THE CULTIVATION OF FARM CROPS. 507 



3. Roots. 



4. Spring Wheat or Barley (seeded). 



5. Hay. 



G. Pasture. 

 7. Pasture. 



In England this would be 1. Wheat. 2. Roots. 3. Barley. 4. Peas. 

 5. Roots. C. Oats. 7. Seeds. 



A perfect rotation should include all those crops which the soil, climate, 

 and situation of the farm will admit of being cultivated at a profit. The 

 conditions which influence the species of crops grown, are (a) the nature 

 of the soil, (6) the character of the climate, (c) the kinds of live stock kept, 

 and systems of management, (d) the demand for certain crops, and the 

 convenience for marketing them. Thus in regard to soils, clays are speci- 

 ally fitted to produce crops of wheat, beans, and mangels ; light soils are 

 favourable to the growth of barley, turnips, peas, and clover ; and peaty 

 soils may yield excellent crops of carrots, rape, and oats, &c. The condi- 

 tions of climate have great influence on the cropping. A dry climate is 

 more favourable to the cultivation of wheat, barley, and leguminous plant.-, 

 than to the development of root or green crops. In moist climates the 

 humidity of the summer is unfavourable to the growth of wheat, barley, 

 peas and beans, but favourable to turnips, rape, grass, and oats ; while a 

 mild winter is favourable for growing early spring food, and market pro- 

 's such as rye, early potatoes, &c. In a mountain climate the compa- 

 rative shortness of the summer season is more prejudicial to grain crops 

 than to roots and grass. On humid elevations oats are the most suitable 

 in crop ; whilst on dry soils, barley is more appropriate. Again, as to 

 kinds of live stock, and management. Cattle require a greater breadth of 

 \v ami forage, crops than of root crops to be eaten on the ground ; si. 



Dairy stock require more of succulent green food than they 

 do of dry fodder ; fattening animals the reverse. 



ORDINARY TILLAGE OPERATIONS. 



Whatever the physical or ehemieal |>roj>erties <>f th.- soil may l>e, it will 

 product- l.ut lit tit- if not well tilled. And what is true in tin- r66] ret of 



est soil applies in far stronger terms to the worst. 



Apart from its immediate end, the provision of a proper seed-bed, the 

 objects and effects of tillage may be enumerated thus : 



(1) To stir and loos.-n the rut in- s..i (lieieut depth, so that 



thr roots of plants may fn-.-ly extend them-elve- in search 

 of i 



