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V. ON THE ROTATION OF CROPS. 



IT has been observed by Lord KAMES, "that no branch of 

 husbandry requires more sagacity and skill than a proper rota- 

 tion of crops, so as to keep the ground always in heart, and yet 

 to draw from it the greatest possible profit." Indeed, no one, 

 who understands the subject, can doubt that it is one of the 

 very last importance; and so prominent a place does it hold in 

 the art of agriculture, that no better criterion can be found on 

 which to estimate the merits of a farmer, than in the course of 

 cropping which he has adopted. 



More stress has been laid upon a systematic succession of 

 crops than seems requisite. The great art of cultivation con- 

 sists in the maintenance of the land at least in sound condition, 

 and without impoverishing it, if it cannot be enriched; and it 

 is essentially necessary that the amount of labour, as well as 

 the quantity of manure employed upon the ground, should be 

 duly apportioned to its quality. 



The main object of all rotations should therefore be to esta- 

 blish such a series of crops as, by preventing the too frequent 

 recurrence of any one of those which are considered exhaust- 

 ing, shall guard against the dissipation or loss of those com- 

 ponent parts or qualities of the soil, which seem peculiarly 

 adapted to the growth of each, and in the abundance of which 

 consists its fertility. 



A judicious rotation of cropping for every soil, requires a 

 degree of judgment in the farmer, which can only be gathered 

 from observation and experience. The old rotations were 

 calculated to exhaust the soil, and to render it unproductive. 

 To take wheat, barley, and oats in succession, a practice very 

 common not many years ago, was sufficient to impoverish the 

 best land, while it put little into the pockets of the farmer. 

 But the modern rotations are founded on principles which 

 insure a full return from the soil, without lessening its value 

 or deteriorating its condition. Much depends, however, on 

 the manner in which the different processes are executed; for 

 the best arranged rotation may be of no avail, if the processes 

 belonging to it are imperfectly and unseasonably executed. 



A good system of cropping is, in my opinion, says the justly 

 celebrated CHAPTAL, 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 want- 



