CHAPTER II 



How Rotations Help Out 



Crop rotation is not necessary for all kinds of 

 crops or for all lines of agriculture. The truck 

 farmer, and the florist, and even others, may pre- 

 fer single crops, even though great quantities of 

 plant food must be bought. The value of their 

 products is such that they can afford to do this. 

 The hay farmer often prefers a single crop system 

 to a change of crops, but to keep his grass thrifty 

 much top dressing is necessary. Pasture lands, 

 too, where permanency is the rule, must often wait 

 long years before they can find rest from change. 

 There are exceptions, however. The majority of 

 our people raise more than a single line of products. 

 Diversification is the rule. 



Nature suggests a rotation of crops. Cut a forest 

 growth and a change of trees comes on. Pasture 

 lands give way to weeds and thistles; blue grass 

 and Bermuda drive out the clovers and timothy. 

 Crops do best when furnished a fresh, productive 

 and well-tilled soil. Just as animals like variety in 

 food and new pastures, so plants want new and fresh 

 feeding grounds. We can readily see how a soil 

 is injured when a cultivated crop like corn or cotton 

 is grown on it year after year. The humus is 

 burned out, the soil hardens and deadens, the 

 elements of plant food especially needed for these 

 special crops become scant. The soil loses its 

 productive power. These troubles could be cor- 

 rected to a great extent by a change in the crops. 



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