90 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



using from 6 to 10 pounds of this grain mixture for cows 

 milking 20 to 40 pounds daily, we can keep up the milk flow 

 economically. 



Perhaps this year we shall need to look for some other form 

 of protein, as cotton-seed meal is rather high. If we could get 

 alfalfa to grow in place of our native grasses, we should think 

 we had reached the ideal rotation for a dairy farm. 



Let us now look for a moment at the benefits derived from 

 this system : — ■ 



First. — After we have the system established, we have to 

 plow but 10 of these 30 acres of tillable land each year, or 

 one-third of our tillable area, as this system is adaptable to a 

 greater or less acreage. We thus reduce the labor required to 

 a minimum. 



Second. — We have "a good sod to run all our machinery for 

 spreading manure, sowing potash, lime, etc. 



Thi7'd. — The work is spread over nearly every month in 

 the year, in seasonable time to do it easily. 



Fourth. — The tillable fields are covered nearly all the 

 year, thus preventing soil washing and loss of fertility. 



Fifth. — The soil is constantly becoming richer in nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and potash. 



Sixth. — The only outlay for fertilizer is for the half-ton of 

 lime and 150 to 200 pounds of potash used per acre on the 

 rye and clover, costing about $6 per acre, or $G0 for the 

 10 acres; and $3 per acre for the small amount of fertilizer 

 used on the 10 acres in corn ; making a total of about $90 

 per year on the 30 acres of tillable land. 



If we find that it pays to use lime on our grass fields, this 

 would cost something more, but not exceeding $10 or $12 

 more per year, as doubtless one-half ton per acre, used once 

 in four 3Tars, would be found sufficient for the ordinary 

 grass plants. In this way we can fertilize and improve our 

 50 acres at a cost of about $2 per acre, or $100 for the whole 

 farm, as the large herd of cows, young stock and horses will 

 make manure enough to cover all these fields each year. 



Serenth. — There is no opportunity for weeds to go to seed 

 and make trouble the following year in the eovu field, as the 

 two and sometimes three cuttings of rye and clover prevent 

 thnt, and finally pnt the soil in the very best possible condition 



