208 THE SUGAK BEET. 



demanding for its snppl}^ the yearly growth of the 

 same crop. But, in a country like our own, there can 

 be no possible excuse, and it is to be hoped that the 

 introduction of the beet culture w^ill be an additional 

 inducement for trying a rotation of crops according 

 to scientific principles ; not, however, by means of 

 fallow lands, an idea most eri'oneous, and fortunately 

 long since in most cases abandoned. It was only after 

 a series of years that it became understood that the 

 farmer and the general community were by this pvac- 

 tice both the losers. In France the beet was one of the 

 great causes that brought about this change, as this 

 root formed or rather filled a vacant space in the rota- 

 tion. In other countries the introduction of new crops 

 answered the same purpose, but gave nothing like the 

 same results. Great changes then took place, the 

 rents increased, the land ^nelded more, and gave, from 

 this fact, employment to a larger number of hands. 



If all plants, or all of the same family, exhausted the 

 soil in an equal manner, there would be no object in 

 adopting a rotation, as the harm done would be exactly 

 the same as if but one plant had existed ; but when 

 we remember that plants differ not only in the number 

 of weeds they directly cause to grow, but also in other 

 respects, some returning to the soil portions of what 

 was taken or absorbed, they may consequently be 

 classified as exhausting and ameliorating. From this 

 we conclude that each plant leaves a certain organic 

 product behind which forms a sort of manure, but this 



