The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-07-03
RECUPERATING THE SOIL.

In some portions Of the country the
sell is Tecuperated by allowing 1t to
rest" or remain under fallow. That
such a system enables the soil to in
crease in fertility has been demonstrat.
ed as a fact, as crops have been grown
on soils that have been completely ex.
hausted by refraining from cropping ii
for two or three seasons. But 1t is
cheaper to pillow under some kind of
green material, the objection, however,
being that there is a loss Of time and
land by so doing. There may be loss,
to a certain extent, 1t IL true, but the
gain and advantage to the soil more
than compensates for any sacrifices
that may be made. A soiling crop may
be utilized partially, as with rye which
can be seeded in during the fall, and
used for early pasture. After allow.
ing 1t to make growth in the spring ii
should be plowed undsr, and the land
seeded to buckwheat or millet, which
In turn may be plowed under, and
wheat drilled on top of the green crops
In blowing under green crops lime
should always be used 1t should be
broadcasted, in a fine condition, over
the surface, and when the ground is
smoothed with harrow, for covering
The seed, the lime will be more lntI-
mately mingled with the soil. BY thus
fFnoffncr tho land
be destroyed, and better condition
impaired. Every season, after a crop
Of corn has been removed, II done
early, the corn land can be seeded to
rye, which may be TUNED under in
lime for potatoes, or the rye may fol.
low wheat and be plowed under for
corn. Cow peas and crimson clover are
also excellent green crops. OF course,
the use of green crops really adds
nothing to the soil unless It be true
that the leaves Of plants derive free nj.
trogen from the atmosphere. Never.
theless 1t adds large portion of plant
food, as every crop grown renders por.
tions Of the inert matter Of the soil
available by changing them in form
and composition Growths requires en-.
ergy produced by heat, moisture, light
air and food, and a green crop, when
plowed under, represents so much
stored-up available force, and hence
every class Of soil is benefited by pillow.
ing under green crops. Regarding the
manure heap, many suppose that the
temperature observable at the outade
OF the manure heap pervades its mass.
This is seldom the case, and especially
in manure heap in which any portion
has not been thoroughly decomposed.
1t should be recollected that manure
heaps will 'fre-fang" in their centres
even in winter, and the return Of their
drainage to the top, by pumps or other
means, merely increases their general
temperature, for as the moisture sinks
into the mass the process Of fermenta.
ton Is materially accelerated. When
manure3 are turned over in severely
cold weather they sometimes lose their
AASS@e5 SNAAA ~ o1FC A44lC5 lilo Eau VI wall
ing for the gradual reproduction OF
heat, hot water may be poured into
holes made with a crow-bar, so as to
permit of its descent into the mass
when fermentation will readily be re.
sumed. This labor of turning over the
manure heaps may be entirely avoided
If the drainage is thrown back upon
the aeap. This will secure active fer,
mentation, destruction of weed seeds
etc, and where earth, leaves from the
woods, decomposed muck, etc. are
used, it .insures the equal distribution
Of the soluble portions throughout the
macs, thus rendering the inert part!
equal in value to those supplying the
trouble materials found in Inc drain
age.-Phila lphia Record