56 HOW TO MAKE THE FAEM PAY. 



into the soil, and the roots catch it and appropriate it on its way 

 downv/ard. Surface manuring is often very effective, and ma- 

 nure covered so deep as to be for the most part beyond the 

 reach of the plants is valueless. It will never rise again to the 

 surface, and is lost. Manure should be put, then, as nearly as 

 possible where it is to do its work. 



For light grasses it may be spread upon the surface and will 

 soon reach the roots which are near the surface. Manure for 

 this purpose should be as thoroughly pulverized and as evenly 

 spread as possible, and applied in the fall before the frosts; 

 if green manure is used, the unrotted straw, cornstalks, etc., 

 fibould be raked off with a horse rake in the spring. We 

 think this method gives the best results of any on light grass 

 lands. Manuring such lands in the spring we have found to be 

 very much less effective. 



For nearly all other crops, manure should be well decom- 

 posed and plowed under, or thoroughly harrowed and cross- 

 harrowed into the soil after plowing. No time can be set for 

 applying manures, for every farmer has, more or less, to consult 

 his own convenience as to the time. 



Having reccommended fall plowing, we recommend, as far 

 as practicable, fall manuring with green manure, as it is at 

 present managed: but if we could persuade every farmer to 

 adopt the system we have advised, of thoroughly composting 

 his manures, under cover, with peat and liquid manures, often 

 forked over, and thus ready at once to give up their fertilizing 

 elements to the plants, we could say emphatically, manure in 

 the spring, except surface manuring of light grass lands. This 

 housing of manure through the winter is the best economy. 

 By actual and oft repeated experiments we have proved that 

 manure thus protected will produce double the crop that un- 

 protected manure will. This is nearly all clear gain ; there is 



