12 



BULLETIN 726, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



been evolved. Field experience ha'd to be accumulated before any 

 advanced steps could be taken. 



Prior to the year 1885 comparatively few men had set aside part of 

 their land for alfalfa, though the continued culture of wheat had 

 reduced the supply of organic matter in the surface soil and a change 

 in the method of cropping appeared to be essential. During this 

 early period' it was not thought that alfalfa could be used in a regular 

 rotation. This plant possessed a long tap root and farmers had the 

 opinion that the* crop could not be subdued readily. However, the 

 pioneer in this field soon demonstrated that alfalfa had many advan- 

 tages, and before many years had passed it was recognized as a basic 

 crop in the rotation. In all of the counties which were included in 

 this study a considerable acreage is devoted to this legume. Alfalfa 

 is the initial crop in the typical rotations that have been adopted in 

 these regions, as will be seen from the following outline of cropping 

 systems for four sugar-beet districts : 



No. 1. — Rocky Ford. 



Alfalfa, 3 to 5 years. 

 Cantaloupes, 1 year. 

 Beets, 2 years. 

 Cucumbers,l year. 

 Grain, 1 year. 



No. 2. — Greeley. 



Alfalfa, 3 to 4 years. 

 Potatoes, 1 year. 

 Beets, 2 years. 

 Beans or peas, 1 year. 

 Grain, 1 year. 



No. 3.— Fort Collins. 



Alfalfa, 4 years. 

 Grain, 1 year. 

 Beets, 3 years. 

 Grain, 1 year. 



No. 4. — Fort Morgan. 



Alfalfa, 4 years. 

 Beets, 3 years. 

 Grain, 1 year. 



The rotation given for the Rocky Ford district (No. 1) serves 

 merely as a type. Many of the estimates obtained in this district 

 did not provide any information on rotations. The form given has 

 been adopted on several farms and has proved to be a very satis- 

 factory system. The alfalfa is broken out early in the spring, after 

 which either cantaloupes or cucumbers are planted. A crop of grain 

 sometimes follows the alfalfa. In some cases beets are planted on the 

 newly broken alfalfa field. A few men stated that the alfalfa was 

 allowed to remain down for an indefinite period, the remaining crops 

 being rotated on the land under cultivation. 



In the Greeley area (rotation No. 2) 75 per cent of the reports show 

 that potatoes were planted as the first crop immediately after break- 

 ing alfalfa. A few men put in potatoes two years on the same land . 

 In a few cases peas or beans followed potatoes, then beets were grown 

 for one to two years, grain being sown the fourth year after breaking, 

 and the field reseeded to alfalfa. Farm practice studies show that 

 potatoes serve as a better crop to follow alfalfa than sugar beets. 

 The alfalfa roots interfere too much with the early cultivation of the 

 latter crop. Approximately 15 per cent of the farms used the sugar 

 beet as the first crop after breaking. On some farms grain, cabbage, 

 beans, peas, or corn is used to fill this place in the cropping series. 



