Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-03-06
Capt. Bayior's Prize Essay--A Profit
able Rotation.

40 acres in cultivation, 20 timothy grass,
So blue grass-permanent pasture, 6acres
in experiment lost, and residue in orchard.
yard, garden and barn yard. The l4O
acres in cultivation and the 20 acres Of
timothy are in one inclosure no middle
fences and not pastured. The cultivated
part is in three fields between 46 and A
acres each, and each year one Is in clover,
one in corn and one in wheat. These
fields are long and one end is rear the
barn causing small loss of time in going
to and from fields. All rocks, stumps and
trees have been removed, so that all i'm
proved machinery can easily and profit
ably be used.
Ny rotation is clover, corn and wheat.
All barn yard manure in Fall and Win
ter is put on clover sod prior to breaking
for corn in Spring. Corn being a gross
feeder, can gather nutriment from coarse
manure better than wheat. The ground
i, carefully plowed in Spring, when sut-
fciently dry, narrowed and corn planted
with Hooser planter in rows 3 feet 6
inches apart. No commercial fertilizer
is used for none Is needed. The Pennsyl-
vania cultivator is used in cultivation
In September, corn is cut and put in
shock rows 80 yards apart. The land
between rows is fined and leveled by cul-
tivator and harrow aud wheat drilled in
the latter part Of September, without fer
tlizer at the rate Of 6 pecks per acre
As soon as corn is dry, it is husked and
fodder stored near barn, convenient for
feeding. As soon as fodder is removed
from corn rows, the cultiyator and har-
row are run over to fine and level them.
In the latter part of February or first of
March following, clover seed at rate of Z
peck to acre is sown in growing wheat
and on shock. The wheat is cut in June
and soon as practicable hauled off and
stored in barracks, so as to prevent the
killing of Young clover under the wheat
shocks. In August the mower is run
over the field clipping the stubbIe, rag
weed aud tops of the clover. These clip
pings are left on ground and act as mulch
for the young clover. Clipping the young
clover makes it spread and thicken. The
early part of June following this field
is cut for hay. making about 100 tons,
and in early part of September is cut
again for clover seed
Ny binder shed is within the 100 acre
inclosure and all implements are stored
convnient to work. A great deal Of time
and expense is saved by doing away with
middle fences, and the land can be more
easily kept clean.
The timothy field is permanent; cut
each year for hay and hay sold in our
county.town, which is close at hand
This field is helped by manure from town
and an occasional sowing of plaster.
All fodder, staw, Glove hay and about
corn crop is fed to farm stock, keeping
generally on hand head of horses, 4
cows, 16 steers and 80 hogs. The other
half of corn and wheat, timothy hay and
large part of clover seed is sold, as also
the steers and hogs.
Ny reasons for this rotation are as fol-
lows: 1t eliminates commercial fertilizers
and saves this expense and trouble, while
at the same time the fertility of the land
is being increased.
1t obyiates the necessity for Summer
plowing, producing wheat al the lowest
possible cost and allows larger acreage
of corn, more profitable crop.
Ny large permanent pasture field con-
tanning 50 acres, in which is fine spring
and running water, is used for grazing
steers, generally 16 each year. These cat
tie are bought in early Winter in Chicago
or Southwestern Virginia, fed fodder,
straw aud clover bay during the Winter,
grazed during the Spring, Summer and
Fall, stabbed and fed corn and clover hay
in late fall and early Winter and put on
market in January, netting fair profit
to me.
The other permanent pasture field con-
tanning 80 acres, is convenient to barn
and wind pump and is used for grazing
cows and horses. The two lots are used
for wheat and corn experiments and for
pasture. by hogs are confined in apple
orchard and make themselves useful there
as cuItivalors and as grub and insect de-
s,royers. Ny wheat crop the present
year averaged over 80 bushels and corn
/ 9 barrels per acre though the latter was
somewhat Injured by drought Expecl
to reach 40 bushels of wheat aud 10 bar
rels of corn.
III Hay Do as Much for You.