Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-08
Crop Rotations for Maine Farmers.


(Clarence A. Day. County Agent, Washington
County. Machias, in Farmers Week)
Crop rotation is a Systematic arrange
ment for growing different crops success,
lively on the same soil and aims to cover
every foot OF available land on the farm
in definite period OF years. The kind
of rotation that the business farmer will
adopt will be determined by two things:
the factors which uuderlie farm manage
ment, and the agronomic requirements
OF q successful rotation.
Above all the rotation should be 30 co.
ordinated With the other farm operations
that the farm will provide an adequate
Income. This income should be large
enough to pay all overhead charges, as
interest on the investment, depreciation,
taxes, insurance and repairs; to pay all
running expenses, as hired labor, grain,
fertilizers and seed; to pay the farmer
salary for bis labor and services as man.
ager sufficient to support his family In
comfort, provide suitable education for
his children, and enable him to lay aside
something as profits.
The type OF farming, and consequently
of the rotation, will be Influenced by the
market, location In respect to market,
trans portation facilities, climate, type of
soil, capital, labor conditions, size of the
farm, and the aptitude and ability Of the
farmer. Although In certain sections
specialized farming is most profitable.
the majority of farms In central and
southern Maine pay the best returns
when organized to do diversified farm
ing on live stock basis.
A successful rotation must provide for
the proper distribution OF labor, and
should be so planned that the farm bust
ness will provide the largest possible
number of days labor at the largest pos.
sible labor income per day. 1t should
also provide means maintaining the
supply of humus, Of applying manure,
fertilizer, chemicals, lime and green ma
nures to the best advantage. 1t must
offer the best opportunity for control
ling weeds, insects aud plant diseases.
It should furnish q means for fixing the
free nitrogen In the air In such form
that the plants can use It, and the crops
grown should not compete In their labor
requirements.
The rotation should include one or
more crops of four different types; C)
money crop, (2 q feeding crop, (Sa le-
guminous crop, and (4) hoed crop.
The three year rotation used BY potato
men,-1st year, potatoes; I'd year, oats
Sd year, clover,-fills all the require
ments. Potatoes give the money crop
and the hoed crop, oats and clover give
two feeding crops, the clover increases
the nitrogen supply and adds humus.
Barn manure can be plowed under for
the potatoes, or spread broadcast on the
new. seeded clover after the oats are cut;
fertilizer can be used on the money crop,
Fall blowing and the potato crop assist
in controlling weeds, insects and disease.
Labor is we'll distributed and the crops
do not compete.
Other good rotations are: potatoes,
oats, clover, olover;, or, potatoes, corn,
oats, clover. clover; or, corn, corn, clover,
mixed hay, hay, pasture; or potatoes,
strawb berries, strawberries, oats, clover.
Every farm presents problem by it.
self, aud the rotation should be adopted
after careful study OF local conditions.