On Mon, 27 Jul 1998 22:37:09 -0400, Ilya <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Amadeus Schmidt wrote:
>> So crop yield is best in terms of protein and calories for the _root_
>> carrot and least with the grain.
>> So root farmers should have succeeded if crop yeald was the key.
>Is this per harvest? Grains are harvested 2 to 3 times a year, not sure
>about potatoes and carrots, but I believe it's only once (I think you
>can harvest potatoes more often but then yields are smaller and you
>might have to use more of potatoes for the next crop, thus reducing
>the yield further). If so, then the total yield per ha per year is
>higher for the grains. The yeilds vary greatly between different
>regions. What is the harvest potential of different crops in the regions
>where the grain cultures flourished?

These numbers are per harvest, which is the same as per year in our
middle european climate, where "linearbendkeramic" culture flourished.
If in the same year new plants are put in the
earth then they are harvested next year.
Intermediate fruits like mustard (not eaten) is used inbetween.
My numbers are from an organic farmer in south germany, on good soil
working without any animals (and without fertilizer and chemicals of course).
"Conventional" (chemical) harvest is 2 to 6-fold.
In stone age times harvests were even much lower.
Advantave of grains/legumes (like anything other/legumes) combination is,
that legumes fertilizes itself, what other plants use.
Amadeus