THE STORY OF A KING AND QUEEN 255 



oat straw, and all clover hay and straw were returned to the same fields 

 on which they grew, thus following finally the complete prescription. 



A regular three-year rotation was also begun, one third of each field 

 being in com, one third in oats, and one third in clover, each year ; and 

 the next year, corn followed the clover, clover followed the oats, and 

 oats followed the corn. 



As an average of the three years, when only partial treatment was 

 used, the yields were as follows : 



Field A 67 bushels. 



Field B 69 bushels (with limestone applied) . 



Field C 74 bushels (with limestone and phosphorus). 



As an average of these three years, compared with the former 

 record, it was seen that the yield was 4 bushels higher on Field A, 6 

 bushels higher on Field B, and 8 bushels higher on Field C. 



" I think I feel somewhat better,*' said the King, " and I should 

 like to continue the treatment at least for a few more years." 



The oat crop followed com and thus Queen Clover was compelled 

 to sit at the third table in the rotation, and she had had the full benefit 

 of the limestone and phosphorus for only one year; so she was glad to 

 have a further chance to try the treatment. 



As an average of the next six years, the yields per acre of com were 

 as follows: 



Field A 63 bushels. 



Field B 67 bushels (with limestone applied). 



Field C 87 bushels (with limestone and phosphonis). 



At the end of these years the King had his accounts all figured up. 



" Field A has gone down again," said he to the Queen. " It has 

 lost the 4 bushels it had gained by the improved rotation." 



"Yes," replied the Queen," and I don't like that field a bit. I 

 almost starve when I try to live there, and Field B is growing poor, 

 too." 



" So I see," said the King, " by 2 bushels, although limestone has 

 maintained the yield 4 bushels higher than Field A; and where both 

 limestone and phosphorus are used, the average yield is 24 bushels better 

 than without them. That reminds me of old times, my dear. When 

 I was a young bachelor, a yield of 87 bushels per acre was not uncom- 

 mon." 



" You might try ' baching ' it again," suggested Clover. " You 

 know T*m not considered of much value, and the oat crop isn't worth 

 very much. Surely, three crops of com would be worth more than 

 one each of com, oats and clover." 



" No, no," said the king. " I do not care to repeat my experience as 

 a bachelor ; and, by the way, I have never confessed to you the real con- 

 dition I was in when you consented to be my queen. The facts are that 



