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CHAPTER XIII. 



Rotations of Crops Early Rotations Development of Principles of The 

 Fallow Grain and Fodder Crops Effect of Clover on subsequent Wheat 

 Crops Similar Effect of Beans Modifications of the Norfolk Four Course 

 Catch Crops Potatoes as a Crop. 



THE subject I have next to bring before my readers is that 

 of the rotation of crops. I do not know that I shall be able 

 to say anything very new, but if I can present the subject in 

 its several aspects, and indicate the way in which I think it 

 ought to be taught, that is perhaps all I can expect to do. I 

 remember once lecturing to a class amongst whom was a 

 gentleman who had spent some years in the War Office, and 

 he confided to me towards the end of the term that there was 

 one thing in agriculture he could never understand. I asked 

 him what it was, and he said he could never really compre- 

 hend what a rotation of crops was. Of course a rotation of 

 crops is simply an ordinary, regular, and recognized sequence 

 of crops extending over several years; so that there is 

 really nothing difficult to understand about it. But an im- 

 portant question arises on the threshold, namely, how have 

 rotations or successions of crops originated, and also why are 

 they necessary ? In answer to the first question, I believe 

 that rotations of crops forced themselves upon agriculturists 

 probably somewhat as follows. When man advances to that 

 stage of civilization in which he ceases to be a mere wanderer, 

 when rights of property become in some measure definite, 

 then he finds that after ground has been cultivated for a 



