WHEAT — CULTURAL METHODS 325 



green manures and in many cases 'by the application of 

 commercial fertilizers. 



399. Rotations. — In the cotton-belt the crop pre- 

 ceding wheat is usually corn in which cowpeas have been 

 sown as a catch-crop between the rows. That it is advis- 

 able to have wheat follow a soil-improving crop like cow- 

 peas or soybeans when possible, has been amply demon- 

 strated by both farm experience and carefully conducted 

 experiments. In sections where red clover or crimson 

 clover do well these crops usually follow the wheat in the 

 rotation, the wheat being seeded after corn grown with 

 or without cowpeas. In devising a rotation for wheat the 

 farmer should keep in mind the following: (1) When pos- 

 sible allow the wheat to follow a soil-improving crop; (2) 

 the wheat should not occupy a position in the rotation at 

 which time the soil is foul with weeds, as they may render 

 the soil too loose for best results, or otherwise injure the 

 crop; (3) wheat should not follow oats or rye in the rota- 

 tion as these crops are likely to be followed by volunteer 

 plants the seeds of which, would become mixed with the 

 wheat. 



For the red clay and valley lands of the Piedmont sec- 

 tion the North Carolina Station suggests the following 

 rotation: First year — wheat with red clover sown in the 

 spring on the fall-sown wheat; second year — red clover 

 with the second crop turned under after maturity of seed 

 for soil improvement and for storing seed in the soil; third 

 year — corn. 



Duggar suggests the following rotation for sections where 

 red clover does not thrive: First year — cotton, with crim- 

 son clover seeded in September between the rows; second 

 year ^cotton; third year — corn with cowpeas between 

 the rows; fourth yfear — wheat followed by cowpeas. 



