The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1845-11-13
ROTATION OF CROPS.

ROTATION OF CROPS.
When succession Of crops is crow
UPON lsai.e land ~ilhoul renewal Il m,
nare. the Produrs gradually dimini-he
sni after q certain period, II il be grail
tie qnsnliiy which Al Ire outset was eigI
0rnnr lines the amount Of the seed, y !
be TeiIeel 10 three times or eTen 10 Ia ic
tie seed. Thus crops impair the fer,il
q Of the soil. aud eventually exhaust il.
II has been long admitted. thar lilTerer
species Of plants manifest great diversil,
in l!.elr powers Hf exhaustion. Cer,aii
kinds. indeed. a. trsfoil and lucerne, "a
frnIR eIhausIing Il. communicate new Wig
or. Az a general rule. however. every
Plant msy be said to iTnpGverish the sol
in which IL grows. This impoverishmen
Is always manifest when the plant. af.eI
mRurity. is completely removed, bu, i.
less seRsihe when much rubbish is left
Thus. for example, eloser. after Welding
iSO crops. which are generally cut as fod.
der, might still yield a third this last
however. is generally ploughed into The
ground las manuIe, being buried along with
aconsiierahle quantity of roots. This alan
Of melinrs,ing the soil by the. cultivation
al Weioll. is what is called manming bv
sni1ihsriag; method p'aclised from a
remote period IN the south Of Europe, and
which offers decided advantages in those
districts where there is abundance of pas.
'sFe land. Hence. in smothering tresoa.
the soil i =.::;irnaed al the expense Of The
EuiritiTe matter il contains.
In discussing the advantage Of one
course Of crops over another, the question
always hinges upon tina, OF exhaustion.
Wherever an unlimited supply of dung
snd hanjiwork can be procured. there
Is no absolute necessity for following any
regular system Of rotation. Under such !
favorable circumstances il is expedienl 10 |
ascertain what kind Of cultivation is, com.
Nsrvian vP~sskfng. uSss suf,ru W TIE cli-
nate and the soil. There is bu, little to
fear that BY continued succession OF
similar crops, the fields will get infested
With noxious weed, because this incon-
veuience may be obviaied by lahour.
Nor is Impeachment of the soil to be
dreaded, since tina, can be remedied BY
the purchase Of manure. The whole
craft of agriculture is reducible to con-
pTison Of the probable value Of the crop
with the cost Of manure, lahour. &c.
Farming Of this sort. excludes the keep
and propagation Of cattle. and may be
strictly egarded more as gardening than
as agriculture.
Bv' where manure cannot he had from
without, things must be reduced 10 sys-
ten; aud the amount Of produce which is
possible ioexport each year is fixed within
bounds. which cannot be exceeded with
Inpunity.
When by judlcious cultivation land is
rendered fertile, it is necessary towards
securing its fertility, 10 supply after eve
" succession ofcrops equal quantities Of
manure. In considering this in purely
chemical point of view, il may be said
hal NE produce which can be taken away
"thOu, damaging the fertility Of The land,
Z: the organic matter contained IN the
crops. abstraction made of tina, present in
the manure. Indeed, this latter substance
must in some form or other return to the
sal 10 fecundate il anew. Ii is capital
pl4ced in the ground, the interes; Of which
i represented in the commercial value Of
the produce of all the other agricultural
operations.
Where lands are extensive, population
scattered, and means Of communication
difficult. there is less necessity for being
led down TO systematic cultivation.
There is always enough for scanty po-
plIation. A field yields grain. and after the
harvest, is converted for series Of years
into meadowI.nd; such is the pastoral sys.
len in all its simplicity. 10 this print
i've state of husbsndry may be referred
hose plantations on cleared land in coun-
Tres covered with forests. When the
l'ees are felled and burned upon the spot.
The soil Yields for long time and with. |
out manure. crops Of maize and OF wheat
surprising quality, at the cost of the
i'cnndl'y acquired during ages of rePose.
But when from increased population
The land becomes more valuable, larger
mount Of produce is demanded. lmper-
Iect culture would be inadequate. Accord
Iagiy triennial rotation Of crops was very
ancientIy adopted in the north OF Europe,
consisting as is we'll known. Of fallow
Ia'd frequently ploughed during summer,
lollowed By two years Of grain. The
ALLOW land received certain quantity Of
manure to repair the exhaustion OCCASION
ed by the iva crops Of grain; hence when
lhs mole of rotation is adopted there
Should be always sufficient meadow land
" supply manure.