CONVENTION—Agriculture in middle ages. 211 
the same land. There were various systems of rotation in use, but 
far the most common was that known as the “ Three Field System,” 
in which the arable lands were divided into three large fields, for 
the purpose of a triennial rotation. In the so-called “ tenement 
lands,” which were occupied and cultivated by the peasants for 
themselves, but as tenants of the lord of the manor, each peasant 
had a strip in each of these fields — a long, narrow strip, such as 
are seen everywhere on the continent of Europe, and in this coun¬ 
try in the French settlements along the St. Lawrence. Each peas¬ 
ant had his strip by himself, separated from that of his neighbor by 
a narrow baulk of turf; but he must cultivate it as the rest did — in 
the Winter field he must put in winter corn, in the Lent field sum¬ 
mer corn, and the fallow field must lie Fallow like that of his neigh¬ 
bors. For, as I have said, after the crop was gathered, the fences 
were removed and the cattle admitted into the fields to feed upon 
the stubble and the baulks of turf; of course no one person could 
be allowed to interfere with the fencing and the pasturage of the 
community. Fences w^ere therefore, at this time, forthe most part, 
temporary rail fences, put up when the crop was planted, and re¬ 
moved when it was harvested, as is the case in parts of the south. 
The hedge-rows, which are so characteristic a feature of England 
at the present day, did not come into general use until towards the 
close of the middle age. I find, however, in the fourteenth centu¬ 
ry, directions given in regard to hedges, that they should be of wil¬ 
low or whitethorn — showing that they were not uncommon as early 
as this. 
We have, therefore, as a general rule, a triennial rotation of 
crops, consisting, for the first year, of winter grain (wheat or rye), 
the next year of summer grain (oats or barley), while the third year 
the land lay fallow. 
It must be understood that the year began at Michaelmas (Sept. 
29), which appears to have been the regular term for all agricultural 
operations, as it still is, I believe, in England. The year began at 
once, then, with putting in the seed for the winter crop; for this the 
ground had been prepared by a year of fallow, and by a three-fold 
plowing. The first plowing, called the “plowing of the fallow” 
{warectatio)^ was regularly in April “ when the ground is broken” 
{cum terra fregerit)^ meaning, I suppose, when it is dry enough to 
crumble and not clog the plow. Then after midsummer came the 
