FARM MANAGEMENT IN CATAWBA COUNTY, N. C. 19 
The visible but unrecorded cropping history of the region is full of 
examples of these long rotations. How successfully they have ful- 
filled their mission is shown by the fact that these old fields, when re- 
cleared and planted, yield almost if not fully as well as when put 
under cultivation the first time. 
On the better grade of lands conditions have been such as to foster 
a shorter rotation. The strong lands first cleared of the original 
forest growth continued to give profitable crops for a considerable 
period, perhaps a dozen years or more. From 2 to 5 years of rest 
then suffices to bring them back into a profitable state of fertility. 
The second cropping period was generally of shorter duration than 
the first while the time for recuperation was fully as long. Thus in 
the course of time lands come to be cultivated from 3 to 5 years and 
then lay out (rested) from 1 to 2 years, while occasionally they were 
cropped 2 years and rested 1. 
The shorter rotation consisted very generally of nonleguminous 
plants to be disposed of- commercially, and broom sedge, weeds, and 
brush during the soil-resting period. The completion of a cycle in 
the rotation required from 3 to 7 years, according to the degree of 
exhaustion of the soil. 
Neither of these natural rotations has entirely gone out of use. 
"Land resting" is still practiced on a considerable percentage of the 
farms, but the practice is not so universal as it was a few decades 
ago. In 1912 12.4 per cent and in 1918 10.1 per cent of the tillable 
land in farms was classified as idle or resting. 
The turning out of land to grow up in second-growth or old-field 
pines is becoming less common with each succeeding generation, 
and bids fair to cease entirely, in the course of a few decades, or to 
be confined to lands which really should never have been put under 
cultivation. 
SUGGESTED CROP ROTATIONS. 
According to the findings of this survey, rotations used in the 
Piedmont regions should give prominence to the cotton crop, un- 
questionably the most important and profitable farm enterprise for 
the area. The rotations should be such as to utilize to a very full 
extent the entire crop land of the farms. In general practice the 
rotation calling for some double cropping should be preferred over 
others. The rotation should be so planned as to prevent the neces- 
sity of resting land, and with a view to utilizing labor, teams, and 
equipment to the fullest possible degree. Due regard must be given 
to increasing soil fertility. To this end summer legumes and winter 
cover crops, both leguminous and nonleguminous, should be grown. 
In order to utilize teams and labor to the best advantage, consider- 
able land should be available for the late fall, winter, and early 
