06 SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 
One of the chief difficulties on long slopes is that of the tendency 
of little streamlets to collect into larger streams which greatly 
increase their eroding power. This difficulty can be overcome 
to some extent by laying out the fields in long and comparatively 
narrow strips on the hillsides so that the land which is in tilled 
crops such as corn or potatoes will alternate with land in grain 
or hav, thus greatly shortening the distance down the hill 
through which this accumulation of streams may take place. 
The sodded strips serve to check the flow of surface water, ab¬ 
sorbing it and carrying it off beneath the surface. 
A rotation which adapts itself to this system consists of corn, 
followed bv small grain followed bv hav for two years. In 
some parts of the county grain is inclined to lodge. This ten¬ 
dency may be overcome somewhat by growing grain twice in 
succession on the same fields. Where the slope is not too great 
this may be safely done, and two crops of corn may also be 
grown in this way where the slope will permit. A three year 
rotation may also be used on much of this land. Corn may be 
followed by a small grain and the grain by clover. Where 
the fertility is rather low, the second crop should be plowed 
under as a green manuring crop. 
In the sandy portions of Jackson county, somewhat different 
rotations should be followed. The following is probably the 
best for most farms of sandy soil: 
1st year: Clover with perhaps a light seeding of rye or oats. 
2nd year: Clover for hay, leaving the second crop to be 
turned under either in the fall or spring. 
3rd year: Corn or potatoes. 
4th year: Soybeans, which mav be used for feed, for hay, 
and for green manure. 
If any other crops are to be grown, they may be planted fol¬ 
lowing clover, thus eliminating one of the crops named. An¬ 
other rotation which is frequently followed on sandy soils con¬ 
sists of small grain followed by clover, followed by potatoes. 
1 he second crop of clover in this system should be plowed under 
as green manure crop. 
It is better to use mammoth clover on the sandy soils than 
red clover, for it is more hardy and more vigorous in growth, 
being able to secure its plant food more readily. It grows to 
about the same size on sandy soils as the medium red clover 
does on heavy soils. 
