IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL 61 



gienic for the animals, and it certainly could not be 

 recommended for dairy cattle ; but for fattening cattle 

 and horses it has many practical advantages, provided 

 always that the stables are dry and that enough bed- 

 ding and other absorbents are used to keep them 

 from becoming offensive. 



Green Manures. — Since on most farms the supply 

 of stable manure is entirely insufficient to replace the 

 organic matter that is annually oxydized and de- 

 stroyed in the soil through the influence of tillage, it 

 becomes of the utmost importance to find some other 

 means of supplying this deficiency. The important 

 role played by decaying organic matter in the soil has 

 already been touched upon, and it has been stated 

 that its fertility can in many cases be gauged by the 

 amount of organic matter whicli it contains. The 

 problem should be constantly in the mind of every 

 farmer as to how he can best keep his lands supplied 

 with this ever-needed ingredient. In Southern coun- 

 tries, as has also been pointed out, this need is even 

 greater than at the North, since here those fermenta- 

 tive changes by which the organic matter is oxydized 

 and destroyed are going on uninterruptedly throughout 

 the year. The easiest and cheapest way in which to 

 supply this much-needed organic material is obviously 

 to plow in and incorporate with the soil some part at 

 least of the vegetation that is annually produced on 

 it. This process is called green manuring, meaning 

 the manuring with green plants. Its importance in 

 farm economy cannot be overestimated. Fortunately 

 at the South, where it is most needed, it is most feasi- 

 ble and practical, for the long growing season gives 



