18 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



about 24 inches, whereas in the other parts of these 

 countries it is as follows : 



England generally 33»4' 



England, excluding the eastern counties 



or *' Norfolk area " . . . . 36' 



Ireland 40' 



Scotland 45' 



Wales 46'9'' 



It is self-evident that a system devised for a district 

 with a comparatively low rainfall is not likely to 

 succeed in a district where the annual rainfall may be 

 from 36 inches to 50 ; most of the rain falhng in spring- 

 time and harvest, just the time a farmer does not 

 want it. 



Continuous-cropping farming is common-sense farm- 

 ing. Under this system from 70 to 80 per cent, of the 

 tillage operations are done in the summer and autumn, 

 when the rainy instead of being a great hindrance^ is a 

 great help to tillage operations. As to the remaining 

 20 or 30 per cent., this is done in the spring, the time 

 of the year we have frequently referred to as unsuitable 

 for tillage operations because of rainy weather ! 



A LITTLE ELEMENTARY BOTANY 



Here we come to a very interesting point. Tillage 

 work in spring under the continuous-cropping system 

 is not quite the same thing as under the ordinary 

 system. In the first place the spring tillage is very 

 much less under the former system than under the 

 latter, but of still more importance, whatever spring 

 cultivation or crop sowing must be done in connection 

 with continuous cropping is done on land dried by the 

 growing of the preceding crop. 



The leaves of the plant are the lungs of the plant, 

 and perform similar functions in a plant as the lungs 

 perform in a human being or other animal. 



