South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-26
CROP ROTATIONS
OBJECT Of STUDY
Purdue University Soils and
Crops Department in Vari-
GUS Counties.

The soils and crops department
at Pudure university is conducting
experiments with II different crop
rotations involving several systems
Of soil management on experimental
fields at Scottsburg. North Vernon,
Westport. Bedford. Worthington.
Francisco, Wanatah. South Bend,
Huntington and on two different
soil types at Lafayette These in
vestigations which are under var
iety of soil and climatic conditions
are showing just what lime, ma
nure, legumes. drainage and various
fertilizer constituents are capable of
doing in tn way OF increased crop
production.
In some cases the crop yields
have been doubled and profits in
creased several fold. On the North
Vernon field two tons Of clover hay
are now produced where II formerly
failed TO grow, and the corn yield
have been raised from about 80 10
so bushels as the average Of the
last five years. Drainage, clover
and manure made the crops pro-
duced. reinforced with phosphates.
have brought this about at a cost
of less than $500 per acre per year
for the lime and phosphate. Wide
differences in the effects OF the vari-
Gus treatments are shown on the
different soil types.
Effects Of lining vary according
TO the acidity OF the soil from
almost nothing up 20 $1,000 per
acre per rotation OF corn, wheat
and clover.
Manure has shown values as
measured by crop Increases from
less than $500 to nearly $500 per
ton.
On the fiat, wet soil at Westport
and North Vernon, tile drainage has
more than paid for itself in the
first round Of the rotation.
Marked differences have been
shown on the different soil types in
their response to nitrogen. potash.
different phosphates. including bone
Stag, acid phosphate and raw rock
phosphate.
Breeding work for the production
OF improved varieties of farm crops
is going on constantly. Expert
ments TO determine the best cul-
tural methods for the various crops,
and especially for the newer crops
are answering many questions along
these lines One OF the more i'm
portant Investigations deals with
the causes Of clover failures and
the best methods of overcoming
them. In several localities exper-
iments with different grass mixtures
are being conducted. together with
seeding and pasture management.
Important soil fertility problems. es-
pecially some of those dealing with
soil acidity which cannot be an
swered In the field. are being work
ed out in the greenhouse labora-
tory.
Bulletins on all this work have
been issued from time 20 time and
list OF recent publications may
be found on the back OF experiment
station bulletins Nos. 20 and 21S.
and circular No. 70. Additional pub
locations on crop subjects still avail
able are:
Bulletin No. 124 and Bulletin No.
139-Giving results Of cooperative
tests Of varieties OF the more i'm
portant field crops.
Extension Bulletin No. Cow
peas and Soybeans.
Extension Leaflet No. 44-InOcu-
lation Of Legumes.
Extension Leaflet No. 59-Sub-
stitute Hay Crops.
Extension Le9flet No. S7-Selec-
ton Of Seed Corn.
Extension Leaflet No. 90-Test-
ing and Preparing Seed Corn.
Many typewriter articles deal
ing with spring wheat, sorghum,
broom corn, sugar beets, buckwheat.
Sudan grass, Japan clover and pop
corn are on file and bulletins giving
results OF experiments with legumes
In soil improvement and on spring
small grain crops are in course Of
preparation, also one on theresults
! OF the stations experiments with
manures. Much unpublished in
formation Is also available and the
| department stands ready TO answer
| county agents soil and crop ques-
! lions as far as possible o..