Cultivation of Beans and Peas. 
479 
Buckinoliamshirc, &c., some years ago ; but of late I can prac- 
tically affirm, from the somxe of experience and observation, that 
naked fallows are becoming more and more rare. There are few 
farmers who can now be found to uphold the ancient system of 
naked summer fallows, unless those who in early years made 
sufficient money to be enabled to hold on by their almost ex- 
ploded style of farming, and to feel a profound pleasure in dis- 
regarding every change for the better. As the population of 
the country increased, it became necessary to feed it by increased 
productiveness also. There is no better method of doing this 
than by judiciously emj^loying the people in keeping up the fer- 
tility and cleanliness of the land, and by growing tliree crops 
where only two grew before in the same period of time during a 
rotation. 
In changing from the ancient to the modern style of farming, 
there have been many indiscretions of cultivation committed, and 
none have been more common than the attempt to dispense with, 
a naked fallow, Avithout paying due attention to a thorough system 
of keeping the land clean during the growth of each crop in a 
rotation. Both l)eans and peas are now less generally cultivated, 
and are therefore in less general favour than in former ages, from 
the risk of disease to which these crops are so periodically sub- 
ject. There is no doubt, however, but a crop of pulse is very 
• profitable in a general way in favourable seasons, for not only is 
the corn as valuable per acre as cereal crops, but the fodder is 
far more valuable wlien well harvested than that of white crops. 
The stiffest descriptions of clay soils are so peculiarly adapted 
for beans, and rather unsuitable for root crops, that we may rea- 
sonably suppose beans will be confined pretty much to such land 
for many generation^ to come. Thoroughly-drained clay soils 
of any description will undoubtedly bear root crops by skilful 
cultivation, but when grown there is a difficulty in removing 
them from the land, and to consume them ujion the land with 
sheep cannot usually be attended with a profitable result. I 
apprehend, therefore, that any judicious rotation of cropping 
must always be based upon the nature of the soil to a great 
extent, so that I shall treat my subject according to these im- 
pressions. 1 repudiate the idea of a naked summer fallow as 
• altogether unnecessary, unless in such cases as where an improving 
farmer succeeds a slovenly one, who has allowed the land to 
become so filthy that a summer fallow is the cheapest method 
of beginning to farm well witiiout one. My personal experi- 
ence on different kinds of clays has proved my assertions, as I 
have been enabled to banish a naked fallow completely out of a 
rotation, where it held its regular place, and to keep tlie land 
clean and in good condition without it. Tlie rotation I have 
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