The Madison journal., 1917-04-14

prepared hy the United states Depart
W,ut of Agricultural
In the corn and cotton sections of
the South lcgunr~ should hr grown to
fill in between the principal money
crops Ia furnish hay and pasture for
thc farm STOCK. 10 prevent washing 10y
covering the soil during The rainy sea-
son. und tu make the farm more fer
tile ana produrtivc. When t'Ic crow
ing of corn or cotton one wear follow
Ing another ou the same field cannot hr
avoided. crimson clover cor bur clover
should hr >nWn at the last cultivation
of these crops Ia serve :l> "a cover crop
AMI tn furnish green manure for IA"
next Regular crop. In The h"Il-Wrryil
sections where early planting of the
cotton is necessary. crimson or bur
clover will mol max" Il large growth
before the grusud must be piuwcd for
another crop of cotton. hut even i'm
This case il is we'll worth while tn pro-
vid" cover crop. Where corn aS
II money crop i continuous. iu>1cHd of
planting in the usual Way and follow
Ing with Il cover crop. the distance he
tween The rows may be- Widonrd and
rows of c"WpcaS. peanuts. soy beans. !
nr velvet beans may b" >oWn at the |
proper time alternately with rows nf !
corn. After the corn iS harvested the .
lcgumeS may b" hogg"d down. Whrrc- /
upon cover of winter vctch and ry,s
may still follow.
y tWo-ycar rotation of cotton and .
corn as tn" basic crops is much bet
ter than continuous culture of either .
of these crops alone. In this rotation.
cotton should always bc followed with /
crimson clover, bur clover. or winter
vetch and rye rs Il cover and green
manure crop; the rows of corn should
be alternated, when desirable. with Il
suitable legumc To te hoggpd off. hut
in all cases should be followed with
clover, vetch. or vetch and rye cover
crop. This cropping system affords
considerable winter pasture from the
fields regularly cropped and at the
same time maintains Il store of nitro
gen and humuS in the soil
\ still better cropping system than
the one just outlined is rotation Of
cotton. corn and winter oats in the
order given. In this cropping plan. II
cover crop aS heretofore given should
follow the cotton crop. The oats should
be Sown following the corn. LcSpcdcZa
may be- seeded with oats and will fur
niSh pasture or hay after the oats are
ell
peas or soy beans may be put in aS n
catch crop.
When field of alfalfa or other per
meadow or pasture Is wanted
where any regular cropping system is
carried out, any suitable field of the
farm may be used for this purpose
and later the field may be worked into
the regular rotation by planting il ,
first To corn and following in regular
order with the other crops. ,
Utilization of leguminous Crops.
Unquestionably the best way tn dis |
pose of forage crops is TO feed them ,
10 live stock. Lcgumes are rich in nj ,
rogen compounds, or protein, and fur !
1ish exceptionally good feeds for all
kinds of live stock. Alfalfa has been ,
substituted. in part. for ;
such concentrates as wheat bran and {
'ottonSeed meal for feeding both dairy :
lnd beef cattle. Good cowpea or soy !
bean hay is about equal in feeding value ,
o alfalfa. AlSike clover. bur clover. ,
eSpedeZa and sweet clover are not I
luite equal 10 alfalfa for feeding but '
ire all much more valuable for milk
production or growing young stock than G
ire timothy. r"dtop. Bermuda grass, or /
'ther nonlcgumcS. r
There should always b" Il good mix 7
ure Of lcguninouS plants in every per q
nancnt psSturr. This Is essential in {
'rder that the stock paStured may /
i've The best possible returns. and also n
hat th" fertility of the soil may be i
conserved. Some of the best lcgUmcS G