138 
Annual Report of the 
succeed. The conditions of success must be carefully studied. If 
I was liable to failure in this respect it would be the most discour¬ 
aging circumstance in my farming. I have never yet failed to any 
extent, but yet, I cannot deny my liability to do so. I believe that 
the longer a rotation is practiced, the more likely a man is to suc¬ 
ceed. Land in good heart and well cultivated is far more liable to 
catch, than when it is poor and in bad condition. It is important 
that the seed should be sown at the earliest possible moment. No 
possible amount of freezing and thawing can injure the seed. It 
must have the cool, damp weat her of spring in which to push down its 
main root, so that it may stand the drouths which are near at hand. 
I would not hesitate to sow the seed in March, two weeks before I 
could sow the wheat on the same ground. The ground must not 
be too loose and open. I think that fall plowing thoroughly mel¬ 
lowed on the surface by the common harrow, is as good a seed bed 
as can be prepared for it. The seed should always have the benefit 
of the hist harrowing. On light soil, a roller is doubtless a good 
thing, but on my clay soil I never use one. A good heavy rain will 
leave the surface as hard as desirable. I have succeeded well in 
seeding with any of my spring crops by having this mellow sur¬ 
face with firmer soil below. The roots soon strike this firmer soil, 
which will promptly furnish them with moisture as long as the 
ground contains it. 1 think that small grain stands up better on 
land so prepared, and at the same time I get all the growth of 
straw that is desirable. 
The longer we practice a short rotation the surer we will be to 
succeed with our seeding. If a clover-stubble which has been cut 
for seed, be turned over and cultivated in corn, and then plowed 
and sowed to wheat, there is likely to be a stand of clover without 
the sowing of seed. There is nothing more disastrous to' the pros¬ 
perity of the bugs than clover. They will live in timothy if driven 
to it, and seem to enjoy life reasonably well, but they find nothing 
congenial in clover. If there are any processes in legitimate farm¬ 
ing which will restrain them, it is important for us to know it. 
My experience thus far induces me to believe that it may be effect¬ 
ually done by the persistent use of clover. It would be very desir¬ 
able for a whole community to make common cause in this matter, 
and this brings me to the important subject of co-operation. 
I do not limit my application of this to a combination of men 
