70 ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE 



needs to consider not only the immediate returns 

 that is, the amount of money he will get from his crop 

 this year but the effect that the crop will have upon 

 the soil. 



Crop Rotation. Good farmers have devised a plan, 

 known as "crop rotation," whereby they are able to 

 secure the greatest possible returns from the farm with 

 the least possible loss to the soil. This plan consists in 

 growing one kind of crop on a certain piece of ground 

 this year, another kind of crop requiring different food 

 materials and soil treatment next year, still another the 

 year following, and so oh. 



One Plan of Crop Rotation. Now, what should 

 form the basis of a good crop rotation? Let us see. 

 Suppose tobacco is to be grown this year. It is a 

 heavy feeder and therefore hard on the soil. A large 

 amount of soil matter will be removed with the crop. 

 This should be restored. But how? With barnyard 

 manure. Instead of planting tobacco next year, on 

 this piece of land, better try some light feeder. If the 

 soil is not too rich, oats will be a good crop to follow 

 the tobacco. Clover can be sown with the oats, thereby 

 increasing the nitrogen in the soil. A crop of clover 

 hay can be taken off the third year and the second crop 

 plowed under. The soil is in good condition again, 

 and wheat or corn can be grown. Corn will afford an 

 excellent opportunity for a thorough cultivation of the 

 soil. A crop of peas may follow the corn. As you will 

 remember, peas belong to the legume family and re- 

 store nitrogen to the soil in the same way that clover 



