The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-05-01
(The Reveille.)

The artificial factors Of crop produc-
ton are tillage, crop rotation, and ap-
plication Of plant-food materials. Crop
rotation is a scheme, not number of
separate practices. 1t is a term used
to designate system of recurring sue
cession Of plants covering a regular
period Of years, systematic arrange
ment for growing different crops sue
cessiVely on the same soil.
The rotation Of crops differs from
diVersifcation In that rotation means
one crop following another on the same
field, while diversification is changing
from the one-crop system, but growing
the same crop on one field year after
year. The Investigation of crops is
generally in the form of rotation, but
not necessarily so.
The value of system of crop rota-
ton has been realized for many years
by the most progressive farmers, but
it has not been put into use very much
by the average farmer. During the
last few years, however, most farmers
are beginning to practice some form Of
crop rotation. The main thing now is
to get them to practice a better system
Of rotation.
The practice Of growing different
crops in systematic succession on the
same soil was the outgrowth of obser-
walton and experience. The beneficial
effects were observed before the rea-
SONS for the effects were understood.
Among the things that a good system
Of rotation will do are the following:
~ Change the location Of the feeding
range Of plants; (2) change the de-
mand for individual plant-food constit-
uents; (3)make most advantageous use
OF remains Of preceding crops; (4) pro-
vide economical supply Of nitrogen;
(5) maintain supply of organic matter
in the soil; (6) keep soil in good physi-
cal condition; CD keep the soil occu-
pied most of the year; 80 reduce dan.
ger Of insects, weeds, fungi, which
often saves labor; (9) develop con.
tinuous and consecutive plan Of busi-
ness; 1O) provide continuous output.
A short discussion Of these reasons for
crop rotation will follow.
Some crops have shallow roots while
others have deep penetrating roots. If
the rotation is properly planned, there
will be deep-rooted crop following
shalloW-rooted crop and the change of
feeding-range will increase the supply
Of plant-food.
The all cotton crop or any onecrop
system will sooner or later exhaust the
soil Of its plant-food. Some crops use
more of the nitrogen and some use
more phosphorus, etc. In good rOta-
ton there will be plenty of plant-food
all the time for each crop.
After leguminous crop it is better to
grow a crop that needs much nitrogen
and that will make good use of the
nitrogen left in the soil. What is left
in the soil from any crop should be
utilized in the preceding crop by jul
diclous arrangement of the rotation.
Where there is a we'll arranged sys-
tenn of rotation Of crops, the farmer
will never buy any nitrogen in the
form of commercial fertilizer. The
leguminous plants will furnish the nee
essary amount If put where they be-
long in the rotation.
If cotton is continuously grown on a
field, the humus will soon be exhaust
ed, because the crop is kept clean and
nothing turned under to supply organic
matter. This organic matter can best