266 ON THE SUCCESSION OF CROPS. 



management does not amply repay the care and ex- 

 pense bestowed upon it, the system followed is bad. 



A good agriculturist will, in the first place, make 

 himself acquainted with the nature of his soil, in order 

 to know the kind of plants to which it is best adapted : 

 this knowledge may be easily acquired by an acquaint- 

 ance with the species of the plants produced upon it 

 spontaneously, or by experiments made upon the land, 

 or upon analogous soil in the neighborhood. 



But however well adapted the soil and climate may 

 be to the cultivation of any particular kind of vegeta- 

 ble, the former soon ceases to be productive, if con- 

 stantly appropriated to the culture of plants of the 

 same or analogous species. In order that land may be 

 cultivated successfully, various kinds of vegetables 

 must be raised upon it in succession, and the rotation 

 must be conducted with intelligence, that none un- 

 suiled either to the soil or climate maybe introduced. 

 It is the art of varying the crops upon the same soil, of 

 causing different vegetables to succeed one another, and 

 of understanding the effect of each upon the soil, that 

 can alone establish that good order of succession which 

 constitutes cropping. 



A good system of cropping is, in my opinion, the 

 best guarantee of success that the farmer can have : 

 without this, all is vague, uncertain, and hazardous. 

 In order to establish this good system of cropping, a 

 degree of knowledge is necessary, which unhappily is 

 wanting to the greater part of our practical farmers. I 

 shall here state certain facts and principles, which may 

 serve as guides in this important branch of agriculture. 



More extensive information upon this subject may 

 be found in tlie excellent works of Messrs. Yvart and 

 Pictet. 



Principle 1. All plants exhaust the soil. Plants 

 are supported by the earth, the juices with which this 

 is impregnated forming their principal aliment. Water 

 serves as the vehicle for conveying these juices into 



