THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol. I. 



Pliiladclpliia, Septcnibcr 15, 1S36. 



No. 5. 



Published l>y 

 MOORE &> WATEItHOUSE, 



J^'o. ()7 So7i/Ii Second St. Phila. 

 J. Vail Coiiit, I'rinler, 18 Market street. 



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THE r ARMERS' CABIITST . 



Rotation of Crops. 



In our last we stated certain facts and prin- 

 ciples, to serve as guides in this important 

 branch of agriculture. From the principles 

 there laid down and established by Chaptal, 

 and others, we may draw the following con- 

 clusions: 



1st. That however well prepared a soil 

 may be, it cannot nourish a long succession 

 of crops without becoming exhausted. 



2d. Each harvest impoverishes the soil 

 to a certain extent, depending upon the de- 

 grees of nourishment which it restores to the 

 earth. 



3d. The cultivation of spindle roots ought 

 to succeed that of running and superficial 

 roots. 



4lh. It is necessary to avoid returning too 

 soon to the cultivation of the same, or analo- 

 gous kinds of vegetables, in the same soil.* 



* In addition to the reasons I have given why plants 

 of the same or analogous kinds should not be cultivated 



5th. It is very unwise to allow two kinds 

 of plants, which admit of the too ready 

 growth of weeds among them, to be raised 

 in succession, 



6th. Those plants that derive their princi- 

 pal support from the soil sliould not be sown, 

 excepting when the soil is sufficiently provi- 

 ded with manure. 



7th. When the soil exhibits symptoms of 

 exhaustion from successive harvests, the cul- 

 tivation of those plants that restore most to 

 the soil, must be resorted to. 



These principles are confirmed by experi- 

 ence ; they form the basis of a system of ag- 

 riculture, rich in its products, but more rich 

 in its economy,- by the diminution of tbo 

 usual quantity of labor and manure. All culti- 

 vators ought to be governed by them, but their 

 application must be modified by the nature 

 of soils and cliinates; and the particular wants 

 of each locality. 



To prescribe a series of successive and va- 

 rious harvests, without paying any regard to 

 the difference of soils, would be to commit a 

 great error, and to condemn the system of 

 cropping in the eyes of those agriculturalists, 

 who are too little enlightened to think of in- 

 troducing into their grounds the requisite 

 changes. 



Clover and sainfoin are placed amongst 

 the vegetables that ought to enter into the 

 system of cropping, but these plants require 

 a deep and not too compact a soil, in order 

 that their roots may fix themselves firmly. 



Flax, hemp, and corn require a good soil, 

 and can be admitted as a crop only upon 

 those lands that are fertile, and well pre- 

 pared. 



Light and dry soils cannot bear the same 

 kind of crop as those that are compact and 

 moist. 



Each kind of soil, then, requires a particu- 

 lar system of crops, and each farmer ought 

 to establish his own upon a perfect knovvl- 



in succession upon^the same soil, there is another which 

 I will here assi;j;n. M. Oliver, Member of the French 

 fnstilute, has described with much care all Ihe insects 

 which devour the neck ofthe roots of grain; these mul' 

 tiply infinitely if the same or analogous kinds of plants 

 he presented to the .soil forseveral successive years; but 

 perish for wan» of food whenever plants not suited to 

 be food for their larvae, are made to succeed the grains. 

 These insects belong to the family of Tipuli, or that of 

 flies.— (Sixteenth Vol. of the Memoirs of the Itoyal 

 and Central Agricultural Society of Paris ) 



