C 252 ] 



Rotations and Changes of Crops defendedy by Richard 

 Peters, Esquire, 



Read November 9, 1813. 



Belmont, October 17, 1813. 



Dear Sir, 



I send, for communication to the society, a letter 

 from Z). Cassat, Esqr. of York Borough, in this state, 

 and its enclosure ; handed to me by Captain Ai7thony 

 Robinson^ to whom it was directed. There can be no 

 doubt of the truth of any facts, avowed, or countenanc- 

 ed, by one so respectable as Mr. Cassat, Nor is there 

 any occasion for my disbelief of such facts ; which are 

 similar to many I have met with. I have, however, ob- 

 served, that almost all the like facts, have arisen in the 

 way in which Mr. Eckerfs have been established.— 

 They have occurred in the cases of owners of small 

 spots, whom necessity had compelled (on a calculation 

 that it was the most valuable product) to sow wheat, 

 in constant succession. I have known the same prac- 

 tice succeed, for a considerable length of time, (most 

 Xrequently fail) with Indian corn, and other grains. 

 But the great balance of such farming, on any exten- 

 sive scale, has been unsuccessful and injurious. That 

 wheat would, in some anomalous instances, grow well 

 on the same spot, with repetitions of manure, for seve- 

 ral successive years, I never denied ; though, as a ge- 

 neral practice, I have always reprobated it. TFhen the 

 pabulum for this, or any other grain, will be exhausted 

 in the soil of any particular spot ; or how long renc\y^ 



