1()0 Experiences up to the end of October. 1904. 



continuation of the system is to be seen in the shape of the turnip 

 crop in the East Countridge field ; a further result of the rotation 

 is illustrated in the Harewells field ; while the ultimate result is 

 shown in the four-year-old pasture of the Bank field, which, as we 

 have seen, will yield a fine and deeply-rooted turf to commence again 

 our rotation system. The cereals and potato crops are always good, 

 and, indeed, the land is now so stored with humus that it is impossible 

 to produce an inferior crop no matter what the character of the season 

 may be ; and we have had several seasons of extreme drought, and one 

 at least (1903) of extreme wetness. For the convenience of the reader 

 I may repeat that our rotation begins with turnips out of grass, oats, 

 turnips, barley or oats with seeds, and then four or more years in 

 grass according to circumstances. Though we have adopted this 

 system, I find that there are in some cases practical objections to it in 

 connection with the labour of the farm — the system giving insufficient 

 employment to the people at one time, and too much at another, 

 but this may be obviated by beginning the rotation with oats instead 

 of turnips in the case of one of the fields, or even all. I consider, 

 however, that it is of importance to begin the system for the first 

 time as regards each field with turnipp, in order to get the land 

 thoroughly clean. I may add that whatever minor disadvantages 

 may arise from departing from our rotation — turnips, oats, turnips, 

 and barley or oats with seeds — the great point of deeply filling the 

 land with humus, and tilling it with the agency of roots, would still 

 be maintained by using my mixture and keeping the land four or 

 more years in grass. These are the dominating points of the situation, 

 and the order of the crops in the rotation is a matter of comparatively 

 minor importance, though the reader must clearly understand that 

 the best results can only be attained by a, strict adherence to our 

 system of rotation. 



I have to record this year one important experience, which confirms 

 the opinion I have elsewhere expressed in favour of laying down land 

 to permanent pasture at two operations, partly because if done at 

 one the land can rarely be supplied with sufficient humus, and partly 

 because our soils are so filled with the seeds of weeds and worthless 

 grasses — notably holcus lanatus, or Yorkshire fog — that I do not think 

 a thoroughly clean pasture could be created at one operation. In 

 confirmation of this view, I may quote the case of the Island field. 

 This was sown in 1890 (with the little Countridge field, of which 

 it originally formed a part) with 14 lb. cocksfoot, H of tall fescue, 

 3 of timothy, 3 of hard fescue, 3 of crested dogstail, ^ lb. each of 

 yarrow and poa fertilis, 2 of lucerne, and 2 each of alsilce, white, 

 and perennial red clover. In 1898 the field, less the Island portion, 

 which was then fenced oflf, was relaid with one of our improved 

 mixtures, including the deep-rooting plants. This year both portions 

 of the field were cut for hay, and though the take of gi'iiss in the 

 Island portion in 1890 was excellent, the holcus lanatus was so 

 prevalent that the field at a distance looked white, while tli(j rest 

 of the land, sown in 1898, showed no signs of it, though, as we 



