LENGTH OF THE ROTATION 



517 



applied to meadows at any time except during a few weeks 

 before haying, while it may be spread on pastures through- 

 out the year, though it is usually best to apply it to them 

 during the winter. In the South, where a perennial grass crop 

 is not often grown, manure is usually put on the land before 

 planting the principal crop, which is generally cotton or corn. 

 677. Length of the Rotation. The length of the rotation 

 depends on the crops which it includes and the system of 



Fig. 153. The manure spreader distributes the manure evenly over the soil 

 so that it can be plowed under without trouble and placed where it will be most 

 easily reached by crops. The easiest way to handle manure is to load it directly 

 into the spreader from the stable. 



farming which is followed. It may be a two-year, three- 

 year, or four-year rotation, or it may be planned for a much 

 longer period. The most common rotations are three-, 

 four-, and five-year ones. 



SOME SUGGESTIVE ROTATIONS 



678. Rotations for Various Sections. It is not possible 

 to outline a single rotation or even several rotations which 



