PRACTICAL FARMER 



23 



SrCCESSlON OF CROPS. 



But however well adapted the soil and climate 

 may be to the cultivation of any particular kind 

 of vegetable, the former soon ceases to be produc- 

 tive if constantly appropriated to the culture of 

 plants of the same or analogous species. In order 

 that land may be cultivated successfully, various 

 kinds of vegetables must be raised upon it in suc- 

 cession, and the rotation must l)e conducted with 

 intelligence, that none unsuited either to the soil 

 or climate may be introduced. It is the art of 

 varying the crops upon the same- soil, of causing 

 different vegetables to succeed one another, and 

 of understanding the effect of such upon the soil, 

 that can alone establish that good order of succes- 

 sion which constitutes cropping. 



A good system of cropping is, in my opinion, 

 the best guarantee of success that the farmer can 

 have ; without this, all is vague, uncertain and 

 hazardous. In order to establish this good system 

 of cropping, a degree of knowledge is necessary, 

 which unhappily is wanting to the greater part of 

 our practical farmers. 1 shall here state certain 

 facts and principles which may serve as guides in 

 this important branch of agriculture. 



Principle 1. All plants exhaust the soil. 



Principle 2. All plants do not exhaust the soil 

 equally. 



Principles. Plants of diffeient kinds do not 

 exhaust a soil in the same manner. 



Principle 4. All plants do not restore to the 

 soil either the same quantity or the same quality 

 of manure. 



Principle 5. All plants do not foul the soil 

 equally. 



From the principles whicli I have just establish- 

 e I, we may draw the following conclusions: 



1st. That however well prepared a soil may be, 

 it cannot nourish a long succession of crops with 

 out bec( ming exhausted. 



2d. Each harvest impoverishes the soil to a 

 certain extent, depending upon the degree of nour- 

 ishment whicli it restores to the earth. 



3d. The cultivalion of spindle roots ougkt 

 to succeed that of running and superficial 

 roots. 



4th. Jt is necessary to avoid returning too soon 

 to the cultivation of the same or of analogous kinds 

 of vegetables, in the same soil. 



5th. It is very unwise to allow two kinds of 

 plants, which admit of the ready growth of weeds 

 among them to be raised in succession. 



6th. Those plants that derive their principal 

 support from the soil, should not be sown, except- 

 ing when the soil is sufficiently provided with ma- 

 nure. 



7th. When the soil exhibits symptoms of ex- 

 haustion from successive harvests, the cultivation 



of those plants that restore most to the soil, must 

 be resorted to. 



These principles are confirmed by experience ; 

 they form the basis of a system of agriculture rich 

 in its products, but more rich in its economy, by 

 the diminution of the usual quantity of labor and 

 manure. All cultivators ought to be governed 

 by them, but their application must be modified 

 by the nature of soils, and climates, and the par- 

 ticular wants of each locality. — ChaptaVs Chem- 

 istry, 



Lunar Influences.— A writer in the Kew 

 York Farmer has the following remarks on the 

 Bubject of the influence of the moon upon tlie 

 weather. 



In the course of my observation, I could not but 

 refer at times to the remark of the Indians, the an- 

 cient inhabitants of the country of my youth, of 

 which there were a number of them living, and 

 that was, that after the changes of the moon, if the 

 corners pointed up in the form of a dish, it would 

 be dry weather that moon, but if one down and the 

 other up, it would be rainy or wet. Altiiough as- 

 tronomical knowledge taught me that this was 

 without foundation, still from repeated remarks, I 

 was finally compelled to admit that there was 

 some truth in the obstirvation ; and in i)rocess of 

 time, was led to form the following conclusion: that 

 is, when the moon changes in high north latitude, 

 it is generally col.l and dry ; but if in extreme 

 south latitude, warm and wet, and apt to be stormy. 

 It may be remirked, that when the moon changes 

 in high north latitude, it makes the figure of the 

 corners pointing up, and in extreme south theother 

 figure, which verifies, in a measure the truth of 

 the old Indian's remark. Hence, although ad- 

 mitting that the sim and moon are the jirincipal 

 agents in governing the weather there seems to be 

 other causes which at titnes vary tlieir influence, 

 so that it is still an uncertainty; but I have very 

 rarely known it to fail that th j moon in extreme 

 south latitude, denotes warm and stormy weather, 

 and in high north latitude, cold and dry; and if 

 we have ever so great prospect of storms in the 

 latter, they are apt to be of short duration. As my 

 limits will not allow me to go farther into detail, 

 it may suffice to remark, that if our almanack ma- 

 kers would give us the latitude of the moon at the 

 full, change, and quarters, with the course she is 

 going, whether north or south, we might foretell 

 the weather for ourselves, or they might give it 

 by their own judgment from the moon's latitude 

 in probability. 



A skilful agriculturist will constitute one of tlie 

 mightiest bulwarks of which civil liberty can 

 boast. 



