154 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



handling of the manure. This, of course, is practically impos- 

 sible. As already mentioned, under ordinary farming condi- 

 tions, a loss of 50^^ is almost certain to occur. If the column 

 of ''Lbs. N. Recovered" be divided by 2, it will be seen that 

 the 'Xive Stock System" will not maintain the nitrogen of our 

 soil any better, if as well, as the grain or mixed systems. 



The two rotations under the so-called "Special Mixed Sys- 

 tem" differ from the rest primarily becailse of the introduction 

 of alfalfa. In the first rotation it is assumed that one-eighth 

 of the land (20 acres out of every quarter) be in alfalfa. This 

 rotation with three-eighths of the land in legumes will consider- 

 ably more than maintain nitrogen. 



The second rotatix)n, with one-tenth of the land in alfalfa 

 and with slight variation in the other crops, comes nearer to 

 an equilibrium than almost any rotation we have considered, and 

 though this exact rotation and general plan may not appeal to 

 everyone, it is, nevertheless, in many respects, ideal. Certainly 

 one-tenth of the cultivated acreage of every farm can very profit- 

 ably be devoted to alfalfa, and this feature may well attract 

 everyone's ambitions. i 



Summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of the vari- , 

 ous rotations and systems of farming, it will be well to note the i 

 advantage the live stock and mixed systems have over the grain | 

 system, so long as provision is made for the careful handling ; 

 of the manure. And this seems to be a point that should be en- ! 

 couraged, for as has already been seen, the live stock and mixed | 

 systems prove to be wasteful rather than economical and profit- 1 

 able, when the manure is not properly and carefully handled. 



Another deduction that should be reached is that we can"; 

 much more readily maintain our nitrogen the minute we intro- 

 duce alfalfa into the rotation. ''Alfalfa on Every Farm" is the | 

 gospel that has been spread far and wide. Its adoption goes far 1 

 in solving our nitrogen problem. 



In this, as in many other problems of similar nature, the ' 

 question of "profitability" comes in to exert a final and decisive ■ 

 influence. All our figures would be useless if they did not point ; 

 to some profitable and practical conclusion. But, rather than 1 



