1 June, 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 415 
spring, and although at first it will take some little surface food from the 
barley, its roots will soon go beyond the roots of the barley and feed in a 
lower layer of soil. After the barley has been harvested, the clover should 
have a top dressing of well-rotted farmyard manure to give it a good start in 
winter. Its roots will continue to spread and search for food all the next 
spring and summer, and so prevent any loss of plant-food by drainage; and 
after the farmer has removed the first crop of clover as hay, and penned his 
sheep on the aftermath, he will plough the clover stubble up in autumn for 
wheat. The wheat will find a supply of food at the surface, in its first stage 
of growth, from the sheep manure and decaying clover stubble and leaves, and 
in the subsoil, in its later stage, from the decay of the clover roots._ 
This rotation may be lengthened into a five or even six é¢ourse by 
keeping the clover down for one or two more years before ploughing it up for 
wheat; it would then be: Roors, BaritEy, Chover, Crover, Wear; for 
Roots, Bartry, Chover, Crover, Crover, Wuear. What is here called 
clover would there probably be a mixture of sainfoin, white clover, perennial 
(not common) red cloyer, and trefoil, as these succeed better for a few years 
together than common red clover along with grass seeds. 
The Five-course or Berwick Rotation is: Wuerat, Roots, Bartry, SrEps 
(hay), SrEps (pasture). In Scotland oats follow clover, and the usual rotation 
for a light soil is: Roors, Wuear or Bartry, Chover anp Seeps (hay), 
Crover AnD SrEeEps (pasture), Oars. 
The above is given by Mr. Wallace as the rotation for a light soil. 
Heavy clay soils being expensive to work and difficult to reduce to a fine 
condition, are not touched by Queensland farmers, so I need not say much about 
rotation on them beyond this, that the best rotation for a clay farm, well 
drained and deeply cultivated, is: Fannow Crop (vetches, cabbage, mangel, or 
rape), WHEAT, Clover, WHEAT, Beans ; that is a five-course rotation. 
I think that you will now have a very fair idea of the meaning of the word 
Rorarion, and of the value and objects of the system. If you turn to Lesson 6 of 
the Second Book once more, you will there find that I gave you seven advantages 
to be gained by alternating the crops on old land. You should bear these well in 
mind, for although, when you take a farm in this State, it is not likely that 
you will take up anything but new, virgin land, still it may happen that you 
will continue to work “the old farm” which your father has worked for a long 
series of years, and you will probably find it necessary to keep up the fertility 
of the soil by manuring or by rotation, therefore it is of advantage to you to 
have the knowledge which will enable you to do so. 
Questions on Lesson 8. 
1. In what cases is a rotation of crops unnecessary ? 
2. Can any general rule be laid down for carrying out a system of rotation 
in all districts ? 
3. What crops would you alternate with each other on a fair Queensland 
soil ? 
. Name some crops suitable for—(a) a dry climate, (6) a moist climate. 
What must not be neglected in a system of rotation on a poor soil ? 
. What two general rules apply where rotation is practised ? 
. Draw up a diagram and table for a four-course rotation. 
. Describe the method of carrying out this rotation. 
Of what value are sheep on a farm ? 
Show how a four-course rotation may be lengthened into a five or six 
OCDMDIAAE 
H 
course. 
11. What alternate crops would form a good rotation for heavy clay 
lands ? 
12. What should you always bear in mind regarding rotation ? 
