516 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



order to take off the produce to the outer edge of the polder, 

 where it can be removed in carts. 



4. MIXING THE SOIL. &amp;gt;If the soil upon which he proposes to 

 operate be composed, as often happens, of different strata of 

 earth, as, for example, of mould, next of a layer of clay, and 

 next of sand, he is careful, by a deep trenching, thoroughly to 

 stir, and by degrees to intermix and enrich the whole. In truth, 

 every effort is made to produce a deep, friable, rich bed for their 

 operations ; and by such means soils, which appear at first 

 almost worthless, are made productive. Many soils, which in 

 their original condition were sterile and comparatively worthless, 

 now take rank with the most fertile. 



5. ROTATION OF CROPS. Another great feature of Flemish 

 husbandry is that of a regular rotation of crops. This is exact, 

 and observed with strictness. 



What this rotation shall be, must depend on a variety of cir 

 cumstances. An intelligent farmer will be likely to inquire first. 

 to what crop is the soil best adapted, because of this he is likely 

 ro get the largest product ; what crop is most required for his 

 own use or for the market ; what crop is likely least to exhaust 

 the soil ; what crop is lie best able to manure ; in short, a great 

 variety of inquiries growing out of the nature and particular 

 condition of the soil, which will determine the course of crops 

 to be adopted by the farmer, having in view that which he can 

 obtain with the largest profit, the least expense, and the smallest 

 injury to the land. What are called green crops, with the excep 

 tion of potatoes, which enter largely into human food, such as 

 carrots and turnips, are grown mainly with a view to the 

 manure, which they furnish by the animals fed upon them. 

 The farm is divided into several portions, and on these different 

 portions distinct rotations are proceeding regularly, the aim of 

 the fanner being to have a variety of crops growing at the same 

 time. In this way he provides best for the supply of his family ; 

 having a variety of articles to dispose of, he runs less risk in the 

 fluctuations and caprices of the markets ; and he is enabled the 

 better to husband and apply his manures. 



I shall here give some examples of these rotations of crops, 

 not as furnishing a rule for other places, which may differ very 



