Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-08


only we would put the plough in and turn
all under together. The objections some
times raised that green crops turned under
sour the soil would thus be obviated, but a
decided advantage would be gained, and
all apprehensions of any such result set at
rest il, before ploughing under, the field
were broadcasted with ten bushels of lime
TO the acre. aH
Next to clover in point Of value as
crop for turning under is the field pea
which in its haulms and stalks contains
like clover-"a very large proportion Of
lime. potash, carbonic acid and chloride of
sodium, besides considerable quantities of
phosphoric and sulphurie acids, magnesia,
soda, ETC." The advantage Of peas is that
they can be raised on lighter soils than
clover, and, therefore, especially in the
case of the COW pea, are preferable in the
sandy soils ofthe South TO clover, which
rarely grows well there, and frequently fails
altogether.
Mr.. Rufhn-and the South had very few
more experienced agriculturists than he
exprt ssed the opinion that the COW pea was
"even better than clover as preparing and
manuring crop for wheat" However this
may NC bOAtil VI tllc ObOuldE, IL ID EcEAdlA
that south Of that line it is very highly es-
teemed and that its merits deserve itshould
be better known to agriculturists generally.
3 After peas we rank buckwheat as good
crop for turning under; it grows rapidly,
is largely benefited by plaster, and if, on
the poor soils on which il is proposed that
it shall be used, a few bushels of lime or
wood ashes are broadcasted previously to
seeding down to buckwheat it rarely fails
to grow vigorously. The straw of buck
wheat contains considerable quantities of
lime, magnesia, potash, soda and phospho-
rie and sulphuric acid, I" and as it will grow
with more or less vigor on almost any soil,
and will make a moderate stand where
even clover would fail, it constitutes the
best green crop wherewith to commence
the process of renovation by a course of
green manuring. After one OF two crops
Of buckwheat have been turned under, clio
yer or peas may follow with the certainty
of good stand, and when these are also
given 10 the soil, its restoration to a good
state Of fertility may, with judicious man
agement, be regarded as certain. Ofcourse
the result aimed at may be hastened by the
addition of such manures as can be spared
from the barn-yard, even though the guam
tity is small, and especially by furnishing
the soil annually with few bushels of.
lime or ashes to each acre that is subjected
to this Inexpensive mode Of improvement
Finally, there is broadcast corn. But to
obtain heavy crop Of broadcast corn pre-
supposes the land already in good condi-
ton, whilst light crop has by no means
so beneficial an effect on the soil as either
Of the three crops previously mentioned.
Moreover the broadcast corn turned under,
except in soils where the lime naturally
abounds, will most assuredly, in the pro-
cess of fermentation, sour the land 1t is,
therefore, the least desirable of all the reno
vators we have named. Were we about TO
commence the improvement of 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 ensuing spring and seed the
COW pea, following this in due succession
with clover.