AN AGRICULTURAL POINT CF VIEW 261 



Leguminosce contained in his valuable work on chemical 

 manures in the production of fodder. 



Apart from the fact that they contain a larger quantity 

 of nitrogenous matter than the Graminaj and forage root 

 crops, the Leguminos^e have the advantage of affording 

 more lime and phosphoric acid for the rearing of young live 

 stock and the production of milk, both of which require 

 phosphate of lime. 



Works on rational feeding often neglect the question 

 of mineral matters in the estimation of the ingredients. The 

 experiments of Professor Henry have shown this to be 

 wrong. 



In districts where a too heavy rainfall forms an obstacle 

 to the proper fertilization of the flowers and to the maturation 

 of the pods, it is advisable to take a green crop rather than 

 to chance losing evervthing, as has actually occurred in our 

 experimental fields with plots left for seed. 



Our experiments, like all those carried out elsewhere, 

 prove that a higher weight of nutritive units is obtained 

 per hectare in the form of green fodder or hay than in the 

 form of seeds. 



Instead of taking the figures from our own trials as a 

 basis, we will borrow those given by Mr. L. Newman, the 

 agricultural scientist of the Arkansas Experimental Station, 

 which show the average for five years (1898 to 1902) : — 



189S 1899 igco 1901 1902 



Rain (inches) 62-23 ■■• 36'32 ■•• 32"67 ■•■ 2215 ... 37-16 



Hay, per hectare (lbs.)... 7,743 ... 7,236 ... 6,589 ... 9,176 ... 7,207 



Seeds (hectolitres) ... 4-4 ... 4'9 •■• 77 ••■ ^°'^ •■■ 4"8 



The onlv error we find to criticize in M. Desbassyns's 

 method of rotations with the aid of the Leguminosce, is 

 that of allowing the soil to remain for several successive 

 years under the foliage of the same plant, as after this plant 

 had once reached the period of florescence in any one year 

 it would no longer improve the soil. The reason is that 

 it no longer abstracts nutritive elements from the soil 



