Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-10-18
AGRIC ULT u R E,



We may infer from the teachings OF agricul-
tural science, that 1t 10 always better for my |
kind OF soil to allow different kind Of crop to
be produced each season, gu every field. 1t is
a rare thing that soil Is go fer lie that IL will
endure constant. drain on its fertility for many
duccessive years without beiLg seriously i'm
poverishsd. We have examples all over the
country OF the eminent advantages of adopting
rotation system; and we too frequently see
the injurious effects Of continuing to raise u
| certain kind of produce, for many years in sue.
cessiou, on the same soil. Many OF the most
pro ductive wheat. fields in the State of New
| York as well as in some OF the other StateB,
have been employed for so mapy years in grow
ing wheat that the sell will no longer yield half
a crop. Had the projectors understood the
eminent advantages of growing crops in rota-
ton, from year to year. they would now have
the satisfaction of seeing their soil in good
state OF fertility, capable of producing remu-
netating crop Of anything they might attempt
to raise instead OF reeping only inferior crop.
In the grain growing districts, where Winter,
wheat Is one OF the principal staples OF the farm
a decided improvement might be made in
some farms by raising either a crop of Winter
barley or by allowing the land to remain till
next Spring unoccupied, wheu q crop OF
Spring barley could be raised. This would
afford an opportunity for the wheat-prolucing
meteIial In the soil to accum late, and thus
} preparethe land for a more abundant crop Of
wheat In choosing different kinds of crops to
D re raised on a certain farm, the proprietor
3 should always determine SO FAR as practicable
4 what kinds OF crops are adapted to the soil ag
8 It is far better to adapt the crops to the soil
, than the soil to the crops. Wheat needs sol
I that POSSESSES a liberal proportion OF clay, O.
Q aluminous, or calcareouA mater. A soil TO
8 wheat must also furnish all the silica that Thu
0 wtest plants require to impart strength ant
| Stiffness TO the st aw, as the wheat will no
S have su ticient rength 10 maintain au erec
4 position, without which the heads will ueve
10 be we'll filled with large plump kernels. Ii
10 those sections OF the country where the soil i
composed almost entirely OF vegetable mould
and a kind OF swamp muck, large crops @
, wheat cannot be raised, except the land re
u ceive dressing OF clay to give the soil create
70 soidlty For this reason it would DE far NOR
i econ vtuical to grow Gate, Indian corn, and sue
" other crops as may be better adapted 10 th
~ soil, than 10 attempt to raise crop OF sithe
~ Spring or Winter wheu. Many fields wher
Q the soil 10 light and resembling such ground a
70 we have alluded to, q crop Of aaY would yiel
~ more profit 10 the owner than airy other Gro
70 that could be raised. Some OF our best farm
% ers include fax in their FIVE or six years rots
" tiou; aud where the fertility OF the soil is proT
70 ely maiutsiued with fertilizug material, fro
! wear to year, 10 addition to the rotation ~.
70 TEN, the land becomes more productive ever
% season, In those sections Of the country whe
~ the soil is recognized as heavy soil, the 70
10 lowing would be- good rotation; First, a ere
"a OF ILdiau corn, then barley, wheat either Wi
70 Ter or Spring wheat, aud seed with red cioVe
~ or With orchard grass aud Kentucky blue gras
- TIE rotation may also be varied at pleasur
O. by either choosing 10 COW peas and oats t
!. gether, or FAX, or field beaus or tuchwhe'
10 for one season during the rotation. II Is IL
~" portaut that some boed crop should occupy 1
~ ground at least one season during the rotate
81 for the express purpose OF externiuatiug me
~ thoroughly tue noxious weeds than 1t could
Wv doue when crops are not cultivated and hot