bN FALLOWING. 171 



practice, to a matter of calculation of protit. And 

 as, after all, this must depend entirely on the 

 means of the farmer, it may not be an unjust 

 view of the subject, although a very conti'acted 

 one. 



But does the operation of fallowing increase 

 or diminish the fertility of the soil ? This is the 

 question undetermined, and is the most import- 

 ant one, and to solve it, it will be necessary to 

 trace the operation of chemical principles to 

 practical results. 



Sir H. Davy says, " The chemical theory of 

 " fallowing is very simple. Fallowing affords 

 " no new source of riches to the soil. It merely 

 " tends to produce an accumulation of decom- 

 *' posing matter, which, in the common course 

 " of crops, would be employed as it is formed. 

 ** And it is scarcely possible to imagine a single 

 *' instance of a cultivated soil which can be sup- 

 " posed to remain fallow for a year with advan- 

 *' tage to the farmer. The only cases where 

 " this practice is beneficial, seems to be in the 

 " destruction of weeds, and for cleaning foul 

 " soils." 



Again, " The most important processes for 

 " improving land, are those which have been 

 " already discussed, and that are founded upon 

 *' the circumstance of removing certain consti- 



