178 FALLOW CROPS AND 



£2,500 capital, presenting, upon an average of six years, 

 a profit of £671 35., or £2 lbs. lid. per acre, and a 

 result in favor of his mode of cultivation of no less than 

 an annual difference amounting to £638 13s. 



" Of the accuracy of the minute account thus furnished 

 by Mr. Greg, we have no reason to doubt, though we 

 confess ourselves somewhat skeptical regarding the jus- 

 tice of the conclusions which he has drawn respecting 

 the superiority of his own plans over those of his neigh- 

 bors ; for every man, however high his honor and impar- 

 tiality, is yet unconsciously biased in favor of any pur- 

 suit of his own, and no farmer could hve upon the profit 

 which he has assumed as that of cultivation under the old 

 plan. On a subject of such vital importance to agricul- 

 ture as that of the fallow system, we indeed deemed it 

 prudent to apply to the present Mr. Greg for further in- 

 formation, which he readily afforded ; and, from recent 

 personal communication and correspondence, we are as- 

 sured by him, ' that his uncle's system is still pursued 

 upon his farm with the best effect ; as is evinced by the 

 clean condition of the land, the heavy crops produced, 

 and the quantities of stock maintained. The only altera- 

 tion of importance made in his mode of cultivation sub- 

 sequent to the publication of his pamphlet, was the sub- 

 stitution of a seven-years' course, in place of that of six 

 years, by which he obtained two crops of wheat — one on 

 the clover ley, and another after the beans and peas. 

 The annual course of cropping in the several years now, 

 therefore, stands thus : — 



1. Turnips. 5. Wheat. 



* 2. Barley. 6. Beans and Peas. 



3. and 4. Clover. 7. Wheat. 



" ' No material alteration has been made in the imple- 

 ments ; nor was any fallow permitted so long as the 

 late Mr. Greg's health allowed his superintendence of the 

 farm ; but the bailiff now occasionally fallows a field of 

 the heaviest land : this, however, is only resorted to 

 when the land sown with turnips has not been prepared 

 in time for the barley crop, and only averages about 16 

 acres a year out of 250.' " 



