The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-03-15
Farm Notes..
TIE ROTATION OF CROPS.

nv lt' y lt'N VI lt)!'S.
The land gives the largest crops when
the farmer provides plant foods literally
and rotatcS the crops grown. When the
farm is forced to yield to its fullest capn-
city there is taken from the soil thoS"
elements that principally constitute its
| riches ~ fertility and unless the soil is
| provided with materials containing those
elements of fertility it will. in the course
of time, fail to repay for the labor and
capital required in its cultivation. Many
| farmers are aware of that fact. and use
harn-yHrl manure and commercial fcrtil-
| iz"rS in order to supply the deficiency.
| The farmers have within their power
however. tn" means by which the soil
can be rrcuppratrd and restored to fer
tility, and every cntcrpriSing farmer
takes advantage of such opportunities in
order to bring his farm to the highest de-
gree of productivcnrSS. The practice of
| some system of rotation of crops is now
considered essential 10 good farming, and
experience teaches that nothing will
equal II rotation of crops in maintaining
| fertility, in proportion To cost. although
quicker methods may he rrSortcd To il
| the expense is not Il matter of cOnSidrr;l-
ton in the work.
| 1t is not difficult to understand how ro-
tation of crops benefits the land. fol
plants. like animals. differ in their modes
of existence and capacity for feeding
When II field is occupied by clover. til,
growing or maturrd crop. when plowrd
under or fed to stock on the farm. and
then returned to the farm in the form OF
manure adds additional plant food to the
soil. When fed to animals only por.
ton of the crop is returned. but when the
whole crop is plowcd under. then the
quantity is large. If Il crop of clover is
too valuable for blowing under, there is
the advantage of the sod and roots add.
Ing more fertility To the soil. Glover il
II crop that demands both lime and Pc.
fash and requires hut little applied nj.
trOgcm to make growth, but by shading
the soil and utilizing the free nitrogen OF
the air. assisted by bacteria in the soil. il
returns to the soil more nitrogen than dc
those crops to which nitrogen must h,
applied. AS clover takes from tn" sol
considerable lime and potash. when III,
crop is plow"d under. then these mineral
| elements ar" in better condition for us.
| by the next crop. Will" II larger propul.
| ton of nitrogen is also left in the sol
than existed before the clover is grown
| Experience has taught farmers that
| wheat and corn are capable of iillim+
| places in the rotation. and hence on som,
| farms there is Il system of rotation lay
| which grain, clover and POTATOES are use,
wheat and corn being nearly always
grown when clover is the mainStay of the
source of fertility in the rGtntion.
| Rotation is also intended to destroy
weeds on farms. In some sections tlc
practice is tn have Il hoe crop: that is
in addition to the use of the rultivutor
the hoe is used at least once over the corr
| field in order to more thoroughly cradle
ate weeds. but farmers object to the
labor of hocing corn. and resort To til,
growing of putntocS. cahba@rS tulnps
or carrots if the hoe is necessary. Tho>,
who use the hoe in the coIn-iicld claim
| that while the cost of labor is greater
yet the weeds are more completely y"
moved. But 10 system of rotation cai
| he said to hr complete, however. that
| does not include some kind of crop that
requires the hoe. such as carrots or pota
toes. while in some countries. such H.
| England the rotation also includes tn,
| hurdlin& of sheep ON the ground. tuImip,
and rape being grown for the animals t,
| feed off the land. Farmers should not
| therefore. use II narrow system of rotH
ton, but aim TO employ as many crop,
as possible. rs the land will then suffer
less from loss of plant food and the fer
tility of the soil will be more easily main