The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-06-20

crop Of clover turned under, furnishes to the
soil as large o quantity Of fertilizing sub
stances as ten or twelve loads Of rich and
well rotted manure from the barn yard,
whilst there is no expense incurred in haul.
ing or preparing.
Mr.. Wolfnger remarks that the best mode
OF treating clover is to let the first years
growth fall and decny on the ground. or Il
may be pastured lightly in the fall Of the
year. The second year, the frat crop may
be cut for hay, and after the second crop is
topped Tor seed the residue may be turned
under. He suggests, however, that the sc.
cond crop may be ploughed under nfter IL
has partially ripened it's seeds, by which
means full supply Of seed will be deposit
ed in the coil for future growth. We object
to either of these processes II the Object
Of growing clover is TO renovate the soil, Il
should be reserved In its entirety for this
special purpose; we would not turn hoof
on it; we would net put scythe into it /;
we would let the crops Of the fret year fall
and cover the ground, and those of the se-
cond year we would likewise leave un
touched until the seed was formed and the
stems began 10 turn brown. Then, and
then only we would put the plough in and
turn all under together. The objection
sometimes raised that green crops turned
under sour the coil, worlj thus be obviaied,
but decided advantage would be gained,
and all apprehensions of any such result
set at rest, II, before ploughing under. the
field were broadcasted with ten bushels of
lime to the acre.
Next to clover In point Of value MS crop
for turning under, is the field pea-which
in it's haulms and stalks contains, Ike clio
yer, a very large proportion Of lime, pot
ash, carbonic acid and chloride of sodium,
besides considerable guam titles of phospho
ric and sulphuric acid, magnesia, soda, &c"
The advantage OF peas is that they can be
grown on lighter soils than clover, and,
therefore, especially in the case of the COW
pea, are preferable in the sandy soils Of the
South to clover, which rarely grows well
there. and frequently fails altogether.
Mr.. Ruffin-and the South had very few
more experienced agriculturists than he
expressed the opinion that the cow pea was
even better than clover as a preparing and
manuring crop for wheat" However this
may be north Of the Potomac, It is certain
that south Of thut line it is very highly es-
teemed, and that its merits deserve il should
be better known TO ngriculturists generally.
After peas we rank buckwheat as good
crop for turning under; it grows rapidly,
is largely benefited by plaster, and II, on
IL shall be used, n few bushels OF lime or
wood ashes are broadcasted previously To
seeding down to buckwheat. it rarely fails
to grow vigorously. Tho straw Of buck.
wheat contains considerable quantities OF
lime, magnesia potash, soda, aud phospho-
ric and sulphuric acid, ;" and rs Il will grow
with more or less vigor on almost any soil,
aud will make moderate stand where even
slower would fail, IL constitutes the best
green crop whcrewi;h to commence the pro-
GEES Of renovation by a course Of green ma
nj nrF L
wheat have been turned under clover OF
peas may follow with the certaiaty of n
good stand, and when these nrs also given
to the soil, its restoration TO a good state Of
fertility may, with judicious management
be regarded as certain. OF course the re-
suit aimed at may be hastened by the aadi
ton Of such manures as can be spar, from
the barn yard. even though the quantity is
small. and especially by furnishing the coil
annually with few bushels Of lime or ashes
to each nere that is subjected to this mex
pensive mode Of Improvement
Finally, there is broadcast corn. But to
obtain a heavy crop Of broadcast corn pre-.
supposes the land early in COOL condition,
whilst a light crop has, by means so ben>
eicial an effect on the soil rs either OF the
three crops previously mentioned. More
over the broadcast corn turned under, ex
| cept in soils where limo naturally abounds,
will most assuredly, in the process of fer
meniation, sour the land. 1t Is, therefore,
the least desirable o. all the renovators we
have named. Were we about to commence
the improvement Of a very poor piece of
| land, we should commence with buckwheat,
aided by small quantity Of wood ashes.
Two crops Of buckwheat might be grown
in one season. Both of these we would turn
under. Leaving the land. fallow through
the winter. We would break it up the en-.
suing spring and seed the COW pen, follow.
ing this in due succession with clover.
| Maryland Farmer.