Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-03
Rotation and Selection of Crops.

THE kind of crops to be raised in any
particular locality must be determined in
great measure by the climate and soil
The demand for each with cost of pro-
duclion must also be taken into account
by the farmer After it has been deter
mined what kind of crops are profitable
in a particular locality, then plan or
system of succession is one of the first
subjects to which farmer should direct
his attention. Because certain field or
farm produces an abundant yield of any
particular kind of grain or root crop it
does not follow that it will continue to
do SO through long series OF years; in
fact, experience has shown us that .rota-
ton of crops is actually necessary to pre-
serve the fertility of even our richest
soils. If we raise wheat or any other
grain for number of years in success
sion upon the same land, exhaustion fol-
lows more rapidly than if different spe-
cies are sown alternately. But it is better
to use in rotation crops as widely differ
ent in their characteristics as possible,
in order to allow the soil to regain those
elements which certain crops are known
to extract from it in greater or less guam
titles. Oats, wheat, rye, barley, and flax
are too near alike to be used in rotation,
and 1t is better to introduce either pota-
toes, clover, peas, beans, or corn, and
then seed down with grass for year or
two, in order to vary as much as
possible the order of rotation Red clover
is plant the roots of which penetrate
the soil deeply and bring up elements
from the subsoil which would never be
reached by our ordinary species of mea-
dow grasses.
The texture Of soils must also be stud
led or taken into consideration in adopt
ing any particular system of rotation. If
the soil is heavy clay, then more fire.
quent blowing may be practiced than
upon those Of an opposite character, mas
much as light soils can be injured by too
much tillage, and an occasional seeding
down for pasture is far more beneficial
than constant culture, even with heavy
application of manures. In selecting
different soils for different crops, farmer
should take into consideration their prob
able condition at the proper season for
planting. For instance, heavy clay soils
should as rule be selected for fall-sown
grain, because unless thoroughly under
drained they retain the water so late in
spring that blowing for an early crop is
imprac.lcable. We know that farmers
are very likely to run the risk of obtain
ing favorable seasons, when they happen
to have piece of land that has given
them one or more heavy crops Of certain
kind of grain. In fact farmers are great
gamblers although they would not like to
own it, for they continually bet on the
seasons, and often stake their all on a GER
tain crop upon certain kinds Of soil. If
the season is favorable they WIN, if the
opposite they lose, and in the latter case
the climate gets all the blame, just as an
other sort of gambler curses luck or the
dealer at faro table.
Now what the farmer should do is to
make careful selections of soil for the diff
ferent kinds of crops to be raised, and
then prepare it in such manner that
neither dry nor wet season will cause
failure. This is perfectly practicable in
all parts of the country, and the man who
lives to see scientific agriculture the rule
instead of the exception, as it is at the
present time, will hear of very few fail
uees on account of unfavorable seasons.
Soils will be kept rich through systems of
rotation of crops, instead of, as now, de-
pending upon adding manu- at great
expense The fundamental principles of
rotation were given many years ago by
French agriculturist, as follows:
l. However well a SOIL may De pre-
pared, it cannot long nourish crops of
the same kind in succession without be-
coming exhausted.
2. Every crop impoverishes soil more
or less, according as more or less is re-
stored to the soil by the plant cultivated.
5. Perpendicular roofing plants and
such as root horizontally ought to sue
coed each other.
4. Plants of the same kind should not
return too frequently in rotation.
5. Two plants favorable to the growth
of weeds ought not to succeed each
other.
6. Such plants as eminently exhaust