THE IMPROVEMENT OF MEADOWS 289 



359. Permanent Meadows and Their Improvement. 



The short-term rotation is in such general use in this country 

 that little attention has been given to the formation of per- 

 manent meadows, and there is considerable question whether 

 they are generally desirable. On lands which are too wet 

 for cultivation, permanent meadows may often be estab- 

 lished advantageously, but elsewhere, with the exception of 

 alfalfa meadows, two years is about the longest time for 

 which maximum yields can be expected. Insect pests and 

 plant diseases can be combated much more effectively in 

 a short rotation than in one in which any one crop occupies 

 the land for a considerable period, and as these troubles 

 are generally present, they furnish strong reasons against the 

 maintenance of permanent meadows. Where it is desirable 

 to maintain a field in meadow for a number of years, special 

 care .should be given to the selection of long-lived grasses. 

 Disking or harrowing every second or third year to prevent 

 the field from becoming " sod-bound, " applying well rotted 

 manure, and reseeding the bare or thin spots, will result in 

 profitable yields. 



360. Place in the Rotation. The hay crop usually occu- 

 pies a position following a small grain and preceding a culti- 

 vated crop. A common rotation in the Central states con- 

 sists of two years of corn, one of oats, and one or two of 

 grass. The meadow may then be utilized as pasture for a 

 year or two before it is again broken up for corn, or corn may 

 immediately follow. Where winter wheat is an important 

 crop, it may immediately follow the breaking up of a meadow 

 and in turn be followed by corn. In this case, the land is 

 again seeded to grass, with a second wheat crop following the 

 corn. A slightly different arrangement of this rotation is 

 corn, wheat, wheat, grass. If both wheat and oats are grown, 

 the rotation may be corn, oats, corn, wheat, grass, or the 

 order of the wheat and oats crops may be reversed, though 



