A Field of about Seventeen Acres was Summer-fallowed, and drilled with Wheat; and with the Hoeing brought a very good Crop (except Part of it, which being eaten by trespassing Sheep in the Winter, was somewhat blighted); the _Michaelmas_ after that was taken off, the same Field was drilled again with Wheat, upon the Stubble of the former, and hoed: This Second Crop was a good one, scarce any in the Neighbourhood better. A Piece of Wheat adjoining to it, on the very same Sort of Land (except that this latter was always reckoned better, being thicker in Mould above the Chalk), sown at the same time on dunged Fallows, and the Ground always dunged once in Three Years; yet this Crop failed so much, as to be judged, by some Farmers, not to exceed the Tythe of the other: That the hoed Field has received no Dung or Manure for many Years past, is because it lies out of the Reach for carrying of Cart-Dung, and no Fold being kept on my Farm: But I cannot say, I think there was quite so much Odds betwixt this Second undunged hoed Crop and the sown; yet this is certain, that the former is a good, and the latter a very bad Crop. I could give many more Instances of the same Kind, where hoed Crops and sown Crops have succeeded better after hoed Crops than after sown Crops, and never yet have seen the contrary; and therefore am convinced, that the Hoeing[243] (if it be duly performed) enriches the Soil more than Dung and Fallows, and leaves the Land in a much better Condition for a succeeding Crop. The Reason I take to be very obvious: The artificial Pasture of Plants is made and increased by Pulveration only; and nothing else there is in our Power to enrich our Ground, but to pulverize it[244], and keep it from being exhausted by Vegetables[245]. Superinductions of Earth are an Addition of more Ground, or changing it, and are more properly purchasing than cultivating. [243] This is more especially meant of Fallows in the common Husbandry, and a moderate Quantity of common Dung, or the Fold: And there may be such a poor Sand, or other barrenish Soil, so subject to Constipation in the Winter, as to require Dung when planted with Wheat, there being no general Rule without Exceptions; and ’tis impossible for me to know the Number of these Exceptions. Well it is for the Hoer, whose Land is of such a kind, that he can keep it in Heart without Dung by Hoeing; for when he has no Fold, he plows his Ground with Oxen, and plants it mostly with Wheat, the Straw whereof being for other Uses, he can make but very little Dung.