162 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



crops raised to the best ration for a dairy herd, it has been 

 thought wise to show a comparison of results — the relative 

 efficiency — of different systems of cropping on dairy farms. 

 This has been done by figuring out the amount of nutrients pro- 

 duced annually by the different crops in the various 

 systems. From the results thus obtained has been determined 

 the average amount of milk that can be produced by feeding 

 these crops to good dairy cows under ordinary farm conditions. 

 Four different systems of cropping have been compared, using 

 in each case, 160 acres of good land and producing all of the 

 feed on the farm, as this is the only way to make the four sys- 

 tems comparable. 



The Four Systems of Cropping. 



Four acres of every quarter section as called for in the 

 deed are used for public highways, and another four acres are 

 allowed for buildings and yards, leaving 152 acres for actual 

 cultivation. The crops raised and the rotation practiced under 

 each system are as follows : 



System No. 1. — Corn, oats, corn, oats, timothy, pasture, 

 pasture, pasture. 



System No. 3. — Corn, corn, corn, oats, clover, alfalfa, pas- 

 ture, pasture. 



System No. 4. — Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn, alfalfa, al- 

 falfa. 



The comparisons to be made here in detail show what one 

 going into the dairy business may reasonably expect to accomp- 

 lish from each of these systems; they should be of even greater 

 value to established dairymen by pointing out the great advan- 

 tage of raising the proper crops and adopting a good system of 

 rotation, especially one containing a large acreage of legumes, 

 preferably alfalfa, and also a large acreage of corn for the 

 silo. 



Figuring the Same Yields in Four Systems. 



The entire farm in each case has been figured as tillable, 

 and all the land of good quality and well drained. However, the 



