566 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



our rotation and have one division in alfalfa, running a rotation of corn, 

 corn, clover on three fields; or we may use soy beans and omit the 

 clover." If alfalfa proves to be a satisfactory crop on this land, the clover 

 can de dispensed with, as alfalfa is a better hog pasture than clover. Mr. 

 Rowe's plan is to leave the alfalfa down as long as it thrives, then set a 

 new field in this crop and plow up the old one. The alfalfa will thus ro- 

 tate slowly around the farm without interfering with the three-year rota- 

 tion, 



SUBSTITUTES USED WHEN CLOVEE FAILS. 



The clover fails to catch about once in five years on the average. It 

 failed completely in 1901 and partially this year (1906). In 1901 it was 

 replaced by rye sown in the fall, oats and rape sown in early spring, and 

 soy beans sown in late spring. This year a light seeding of oats and rape 

 was added to the clover sod. When the pastures are short the deficiency 

 is made up by feeding more grain. 



One man is hired by the year and another from spring until late fall, 

 about nine months in all. When the temporary employee is a good hand, 

 employment is found elsewhere for him for the winter months, so that 

 he may be available the next year. Mr. Charles Rowe, the son of the 

 proprietor, when at home, takes an active part in the work of the farm. 

 This labor is not at all confined to the home farm, however, as Mr. Rowe 

 owns three other farms. He estimates that the labor used on the home 

 farm, in addition to that done by himself and son, amounts to about one 

 and a half men for the year. The wages paid are $22 a month and board. 



The work stock consists of one team of mules, one team of horses and 

 one driving horse. 



FINANCIAL RESULTS. 



During the past ten years the owner of this farm has been able to buy 

 another similar farm of 96 acres a few miles away, paying over $100 an 

 acre for it. Exactly the same system has been instituted on the new farm 

 with highly satisfactory results. This second farm is in charge of an 

 intelligent hired man, who gets good wages and a small percentage of the 

 profits. The owner and his son superintend both farms very closely and 

 the son does much of the work on the home farm. The father does his 

 share also, but not so large a proportion of the work as he formerly did. 

 He also owns another farm some miles away, too far to be managed di- 

 rectly by the owner. During the present summer an 80-acre farm near 

 by has been added to his holdings. Eight acres of this are to be put down 

 in permanent pasture and the remaining 72 acres divided into four equal 

 fields, to be managed exactly like the home farm. 



Last year 450 bushels of pedigreed seed corn were sold from the home 

 farm and a like amount from one of the other farms. On a neighboring 

 farm under Mr. Rowe's direction 200 bushels more were grown. The aver- 

 age price received was $1.82 per bushel. As already stated, about 120 

 head of hogs are sold annually from the home farm, A like number is 



