CH A 



CH A 



crops, which are more substantial, 

 being founded in undoubted fact, 

 and proved by experience. 



Some plants are known to im- 

 poverish land much faster than 

 others : Such as Indian corn, flax, 

 hemp, &c. And it would not be 

 a prudent method to scourge a 

 piece of land, with such crops,jear 

 after year, till its strength were all 

 exhausted. For it has been justly 

 observed, that it is easier and 

 cheaper to keep land in heart, than 

 to restore it after it is worn out, — 

 It is advisable, therefore, in gen- 

 eral, to take but one crop of flax 

 from a piece of land ; and not more 

 than two of Indian corn, in succes- 

 sion ; nor indeed more than one, 

 unless abundance of manure be 

 applied. 



Again, some plants take the 

 principal part of their nourishment 

 near the surface of the soil, and 

 others draw it from a greater 

 depth : And a regard must be had 

 to this in choosing a rotation of 

 crops. For it will be found that 

 after land has been much worn by 

 plants, the roots of which chiefly 

 consist of either long or short later- 

 al fibres, it will be in good order 

 to produce plants which are tap 

 rooted. Clover, for instance, will 

 grow rank and good, on a spot 

 v^hich will not answer for wheat, 

 barley, or oats. The clover will 

 draw its principal nourishment from 

 those parts of the soil, to which the 

 roots of preceding crops have not 

 reached. And if grounds have been 

 dunged for several years, the nutri- 

 tive particles of the dung may have 

 penetrated deeper into the soil 

 than any roots have reached. In 



a loose sandy soil, used for grain, 

 this will often be the case : So 

 that part of the manure laid on it 

 will be entirely lost, unless a crop 

 of tap rooted plants should over- 

 take it in its descent. 



Preventing the prevalence of 

 weeds is another good reason for 

 the changing of crops. AVeeds 

 will so increase, especially in old 

 farms, as almost to spoil a crop, 

 unless a hoed crop intervene to 

 check them once in two or three 

 years. And a green hoed crop helps 

 to prepare land for producing other 

 crops, by enriching it. The weeds, 

 which are several times cut to pie- 

 ces, and hoed into the soil, during 

 a summer, answer much the same 

 end as green dressings : And by 

 keeping the soil loose, the enriching 

 particles floating in the atmosphere, 

 are plentifully imbibed. See Ro- 

 tation of Crops. 



Also, a change of crops, judi- 

 ciously managed, supersedes the 

 necessity of fallowing, which is no 

 small advantage. Instead of an 

 expensive resting of the soil,during 

 a year of fallow, land may yield an 

 unintermitting profit to the owner. 

 Wheat land, for instance, may be 

 recruited, and cleared of its weeds, 

 by a crop of beans, or potatoes, as 

 effectually as by fallowing. If 

 such a crop only pay the cost of 

 culture, it may be considered as 

 gain. 



What particular routine of crops 

 is best, is not easy to determine. 

 Green and white crops, alternate- 

 ly, are in general recommended. 

 I suppose one course may be best 

 in one county, and another in an- 

 other. In the county of Bristol. 



