The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-04-26
FOR THE FARMERS.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ROTATION OF
CROPS.

jeveral Rotations Outlined for Diff
rs ferent Parts of the COuntry-In-
structions to Beginners In Bee
KeepinE-Make Your Own Crates.
By crop rotation is not meant simply
the changing from one crop to another
as circumstances, convenience, or ac-
cident may determine, but the syste-
matte changing Of crops in order to get
the largest returns and at the same
time maintain the fertility Of the land.
A rotation, to be profitable, must en-
body several distinct features, as for
example: Crops which mature in diff
ferent seasons Of the year in order that
the laborers of the farm may find
profitable employment; crops for which
the ground can be prepared and the
planting done at different seasons Of
the year; crops which draw on different
elements Of fertility in the soil, and,
it possible, of some crops which restore
| the elements of fertility exhausted by
other crops; both grain crops and for
| age crops; and, finally, one or more
cleaning crops, that is, those which
| either smother out weeds or furnish
| ample opportunity for destroying them
! in the cultivation demanded, for other
| reasons, by the crop. For the above
| reasons, says Wisconsin Farmer, a ro-
| tation must contain, as far as possible,
| grain, grass and hoed crops. BY the
! latter is meant those which require
| tillage in some form during their period
OF growth, as, for instance, corn and
potatoes in America, and potatoes, tur
! nipS, mangelS, beets, ETC., in Europe.
AS all ordinary rotations must contain
shallow roofing crops, as wheat, oats
and corn, they must also have deep
/ roofing crops, as the clovers, and what
are known ordinarily as root crops.
In addition to the above, let every rota-
ton contain some plants which are soil
! feeders, that is, crops which restore
nitrogen, the most expensive and most
important element Of fertility. 1t nee
essarily contains crops that are soil
robbers, as for example all grains with
out exception. The introduction of TO
tations generally begins with the intro
duction of clover growing. Having de-
termined to fix on a system Of crop ro-
tation suitable to the farm, the first
thing to be done is to select a field to
be sowed down in clover as the begin
ming Of the future rotation Where
! the rainfall is abundant sow with some
kind Of small grain, but where it is
deficient SOW alone. A stand having
been secured, pasture lightly the first
year, and the next year use as a mea-
dow, the aftermath being grazed OF,
or, If the prospect for seed crop Is
sufficient to justify, use as a seed crop.
The second year SOW another field to
clover, or clover and timothy. The
basis for the first year Of the rotation,
which is clover for meadow or seed is
now secured. The second crop might
then be corn, and, if the land is In
good condition to begin with, the third
crop may be corn. If the ground is
somewhat worn, take one crop OF corn,
then seed the land to some crop of
small grain, either wheat, oats or bar
ley, after which again SOW to clover.
This, therefore, makes a short rota-
ton, as follows: First, clover; sc .ond,
corn; third, oats sown with clover; or
longer rotation of first, clover; sec
ond, corn; third, corn; fourth, small
grain with clover. This may be extend.
ed year longer by using timothy and
clover instead Of clover, when the rota.
ton would be: First, clover for mea.
dow and pasture, or meadow and seed
second, pasture; third, corn: fourth
corn; fifth, small grain, with which
timothy and clover is to be sown
\ Where winter wheat is grown success
fully rotation of this kind may be
adopted: First, clover; second, corn
third, corn, in which winter wheat may
be drilled either before or after cutting
off the corn. A favorite rotation in
many sections, particularly south Of the
central line Of Iowa, extending through
Eastern Kansas and Missouri to the
Allegheny mountains, is: First, clover
and timothy for meadow and pasture
or seed; second, corn; third, oats
fourth, winter wheat, followed by clio
yer and timothy. Some Missouri farm
erse have adopted the following: First
clover; second, wheat sown with tim
othy; third, timothy meadow; fourth
pasture, upon which manure is applied
fifth, corn; and sixth, oats sown will
clover. West of the Missouri, where
tame grasses cannot be grown success
fully with nurse crop, the following
is suggested: First, corn; second, man
moth clover sown alone which can b.
pastured closely during July and Au
| pal l1Su1dAAy LAO 1dLCcI WOuLu
} then turned under for wheat-the thir(
crop in the rotation-the wheat ground
sown in spring, with mixed clover'
and orchard grass as the fourth, ant
: these used as meadow for the fifth
the sixth and seventh being used a.
! pasture. This rotation might be oh
jected to on the ground that in tw,
years out Of several there is no none.
crop. The objection has much force
, and yet the increased returns from tn,
other five years may much more thar
make up for the apparent loss Of crop
in the two years in which the grasse
are being established. Any Of these 70
tations involve stock growing; for tn
object of rotation, and especially th,
object in view in clover growing, will
not be secured unless the forage ant
large part of the grain thus grown il
fed out and returned to the land in til,
shape Of manure.