ROTATION OF CROPS. 287 



I cannot better close this chapter than by quoting (almost entire) 

 an article on the " Rotation of Crops," furnished to the New 

 York Tribune^ by the Hon. George Geddes, of Syracuse, N. Y. 



Although he attaches less importance to the cultivation of 

 root crops than seems to me just, his remarks are so sensible and 

 so practical that they should be carefully read by all farmers : — 



*' The idea of preserving the fertility of land, and at the same 

 " time greatly increasing the aggregate of crops produced, by a ju- 

 '■'■ dicious rotation^ is quite modern. 



'' In England great attention is paid to rotation, and many 

 " elaborate experiments have been made and reported in the agri- 

 " cultural works of that country, showing its importance and its 

 " influence in increasing the agricultural productions of the king- 

 "dom. 



" English writers have marked out with much care various 

 '' systems of rotation of crops, giving the proper place to each, in 

 " view of the food it demands of the soil, and its power to appro- 

 " priate the food that may be derived from the different stages of 

 " decomposition of the various manures used. 



" The only useful lesson we American farmers can derive from 

 " all this English knowledge is the proof that a proper rotation does 

 " preserve the fertility of the soil, and greatly increase its products, 

 " when the aggregate is considered. 



" The climate of England is so unlike ours that we must strike 

 " out for ourselves in laying down our plans of rotation. We have 

 " a climate that matures in its perfection the most valuable cereal, 

 " all things considered, that a beneficent Providence has given to 

 " man — that England cannot produce in the open air at all — I 

 " refer to maize or Indian corn, a native of our own country, and 

 " adapted, in its different varieties, to nearly every part of the 

 " United States. 



" Admirers of English systems of agriculture have long urged 

 " on the American farmers extensive cultivation of root crops. 

 " Though constantly urged thereto, the practical Yankee has 

 " gone on raising his Indian corn, well knowing that, as a leading 

 " croD, it was, beyond all comparison, of more value, in view of its 

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