Remarks on Rotations. 81 



upon light land. The spring feed is eaten off before the ground is 

 broken, and the grass grows vigorously afterwards, from the sides of 

 the furrows in the ribs, and produces more good sheep feed than if 

 the turf had not been disturbed. In the autumn, the broken turf is 

 harrowed across the ribs, and drawn into the spaces from whence it 

 was cut. The turf on the unbroken ground is also tendered, or half 

 rotten by the time, from the broken turf having lain upon it, and 

 thence excluded the air. The ground is then manured all over, gene- 

 rally with rape cake in cobble, and in the proportion of about a ton to 

 three acres. The ground is immediately ploughed at the usual pitch, 

 considerably deeper than the reece-balking, and the broken turf ef- 

 fectually covered. The wheat seed is thus drilled in at a proper sea- 

 son. 



When wheat is sown on light land, upon two years' alland, or layers 

 unbroken, it is apt to suffer in winter, not only from the depreda- 

 tions of wire-worms, but also from the frost heaving up the turf, and 

 breaking the roots of the plants. Rolling and treading are good pre- 

 ventives. 



3d Rotation. The third class of land is thus cropped. 



The Five Course. 



1. Turnips well manured, and all the crop eaten upon the ground 

 by mixed stock ; the treading of neat cattle, along with the sheep, in 

 such cases, is greatly beneficial to very light land ; 2. Barley ; 3. 

 Mixed grasses pastured ; 4. Pasture ; 5. Wheat highly manured, or 

 oats without manure. 



4th Rotation. There is a fourth class of light land in West Nor- 

 folk, still inferior, which is occasionally cultivated, and at other times 

 used as sheep pasture and rabbit warrens. That land, when broken 

 up, is usually pared and burned, and sown with rape for the first 

 crop ; 2. Rye or oats ; 3. Turnips well manured, and all the crop 

 eaten upon the ground by mixed stock. Other food being given to the 

 stock at the same time, in cribs and troughs placed on wheels, and 

 frequently shifted upon the turnip ground ; a most commendable prac- 

 tice, and peculiarly suitable for all poor light soils. 4. Barley, well 

 seeded with white clover, narrow-leaved ribgrass, and other permanent 

 grasses ; 5. Pastured, and so continued for a series of years, until the 

 moss plants overcome the grasses ; when the ground is again broken 

 up, and undergoes a course of aration as before. 



In the description here given, of the various rotations of cropping 

 and manuring, no mention has been made of the application of cal- 

 careous substances. On that subject, it is only necessary to observe, 

 that an intelligent and attentive farmer, does not require a chemical 

 analysis of the soil, to direct him when calcareous manures ought to 

 be applied. Experience, founded on common sense, is bis unerring 

 guide ; he knows, that the cultivated soil requires a dressing of calcareous 

 matter, when he sees his crops become proportionably more produc- 

 tive of straw than of corn. When the straw, particularly that of 

 barley, becomes soft and feeble, or, as it is called, " lazy," and bends 

 down, and knuckles under the weight of the ear, when the scythe in 

 mowing, rather breaks than cuts it, also when the land shews an 



