m 



AGUICULTURAL MUSEUM 



most fiber plants at that period, tcnJ> groafly to fon- 

 lirm this opinion ; for, had this supposed putrid (jnality 

 existed to any extent in the atmosphere, other phmts as 

 ■well as corns, would liave lolt its baneful oiTecls. 



It is wortliy of notice, that (:xce;;sive luxuriance sel- 

 tloni proves advantageous to the crop ; aiul thnt is ofien 

 ])romoted by a friableness in tlie so;!, or a volatile qual- 

 ity in the manure — th.-nioh neither of thetn, nor even 

 both combined, are adequate to the production of 

 wciii'hty crops, while other pi-cparations operate re- 

 versely. Theory has too iTiueli influence in forming- 

 systems, without attendini;- to their bearlngfs arid con- 

 sequences. The long; partialily shewn in favor of clo- 

 ver len, as a pi-eparatory step for u wheat crop, and 

 ti.c antipathy entertained against potatoes as ? 

 cleaning crop, are proofs that farmers arc too often 

 misled by improper systems and incorrect o])itiions. A 

 wheat crop alter clover, especially if the clover was 

 sown with a crop, for which the land had not been 

 summer fallowed, rarely succeeds ; and if it does suc- 

 ceed, th.e benefit gained may justly be reckoned inferior 

 to what mig!it have been obtained from taking a crop 

 of oats ; whilst the soil will, in the latter case, be in a 

 much more superior condition. With regard to pota- 

 toes, I am glad to remark, from the communications to 

 Sir John Sinclair, that, it appears juster notions are 

 now prevalent as to the utility of this crop than form- 

 erly. Wheat after potatoes is found less liable to dis- 

 ease than after fallow or beans, and equally productive. 

 The experience of l)a!f a century, every year of which 

 I have sown wheat after potatoes, enables me to speak 

 witli precision in favor of that mode of culture, having 

 rarely, if ever, observed, that in following it, imperfect 

 grain was obtained, whilst in four instances out of five, 

 the produce was greater than procured in any other 

 Avay. The straw of all grain which succeed' potatoes, 

 especially that of wheat is peculiarly clean, stiff and 

 touijh, standing tlic inill m.uch better than what is raised 

 jji any ether melhod ; hence it is plain, that wheat aftci' 



