THE ROTATION OF CROPS 37 



be either winter or spring, and, furthermore, wheat may be substituted 

 for any of the last-mentioned crops in either of the rotations. 



Space will not permit the enumeration of all the rotations that are 

 possible. With a clear understanding of the underlying principles and a 

 knowledge concerning the utilization and market value of the crops to be 

 grown, any farmer may plan crop rotations best suited to his farm. 



Methods of Planning and Recording Rotations. It is a principle 

 that there should be as many fields as there are years and crops in the 

 rotation, unless two crops can be harvested from the land in one year. 

 It is also advisable that the fields be as nearly of equal size and produc- 

 tivity as possible. This provides for uniformity in distribution of work 

 from year to year, as well as in the utilization of the products. Where 

 livestock dominates the type of farming, it will often be found advisable 

 to adopt two rotations, one known as the major and the other as the 

 minor rotation. The former will include the staple crops grown both 

 for feed and market, while the latter provide soiling and annual pasture 

 crops. In such a scheme the minor rotation should be located near the 

 farmstead where the small fields will be easily accessible. The tabulation 

 on preceding page shows how a five-field rotation may be planned, and 

 serves as a record of what has been and what will be in every field in any 

 particular year. 



REFERENCES 



"Field Crops." Wilson and Warburton. 



"Soils and Fertilizers." Snyder, pages 131-159. 



Minnesota Expt. Station Bulletin 109. "Rotation of Crops." 



Ohio Experiment Station Bulletin 182. "Maintenance of Fertility." 



Rhode Island Expt. Station Bulletin 135. "Crop Rotations." 



