The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-12-25
FARM FIELD AND GARDEN.
pzvorro TO rhe mTeResTs or
fskmsRs AND oARymeN

views In Favor of Green slanurins Ia"
cro,. mas. Profitable for This Tar
pe.o-Ho~ 20 Keep MIA fer TrAnspor-
tzfion Sweet
The uractice Of enrichinS the soil by
feeding il witk green crops has enlisted
The attention of many Of our best tarsil-
ers. The necessity Tor restoring some
Of the fertility % our soils. which are
cropped each year. Is apparent mere
must be returning 10 as well rs tax
ing from il. of the elements OF ie-tiiity-
Green crop feeding is considered by many
a the most natural. feasible and eco
nonical method d, .siiich 20 return the
plant food that Is taken from our teids
i,v continual cropping. liarnyard ma
uure viii alwavs. Of course. remain with
farmers tho chief reliance, but that green
nnrtlriai crops will be found 10 be re-
liable and inexpensive adjunct 20 this is
the belief Of a New Hampshire CORE
snondent in Americas Culuvator. who
expresses himself as follows regarding
the crops to be employed;
The green crops most proiitable 70 oe
employed for this purpose are those de-
nominated ''air feeders. those possessed
Of power % absorb the elements OF or
ganic lie from the air, such as clover.
buckuheat. rye. peas. beans. etc. Clover
undoubtedly stands at the head OF the
list Il contains a large proportion OF
potash. lime, magnesia. nitrogen. chic
Iine and carl,onic. phosphoric and sui
phuric acid. Its great value as manu-
rial plant lies in the fact that its leaves
and stems absorb the larger part Of It's
fertiiizing gases from the air, and take
only a comparatively small portion from
The soil. Il is q voraciOus .'air feeder.
Moreover. its long, thick roots draw the
fertiiizing saline and mineral elements
of the sub-soil up into the surface SOIL
and render them available as plant food.
Buckwheat is also valuable manurlai
green crop. Il Is a rapid and hardy
grower. and can be successfully grown
on the same plot year after year without
materially exhausting the soil Two
crops Of il can be grown and plowed un-
der on the same ground in one season.
and the ground seeded down with grass
or a grain cropin September II should
he grown far more extensively than IL Is.
it's grain masking a complete poultry
food. while its cultivation is strongly
recommended as an eradicator OF Canada
tl,istles. witchgrass and other foul and
obnoxious weeds.
The pea Is Of great value as a manurial
crop. oven after the fruit has been
gathered and the vines are fully ripened.
They contain a very large proportion OF
potash. lime. magnesia. soda, carbonic
acid and chloride of sodium. besides
szlphuric and phosphoric acid, and when
plowed under. it puts the soil IN the best
possible condition for other crops. es-
pecially wheat and grass
Rve is also a most valuable manurial
crop. but on the score Of economy Is moi
SO profiably used Tor this purpose. It's
grain being too valuable 70 be economi-
callv sacrificed rs a manure.
The proper time to plow down green
crops. 10 renovate the soil. is In the warn
weather Of summer. when they are just
coming into nawer. They then take or
a quick decay from their immatured con
dition when the sun has its greates
power TO aid in the process of fermenta
ton and decay. let our farmers try The
practice Of green manuring, and the re
suits achieved viii be sure TO induce then
To continue il as a settled policy in theii
farm operations