Vermont Agrictjlturax Report. 77 



In the first place, before much can be done toward increas- 

 ing productiveness in the case of many soils,, under drainage is 

 absolutely essential. No soil will produce good hay if it is 

 "water logged," or surcharged with water throughout the season. 

 Such, soils however are often among the most productive when 

 freed from surplus water and brought into good physical condi- 

 tion. Another important factor in the improvement of grass 

 lands is to alternate the grass and clover crop with the grains 

 or other annual crops. In other words a systematic rotation of 

 crops should be adopted. On most soils grass will not continue 

 to yield well without tilling the soil once in three or four years 

 at least. On a large dairy farm I have found the following rota- 

 tion to prove very satisfactory. ( i ) Corn for silage, to be grown 

 by plowing under turf in connection with the liberal use of stable 

 manures. (2) Oats to follow corn, the soil to receive a light ap- 

 plication of fertilizer. (3) Rye to follow oats without fertilizer 

 or with possibly 200 to 300 lbs. of a good grain fertilizer. (4) 

 Grass and clovers to follow the rye, for a period of three years. 

 The grass and clovers are seeded clear, or without a protecting 

 crop and the soil is most thoroughly plowed and harrowed, being 

 harrowed at least 8 or 10 times during a period of three to four 

 weeks after plowing down the rye stubble. Fifteen to twenty 

 two-horse loads of stable manure are well harrowed in before 

 seeding. It is important that this manure should be near the 

 surface to start the tender young grass and clover plants into a 

 quick and vigorous growth. Early seeding is of great advantage 

 too, because the soil is warm in August and the bacteria of nitrif- 

 ication will be rapidly transposing the much needed nitrogen in- 

 to a readily available form. This rotation requires that six fields 

 be available and the size of each should be controlled by the 

 amount of ensilage needed, judged by the average yield on the 

 kind of soil and in the climate where the farm is located. In 

 regions too far north to safely grow corn, potatoes might be sub- 

 stituted for the corn. But in this case we would advise (i) rye 

 sown on turfland, (2) potatoes, (3) oats, and (4) grasses and 

 clovers for three years. Clover may be sown on the rye ground 

 the spring after seeding, to be plowed under as a green manure. 

 This will provide a very valuable form of manure for the pota- 

 toes. 



TOP DRESSING WITH MANURE OR EERTIUZER. 



The grass crop is a large user of nitrogen. Unlike the 

 clovers it does not take nitrogen from the air. But the clovers 

 as a rule, are short lived, and do not remain in the newly seeded 

 ground much after the second season, so these cannot be depended 



