The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-04-03
Tho Rotation of Crops.

The land gives the greatest crops
when the farmer provides plant foods
literally and rotates the crops grown.
When the farm is forced to yield to
its fullest capacity there is taken from
the soil those elements that principal
ly constitute its riches or fertility, and
unless the soil is provided with ma
terials containing those elements of
fertility 1t will, in the course of time,
tai required in its cultivation. Many
farmers are aware of that fact, and
use harnyard manure and commercial
fertilizers in order to supply the de-
ficieDcy. The farmers have within
their power, however, the means by
which the soil can be recuperated and
restored to fertility, ana every enter
prising farmer takes advantage of such
opportunities in order to bring his farm
to the highest degree of productive
ness. The practice of some system of
rotation of crops Is now considered es-
sential to good farming, and eXperi-
ence teaches that nothing will equal u
rotation of crops in maintaining fertil-
ity, in proportion to cost although
quicker methods may be resorted to
sideratlon in the work.
1t is not difficult to understand how
rotation of crops benefits the land, for
plants, like animals, differ in their
modes of existence and capacity for
feeding. When n field Is occupied by
clover the growing or matured crop,
when plowed under or fed to stock on
the farm, and then returned to the
farm in the form of manure, adds addi-
tional plant food to the soil. When
fed to animals only a portion of the
crop Is returned, but when the whole
crop is plowed under then the quanti-
ty is large. If crop of clover is too
valuable for plowlng under there is the
advantage of the sod and roots adding
more fertility TO the soil. Glover Is n
crop that demands both lime and pot
ash, and requires but little applied
nitrogen to make growth, but by shad-
ing the soil and utilizing the free
nitrogen of the air, assisted by bacteria
In the soil, it returns to the soil more
nitrogen than do those crops to which
nitrogen must be applied. AS clover
takes from the soil considerable lime
and potash, when the crop Is plowed
under then these mineral elements are
in better condition for use by the
next crop, while a larger proportion OF
nitrogen Is also left in the sell than
existed before the clover is grown.
Experience has taught farmers that
wheat and corn are capable OF filling
places In the rotation, and hence on
some farms there is system of rota-
ton by which grain, clover and pota-
toes are used, wheat and corn being
nearly always grown when clover is
the malnstay OF the source of fertility
in the rotation.
Rotation Is also intended to destroy
weeds on farms. In some sections the
practice is 10 have hoe crop; that is
in addition to the use OF the cultlva-
tor the hoe is used at least once over
the cornfield In order to more thor
oughly eradicate weeds, but farmers
object to the labor of hoeing corn,
and resort to the growing of potatoes,
cabbages, turnips or carrots If the hoe
is necessary. Those who use the hoe
in the cornfield claim that, while the
cost OF labor is greater, yet the weeds
are more completely removed. But no
system Of rotation can be said to be
complete. however, that does not in
clude some kind of crop that requires
the hoe, such as carrots or potatoes,
while In some countries, such as Eng
land, the rotation also includes the
hurdling Of sheep on the ground. tur-
nips and rape being grown for the AMI
mails to feed on the land. Farmers
should not. therefore. use narrow
system Of -5sation. but aim to employ
rs many crops as possible. as the land
win then suffer less from loss OF plant
food and the fertility of the soil Will
be more easily maintained.-Philadel-
phia Record. .,.-------4--.s.l-4-s--