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uation and nature of the soil form permanent distinc- 

 tions, which cannot be changed, yet there are other 

 differences, resulting from different modes of culture, 

 and different forms of applying labor ; and it is to 

 these differences that our attention should be par- 

 ticularly directed. Here, there is much to learn. 

 English cultivation is more scientific, more systemat- 

 ic, and more exact, a great deal than ours. This is 

 partly the result of necessity. A vast population is 

 to be supported on comparatively a small surface. 

 Lands are dear, rents are high, and hands, as well 

 as mouths, are numerous. Careful and skilful culti- 

 vation is the natural result of this state of things. 

 An English farmer looks not merely to the present 

 year's crop. He considers what will be the condi- 

 tion of the land, when that crop is off; and what it will 

 be fit for, the next year. He studies to use his land, 

 so as not to abuse it. On the contrary, his aim is to 

 get crop after crop, and still the land shall be growing 

 better and better. If he would content himself with 

 raising from the soil a large crop this year, and then 

 leaving it neglected and exhausted, he would starve. 

 It is upon this fundamental idea of constant produc- 

 tion without exhaustion, that the system of English 

 cultivation, and indeed of all good cultivation, is 

 founded. England is not original in this. Flanders, 

 and perhaps Italy, have been her teachers. This 

 system is carried out in practice, by a well consider- 

 ed rotation of crops. The form, or manner of this 

 rotation, in a given case, is determined very much 

 by the value of the soil, and partly by the local de- 

 mand for particular products. But some rotation, 



