The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-04-19
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

By crop rotation is not meant simply the
| changing from one crop to another as cir
| cumstances, convenience or accident may
| determine, but the systematic 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
| embOdy several distinct features. as for
| example: Crops which mature in different
seasons of the year in order that the labor
ers of the farm may find profitable employ
ment; 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,
if possible, of some crops which restore the
elements of fertility exhausted by other
crops; both grain crops and forage crops;
and, finally, one or more cleaning crops
that is, those which either smother ont
weeds or furnish ample opportunity for de-
stroying them IN the cultivation demanded.
for other reasons, by the crop. Fpr the above
reasons, says Wisconsin, Farmer, q rotation
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-
nlps, 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 cloyers, and what are known ordi-
narily as root crops. In addition TO the
above, let every rotation contain some plants
which are soil feeders; that is, crops which
restore nitrogen, the most expensive and
most important element Of fertility. 1t
necessarily contains crops that are sOil-rob-
bers, as, for example, all grains without ex-
ception.
The introduction of rotations generally
begins with the introduction of clover
growing. Having determined to fix on a
system of crop rotation suitable to the farm,
the first thing to be done is to select q field
TO be sowed down in clover as the beginning
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 q
meadow, 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 condi-
ton 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 kind of small grain, either wheat,
oats, or barley, after which again sow to
clover. This, therefore, makes short rota-
ton, as follows: First, clover; second, corn;
third, oats sown with clover; or longer ro-
tation of first, clover; second, corn; third,
corn fourth, small grain with clover This
may be extended year longer by using
timothy and clover instead of clover, when the
rotation would be: First, clover for meadow
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 a rotation Of this kind may be adopt-
ed First, clover; second, corn; third, corn,
in which Winter wheat may be drilled
either before or after cutting of the corn. A
favorIte rotation In many sections, particG-
larly south of the central line of Iowa, ex-
tending through eastern Kansas and Mis-
souri, to the Allegheny Mountains, is First,
clover and timothy for meadow and pasture,
or seed; second, corn; third, oats; fourth,
Winter wheat, followed by clover and timo-
thy. Some Missouri farmers have adopted
the following: First, clover; second, wheat
sown with timothy; third, timothy
meadow; fourth, pasture, upon which man.
ure Is applied; fifth corn, and sixth, oats
sown with clover. West of the Missouri,
where tame grasses cannot be grown sue
cessfully with nurse crop the following lis
suggested: First, corn; second, mammoth
clover s0wn alone, which can be pastured
closely during July and August, particularly
the latter month, then turned under for
Wheat-the third crop in the rotation, the
wheat ground sown in Spring, with mixed
clovers and orchard grass as the fourth, and
these used as meadow for the fifth, the sixth
and seventh being used as pasture This
rotation might be objected to on the ground
that in two years out of several there is no
money crop. The objection has much force,
and yet the increased returns from the other
i've years may much more than make up for
the apparent loss of crops in the two years
In which the grasses are being established.
Any of these rotations involve stock growing;
for the object of rotation, and especially the
object In view In clover growing, will not be
secured unless the forage and a large Eart
of the grain thus grown Is fed out and
returned to the land in the shape of manure.
The Bordeaux Mixture which was used
so extensively last season for spraying con-
tains copper sulphate and quicklime. The
is six pounds of the former to four
of the latter, in 40 gallons of water. Dis
solve the copper sulphate by putting it in
bag of coarse cloth, and hanging this in q
vessel holding at least four gallons, so that
it is just covered by the water. Use an
earthen or wooden vessel. Stake the lime
In an equal amount of water. Then mix
the two, and add enough water to make 40
gallons. 1t is then ready for immediate use.
For rots, molds, mildews, and all fungous
diseases.