CONCLUSIONS FROM EXPERIMENTS. 



67 



(5) The keeping of as much live stock of the most profitable kind 

 and the feeding out upon the farm and the returning of the manure 

 to the land of as large a proportion of the crops raised as is consistent 

 with immediate profits is also of great importance. 



In planning a rotation a recognition of the above-mentioned 

 principles will require that the following rules be observed: 



RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN PLANNING ROTATIONS. 



(1) Select as large a number of restorative and as small a number 

 of exhaustive crops as is consistent with the general plan of farm 

 organization. 



(2) Arrange the crops in the rotation so as to have the exhaustive 

 and restorative crops alternate as far as possible. 



(3) Observe the proper sequence, both between restorative and 

 exhaustive crops and between two exhaustive crops where it becomes 

 necessary to grow two such crops consecutively. 



(4) Select the best varieties or strains and use the quantity of seed 

 and the method and time of seeding best adapted to the locality. 



(5) Plow and prepare the seed bed at the time and in the manner 

 best adapted to the crop, the soil, the climate, and the most econom- 

 ical distribution of labor through the year. 



(6) Obtain all available information concerning yields, cost, and 

 prices of crops grown in the locality, and plan to grow those crops that 

 will yield the largest net return per acre with the least depletion of 

 soil fertility. 



(7) Feed as large a proportion as possible of the crops grown and 

 return the manure to the field. 



(8) Raise the kind of live stock yielding the largest net profit and 

 best adapted to the particular farm and locality and to the preferences 

 of the farmer who handles it. Very few farmers ever make a success 

 of raising any kind of live stock the care of which they do not enjoy. 



(9) Use perennial grasses, alfalfa, or clover in the rotation wherever 

 practicable, and where it is impracticable to do so raise rye, peas, or 

 sweet clover for green manuring to maintain the humus in the soil. 



It is believed that the tentative conclusions drawn from the results 

 of the investigations described in this bulletin will materially aid in 

 the establishment of rotations which will meet the above-mentioned 

 requirements. 



CONCLUSIONS FROM EXPERIMENTS. 



(1) The practice of summer tillage and alternate cropping has not 

 given results to warrant its recommendation as a safe basis for a 

 permanent agriculture in the Great Plains area, where spring-grown 

 wheat, oats, and barley are the staple crops. It may, however, be 

 resorted to as a safeguard or temporary expedient to guard against 



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