172 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



short growing season or to those influenced in quality by the character 

 or form of a particular fertilizer ingredient. In this connection it should 

 be borne in mind that the legumes require only mineral fertilizers and that 

 crops that demand much nitrogen should follow the legumes. 



Some Suggested Rotations. — Crops should naturally follow each 

 other in such a way that each crop paves the way for the one that is to 

 follow. Best results will be secured when plants are not compelled to do 

 their part at a disadvantage. Wherever feasible, a large proportion of the 

 product of a rotation should be food for livestock. This provides for the 

 maintenance of soil fertility. 



In the northeastern part of the United States a rotation of corn, 

 oats, wheat and hay with various modifications dominates most of the 

 general and livestock types of farming. By omitting oats a three-crop 

 rotation results, which, if restricted to three years in length, makes for 

 soil fertility, provides a cash crop and at the same time furnished an abun- 

 dance of livestock food and bedding. This may be supplemented with 

 alfalfa, thus increasing the protein supply. On soils poorly adapted to 

 wheat this crop may be omitted and oats will take its place. In the north- 

 ernmost latitudes and at higher elevations the acreage of corn will be 

 reduced and that of oats and hay increased. Where markets are favor- 

 able and the soil is adapted to potatoes, this crop may be substituted for a 

 portion of the corn, thus increasing the cash crops at the expense of forage. 



Wheat generally proves a better crop in which to seed clover and the 

 grasses than does oats. In most parts of this section of the country the 

 grasses are seeded in the autumn and the clover seeded early in the spring. 

 Further south, both clover and the grasses may be seeded in the autumn. 

 The four staple crops above mentioned may be arranged into several 

 rotations with manure and fertilizers applied as suggested in the following 

 tabulation. 



Method of Fertilizing Crop Rotations.* 



Per Acre. 



Corn: 6 to 10 loads of manure and 25 lbs. of phos- 

 phoric acid. 



Corn: 6 to 10 loads of manure and 25 lbs. of phos- 

 phoric acid. 



Oats: no fertilizer. 



Wheat: 50 lbs. each of phosphoric acid and pot- 

 ash. 



Clover and timothy: no fertilizer. 



Timothy: 25 lbs. each of nitrogen, phosphoric acid 

 and potash. 



Timothy: 25 lbs. each of nitrogen, phosphoric acid 

 and potash. 



* Roughly speaking, 25 pounds each of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash may be obtained by 

 buying 150 pounds nitrate of soda, 175 pounds of acid phosphate and 50 pounds of muriate of potash. 

 The cost of the ingredients may be estimated from the following prices per pound, which will vary accord- 

 ing to circumstances: nitrogen, 18 cents; phosphoric acid, 4 cents; and potash, 5 cents. 



