78 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



land clean. Generally speaking, for light-loam soil, gravelly soils, and 

 sandy peats, I consider the six-course shift the best adapted. 



Such are the different modes of cropping usually in operation in this 

 country; but crops sometimes fail, and it may be necessary to alter the 

 system for the benefit of the land. On this subject Mr Stephens states 

 in the ' Book of the Farm,' paragraph 5105 : 



Adherence to a good rotation conducts the operations of the farm with regularity 

 and ease; but a slavish adherence to any particular rotation evinces want of judg- 

 ment. The judgment ought at all times to be exercised according to circumstances 

 and the character of the season ; and modifications thus introduced will most prob- 

 ably benefit both the soil and its occupier. A legitimate mode of deviating from a 

 rotation is this : The field which grew a crop more exhausting than the rest in the 

 course of one rotation, should bear an ameliorating crop in the following one. For 

 example, where potatoes grew in one rotation, turnips should be substituted in the 

 next; and potatoes, in like manner, may follow turnips. An interchange of soil 

 should take place between the different kinds of turnips, so that swedes being more 

 severe upon the land should alternate with the white turnip. The bare fallow on 

 strong land should alternate with a green crop ; and so should barley with wheat. 

 Even a severer course is at times justifiable, such as taking wheat after lea, where 

 there is reason to suspect that oats will fail. A root crop of a different nature such 

 as uiangold-wurzel, or carrot, or even cabbage should alternate for a season witli the 

 ordinary roots cultivated. When any crop fails and clover sometimes does it 

 should be ploughed up, and another of a different kind taken in its stead. Potatoes 

 often fail; they should be ploughed up, and turnips substituted. Sometimes the 

 swedes are destroyed by insects ; then let white turnips be taken as a substitute, or 

 late rape, or bare-fallow the land for autumn wheat. In short, whenever one crop 

 fails, another useful one should be substituted in its place ; for if the soil is not 

 occupied with a useful crop, it will be soon taken possession of by a host of weeds. 

 Where a change has been forced upon the rotation, a field may be miscropped to 

 bring it again under the rotation ; and of all means of miscropping a green crop is 

 the safest, and with additional manure will recover the tone of the land sooner than 

 any other device. 



In the example of the lease given, under the rule on " Cropping," it is 

 stated, " And in case of any deviation from the preceding rules as to 

 cultivation and cropping, the tenants shall be bound to pay the sum of 

 five pounds sterling per acre of additional rent for every acre so mis- 

 cropped." This is all very necessary, as I have elsewhere stated, when 

 dealing with inferior tenants, but certainly not when treating with men 

 of superior skill and education; but under any circumstances, where 

 such a sentence is necessary in a lease, a clause should be inserted to the 

 effect that, " if the tenant can show any advantage to be derived from any 

 deviation from the rules, then the landlord will grant him permission to 

 do so." 



Entries to Farms. In Scotland, farms are usually entered to at Whit- 

 sunday and Martinmas, and in England at Ladyday chiefly to the build- 



