The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-08-05
SUCCESS IN FARMING.
Importance OF Rotation, and Glover and
Grass Crops.
81 nov. WILLIAM FULLERTON.

The necessary steps toward an i'm
proved husbandry are
1. To cultivate less land.
,. To make that which is cultivated
rich in plant food, so that it may pro-
duce large crops.
3. The practice Of a rigid system OF
rotation of crops and mixed farming
!. The cultivation Of the grasses and
less of the cereals, and the feeding upon
the farm the most Of its products.
5. Raising clover and enriching the
land by turning under green crops.
believe that the faithful practice OF
such system of tlling would in ten
years increase the value Of real estate
100 per cent, and place the farming
population in an independent position.
All observation and experience 60 to
show that those sections Of the country
are more prosperous where mixed sys-
tenn of farming prevails. The farmer
who finds in his own gamers that which
is needed TO supply his daily wants is
far removed from the vexation and losses
attendant upon outside purchases, which
so severely tax his means. II is not in
frequently the case, when he produces
but single article for the market, that
it commands price which but poorly
compensates him for his labor, while he
has to pay eXorbitant prices for that
which he is compelled to purchase. -
This is "selling the hide for a penny
and buying back the tail for shilling"
which surely is not profitable transac-
ton. Mixed agriculture necessarily
leads to system Of rotation of crops,
which is the key to successful farming.
That there is a vast recuperative power
in the land where succession of differ
ent crops are grown, no one can deny
in the light of universal experience
Thousands of those who have hitherto
devoted themselves to single produc-
ton, such rs cotton, tobacco or grain,
now acknowledge this error.
Successive crops of the same charac-
ter exhaust lands OF the particular food
they require with great rapidity. The
aid which nature so freely renders,
where crops rotate, is withheld in such
4 system of cultivation, because the
farmer is violating her laws. To fight
against nature is to war at fearful odds,
and il is not difficult to forecast the re-
suit. To work in harmony with her in
sures comparatively easy victory
One of the most beautiful OF her provi-
sions is, that while one crop exhausts
the soil Of that element which enters
most largely into its composition by the
operation of some mysterious law. il
prepares that same soil for some other
crop of different character. This is I
very curious and interesting process of
nature, which results immensely 10 our
advantage il we accept her aid. As an
illustration of this principle, we know
that clover does not successfully follow
itself, although it leaves the ground in
the hes, possible condition for corn or
wheat. One crop, therefore, restores
in measure what another has taken.-
BY raising continuously the same plant
you interfere with this beautiful contri.
vance OF nature TO rebuild her wasted
strength. How this is done is imper.
fectly understood We do know, how
ever, that the deep-rooied plants like
clover will pump from the depths below
for the use Of those that grow near the
surface that food which has been carried
beyond their reach. And not only that
this element, when brough; to the sur
face, acts chemically upon what it finds
there, and renders soluble and available
as plant TODD what before was inert and
resisted assimilation.
Nature, therefore, will do much of
our work for Us il we only second her
efforts and give fall scope to her bepefi-
cial laws. Il IS, therefore, question
for the farmer to determine whether he
will, BY a rotation Of crops, have this
soil enriched by drafts on natures ,rea-
sury or draw entirely upon his own.
do not mean TO argue that there is moth
ing for the farmer to DO but follow this
rotation to make his lands productive.
Far from it. But ! do argue tina; he
may make nature 4 co.worker with him
in attaining a desirable end. Change
is prominent feature in natures econ
omy. Cut down the forest Of hard
wood and the pines succeed. Again,
remove the pine and the hard wood re-
appears. One kind OF grass succeeds
another, and nature supplies the seed.
These changes give the soil rest, to the
end that the process OF re.invigoration
may go on.