86 



BULLETIN 341, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Every farmer who undertakes experiments with soy beans should 

 send to the State experiment station and to the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture for the latest literature relating to this 

 crop. 



ALFALFA. 



Thus far nothing has been said about alfalfa in this region except- 

 ing merely to mention the fact that some 75 acres of it were found 

 upon the 378 owner farms. Since this survey was completed the 

 area of this crop has considerably increased in Chester County. 

 Where the cultivation of alfalfa is successful it is a desirable crop 

 for live-stock farms, but the discussion of cropping systems involv- 

 ing alfalfa would lead into a field which is to be covered in another 

 bulletin dealing with cropping systems for the region of this survey 



Fig. 10. — Field of soy beans near West Chester, Pa., showing adaptability of this crop to 

 local conditions in area of survey. (Photo by E. K. Hibschman.) 



and other similar localities. It may be added, however, that on farms 

 having a considerable acreage of alfalfa the 5-year rotation outlined 

 in the middle of Table XLIX might be more satisfactory than the 

 6-year rotation. The alfalfa when once established should continue 

 to occupy the same field as long as it is producing a satisfactory crop. 

 The remainder of the farm could then be continued in the 5-year 

 rotation. 



FARM EXPENSES. 



The data obtained in this survey are not sufficiently extensive to 

 permit a detailed study of the relation between the expenditures for 

 different purposes and the efficiency of local farming. It is not 

 doubted, however, that such studies would give results' of interest 

 in connection with the problems of farm management. As records 



