380 On Rotations of Crops. 



successfully repeated, on the same soil, for thirty years, and 

 has been adopted by a great number of other farmers in his 

 neighbourhood ( z55 ). 



Four Years' Rotation. Under this head, the first to be 

 pointed out is, the course known under the name of the 

 Norfolk system; namely, 1. Turnips; 2. Barley; 3. Clo- 

 ver ; 4. Wheat. This rotation, however, is not found suf- 

 ficiently meliorating ; for without a plentiful supply of ex- 

 tra manure, and deep ploughing, both the turnip and the 

 clover crop will often fail, unless the land is refreshed by 

 grass, for at least two or three years. To obviate this diffi- 

 culty, it has been proposed to begin with, 1. Winter tares, 

 followed by turnips, and both fed upon the land by sheep. 

 The soil, thus enriched, will produce, 2. Wheat; 3. Clover ; 

 and 4, Barley, or oats, in succession (* 5<J ). 



In Scotland, on turnip soils, the following rotation has 

 been found to answer: 1. Turnips; 2. Winter wheat, sown 

 in spring ( a57 ), or barley ; 3. Clover ; and, 4. Oats, intro- 

 ducing partly winter wheat after the turnips, and oats after 

 the clover. This is certainly a productive rotation, and 

 being recommended by farmers, justly accounted among the 

 first in their profession, is entitled to attentive considera- 

 tion (* 58 ). 



Under careful management, a rotation still more severe, 

 has succeeded; namely, 1. Turnips; 2. Wheat; 3. Grass, 

 (mostly sheep-fed) ; 4. Four-fifths winter wheat sown in spring, 

 and one-fifth oats. Under this course of crops, the produce 

 of a farm has been improved, both in quality and in quanti- 

 ty, since its commencement to the present time, and conti- 

 nues to improve. The additional quantity is, to the amount of 

 not less than four bushels per English acre ( z59 ). 



In the neighbourhood of Dunbar, in Scotland, a course 

 distinguished for its severity, has been tried ; namely, 1. 

 Turnips ; 2. Drilled wheat ; 3. Clover ; 4. Drilled wheat. 

 It appears, however, that even in a dry and favourable cli- 

 mate, such as that to be found in the lower part of East- 

 Lothian, and the advantage of great quantities of sea-weed, 

 such a rotation could not long be continued on a light soil. 

 The quantity of dung usually applied, was to the amount of 

 about twenty two-horse cart-loads per English acre, to the 

 land intended for turnips, whereas only twelve such cart- 

 loads are commonly given by the majority of farmers. The 

 turnips were always eaten on the ground by sheep. The 

 same quantity of dung, or of sea-weed, was also applied on 

 the grass-land before ploughing. Notwithstanding all these 



