Financial Results. 195 



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 

 turnips, 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 mixtures, 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. 



The Financial Eesults which may be obtained feom 

 THE System of Farming at Clifton-on-Bowmont. — I have 

 been often asked to publish the accounts of my farm. As I have 

 no desire to mislead the farmer (an evU that might often ensue, 

 as was pointed out to me lately by a tenant farmer of great 

 experience), I prefer not to do so. In Chapter VIII. I have 

 given some general financial results regarding the system on 

 which, I think, landlords should farm their own land. The 

 object of my work is not to exhibit my skiU as a stock farmer, 

 or the want of it, as the case might be, but my skiU in most 

 economically producing cereals, potatoes, and food for stock — in 

 other words, the introduction of an improved farming system 

 which is calculated to attain these ends. To mix this up with 



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