34 FOBAGE CROPS 



with the season and kind of crop, nevertheless 

 the cost of dry matter in the various crops, not 

 including the labor required to bring the food to 

 the barn, averaged about $6.50 per ton, while the 

 feeding -value of the dry matter was nearly as 

 great on the average as that in fine feeds, which 

 averaged over $20 per ton; and furthermore, that 

 the yield per acre of dry matter ranged from three 

 to four and one -half tons. 



In these experiments the land was used, in many 

 cases, for three crops, and in others for two; or, 

 in other words, the soil was constantly occupied 

 with growing crops. It is more than likely that 

 the expense of growing these crops would be much 

 greater in the East and South than in the richer 

 lands of the Central West, because, in addition to 

 the manures, it is usually neeessaiy to apply com- 

 mercial fertilizers in order to secure maximum 

 crops. 



ROTATION SYSTEMS 



As already indicated, in soiling systems it is 

 necessary, in order that the largest returns may 

 be obtained and that a continuous supply of forage 

 may be provided, to adopt systems of rotation 

 that will result in the largest yield of food per 

 acre. It is impossible to give rotations that are 

 likely to be most useful for all conditions, as cli- 

 mate, season, and adaptability of crop, vary widely 



