Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1903-09-10
THE MANAGEMENT OF BOTTOM LANDS

AhE mANAUhMHNT OF BOTTOM LANDS
Over q great deal of our territory an
unsuccessful attempt has been made to
put certain lands in corn this year.
These lands we're too wet to pillow early
In the spring, they have been too wet
to cultivate a good deal of the time,
and the result Is poor and late corn
crop. We have from time to time
during the present summer been sug-
.gesting that, wherever ii Is possible,
these lands should be put into timothy
or timothy and clover. II we should
have 9 series of dry years these would
he among the most profitable lands on
the farm. If VIC knew Ia advance the
kind of weather we were to have we
would then know what to do. Not
knowing this we had better shape our
method OF farming these lands ia such
a way that we shall have fairly good
crops In dry years and the minimum OF
damage in wet years. While we can
not figure as to what any particular
season will be, we can count confident
ly that whatever has been will be:
that we viii have series of dry years
followed by q series Of wet years; there
fore, 1t seems to US that the greatest
profits can be secured by putting lands
Of this doubtful character into grass,
and preferably into meadow.
Assuming now that our readers
agree with us in this policy, that the
land has been in corn this year, or
that it has been abandoned on account
of wet weather and is producing no
crop except weeds, we suggest the
following policy: Where the land has
been abandoned go In at once and plow
and thoroughly prepare the seed bed
the same as you would for winter
wheat or for any other good crop:
that is, we would plow, disk, and har-
row until we had the soil in first-class
then we would SOW timothy,
followed the next spring with clover.
Where the land is In corn we would
harvest the corn when 1t was ready.
then go on with disk and thoroughly
disk the ground. Disk it two or three
times and then SOW the timothy. or.
If the land was intended to be used as
q pasture next year instead OF mead
ow, we would SOW rye and use ii as a
pasture.
We can not deal with particular
cases, but simply outline a general
course Of policy. These low-lyine
lauds are usually very rich and Ii ones
seeded TO timothy and clover, and ot
these we would prefer alsIke to anF.
other variety, will produce fine crops
OF hay from year 10 year for whica
there is good market when it is net
desirable to feed 1t on the farm.
While the hay crop does not usually
give the large returns ia cash that
corn or winter wheat does, il requires
much less labor and less cash expense.
There are seasons and localities where
the seed crop becomes very valuable.
Where Ii is intended, however. TO
grow a seed crop we would not use the
alsike for the reason that you can rot
separate the timothy and alsfke seed.
In that case we would use the common
red clover. we are satisfied that.
both this year and last, lands OF the
character above mentioned that hsve
been in hay havs been far more profit
able Than when the attempt has been
made To grow corn or oats and thai tkey
Will In The future be more profitable
during vet seasons and fairly profit
sablp In dry seasons. Wallaces' Farmer