REPORT OF TEE DIRECTOR 31 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Rotation 'A.' 



This is of five years' duration, and contains a relatively larger proportion of grain to 

 roots and hay than ' C 



First year. — Grain. Plough previous August, top -work and rib up in October. 

 Seed down with the grain 10 pounds red clover per acre, which allow to grow to be 

 turned under the following spring. 



Second year. — Corn or other hoed crop. Apply manure during the winter or 

 spring at rate of 25 tons per acre, shallow plough in spring, turning under both clover 

 and manure. 



Third year. — Grain. Seed down 8 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike and 10 

 pounds timothy per acre. 



Fourth year. — Clover hay, two crops expected. 



Fifth year. — Timothy hay or pasture. 



On some farms no rough pasture is available, and more is required than any 

 of the above rotations supplies. Though it has not been tested here, we might men- 

 tion the following seven-year rotation as being likely to meet the requirements of 

 6uch a case: — 



Grain, clover. hay, pasture, hoed crops, grain, clover hay, pasture. 



In view of its long duration it would be preferable to supply the manure in two 

 applications, using part for the hoed crop, and part on the last year pasture in pre- 

 paration for grain. 



If an examination of the above rotations be made, there will be noted a few 

 desirable characteristics common to them all. 



1. Grain fields are always seeded down with clover, even though it be used 

 only as a fertilizer, as in the case of the first year of rotation ' A.' 



2. Grass and clover seedings are heavy. Increased crops of hay and rare 

 failures of a catch have justified them. 



3. Hoed crops form a large proportion of every rotation. An attempt to 

 farm a small area without a hoed crop was not successful. Weeds could not 

 readily be kept in check. 



4. No field is left in hay for more than two successive years. Our records 

 show that the second crop almost always costs more per ton than the first and 

 that succeeding crops are very liable to be grown at a loss. 



