CROPPING FOR MOUNTAIN FARMS 117 



Apart from rainfall, as previously stated, the crop 

 and manure carting involved in the ordinary system of 

 tillage makes the system prohibitive. Between bad 

 roads, or the entire lack of them, and steep inclines a 

 horse can't haul half an ordinary load either up or down 

 the hill. 



In laying out a suitable rotation for the tilling of hill 

 land, therefore, it is imperative to dispense, as far as 

 possible, with carting ; to grow crops which will not be 

 at the mercy of the elements ; crops, too, the sowing of 

 which can be undertaken at a time of the year when 

 rainfall doesn't hang up the whole of the tillage work, 

 but helps on tillage operations. 



BUT WIBBERLEY TILLAGE VERY POSSIBLE 



A splendid rotation. Rotation D, for such con- 

 ditions is : — 



First year. — Summer-sown winter pasture. 



Second year. — Summer-sown " winter greens." 



Third year. — Autumn-sown vetches and grass seeds, 

 hayed in June. 



Fourth and fifth years. — Seeds, part hayed, rest 

 grazed. 



In the first year of this rotation, the lea-land can be 

 ploughed and tilled practically any time in summer. 

 Then it can be sown in May, June, and July (the time 

 of sowing like the whole rotation is very elastic) with 

 the seeds for the winter pasture. This will give 

 succulent feeding for sheep and dry stock for a good 

 portion of the winter, spring, and up to the end of May. 



Then during June, if need be, when the winter 

 pasture has been grazed bare in sections, the different 

 sections can be sown with winter greens. Preference 



