AGRICULTURE. 



tme circcumstimcG is the theory or prac- 

 tice of husbandry, in the present day, so 

 materially a- vanced as in relation to this 

 subject. Unless this department be well 

 understood, the efforts of the farmer in 

 others are either abortive or injurious. An 

 important difference is observable be- 

 tween culmiferous and leguminous plants, 

 or those which are cultivated for their 

 seed, and such as are raised for their 

 roots. The former bisid the soil, while 

 the latter uniformly give it openness and 

 freedom. The former also are decidedly 

 more exhausting, though unquestionably 

 in themselves the most profitable. No 

 soil can bear them in long and uninter- 

 rupted succession. And, on the other 

 hand, without the interposition of them 

 among leguminous crops, the soil in 

 which the latter grow would by their loos- 

 eningquality become deficient in the tena- 

 city which is necessary for vegetation. 

 Some crops are rendered valuable chiefly 

 from their preparation for others, that 

 are more valuable, of a different kind. 

 The husbandmen of a former age sowed 

 frequently in succession that species of 

 grain which they wished to possess abun- 

 dantly: whereas, by this practice, their 

 object was often, at length, completely 

 defeated. And if wheat, oats, or barley, 

 were for a certain period sown in the 

 same field, the land would eventually, 

 and that in no long time, scarcely return 

 the seed which was put into it. 



That rotation is admitted to be best, 

 which enriches the land with abundant 

 manure, preserves it best from weeds, pul- 

 verizes the soil most effectually when it 

 is too tenacious, and binds it most com- 

 pletely, where it is naturally too open. 

 As a general rule, those who are engaged 

 in agriculture cannot, with a view to these 

 purposes, have the importance of provid- 

 ing food for large quantities of cattle 

 too repeatedly and emphatically recom- 

 mended to them. Indeed, by attending 

 to this circumstance, larger quantities of 

 grain are produced than by any other 

 mode, while that produce of the land, 

 which consists of milk, butter, cheese, 

 butcher's meat, and other articles con- 

 nected with cattle, is nearly so much 

 clear gain. Grass prepares a turf, which, 

 when broken up, constitutes the most va- v 

 luable of all known manures. Turnips, 

 cabbnges, beans, peas, and a variety of 

 other similar food for cattle, supply admir- 

 able opportunities for cleaning and pul- 

 verizing the soil by repeated hoeings ; 

 the close covering which they bestow on 

 the land smothers those weeds which th<? 



hoe does not destroy, and they leave the 

 land, besides, in a state of increased and 

 great fertility. Certain exceptions to the 

 necessity of rearing cattle may undoubt- 

 edly occur, as, near towns and cities, the 

 easy accessibility of dung will supersede 

 very considerable preparation of it on the 

 premises. Lands also may possibly be 

 so rich as to require neither cattle .or 

 sheep, and like some which are said to lie 

 near the river Garonne, in France, might 

 produce even hemp or wheat in perpetui- 

 ty. Certain crops, moreover, may hap- 

 pen to be in such particular demand, as 

 to make it desirable to cultivate their by 

 fallow, and not for cattle or sheep. These 

 exceptions can never interfere with the 

 general rule, as such, that that farm will 

 be most productive and profitable, in re- 

 spect to grain, on which is kept the great- 

 est quantity of sheep and cattle. Two 

 crops of white corn ought never to be 

 produced from a field in immediate suc- 

 cession. In reference to several varieties 

 of soil, it may be useful to give a suc- 

 cessions of crops, which has been recom- 

 mended by a gentleman of considerable 

 judgment and experience. It should be 

 observed, that on this plan the crops must 

 be all particularly well hoed, and kept 

 properly clean ; and that the turnips, 

 peas, and beans, must be put in double 

 rows, on three feet ridges ; the cabbages 

 in single rows of three feet ridges. 



Clay. Clayey loams. 



Turnips or cabbages Turnips or cabbages 

 Oats Oats 



Beans and clover Clover 

 Wheat Wheat 



Turnips or cabbages Turnips or cabbages 

 Oats Barley 



Beans and vetches Beans 

 Wheat Wheat 



Rich loams and sandy loams. Peat earth* 

 Turnips & po- Beans Turnips Turnips 



tatoes Barley Barley . Barley 



Barley Peas Clover Clover 



Clover Wheat Wheat Wheat 



Wheat Jld. in/in. Poi&toes Potatoes 



Beans Barley Barley 



Barley Peas Peas 



Peas Wheat Wheat 



Wheat 



Chalky sub- 



stratum. 

 Turnips Turnips Turnips 

 Barley Barley Barley 

 Clover Clover Clover and rye-grass 

 Wheat Wheat Clover and rye-gra*s 



