390 The Principles of Agronomy

Wheat grows over a wide range of conditions, and can

endure much more cold weather than com. It is also

able to adapt itself fairly well to moisture conditions.

Rye is adapted to cool climates. It will grow in a very

poor soil, but does best in a soil that is fairly fertile. It

never produces very heavy yields even under the best

of conditions and is, therefore, not adapted to intensive

farming.

All of these grain crops may be grown at great distances

from large markets as they are suflSciently concentrated

to be shipped. Most farms can, with profit, raise some

kind of grain for home consumption even where it would

not pay to raise it for shipment.

Potatoes require a rather cool climate, and do best in

a mellow, deep soil. They need sufficient moisture to

insure a uniform, even growth ; but their quality is

injured if too much water is present. Potatoes are

perishable ; hence the price is likely to be irregular.

Mangels, sugar-beets, and other root crops require

conditions similar to those required by potatoes. Since

they cannot be shipped any great distance, the market

for sugar-beets is dependent on nearness to a sugar

factory.

Alfalfa is one of the most profitable forage crops where

conditions favor its growth. It requires a soil containing

lime, and prefers an open sub-soil. The grass crops re-

quire cool, moist conditions for their best growth. Every

farm should produce some forage. The kind of crop to

raise for this purpose depends on a great many conditions,

such as moisture, climate, soil, and the kind of livestock

whose food it is to be. *

Cotton, sugar-cane, and rice all require a warm climate

and other special conditions which limit their growth to

comparatively small areas.

What Crops to Grow 391

The fruit-crops usually pay well if raised under the

particular soil, climatic, and marketing conditions which

they demand. Before planting an orchard, great care

should be exercised to see that conditions are favorable,

since many years may be wasted before a mistake is

discovered.

From the numerous crops that are available, one should

experience no difficulty in getting a diversity of profitable

crops for almost any conditions.

430. Work in producing various crops. ВЂ” In arranging

a cropping system, crops should be selected which do not

conflict with each other by requiring attention at the

same time. As far as possible, the work should be evenly

distributed during the year. After being planted, the

small-grains require very little attention until harvest

time. Com and potatoes, on the other hand, need cul-

tivation during the growing-season. The main work in

raising sugar-beets comes at thinning and at digging time.

Hay needs but little attention except at harvest. Much

of the work in an orchard can be done during the winter.

Thus, by proper planning, crops may be selected which

use labor, machinery, and irrigation water at different

times. This greatly increases the profits, by making

returns more certain and larger, and by insuring constant

work for men and horses.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

Any book on field crops.

Farm Management, G. F. Warren, pp. 42-103, 402-415.

New York (Cornell) Bulletin No. 295.

Soils, Lyon and Fippin, pp. 497-502.

Agricultural Economics, H. C. Taylor, pp. 65-77.

Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. I, pp. 81-109.

U. S. D. A. Farmers' Bulletin 446, The Choice of Crops for Alkali

Lands.

CHAPTER XXXI

EQUIPMENT OF THE FARM

Farming is now an industry that is conducted largely

by the use of machinery. There is hardly an operation

from the planting of crops to the milking of cows that is

not done with the aid of some kind of machine. In the

early history of farming, practically everything was done

by hand, and the few implements used- on the fann were