186 



ON ROTATION OF CROPS. 



mates. The circumstance chiefly to be attended to in 

 this mode of culture is, that the two crops should seek 

 their nourishment at different depths ; thus the vine and 

 corn may be raised together, the roots of the vine being 

 much longer than those of corn. 



Emily. In Italy we have seen them continually ac- 

 companying each other: strips of corn separating the 

 rows of vines trained on trees ; which latter also com- 

 pose a part of the assolement. 



Mrs. B. The vine is sometimes twined round the 

 olive, whose roots strike still deeper into the earth. For 

 the same reason, the peach and the almond are often 

 raised in vineyards ; while apple and pear trees would 

 not thrive, because their roots are as superficial and as 

 spreading as those of the vine. 



Caroline. Their shade might also be prejudicial, while 

 the foliage of the peach and the almond is comparative- 

 ly light. 



Mrs. B. The degree of shade must be regulated by 

 that of the temperature of the climate. In hot countries 

 leguminous plants succeed well interspersed with trees, 

 because their shade, by diminishing evaporation, retains 

 moisture in the soil. Thus corn thrives intermixed with 

 turnips and clover : the two latter, when young, requir- 

 ing the shade which the corn affords ; and after it is 

 reaped, the sun is necessary to ripen them. 



Wheat and rye are sometimes sown promiscuously : it 

 is an old custom, and, I believe, a very bad one ; both 

 plants being of the same family, their exudations are nox- 

 ious instead of advantageous to each other. Then they 

 do not ripen at the same period ; so that when reaped, 

 the one must be over-ripe, or the other not come to ma- 

 turity. If the intent be to make bread of these two spe- 

 cies of corn, it would be preferable to mix the grain after 

 the harvest ; indeed, it would be best to keep them separate 

 till after grinding, for, not being of equal size and hard- 

 ness, a loss is also experienced in grinding them together. 



Caroline. It is customary, also, in sowing grasses for 

 forage to mix a great variety together. 



1022. What circumstance should be chiefly attended to in simultaneous 

 assolements 1 ? 1023. What ones has Emily seen in Italy 1 ? 1024. 

 What other ones does Mrs. B. mention 1 ? 1025. How should the de- 

 gree of shade be regulated, and how is this illustrated 1 ? 1026. What 

 objection is made to the growing together of wheat and rye 1 ? 1027.-* 

 What would be preferable 1 ? 



