SUCCESSION CROPPING 261 



true of early sweet corn and summer squash, though in some 

 cases the squash, which is really the incidental crop, may continue 

 to grow and produce for a long time after the corn has been har- 

 vested. Another combination in which the later crop is the 

 incidental one is onions and leeks. In this case the leek seed is 

 mixed thoroughly with the onion seed at the rate of about one 

 ounce to a pound, and the two are sown together. The onions 

 are harvested when they are ripe in August or early September, 

 but the leeks continue growing until almost time for the ground 

 to freeze. 



In succession cropping, each crop in the series is harvested 

 and the land usually cleared, plowed, and thoroughly fitted before 

 the next crop is planted. In this kind of cropping, each crop in 

 the series must be able to complete its growth in less than the full 

 season and must leave the land in good condition for the succeeding 

 crop. For this reason, crops subject to attack by the same insects 

 or diseases should not be grown following one another. In order 

 that the land may be occupied the full season it is necessary to 

 begin. with a cool season crop that can be planted early. If this 

 early-planted crop is one that matures in a short time, it may be 

 followed by a main season crop requiring warm weather. If, 

 however, the first crop occupies the land until midsummer, it may 

 be too late to plant a warm season crop, so that a crop that thrives 

 during the cool fall months may be the only kind adapted to the 

 combination. 



Any of the early spring crops, such as radishes, leaf lettuce, 

 spinach, green onions from sets, mustard or cress, may be used 

 as the first crop in a system of succession cropping. These can 

 be harvested and the ground cleared in time to plant a late crop 

 of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumbers, 

 beans, or sweet corn. In case the early-planted crop were cabbage, 

 cauUflower, peas, beets, carrots, or early potatoes, the land would 

 be occupied too late for planting most of the warm season crops 

 mentioned above, with the exception of dwarf string beans and 

 early varieties of sweet com. Early peas, beets, and potatoes 

 could, however, be cleared from the land in time to plant late 

 cabbage or cauliflower, rutabagas, turnips, kohlrabi, or winter 

 radishes. 



In some cases, three crops in succession may be grown on the 

 same land the same season, and the ground completely cleared 

 and plowed before the planting of each of the crops. In order 



