110 Mr Hunters System of Farming. 



annual weeds being brought up ; after the clover, four or five inches 

 are a proper depth for oats or wheat. 



The stock kept upon turnips or clover, have the free use of water 

 at all times when soiling ; cattle in summer must have it. 



When turnips are taken up to the extent of a half, four rows are 

 left, and four taken up alternately ; if a third part is to be taken, six 

 are left, and three taken alternately. As soon as the turnips or ruta 

 baga begin to run or shoot in spring, they are taken off the field, 

 when the tops and roots are cut off ; they are then piled up in some 

 place, sheltered from the sun or too much air ; and being covered with 

 a little straw, and kept moist, they may be preserved as long as they 

 can be wanted ; the ruta baga will be perfectly good to the first of 

 June. 



Mr Hunter sows no more barley, than is required for paying his 

 farm-servants their wages in kind, which are partly paid in barley ; 

 having from experience found, that wheat after clover, sown with 

 barley, often fails on his soil, which he was not aware of, when he first 

 began farming *. 



When circumstances permit, Mr Hunter limes once in fourteen 

 years, at the rate of 60 barley bolls per English acre. Lime ought 

 to be applied to all lands, under a rotation of four crops, where white 

 and green crops are sown alternately. 



The weight of potatoes per English acre, under good culture, and 

 a proper soil, is from eight to ten tons. Mr Hunter was accustomed, 

 before he found that horses throve on ruta baga, to give them pota- 

 toes occasionally, though they did not thrive so well on them, even 

 when steamed, as he could have wished. He has now laid potatoes 

 entirely aside, unless those raised for swine, finding ruta baga greatly 

 superior for horses. 



It is proper to explain the system adopted by Mr Hunter, for 

 cultivating light land. The basis of that system is, 1. Alternate 

 white and green crops ; 2. Converting nearly the whole of the straw 

 produced on his farm into dung ; 3. Ploughing deep at particular 

 periods ; and, 4. Soiling both summer and winter. 



1. The rotation which he follows is, 1. Turnips; 2. Wheat; 3. 

 Clover; 4. Wheat or oats; half of the clover being pastured with 

 sheep, whilst the other half is used in soiling work-horses. The 

 clover stubble is broken up for wheat or oats, generally in the propor- 

 tion of two-thirds for wheat. Under the above rotation, the crops on 

 an average, have increased in produce considerably. 



2. Mr Hunter's object is, invariably to convert almost the whole 

 of his straw into manure; for by giving plenty of green food, very 

 little of the straw is eaten by cattle or sheep, either in summer or 

 winter. Horses, indeed, require at all times some straw, along with 

 ruta baga ; more especially in November, and the first months of win- 

 ter, when ruta baga has not reached its full growth, a few of these 



It is an old Scotch maxim, " He that saws wheat after bear, had need of 

 " meikle gear;" or, he should be a rich man, who sows wheat after barley. 

 But it is probable, that on rich land, this rule need not be enforced. 



