FALLOW CROPS. CONCLUSIONS. 41 



observation and inquiry. The expense of the sum- 

 mer fallows may be saved, and a very valuable ex- 

 tra crop obtained, by the new mode of practice. 



In regard to what are the best fallow crops, much 

 will depend upon the soil. Upon stiff clays, oats and 

 peas are recemmended, which, although not cleans- 

 ing crops, succeed well upon an undecomposed sod. 

 Potatoes also answer well ; and if they do not ripen 

 early enough for winter grain, they prepare the 

 ground remarkably well for spring wheat. Clays 

 should be broken up in autumn if intended for a fal- 

 low crop, that the frost may break up and pulverize 

 the soil, and that the decomposition of the sod may 

 commence earlier in the spring. The late John Lor- 

 rain, of Pennsylvania, who was an excellent practi- 

 cal farmer as well as a gentleman of science, rec- 

 ommended that, in ploughing for grain after a fallow 

 crop, the furrow should be superficial, so as not to 

 turn up the vegetable matter of the sod, but to leave 

 it where the roots of the ensuing crop will most need 

 it. Upon light soils, Indian corn, beans, peas, pota- 

 toes, tuniips, or other roots, constitute good fallow 

 crops, particularly if preparatory to spring wheat 

 and barley/ 



We have now gone over the ground we proposed 

 to examine. We have endeavoured to explain what 

 we mean by the New System of Husbandry ; to de- 

 velop its principles, and to show WHY and WHERE- 

 FORE it is superior to the old or common system. 

 We have, we think, demonstrated, 



1. That the fertility of the farm may be kept up 

 and augmented by the manures it can be made to 

 furnish ; 



2. That the condition of the farm may lie much im- 

 proved by thorough draining ; 



3. That the capacities of the farm can be fully de- 

 veloped only by good tillage ; 



4. That the profits of the farm are materially f uig- 

 *!. D 



