SOILS AND AGRICULTURE OP NORFOLK. 
361 
year, as the tillage, harvest, and cleaning operations neces- 
sary are carried out at different seasons of the year for each 
part of the rotation. Another advantage of the rotation is 
that artificial manures, such as superphosphate of lime, can 
be applied to the root crop, and the residues are available 
for the barley grown the next year. Both these crops need 
phosphates. The rotation also allows the land to be 
thoroughly cleaned of weeds in the interval between the 
wheat havest in September, and the root crop seed time in 
the following May. 
Clover requires two seasons to arrive at maturity, and by 
sowing clover seed with the barley the loss of a year is 
avoided, as the clover grows during its first summer 
amongst the barley stems. The barley is cut and the clover 
produces a crop the next year. 
The rotation is adapted for light soils needing the applica- 
tion of farmyard manure, and it was by farming on this 
system that “Coke of Norfolk” succeeded in reclaiming 
the sandy heaths around Holkham, and in a few years 
raised the rent value from Is. 6d. to 10s. 6d. per acre. 
Thousands of acres were brought under the plough and good 
crops produced on land of which it was once said that “ all 
anyone could see there was one blade of grass to an acre 
with two rabbits fighting for it.” 
The landlords were quick to see that land farmed on strict 
four-course rotation was not likely to lose its fertility, how- 
ever badly managed, and the custom soon arose of binding 
down the tenant to farm on the rotation. This was as it 
should be, and to the advantage of landlord and tenant alike 
in the districts naturally demanding high farming, but when 
strict adherence to the system was insisted on on the more 
fertile heavy land, the tenant was handicapped severely and 
prevented from utilising the full capabilities of the soil, 
which were in many cases able to produce more than two 
cereal crops in four years. 
