Connecticut western news., 1886-01-27
FARM, GAHDEl AND HOUSEHOLD.
Succession of Crops.


 At meeting of farmers held at Tram ingham, Mass, Professor c. A. Goessman, of Amherst, spoke upon "Rotation Of Crops" He began his instructive dis course with q history of the agriculture of the past and its bearing on the pres cnt pointing out what science has done in the present century, and also the prin- ciples which underlie we'll recognized modes in farm practice. The relation of plants to the soil and the peculiar rela- ton which the construction of plants ex crts were described, as well as the man. ures at our disposal for bringing about conditions favorable to rotation. The great value of chemical and commercial fertilizers, said the speaker, as supple ments to barnyard manures and other home resources of manurial substances Is to-day universally conceded; they de- serve also as substitutes in various cXcep- tional conditions a recommendation. A jEdicious selection of some special com mercial fertilizer can supply quite ire quently the deficiency of his soil and thereby render a succession of crops re- munerative which otherwise would offer no prospect of an economical success. The main point to be kept In view in the arrangement of an economical system ot rotation is to secure a desirable advan- tageous physical condition of the soil for each crop to be cultivated. Some crops, as potatoes, corn, and some grain crops, if well manurcd, can more frequently be raised upon the same lands without ser ious falling off than others, as, for in stance, clover and other decp-rootcd lc- guminous plants. Winter grains prosper best on a somewhat more compact soil; clover, root crops in general, and hood crops require a well-pulyeriZed soil to do their best; suitable mechanical condi ton of the soil is evidently in these and similar cases of paramount importance to liberal manuring. Professor Goess- man concluded with these suggestions concerning a system of rotation: 1. Crops of the same character ought not to be raised in close succession upon the same lands; not grain crop after grain crop or root crop after root crop. ?. Crops which consume large proportions | of one or two kinds of mineral constitu- ents in particular ought to be succeeded by those which require but small quan- tity of them; hood crops after grain crops, or phosphoric acid consuming crops after largely potassa containing plants. 8. Shallow roofing plants should follow deep roofing and foliaccous ones, to economize the vegetable refuse mass left behind by the latter. 4. Some kind of hood crop should be in the course adopted, at least every few years, to as sist in the destruction of obnoxious weeds and insects as well as of parasite growth of every de- scription. 5. The selection of crops should be made, in mixed farm man. agement in particular, with reference to an ample supply of fodder crops to en- able the production of liberal amount of homemade manure for the home indus try. 6. Each crop in the adopted course should be placed in such position as to have the full benefit of a good prcpara tion of the soil and 8 proper time for seeding. 7. Crops should also be placed in such a position to each other as to en- able an advantageous distribution of the work required during the season with reference to the resources of labor at dis posal. 8. The manure, in particular the barnyard manure should be hberally given to the hood crops and all those crops which necessitatc thorough me chanical preparation of the soil for their successful cultivation, to be thoroughly incorporated into the soil and facilitate the destruction of the growth of foul seeds 9. The entire system of cultiva- tion and application of manure of every description should be devised with a view to benefit all parts of the producing area . of the farm. TO- The industry adopted should strive to secure from the lands un- der cultivation the highest pec1niary re- turns, with fixed determination to inn prove rather than to impair the produc- tiveness of the lands engaged for it's operation.