53 
in  its  Effect  on  Cultivation. 
Ireland,  after  an  exhausting  course  of  potatoes  and  oats,  it  is  left 
out  “ to  rest”  for  several  years. 
One  of  the  worst  points  of  this  system  is  the  wretched  pas- 
turage (102)  on  land  well  adapted  from  its  nature  and  humid 
climate  to  produce  large  quantities  of  fodder.  Turnip  culture 
forms  no  part  of  the  original  system,  hut  the  value  of  the  crop 
has  led  to  its  occasional  introduction  according  to  the  taste  of 
the  cultivator.  Intelligent  farmers  have  done  much  to  remedy 
the  evil,  yet  still  the  rotation  is  in  a transition  state.  Few 
except  those  blinded  by  prejudice  are  satisfied  with  the  old  state 
of  things;  but  many  have  not  the  means,  nor  others  the  incli- 
nation, to  attempt  an  improvement.  The  door  of  inquiry  is 
open,  and  both  landlord  and  tenant  will  examine  the  question 
with  much  interest. 
Though  the  climate  of  the  south-west  of  England  is  naturally 
fitted  for  the  spontaneous  growth  of  grass,  it  is  still  better 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  roots  and  fodder  plants,  which  the 
introduction  of  the  four-course  shift  would  promote. 
Most  of  the  land  is  strictly  arable,  the  soils  being  healthy  and 
open,  and  may  be  “got  on”  at  any  time  of  the  year  (excepting 
a small  portion  of  lias  clay,  and  a clay  district  in  North  Devon 
related  to  the  coal-measures).  The  improved  plough,  drawn  by 
two  horses,  has  been  in  use  for  some  years,  and  the  land  is  easily 
worked.  Such  land  will  never  be  laid  down  to  permanent  pas- 
ture, and  the  present  alternate  system  produces  so  small  an 
amount  of  grass,  that  an  improved  rotation  adapted  to  the  climate 
and  soil  is  greatly  required. 
With  these  advantages  it  must,  however  be  admitted,  that  the 
climate  of  the  west  is  not  favourable  to  an  extension  of  the  wheat 
crop,  though  on  some  low  loamy  soils  it  may  be  grown  with  profit 
oftener  than  it  is ; yet  on  the  great  mass  of  the  arable  land  it 
shows  such  a tendency  to  run  to  straw,  and  to  lodge  before  the 
westerly  wind  and  rain,  and  the  weather  at  harvest  is  so  precarious 
and  often  wet,  that  the  judicious  growth  of  this  grain  will  be 
limited  by  these  circumstances. 
The  cause  of  this  tendency  to  lodge  has  often  been  considered 
at  the  Probus  Farmers’  Club,  and  it  has  usually  been  attributed 
to  a deficiency  of  inorganic  food  to  strengthen  the  stalk.  There 
can  be  little  doubt  that  with  a rapid  growth  of  straw,  the  silicate 
of  potash  is  not  proportionately  supplied,  the  outer  glazed  coating 
of  the  reed  is  therefore  thin;  the  stalk  is  weak  and  ill  defended 
from  the  attacks  of  disease  and  insects;  it  is  thus  predisposed  to 
lodge  before  boisterous  weather,  and  mildew  often  follows.  Old 
ley-fields  produce  the  stiffest  reed  and  the  fullest  ear;  but  where 
the  wheat  crop  is  often  repeated  the  grain  becomes  very  inferior. 
Silica  forms  from  60  to  90  per  cent,  of  these  soils,  but  the  process 
