306 THE MANAGEMENT OF MARSH LANDS 



Crop Rotation. — Rotation, or at least a change of crops, on 

 marsh soils is advisable (Chaptei XV). Many farmers who spe- 

 cialize in growing onions, celery, cabbage, etc., much prefer to grow 

 the same crop continuously on the same land. Little attention is 

 thus given to minor crops; and when a change of crop is made, it 

 is only when the principal crop is tkreatened with some insect or 

 plant disease. 



Some successful truck growers plan the growing of clover and 

 timothy at frequent intervals. This adds easily decomposable 

 organic matter (as sod), which aids the liberation of plant-food 

 elements and improves the physical condition of the soil. 



Some good rotations for general or dairy farming are as follows: 



A. — Corn (three to four years). Oats or barley. Hay (clover 

 and timothy).^ 



B. — Corn (two years). Oats. Hay. Pasture. 



C. — 1. Corn (rape sown at last cultivation). 2. Sugar beets. 

 3. Oats (seeded). 4. Hay (pasture may follow for fifth year). 



Corn is often grown two to three years in succession. Some 

 sow rape at the last cultivation. This is beneficial not only iu 

 furnishing some fall pasture (Fig. 204), but also in firming the soil. 

 After the original wild sod is subdued, it is often advisable to grow 

 corn or some other cultivated crop two or three years before grain 

 is tried. Too thick seeding of grain should be avoided, because 

 of the danger of lodging which necessarily smothers the seeding 

 of clover^ and grass. For this reason it is often advisable to cut 

 the first oat crop or two for hay to save the seeding. The preven- 

 tion of lodging depends, in a large measure, on the amount of seed 

 sown per acre and the use of proper fertilizers. A mixture of alsike 

 clover, timothy and red-top constitutes the most common grass 

 seeding for marsh lands. These are usually mixed in about equal 

 proportions. Medium red clover is sometimes used. 



Tj^es of Farming. — ^Four types of farming may be practiced 

 on marsh lands, viz., trucking, dairy or stock farming, grain 

 farming, and combination farming, as trucking and dairying. The 

 tj^e of farming practiced in any locality depends upon many fac- 

 tors, important of which are: The adaptation of crops to"" soil and 

 climate; nearness, to markets; availability, cost and seasonal 

 distributioh of labor; and injury from insects and plant diseases. 



Trucking is determined largely by the nearness to large centers 



^ Alsike clover, timothy and red-top is a coFunon grass or hay mixture 

 for marsh lands. 



