The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-11-23
UNION H, SOUTH CAROLINA aoyEsfBER %. 1917
PL0UsHING CROPS UNDER.

PLoUGHING CROPS UNDER.
10 what extent have the evidences fa-
vored the plowing under of green Crops,
and how do the advantages of manu,ing in
this way, compar. with barn yard manure
L would ike to hear from, the Farm, Jour-
nal on this point. JUS.
1t is easy to answer that the growing of
green crops-clovcr moro generally than
any other-has saved many farm, not
blessed with extra strong soil, from hope
lessiy running down, ensuring good CROPS
at the same time. Some otherwise sensible
men, go so far as to say that green CROP
plowed -nnder renders soil too acid, ,yhile
it cannot be said to add ufatcriSffySf0its
productive capacity. These conclusions are
jumped at, and should not have weight, be.
cause the experience of years, not bringing
out mere opinions arrived at by Guessing,
as men arc to apt to do, has shown conclu.
slvely that the plowing under of green
crops Is one OF the means at our commnr !
for ameliorating soil which needs artif.
cial aid
The claim that these green crons, turned
under, afford only little woody fibre at
best, and that the gain made must uecessa-
rlly be very small, is not sustained by
past experience, nor does it agree with Gu
ses which may be declared to be analogous.
For instance, most men are familiar with
the wonderful effect which the burying of
decayed woody fibre has upon the growth
OF vegetation occupying site over or near
where such deposit has been made. We
credit the results secured by planting any
crop on the site of decayed stumrs. 4
portion of this advantage-and, by the way,
no incons;derabie portion-comes of the
porous condition secured to the soil, by the
decay of roots beneath the surface. The
turning under of green crops secures this
same porosity, and there is scarcely any
room to doubt that the advantages to vege-
tation from turning crops under, comes
largely from the friable and mellow condi.
ton In which the soil is placed by this
agency. 1t is with plant as with a horse
or an OK, tho food should bo placed within
easy reach. We aim to do this with the
latter, as BY this mode we expect to secure
the greatest gain to the beast, with the least
expense of feed. To place obstacles in the
way such as. are calculated to annoy. the
beast aud render frinr rrest1sss, in pfdcs fi 81
eating his rations in the utmost quiet, or
Placing the plant in hard impacted soil, will
Interfere with the object, no matter how
good the feed or how rich the soil. =
So in the case of the plant, as much de.
pends upon the ease with which The roots
can permeate the soil in search of nu.ri-
ment, as upon the mere richness, chemical.
ly considered, of the soil itself. 4
AS to the comparative merits of green
crops and barnyard manure, it is not easy
to state, because of the many things to be
taken into account. These d. not come IN,
nor are they suggested by your enquiry
This it is safe to say, that it is better to
make your own manure in your barnyard,
by keeping all the stock you can consistent.
ly carry, than to depend upon growing clo-
yer to turn AudaI.ssIf VOW sgroX. stock prot.
itably, you can count your manure as oisar
gain, whereas, you hardly need to. be remin-
ded that in growing the clover to turn un-
der, you not only appropriate the growing
crop, but the use Of the land for the cur.
rent year also. Your manure counts as
waste, and you make it available without de-
laying any crop, and further than this, you
select your own time, when no other work
is in the way, for hauling it out Western
Farm Journal