ROTATION AND CULTURAL METHODS AT EDGELEY, N". DAK. 5 



The growing season of 1914 was generally favorable for crops, but 

 yields were reduced by drought, rust, and hail in the period immedi- 

 ately preceding harvest. 



The year 1915 was exceptionally favorable. The spring was dry, 

 but at no time after the 1st of May was there any suffering from lack 

 of moisture. There was some lodging and rust in wheat and oats, but 

 yields were higher than in any other year in the record. Corn eared 

 well but did not mature. 



Low yields of poor quality of small grains characterized 1916, but 

 the yields of all forage crops were exceptionally high. At no time was 

 there a lack of water. The prospects for all crops were of the best 

 until July, when rust developed with warm humid weather. Many 

 fields in the vicinity were not harvested. 



The driest year yet recorded at Edgeley was 1917. As a conse- 

 quence, the yields of all crops were comparatively low. The hay crop 

 was especially short. 



The comparatively low yields of 1918 were due to drought. There 

 was a decided response on fallow and corn ground, but the yields were 

 low where small grain followed small grain. 



In 1919 there was some damage from drought, but rust was chiefly 

 responsible for the low yields recorded. 



The 14-year average yield of wheat with all methods in use was 

 17.2 bushels per acre. Maximum yields of over 34 bushels per acre 

 have been recorded with all rotations and methods used except con- 

 tinuous cropping with fall plowing, which has attained a maximum 

 of 29.5 bushels. The highest yield of wheat recorded in the 14 

 years was 41.9 bushels in 1915 from wheat on rye turned under for 

 green manure. 



The average yield of oats was 34 bushels per acre. With all rotations 

 and methods maximum yields of 60 bushels or more have been pro- 

 duced. Three yields of over 100 bushels were obtained on fallow 

 in 1915. The highest yield recorded was 106.9 bushels on fallow in 

 rotation No. 19. 



The average yield of barley was 20.3 bushels. With all rotations 

 and methods maximums of over 32 bushels per acre have been 

 reached. The highest yield of barley recorded was 50.8 bushels, in 

 1915, on spring-plowed oat ground in rotation No. 7. 



The highest yields in every rotation were made in 1906, 1912, or 

 1915, with by far the most of them in 1915. 



Expressed in pounds per acre, the average yield of wheat has been 

 1,032, oats 1,088, and barley 974. The absolute maximum yields 

 recorded are: Wheat, 2,514 pounds; oats, 3,420 pounds; and barley, 

 2,438 pounds. In 1915, when the greater number of the rotations 

 made their highest yields, the averages were : Wheat, 2,160 pounds ; 

 oats, 2,550 pounds; and barley, 1,992 pounds. 



