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Widtsoe, John Andreas, 1872-1952

"Dry-Farming : a System of Agriculture for Countries under a Low Rainfall"

The subject of proper rotation of crops has always
been a difficult one, and very little information exists on it as
practiced on dry-farms. Chilcott has done considerable work on
rotations in the Great Plains district, hut he frankly admits that
many years of trial will he necessary for the elucidation of
trustworthy principles. Some of the best rotations found by Chilcott
up to the present are:--

Corn--Wheat--Oats
Barley--Oats--Corn
Fallow--Wheat--Oats

Rosen states that rotation is very commonly practiced in the dry
sections of southern Russia, usually including an occasional Summer
fallow. As a type of an eight-year rotation practiced at the Poltava
Station, the following is given: (1) Summer tilled and manured; (2)
winter wheat; (3) hoed crop; (4) spring wheat; (5) summer fallow;
(6) winter rye; (7) buckwheat or an annual legume; (8) oats. This
rotation, it may be observed, includes the grain crop, hoed crop,
legume, and fallow every four years.
As has been stated elsewhere, any rotation in dry-farming which does
not include the summer fallow at least every third or fourth year is
likely to be dangerous In years of deficient rainfall.


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