River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-07-06


growth without any danger of pud-
ding the soil, due to the presence Of
an over-supply of moisture, hence all
the work of cultivation can be done
with horse cultivators.
Systems of Rotation for Sandy SoiIs.
Due to the wide distribution of
sandy soils in Wisconsin, and the diff
ferent conditions and sentiment in
each locality, it is impossible to rec
ommend form of rotation for univer-
sal adoption. The one important fact,
however, that all sandy soils are low
in fertility and especially In nitrogen,
generally holds. For this reason the
acreage of grasses, cereals and cult
waited crops should be chosen with
this in mind, understanding thorough
ly that the nitrogen supply will de-
pend on the growing and handling OF
legumes. In laying out the land the
cultivated crops should be grown in
mated with strips of grass or grain
to prevent the sand from blowing.
If the farmer raises very little stock,
a three-year system Of rotation may
be practiced, putting one-third of the
field into cultivated crops like corn
and potatoes; the second third into
a grain crop, either rye or oats, seed
ed with mammoth clover; and the last
third into clover, blowing under the
second cutting for green manure. In
this system it is absolutely necessary
to pillow under the last cutting of
clover in order to supply nitrogen and
humus to the succeeding cultivated
crop and If barnyard manure is very
scarce this is good time to apply
commercial phosphate, and potash
fertilizers.
If a farmer is inclined to keep more
stock this rotation may be extended
one year, dividing the area of the farm
irto quarters and leaving the clover
field another year for pasture. This
makes it four rotation az follows:
first year, cultivated crop; second
year, grain; third year, clover; fourth
year. pasture. The manure if it is
quite well decomposed, thus benefit
ting the succeeding cultivated crop In
directly by an increased growth of
clover to be turned under in the fall.
Alfalfa In the Rotation.
In a five-year system of rotation it
becomes possible to introduce alfalfa,
and no farmer managing sandy soil
should fail to, try this crop. The in
reduction of this crop makes it desir-
esble to leave the field in alfalfa three
years out of every five with the other
two years given to cultivated crops
and grain. This system makes 1t nee
essary to raise considerable stock
in order to consume the alfalfa.
thus supply the soil with large
quantities of manure. Manure
should be applied at two different
times in the rotation, the first appli-
cation being made to the cultivated
crop and the second TO the first year
of alfalfa This form is very desira,
BILE with the exception that it does not
provide for any pasture, hence it may
be we'll to run the four and five-year
systems together.
In all three systems which are sub
ject to slight changes to meet local
conditions the farmer should make it
a rule to keep the ground covered
during the winter and consequently,
such crops as vetch or rye should be
drilled or seeded between the corn or
potato rows before the crops are har-
vested This would make it necessary
to harvest the potatoes with fork
instead of using an improved digger,
hence leaving the soil more firm. If
it is difficult to start clover or alfalfa,
they should not be seeded with a
nurse crop the first few years, and If
they fail at any time, due to weather
conditions, such crops as soy beans
or COW peas should be grown in their
place. The farmer in following these
systems of rotation will have less of
his farm in cultivated crops than is
generally found, and he will raise
more stock to consume his forage
crops. both of which factors will tend
to put his soil in a better conditions
both physically and chemically.