THE ROTATION OF CROPS. 117 



growth and greater power of acquiring food, assists in 

 renovating and improving the soil. 



Rotations to be Adopted. The rules which govern 

 the adoption of systems of rotation, under the conditions 

 that now exist, are general and flexible, rather than spe- 

 cific and fixed. To grow the crops that pay the greatest 

 profit per acre should be the aim, and rotations should 

 be modified in such a way that the least profitable crops 

 should contribute as much as possible to the development 

 of the most profitable. The character of soil, climate, 

 availability of farm-labor, location, markets, all have an 

 influence in determining what the most profitable crop 

 may be. 



For instance, hay may be high in price in a given 

 locality: the soil is dry and sandy; hay burns on the 

 ground ; the yield is light, and it does not pay to raise 

 it, even at high prices. In another locality sweet potatoes 

 may bring three dollars per barrel : the land is a clay, 

 cold and heavy ; it is suitable for hay, not sweet potatoes. 

 Keverse the order, and both may be profitable crops. On 

 the light, sandy land the rotations adopted should be such 

 as contribute to the best development of the sweet pota- 

 toes, and on the heavy clay, such as aid in preparing 

 the soil to produce the largest hay crop. 



The climate, in the same manner, places a limit upon 

 the production of certain crops. A short, cool season is 

 not favorable for the corn crop ; it will not mature : hence 

 corn should not be included in a rotation under such 

 conditions. In many cases farms do not pay because 

 their owners have not studied their conditions in refer- 

 ence to paying crops, and adapted themselves to them. 



