LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 97 



from the soil in this form. They thus accumuhite in the soil assimilable 

 nitrogen — the most precious and costly element of vegetable growth. 



A variety of plants may be used for green manuring. In this State, red 

 clover justly heads the list. The reasons for this are not hard to find. Clover 

 sends its roots deeply into the subsoil to dravsr up the hidden minerals of plant 

 growth, and beyond all plants grown in this climate it has the power of 

 accumulating combined nitrogen. Let us count up the market value, at com- 

 mercial rates, of the manurial materials in an acre of clover. An acre of fair 

 clover will produce two tons of hay and a ton of aftermath or fall feed ; the 

 sod contains as much matter as the hay, the scythe leaving as much behind as 

 it removes. The stubble and roots will weigh as much, and is as valuable for 

 manure as the crop of hay. The acre of good clover will therefore have the 

 equivalent of five tons of vegetable matter, containing 195 pounds potash, 

 worth $11.75, 55 pounds phosphoric acid, worth 86.88, and 232^ pounds of 

 nitrogen, worth 844.50, or a total value of 863.13 at current commercial rates. 

 Do you wonder that I call red clover the red-plumed commander-in-chief of 

 the manurial forces? 



Here is the result in dollars and cents if you have to buy the materials in 

 open market. How the farmer shall treat this crop, whether he shall plow it 

 under as green manure, or feed it to his stock and return the manure to the 

 land, is a matter of indifference to the chemist, because the manurial value in 

 either case will be the same, provided there is no loss in keeping or handling. 

 In either case you will note the great manurial value of the clover sod, which 

 is about 825. 



If for any reason clover cannot be used for the manurial crop, then other 

 crops may take its place, foremost among which I would rank the field pea, 

 to be'i^lowed under after the hogs have eaten the peas. The cow pea of the 

 south will be of great value if it will stand our climate. In general terms I 

 would say, grow any crop that will produce the largest amount of organic 

 matter, giving preference to those plants which are richest in combined nitrogen. 



To those who encounter difficulty in their efforts to find, make, or buy 

 enough manure for the farm, I again urge this subject of green manures. It 

 is the cheapest and quickest way to renovate exhausted lands. These plants 

 are the gleaners of the soil to collect the elements of plant food. They take 

 up a collection every day to gather from the reluctant minerals of the soil 

 every jDarticle that can be persuaded to enter the active list. You know 

 something of the teasing importunity of a collection — that the little box hung 

 up in the vestibule with its admonitory card, "Remember the poor," is a 

 nullity beside the pushing contribution box that goes into every pew and 

 nudges the elbow of every sleepy or negligent sitter. Let the living plant 

 carry the contribution box to every part of your soil to at last pour its accumu- 

 lated wealth into the mouth of your hungry fields. 



INCOMPLETE MANURES. 



The number of incomplete manures, which furnish only a part of the 

 chemicals of agriculture, is much larger than the number of complete 

 manures. I shall not attempt a complete discussion of these special manures, 

 and only call your attention to those that may be obtained in our State and 

 are worthy of your consideration. 



I. Animal remains of every kind — flesh, blood, skin and bones — are very rich 

 in manurial matters, and should all be made to contribute in the grand levy of 



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