160 YARDS AND YARDING 



Crops to Use. — The following system of crop rotation has been 

 found to work out very satisfactorily where a double yard is used 

 for one pen: 



Date. Yard A. Yard B. 



March to April 30 Peas and oats Feeding 



April 30 to May 25 Feeding Peas and barley 



May 25 to June 15 Dwarf Essex, rape Feeding 



June 15 to July 10 ; . . . . Feeding Buckwheat and oats 



July 10 to August 1 Buckwheat Feeding 



August 1 to August 20 Feeding Cow peas and millet 



August 20 to September 20. . . Rye, vetch, clover Feeding 



September 20 to December 1 . Feeding Rye and vetch 



The dates mentioned are for the latitude of Philadelphia and 

 will vary slightly with location, but the crops mentioned will grow 

 well in most parts of the country. The birds should not be allowed 

 to feed on any crop until it is from four to six inches tall; if allowed 

 on the crop too soon it will not last so long. 



In following the above scheme, the rye and vetch which were 

 seeded in yard B about September 20 should be allowed to grow 

 until planting time in the spring; they will then furnish green feed 

 until the spring-planted crops are ready. 



It is not necessary to plow the yards for each planting. Two 

 plowings, spring and fall, are sufficient on most soils. A cultivator 

 will serve for preparing the ground, and a smoothing harrow for 

 covering the seed when so\mi broadcast. 



The average cost of growing and feeding succulent green feed 

 by the above system was found by actual experiment to be only 

 five cents per hundred pounds. The feed grown on outside land 

 and carried to the birds costs eleven cents per one hundred 

 pounds. 



Methods of Double Yarding. — There are three general plans 

 for constructing double yards (Fig. 107). 1. On many poultry 

 plants where the semi-community system is used it is best to pro- 

 vide two front or two back yards. The large single yard which is 

 commonly found may be divided, and will give an abundance of 

 room for the growing of crops. 



2. On extensive plants where long houses are used, it may be 

 possible to have front and back yards, planning the rotation so 

 that in fall and winter the birds will be ranging in the front yards 

 while a crop is growing in the back yards for use in early spring. 

 During the summer both yards should be rotated as often as 

 possible. 



