SYSTEMS OF FARMING ON DAIRY FARMS 227 



I Q the best part of the corn-belt, corn is raised for several 

 years in succession because this is the most important crop. 

 A j.;ood rotation for much of this region is corn two years, 

 followed by one year of oats in which clover and timothy 

 are seeded. This may be cut for one or two years, or if there 

 is i ot a permanent blue-grass pasture, it may be cut for hay 

 om year and pastured one year. 



1 n regions where alfalfa is grown, systems of cropping are 

 not so definitely established. Perhaps the ideal dairy region 

 is c ne that is naturally adapted to corn and alfalfa and that 

 ha^ permanent pastures of blue-grass and white clover. 



1 n the South, a good rotation is cotton one or two years, 

 foil 3wed by corn. The corn is followed by one year of oats 

 anc cowpeas, the oat crop being harvested in time to raise 

 a c -op of cowpeas the same year. Cowpeas or some other 

 croi3 is sometimes planted between the rows of corn. This 

 system, together with Bermuda grass pastures, provides 

 legumes, corn, pasture, and a cash crop. The legume and 

 pasture are, however, more expensive to raise than are 

 the grasses of the North. There is room for a great develop- 

 ment of dairying in the South, but the greatest dairy centers 

 will remain in the regions where grass grows more readily. 



These are but a few of the great variety of cropping sys- 

 tems followed on different dairy farms. 



CASH CROPS AND FEED RAISED 



202. Feed and Cash Crops. There are many ways in 

 which the type of farming on dairy farms may be described. 

 Some of the most important comparisons are based on the 

 extent to which feed is purchased and the amount of other 

 products sold. The following are some of the different 

 methods : 



