No. 85.J 123 



a most important item in agriculture, and makes this very feeding of 

 them, contribute materially to further fertility. In this course, spring 

 wheat or oats might be substituted for the barley at the/pleasure of 

 the farmer, the great point being some summer crop with which the 

 clover seed may be sown, and which, of course, should be put in the 

 ground as early in the spring as is possible. In this rotation the corn 

 receives the manure, the very crop on which it is most useful when 

 fresh, and the remaining effects of the dressing are beneficially exer- 

 ted on the succeeding barley and clover. 



The question is sometimes asked by the advocates of fallowing, 

 why, if this course is unnecessary, successive crops of wheat cannot 

 be taken from the same ground'? The reason why this is impracti- 

 cable has already been hinted at; but it may be well to consider the 

 matter more fully. In the first place, the natural effect of a con- 

 tinued cropping with wheat, or any other grain, would be an ex- 

 haustion of the materials in the soil suitable for the growth of that 

 crop, and its consequent gradual failure ; and though it is evident, 

 from both theory and practice, that if the proper materials are re- 

 turned to the soil, such as are taken from it by the crop grown, there is 

 no need of rest between crops, or change of them ; yet it is equally evi- 

 dent that time must be required to accomplish this preparation of the 

 soil, and return of material. Except under the most favorable cir- 

 cumstances, where the plowing, harrowing and cleaning processes are 

 much aided by the qualities of the soil, there cannot be sufficient time 

 between the coming off of the wheat crop in the northern States or 

 latitudes, and the best time for seeding again, to perform these indis- 

 pensable labors. Then, in addition, there is the manuring to take 

 place, for no one can expect a succession of wheat or other crops, 

 without manuring in some form, and in this case it can only take 

 place between the removal of a crop in the latter part of July, and 

 the seeding again th.e last of August or the fore part of September, 

 thus allowing only one month for plowing, harrowing, manuring and 

 seeding. Now on a fine soil, a small farm, and plenty of labor at 

 command, it would be possible to accomplish all this, but under no 

 other circumstances could a second seeding with wheat take place 

 with any prospect of success. On a large farm neither teams could 

 be had, or labor commanded, to put in a proper breadth of wheat in 

 so short a time, and consequently on such farms, a rotation, allowing 

 of seeding without fallows, must be adopted, or fallows, with all their 



