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failure, and raise but a few bushels of wheat. The 

 reason is plain on a moment's reflection. If dry 

 weather should come on, and continue for several 

 weeks, there will be nearly a complete separation 

 between the surface and subsoil. The wheat cannot 

 grow in the dry crust, and as no moisture can arise 

 from capillary attraction to soften this crust, the seed 

 may perish, or make but a feeble growth till the 

 ensuing spring. From a careless disregard of these 

 facts, even large crops of clover plowed in have been, 

 apparently, injurious, and the whole system of green 

 manuring, has been condemned and abandoned. 



We find some very excellent advice upon this subject 

 in the Foreign Correspondence of the Country Gentle- 

 man. The writer says : " We want the ground to 

 settle before sowing. Never sow wheat or rye on new 

 plowed land, if you can help it, but give it the last 

 furrow from six to eight weeks before sowing time. 

 This is of the highest importance. The soil then 

 becomes thoroughly pulverized by the alternate action 

 of rain and sun it rots; aye, it will rise (puff) like 

 well made dough I can describe it no other way 

 the land must look as if yeast had been put into it and 

 had done its work well. Then is the time to sow." 



Here you see the ground must settle. Now it can- 

 not settle in dry weather, if piled on top of green 

 manure of any kind. In some seasons, there will be 

 so much rain just at the right time, that all seeds will 

 grow no matter when or how carelessly they are put 

 in. That we may never fail to raise a good crop of 

 wheat, I prefer to have Indian corn for the last green 

 dressing, and to keep it on top as a mulch, as directed 

 in Chapter VII. 



On spreading lime and other fertilizers, I wish to 



