SYSTEMS OF CROPPING 279 



present prices of hay, it will often pay to use a nitrogenous 

 fertilizer on the grass land if there is not enough manure. 

 Such farms usually sell dairy products, hay and wheat; 

 and buy grain feeds. 



Many variations are made in this system. One of the 

 commonest is to allow the grass to stand for more than 

 two years. Where potatoes are profitable, they may replace 

 half of the corn; then oats will follow both of these crops; 

 otherwise, the rotation is unchanged. The potatoes fur- 

 nish an additional cash crop, and usually add to the profit 

 if the soil is satisfactory for them. 



The following three-year rotation is practiced in sev- 

 eral potato sections that have light soils: Potatoes, wheat 

 or oats, clover and timothy. This allows one-third of 

 the farm to be in potatoes each year. The second crop 

 of clover is plowed under and sometimes the entire hay 

 crop. The grain and hay are usually sold. Little stock 

 is kept and commercial fertilizers are purchased in large 

 quantities. 



A good rotation for the corn-belt is corn two years, 

 oats, clover and timothy. Wheat may take the place of 

 oats. The grass may be left two or more years, and may be 

 used as a pasture if there is not a permanent one. 



For regions where alfalfa is successful, this crop may 

 be grown four years, and followed by corn two years 

 and small grain one or two years. 



For cotton farms, the most highly recommended 

 rotation is: First year, corn with cowpeas planted between 

 the rows or sown broadcast at the last cultivation; second 

 year, oats, after which a crop of cowpeas is grown; third 

 year, cotton. In starting this system, the best third of 



