520 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



THE EFFECT OF ADOPTING PLiN 1. 



In this first outline plan it is seen that by the introduction of hay, a 

 large part of which is clover, into the rotation, thus augmenting the 

 humus and nitrogen content of the soil, and by the addition of 400 pounds 

 to the acre of steamed bone meal on each crop of corn, it may be expected 

 that the yields will be doubled and the income raised from less than $450 

 to $1,149 a year, with all expense charges remaining practically the same 

 as before, and in addition $125 paid out for steamed bone meal to help 

 maintain the fertility of the farm. These results would not be secured the 

 first year. The fertilized corn crop would first show the results of the 

 system and not until the third year could the above results be expected. 



The nearly 12 tons of grain fed, together with the 24 acres of oat straw 

 and 24 acres of corn stover fed or used as bedding on the place, will make 

 more than 100 tons of manurial material to be used on the corn. This, 

 with the plowed-under clover stubble, will keep the farm fairly well sup- 

 plied with humus. The 400 pounds of bone meal used on the corn, with 

 that furnished by the manure, will more than supply the phosphoric acid 

 removed by all the crops, and the only element of importance permanently 

 decreased in the soil is potash. There is such an abundant supply of 

 potash, however, in Illinois corn soils that this factor can probably be 

 neglected for several generations yet. 



In the above plan, should the farmer desire to feed about three hogs 

 for pork, he should let them run on pasture, and can estimate that it 

 will require about 15 bushels of corn each to bring them to a weight of 

 200 pounds at 10 months. 



The income of $1,149 per annum by the system of farming outlined 

 in plan I will pay only 5 per cent interest on a $15,000 investment and 

 leave but $399 to pay taxes, running expenses, labor, etc, so further 

 changes will be made as suggested in the following plan. 



PLAN 2 — A GRAIX AKD CLOVER-SEED FAE.M. 



In plan 1, just described, the usual system of operating the 80-acre farm 

 was modified in only one important particular. The rotation of corn and 

 oats was changed to a three-year rotation of corn, oats, and clover and 

 timothy hay, and the hay was sold for $8 a ton. Instead of selling the 

 hay, suppose only clover seed is sown — either mammoth, common red, or 

 alsike — and the whole crop saved for seed. How would this change affect 

 the income and fertility of the farm? 



The live stock kept on the farm would be 4 brood mares, 2 cows, and 

 2 colts, as before. The method of feeding them would be the same. One 

 man could do practically all the work on the farm, as before. The 400 

 pounds of bone meal per acre would be applied on the corn crop each 

 year, but instead of attempting to put up or market hay, only clover seed 

 would be sown and attention centered on the pi'oduction of a heavy clover- 

 seed crop. The rotation w^ould be (1) corn, (2) oats, (3) clover for seed. 



POSSIBILITIES OF CLOVE-SEED FARMING. 



What are the possibilities of clover seed as a standard farm crop? As 

 commonly handled— the first crop cut for hay and the second crop taken 



