A.D. 1689 
—1776. 
md of 
PUTAS 
He advo- 
ated the 
ntroduc- 
on of 
clover and 
mje grass 
550 PARLIAMENTARY COLBERTISM 
by no means beneficial in a course of crops, as they leave the 
soil so foul that a fallow rather than another crop ought to 
succeed. The great benefit of turnips is not the mere value 
of the crop, but the cleaning the land so well as to enable 
the farmer to cultivate the artificial grasses with profit...... 
The farmers of this country ought therefore to neglect 
surnips totally, or cultivate them in the clean-husband-like 
manner that is practised in many parts of England, of 
thoroughly pulverizing the land and hoeing them twice or 
thrice, or as often as necessary, to keep them distinct from 
each other, and perfectly free from weeds. Turnips would 
then be found an excellent preparation for barley or oats, 
and for the artificial grasses sown with them.” Root crops 
had been introduced during the seventeenth century, but 
they were often badly managed ; and in some districts the 
farmers and butchers preferred to raise small and inferior 
rather than large and good turnips’: In such cases the 
slovenly habits, which characterised the growth of cereals, 
also affected the green crops that had been much more 
recently introduced. There were, however, some districts 
where they were little known and might have been tried 
with advantage; on the whole, what was needed was the 
better working of the ground, so as to keep it clear from 
weeds. In regard to these matters, agricultural science was 
fairly advanced, but agricultural practice lagged behind. 
On the other hand, little progress had been made any- 
shere with the cultivation of seeds and the extension of 
clover and rye grass. Arthur Young is particularly careful 
to note what success attended attempts to cultivate these 
grasses and improve pastures?, and he gets quite enthusiastic 
over the accurate results which were recorded at various 
experimental farms. He was interested in the increased 
cultivation of potatoes, carrots, cabbages or anything else; 
but the growing of artificial grasses was the department in 
which agricultural science, as distinguished from agricultural 
practice, made most progress during this century’ The 
L Northern Tour, 1. 217, 218. 2 Jb, 1. 107. 
8 Northern Tour, 1. 277; 1. 237, 243; IV. 149. 
t Thorold Rogers. Siz Centuries, 468.