FARM MANAGEMENT IN LENAWEE COUNTY, MICH. 27 



grow wheat, this rotation might well be conducted as follows: (1) 

 corn, (2) corn, (3) oats, (4' and 5) grass two years. 



The principal six-year rotation encountered on the farms studied is 

 (1) corn, (2) oats, (3) wheat^ (4, 5 and 6) grass three years. A rota- 

 tion encountered less frequently, but better suited to the conditions 

 of the area, is (1) corn, (2) corn, (3) oats, (4) wheat, (5 and 6) grass 

 two years. A modification of this system was found as follows: 

 (1) corn, (2) corn, (3) oats, (4) wheat and barley, (5 and 6) grass two 

 years. In this case wheat and barley of the fourth year occupy 

 jointly the same field in whatever proportion the operator desires to 

 meet the needs of his farm. The acreage of barley grown is usually 

 governed by the need of this crop as feed for hogs, or in some in- 

 stances, for dairy cows. 



After the five and six year rotations, four-year rotations were 

 most numerous, the most common of these being (1) corn, (2) oats, (or 

 wheat or barley), (3 and 4) grass two years. After this in order of 

 popularity, comes the following: (1) corn, (2) oats, (3) wheat, (4) 

 grass. A very desirable four-year rotation, found less frequently, 

 is (1) corn, (2) corn, (3) oats or wheat, (4) grass. In this rotation 

 barley might be allowed to share a part of the oats or wheat field if 

 this crop is needed on the farm. 



The addition of aKaHa to the average cropping system of the sec- 

 tion is very desirable generally, and since alfalfa can be depended 

 upon to produce hay for several years, it is the custom to set apart 

 a certain field of the farm for this crop, outside of the regular rota- 

 tion. A rotation well adapted to the condition in the area and which 

 is shown by the data collected to be a very profitable arrangement 

 of crops on the average farm, is as follows: 



First year Com. 



Second year Com. 



Third year Oats and barley. 



Fourth year Wheat. 



Fifth year Hay. 



Five years or more on a separate field Alfalfa. 



This rotation permits approximately 40 per cent of the rotation 

 area to be in corn, which is the percentage indicated as most desirable 

 in general in this section. Oats and barley together occupy about 

 20 per cent of the rotation area. These two crops, occupying the 

 same field together, may be varied in acreage to suit the conditions 

 of the individual farm. The wheat crop occupies about 20 per cent 

 of the rotation area. Since this rotation provides for only 20 per 

 cent of hay, whatever more is needed is supplied by the alfalfa crop. 

 If this arrangement produces a surplus of hay, some of the grass of 

 the fifth year may well be pastured or plowed under to improve the 

 soil. 



