Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-07
Agrifnltnral.
Rotation Of Crops.

Daring the long winter evenings
now upon us, time cannot be better
spent than in careful study of future
plans and arrangements. Prominent
among these must stand the rotation
of our crops, and as it is impossible
to arrive at judicious decision with
out having all the conditions of the
case clearly before us,i may perhaps
be space we'll occupied to present a
condensed resume of the principles
which must of necessity govern US in
the choice of our crops and the order
of their succession.
The great object of rotation of
crops is stated by high authority to
be the securing Of the largest net re-
turn, while the capabilities of the land
are at the same time maintained and
increased. This is attained by ju-
dicious selection of the kind Of crops
and careful arrangement of their sue
cession. Card says this selection and
arrangement will be governed by eli
mate, nature of soil, and local posi-
tion. By the latter he refers to mar
ket ; but in this country another
equally important element enters into
the nature of local position, and that
is the cost Of labor, which varies much
more in the different sections of this
country than it does in the different
parts of England.
For the purpose of rotation, crops
may be variously classified. Thus
we have those crops which are grown
chiefly for sale, as wheat and the ce-
reals in general. Then we have those
:rops which are grown chiefly for the
purpose of improving the land, such
as turnips and the various crops rails.
ed for the purpose of feeding stock.
Another class, consisting of corn, po.
tatoes, &c, may be grown partly for
sale and partly for stock raising
And although circumstances may
greatly affect the particular plan
adopted, yet it is absolutely necessa-
ry that we keep certain portion of
our land under such cultivation as
will enable'us to impr ove with its pro-
duce the remainder of our farm. The
proportion of land which must be de-
voted to this object will obviously
vary with different circumstances.
1t is evident that the more we can
sell off our land without injuring it,
the better we are off, and the more
valuable is our farm. 1t therefore
follows that if by deeper and more
thorough tillage, greater economy of
manures, &c, we can reduce the rela-
tie amount of land required for the
production of manure, we increase
the amount of our sales and our profits.
Moreover, it is found here, as in many
similar cases, that to him that hath
shall be given. No crops are ever
removed entirely, and the heavier the
crops, the more will remain behind to
make manure. Hence, if more careful
tillage should enable US to obtain lar
ger yields OF manure making crops,
that increase of manure would enable
us to obtain larger returns of a more
directly paying character, and these
latter would in turn add to our ma
nure making resources. The reflex
influence of all this is not always ap-
preciated to a sufficient extent, but it
explains very fully why it is that a
rich farmer gets richer, and a poor
one poorer, with very rapid strides.
Where all the manure could be pur-
chased, it might be possible to dis
pense entirely with rotation, and cause
the land year otter year to produce
the most paying crop, without refer,
ence to its effect on the soil, as ma,
nure and tillage would abundantly
repair any injury which it might
cause.
But the production of manure is not
the only thing that we must attend
to in order to raise good crops for
sale. Weeds must be kept down land
the soil must be kept in good condi
tion physically, and this must be done
at the least cost. The latter point
requires attention because it has beer
abundantIy proved that successive
crops of the most paying of all farm
produce, wheat-can be raised on the
same land by means of culture alone
without manure. But we believe thai
it has never been maintained that the
crops thus produced equalled in quan.
tity (per acre) those from land pre-
viously we'll cultivated and well ma
nured. No doubt farm of 100 acres
conducted on this plan, (Smith's OF
TulPs would produce more aUheat thar
one managed under good rotation
but then this is not the only question
for as Alderman Mechi well says
1T is not the amount of wheat pei
acre that determines the profit, but
the cost per bushel" If therefore I'm
der a good system of rotation, WE
can produce given amount of whea
at less cost than by any other mode
while at the same time the aggregat
of our profits from given extent o
land is greater the system of man
agement which enables us to efec
this, is the best one for US. And tha
a good system of rotation will enable
us to produce our crops at the loves
proportionate expense, all experienct
has demonstrated.
ARAToR.