The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-04-25
a TWC-YEAR THREE.COURSE
ROTATION,
Results of an Experiment on the Universit
Farm, Columbus, O.

Results OF an Experiment on the University
Farm, Columbus, q.
Wheat, clover and corn make a good
three-course rotation in this latitude
and climate. especially for dairymen.
Why not get these three crops from the
same land in two years instead OF
three?
The opportunity having presented
itself. 4 trial is being made here of this
two-year three-course rotation. We
had to begin with an old instead of a
new clover sod, a hay crop and n seed
crop having been removed in 1893.
This years crop of hay was cut from
7th to 18th of June. Then from 12th
to 10th of June the ground was plowed
as near four inches deep as could be.
rolled with tubular open land roller,
narrowed with spring tooth harrow
and again rolled, then planted with
two-horse planter, going over the
ground twice. thus putting the rows
80 inches apart instead of a inches (the
corn was planted three grains every 16
inches in the row, making 5o,460
grains instead of 1926 grains, the
usual number planted for grain crop
the corn being for soiling and ensi-
lage).
A few days after planting the
ground was narrowed with an ordi-
nary iron frame smoothing harrow,
three large sections being used, going
oves the ground at the rate of about
sixteen acres per day.
After this the ground was gone
a week with the Zephaniah Breeds
weeder, three teeth being removed
every twenty-five inches in order to
prevent injury tc the corr. This
stirred the ground slightly and pre-
vented many weeds getting start.
This ended the cultivation. and, ex-
cept 4 little work with the hoe, to
prevent Indian mallow seeding, no
more work was done until harvest
time
Ninety-iour and one-half tons, about
ten tons per acre, We're cut from the
field This cost, exclusive of rent.
for growing up to time of har-
vesting about 10 cents per ton, as may
be seen from the following itemizeG
Forty eight hours piowing. man and two
horse team. Z. 80 cents. si4 10
Twelve hours narrowing. man and two
horse team q. 30 cents. 90
Ten hours rolling, man and two-horse
team. O. 30cents. ..................... 8 90
and three-quartcr hours plant
ing. man and two horse team. a 80 cents. S 80
Five hours shclling seed. man q Is cents. 70
Six bushel seed. q 30 cents............. . co
AFTER PLANTING.
Eight hours rolling. man and two-horse
team, O. 30 cents. s...................--.... 10
six hours narrowing. man and two-horse
team, Gt30 cents NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l so
Seventeen hours wedding. man and horse.
G 2s15 cents. ..........- .......... SO
Total sse 10
The weather was extremely hot |
when the land was being prepared,
ind hence the cost was higher than |
,or preparing earlier in the season.
This is one of the disadvantages of the |
,otation. Another disadvantage would |
De occasional failure to get catch of |
dover on some soils. We hope this |
an be remedied by our being able, in
he near future, to show with not mis-.
,laced confidence, some other legume
fter the removal of the wheat. More
n this in the future.)
The land was badly infested with
norning glories (Convolvulus arven-
isl We think blowing the land at
hat time of the year gave them a de-
ided back-set-however careful exper-
ments are in progress here in regard
o destroying these pests.
The land was found to be in excel
ent condition when the corn had
een removed and two harrowings in
pposite directions, with the spring
Doth harrow put it in fine condition
or drilling in the wheat which is
ow looking well and promises q
arge yield. The labor cost of putting
n the wheat was about 81. 10 per acre.
1t seems to me that we have these
hree crops in two years at about the
anne labor cost. for preparation and
Utilization of soil as would have been
equired had but two crops-cloyer
nd wheat-been grown; or, in other
lords, we have ten tons per acre of
orn, as catch crop, for the seed and
arvesting.-F. z. Stump, in Agricult.
rel Student.