414 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



yields than will be received where a crop follows itself in succession, as in 

 the West, for years. 



Theoretically, deep and shallow rooted plants, narrow and broad-leaved 

 plants, plants maturing early and late, and plants of diverse feeding char- 

 acteristics should alternate. 



If our trial, which only in part meets these considerations, is emphatic in 

 its support of rotations, then we can fortify science by art in our efforts to 

 induce our farmers to adopt rotation of crops. 



THE ROTATION. 



Plat 9. Wheat to follow wheat, unmanured. 



Plat 10. Wheat to follow wheat, manured, 1,200 poilnds annually. 



Plat 11. Four years' rotation, manured, 1,200 pounds annually, and 

 crops as follows: Wheat, clover, corn, potatoes, wheat. 



Plat 12. Wheat, corn, wheat, or two years' rotation, manured with 1,200 

 pounds yard manure annually. 



Plat 13. Same as Plat 11, or four years' rotation, unmanured. 



Area, 1-10 acre; soil, clay loam, with compact subsoil at fifLeen to eighteen 

 inches deep. 



By some error or oversight the plats were not all recorded for 1884. The 

 winter of 1884 and '85 was severe on the plats, which were somewhat 

 exposed, resulting in badly winter-killing the wheat. Grass came in abun- 

 dantly, and was allowed to grow, and its weight, with the wheat and straw 

 together, were taken. The ground was apparently of even quality, but its 

 history is unknown to me, therefore I cannot explain the uneven crops of the 

 first year. This was gradually eliminated, and the fifth crop, and the aver- 

 age of all of the crops were consistent with each other. 



TABLE OF YIELDS PER ACRE. 



The total yield of each of the plats, and especially the yield for the fifth year, 



