FAKMERS' INSTITUTES. 355^ 



we have a naked fallow. But plowing np a stubble field and letting it lie idle- 

 for a season is not strictly a naked fallow, because a large amount of vegetable- 

 matter is buried by the plow. Still less is it turning under a greensward, 

 because of the large amount of undecomposed vegetable matter plowed under. 

 In order to obtain some definite idea of how much fresh vegetable matter is^ 

 contained in an acre of greensward, I dug up four specimens of sod, two of 

 heavy sod which had not been pastured, and two of light sod that had been 

 gnawed to the dirt. I very carefully washed out all the soil I could ; there was 

 a little soil left, but this was fully balanced by the vegetable matter removed by 

 washing. After the water had drained off and evaporated, but while the vege- 

 table matter was in the fresh state, I carefully weighed the sods and estimated 

 the amount of fresh vegetable matter to the acre. The heavy sods averaged 37 

 tons of fresh vegetable matter to the acre, and the light sods 19|- tons. When 

 thoroughly air-dried the heavy sods averaged 19| tons to the acre, and the light 

 sods 9^. I have found specimens of green sward where the amount of vegeta- 

 ble matter was greatly in excess of these amounts. These sods were June grass, 

 and probably contain less vegetable matter than fair specimens of timothy and 

 clover sods. I think we would be safe in estimating in a green sward the 

 amount of fresh vegetable matter at 25 tons to the acre, — fully equal to 25 

 loads of fresh barnyard manure. This shows the unfairness of calling a green- 

 sward plowed under, a naked fallow ; it is any thing but naked, even if the 

 blanket is not outside. 



In breaking up a green-sward of timothy or clover for a summer fallow the 

 farmer has little difficulty in subduing the grass ; but the case is quite different 

 with a June grass sod, unless the sod is buried deep and the furrows laid flat 

 and even ; the June grass soon springs up in a vigorous growth, the sod does not 

 rot satisfactorily and the fallow is in poor condition for wheat in September. 

 Some farmers try to kill the grass by keeping a flock of sheep on the fallow, 

 but with indifferent success. The English in speaking of grass lands complain 

 that " the gnawing tooth of the sheep is more than a match for the golden 

 foot." But I never knew sheep to gnaw a June grass sod to death. The fact 

 is, June grass is the carpet-bagger of our meadows ; it will drive out every other 

 grass except its twin brother, — Cjuack. Turn a June grass sod upside down and 

 it is still ready to grow ; " it has two strings to its bow." With some diffidence- 

 I would recommend a smothering process for exterminating a June grass sod 

 by using a green manuring crop. When the fallow is broken in June sow some 

 rapidly growing crop, such as rye ; the ground is soon covered with a growing 

 crop before the June grass can "right about face," and is smothered as a con- 

 sequence. In August when the pastures are in poor condition you will have 

 abundance of succulent food for your cows, which may be pastured on your 

 fallow. W^hen you plow your fallow for wheat in September your sod is well 

 rotted, and you have also secured the benefit of an additional green manuring 

 for your wheat. There may be objections and difficulties in this plan Avhich I 

 do not comprehend, but I would like to see it tried. 



This brings me to another phase of green manuring which I have long urged 

 before my classes in agricultural chemistry. Suppose you have a stubble field 

 which you design to plant to corn next year. If the stubble is left undisturbed 

 a crop of Aveeds will spring up and ripen their seeds, which will keep your hoe 

 and cultivator busy the next season. Instead of this course, plow up your 

 stubble in August and sow it to winter rye. This may afford some fall feed, 

 and if the snow is not too deep, your sheep will get half their winter living f ronr 



