The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-03
Ghe @armer.
Rotation of Crops.

Every one has noticed that when a wood |
lot has been cut over and left to grow up
to timber again, diffent kinds of trees start
up from those which have previously occu-
pied the ground. The different trees vary
in their composition both as to their organic
and inorganic clements. In order that any
plant may mature, it must be supplied with
every clement that enters into its compost
ton. 1t will readily be seen that when
crop has been taken that requires large
amount of potash, it may have left the soil
50 deficient in soluble potash that another
good crop of the same kind cannot be taken
off until an available supply Of this element
is furnished, either by being artifcially
applied, or through the agencies of nature.
While this is true, another kind into which
potash does not largely enter. may lind
abundant food to develop an excellent
crop.
We as farmers do dot sufficiently study
the composition of our different crops, and
the elements the soil of our farms must
contain in available form for them to feed
upon in order to grow and develop into per-
feet maturity. We cannot expect grain
to grow with finely developed stalks and
perfect ears in soil deficient in proper nu-
triment in available form. 1t is folly to 60
on trying to grow the same kind OF crops
year after year on the same ground, II there
be any better way, way in which we may
assist mother Nature in her exhausting and
exhaustive efforts. Poor mother Nature
sometimes has hard time of it trying to
make up deficiencies caused by our mistakes.
Fertilizers of any kind are, though ne
cessary, expensive. 1t is better to study to
find out. first, what certain crops require;
second. SO far as possible, the general COM
position of our soils. Then try to follow
crop which exhausts one element, by the
crop we have found in our list requiring
least of that same element for its develop
ment. And all this while nature, in her
laboratory, is at work-never idle tor mo-
ment-storing the exhausted soil anew with
the virtues that it possessed OF old. we
are told how soon worn out piece OF land
will renew itself if we assist nature little
by turning the soil loosely up to the dis
solving influences of the sun and rain. All
those lacking elements which have been
held prisoners in the soil will be liberated
to work in the forming of food for man
There is no pursuit in this busy world OF
ours that requires, for its successful pursuit,
more real study-mOre scientific research.
Old farmers laugh and shake their heads
wisely at what they are pleased to call
book farming" Yet you will hear these
same farmers cautioning their sons or THEN
neighbors against something which expert
ence had taught them was not well Tor them
to do, You see they had read it in the
book of nature. but if it were to be SET
down in paper or a book, in good Ian
guage and accurate fgurings, they would
sheer at it as "book- farming, and neveI
thing of needing its lessons.
All things we learn from a really yalua
BILE book on agriculture or chemistry are, OF
ought to be, supplemented by actual cXpcr,
iment-experiment as actual and practical
as the old farmers himself, and, since those
who have tried these experiments with all
their costly attending work, have been kind
enough to give us, in plain language, the
results Of their labor, we surely ought to
have sense enough to profit by their failures
or successes We must not follow blindly
the rule which worked well on some farms in
an adjoining county or State, but adapt Its
teachings to our own surroundings, and the
the requirements of our own soil.
If your neighbor, whose soil is the same
as yours. has made a certain rotation OF
crops success, why you are so much the
better for his having told you about it, and
can set about your own rotation without
the feeling that it is only experimental and
may be failure. Clean help from what
ever source you can find even the smallest
grain of information. Only sift it with the
utmost care from the chaff and tares before
you plant it for use in your memory. No
person can afford to work blindly, and
least Of all should we, as farmers, work
carelessly and ignorantly.
in regard to what system of rotation
shall be employed In the first place the
land should be broken up, as rule, while
it is producing a good crop of hay and not
left till the grass is all run out. This may
be planted to corn, to be succeeded by some
Grain crop and stocked down to grass to run
two or three years, to be again plowed up
and the same round gone over again. We
do not wish to advocate any particular sys.
TEN. but do urge that farmers make this a
study and adopt some plan, such as the
kind of soil and the external surroundings
seem to Justify. If afraid to 60 into it
largely at first, take a few acres and lay out
plans for the next four or five years, OF
twice that, if you please, in order to get
twice round, and see what will come Of it.
At present, we believe that both corn and
clover may enter largely into wel[arrang-
ed plan on most farms Vermont Farmer.