SOIL PREPARATION 75 



Michigan growers sow rye and vetch together when 

 the seeding can be done fairly early in the fall. 



It is always important to use liberal amounts of seed. 

 Crimson or medium red clover may be sown in August. 

 At each plowing, manure, fertilizer and lime may be 

 applied in such amounts as seem desirable. Ultimately, 

 the sods may be cut for composting, or the soil prepared 

 for the greenhouse as described on page 72, except that 

 less manure may be required. Green manures have also 

 been grown inside of the greenhouse, but the interval 

 between the harvesting of the spring crop and the plant- 

 ing of the fall crop is too brief for the development of 

 much organic matter, although such cropping may have 

 a sanitary effect upon the soil and also improve its 

 physical and chemical composition. 



Manuring in the greenhouse. It is the almost uni- 

 versal practice in the large vegetable-forcing establish- 

 ments to apply the manure to the soil in the greenhouses 

 where the crops are to be grown. It is not difficult to 

 understand why this is the favorite practice. There is no 

 question that it is the most economical from the labor- 

 saving standpoint, for in many of the best-managed 

 places the manure is transported from the car or compost 

 heap in manure spreaders, with which it is applied in the 

 greenhouse, or by wagons or carts and spread with a 

 fork. There is no reason why manure spreaders should 

 not be used for this purpose, although carts are more 

 convenient to handle, especially in houses containing 

 pipe posts or roof supports. In the smaller houses it is 

 customary to transport the manure into the houses by 

 means of wheelbarrows or hand carts. 



The manure must be well decayed when applied direct 

 to the soil of the greenhouse (unless used for a mulch), 

 and this requires composting by the same method that 

 is so common among market gardeners. That is, the 

 manure is hauled from the cars and stacked firmly in 



