The Morrow Plots: A Landmark for Agriculture.

The Morrow Plots are the oldest continuous agricultural research fields in the United States. Established in 1876, they are predated only by the Rothamsted Field in England, which was started in 1843. The site was designated a National Historical Landmark by the Federal Government on Sept. 12, 1968. Located in the heart of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, the site reminds all visitors of the timeless truth of former U of I President Draper’s statement that “the wealth of Illinois is in her soil and her strength lies in its intelligent development.” The impetus for establishing the plots most likely came from agricultural chemist C. W. Silver, who visited the Rothamsted Field while on-route to study for an advanced degree in Germany. Upon his return in 1875, he wrote of this experience in the campus newspaper. He concluded his write-up with a proposed layout for a long-term field study on corn. At the time, considerable controversy existed about the need for fertilizer in the soil. At least one leading USDA scientist believed that the soil in Midwest was so high in total nutrients that it would never be necessary to add fertilizer if a crop rotation could be found that would “liberate” nutrients from the soil. The long-term studies underway at the Morrow Plots on the impact of both fertilizer treatment and crop rotation on corn yield have proved particularly instructive in helping to shape agricultural practices. Data from the Morrow Plots represents more than 100 years of accumulated knowledge on the effect of both sound and unsound crop management practices on corn yield.