Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1877 — Constant Crops. [ARTICLE]

Constant Crops.

Thebe is an enormous amount of stealing done among farmers, considering the reputation they have for hone 3ty. There was the farmer we saw cutting" hay, yesterday, on a piece of land irom which he has taken fifteen successive crops of hay. To be sure there was not much to take, but the process which has led to this light crop was one of theft and robbery. It may be the man who practices this upon his farm is the first to feel the loss, for land once deteriorated by constant cropping, with nothing returned to it, is not easily recuperated under the best of tillage. There are a half-a-dozen wheat-fields in sight of the writer’s table that will yield but half what they should, because they have been “ wheated” nearly to death. The stimulus of a greater foreign demand will probably induce the owners to sow them again, as long as the soil is easily prepared, and there seems to be a good chance to get something out of the land that has brought so poor a return for a few years. When will farmers learn that their profits do not hang on foreign wars, by big droughts or excessive rains in other parts of the country, in truth, upon the misfortunes of anybody ? but rather upon the success they can maintain in the production of all the land can be made to ftfoduce continuously. The cropping of our grass and grain lands for years together, with the practice of no rotation, or without returning adequate remuneration to the soil, is a thieving process that will be the ruination of our agricultural prosperity unless changed for a better system. If Northwestern wheat is to stand at the lieadt.in quality, there is no reason why it may not occupy the same rank in quantity per acre. But if this present system of wheat after wheat is continued much longer, our reputation for quality will avail us nothing, for we shall have none to sell. The soil, no matter how rich in the elements of plant growth, will not bear a constant drain upon its food elements without manifest deterioration. There must be some return made for what is removed, to maintain the fertility. We are told that certain commercial fertilizers can be used to restore fertility lost by over-cropping with wheat, but the safest method is to return, year by year, an equivalent for what is taken off. This can be done by the greatest certainly by keeping a good balance of stock to stand against the Wheat sold, and raise enough to feed the stock well, returning the ma nure to the soil. ~ . Clover is a grand crop to employ in restoring to land what is requisite. But there is some misapprehension about clover. From many places complaint comes that it is very difficult to stock with clover ; but among good fanners, if the land has not been”weakened by robbery, there is little difficulty. The great reason why clover will not catch does not lie in climate, bnt in the fact that the elements of quick growth hs ve been removed mid the clover is not pushed to establish Itself at the outset. *. Another mistake about cltfver Is that it can be mowed one year for hay, taking off a second crop for seed: mowed the second year, and then the sod turned over and a great deal of good returned to the soil thereby. Here is anothejr steal. The clover plant is a biennial to begin with

and has exhausted itself the second year and is ready to die; beside a crop of clover seed exhausts the plants of pretty much all the good there is in them. The men who succeed best with clover cut one crop of hay early, getting as strong a growth as possible thereafter, then turn it under before the seed forms. By this system the greatest growth of root and top is obtained to return to the soil. The prosperity of farmers lies in the amount of grain they can produce per acre. The maximum is not easily slated, but of one thing we can rest assured, there is nb prospect of reaching it under any method of culture by which the soil does not get value received for what it gives.— Detroit Free Pms.