The Osceola times., 1885-10-10
GREEN CROPS.
The Practice Of Flowing Them H.,
Manure. y

ms question commands great ds.
OF attention at the present time ana !.
opinions of writers on the subiec, d,s '
very much. One writer thinks sa Aer
out lands can be restored to their or;.
nal fertility by plowing under cer,S; s'
crops adapted to the purpose. Ano,s
remarks this cannot aid fertility for es ,s
reason that all that is plowed unds, ,hs s
soil grew out of it. One thinks tho o.,'' .Is
benefit of this operation is in the m:
chanical effects. Many years ago It VIZ.
customary to plow under large fields -
clover as a preparation for cron :.
wheat. This operation is mostly disroo
tinued, not because the clover failsS "
enrich the land, but because il i fon.S
to be cheaper to use certain cben,a',
manures. 1t is still an unsettled onsa
ton whether we can restore the feriil;,-
of worn-out land by any kind or any
amount Of green manuring. To se,,l.
this question in my mind | have hsas
trying series of experiments on land
either worn out or naturally exceedine'
ly poor. In the States bordering on tSs
Atlantic there is great amount of noo,
sandy soils. How much these soils bavs
in common, and to what extent they AL
fer are important points for us to know
in order to give or TO get informalon
that may be generally useful. We know
that on large part of this land laroa
crops can be grown without other ma.
t.at ~
fertilizer, and as each Of the chemical
elements'in the crop exceeds BY mspv
times the same element in the fertilizer
it appears that every element REQUIRED
exists to considerable extent either in
the Soil or atmosphere. To what extent
a plant can take from the atmosphera
certain of the elements II needs h, ,
question that excites much controyersy
and he who knows most on this subject
has great need of still more knowledge.
That plants take carbon from the stmos.
phere is admitted; that they take nitro.
gen is claimed and denied. One theoryd
green crops appears to be based on the
idea that a plant can take from the air
limited amount of the organic ele-
ments il needs, and when this is plowed
in IL makes the soil still richer in these
elements, and that certain soils are only
deficient in this class of elements
Where the want is Of mineral nature
it is plain no amount of green msnurinx
will make the land fertile. Now, the
all important point is to know what the
soil requires. We purchase and appys
half-dozen diifereut elements where
probably one might answer il we knew
which. To test this matter to a Ger.
tain extent, | sowed field of rye, and
when the rye was about two feet high
plowcd it under and sowed corn on one
half and Hungarian grass on the other;
these plowed under in turn, and sowed
rye again. The crop harvested from
this was not what / expected, and
concluded some minerals were necessa-
ry. then procured some fertilizers Of
different kinds, and quite variety Of
different chemicals, and planted crops
with these in such manner as to give
at least some indication Of the wants d
the soil. am not yet ready to give
detailed account Of these experiments,
but am satisfied that we can improve
our soils much more cheaply by buying
| the chemicals than the fertilizers st
present prices. South Carolina rock, or
as ii is called South Carolina phosphate,
ground exceedingly fine in the form Of
"iioats" produces an excellent effect on
this soil. and while it costs less than
one-half that of acid phosphate it con-
tains twice rs much OF the elements Of
fertility. The nitrates do not appear to
be of any use TO the corn crop. OF all
the chemical elements the floats have
done the best. ! do not believe this soil
needs nitrogen in any form whatever,
and when we buy the regular fertilli.
zers large part of the expense is for
this. Potash is evidently one of the ne.
cesites of the soil, as is shown by the
fact that small quantity on field adds
very much to the yield. l can not
learn that experiments have been made
to test the value Of salt on these
soils. In some parts of this State salts
used very much rs manure. In Cen.
trail New York it is very beneficial on
some soils, while on others in the same
locality it is Of no use whatever. 10
making experiments to learn the wants
of our lands 1t is very easy to be deceiv.
ed One man plowed in crop Of corn
as preparation for wheat, and sowed
the wheat soon after. The effect was
what any sensible man might have
foreseen. II was damage to the wheat
crop, as it prevented the formation OF
proper seed bsd. That his wheat was
male worse instead Of better was noar'
gument against green manuring when
properly done.
notice many similar experiments
which prove nothing for or against this
practice, as the experiments were not
| properly managed. / shall continue 10
experiment until am perfectly satisfied
of the effects on this kind Of land Keds
clover is without doubt the best cropior
this purpose where it can be grown, but
where the land is poor 10 begin with "
is difficult to get clover started. | am
now trying Hungarian grass, and ths
appears to be n good crop for the pur,,
pose. The seed is cheap, and it IS good
on most any land, and is also valusos,e
as hay crop for winter use or for SOIL
ing. We need a larger variety OF plans
for soiling. and can improve our lanus
| by keeping more stock than we can
keep in any other manner, Ryeis vsIa,
able as soiling plant, but il should %
fed early, as animals do not like II allel
it Is headed out. Some of my neign'
bors plow in buckwheat for manure,
others say this crop does more harm
than good. believe it 10 be the poor
est crop that is used for this p9.fpo,se.
Gne neighbor says leta stack OF pucsi
wheat rot on the ground and II WI,
make hole in the ground and the Anu
barren afterwards. That green manu-,
ing will pay on some soils is certain ,sor snr