ciOIL EXHAUSTION AND ROTATION OF CROPS. 159 



lowing is a sketch of the history of the crops obtained from 

 four acres, divided into eighteen plats, during twelve years : 

 1848 ; sown to clover and barley, having been heavily ma- 

 nured the previous season and borne a large crop of Swedish 

 turnips. 1849 ; manured with various applications. Three 

 cuttings yielded at rate of from three and three -fourths to 

 nearly five tons per acre. Seeded in fall to wheat. 1850 ; 

 in spring clover-seed was sown on the young wheat. The 

 wheat yield was at rate of twenty-seven to thirty-six bushels 

 per acre. After harvest, the clover catch not being good, the 

 land was plowed. 1851 ; after manuring again, clover-seed 

 was drilled in, April 28 ; came up well and was cut in Sep- 

 tember. Best yield was at rate of one and one-third ton of 

 hay. 1852 ; clover looked well in winter, but in March symp- 

 toms of failure became apparent in many of the plats; later 

 it died out in patches, more or less, in all the plats, still on 

 the whole a good plant remained, and two cuttings gave hay 

 on best plats at rate of two and one-fourth to three tons 

 per acre. 1853 ; plants stood fairly through the winter but 

 nearly all died off in spring. Land was then plowed and fresh 

 clover-seed drilled in ; plants came up weak. There was no 

 crop worth cutting in autumn and during winter nearly the 

 whole died off. 1854 ; field was plowed and left fallow till Sep. 

 tember. After heavy manuring (twenty tons yard manure per 

 acre on some portions, and 5,000 pounds quick-lime on oth- 

 ers) clover-seed was drilled in October 10. Plants came up, 

 but died off during winter. 1855 ; clover-seed drilled in 

 April 14. Best crop was at rate of one and one-quarter ton 

 of hay per acre. Plants died in winter. 1856 and 1857 

 land was left fallow. 1858 ; sown to barley without further 

 manure ; crop fifty-eight to sixty-five bushels per acre. 1859 ; 

 without manuring, sowed to clover. Crop cut in September 

 was one to one and one-half ton hay per acre. 1860 ; plant 

 looked well through winter, but as spring advanced died off 

 rapidly, and in June the few remaining plants had a stunted 

 and unhealthy appearance. 



Thus, after seven sowings and the liberal use of every fer- 

 tilizing element, Mr. Lawes was compelled to see a complete 



