FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 315 



the fertility of our lands, mid at the same time be far more remunerative than 

 any plan that we have read from the pen of our predecessors. The arable soil 

 of our lands is variable, but clay predominates in the subsoil, with a mixture of 

 limestone, gravel, and many other ingredients, and under proper management 

 our lands are well calculated to produce a good crop of any of the cereals or 

 grasses usually grown in this latitude. In order to bring about a rotation, 

 according to my ideal, it would be necessary to have the farm divided into seven 

 or more fields of equal dimensions, as near as may be, other conveniences con- 

 sidered. First, I would plant corn upon the oldest meadow ; second, oats or 

 barley ; third, pasture ; fourth, summer-fallow ; fifth, it would be in wheat ; 

 sixth and seventh seasons, meadow. I would put the largest half of the manure 

 made upon the farm on the corn ground before plowing, and plow a wide fur- 

 row and not more than five or six inches deep; then plow a little deeper for 

 oats or barley, bringing upon the surface the decomposed sod and manure, 

 which will insure a good crop of oats or barley, and aid in starting the young- 

 clover, which should be sown immediately after the grain is harrowed in and 

 followed with the roller. Then sow timothy on or before tlic middle of the 

 following September and not pasture until the next summer, when it would 

 produce a large amount of feed for stock. Fourth, summer-fallow. 



Now, Mr. President, comes the great secret of success that will be sure to fol- 

 low for the next seven years if properly carried out. We have gathered from 

 the great book of nature and from experience certain principles tliat we can not 

 lose sight of in writing out our views. It was a law among the Israelites to 

 sow their laud six years and gather in the fruits thereof, but the seventh year 

 should be a year of rest. We find that the same law holds good in regard to 

 the productive capacity of our lands, that it needs one-seventh part of the time 

 for rest. While some farmers claim that laud receives all needful rest while in 

 meadow or pasture, others think that the common mode of summer-fallowing 

 by plowing at any time at their leisure, and then after liarvest to harrow down 

 and cross-plow is sufficient. I claim that in order to bring about the great 

 desideratum that it should pass one season in eight without producing grass or 

 weeds ; that it should be plowed as deep as the soil w^ould admit, or about seven 

 or eight inches, and as early in the spring as practicable after the ground 

 becomes dry. Tlie harrow should be passed over the ground immediately after 

 the plow, when it will pulverize easily, and the harrow and cultivator should be 

 used as often as every two weeks until August. The balance of the manure not 

 previously used may now he spread over the dry knolls and l)arren places ; 

 then cross-plow in narrow furrows and harrow down thoroughly, when it is 

 ready for the third and last plowing. This third time plowing buries all of the 

 half decayed sods and lumps, leaves a fine, moist surface for the Avheat, brings 

 the manure on top, makes a perfect surface for meadow, which can be used as 

 such for the next two years. By thus thoroughly mixing and bringing every 

 particle of the soil to the surface in a condition and at a time wlien it will receive 

 the greatest benefit from the aeriform fluids will, in our opinion, be of more 

 value to the routine of crops during the seven years than the plowing under a 

 green crop. Whenever we have carried out the above rules we have been blessed 

 with excellent crops. 



The good house-wife may not be able to describe minutely the chemical 

 changes that takes place in the making of bread, but she does know by experi- 

 ence when to apply the yeast and when to apply the heat in order to succeed in 

 producing a good article. So with us, as farmers ; we do know that a certain 



