168 Rotation of Crops. 



1884 section, I am going to experiment by ploughing up 

 the turf thinly, turning it back again, and sowing 

 cocksfoot, clover, chicory, bumet, and kidney vetch, and 

 some golden oatgrass over the interstices. This, I think, 

 will be successful, and, should it be so, the idea will be 

 of great value to those who have poor mossy pastures 

 which they wish to improve at small expense. I am in 

 hopes that it will succeed, from observing the immense 

 improvement that took place in the mossy slopes of the 

 terraces at Clifton Park, when the turf was lifted and 

 replaced after levelling the inequalities in the slopes. 

 No grass seeds were sown, nor manures applied, and yet 

 there was an immediate and great improvement in the 

 slopes, and the moss quite disappeared. 



(Later Note on the foregoing experiments : Partly from 

 the immense growth of Holcus lanatus that sprang up, 

 and partly from the defects of the season, neither of these 

 experiments were encouraging ; but there can be no 

 doubt that a certain proportion of the newly-sown 

 mixtures was introduced, and until the plots have been 

 grazed, which they will be in October, 1907, it will be 

 impossible to speak decidedly on the subject.) 



DiFrEKENCE BETWEEN FlVE-COUESE EoTATION AND THAT 



ON MT Faem. — Our rotation is as follows : — Turnips out of 

 grass, oats, turnips, and either oats or barley with grass seeds, 

 when the land is left for four or five years in grass, fields being 

 taken up again a year earlier or later as may appear advisable 

 from the condition of the grass. If we take three rotations of 

 eight years each, which is practically my system, there will be 

 twelve years of grass, six of turnips, and six of com. Taking 

 five rotations on the five-course system, there would be ten years 

 of grass, ten of corn, and five of turnips. The great change in 

 the system is that by altering the old system from grass crops in 

 divisions of two years each to the new one of putting them into 

 periods of four years each, I am enabled, at no greater average cost 

 per annum, and even at less, to put down a first class grass mixture 

 which will not only yield much more and certain food, but leave 

 behind it for the succeeding crops a rich and deeply-rooted turf. 



