Farming in Devon and Cornwall. 
519 
leas are left down for extended periods ; and the farmers of the 
two counties would do well to havo samples of their seed mix- 
tures carefully and minutely examined by some competent 
botanist before risking the sowing of this and other adulterants. 
One other common and predominant weed to be found in the 
old pastures of the two counties is Cardans arvensis (one 
might almost add Deconiensis, so thoroughly does it seem at 
home there). It would be unkind to mention the number of 
times that the word " thistles " appears in the notes on the 
farms, or how frequent were the variations (to prevent monotony) 
in the terms used to express their presence. But there the plants 
undoubtedly were— true indexes of the depth and natural rich- 
ness of the soil — and despite professed efforts to keep them down 
by mowing and otherwise. 
Arable Land. 
The rotations now mostly followed are(l) mangel, (2) wheat, 
(3) barley or dredge corn, (4) roots, (5) oats, (6) seeds ; or 
(1) mangel, (2) wheat, (3) roots, (4) barley, (5) seeds ; but in 
sundry instances variations are made on the same farm in 
accordance with the kind and quality of the soil, and its 
suitableness to the growth of any particular crop. In most 
cases the seeds are left down three, four, or five years, or more, 
according as they retain their virtues. About half the acreage 
under green crops is in swedes and common turnips : one- fourth 
is under mangel, and the remainder is equally divided between 
cabbages and potatoes. Mangel and cabbage seem especially 
to thrive in all parts, and get more liberal manuring than any 
other crop. 
The chief item in the above rotations which differs from the 
practice of other counties is the taking of a root crop (either 
mangel or turnip) in immediate succession to lea — or, in 
other words, as the first crop in the rotation. This is a remnant 
of the old Devon course, and is certainly the only one worth 
retaining. In former times, when this course (so strongly 
condemned by Mr. Tanner) was in vogue, the growth of three 
corn crops in immediate succession resulted (as it assuredly 
would nowadays) in the leas which followed the last of them 
being very soon little else than mere weed beds. The interven- 
tion of a root crop for the purpose of cleaning the land became 
a necessity, and even this was preceded by paring and burning 
of the surface sod as the easiest and most effectual method of 
destroying the shallow-rooted weeds. But this practice of 
growing three corn crops in succession has mainly died out, 
