THE CULTIVATION OF FARM 521 



first place, into heavy and light, or stiff and free. The treatment of these 

 two classes of soils is about as opposite as it well ran be. 



xoi/x are essentially suitable for corn or grain crops. Hence in 

 examples of rotations it will be found that the proportion devoted to 

 grain in some form is respectively , %, and ~. Such lands are called 

 "wheat and bean land," because they are most suitable for these crops. 

 They are unsuitable for the growth of turnips and swedes for two reasons. 

 First, the difficulty and expense of obtaining a sufficiently fine tilth in 

 spring and early summer ; Secondly, because it is troublesome, and 

 a injurious, to cart off the produce in the autumn, and certainly in- 

 jurious to consume it upon the land. The underlying reason for both of 

 o difficulties is the plastic character of clay soils. They must be light- 

 ened up, being already too close in texture. It is fatal to success to plough 

 or work them when wet, and consequently hauling or folding sheep upon 

 them, as in some countries, is sure to be followed by a diminished wheat 

 crop the succeeding year. Now, as the turnip and swede crop are grown 

 with the idea of improving land, and causing it to grow a better grain 

 crop, it is evident that on these stiff soils their cultivation cannot extend, 

 re are, however, other fallow crops which may be grown upon clay 

 lands. All forage crops which are eaten by live stock during the dry 

 tlis, and are cleared off in time for wheat sowing in the autumn, un- 

 fit for cl; Such are winter and spring vetches, rape, and cabbages. 

 All these crops are ready for use from May to the end of September or 

 October. Stiff clay soils should, for the same reason, be manured with 

 _: or fresh manure, so that the decay of the straw and fermentation of 

 lung may open up and divide the soil. Autumn plough iiuj f-r fallow 

 advisable, that the pulverizing effects of th- winter'-; frost 

 IK. roughly reali/rd. 

 - soils are suitable for turnips and forage crops in general. Th-y 



in farming phrase., I, ,^y as "turnip and barley soils," beca 



w both crops to perfection. It will be found that om-lialf of 



arable land is usually devoted to rarli purpo- .in and fodder CT< 



le for turnips, as tln-y niv ivadily reduced to a tine tilth. 



of cw noticed throughout tin- course of a 



oft.'n int.-ntionally plnu^hrd wet fnr^rain; tli.- Leas are heavily 



ii ; tin- youn^r LTrain ' 1Ir(1 



the spring to pn- tin* soil around the rOOta; and tin- inaimiv i> j 



1. Surl, land U ploughed shallow for ^rain. and stubble 

 liaiilm - are rakrd t o-, t her and burnt, ratli.-r than p 



