Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-05-23
ROTATIONS TESTED.
Farmers Need Not Depete Soil
Fertility So Rapidly.

The work of the Experiment Sta
tion at University Farm during the
last twenty years has shown that
reasonable rotation With diversified
farming and live stock and the use of
manure maintains high average OF
productivity. returning a good profit
without depicting soil fertility.
The hest results were obtained when
fve-year rotation was used includ-
ing wheat, timothy and clover hay,
pasture, oats followed by an appi-
cation of eight tons of manure on the
stubble, and corn. When this rota-
tion was followed. 26.6 bushels of
wheat per acre were obtained as COM
pared with 2O.6 bushels in the case
of tbree-year rotation without
manure, and 1876 bushels in the case
of continuous cropping of wheat with
out manure. The three-year rotation
incl1ded wheat, clover and corn. The
| hay yield was g. g tons per acre in
the case of the fve.year rotation as
compared with 2.9 tons in the case of
a thre year rotation and 1.73 tons
Eiper acre in the case of continuous
cropping. The greatest difference was
in the yield of corn which was so. 8
bushels in, the fiVe-year rotation, 45.2
bushels in the three-year rotation and
26. A bushels in the case of continuous
1 cropping. Many farmers, following
a similar rotation. secure as good
results as these and on more favorable
soils may excel them.
A farm organized on this basis and
feeding the grain and the wheat bran
with the hay and roughage. returning
the manure to the land, selling wheat,
dairy products. beef, pork. mutton,
and poultry products shows a very
conservative type of farming. There
is however. in all of these products
an outgo of phosphate in excess OF
what is returned. The amount is not
large and as the soil phosphates are
readily available under such conditions
the effect on yield may not be OBJ
served for many years. When the
sale of such products is practiced,
therefore, phosphate in addition t.
what is in the manure should be re-
turned to the land. This may be ac'
complished by the purchase OF bran,
oil cake, and other feeds containing
this element. In this way the addi.
tional phosphate may be obtained
practically free of cost. Otherwise i
may be secured as ground phosphate
) rock which when spread with tht
a manure becomes readily available. Ii
! soils not we'll supplied the manure O.
decaying organic matter the groun'
2 rock is valueless, as it is not avail
able. In such cases the rock mus
f. first be treated with sulphuric aci'
and is then known as acid phosphate
Sometimes in very intensive method
:, 10th practices are followed. A LITTLE
y of the acid phosphate is used as
Q starter for the young plants and tn
t ground rock or bone meal furnishe
!. the later supply. AS stated above
however. the most favorable result
y are secured by returning to the soil
Q through the use of manure, the ele
e ments of fertility and organic matte
g removed in the crops produced.
% In this way we shall approach tn
nearest to maintaining virgin fertilit
y that it is possible to reach under il
/ tensive agriculture. "A. F. Woods
y Dean, Department of Agriculture
University Farm, St. Paul.