169 



From what has just been said it should not be infer- 

 red that we are advoeatiu<i' the sowing- of the small 

 orains or of any small seed immediately after plowing 

 in a large mass of vines. Instead, sufficient time should 

 be given for the soil to become somewhat settled by the 

 action of the rain or of harrow, drag, or roller. Small 

 grain and still smaller seed can usuallv l)e sown after 

 a sJiorter interval where the vines of the legume are uti- 

 lized for hay or pasturage, lea^dng only the roots and 

 stubble to be incorporated, than where the entire 

 grov\'th of the legume is turned under in the fall for fer- 

 tilizer. 



If plowing under of cowpea vines takes place after 

 (,'hristmas the mass (jf vegetable matter will have be- 

 come so diminished and the stems so weak that the de- 

 lay in sowing to permit of the ccmipacting (yf the earth 

 around the vegetable matter will l)e less necessary, or 

 perhaps unadvisable. But this interval may be quite 

 necessary vrith velvet bean vines at Avhatever time they 

 are plowed under, for the mass of matter will be con- 

 siderable and the material is apt to be buried in large 

 wads. 



Referring again to the last table, we see that \\'hile 

 the small grains gave the largest percentage increase 

 from the use of a preceding summer legume as ferti- 

 lizer, the value of the increase was greatest with cotton 

 and soroiium hav. In other words, cotpfjit niade more 

 profitable use of either the rine.s or stnhhle of the sum- 

 mer lefjiones on sandij land than did cither eorn, oats, 

 or wheat. 



Sorghum responded freely to the abundant supply of 

 nitrogen in the legumes, and it may be accepted nt> a 

 thoroughly tested proposition that on poor or medium 

 soil any hay plant of the grass family will return a 

 large profit for a judicious application of nitrogen^ 



