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to tliis crop, it might easily have been seen that no price ever yet paid 

 liad compensated the farmer for abstracting the most valuable materials 

 from his soil, and wasting his capital by diminishing the value of his 

 lard. We look, therefore, upon the partial failure of this crop, as a benefit 

 rather than an injury, because it directed the minds of the farmer to a 

 ^'•reater diversity of products, and turned their attention to those pursuits, 

 •which, instead of diminishing the value of the land by impoverishing it, 

 would, by enriching the soil, add materially to its value. But it is neces- 

 sary that we should raise wheat sufficient at least for our own consump- 

 tion, and in order to do this wisely, let us search for the best means of 

 accomplishing the object, without diminishing our capital by the impover- 

 ishment of our soil. All green crops, when plowed under, have been 

 found to favor the growth of wheat. Clover, perhaps, is as good a crop 

 for this purpose as any other, and it is often resorted to in the best wheat 

 growing districts of the Eastern States. Owing to the uncertainty of 

 obtaining a good stand of clover, either from drought, bad seed, or any 

 other cause, a renovator not at all inferior can be made to supply its 

 place, and, as I believe, at a less cost, while it is more certain and equally 

 valuable as a manure. Sowing corn broadcast and plowing it under is 

 the substitute we propose. Let us here institute a comparison between 

 the two methods of renovation : 



Clover Seed, one peck per acre, at 88 per bushel - 82 00 



Plowing it in, after removing the crop with which 



it is sown, say next season - - - - - 2 00 



Plowing one acre of ground for corn 

 Seed, three bushels . . - 

 Plowing in the crop 



Yield of clover, three tons per acre. Yield of corn, six tons per acre 

 at least. And here we have three additional tons of green manure plowed 

 in for thirty-seven and one half cents per ton. Corn, sown in this way, 

 is a much more certain crop than any grass seed, and it grows often 

 where grass will not grow. Eight tons of green manure would, in my 

 opinion, be much nearer an actual yield in most soils for corn than six 

 tons, as corn, if cut and drawn ofi" before the grain is formed, does not 

 impoverish the soil. 



