136 FORAGE CROPS 



possible to get on the land, that the soil may be 

 suitably compacted before the drying winds of 

 spring absorb the moisture. Following the plow- 

 ing, the tillage should be deep and thorough, both 

 to warm the soil and to make the surface as fine 

 as possible. When soils are loose and porous, the 

 necessity for deep and repeated tillings are not so 

 great as when they are heavy and compact. If 

 the soil is not plowed until immediately preceding 

 planting, it is likely to be cold, preventing quick 

 germination ; and should dry w^eather follow, the 

 surface rapidly dries out and the plants will not 

 absorb sufficient moisture from the lower layers to 

 cause rapid and continuous growth. When the 

 crop is planted on land that has not had a cover- 

 crop, the recommendations may be modified to 

 some extent; a little deeper plow^ing may be made, 

 and less tilling is required to get it into first-class 

 condition. 



Manures and fertilizers 



When the aim is to secure as large a yield of 

 succulent food as possible, and of superior quality, 

 it is absolutely necessary that the plants have an 

 abundant supply of plant- food throughout the 

 entire season. Therefore, even on good soils, the 

 fertilization should be liberal. Manure may be 

 placed on the surface in the fall, in which case it 

 serves as a mulch during winter, absorbing mois- 



