384 On Rotations of Crops. 



without any being twice sown in the same course, except a 

 little barley, owing to a part being sown with it, after the 

 turnips latterly consumed. Some farmers sow early oats 

 after turnips, more especially in the northern districts, where 

 oats are much in demand. But barley generally answers 

 best to sow late after turnips, and oats are found on many 

 soils, to succeed worse after turnips than any other grain. 

 Besides, clover seldom succeeds with oats, rather better with 

 barley, but usually the best with wheat sown in spring. 

 Amongst barley, if not lodged, it will succeed ; but from 

 the rich state of the land, that species of crop is apt to lodge, 

 (which circumstance ruins the seeds), except sprat or battle- 

 door barley be sown, which seldom falls down. Grass-seeds 

 rarely fail among spring sown wheat, which is not so apt to 

 lodge as winter, or autumnal-sown wheat, or perhaps any 

 other grain. It is proper to add, that as the wheat is sown 

 earlier than the barley or oats, so is the clover, and this early 

 sowing secures moisture, and promotes vegetation. 



Seven Years' Rotation. The following rotation is adopted 

 in some of the rich deep soils of Suffolk : 1. Turnips ; 

 2. Barley ; 3. Beans ; 4. Wheat ; 5. Barley ; 6. Clover ; 

 7. Wheat. Under that system, the crops are said to be pro- 

 ductive ; the land to be clean, and to have the neatest pos- 

 sible appearance ( 3?I ). 



Eight Years' Rotation. Upon rich loams and clays, or 

 where there is abundance of manure at command, a course 

 of eight crops has been strongly recommended : 1. Fallow, 

 with dung ; 2. Wheat ; 3. Beans, drilled and horse-hoed ; 

 4. Barley ; 5. Clover and rye-grass ; 6. Oats, or wheat ; 7. 

 Beans, drilled and horse-hoed ; and, 8. Wheat, or oats (* 7 *). 

 This rotation is calculated to insure an abundant return 

 throughout the whole period, provided dung be given to the 

 clover stubble. Without that supply, the system would be 

 crippled, and only inferior crops would be obtained in the 

 concluding years of the rotation. 



It is proper here to observe, that in these rotations, pease 

 are only once recommended, it being found by experience, 

 that they will not succeed, above once in ten years, conse- 

 quently, they are chiefly adapted for protracted rotations, or 

 soils which are not of sufficient depth for beans, as light 

 turnip soils or thin weak clays. They are most likely to 

 answer, when sown after grass ; but even then, the crop is 

 precarious, and is apt to encourage the growth of weeds (* 73 ). 



