The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-30
Rotation Of Crops.

WHY does n farmer change the crops
of each field every year. growing first
clover and grass and then corn. then
oats. and lastly. wheat or rye. and again
seeding down t. clover and GRASP IL
is because he knows that these crops
succeed better when thus grown and
that he cannot grow the same crop
every year on the same ground, with
profit. There is a good reason for this.
II is because the nature Of each Of these
different crops is not the same; that one
seems TO rest the soil. that clover
actually leaves the soil better than il
was before. besides adding to il in the
shape of roots. stems and leaves. a large
quantity Of valuable plant food for the
corn which follows it; that the culture
of the corn Kills = 4 quantity Of
weeds and cleans the ground. and pre-
pares il for the oats and wheat; that
after the oats have been grown the soil
has given up to that crop ali the
strength it possessed. and that il then
require, help to restore il. This $
given by the manure and fertilizers
used to prepare for the wheat or rye
and the clover and grass alter il, and
u! a. Nv III tittliAI'4t o4t Nli ~ SA
year after year, for a whole lifetime,
growing crops and then leave his farm
still fertile and useful for his children.
who may do the sam, 10 be followed
again by their children.
This method of culture is called the
| rotat on of crops,a and the usual rota-
ton consists of the four crops men
| toned, viz: clover and grass, corn.
| oats and wheat. This is called the four
course system. Some farmers add { n
er rops, and so lengthen the course
with great benefit TO the soil; because
in the four course system there IS too
much grain and too little fodder for
feeding cattle AMI making maDur
without which good crops cannot be
grown. There are also not enough o.
the r%enoVating crovs, * those are
called, in which either the soil Is ma
nured or rested, AMI restored, or in fact
renewed in strength and power TO pro-
| duce the other crops which take q
from the soil. and are therefore called
exhaustive. For the principle at the
bottom of this system of Rotation IS
chiefly this: that the farmer must fol-
low an exhaustive crop with a removal
ing one; that is. one that Is hard or
difficult to grow with n that Is easy.
and SO give the soil an opportunity 10
recover before its strength is taxed too
much.
Much injury has been done to many
farms by an unwise neglect OF tn S pre-
caution. and crops OF wheat and corn
have been grown year after year, until
the soil has been made unable To- pro-
duce enough To pay the farmer for his
labor. or 10 support hun and his family
with comfort. IL is in this way that
farms have been worn ont. and people
have been forcei TO 20 further west Ia
get new land. that the same waSteiul
practice NAV be followed. Now, thatthc
West is becoming filed up, and the
best lands are occupied, this can M
longer be done, and farmers are obliged
TO follow a more skillfui practice. and
are forced to study more carefully the
nature of their business, that they may
make their farms more productive.
The feeding of cattle and sheep Is the
most important part Of the farm work
and The growing of feeding crops there
fore needs to be made a special study
By the young farmer. A rotation then
which can be made to include the largest
number of feeding crops is the best. "A
seven course rotation is sometimes prac'
ticed in which clover and grass are
grown one year for hay and q sccond
wear for pasture, followed by corn, oats,
roots (either turnips or mangcls) bar.
lev, clover for hay. and wheat on tn,
clover sod. followed by grass. Thisro
tation has many advantages. 1t ha'
two cultivated or cleaning crops, corr
and roots; two sods plowed under, anc
four feeding crops. viz, corn. roots ant
two hay crops. Where it can be iot
lowed il enables the farmer to keep {:
flock of sheep or TO keep COWS and 4;
dairy, which is one of the most protita
bic and pleasant parts of farming. anc
gives the girls an agreeable op~portunit,
of adding TO the income of the farm anC
to their own by making but
ter. as well rs finds employment for th'
bows which is not SO laborious as tn,
constant raising of grain. When tn
rotation is chosen. the farm is divide,
into fields To suit the course five forth'
four course, in which there are W il
grass mt the same time; and eight 10
the seven course rotation. -Hcnry SteW
art, in EHrdL NeU Yorker.