OF ROTATION OF CROPS. 311 



the people, more especially in the winter season, want em- 

 ployment. In regard to the culture of flax in the more im- 

 proved districts of Scotland, Mr Shirreff is convinced that, 

 if grown as a crop, and persevered in, it would prove de- 

 structive both to the tenant, and to the soil he cultivates ; 

 and Mr Kerr observes, that a real farmer, has no time for 

 the minute attentions required in this branch of husbandry, 

 nor land to spare, for laying it out to grass or dry. 



SECT. VI. Rotation of Crops. 



OF all the subjects included in the present enquiry, this, 

 perhaps, is the most important, and the most difficult to 

 discuss.* The returns transmitted to me regarding this 

 single point, exceed eighty in number, and would form a 

 moderate volume. It is my duty to endeavour to compress 

 that mass of useful information, within a moderate compass. 

 With that view, I propose briefly to point out the various 

 modes of cropping suggested in the course of the enquiry. 

 It must depend upon the judgment of the farmer, to adopt 

 those, which are best suited to the climate where he resides, 

 the nature of the soil he cultivates, the size and situation of 

 his farm, and a variety of other circumstances which will 

 necessarily require his attention, in determining which 

 ought to be preferred. 



Every farmer must be aware, in fixing on his rotations, 



* Even in gardening a rotation of crops is advisable. See Nicol's 

 Gardener's Kalendar, p. 21. 



