Sliccession-cro'ps 



415 



son; (2) the tillage demanded by the first crop in the series 

 should be such as will leave the land in proper condition 

 for the succeeding crop; (3) the crops should be so much 

 unlike each other that they will not tend to deplete the 

 soil by demanding similar elements, and will not carry 

 diseases and insects from one crop to another. 



It is usually preferable to grow crops of different botani- 

 cal families, for by this means the fertility of the soil is 

 not so likely to be impaired, and diseases and insects are 

 starved in the rotation. It is well to follow root-crops with 

 fibrous-rooted surface-feeding crops. In some cases the 

 succession may extend over parts of two years, as when 

 strawberries are followed by late potatoes or cabbages. In 

 -this case the strawberries are set the year before the suc- 

 cession-crop is grown. A crop of rhubarb or asparagus 

 may be followed, when the crop is finally turned under, by 

 a short-season crop, thereby allowing the cutting of the 

 asparagus or rhubarb in its last season. It is usually best 

 to follow a perennial crop with an annual. 



When the succession-cropping extends into general farm 

 operations, one or two entire seasons may be covered by 

 each crop in the series. In this case we have a true rota- 

 tion of crops, as that term is understood by most agricul- 

 tural writers. The value of rotation in the vegetable-gar- 

 den, by means of which lands are rested in clover or other 

 sod crops, has already been discussed (Chapter XV). 



Following are examples of succession-crops: 

 Strawberries, followed by main-crop cabbage or late potatoes. 

 Peas, followed by cabbage, beans, tomatoes or celery. 

 Onions, beans, early beets, summer squash by l^ale, turnip, 



kohlrabi, winter radish. 

 Spring spinach by beans and tomatoes. 

 Radish and bunch onions by early cabbage or celery. 



