o. 85.J 113 



or less extent in many parts of the country, are given in volume 

 seventh of the Farmers' Register. Specimens of the two-shift system, 

 are as follows : — 



1st year — Corn. 



2d year — Wheat — or oats, if on land too poor or too light for wheat. 



After harvest, the stubble grazed closely until next spring, when 

 plowed again for corn. 



When too poor to bear any small grain crops, that part of the 

 course is omitted on such poorer spots of the field, and afterwards on 

 all ; thus changing the relation to 



1st year — Corn. 



2d year — Natural growth of weeds, grazed. 



When not grazed the second year, as was sometimes the case, for 

 want of separate fencing, or some other cause, this rotation made a 

 nearer approach to alternate and improving husbandry. It was then, 



1st year — Corn. 



2d year — Weeds not grazed, forming a very poor manuring crop. 



An improvement was made on this by the adoption of the three- 

 shift rotation. 



1st year — Corn. 



2d year — Wheat, and afterwards the spontaneous growth of grass 

 and weeds, grazed. 



3d year — Pasture, closely grazed. 



This was supposed to be a great march in agricultural improve- 

 ment, and by some regarded as the summit of perfection, to which 

 two-shift and no-shift cultivators aspired as the height of their ambi- 

 tion. The exhaustion of the second year was moderated on the poor- 

 er parts, by the wheat being then omitted, for the simple and very 

 obvious reason that it would not grow there. On those parts there 

 were, of course, two years of rest from tillage in the three. Col. 

 Taylor introduced a four-shift system, which was as follows : 



1st year — Corn. 



2d year — Wheat and Clover sown — or if too poor for Wheat, left 

 at rest and not grazed. 



3d year — Clover, (and weeds,) not mown nor grazed. 



4th year — Clover, not mown nor grazed. 



This course possessed the advantage of giving two and a half 

 years, out of four for vegetables to grow which were to die and de- 

 cay on the soil, and finally to be plowed in. It was a great improve- 



[Senate, No. 85.] H 



