This superiority unquestionably arises from the greatly improved system of agriculture, _generally_ introduced into Scotland, but it is owing in nothing so much as to the very scrupulous attention there paid to the choice of seed. Of late years, this branch of husbandry seems to have considerably attracted the notice of the English farmers; some of whom, as appears from the English newspapers, have found it greatly to their interest to cultivate wheat, in particular, obtained from foreign places, which, when grown, they convey to distant parts of the country, and sell exclusively for seed wheat. It was mentioned in the Cumberland Packet (an English journal) of 14th October, 1816, "that a farmer had obtained _l._40, ($170,) per load, of 30 bushels, for seed wheat, on account of its great product. He had also, obtained the same price for seven years past for this wheat, which had been originally imported from abroad." _Rotation of Crops_--The intelligent agriculturalists of England are well aware, that the more the rotation of crops are varied, the more abundant is their produce; but this opinion is confined to a few in that country. It is only in Flanders that the idea of exhausting the soil, by repeated cropping, is exploded, and the rotation system brought to the greatest possible state of perfection. The ground being prepared in the manner before stated, the Flemish farmer adopts either one or the other of the following courses: FIRST COURSE FOR THREE YEARS. _First year._--Oats are sown about the end of February, or beginning of March. These are cut green toward the end of April, or beginning of May, and given to the cattle for food, which they eat with great pleasure. It is found that this crop, as it is not allowed to throw out the ears, does not exhaust the soil, or take anything from the subsequent crop.[12] Winter potatoes are now sown for a _second_ crop; previous to which the land is dug and manured. When of a middling size the potato is planted whole, but if very large, the eye only is used.