The Problem of Impoverished Lands. 101 



Every farmer knows that overflowed lands are rich. He has heard 

 of tlie wonderful fertility of the Nile. He should explain these 

 facts. 



5. All productive soils also contain organic matter. — Most 

 organic matter is the remains of plants and animals. As found in 

 soils in a decaying condition, it is called humus. It is the humus 

 which gives the soil its dark or " rich " look. It also tends to make 

 soils loose, warm and mellow. It liold.s moisture. Tiie addition of 

 humus makes soils loamy. A sandy loam may be defined as a soil 

 of which the original mineral matter is sand, and a clayey loam is 

 one of which the basis is clay. Soils which have no humus are hard, 

 " dead " and unproductive. 



6. Humus is supplied hy means of roots and stuhhle^ green-crojjs 

 and ham manures. — If the farmer practices a notation of which 

 meadow and pasture are a part, the supply of humus will l)e main- 

 tained. In such cases, green-manuring is unnecessary except now 

 and then upon lands which are very hard or poor. The roots and 

 stubble, with the droppings of the aiiimals on the pasture, and 

 manure applied with one of the crops in the I'otation, keep the land 

 well supplied with vegetable matter. Whenever possible, it is bet- 

 ter to feed the crop to stock and return the manure to the land, than 

 to plow the crop under ; for one will get back the greater part of 

 the fertilizing value of the crops and maintain the animal at the 

 same time. In western New York, there are hundreds of acres of 

 refuse cabbage lands, and at this day there are thousands of tons of 

 herbage on the ground, and no stock to eat it. It is wasteful. 



Many soils which are said to be worn out are robbed of their 

 humus rather than of their plant-food ; others have been injured in 

 their texture by careless or faidty management. In supplying 

 humus, it is better to add small quantities often. Lands which are 

 under constant tillage, in corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, may be sup- 

 plied with humus if catch-crops are sown with the crop, now and 

 then, late in the season. Rye, Canada peas, crimson clover, and the 

 like may be used for this purpose. Plow them under as soon as the 

 land is ready in the spring, even if the plants are not large. 



Observe how the forest supplies its humus. Year by year the 

 leaves add to the soil cover, which slowly passes into vegetable mold 



