60 TRANSACTIONS. 



men who esteemed agriculture most worthy of their patronage, and 

 felt honored by it — as the most ancient, as it is the most noble and 

 honorable of Earth's vocations. The perfecting of the Science and 

 Economy of such an art is worthy of engaging the attention of the 

 best intellects of the race, — for the time of universal peace on Earth 

 and good will among men will not be enjoyed until the perfection of 

 that art, which underlies all real prosperity in every other, be at- 

 tained. This is to be reached, if at all, by knowledge derived from 

 experience and observation in the Laboratory of Nature, rather than 

 that of the chemist. Hence the importance of every farmer's keep- 

 ing an exact record of all his doings, thus accumulating facts from 

 experience and observation, such as will aid in the completion of the 

 science and art of husbandry and of Rural Economy. 



AN ESSAY 



ON ROTATION OF CROPS. 



BY T. G. HUNTINGTON. 



I PROPOSE to offer a few observations on that part of the science 

 and practice of Agriculture, usually imderstood and embraced by the 

 term. Rotation of Crops. This is a branch of the profession, in regard 

 to the details of which, there is a great variety of opinion ; and, if 

 possible, a still greater variety of practice ; although about the thing 

 itself, there is not much room for dispute. It will be as well, there- 

 fore, to preface my remarks with a definition of terms. 



Rotation of crops, in general, may be defined the producing upon 

 a given piece of land, a scries of crops in successive years, without 

 much regard to the nature of the soil, or to the intervals, at Avhich 

 the coiirse is to be repeated. This definition describes well enough 

 our common practice, Avhich Ave believe, in most instances, to be defi- 

 cient in method, pernicious in its operation, and unprofitable in its 

 results. A much better definition Avould be — the art of raising, upon 

 a given lot of land, such a scries of crops in successive years and at 

 such intervals, that it shall yield the greatest profit to the producer 

 with the least exhaustion of the soil. It requires, for its most sue- 



