The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-11-09
ROTATION OF CROPS.
BY A. D. Wilson, Extension
Division, Minnesota Agricui-
s.draI College.

: Division, Minnesota Agricui-
: sdraI College.
j. = :. :. \ :. :. :. = = !. :. :. :. !. = !.
Eye1 zone who has had experience
in farming, we believe, realizes the
value of the rotation of crops. By
the rotation of crops, larger yields are
secured, weeds are largely eradicated,
labor is better distributed throughout
the season, and there is less loss from
crop disease. There are, however,
many difficulties on the farm to en-
counter, which make it practically out
of the question to follow absolutely
definite system of rotation. Many
farms have waste land that can be
used for no other purpose than for
pasture or meadow. On such farms it
often seems impractical to seed down
much of the pillow land. This difficulty
can many times be overcome by de-
voting some of the grass land, seed
ed down, to the production of seed,
either timothy or clover, preferably
clover. Either timothy or clover
seed usually finds ready market;
and on the average it is certainly as
profitable as is a grain crop; beside
the fact that the soil is benefited by
producing the crop.
The matter of fencing often pre-
vents the practical working out of ro-
tation. If one can get good fence
about the outside of his farm, the
difficulty of fencing off different fields
is greatly reduced, as these fields can
be fenced off with temporary fences
that are quickly and cheaply con-
structed.
Getting Catch of Grass.
Another most serious difficulty en-
countered in attempting to follow
rotation of crops is that of the failure
to get a catch of grass when desired;
for in some seasons, like those OF
1910 and 1911, it is practically inn
POSSIBLE to get catch of grass. How
ever, this need not discourage one; it
simply holds one back. With soil
properly prepared, one can usually get
grass to catch at least eight years
out of ten. At University Farm it
has been found that the surest way to
get catch of grass is to seed the
grass with the grain crop, on land that
was in corn the previous year, and
/ not plowed for the grain crop The
/ land is MANFRED for corn, the corn is
we'll cultivated, then the land is disked
fnr in NJ
| crops. The manure added to the corn
! land is broken down, and some of the
elements liberated, while the corn
crop is growing. This leaves the soil
well supplied with plant food for the
young grass plants. The cultivation
of the corn crop conserves moisture.
! and leaves the soil better supplied
with moisture than does a grain efsr,
1t has been shown by accurate eXper-
/ mental work that a corn crop re-
! moves about three-fifths as much wa
! ter from the soil as an ordinary
grain or pasture crop. BY disking
land for the grain crop, instead of
blowing it, the soil is left in COM
pact condition, and is less likely to
| dry out than is plowed land. Thus.
the corn land furni~5 es three condi-
tions essential for getting good
catch of grass; namely, rich soil,
moist soil and firm soil.
Years When Grass Fails. j
J When one fails to get catch of
! grass, there is nothing to do but to
? 41o
crops as rye, rape, peas and oats, and
: in fact thick seeding of any of the
grain crops or corn, will answer fairly
well, though of course these crops are
, more expensive than the ordinary
! grass crops for pasture. To take the
place of hay, there is probably no bet
ter crop than fodder corn or silage.
/ The loss of the grass crop the last two
years has emphasized the great value
of silo on the farm. A silo of rea-
! sonable size and capacity will furnish
: an excellent quality of feed to help
, out short pastures or short hay crops.
. 1t is safe proposition to put in plen-
ty of corn, anyway, because corn is
! good crop and can be used either for
feed or for market. If the hay crop
proves good, the corn can be harvest
ed for grain, and either marketed as
grain or fed to extra stock If the hay
! crop and pasture crop is failure.
corn can be put in the silo to take the
place of both the hay and pasture.
While there are great difficulties to
overcome in working out practical
rotation, it is worth the cost; and lit
tie that is of value in this world is Sc
, cured without effort We believe
there is no one thing that will return
a greater profit on money and effort
! expended than will the working out
of a practical rotation on the farm.