280 



Farming of East Lothian. 



3. Grass-seeds, depastured. 



4. Grass-seeds, depastured second year. 



5. Oats. 



The six-course is — 



1. Fallow, turnips. 



2. Wheat, barley. 



3. Grass-seeds, depastured or cut. 



4. Oats, barley. 



5. Beans, potatoes, vetches. 



6. Wheat. 



Sometimes the last is made an eight-course shift by repeating^ 

 five and six, the fifth and sixth, the bean or potato and wheat 

 crops ; changing, however, the portions under the bean and 

 potato respectively. 



The four-course shift was at one time much followed. The 

 desire to grow turnips on lands suitable for them induced 

 farmers to adopt this course on all dry portions of their farms ; 

 the remainder being cultivated on the six-course shift, commenc- 

 ing with a plain fallow. On some farms, however, the four- 

 course shift was exclusively followed, from the land being 

 dry enough for the growth of the turnip. Since the intro- 

 duction of thorough-draining this rotation is yearly going 

 into desuetude. During the period when the four-course shift 

 was more in repute it was found that the turnip, and also the 

 clover, from being grown at such short intervals, became less 

 healthy and vigorous. To overcome this in regard to the turnip 

 the five -course shift was introduced. At one time it was in con- 

 siderable favour, it being argued that, on a farm cultivated on 

 the five-course shift, as much grain and as much weight of root 

 crops could be produced, and at a diminished cost for labour, 

 while in addition the profit of a second year's pasture was ob- 

 tained. It was found, however, that the growth of the clover 

 plants became even more precarious under the five than under the 

 four course. This rotation is now deemed suitable only for deep 

 rich loams, although it is still followed on a considerable portion 

 of the upper districts and on inferior soils, these being deemed 

 less suitable for the bean and potato. It is, like the four-course 

 shift, being gradually abandoned, as thorough-draining and a 

 more correct apprehension of the principles which should regu- 

 late rotations become more general. Besides, it is now found 

 that to grow more corn and roots with the aid of guano, rather 

 than allow the land to be in pasture, is the more profitable. In the 

 six-course shift the potato has taken the place of the bean on 

 soils suitable for its growth. On some farms the potato and the 

 bean alternate in the rotation, each being thus grown only once 

 in twelve years. The present comparative immunity of this 



