40 



atoms in a state of great refinement, and will soon be 

 converted by a chemical change into available plant 

 food. Hence the unquestionable advantages, of cut- 

 ting down green crops in mid-summer, and leaving 

 them to cover the ground, as long as possible. At 

 the same time, another green one may be encouraged 

 to grow up through the mulch. 



CHAPTER IX. 



GREEN CLOVER. 



One ton of green clover contains 12 pounds of 

 nitrogen, 2i pounds of phosphoric acid, 9 pounds of 

 potash and 1600 pounds of water. 



We may by good management, have 15 tons by 

 the middle ot June, to cut down, or plow in for wheat. 

 If left on the surface as a green dressing, a second 

 crop will grow up, and the two together, will amount . 

 in tops and roots, by the middle of August, to 25 

 tons per acre. That will be 500 tons on a field of 20 

 acres. This amount of green manure will contain 

 6000 pounds of nitrogen. 



One peck of seed per acre, at ten dollars a bushel, 

 will make the nitrogen cost less than one cent per 

 pound, and the green clover ten cents per ton ! That 

 is $50 for 500 tons of green manure ! 



Now it will take 600 tons of barnyard manure to 

 furnish as much nitrogen as we get in the 20 acres 

 of clover. If you buy stable manure and haul it 

 home and spread it, at a cost of $1,50 per ton. you 

 pay 900 dollars for a pile, that contains no more 

 nitrogen than what we obtain for $50. 



