6 



" My experience in using rye for adding humus to the soil has 

 been considerable and for two seasons I have made the mistake of 

 letting it head out before plowing it under. In this condition it is 

 stubborn stuff to rot, and lays in the soil like very fine brush. 

 Instead.jof being a benefit to the soil it is a nuisance. The quality 

 that makes rye straw wear well as bedding is a detriment when the 

 straw is plowed under. It is an easy mistake to let rye get too far 

 grown before plowing it under. May is a farmer's busy month and 

 lie finds many things which ought to be done first. AVhen rye has 

 reached a certain stage it heads out very quickly, particularly if the 

 weatlier suddenly becomes dry. You look the field over one Sun- 

 day and think it will be safe to leave for a few days and by the 

 next Sunday it will be too far advanced to bring satisfactory results 

 if plowed under. 



" The first crop of corn fodder on my worn-out soil generally 

 pays all the expense of fertilizers and cultivation, and the second 

 crop is an improvement on the' first. I am confident that this 

 improveinent is not all due to the humus added hy the rye^ hut is 

 also the residt of good tillage. How much of it is due to tillage I 

 have no means of knowing ; but I wish that all restoration crops 

 could be hoed crops. When once the fertility of a field has reached 

 a point at which I can get a fair crop of clover, I feel that the resto- 

 ration period has ended and maintenance period begun. Some 

 farmers object to clover because of the frequent reseeding which is 

 necessary, and expense of the seed. One point in favor of the more 

 extensive use of clover is the short rotation wdiicli it necessitates, 

 thus giving an opportunity for frequent seasons of tillage. I believe 

 in a short rotation for either the restoration or maintenance of fer- 

 tility ; for there is fertility in tillage. 



" Another way of adding humus is to sow Canada peas and oats 

 as early in the spring as the land can be worked. This involves 

 more expense and brings no return in money for the first year, but 

 it will generally improve the land sooner than fodder corn and rye. 

 Before sowing an ' onion bed ' preparation should be given. Com- 

 mercial fertilizers may be used as a starter. This crop may be 

 turned under in late June and aiiother humus crop can immediately 



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