PARING of Land, an ancient practice in agriculture; but which has, within a few years, been exploded in various parts of Britain. It consists in cutting off old turf at such a thickness as the labourer can conveniently effect; together with the more recent turf, at such a depth as will render it sufficiently dry for burning.—See p. 396-7 of our first volume.
Paring is chiefly practised on breaking up land from a state of nature; though it is with advantage employed periodically, on cultivated ground. An instance of this fact occurs in the 24th vol. of Annals of Agriculture, where the industrious Mr. Boys states, that several acres of wheat, barley, oats, and sainfoin, were at that time growing on a soil, which had been repeatedly pared and burnt. He adds, that the crops were of sufficient value to buy the land at mere than forty years purchase, at a rent fairly computed before the improvement. Hence it appears, that such practice, in the hands of judicious farmers, is excellent: and Mr. Middleton observes, in the 12th volume of the same work, that it almost invariably secures a large, first crop of turnips; which (when fed upon land well stored with ashes) are the best preparation for subsequent crops; and that there are very few (if any) cases, in which, with proper management, paring has not perfectly succeeded.