OUTLINE OF CROP MANAGEMENT 



early enough to allow the sowing of wheat in the fall. However, barley is considered to be a better 

 preparation crop for wheat, as it comes off the land earlier and does not deplete the moisture content 

 of the soil so much ; it therefore usually allows the making of a better seed-bed for the wheat. 



It must be remembered that 

 the rotation is not confined to a 

 single field. If a perfect system 

 is practiced, there must be as 

 many equal fields concerned in the 

 rotation as there are years in the 

 course, so that every crop is 

 grown on some part of the farm 

 every year. The farm is therefore 

 laid off into shifts or blocks. It 

 is unusual, however, that a farm 

 is suiSciently uniform in surface 

 and soil to allow of such a perfect 



Fig. 126. The common form of spring-tooth hay-rake. 



arrangement, and consequently the output of the various crops varies from year to year. Of course, 

 it is not expected that the entire farm is to be laid under a rotation system. Parts of it will be needed 

 for gardens, orchards, woods, permanent pasture, and for special crops. 



Not all the crops of the farm are adapted to rotation. The cereal and hay crops are most adaptable. 

 Cotton ordinarily is not a part of a rotation scheme ; and this is one reason why cotton-lands so soon 

 become "exhausted." The adopting of a short and good rotation, in which cotton would be the pivot 

 crop, would no doubt add immeas- 

 urably to the wealth of the south- 

 ern states. Some crops occupy 

 the land for a series of years and 

 therefore do not often become 

 parts in a rotation. Of such is 

 alfajfa, now largely grown in the 

 West and rapidly working its way 

 into the East. But even this crop 

 will probably tend more and more 

 to occupy a place in rotation 

 courses ; and in the South (and 

 even in other regions) this may be 

 enforced in order to overcome dis- 

 ease affecting the plant. 



Usually a rotation contains at 

 least one "mftney-crop," that finds 

 L direct and ready market ; one clean-tilled crop ; one hay or straw crop ; one leguminous crop. Form- 

 erly the manure was applied mostly to one crop in the rotation, but the tendency now seems to be to 

 distribute the application of some kind of fertilizer throughout the various years of the course. Some 

 crops, however, may receive the coarse manure, others the fine or rotted manure, and others the chemi- 

 cal fertilizer. It is now thought that there is advantage in rotation of fertilizers. In the Norfolk 

 system, manure is usually applied heavily with the root-course. Grass crops follow clean-tilled or 



"exhaustion crops.'' Pas- 

 turing eliminates the 

 weeds of tillage, compacts 

 the land following tillage- 

 practice, and provides ma- 

 nure in the droppings of 

 the animals. 



Fig. 128. A truss-frame sweep hay-rake. ^j^^ leguminous rota- 



tion crops most used in North America are red clover and cowpeas. The clover is adapted to the humid 

 North, cowpeas to the South. The use of the cowpea supplies the missing link in the rotation for the 

 South and makes humus ; it adds nitrogen, obviating the necessity of depending on chemical fertilizer? 



Fig. 127. Side-delivery rake of recent make. 



