Those  who  at  present  cultivate  it  on  the  largest
scale  in  Kent,  Sussex,  and  Hampshire,  where  are
to  be  found  large  quantities  of  it,  very  generally
have  it  in  the  broad -cast  mode,  and  as  far  as  posi-
tive practice  goes,  this  method  must  be  preferred  ;
but  as  effective  cleaning  it,  and  especially  from  in«
digenous  grasses,  is  an  object  of  great  consequence^
executed  when  broad-cast  by  a  powerful  and  heavy
barrow,  it  much  deserves  attention,  whether  drilling
very  straight  at  nine  inches  equi-distant  would  not
be  a  preferable  method.  Drilling  has  been  tried
by  many,  and  abandoned  for  random  sowing ;  but
nineteen  twentietlis  of  the  drilled  lucern  which  I
have  seen,  have  been  at  18  inches,  two  feet,  and  some
even  at  three  ;  the  consequence  of  which  has  been,
a  heavy  ex  pence  and  trouble  in  reaping  instead  of
mowing  ;  and,  if  these  spaces  are  kept  truly  clean^
the  lucern  being  damaged  by  the  pulverized  earth
adhering  to  it,  and  carried  to  the  racks.    If  drilled

'    at


i


300  3CAT«

at  nine  inches,  it  might  onoe  a  year  be  most
effectively  horse-hoed  with  Cook*8  scariders  in  the
iron  bearn,  which  would  eradicate  grass  far  better
than  any  harrowing  that  eouid  be  given  to  a  broad-
east  crop,  without  a  formidable  expence,  and  some
danger  of  damaging  the  crop,  tough  as  the  roots  are.
The  grand  object  in  the  preparation  of  the  ground
)S,  to  have  it  as  free  from  weeds,  and  esp^iaU/
grass,  as  skill  and  perseverance  can  effect.  The  crop
of  the  preoeding  year  should  have  been  turnips
fed  on  the  land  by  sheep,  before  the  Cbristmaa
frosts ;  the  field  imfnedtalely  ploughed,  and  laid  by
diat  ploughing  ready  for  broad-casting  or  drilling.
