Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-02-24
Farm and Fares1de.
R.sSI. .uBTHOD OF E.yRICysI.ys;
L.5.v'D.

At a meeting of Hillsborough county, n.
H., farmers, Mr. John Mills of Milford
read valuable paper upon "green soil
ing" from which we mako the following
extracts:-
Mr.. Mills started with the proposition
that to improve the farm was of more BEN
eft than money. He held that what was
needed was educated, practical farmers.
True, farmer could not compute his re-
suits by his expenditures in labor and ma
terial as could the merchant, the mechanic.
or the manufacturer; but he could by care
full study increase the average of his pro-
duets, and be moro sure of good crops by
constant toll and judcous experiment.
No business needed so much thought and
study, and yet none was managed so loose
ly.
He thought that it was useless to pur-
chase largely of the advertised fertilizers,
but still farmers must return 10 the soil as
much in substance rs they take away. In
giving examples Of the profits of turning
in green crop, he said: 1.-THE farmers of
Belgium have converted their soil, which
was much like what are called the barren
plains of New Jersey, into land as fertile
~ any on the globe. In 1919 their average
crop was 80 bushels of wheat to the acre.
The land was fortified mostly by the
blowing in of green crop, and this green
crop was clover"
What is green soilngY 1t is the raising
and blowing in of some green crop while
1t is growing, for the purpose of enriching
ba
Glover is probably the best crop for this
purpose. Red clover contains all the ee-
ments which go to make up a valuable ma
nure. 1t has strong, large limbs and shady
leaves, and strikes deep into the ground
with large roots. Its stems, leaves and
roots, plowed into the soi,, make 1t mellow,
let in the air, and draw the fertilizing sa-
line and mineral elements of the subsoil
up into the surface soil. Ii requires but
little labor to put it into the ground needs
no further care nor labor until il is plowed
in, which should be only deep enough to
cover it. Then let it decay, which will be
In season to sow winter wheat. Or, let il
lay to be planted next sprirg; or if plowed
in the last Of June, and then sowed with
turnips the last Of July, and these plowed
in late in the fill, the last will be equal to
% cart loads Of the best manure we ever
make in our barnyards.
| would advise breaking up land after
the hay crop has Leen taken ofI-say land
that yields but about half ton to the acre.
Put on light coating of manure-one cord
of leached ashes to the acre will be suffi-
cient to raise a good clover crop on any soil
worth cultivatng. But you are saying to
yourselves, "why not let our cattle eat the
clover, and after 1t has gone through them,
put it on the land?" My answer is, you
must cut hay enough to keep your stock of
cattle, but should sell no hay unless you
can bring back to your farm more than yOH
carry Off, If you can possibly help it. Let
me say here that the rule in feeding work.
ing cattle and cows that give milk is, show
much | can make them eat?" not how
"little." But there must be no wasting or
careless feeding. Wemust grow more hay.
At $50 per ton ii is the best paying crop VIC
can raise. Not one of us will ever see good
hay sold at less than $40 per ton. lam try
ing to tell you how to do this. Let me re-
peat II you have a piece of land that
grows but little hay, hardly worth the cut
ting, you can hardly afford to let ii remain
so. Pillow it next summer; harrow 1t; put
on sl5 worth of ashes and plaster; if they
do we'll on your land the manure need not
cost more than this per acre, even If you
buyit. Sow it with clover. The next year
you will have a good crop OF clover. If you
need it for your cows cut it off, and pillow
In the after-growth. Pow it in without
feeling stingy. Nature will pay you back
with good measure-heaped and well shak-
on down. Clover Is richer in the elements
needed in our soil, plowed in green, than
aftor il has been through the cow She takes