50 CULTIVATION METHODS AND ROTATIONS FOR GREAT PLAINS. 



THE RELATIVE MERITS OF FALL AND SPRING PLOWING DEPEND UPON 

 LOCAL CONDITIONS OF SOIL AND CLIMATE. 



In Tables XXVI and XXVII comparisons have been made between 

 fall-plowed and spring-plowed rotations. In Table XXVI four fall- 

 plowed and three spring-plowed rotations have been used, while in 

 Table XXVII only two rotations have been used. The results of the 

 two tables do not agree. The first table is probably the less trust- 

 worthy of the two, as it introduces several other factors, which 

 undoubtedly obscure the results of the time of plowing. The two 

 rotations presented in Table XXVII are strictly comparable, as they 

 differ only in this one factor. Neither of these tables gives results 

 that are at all decisive. The only conclusions that can be drawn 

 are: That the natural character of the soil, its physical condition at 

 the time of plowing, the holding of snow by stubble during the 

 winter, the liability to blowing during the winter, and the kind of 

 crop to be grown must all be considered. It would seem from these 

 results that, until further evidence is secured, the farmer should do 

 his plowing at the time that the soil is in best condition for plowing 

 and when he can use his teams and men to the best advantage. The 

 depth of plowing and the amount of harrowing after plowing must 

 also be determined by local and seasonal conditions. 



Table XXVI. — Spring plowing compared with fall plowing. 







Fall-plowed rotations. 



Spring-plowed rotations. 



)f fall 



Station. 



Year. 



Average value per 

 acre of wheat and 

 oats. No. 1. 



Average value per 

 acre of wheat and 

 oats. No. 3. 



Average value per 

 acre of wheat and 

 oats. No. 4. 



Average value per 

 acre of oats and 

 barley. No. 6. 



Average value per 

 acre, fall-plowed 

 rotations. 



Average value per 

 acre of wheat and 

 oats. No. 2. 



Average value per 

 acre of barley and 

 oats. No. 7. 



Average value per 

 acre of wheat and 

 oats. No. 9. 



Average value per 

 acre, spring- 

 plowed rotations. 



Difference in favor ( 

 plowing. 



Judith Basin, Mont 



Dickinson, N. Dak 



1909 

 1908 

 1909 



$20. 66 

 16. 03 



$18. 53 

 16. 33 



$21.11 

 15. 72 



$16. 79 

 15. 37 



$19. 27 

 15. 86 



$19. 40 

 18. 37 



$18. 53 

 15. 67 



$20.08 

 13.20 



$19.34 

 15. 75 



-$0.07 

 .11 



Do 



21.60 

 8.90 



20. 57 



21.17 



19.50 



20.71 



21.00 



19. 89 



19. 90 



20. 26 



.45 



Edgeley, N. Dak 



1907 



8.35 



7.47 



8.35 



8. 27 



8. 42 



5. 74 



2. 10 



5. 42 



2.85 



Do 



1908 



11.14 



8.78 



8.22 



8. 45 



9.15 



7. 83 



8. 65 



6. 59 



7. 69 



1.46 



Do 



1909 



19. 50 



19.72 



18.10 



15. 33 



18.16 



19. 33 



15. 35 



16. 54 



17. 07 



1.09 



Highmore, S. Dak 



1906 



14. 81 



14. 73 



16. 74 



15. 24 



15. 38 



14. 01 



14.17 



16. 25 



14.81 



.57 



Do 



1907 



13. 48 



14. 96 



15. 96 



12.16 



14.14 



14. 94 



11.95 



14. 48 



13. 79 



.35 



Do 



1908 



11.61 



12.16 



11.88 



11.14 



11.70 



13.10 



11.68 



13.50 



12. 76 



- 1.06 



Bellefourche, S. Dak.... 

 North Platte, Nebr. 

 Do 



1909 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 



17.16 

 10. 73 

 17. 62 



17. 01 

 10. 80 

 17. 36 



20.16 

 13.35 

 17. 54 



18. 79 

 9. 28 

 12. 09 



18. 28 

 11.04 

 16.10 



13. 55 

 11.96 

 12. 73 



14.16 



12. 99 



13. 28 



17.16 

 11.25 

 12. 48 



14. 96 

 12. 07 

 12. 83 



3.32 

 - 1.03 

 3. 27 



Do 



9. 98 



10. 04 



8. 41 



7.04 



8.87 



9.37 



8. 77 



9. 13 



9.09 



— .29 



Akron, Colo 



1909 

 1908 



11.34 



8.58 



6. 38 



7.85 



8. 54 



8.99 



8. 06 



6. 92 



7.99 



.55 



Hays, Kans 



5. 39 



4.19 



4.41 



7.66 



5. 41 



4.35 



1.65 



3.52 



3.17 



2.24 



Garden City, Kans 



Dalhart, Tex 



1909 

 1909 

 1908 



.75 



.66 



.70 



1.44 



.89 



1.39 



4. 03 



1.10 



2.17 



- 1.28 



Amarillo, Tex 



6. 71 



6. 67 



7. 38 



6.12 



4.72 



5. 91 



4. 73 



4. 96 



5.20 



— .48 



Do 



1909 



1.50 



2. 67 





1.04 











1.04 



















Average 





11.52 



11.16 



11.30 



10.14 





10. 77 



9.97 



9.43 

















187 



