind. They are all correfpondent to their different foils. Some deferve all that Mr. Miller fays againft burnet in general, and others all that its warmest advocates have faid for it. To hope that a good fpecies of burnet will be produced on bad ground, is folly; and to infpire that hope is generally the effort. of knavery!

In the 18th chapter, on graffes, our Farmer thinks that none of the graffes recommended by Mr. Stillingfleet is preferable to rey grafs, unless it be the annual meadow grafs.

We agree with him, intirely, that rolling is a great advantage to new-fown graffes, and therefore is advifeable, as it compacts the foil.

We also think that what our Farmer obferves, with regard to the gralles preferred by Mr. Miller to rey-grafs, has great force, viz. that, if once reduced to common field culture, they will grow ranker, coarfer, &c.'

His method of deftroying ants in grafs grounds, viz. by tobacco leaves fteeped in urine,' is, we dare fay, effectual and adviseable, if not found too troublesome.

On chapters 18 and 19, concerning the turnip-cabbage, and turnip-rasted-cabbage, we would obferve, that the produce of the former is faid by Mr. Baker to be 35 or 36 tons per acre,

and

and that of the latter, by Mr. Reynolds, to be only 34. The former was faid to be impenetrable by froft, but the fact was difproved the latter is faid to be fo, and we wish that the fact may not have been difproved by laft winter.

On chapter 20, of cabbages, we have only to remark, first, that our Farmer feems to prove that one ounce of feed will produce more plenty than enough to plant one acre; and, fecondly, that feed fown early in fpring will produce plants fit to fet out in the end of May or beginning of June.

In chapter 21, of the cole-feed, our Farmer thinks the Flanders method of tranfplanting for feed manifeftly better than the common English one of fewing; of which preference, however, we have our doubts.

In chapter the 22d, our Farmer explains, from a Writer in the Museum Rufticum, the whole procefs of the teazle. He supposes that, as its ufe is applied to the woollen manufacture, it will travel with that, and may perhaps have found its way to the North. We can inform him, that it has been some years cultivated about Wakefield, in Yorkshire.

He justly observes a defect in the Editor of the Mufæum Rufticum, who, having obferved that the head of the teazle muft arife to a certain fize to be useful, has neglected to defcribe what that is. He is the more blameable for this defect, as he notes that the books of heads greatly above this fize become coarfe, and injure the manufacture. Befide, it is evident, from the sequel of the narrative, that the largeft heads are called kings, and reckoned of the greateft value. It appears that the growing on middle ftems, or as fide heads, diftinguishes the teazles into first and second forts.

In the 23d chapter, of hops, our Farmer introduces his account of their whole management, by a doubt whether the planter or factor gains more by them. He affirms, however, (and, as we apprehend, with truth) that the planter's gain always depends more on his skill in failing years than on plenty in favourable ones. He concludes, that the general culture is of great confequence to the public, as the duty is a confiderable branch of the revenue, and the price of the commodity is faved to us at home.

On chapter the 24th, of faffron, we find several things which would deferve notice; but the review of the work before us being already of fufficient length, we muft not enlarge upon the contents of this chapter, although the fubject is little known, and very amufing.

At prefent, therefore, we fhall only obferve, fi:ft, that nearly four hundred thousand fets go to plant an acre, and yet the price of fetting and covering that quantity of ground is only 11. 6s. So greatly does habit contribute to expedition!

REV. Oct. 1771.

U

Secondly,

Secondly, The nicety of drying the faffron cakes is fuch, that if the greatest attention is not obferved, the faffron will fcorch and be utterly spoiled. Surely it deferves the attention of the ingenious to find, if poffible, a fafer and easier way of drying them.

Thirdly, Mr. Montague estimates the value of an acre of faffron at 201. and Dr. Douglas only at 51. Our Farmer obferves, that fometimes faffron fells for 11. 10s. per pound, and fometimes for double that fum.

Fourthly, Our Farmer notes a general error of the cultiva tors of faffron, viz. fuffering weeds to over-run the beds, and cattle to graze them: whereas he affirms, that hoeing the weeds, and mowing the grafs, would greatly increase their profit. We wonder that fuch common operations should be neglected!

Fifthly, He afferts, that a whole family is frequently maintained by cultivating one or two acres of faffron, as that quantity finds employment for young and old, during a confiderable part of the year.

On the 25th chapter, of flax, we have only to notice the manner in which our Farmer introduces his account of its culture.

He obferves, that we pay immenfe fums to Ruffia, and other foreign ftates, for flax and hemp, and yet he has been affured, by a manufacturer of undoubted credit, that our home-raised commodities are intrinfically better than the imported.

He obferves, that a want of conveniency for watering flax and hemp feems to retard their cultivation in this kingdom; and, to fupport this affertion, he notes that our rivers are fhut up from this operation for fear of destroying our fifh; whereas all rivers. abroad are open; that fprings of water to fill canals are often not at hand, and that ordinary ponds are very unfit for the purpofe. We apprehend that proper attention would, in a great measure, remedy the want of canals filled by fprings.

In chapter the 26th, of hemp, our Author affures us, that every manufacturer of English fail-cloth laments the backwardnefs of the English farmer to raise hemp.

Our complete Farmer feems really eloquent in his remonftrance to adminiftration for fuffering us to depend on Ruffia for the materials of our cordage and canvas. He obferves, that the may have fuch an increafing demand at home for these materials, or by policy be led to fuch a prohibition of the exportation of them, as may leave us in great diftrefs. He adds, that we could not then blame Ruffia, nor our climate, &c. but our negligence. He concludes with an affurance, that a worthy manufacturer of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire made it a part of the bufinefs of a long life, to turn the attention of

fucceffive

fucceffive adminiftrations to the encouragement of this important branch of English manufacture, by convincing them of the fuperiority of British hemp, both as to ftrength and facility of working, over that which is imported. We can only fay, "Peace to his fhade!"

In chapter 27, the Author reprefents weld as a valuable crop, which requires little culture, and will grow on any barren, dry, warm land for all this he produces authorities; but he is very deficient in not acquainting us with the price of the produce of an acre to the dyers, without which knowledge no one can judge of the profit of it. We apprehend that the vulgar name by which weld is known, at least in several countries, is woad.

In chapter the 28th, our Farmer (from Dr. Hill) represents woad as a plant of eafy culture; and yet it fecms agreed, that the fecret of manufacturing it (that is, reducing the leaves to powder for fixing of colours) is confined to the undertakers, who travel in gangs, and rent the land dear, and that the ma nufacturing is a laborious and expensive process. However, ingenious men might learn the method, and then the public tnight' judge of the profit of the growth of this plant.

On chapter 29, of madder, we fhall obferve, that our Farmer, like moft of his brethren, feems unconscionably fevere and illiberal on the clergy. He reprefents them as oppreffive in exaction of tithe for this plant, and as neceffitating the legifla ture to reduce that tithe to 5 s. per acre for 14 years, from 1768.

As we are noways concerned in receiving or paying tithe for this plant, we may, therefore, reasonably be fuppofed impartial; and on this occafion we think it our duty to ftate the cafe fairly; which will be a full vindication of that refpectable body of men the clergy, many individuals of whom contribute largely to the improvement of agriculture.

The general law of tithes, as fettled among us, gives a tenth. part of the produce of the ground, when reaped, to the rector, &c. The produce of madder was well understood to be very profitable; and the clergy, perhaps, expected to have a tenth part of it. Of this the grower of madder complained, because in this cafe the parfon had the tenth part of his labour, &c. not confidering that the like cafe happened in regard to wheat and other valuable crops. He called it an arbitrary impofition, as our Farmer does; and fo violent was his prejudice againft, and oppofition to, this payment, that he seemed likely, through obftinacy, to lofe nine parts of his profit rather than pay one. in this critical fituation, the legislature came in to aid the public. In order to encourage the obftinate grower of madder, they reduced the tithe to a finall payment indeed; and did juf

U 2

tice