IMPBOVED HAT EOTATIONS 23 



cowpea, soybean, vetch and clover in a rotation, 

 and used as hay, are now recognized in part, and 

 wherever used they result in largely increasing 

 the amount of feed, without decreasing the total 

 yield of corn, cotton or tobacco. 



An improved rotation, recommended by the 

 Alabama Station, is (first year) corn with cow- 

 peas planted between the corn rows in May or 

 June; second year, fall-sown oats or wheat, fol- 

 lowed by cowpeas in June; third year, cotton. 

 The cowpeas, after the crop of small grains is 

 removed, are usually cut for hay, but may be 

 picked for seed, or pastured, or plowed under in 

 January or February. 



In California, and a number of the north- 

 western states, continuous cropping has been 

 generally practiced, although the desirability of 

 rotation is becoming apparent, especially in con- 

 nection with sugar-beet and wheat-growing. 



The main point, in all rotations, from the 

 standpoint of forage, is so to adjust the rotations 

 as to keep the land occupied, without sacrificing 

 in any great degree the number of cereal or root- 

 crops that may be grown. 



Land and seeding 



Another important consideration which is 

 beginning to receive the attention that the condi- 



