The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-07-22
FARMER AND PLANTER.
The Science of Supplying the Soil
with Nitrogen Through the
medium of Luguminous Crops.

medium of Lugumtn0us Crops
Green manuring means the supply
ing of the soil with nitrogen through
the medium of certain leguminous
crops of the clover and cow-pea class,
which possess the peculiar faculty OF
absorbing nitrogen from the air, the |
nitrogen passing into the soil when |
the crops are plowed under. The prac-
tice of green manuring is becoming
more popular each year, nor is this TO
be wondered at, seeing that it is one OF
the most economical plans that can be
adopted on the farm.
Green manuring really serves
three-fold purpose. In the first place
it furnishes the most expensive OF the
three fertilizer ingredients: Nitrogen
to the soil, at practically no cost 10
the farmer. Secondly, by turning un-
der the leguminous crop, which has
been cultivated, the supply of Organic
matter is thus largely increased, and
every farmer of experience realizes the
Importance of having sufficient organic
matter in his soil, especially during
the dry seasons. Thirdly, in the Sec
tions where the legume is sown as
winter crop it serves as a cover to the
soil throughout the rainy season, thus
preventing the teaching out OF much
valuable plant food, which would 9TH
erwise be washed away by the heavy
winter rains. This is especially the
case in the southern states, where
rainfall has had more to do with de-
pleting the soil of its natural fertility
because of the exposed condition OF the
land, than all the crops which may
have been grown on the land.
In the northern states clover is usu
ally selected as the legume for the TO
tation, while in the south the COW pei
serves the same purpose. Both clover
and COW peas are vigorous feeders ant
can get plant food out of the sol
which other crops are unable to oh
tain. 1t must be remembered tina
while these legumes have the facult.
of absorbing their nitrogen from tn
atmosphere they must depend npo
the soil for the other elements OF plan
food, namely, phosphoric acid and POI
ash. 1t is a much more economies
plan in the long run to supply sun
Gent amount of these two ingredient
each year, and thus insure iarg
growth of the legumes, which mean
plenty of nitrogen and organic matte
On the other hand, if clover or pea
are sown and no phosphoric acid
potash applied, they will soon dra
these two ingredients from the low
depths of the soil and store them U
for the subsequent crop, but, OF cours
such treatment will speedily exhau
the soil of it's natural supply OF Il
ingredients mentioned, and in time
would be difficult, if not impossibl
to get s'catch" of the legume itself.
Where green crops are turned u
der, especially in the warmer sect1o
of this country, it is advisable to ma
an occasional application of lime a. {
rate of about 80 or 40 bushels per &C
of Stacked material. This promotes
rapid decomposition of the organ
matter and will at the same time p
vent sourness or acidity, which is OF
erwise apt to occur. The lime may
applied broadcast Immediately al
the crop is turned under, when Vt
of its own accord soon work its W
into the soil and hasten the action
decay.
The value of green manure can
be overestimated, and it is nantes
10 the interest of every farmer to
clude either clover or cow peas in
farm rotation. As nitrogen co
about three times as much as ph
phoric acid or potash, it is evid
that by resorting to green manurln
great saving may be made in the
uense of fertilizing. A small dose
nuaIly of phosphoric acid (say ab
800 pounds per acre., and $50 pou
of muriate of potash will keep up
soils supply of these ingredients
at the same time good cultivation
practiced, the productive capacity
the land will greatly be augmented
The selection of the legume she
of course be regulated by local co
tiops. but it matters not whe'
clover or peas be taken, as the pri
nile is the same in both cases. CT
manurjng is especially effective
orchard culture, and in sections wi
large quantities of fruit are grown
practice is followed by the majo
of the most intelligent growers
Wilson, in Farmers Home Journa
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