The Dermott news., 1916-05-18
SOILS AND SOIL FERTILITY
No. 8. Rotation OF Crops.

tens of farming there is nothing upon
which success or failure depends TO
greater extent than the method of
cropping the land. Experiments which
have been carried upon the oldest eX-
pertinent stations have shown conclu-
sively that cropping practices bear
very definite relation to the way the
soil fertility is maintained
As result of sixty years work at
the Rothamstead Station. England.
wheat in q good rotation gave nearly
double the yield per acre as WAS Oh
tanned from the same crop when
grown continuously on the same Gnd.
The yields under continuous culture
have fallen off most rapidly during
the first few years of the experiment.
During the last fifty years the falling
off under continuous culture has been
comparatively little. and has now
reached a stage AZ which II may be
maintained regularly. The expert
ments in America. though conducted
for shorter periods tend toward the
same results AT the Illinois station,
after ten wears continuous culture.
corn yielded thirty-hve bushels per
acre Rotating corn with oats and
legumes gave yield Of sixty fve
bushels OF corn per acre.
These figures are Of extreme impor-
lance when II is considered that cot
ton Is grown continuously on the same
land in Arkansas. and present low
Yields in large measure can be At
tributed TO this factor Experience
has shown that no nation state or
Gus agriculture without maintaining
soil fertility.
There are many reasons Why
the yields OF crop grown con
Ainuously upon the same land decline.
In the first place where certain
crop is grown continuously the roots
appear TO be adapted 10 the ABSORB
ton OF certain limited forms of plant
food In few years the amount of
this plant food available becomes re
duced and Yields decline Again.
under continuous cropping the fungus
ulSthSts " ulNu AlpupIt ihN ivy ~
able 10 multiply until they become
serious factor in reducing Yields.
Cotton wilt becomes serious menace
under such conditions. Likewise va.
rious experiments in the cotton belt
under boil weeyil conditions have
shown less damage done by the boil
weevil where cotton was not preceded
by cotton
A good rotation is easily planned by
studying the characteristics, feeding
habits. and effects upon the soil OF
different kinds OF crops. A review Of
the staple field crops will show that
these may be divided into general
groups for the purpose OF studying
and planning systems Of rotation
l. Cultivated crops. such as cotton.
corn and sorghum. when planted TO
allow for inter-tillage, have similar
effects in rotation. cultivated
crop is beneficial because OF the
cleaning effect il has upon most
weeds II is also an advantage in
aerating and pulverizing the soil, thus
aiding plant food To become available,
This advantage becomes a disadSan-
taxe when such crops are grown con,
tinuously on the same field
2 Pasture and meadow crops. acll-
ed humus crops are OF considerable
importance in maintaining the supply
OF organic matter. During the time
such crops occupy the land 4 turf OF
te tHk
AM the surface soil with vegetable
matter. When such q soil 10 broken,
the tvYf Of roots and stems 10 mixed
With tn emineral part OF the soil and
gives II q loamy. friAble nature not
occurred with grain or cultivated crops
unlsss farm manure 10 added heavily.
g. Green manure crops are those
grown for the purpose OF producing
organic matter that can be plowed I'M
der Such crops are beneficial in the
same way AS the meadow crops.
When these crops are legumes. the
nitrogen supply is rapidly restored.
l. Cover crops are those grown for
the particular purpose of covering the
land at those seasons OF the year when
the soil is likely to be eroded and sol
uble plant food lost by teaching
s. Small grain crops. such as/oats,
wheat. barley and rye can be used 10
good advantage IN producing food
stuffs for the farm such crops seed
ed in tho fan can serve the double
purpose OF winter cover crop and
hay. grain OF green manure crop.
A good rotation Viii consist of the
iudieious Attenuation OF the above
groups OF crops The warm winters
and the humid conditions which pre-
vail in Arkansas require the growing
OF winter cover crops and the turning
under OF green manure crops. In a
general way. good type of rotation
will be as follows one or two years
Of cultivated crops (eover crops plant
ed In the falD, the next year small
Grain crop followed by cowpeas and