A New System of Husbandry (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1770 Excerpt: ... CHAP. XXXI. Directions for ploughing, lowing, and management of buck wheat through all its variations: THE chief use of buck-wheat in England or Ireland is for manuse, tho' some make use of it for bread; but it is very ordinary bread, not much better than that of pease; it will feed hogs, but pease are full as good, and will yield more corn on an acre; besides, they are a surer crop, as they will grow on almost any fort of land. I will fay so much, however, for buckwheat, that where it hits, and is a full crop, it is the finest thing for manure that I have ever seen. I once had a crop, that when it was rolled down, gave a task to a horse to walk through it; and the land gained so great advantage from this dressing, that the proprietor has good reason to remember it. The plant is very luxuriant and predominant over any weeds-y so that the benefit does not wholly lie in the dung it makes, but in its being an effectual clearer of ground from weeds. The land that suits it best is that of a light foil, of a sandy gravelly nature, thd in ttuth, (except a very strong clay) any land will bring a crop, provided it be well tilled to a fine mold. Any sort of stubble that is intended for it, must be winter-fallowed, ploughing it eafly in autumn, hi order that it may meliorate with the frost, &c. and again, as soon as it begins to shoot in the spring, and the last time in April, just be fore sowing, The middle of April is the best time for sowing it When ploughed, before it is sown harrow it once in a place, in order to level /it, that the seed may not be buried too deep; then sow the seed at the rate of two bushels to an English acre; after which harrow it very fine. When harrowed, roll it; then you have no more to do with it till it is fit to. plough in for dung, whi...