308 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The gross income from this rotation, basing alfalfa at market price, 

 is grealer tlian for any other rotation which can be fullowed on the 

 farm, and varies from |t,000 to |r>,T()0, depending on the number of 

 animals which are kept and the auiount of grain which is purchased. 

 An interesting fact is that 42 cows can be kept when the necessary 

 grain feed is purchased, but the net income, after deducting the cost 

 of grain and labor, from 42 cows is bnt little greater than where 18 

 cows are kept and all the feed is grown on the farm. 



Rotation V, which is a three year rotation, gives clover once in 

 three years and is therefore a good cr()pi)ing system for maintaining 

 the hnnuis of the soil. The income, however, from this rotation is 

 slightly ditl'erent from Kotation I. 



In Rotation VI it is assumed that the 72 acres is divided into two 

 fields and that 36 acres of alfalfa may be grown continuously for live 

 years, while the other half of the farm is devoted to a three year ro- 

 tation. The advantage of this system is that where alfalfa can be 

 grown successfully it may be far more profitable to let this field stand 

 permanently as long as possible before reseeding, and when it is neces- 

 sary to change, the half of the farm devoted to rotation can gradually 

 be seeded to alfalfa and rotation established on the alfalfa area. 



Rotation VII is best suited to a farmer who desires to keep perma- 

 nently as long as possible only a small field of alfalfa. When it is ad- 

 visable to change, any other field may be seeded to alfalfa, as sug- 

 gested in the outline, and the area devoted to alfalfa be placed in 

 the regular rotation. 



With all of these rotations it is very desirable to grow cover crops, 

 which can be used for plowing down in the spring as green manure, 

 seeded at the last cultivation of corn or after potatoes, when potatoes 

 is to be followed by some crop which will be planted the following 

 spring. For this purpose, we suggest the planting of hairy vetch, es- 

 pecially on soils of sandy nature, but it is more advisable to sow with 

 the vetch some rye, wheat, crimson clover, or a combination of each, 

 which will give a support to the vetch and more vegetable matter to 

 turn under. We suggest where rye and vetch or wheat and vetch are 

 sowed to use a half bushel to three pecks of rye or wheat wdth 18 to 25 

 pounds of vetch. Several successful farmers are using 25 pounds of 

 vetch with five to six pounds of crimson clover per acre, and some are 

 planting vetch alone at the rate of 40 pounds per acre. One-half 

 bushel of rye or wheat with 18 to 20 pounds of vetch and 5 to 6 pounds 

 of crimson clover, in the regions Avhere crimson clover can be grown, 

 is a very desirable mixture. 



FARM EQUIPMENT 



The kind, amount and efficiency of farm equipment is a matter which 

 is receiving considerable study by our ofifice. Very little attention has 

 been given hitherto to the study of farm equipment, especially in re- 

 gard to the requirements on farms of different areas and different 

 types of farming. Dairy buildings, and especially the stables for 

 dairy cows, has received considerable attention in the last few years 

 and the Dairy Division of this Department is recommending plans for 

 sanitary stables. However, my observation of many dairy buildings 

 shows that on many farms which are producing high grade milk, a 

 great many of the stables are very expensively equipped, w^hereas on 



