MODIFIED CROPPING ROTATIONS 111 



MORE ALL-WEATHER FARMING 



The discing and ploughing of the lea can be done in 

 wet weather, without any danger of puddling the land, 

 such as would happen if the cultivation of stubble land 

 was undertaken under such conditions. 



If a single crop of early potatoes is grown, the 

 succeeding crop of vetch and cereals can follow im- 

 mediately and in sections as the tubers are lifted. The 

 tare crop, by the way, provides very useful soiling in 

 autumn, but if intended for this purpose it should be 

 cut before the com shows any tendency to shoot, 

 otherwise it won't grow again. If cut, it must also, 

 unless the land is very rich, be manured, but far better 

 than either, cutting or manuring is to graze off the crop 

 in sections with the assistance of the movable fence. 



A SOILING CROP AFTER POTATOES 



In the early potato-growing districts of Ayrshire this 

 system of sowing a soiling crop after early potatoes is 

 quite a feature. Sometimes tares are sown, often rye 

 grass, and in some cases common barley. In prolonged 

 autumns I have seen the barley harvested as an 

 ordinary farm crop and give quite an average yield. 

 In this district, however, the land is annually planted 

 with early potatoes followed by a soiling crop. 



OTHER MODIFICATIONS 



In Rotation B i peas may follow lea corn. In the 

 South of England where the crop commands a good 

 price, but as the growing and marketing of this crop 

 is confined more or less to restricted areas, where the 

 culture of the crop is well understood, there is no need 

 to go into details here. The same remark applies to 

 the growmg of flax or linseed for linen fibre. When 

 either peas or flax follow lea corn, some cover crop 

 should be put dpwn with the Jatter for use in spring. 



