American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-11-13
Green Manuring.

In attempting the improvement of
our land by green manuring, we need
to know at what stage of growth the
plants should be plowed down. for there
is a stage of growth when they hold the
greatest quantity of organic matter
beneficial to future vegetation, and also
how deep it is to be buried in the )il,
with other attendant queries. The
question also sometimes arises how
pillow ing down only that which grows
on the soil enriches it. We increase
the capacity of soil for production.
frequently. by merely changing the
combination, or locality in the ground,
of essential elements. The plant OBJ
tains some of its constituent elements
from the air as well as from the soil; a
portion also is drawn from the subsoil.
These elements form compounds, some
OF which are found in the sap, while
others are found in the leaves and other
parts. Some of these compounds are
known to contain nitrogen, which is a
promoting agent of decay. The de-
composition of one constituent induces
other elements to leave their places and
form new combinations. Thus matter
goes through the process we term de-
cay, which, in reality, is Only change.
This decay, or change, takes place
ton than with that which has ripened.
If green vegetation is allowed to fall
and decay in the open air. very much
of it is lost to the soil in which it grew.
having passed off in the air; but if the
green vegetable matter be covered in
the soil, then the absorptive capacity of
the soil is such that it holds these ele-
nlents. changing it to that extent. The
deeper vegetable matter is buried, the
slower the process of decay. We thus
save to our soil a portion of organic
plant food by blowing under green
vegetable matter at the right stage of
growth.
In experiences, and a course of many
years observation, have found that
green manuring plants should be
plowed under previous to coming into
blossom, in order to obtain the largest
benefit to the soil. have noticed that
some farmers, in order to obtain a large
quantity to turn down, wait till later
stage. May not much of the difference
ing arise from this cause? On valuable
land, near ready markets, the loss of a
season, or even single crop, would
often pay for manure and hauling it
from market; still in such cases there is
much green vegetable matter, refuse,
which might. instead of going to the
compost heap, or being left, as is too
often the case, to waste away in the air,
be lightly covered in the soil. doing much
good. Even small growth of some
kind of grain, if sown very thick, would
be great benefit; not SO much, per-
haps, in the amount of fertilizing mat
ter it would add to the soil, as in the
change. [ know that hereabouts we
cannot grow fair potatoes on soil which
has been planted to hood crops a few
years, but if we seed it to clover or
grass for single year, good fair pota-
toes are produced in quantities. l sup
pose that land gets ''sick' of the pillow
and hoe, the same as one does of the
sameness of breakfast, dinner and sup
per; at all events, L have known land
well MANFRED Gas the times go) fall off
in yield, while if some different plant
be grown one season, or Il few weeks
growth of some grain be turned under,
a surprising change is produced. Diff
ferent soils in different localities vary
in the time when failure or sickness be-
gins.-Cor. Country Gentleman.