58 
HINTS ON RAISING FARM CROPS 
case, or when a crop is included in the rota¬ 
tion for the express purpose of plowing it un¬ 
der, then the physical condition of the soil 
is restored to something like its original struc¬ 
ture. 
Then there is the matter fo damages from 
insects and diseases. By raising one crop 
continuously, these pests are greatly encour¬ 
aged in their destructive work, as they have 
the same host to live upon, in the same place, 
every year. But by rotating the crops, these 
destructive agencies do not have the oppor¬ 
tunity to destroy the crops as much, as dis¬ 
eases and insects, in most cases, cannot travel 
very far from one field to another. 
Crop rotation also makes for safer farming. ; 
When the entire farm is put to the raising 
of just one crop, the farmer may make a 
“killing” or he may “sink.” At any rate, for 
the reasons already stated, he is lowering the 
fertility of his land. But more than this, 
seasonal changes, ravages of disease and in¬ 
sects, and other agencies that often enter in 
to ruin a crop, will have a minor effect on 
the farmer who has had enough foresight to 
raise a variety of crops rather than “putting 
all his eggs in one basket.” Diversification of 
farming operations is always the safest policy 
to follow. The most successful agricultural 
states are those that have not only a variety 
of crops at their disposal, but countless live 
stock to go along with the crops. They both 
go hand in hand. 
We have already mentioned in an earlier 
