THE FARMER'S MANUAL. 13 



4. Every plant derives from the earth for its growth, 

 such properties as are peculiar to itself ; this plant, 

 when followed successively for two or more years 

 upon the same ground, will exhaust the soil of those 

 properties peculiar to itself, without lessening its 

 powers to produce some other plants ; this fact is most 

 striking in the article of flax, which will not bear to 

 be repeated oftener than once in seven years, and is 

 common to all crops, with the exception of those no- 

 ticed as above. 



5. To avoid this evil, arrange your farm into such 

 divisions as will enable you to improve all the varie- 

 ty of crops your lands may require, in such regular 

 succession, as to form a rotine of 5. 6, or 7 years, 

 according to the nature, quality, and situation of your 

 farm. 



6. This method will make poor land good, and 

 good land better. Try and see. 



APRIL, 



Semination. 



The European writers make very nice and curious 

 disquisitions and calculations upon the drilling sys- 

 tem, and generally extol and condemn the practice 

 at the same time, as requiring a great nicety of judg- 

 ment, both in its operation, and the different soils on 

 which it will, and will not answer. I shall leave them 

 to their own methods, both in theory and practice, and 

 treat this subject entirely upon the broad cast plan. 



1. Because this plan answers well, and our com- 

 mon seeds-men can sow any quantity they choose to 

 the acre, with great precision, from three quarts, to 

 three bushels, and give every cast its due proportion. 



2. This answers best on both smooth, and stony 

 soils, and the harrow may be made to answer best, 

 either for a light, or deep covering. 



