ROTATION OF CROPS 207 



is said to be a good " nurse " for 

 " seeds." 



Under the Norfolk four-course shift in its 

 simple form one-fourth of the tillage area is 

 under "seeds," as it is called, or, in other 

 words, a one-year's ley, the produce being 

 usually made into hay, though it may be 

 grazed by sheep or other stock. In many 

 parts of the country notably the north of 

 England and in Scotland, where land takes 

 more kindly to grass, and where stock- 

 rearing is of greater importance the Nor- 

 folk rotation is modified in such a way that, 

 in place of the land being under seeds for one 

 year, it is left down for two. The effect of 

 this modification is that less manual and 

 horse labour is required, and greater facilities 

 are given for stock-keeping. Whereas the 

 first year's ley is usually made into hay, the 

 produce of the second year is almost invari- 

 ably treated as pasture. Under this rota- 

 tion which is specifically known as the 

 Northumberland five-course shift the ley 

 is generally followed by oats. If wheat is 

 grown at all upon a farm managed on this 

 rotation, it usually comes after the root 

 crop. 



In certain parts of the country, notably 

 districts in Scotland where high-farming is 



