The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-06-24
Success in Farming-ImpOrtance
of Rotation, and Glover and
Grass Crops.

oA'aSS OAOPS@
BY HON. WILLIAM FULLERTON.
The necessary steps toward an
improved busbandry are
l. To cultivate less land.
2. To make that which is culti-
waited rich in plant food, so that it
may paoduce large crops.
3. The practice of rigid system
of rotation of crops and mixed
farming.
4 The cultivation of the grasses
and less of the cereals, and feeding
upon the farm the most of its pro-
ducts.
5. Raising clover and enriching
the land by turning under green
crops.
| believe that the faithful prac-
tice of such a system of tilling
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 go to
show that those sections of the coun-
try are more prosperous where a
mixed system of farming prevails.
The farmer who finds in his own
garners that which is needed to
supply his daily wants is far remov-
ed from the vexation and losses at
tendant upon outside purchases,
which so severely tax bis means.
1t is not infrequently the case,
when he produces but single arti-
Gle for the market, that it commands
a price which but poorly compen~
safes 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 transaction.
Mixed agriculture necessarily leads
to system of rotation of crops,
which is the key to successful
farming. That there is a vast re-
Operative power in the land
where a succession of different
crops are grown no one can deny
in the light of universal experience.
Thousands of those who have hith-
erto devoted themselves to a SIM
gle production, such as cotton, to
bacco or grain, now acknowledge
this error.
Successive crops of the same
character exhaust lands of the par
ticular food they require with
great rapidity. The aid which na-
ture so freely renders, where crops
rotate, is withheld in such system
of cultivation, because the farmer is
violating her laws. To fight against
nature is to war at fearful odds, and
it is not difficult to forecast the re-
suit. To work 10 harmony with
her -insures a comparatively easy
victory. One of the most beauti-
ful of her provisions is that while
one crop exhausts the soil of that
element which enters most largely
into its composition by the opera
tion of some mysterious law, it pre-
pares that same soil for some other
crop of different character. This
is a very curious and interesting
process of nature, which results
immensely to out advantage if we
accept her aid. AS an illustration
OF this principle, we know that clo-
YER does not successfully follow it.
self although it leaves the ground
in the best possible condition for
corn or wheat. One crop, there
fore, restores in measure what
another has taken. By raising
continuously the same plaut you
interfere with this beautiful contri-
vance oflnature to rebuild her was
ted strength. How this done is i'm
perfectly understood. We do know,
however, that the deep rooted
plants like clover will pump from
the depths below for the use oi
those that grow near the surface
that food which has becn carried
beyond their reach. And not only
that this element, when brought
to the surface, acts chemically
upon what it finds there, and
renders soluble and available as
plant food what before was inert
and resisted assimilation.
Nature, therefore, will do much
of our work for us if we only Sec
ond her efforts and give full scope
to her beneficial laws. 1t is, there
fore, a question for the farmer to
determine whether be will, by 70.
tation of crops, have this soil en-
riched by drafts on natures treasury
or draw entirely upon his own.
do not mean to argue that there is
nothing for the farmers TO do but
follow this rotation to make bis
lands productive Far from it.
But | do argue that he may make
nature co worker with him in
attaininga desirable. end. Change
is prominent feature in natures
economy. Cut down the forest oi
hard wood aud the pines succeed
Again, remove the pine and tht
hard wood reappsars. One kind o