The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-31
NOTES ON GREEN MATURING.

NOTES ON GREEN MANURING.
In June, 1889, l plowed under one
half of a ten-acre field of mammoth
clover for the purpose of enriching the
soil-as heavy a crop as could be
turned under with pillow and chain.
The other half of the field was mown
for hay. During the winter and fol-
lowing spring the field was pastured
with sheep. In May, 1890, the wholefield
was plowed and planted to corr drilled
in. That portion on the fallow was
with difficulty kept clean, requiring
the use of hand-hOes between the hills
to cut out the pigeon grass which had
seeded itself the fall previous on the
fallow. The other was clean without
hand-hoeing. No preceptiole differ
ence in yield; soil, stiff clay in fair
state of fertility. Thus far, the effort
at renovation with green clover plowed
under was a total failure, resulting in
a loss of the hay and extra labor of
hoeing.
A neigboring farmer told me of a
similar experience several years ago
on rich prairie loan where the clover
was so rank as to require four horses
to pull the pillow. No benefit was ever
noticed. I apprehend that in my case
the bare fallOW was the cause of the
failure, allowing the weed seeds a
chance to terminate and the I'LL to
dry and bake and harden the soil.
Were 1 to attempt the blowing under
of clover in June again, I should i'm
mediately SOW buckwheat, turning it
under in the fall and sowing rye, either
to harvest or to turn under again in
the spring for corn. 1 should expect
from this a great advantage in loosen
ing up and enriching the soil-whether
enough to compensate for seed, labor
and use of land, l cannot tell.
Last year I had a field of twenty
acres of clover cut for seed, setting the
r~eaper-bar as high as could be without
missing any of the heads. This field
was plowed this spring, turning under
the dead clover straw and early green
growth, resulting in a fine, mellow,
easily-tilled field of corn of more than
average yield.
Joseph Harris, in his "Talks on
Manures, says a farm cannot be made
rich by growing clover and selling it.
In my experience 1 have found a farm
cannot be made rich by growing clover
and blowing it under. He further
says in the same book: "A good crop
of clover removes from the soil more
potash, phosphoric acid, lime and
other mineral matters which enter into
the composition of the ashes of our
cultivated crops, than any other CROP
usually grown in this country" Both
his statements are undoubtedly true;
yet [ found in my experience that the
extra growth Of roots during the sum-
mer, autumn and following spring
amounted to as much in manuriaI and
mechanical value as the entire crop of
clover about two tons per acre. plowed
under.
[ am by no means discouraged with
green manuring, but propose to keep
at it until l strike the method best
adapted to my soil and circumstances.
[ intend to turn under a crop of winter
rye in May in order to try it's effects
on corn. Green manuring is recon-
mended or theoretical grounds $50 far
as know by all agricultural chemists,
and has found many advocates among
practical farmers in different parts of
the country, although practiced very
little in Southern Wisconsin.
Six years ago a forty-acre field of
hard clay land which had been con-
tinually cropped by a thriftless farmer
until it was, as he expressed it, all run
down, came into the possession of an
energetic merchant who plowed it
IN June, turning under a scattering
growth of weeds. Buckwheat was
sown which in turn was plowed under,
and rye sOwn in the fall. Some ma
nure was spread on part of the field
but not on all. The rye which was
harvested was as fine a crop as [ ever
saw on any land. Each year since the
land has produced good crops of hay,