328 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



1, potatoes or flax; 2, wheat aud clover; 3, clover; 4, wheat and rye; 5, 

 colza followed by turnips; 6, wheat and rye; 7, rye. 



On some of the better soils: 

 1, flax and carrots; 2, wheat; 3, rye followed by turnips; 4, barley fol- 

 lowed by turnips; 5, potatoes; 6, wheat and rye; 7, rye followed by 

 turnips ; 8, flax and clover; 9, clover. 



There seems to be no hesitation in growing several grain crops in succes- 

 sion, when there is a variety of crops in the rotation, but flax is seldom 

 grown oftener than once in five or seven years. Turnips, it will be seen, are 

 often introduced as a catch-crop after a grain crop has^ been harvested, and 

 the yield is frequently ten tons per acre. 



One of the most remarkable features of Flemish farming is the growing 

 of carrots with a crop of flax or wheat, and the mixture of two crops of a 

 similar character, as wheat and rye. The effect of this is undoubtedly to get 

 a greater aggregate yield, although the one may perhaps detract somewhat 

 from the yield of the other. When carrots are grown with flax or wheat, 

 the latter are pulled at harvest, and thus leave the carrots in full possession 

 of the soil. ' 



Wheat with carrots will yield twenty-four bushels per acre, and the carrots 

 with wheat will yield eight tons per acre, or with flax ten tons per acre. 

 The flax being harvested earlier than wheat gives the roots a longer 

 season by themselves. 



Most of the sales from the farm are animal products, rape oil, sugar when 

 beets are grown, and wheat. Machinery is but little used on account of the 

 small plots under cultivation, and the low price of labor. 



In this densely populated country farm wages are only eighteen cents a day 

 in winter and about twenty-five cents in summer. 



The live stock on a farm of ten acres would average two cows, one year- 

 ling, one heifer and two pigs. As a horse on a small farm is an expensive 

 luxury, cows are quite generally used to perform the required team work. 



On account of differences in climate, markets, value of land and cost of 

 labor, the Belgian system of farming cannot, as a matter of course, be 

 strictly copied in this country, but it is very suggestive in regard to the 

 direction in which efforts may be successfully made in improving the light 

 soils of the plains. 



With these preliminary remarks we may now proceed with the discussion of 

 the main question in which we all have a particular interest: What is the 

 best system of farm practice on the light lands of Crawford county? 



Greater skill is required for the successful cultivation of light soils than on 

 the average heavy and loamy soils of a more stable composition, and a thor- 

 ough and consistent system of management must be practiced to secure a rea- 

 sonable return for the capital invested. 



A prescription of any definite routine system of practice will not answer 

 the purpose, as the problems constantly arising are varied by every change of 

 conditions 



The soil of the plains, although containing all of the essential elements of 

 fertility, has no surplus wealth to supply the wastes of careless management, 

 and there mast be a Judicious conservation and active circulation of every 

 element of plant growth to secure the best results in its cultivation. 



Science clearly indicates the sources of waste and the causes of failure or 

 success, and the more we learn in regard to the composition of soils and crops 



