The Raymer enterprise., 1912-06-27
ROTATE CROPS ON DRY LAND
Process Of Frequent TlIIase During
Growing Season to Form Mulch
10 Of Importance.
(By PROF. ]. H. SHEPHERD. North Da-
kota Agricultural ColleRe)

kota Agricultural College)
Successful dry land cropping re-
quires frequent cultivation Of the
land-the dust blanket-either as an
incident to the cultivation Of corn.
potatoes or root crops or without a
crop, and the adding and conserva-
tion OF humus in the soil.
The conservation of moisture in dry
land farming is an immediate neces.
'sity. The fertility will last for some
time, and the weeds and insect pests
are items Of future contingency, but
moisture conservation must begin
when the soil is turned. Moisture
crop must have to produce at all.
and 1t is a prime necessity on new as
well as old land. Cultivated crops
Will bring about this result in many
districts.
Potatoes and root crops must be
struck from the list of rotation crops
In some districts or special provision
must be made against the drifting OF
the soil. Corn may not be success
In all dry land districts, and there
may be some sections which cannot
spare the moisture necessary to pro-
duce a cultivated crop. Where such
conditions exist, the dry land farmer
must adopt the summer tillage meth.
ods so successfully followed in the
Canadian northwest. A process OF
frequent tillage during the growing
season, which will maintain con.
stant blanket over the entire sur.
face. Is a necessity in dry land cul
ture There is special harrow with
spade-like shovels which loosens the
entire surface to depth OF three or
four inches, which is especially adapt
ed for maintaining a soil mulch. The
machine. is made in sections like q
harrow, and can be fitted out for n
two or four horse team as the owner
may desire.
The system Of planning a varied
cropping system for each individual
field is right in principle and safe
rule in practice. Peculiarly enough
1t improves the social conditions in
a community. That mixed farmers
remain longer In neighborhood than
those who grow single crop is the
universal experience In this country.
Mixed farming gives a longer tenure
of service for the hired help. and
thus enables the farmer to secure a
better class of hired men and women.
1t rlds the community Of the floating.
careless hobo help and brings In
their stead class Of men who think
while they work. and that alone will
double their efficiency in producing re-
suits in term OF years.
Few farms are run to the best ad
vantage which do not have two OF
more systems Of cropping on them
The small fields near the buildings
can be cropped to much better advan
tage by having them planned to suit
the live stock needs than upon basis
OF producing largely marketable
crops. On the other hand. 1t Is waste
full to put them into a system so per
manent as not to take advantage oi
the heavier supply Of manure and hu
mus which the live stock add to the
soil so regularly. The potato patch
should be changed about through
some minor rotation. for example, sc
that scabby potatoes will not be the
rule and so that the potato crop can
have advantage OF the manure where
pasture crops have been fed of and
where leguminous crops have been
grown.
Grass and forage crops In rota
tion are. In my opinion, prime neces
stiles system should be devised
which will produce maximum crops
when the field is sown. as the fixed
charges against field are very little
increased for a heavy crop over those
for an average crop and the net re
turns may be doubled.