make up for the extra cost incurred in the construction of suitable fences. The intro- 

 duction of a rotation including a few properly fenced fields would do away with all 

 trouble in this respect. 



2. All cultural operations of one kind would be in one field, thus lowering the cost 

 of reducing the travelling necessary from one small plot to another. All corn or hoed 

 crops would be together, all grain crops in one group, and all hay crops in another, 

 hence much time would be saved, and so cost of production lowered. 



3. Larger machinery . could be used. Where fields are few they are sure to be 

 larger, and larger fields can always be handled more cheaply with large machinery. 



4. Every field would receive its fair proportion of barnyard manure, and receive 

 this manure at regular intervals. In this way every part of the farm would be kept in 

 good tilth, and the whole farm kept up to its highest producing possibilities. As 

 operations are usually conducted on farms where no rotation is practised, certain fields 

 adjacent to the farm buildings or supposedly possessing some peculiar soil characteristics 

 are usually favoured to the disadvantage of the rest of the farm. Many farms include 

 small areas upon which practically all the manure is lavished each year, greatly to the 

 detriment of the rest of the farm, and much to the disadvantage of the owner. The 

 influence of a rotation in improving conditions in this respect can hardly be over- 

 estimated. 



5. Considerably less labour is required to keep fields in good condition where a 

 rotation is followed. While it might be claimed that ploughing a field every third or 

 fourth year would involve a large amount of labour, it can be stated on the other hand 

 that performing these cultural operations more frequently permits of their being per- 

 formed much more easily year by year. At the same time, if careful record be kept 

 of the amount of labour upon a field where no rotation is followed, it will probably be 

 found that practically just as many hours of horse labour or man labour have been spent 

 as where under a short rotation. 



6. Fields under long rotations or no rotations are almost certain to become infested 

 to a greater or less extent with weeds. Fields under a short rotation are practically 

 always clean, provided of course that the cultural operations are properly performed. 

 The value of the rotation in helping eradicate all injurious plant life is a point the 

 importance of which cannot be too much impressed upon our farmers in eastern Canada 

 to-day, where weeds are so exceedingly prevalent. 



Many other minor points might be cited in favour of the introduction of a rotation. 

 The above should, however, suffice to indicate its value on the farm. The rotation, as 

 I have attempted to demonstrate, is important, but no rotation can make up for poor 

 cultivation or faulty soil treatment. 



WINTER PREPARATIONS FOR CROP PRODUCTION ON 



THE PRAIRIES 



J. H. GRISDALE, Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, Ottawa. 



The demand for all grains will very probably be good in the fall of 1916. It will 

 therefore be all the more advisable to produce as large crops as possible. 



"Increase the area" alone, is a poor watchword. "As much as can be properly 

 handled" is the right idea. 



Early on the land, with everything ready beforehand and a fixed determination to 

 put the seed in well and to put in as many acres as you can possibly do well, will work 

 wonders in the way of raising the average acre yield and increasing the average acreage 

 under grain for each farmer. 



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