Final answer:
Option C is false regarding crop rotation. This practice improves soil nutrient levels, breaks pest cycles, and is considered a triumph in sustainable agriculture, often exceeding farmers' expectations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Crop rotation has shown to be an innovative development by scientific farmers that not only improved upon older methods of alternating crops but also brought significant benefits to soil health and productivity. By including different types of plants such as legumes in the rotation, which can fix nitrogen in the soil, farmers are able to replenish essential nutrients needed for crops. Moreover, rotating crops can also disrupt pest and disease cycles, thereby reducing the need for chemical pesticides.
Historically, the 3-field rotation system improved farming efficiency and the invention of the heavy plow further enhanced the productive capacity of heavier soils. Crop rotation is not solely about leaving fields fallow, but it's a planned sequence aimed at improving soil fertility, managing resources, and contributing to ecological sustainability. For instance, rotating corn and soybeans, a common practice, benefits the soil by injecting nitrogen through the soybeans, aiding the growth of the next season's corn.
In conclusion, the statement that 'It never worked out as well as the farmer had planned' is false, as crop rotation has often exceeded expectations and is a mainstay of sustainable agriculture. The primary objective is to maintain soil health and increase crop yield without causing adverse environmental impacts, which has been successfully achieved in many farming systems worldwide.