388 On Rotations of Crops. 



berland, Roxburgh, and Berwick, is sown in the month of 

 February and beginning of March, upon land that had grown 

 turnips, and upon which sheep have been folded, and even 

 a part of the crop drawn off in alternate rows. The land 

 is thus however sufficiently enriched, and acquires that firm- 

 ness which is necessary to the production of grain, and more 

 especially for wheat ; whereas if that crop had been treated 

 in the usual way, the greater proportion of the plants sown 

 in winter, would have been thrown out, and what remained, 

 would have produced a weak, straggling and unproductive 

 crop. By sowing winter wheat in the clover leys, in spring, 

 the devastations of the wire-worm would be prevented, and 

 an immense addition made to the produce of the country. 

 To give the experiment a fair trial, winter wheat, accustomed 

 to spring culture, from the Lothians or Northumberland, 

 ought to be procured. 



3. The best mode of increasing, and preserving the ferti- 

 lity of weak soils is, by having a division of them in pas- 

 ture, for three, four, or even five years, and then brought 

 in again ; so that in the course of a twenty-one years' lease, 

 each division, in its turn, remains in grass for a considerable 

 period of time. In lands which are not naturally fertile and 

 productive, and where town manure cannot be had, this plan 

 must be attended with very beneficial consequences. Every 

 part of a farm, thus derives a proportional share of the ad- 

 vantage of being kept in grass, which is preferable to the 

 plan of preserving one part of a farm constantly in grassj 

 and the remainder under cultivation. 



On dry lands adapted for sheep, there is always a re- 

 turn for their food ; and the land while in pasture is gain- 

 ing strength, for another course of crops. There is a 

 great saving in the amount of labour, and the expense of 

 seed, especially clover and the grasses. The crops of grain 

 are more abundant, than when more frequently repeated, 

 and turnips are obtained with less difficulty, when the land 

 on which they are grown is fresh. An eminent farmer in 

 Northumberland, (John Grey, Esq. of Millfield Hill, near 

 Wooler), has, under a system of three years' grass, culti- 

 vated a large farm of 1500 acres of dry loam, and with the 

 greatest success. Where that plan is not adopted, the crops 

 of grain will be deficient in quantity, and still more in quality. 



General Deductions respecting Rotations. 



The following important rules in regard to rotations, are 

 particularly to be recommended. 



