ROTATION OF CROPS. 123 



of 300 to 600 lbs. of cotton-seed meal, or 500 

 lbs. of a standard fertilizer. 



Importance of rotation recognized. — In the 

 rotation system the fact must not be lost sight 

 of that the soil may be kept free of weeds to 

 the best advantage. Grass land, followed by a 

 hoed crop, permits clean cultivation. 



The importance of rotation is recognized to- 

 day by the practical farmer, even though he 

 may not understand the principles underlying 

 the practice. 



In experiments at the Purdue University 

 station very notable gains are shown in favor 

 of rotation as applied to Indian corn. 



An experiment was begun in 1880 to com- 

 pare different systems of cropping without 

 using manures. On one series of plats grain is 

 grown in succession year after year, or two 

 crops alternating with each other, these crops 

 being corn, oats, wheat. On another series of 

 plats the same crops have been grown in rota- 

 tion with clover or timothy. . The yields of 

 corn on the two series for 1893, and the average 

 yields for the last six years, as given by Prof. 

 W. C. Latta, are as follows:* 



1893. Average for 6 years. 



Crops grown in rotation 22.2 bu. 31.99 bu. 



Grain crops only grown 15.1 bu. 27.46 bu. 



Gain from rotation 7.1 bu. 4.53 bu. 



* Purdue University agricultural experiment station, Bul- 

 letin 60, April, 1894. 



