OF ROTATION OF CROPS. 327 



considers the regular arrangement of rural labour through- 

 out the year, as an object of the first importance. 



One most important observation on this subject, has been 

 made by Mr Rennic of Oxwell Mains, namely, that wheat 

 sown after grass, early in autumn, often fails ; but if sown 

 in spring, it generally succeeds. It is never at the same 

 time so good in quality, or so productive in quantity, as 

 wheat after turnips, or even after peas and beans. 



Mr Church of Hitchill, recommends a plan for cultiva- 

 ting wheat on a clover ley, which has been found to an- 

 swer, and which seems to merit notice. He proposes 

 breaking up the grass in the beginning of July, immedi- 

 ately after the crop of hay is taken off, or the land is out 

 of pasture, then sowing it with rape or cole, after one fur- 

 row, and eating it down with sheep in September and Oc- 

 tober. As soon as that is done, the land should receive 

 only one furrow, and should then be sown with wheat. 

 This method reduces the land to a fine state, and at less 

 expence than by a bastard fallow; and though the summer 

 pasture is partly lost, yet the feed in September and Octo- 

 ber amply compensates for it. The ground is more sensibly 

 enriched than by the summer pasturing, and rendered so 

 fine, that the wheat crop could easily be drilled. By this 

 method, the soil is not only put into a rich and mellow 

 state, but that SOMETHING is removed which makes wheat 

 after grass otherwise unsuccessful. 



Mr Hume of East Barns observes, that it is more in the 

 rotation, than in the mode of ploughing, that most farmers 

 are deficient. He is convinced from experience, that peas 

 are not calculated for East Lothian to any extent : if his 

 lands therefore were unfit to carry beans, and were dry 

 enough for turnips, he would consider the four-course shift 

 of, 1. Turnips; 2. Oats, Barley, or Wheat; 3. Grass ; and, 

 4. Oats, as the best mode ; and if the farm were so situated, 



