ART. VI. Continuation of a Course of Experimental Agriculture. Containing an exact Regifler of all the Business transacted, during five Years; viz from 1762 to 1757, on near 309 Acres of various Soils, including a Variety of Experiments on the Cultivation of all Sorts of Grain and Pulje, both in the old and new Methods. The Whole de-monftrated in near 2000 original Experiments. By Arthur Young, Efq; Author of The Farmer's Letters, and Tours to the Southern and Northern Counties, &c. E are now arrived at the third fection of Mr. Young's first W book, chap. I. the fubject of which (viz. the comparison of profit between the old and new husbandry, in respect to the culture of wheat) is, as he juflly obferves, of very great importance. We fhall give, firft, the effence of his experiments; fecondly, his obfervations on them; and, lastly, fuch remarks of our own as may feem neceffary to enable the Reader to form a just judgment on what the Author has advanced. In the year 1764 Mr. Y. has feven Experiments on two Exp. Profit or Lofs. 1. s. d. Obfervations. Lofs by broad caft, o 2 101 On the crops of this year Mr. X. obferves, if nothing further than this immenfe difference was taken in, it would be decifive against the drillers.' Reviewer's Reflections. On the 3d, Reason is to be trufted fully in this and all cafes when properly applied. Reafon herself inftructs us not to carry our conclufions too far, not farther than the premises allow, and then our conclufions will be right. On the 5th, Yet the prodúce of the broad caft was 7 bufhels, and that of the drill'd only 9, or I quarter per acre greater product; and much more money is laid out in drilling, and confequently greater hazards run. On the 6th, Mr. Y.'s caution is very juft. On the 7th, Mr. Y. fhould be not a little out of humour. His affigned caufes are inadequate, In the year 1765 Mr. Y. has feven Experiments, the two first on two Roods, and the other five on one Rood each, Mr. Y.'s Obfervations on compared crops of this year 1765. Drill method appears almost uniformly better in this dry year: dif ference of feven acres cultivated in the two methods would be 41. 2s. 6d.' Reviewer's Reflections on these Experiments. On the 9th, Mr. Y.'s remark is very judicious. 12th, One main recommendation of the drill method is, that it faves manure: but we here see the great fuperiority by it is ascribed to manure. 13th, The drill'd was after a full fallow, and the broad caft only after a clover crop, and yet the fuperior profit of the latter very great. 14th, "Tis pretended that fucceeding drill-crops improve; but here a crop of broad caft, after a bean crop, is fuperior. On Mr. Y.'s General Obfervations our Reflections are, ift, that though drill'd crops are this dry year generally fuperior to broad caft, yet the fuperiority of broad caft to drill'd in Experiment 13 is very great; the broad caft profit is almost double of the drill'd, nearly 3 1. per acre. 2dly, The fuperiority of the drill'd to the broad caft is never 2 1. per acre. In 1766 Mr. Y. has feven Experiments, the three first on two Roods each, and the reft on one Rcod. Mr. Y,'s General Obfervations on these crops. 1. This wet year makes the profit by broad caft And lofs by drilling Difference 9 14 6 2. Need of many hands together in drill husbandry increases the expence amazingly. Reviewer's Reflections. On Experiment 18th, A drill'd crop after a drill'd one, answers not fo well as after clover. 20th, The fame reflection. zift, Produce was equal in the crops compared; but the the drill'd funk it.. expence of We fee not that the manure had more effect in the broad caft. General Obfervation on thefe crops. We fee not by any means how Mr. Y. can account for wet years being bad for drill'd corn, by the rain coming too much to it. On the contrary, the greater field-room it has fhould make it dry fooner. R. Query, What can Mr. Y. mean (p. 178) by saying, on Experiment 18, that 21. is a very confiderable profit this year?' No fuch profit appears. R. Mr. Y. has in the year 1767 five Experiments on divided Roods each. Obfervations of Mr. Y. Mr: 3 2 6 Difference 2. Drill'd corn is more fuccefsful than it was last year. 3. Mr. Y. doubts whether wetnefs be against drilling. N. B. For 1765 read 1767 in p. 191 of Mr. Y. 4. In many cafes a fingle year, not a fucceffion of years, is to be confidered for profit, viz. where we have peculiar wants. On the four Years Comparisons Mr. Y. fhews that Profit by the old husbandry is Ditto, new i. e. nearly three to one for the old. General Corollary. 22 19 101 7 14 52 On an average of crops of wheat in the two methods in various cafes (viz. as fucceeding fallows, beans drill'd and broad caft, clover and drill'd wheat) one acre in the old husbandry is equal to three in the new.' Honeft, ingenuous, and important! R. On the 23d Experiment (the only one this year in which the drill'a crop exceeded in profit) the former had great advantage in having the bean land itirred much more; but what were the comparative profits of the two bean crops compared ? Mr. Y. justly calls the fubject of the fourth fection of the first chapter of the first book, viz. quantity of feed, an untrodden ground,' and propofes to reduce his Experiments thereon to what is abfolutely neceffary, as he owns his papers voluminous enough. He has in the year 1764, fix Experiments on this fubject in the old Hufbandry. N. B. S ftands for Seed, and P for Produce. Qr. B. P. Qr. B. P. Qr. B. P. Qr. B. P. ¡Qr. B. P. 4 5 S. P. S. Р. 6 S. P. 2 ON 96 10 20 I O о I 2 5 о 20 03 ON 6 30 36 Mr. Y.'s Conclufions on the above crops. 1. On all Experiments, that I bushel per acre is far too little feed. |