Country Life
WHERE CROPS FLOURISH.
It happens that during this autumn I have visited a number of the districts in England where the selective genius of our cultivators is most in evidence, and have walked on grass and stubble and tilth over many, hundred acres. It cannot, X think, be denied that whatever the failings of our farmers, they have in the past been singularly skilful in finding out what may be called affinities between soil or climate and crop. Some Of the particular examples are interesting. An old labourer noticed one swampy and neglected bit of ground near the railway in Cambndgeshire. Everyone scorned- it. No one cultivated it. The acre or two was without value. But the labourer said, "What a grand piece of ground for growing celery ! " And within a few years after he had obtained the plot and proved its capacity for growing celery its annual
value was £4. * * * *
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