BRITISH AGRICULTURE. 471 



thing else. So it is with lands for cultivation. Some are 

 found to be such, that, with a given mannring, not very expen- 

 sive, they alternate wheat and clover perpetually, and are worth 

 more for that severe rotation than for any other purp 

 Others cannot, by any reasonable expense of manure, produce 

 continually such exhausting crops. They are more profitably 

 subjected to a rotation of three years, giving one crop of wheat 

 in that time, and requiring but light crops the intervening 

 years. Other lands,, still lighter, are more profitably subjected 

 to a four-years' rotation, others to a five-years' course, and 

 others to one of six years, giving wheat but once in those times 

 respectively. The farmers of those islands have studied the 

 fitness of their soils for this, that, or the other purpose ; they 

 have studied it with reference to the nearness or distance of 

 markets ; and they have studied it with reference to the natural 

 fertilizers obtainable in each locality. In Cornwall there is a 

 large tract of land worth fifty dollars a year for raising pota- 

 toes. It bears two large crops of potatoes each year ; has 

 borne nothing else these many years past; and probably will 

 bear nothing else for many years to come. The reasons of 

 this are, that on one side of that land is an ample market for 

 all the potatoes that can be grown upon it, and on the other 

 side is a kind of shell sand, so adapted to this soil that a dress- 

 ing of it each year is found to make the land produce great 

 crops of potatoes twice a year, without being itself exhausted, 

 and without diminution of the crop. British husbandry is doing 

 much towards turning each acre to the best possible account. 

 It is no disgrace to us that our husbandry is not yet as acute 

 and far-seeing. Hitherto there have been good reasons for our 

 being behind in this matter. But these reasons will not last 

 always. We should not too much blame our fathers if they did 

 as their fathers did b< fore them without asking why : but if our 

 children should do as we are doing, let us hope at least that 

 they will have a good reason for it. Let us study our soils ; 

 let us ascertain for what each is best suited ; and, as far as 

 iblc, let us put each acre to the best use. 

 In Great Britain, as in our own country, but far more inex- 

 cusable there than here, you see considerable careless, slipshod 

 cultivation. You sec poor implements, poor teams, the work 



