VI.

EXPENSE OF CULTIVATING TURNIP SOILS FOR FOUR YEARS; PRODUCE AND RENT.

COURSES of crops vary much, according to the quality of the land, climate, and situation. In populous districts and in the vicinity of towns, potatoes, carrots, and other esculents are much cultivated, and grown alternately with corn, except where clover and grasses are introduced for a change. In remote situations, and on inferior soils, rotations of 5, 6, and more years are very much followed. On our best loams for green crops, the four years' shift is much used, -viz. turnips, barley, clover, wheat, and sometimes, on stiffer soils, beans are grown in the place of clover. In cases where clovers fail, other crops are substituted; the red clovers are used once in 10 or 12 years, beans, tares, and white clo

vers taking its place. But if land be well cultivated, such failures will seldom occur; though, in the four years' course, the great fault is that the crops recur at too short intervals, and are consequently deficient in variation. Each rotation has its peculiar advantages, according to soil, situation, and management; that of four years is here detailed to show the expenses of cultivation.

The land intended for turnips is supposed to be a wheat or oat stubble after carrying the four crops since last fallowing, and which have left it in decent condition as to cleanness and friability.

The first ploughing is given at any time during the months of November, December, and January; and the fence sides and ditches, if any, are stubbed and cleaned out during the winter. This is part of the work of the field; and if regularly attended to during every fallowing, the fences and ditches will be always in good order. In dry situations nothing of the kind will oc

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cur, but on wet lands it deserves much attention. A diversity of opinion prevails among farmers as to the depth of the winter furrow. The depth of the soil must in all cases regulate the depth of ploughing, and when land is ploughed at any season of the year a good hold of it may be safely recommended. A deep winter furrow exposes much soil to the action of atmospheric changes, and a greater depth of soil and a better pulverisation are obtained. On the other hand, it is thought that very deep ploughing buries the weeds too much, and causes additional labour in getting them out. By shallow ploughing, the under soil is left untouched, and if ploughed up in the spring, will require more strength at that time than in winter. On lands that will admit of that depth, a furrow of not less than eight inches may be mentioned as an average; and in cross ploughing in the spring, the same depth will be easily obtained with the same power, because the

land has been stirred before. On all clays and stiff loams a power of three horses may be very beneficially used in giving the winter furrow, and the land thus once well stirred will require less power afterwards, and will afford a depth of tilth essentially necessary for the safety of green crops.

Far

mers object to a depth of soil covering couch and weeds; but the eradication of weeds is only one object of fallowing - we must have the soil well stirred and wrought; and land thus treated will be found in a much superior state during the subsequent workings to the same depth of soil turned in the spring.

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In the spring, so soon as the weather permits, the second ploughing is given, usually straight across the winter ploughing. A man with a pair of good horses will plough in the spring one acre in a day; and three roods in winter, as more strength is required and the days are shorter.

If the weather be tolerably fine, an ex

posure of a few days will render the land fit for working by harrow and roll, and may be continued till no more effect can be produced. Four or more tines of harrowing may be required before rolling, and two or more after that operation, in order to disengage the weeds, which are then carefully picked off. If the soil lie very rough after cross ploughing, the drag harrow may be required to go first; but this weight of harrow is seldom required on turnip soils, our modern heavy rolls performing the work more quickly and much more effectually. A pair of harrows will double tine five acres a day, and a drag harrow from four to five acres a day twice over. Rolls that will produce an effect to justify the time expended in man and horses should be about a ton in weight, and not under 15 cwt., and 6 feet in length; and the first application may require three or four horses, and will go over about 10 acres in a day. Harrowing follows, and is continued till the clods