The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-10-30

10 SlmpllIy the planning OF rOta-
lions, field crops are divided into
three general classes according to
their effect on the physical condition
and available plant food Of the soil.
These three classes of crops are grain
crops, grass crops and cultivated
crops.
Under grain crops are placed such
crops as wheat, barley, oats, millet,
etc. These crops grow but one sea-
son, are sown usually in the spring,
and are harvested without intermedi-
ate cultivation. They do not devel-
op heavy root systems, consequently
leave but little crop residue to keep
up the supply of humus In the soil.
During the years when grains are
grown. weeds increase and the pro-
ductivity of the soil decreases.
Grass crops include such crops as
clover (though not true GRASSY tim
othy, bromus, etc. These crops grow
two or more years from one seeding,
consequently develop quite extensive
root systems. When plowed up, the
roots add materially to the supply of
vegetable matter in the soil and in
decaying leave open spaces between
the soil particles which allow the en-
trance Of air. These crops may be
termed soil building crops.
The cultivated crops are those
planted so as to allow intertillage
during their growth. In this class are
found corn, potatoes, and root crops
such as mangels and sugar beets.
The cultivation of these crops de-
stroys weeds, loosens the surface of
the soil, conserves moisture by the
formation Of surface mulch and al
lows the entrance of air, thus max
ing conditions favorable for the de-
composition Of vegetable matter.
It may be seen that a far better
condition of soil is maintained by a
good rotation of crops than by con-
tinuous cropping to corn or grain.
The grass crops maintain the supply
of humus and the cultivated crops re-
tain moisture, destroy weeds and help
to aerate the soil.
Instead of being a complex matter
difficult to understand and fmpracti-
cal to follow, systematic rotation
of crops is one of the simplest and
most easily carried out Of any of the
suggested improvements in methods
of farming.
Crop rotation may be defined as a
systematic. succession of the three
general classes of farm crops, namely,
grain crops, grass. crops and cult
waited crops, in such way as to pro-
vide large yields of grain, pasturage
and forage needed on the farm at the
least expense of labor and fertility.
This treatment cannot fail to keep
the soil in much better condition than
can be done by growing any one crop
continuously, and it may be brought
about by very little planning, and
without very seriously changing the
acreage devoted to each crop. Most
farms in the middle west have from
one-eighth to one-half their tillable
area in corn, and from one-eighth to
one-half in grass each year. All the
change that is necessary Is to arrange
these crops according to some regu-
lar system of rotation instead of grow
ing each on the same field year after
year.
A few people hesitate to begin the
rotation Of crops because they have
the idea that 1t necessitates dividing
the farm into small fields. It is true
that a certain number Of fields are
necessary to carry out rotation. 1t
Is also trus that On the average farm