THE SPECIAL FKIITILIZ PHB FARM. 489 



Among the various plants grown for green-manuring are, buckwheat, rye, 

 rape, and common clover. Many of these crops, when ploughed in green, 

 are, weight for weight, almost as good as farm-yard manure, containing 

 large quantities of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. '1 t weight 



of decomposable vegetable matter contained in the root as well as the leaf 

 of a crop, grown for being ploughed in as manure, is to be considered in es- 

 timating its effect as a fertilizer. There can be no doubt that to this 

 especially is due the fertilizing effect of a clover stubble when ploughed in 

 as a preparation for the following wheat crop. Eight to twelve tons per 

 acre may be grown of any of the crops we have named, with the aid of a 

 special fertilizer. 



Green-manuring produces the greatest effect on light sandy soils in dry 

 climates ; hence its more common use in the United States and Canada 

 than in Britain ; but it is profitably practised also on heavy soils. The 

 n crop should, if possible, be ploughed in just before the time of flower- 

 ing, or at all events after it has arrived at considerable growth. The sea- 

 son of the year for ploughing in must depend upon the nature of the crop ; 

 but the operation is best performed in the heat of summer, as the condi- 

 tions for rapid decomposition are then actively present, after the plants are 

 turned in. To cover them effectually, they require to be first heavily 

 rolled. A skim coulter should be used in the plough that is used, and the 

 ploughing should be deep enough to retain moisture about the decaying 

 plants. 



THE LIQUID MAM; RE OF THI: FARM is the drainings or the washi; 

 from the f;mn-yard manure. The be^t use that can l>e made of it proba- 

 bly is to return it to the dung heap, where means should be devised for it> 

 absorption or retention. If allowed to flow away from the cattle sheds or 

 from the manure pile, it should be collected in tanks. From the collect in;: 

 ! distributed over the, land by a waterin ;--eart, win n the 

 Hall. Liquid manure is chieily valuable for the rapidity with 

 which ii effect. It is well adapted to li-ht .-aiidx it a 



failure on heavy clays. It is a! and n><,t e; 



than f.r -rain crops. By it nay be cut six or eight tin:.'- in 



the course of a y< 



TII [CATIO* 01 SPECIAL MANUBIS, The tendency of modern 



practice in manuring is to 086 soluble ai.d quick-acting manures 



but to us.- tip-in sparingly at a (inn*. Little, and often is the rule. 



In apply in "rs of a I neal to 



manure th- plant rath, r than the soil. The praetio- ially appli- 



cable, to mangels and other drilled Crops, \vh. iants are a consider- 



