The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-04-19
M;he 8att1+
WHICH GREEN CROP.
From the ". T., Times.

From the ". T., Times.
The green crop which farmer will
sow for pasture and then blowing I'M
der, must be determined by the charac-
ter of the soil upon which he desires to
grow it. 1t is conceded that of all
green crops, clover is the best for these
purposes, but it is also known that there
are soils which it is not possible to grow
clover, and these are generally soils
which can be more permanently fertil-
lied by a green crop than by any other
means. Such, for instance, are the very
sandy soils. 1t was once thought that
clover would not grow at the South,
but within few years past some most
astonishing results have been obtained
by growing it on the old red lands and
then blowing it under. Thousands OF
acres deemed valueless have been made
as fertile as they were when first clear
ed. Yet on these very lands it was
thought impossible to grow clover fifteen
years ago. There is not an acre OF
these red lands, or other lands contain
ing a large percentage of clay, which
may not be made to grow clover by
using lime Hence on all such soils it
is folly to think of using any other crop
as green fertilizer.
But for the light, sandy soils some
other must be adopted. Next in the
list of such crops as have been expert
mented upon comes rye, then species
of bean plant but little known in this
country, but of great value, called lu-
pine in Germany; then we have in the
record of the German Agricultural
College experiments the pea. What
pea was used we have no means of as
certaining, but we do know that there
is plant common in the Southern
States, and which grows on the poor
est soils, which is, at last, equal to clo-
yer as a green fertilizer A ton of clover
plowed in in it's green state, say when in
blossom, will add to the soil about
thirty-two pounds Of potash, eighteen
pounds of soda, twenty-five pounds OF
phosphates, thirty-eight pounds of car
Donate of lime, four pounds of magne-
sia, two of chlorine, and a little sulpeuric
acid and soluble SILICA. A ton Of the
cow-pea of the Southern States, plowed
in Just as the bean has nearly formed,
would add about thirty pounds of pot
ash, fifteen of soda, thirty-two of the
phosphates, twenty-four of lime, fifteen
of sulphuric acid, and more of chic
rine and soluble silica than the clover.
1t is plainly evident that even were it
possible to grow the clover on these
sandy soils that this pea is preferable.
While thus recommending the cow
pea. as it is called, as fertilizer for
sandy soils, we would not have any one
substitute it for clover on soils where
that valuable plant will grow, for clover
has advantages not known to be possess
ed by the cow-pea, and it may even be
q point of doubt whether the pea will
grow well on those soils adapted to
clover.
Hence we would recommend, as a
green crop for the Northern States,
where it will grow, where it will not
grow, rye; for the South, clover on the
old red-clay lands, on the sandy soils,
the cow-pea. We believe these three
plants to be capable, with proper man.
agement, of revolutionizing the agricul-
tural systems of the country, and of
adding millions of dollars of wealth by
the improvement of lands now thought
to be worn out and valueless. There
is no man so poor, who can farm at all,
that need be without fertilizer with
one or the other of these plants, and
that, too, a fertilizer which will not
cost him hard-earned dollars, and then
turn out to be adulterated with brick
dust