Daiuy Farming in Canada. 475 



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of the experiment was to ascertain the effects on soil and crops of 

 different systems of cropping without the addition of manures or 

 fertilizers. One series of plots was devoted to continuous grain 

 growing, the same crop being grown every year on one part of the 

 series, and two grain crops alternating with each other on another 

 part. On another series of plots three different rotations were 

 followed, each one of which included wheat. The following table 

 shows the average yields per acre in bushels for the seven years, 

 18S7 to 1S93: 



Bushels 

 per aore. 



Wheat, rotation 21 . Gl 



Wheat, grain only 1 5 . 89 



Increase 5.72 



This shows that wheat grown in rotation with other grain and 

 grass crops has yielded 36 per cent, more on an average, than when 

 grown continuously on the same soil or in alternation with another 

 grain crop. 



Summary of Benefits. 



The great increase in crops grown in rotation over those grown 

 continuously, seems to be because more nitrogen is available to the 

 former ; and perhaps because it is available during the early period 

 of their growth, from the preparation of it by the preceding crop 

 or by the cultivation of that crop. Other benefits from systematic 

 rotation of crops are (1) the distribution of the mechanical opera- 

 tions of the farm over the season ; (2) the opportunity for cleaning 

 the land; (3) the comparative freedom from damage by insects, 

 and (4) the production of a variety of products for feeding to live- 

 stock and for sale. 



The Two Processes of Increase. 



In the growth of all plants that form farm crops there seem to 

 be two processes that govern the increase, and the understanding 

 of the principles of these will, I think, help any farmer and every 

 farmer to form rotations for himself that will be exceedingly val- 

 uable, whilst without an understanding of these principles he will 

 be always groping in the dark after the best methods. In the 

 growth of plants one set of conditions make for increase in the size 



