The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-02-16

age than the President-elect OF THESE
limited States, a business man, and
who knows whereof he speaks, or he
would not likely have Ventured tho
statement
AS applied to agriculture, diverslfi-
cation refers to the production OF
variety of crops upon the farm. But
it means, also, that the locality, the
soil markets, and other necessary CON
siderations. And further, it means
that whichever crops are selected, as
being suitable and profitable, shall be
grown under a proper System OF rota
tion-the theory of rotations being a
succession of crops shall only come at
certain intervals, and thus all the food
constituents Of the soil are drawn up
On somewhat equally.
When one crop is raised upon the
same land for several years in sue
ession, the crops begin to get less
md of proper quality. With plenty
f manure, the same crop may b.
;rown for a long time, but less ex
oense will be needed to grow crops
rhen in a good rotation.
Again, some crops require a large
mount of one particular constituent
md consequently draw upon that in
yredient so much that the supply Of
t becomes more or less exhausted.
With a suitable rotation Of crops, how
ever this is to be avoided as two
similar crops are seldom grown to-
gether, or in succession.
Space forbids an enumeration OF all
the benefits to be derived from crop
rotations, so a few will have to suf-
flee.
l One ingredient Of the soil is not
drawn upon more than another, as
together.
. 2 Less manure will be needed for
no two similarly feeding crops come
the various crops, as the natural plant
food Of the soil will not be so quickly
exhausted.
8 The land is better cleaned dur.
ing a good rotation.
4 The labor is more divided over
The whole year, and thus the expense
of cultivation will be lessened. In sin
gle cropping, or where several similar
crops are planted, their cultivation
comes nearly together, which means
extra help and teams. In a proper
rotation, this is prevented, and the
labOor is more distributed.
5. There is continuous supply CT
feed for the livestock as we'll as cash
crops to be sold. With good rOta-,
lion a catch crop can be raised now
and then, and thus incease the amount
of feed for the stock.
6 Some crops are good prepare
ton for others that are to follow, and
it is desirable. in the rotation, to have
as many Of this kind as possible.
Legumes, for example, leave a large
store of available heterogeneous matter
in the soil which benefits succeeding
crops.
Z The increase of destructive in
sects and fungi is hindered. When
insects and fungi feed on one particu-
lar crop they are destroyed and
Starved out. to a considerable extent
before that crop is again raised on
the same land. The conditions under
which certain crop is grown may be
favorable to these pests and they will
Increase if the same thing goes on
year after year; but when these con
ditions are changed by the different
mode of growth and cultivation they
are more or less destroyed-an i'm
portant consideration for our farmers
in this section Of the country.
Finally, diversification, with suit.
able crop rotations, means nothing
more nor less than properly balanced
farming, or which some have referred
to as sane" farming and there is no
other country, that has ever proved
permanently successful, either in
building up the fertility of the land, in
obtaining maximum crop production,
or in adding to and fostering the in
dependence of the farmer.