ON ROTATION OF CROPS. 181 



distributed as not only to afford manure for the succession 

 of crops, but a large surplus for the vineyard. 



Emily. This must be difficult to accomplish without 

 making the general culture surfer from such a considera- 

 ble subtraction ; and, indeed, I have observed, that in 

 Switzerland every thing seems to be sacrificed to the cul- 

 ture of the vineyard, as being that portion of the farm 

 which affords the greatest profits. 



Mrs. B. And which also occasionally produces the 

 greatest losses. It may be considered as a game in which 

 the highest stake is pledged ; the greatest pains are there- 

 fore taken to increase the chances of winning. 



The nature of the soil must also modify assolements. 

 The light soils of Belgium and Alsace are very favorable 

 to this system, while stiff tenacious soils offer considera- 

 ble difficulties : they are, however, well worth the trouble 

 of surmounting, as this mode of culture diminishes the 

 quantity of manual labor, which such ungrateful soils re- 

 quire, and which renders their cultivation so expensive. 



Emily. And what is the most eligible succession of 

 crops ? 



Mrs. B. The most common is an assolement of only 

 four years ; the first of which is a hoed crop to destroy 

 weeds : turnips, potatoes, beet-root, carrots, or any other 

 plants with long roots, are very appropriate for this pur- 

 pose, as it obliges the farmer to plough deep, in order to 

 prepare the soil for them. After gathering in this crop, 

 the leaves and remnants of the plants are ploughed into 

 the soil, the land is manured, and wheat and clover are 

 sown together. 



The clover does not make its appearance till after the 

 corn is reaped. Little advantage is made of the produce 

 of clover the first season, but the following year it yields 

 an abundant harvest. After having mowed it, the ground 

 is ploughed, and the remains of the clover buried ; and 

 thus, both by exudations, and by a part of its own sub- 

 stance, it renovates the soil after the exhaustion it had 

 undergone in ripening the corn, and enables it to produce 



995. What does Mrs. B. say of the profits of the vine? 996. 

 What soils are favorable and what ones unfavorable for it? 997. 

 What effect does assolement have on the amount of labor needed in agri- 

 culture? 998. What is the most common assolement, and how is it 

 described? 999. What is said of the growth of clover? 



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