76 ARID AGRICULTURE. 



One of the very best methods of adding nitrogen 

 and vegetable matter is green manuring with 

 legumes. Plowing under such green crop puts 

 into the soil a quickly-decaying supply of vege- 

 tation and the legumes gather much nitrogen 

 from the air which they make available to other 

 crops. There are some places where the use of 

 nitrate of soda gives good results. A system 

 which enables the farmer to return the crop to 

 the soil in the form of manure cannot be too 

 strongly recommended. Raising a crop of feed 

 which is used by the animals harvesting it them- 

 selves in the field, like pasturing to fatten on 

 peas, both returns the manure and spreads it. 

 Where manure accumulates in the feed lot or 

 barn it should always be applied to the land, and 

 a manure spreader is becoming a necessary im- 

 plement on all modern farms. The sooner ma- 

 nure can be spread on the land after it is made 

 the better the results to soil and crops. 



