314; OF ROTATION OF CROPS. 



on the same ground, or one year must be appropriated for 

 the growth of one sort of crop, and the next for the pro- 

 duction of another. There are few cases where the same 

 land will constantly yield one and the.same plant, or where 

 a repetition of the same crop, or indeed of the same species 

 of grain, without some interval, is not found to be injurious. 

 Hemp is one exception to that general rule ; for in Russia, 

 the same ground invariably produces it, without either fal- 

 low or any intermixture of crops, but in consequence of 

 great quantities of putrescent manure being annually ap- 

 plied. It appears from Mr Butterworth's experiments al- 

 ready mentioned, that carrots have been successfully culti- 

 vated for seven years, on the same ground. In some in- 

 stances, bear or big has been sown for years on the same 

 ground in succession, with the aid of sea-ware annually gi- 

 ven to it. But in general, a change, or rotation of crops, 

 has been found not only expedient, but necessary. Indeed 

 every farmer who conducts his operations on rational prin- 

 ciples, will be attentive to such a change. 



The propriety of adopting any particular rotation, must 

 depend on a variety of circumstances, more especially the 

 following : 1. On the climate, whether it is wet or dry. Wet 

 climates, for instance, are favourable to the production of 

 oats, dry climates for peas, and for harvesting of beans ; * 

 and the rotations to be adopted in each climate, ought to be 

 formed accordingly. 2. On the soil; for clay, loam, or sand, 

 have each various crops best calculated for them. 3. A ro- 

 tation must also depend upon the situation of a farm, in re- 

 gard to the probable sale of its productions: for instance, a 

 large field of potatoes, which might be worth L.25 per acre, 



* Mr Rennie of Phantassie observes, that beans require moisture, and 

 they never produce a full crop, on dry land, but in a wet season. 



