The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-20
About the Rotation Of Crops.

Frequent attempts are made to lay down
specific rules for the rotation of the crops
of farm; but there are so many circum-
stances which render it necessary to devil
ate from any fixed directions, that it seems
to us much more useful to state the princi-
pies upon which the necessity for rotation
is based, than to attempt to prescribe def
mite rules There are various objects to
be STAINED by means of a rotation. The
most important OF these afe the improve
ment of the condition of the soil and the
proper adjustment of the demand for labor.
All other matters are incidental, although,
of course, the question of the sale Of crops,
that is, tie production of that which will
yield the most money without injury to
the land, is of the utmost consequence.
1t is perfectly well known by all farmers
who know anything, that the raising of
the same crop-unless, indeed, it be per-
manent pasture grasses-fOr many success
sive years on the same land, gradually in
lures its quality. Not only are certain ele-
ments of fertility that the soil contains,
removed out of all proportion to the guam
tity of other available elements that the
crop requires but, as each crop is attend
ed by its peculiar weeds and peculiar in
sects, these incidental drawbacks to the
"
increasing degree in proportion to the
length of time during which a single crop
is grown. Therefore, we should constantly
aim to so alternate our cropping, that,
while this years crop may make an ex-
cessive demand on the phosphOric acid
of the soil, that of the next year may re-
auire less of this ingredient, and more of
some other; and so that the weeds that
are induced by the growth of this years
crop may, by the more thorough cultiva-
ton of the next year, be exterminated. 1t
will be found in practice that the greater
the number of different crops that enter
into the rotation, provided they are all
such as can be grown with success and
disposed of with certainty, the better will
be the ultimate result and especially
should clover or some other deep-roOting
plant find a prominent place in the shift,
for these plants obtain a large amount of
nutritive matter from the subsoil which
on their decomposition they yield to the
surface soil, while the decay of their
deeper reaching roots opens inviting
channels for the descent of the roots of
more delicate plants.
1t is not always-indeed, not generally
possible to adopt such a system of rota-
ton as shall develop the greatest possible
productive capacity of the land, even in
those cases where the supply of manure
is ample for the purpose. The reason for
this is that some of the more productive
crops require large amount of manual
labor, and also that the chief labor re-
auired by two entirely different crops
may fall due on the same day. 1t is ne
cessary, therefore, to take into cOnsidera-
ton the amount of labor that a given
area of any crop will require at any par
ticular period; and matters should be adj
justed, so far as possible (due allowance
being made for bad weather., in such
way that, from the first opening of spring,
until the final setting in of winter, the
regular force of the farm may be con-
stantly employed; and also so that the
requirement for extra labor, that neces-
sarily attends all systematic farming dur
ing certain seasons, may be surely met by
the supply of transient men within reach.
For instance, the raising of roots and cab
bages, which are highly important, not
only as yielding very valuable addition
to the stock of winter food, but as
greatly improving the soil through their
high cultivation and the rich maAuring
that they need, requires that very large
amount of hand-labor be done at the pre-
else time when the getting in of hay calls
for every moments labor of the regular
farm force; and consequently, the extent
Of these crops must be limited almost