CHAPTER XXI. 

 Three Year Rotation. 

 Three Years' Having fullv explained a four years' rotation of 



Rotation of i>j,i t-.- ,., 



Crops. crops, according to the Dtagram 54, which, with 



certain variations, may be adopted on many farms 

 in this country with success, it will now be in order 

 to explain briefly the advantages and disadvantages 

 of a three years' rotation. For this purpose divide 

 the farm proper (that which is under cultivation) 

 into three sections. Omit the second section of the 

 four years' rotation {Diagram, page 102). 



Cultivate as follows: One section in red clover, 

 for hay and pasture. This is plowed in August, 

 rolled, harrowed and cultivated at intervals until 

 October, according to various directions, then 

 manured and ribbed. This is followed with a hoe 

 crop and peas, then with a grain crop, again seeding 

 with clover. 



This system is desirable when only a limited 

 number of cattle are kept in the summer, the object 

 being to feed cattle and lambs during the winter for 

 export or home consumption. 



The advantages of this system are, first, the in- 

 creasing and maintaining of soil fertility by plowing 

 under the second growth of clover every third year, 

 and feeding all the roots, corn, fodder and coarse 

 grains. Secondly, the labor on the farm is more 

 evenly distributed throughout the year by this 

 system. 



With a disconnected or outlying portion of land 

 it may not be convenient to manure and cultivate 

 in the regular rotation. 



A three years' rotation may be followed by 

 leaving out the hoe crops and farm manure and 



