no coNTimjous cropping 



slavish adherence to this or any other rotation. Each 

 smallholder must be guided by local circumstances of 

 soil and markets. For instance, on light soils in early 

 districts, a crop of early potatoes sown on the lea might 

 well be substituted in place of the lea oats. In money 

 value one acre of early potatoes is often worth from 

 two to three acres of corn. 



If in the rotation a lea potato crop is decided upon 

 (Rotation B 2) it can either be a single crop of earlies or 

 a double crop of earlies and lates, obtained by inter- 

 cropping as previously described. In practice, though, 

 it will generally be found that inter-cropping with 

 potatoes twice in the rotation is not practicable. It 

 would mean too big a rush of work in spring and 

 summer, and the great thing to be aimed at in farming, 

 either on a small or large scale, is an even distribution 

 of both horse and manual labour throughout the year. 



LEA POTATOES A FINE THING 



Those who have not previously tried it will shrink 

 from the task of breaking up lea land for a potato or 

 other drilled crop. No difficulty in this direction need, 

 however, be feared provided a good disc -harrow is avail- 

 able. With this implement I have often broken up old 

 lea land not previously tilled in the memory of man. 



Before ploughing give the lea surface a cut in 

 opposite directions with the disc. This cuts the surface 

 into little squares. Then plough, using the skim coulter 

 so as to bury the turves. 



In the spring give another overlap cut with the disc 

 in the same direction as the land was ploughed, a run 

 with the cultivator and a final refining with the spring- 

 tooth harrow. The land after these various operations 

 pji average soil will then be ready for drilling. 



