414 FARM MANAGEMENT 



separate pieces the same, because the old fields 2 and 6 

 are both divided. The table shows how the rotation 

 of corn, oats, wheat, and two years of hay could then be 

 started. By the end of the second year the rotation is 

 fully established. It is not always so quickly done. 



254. Relation of cropping and feeding systems. The 

 cropping and feeding systems naturally go together. The 

 variety of such systems makes a discussion of them very 

 difficult. Usually the farm should provide abundant 

 pasture for the stock kept, or, stated another way, no 

 more stock should ordinarily be kept than can be pas- 

 tured. The stock and stock products produced on 

 pasture are the cheapest gains. 



Usually the cropping system provides all the pasture 

 and roughage for stock. It is usually desirable to raise 

 most of the grain fed, except in the Northeastern States 

 and other regions where cash crops may pay enough 

 better to make it profitable to buy grain rather than raise 

 it. 



A horse or mule usually eats about three tons of hay 

 or equivalent in a year, and about 100 bushels of oats or 

 equivalent. Pasture may reduce the hay. In much of 

 the country, it is cheaper to replace half or all of the oats 

 with corn. About 70 bushels of corn is usually fed. 

 The amount varies with the work and other feeds. Before 

 one can do much figuring on such problems he must 

 find out the practice of the community. 



In fairly intensive dairy sections, in regions north of 

 Washington, cows usually eat about one ton of grain, 

 one ton of hay, and 4 tons of silage, or 1\ tons of hay if 

 silage is not fed. Again these amounts are exceedingly 

 variable. Some farmers feed very little grain and get 

 most of the milk in summer. 



