American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-07-23
FIVE GOOD REASONS FOR ROTA.,
TON OF CROPS.

l. Each crop cxhausts tho soil of
certain clements. Continuing the same
crops for many years exhausts all these
elements. Tho soil will not then pro-
ducc that crop longer. Another crop
consumes another order Of clements,
and will flourish where the first will
not grow. He who wants this varic-
ty will find a rotation the simplest and
easiest way to secure it.
,. Each plant, while growing. throws
oft certain matters which arc not ia
vorablc to the growth of certain crops
of the same plant. Plants in this res
pect arc something like animals, which
always avoid their own cxcremcnts.-
Now, other plants may use these mat.
tors. Hence rotation is profitable
because one crop may take up what
another throws of.
3. Certain crops have certain insects
that preys on them. The cultivation
Of the same crop for many years, IA
vors the multiplication Of these insects.
Change the crop and you may dimin-
ish or destroy them.
4. Various crops furnish various
kinds of manurcs, which are found
profitable on farm.
S. A rotation in crops results in
some great social advantages. Among
these are the following: n community
which pursues good rotation will pass
through season Of scarcity with less
suffering. Its farmers will be more in>
tclligcnt, because their experience will
be more varied. Their prosperity, too,
will not depend upon the ups and
downs of single crop.
GOOD PLAN PROPOSED.
We think that, undor the present
state Of Agriculture in the State, the
best rotation will be corn, wheat, peas
and cotton. The advantages of this
rotation may be briefly stated thus ::
Corn being gross feeder, all the ma
nure from the stables and forests and
other sources can be applied with great
advantage whether we'll rooted or not.
The rootlets of the corn will take up
and digest much that would DO refused
by other plants as too gross. At the
same time much would be left for the
wheat crop, which having been plough
cd and narrowed and thoroughly mix
cd with the soil, and undergoing du-
ring the fall and winter gradual dccom.
position would furnish an excellent
manure for wheat, as it requires its
food in finer parcels Gf We may use the
tcrm) than the corn. BY this process
the manure pays much bettor than if
it had to lie in the ground for food for
n succeeding summer crop. Now the
soil may rest near q twelve month,
without any loss Of ammonia for the
ovcrplus has been exhibited by two
crops of cereals with branching roots
which gets their supply of food near tho
surface, unless the soil is very deeply
ploughtd. The stubblc should DO tur-
ned in, however, during the fall with
what grass and weeds have grown up,
without depasturing, except with the
hogs which should be allowed to pick
up the grains after harvest.
The next spring peas may be plant
ed on level in rows three feet apart
and cultivated as well as possible. The
result will DO rcmuncrating crop if
the season is ut all favorable. For al
though the gathering and thrashing
of peas is considerable item, yet chill
drcn that can do but little else might
pick largo quantities from the richest
places, and none need ever DO thrash
cd but those intended for seed, and
we hesitate not to assert rs our opinion
that peas are worth $3.50 per bushci
whenever corn brings dollar. While
j. is not so good for the developing Of
muscle it is worth considerable more
i'll the, production Of fat, butter, &c.,
to which uses it should be appropria-
ted. We hold then that bushcl of
peas is worth as much after paying the
labor of gathering, as bushcl of corn,
md that an acre properly cultivated
will produce as many bushels. Besides
this, there is no need Of gathering a
moicty or even tenth, for the hogs
will do this job very cloverly and with
much apparent satisfaction to them
selves. And then if you will keep
those cormorants away, VIC mean the
cows, you will have left u fine supply
of organic matter, drawn from the sub
soil and the elements which will much
enhance the value Of the succeeding
cotton crop. But in order that the
stalks and leaves of the pea vines may