The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-07-30
From the Cincinnati Weekly Commercial
.ga8 ROTATION OF CROPS.

= A proper rotation OF crops is OF The
highest importance in agriculture. The
most productive soil in the valley Of the
Mississippi will become exhausted, if cul-
tivated year after year in the same crop.
This is illustrated all over the West, by
the deterioration Of the richest land
Whilst one crop requires large quantity
of certain organic matters, and but little
Of others, a different crop may draw from
the earth its susienance in inverse pro.
portions. Although the cereal grains are
all composed of the same substance, and
in nearly the same proportions, one species
will flourish in the greatest perfection in q
soil that will scarcely produce seed, if
planted with another grain. But this is
an exception TO a general rule in the West.
BY far the greater part Of the land, if prop
erly cultivated, will yield abundant har-
vests Of the staple grains of the temper
ate zone. In consequence Of the variety
Of soils. it is impossible to lay down rule
that will apply to all land. But generally
northwest of the Ohio river, and the States
bordering on it southeast, will produce
all the kinds of grain in the temperate
zone, more or less abundaptly. dependent
on cultivation. On most land in the grain
growing States Of the West. the proper
rotation Of crops should be-first. the field
should be planted in corn, the next spring
sown in oats or barley, in the autumn in
wheat. and in the winter in clover. This
will give three grain crops in succession.
In clover the ground should remain at
least two years. which will make rota-
ton of five crops, viz: three of grain and
two Of grass. If the ground has been re.
duced by bad farming, and wants raising,
the oats or barley crop should be omitted,
. and when the corn is plowed for the last
time,s clover should be sowp. The follow
ing summer there will be fine sward.
which should not be pastured, but plowed
down after harvest. The vegetable mat
ter thus turned down and left to decom-
pose, is equal to an ordinary dressing Of
barn-yard manure, and is much cheaper.
By this, or similar mode of farming,
. the aggregate amount of grain raised on
a given quantity Of land will be greater
in series of years, than ii the ground is
cultivated in grain without iniermission.
In addition 10 this, there is less labor in
cuIiivating the soil. Every farmer knows
that by farming lands in gram crops for
long series Of years, the weeds spring
ND, and seed iE the latter part Of the SUM
mer. after the crop is laid by, and polute
the ground 10 such degree that it re-
quires, particularly in corn, ,incessant plow-
ing until the crop is we'll grown, TO keep
the weeds from obtaining the'mastery, and
smothering the crop.
,sClover. if properly husbanded. has a
great tendency TO destroy weeds. Its
growth in the spring is quick. and by over
shadowing noxious plants, partially smoth-
ers them. If moved in the latter part IF
June, the weeds are cut before seeding.
and thus destroyed. IL cut again in Sep
tember for seed, such weeds as had sprung
up, after the first moving are destroyed
also. The second year there will scarce,
ly be, any occasion to NOW the clover to
destroy the weeds; but t.may be psstured,
and few weeds will arrive at maturity il
there is stock enough kept on the ground
toaeat the grass The few weeds that may
spring UP will be trodden down by cattle,
orotheywise destroyed before seeding.
In the spring, turn down the clover, and
plant in corn. A. few rotations of crops
in this way will free the land of weeds,
and greatly improve its productiyeness.
The clover crops win be found almost, if
not altogether, as profitable as grain crops,
by enabling the farmer to increase his
stock in number, and improve the quality
bygood feeding. But farming. if proper
lycarried on, requires systematic diyi-
sion of the ground.
For the rotation we propose, FIVE fields
are required. In well managed farms in
some or the Eastern States, six fields are
required, but on those, rye is raised, which,
in Addition to the other grain crops gem
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