12 BULLETIX 693, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
land as well as irrigated land: the dry land is almost of necessity 
devoted to the production of grain exclusively, whereas the irrigated 
land is set aside for alfalfa, sugar beets, and truck or garden crops. 
It will be seen that this arrangement makes it impossible for some 
of these men to use grain at regular periods in rotation with sugar 
beets. Each crop has its adaptations, and these characteristics must 
be taken into account in planning the work of the farm. With this 
situation facing the grower, there is a natural tendency to allow sugar 
beets to follow beets upon the same field for several years; likewise, 
the hay crop is not disturbed for a comparatively long period. 
Alfalfa is regarded as an essential crop in all of the rotations which 
were suggested. It is usually seeded along with grain, although 
occasionally it may be started without a nurse crop. After a stand 
lias been obtained, the field is cropped annually for periods ranging 
from three to eight years. It is quite a common practice to leave 
the alfalfa for four to Rve years. Three to four cuttings are made 
per season, and the yields vary from 3 to 5 tons per acre each year. 
Generally speaking, the greater part of the hay is fed upon the farm. 
In the Provo and Garland districts the alfalfa weevil has damaged 
the crop seriously in recent years. This insect appears to work ex- 
tensively upon the first crop, and if its activity is not checked the 
second crop may be shortened materially. When much damage is 
suspected, cultivation is recommended. This treatment has proven 
to be effective in averting a loss which would otherwise occur. 1 
The Provo estimates indicate that alfalfa is grown upon the same 
piece of land for about five years. After breaking, grain was sown 
the first year on approximately 50 per cent of the farms which were 
visited. In a few cases grain was used for two years after plowing 
up the alfalfa. The sugar beet sometimes follows alfalfa, though 
this is not considered good management, because the alfalfa roots 
interfere to quite an extent with the early cultivation of the young 
beets. The use of grain immediately after plowing up the alfalfa 
gives the grower a chance to subdue the latter crop in part, and the 
soil can be tilled the subsequent season without pulling out or dam- 
aging the sugar beets. The potato was reported in four rotations, 
following grain in three cases, and coming after sugar beets on the 
fourth farm. However, the potato does not figure here as an im- 
portant crop, doubtless because potato diseases have damaged the 
crop appreciably within the last two or three years. The rule seems 
to be to plant beets after a crop of grain, which means the second 
year after breaking, then beet culture is continued for five years or 
more on the same ground. On a few farms the beet has been grown 
continuously for periods of 10, 12, and even as high as 18 years. 
i Farmers' Bulletin 741, '-Alfalfa Weevil and Methods of Controlling It." 
