36 



as well as for green manuring. The spring vetch, as is generally 

 known, is commonly sown with oats or barley, about one bushel to the 

 acre, and winter vetch may be sown with winter rye, the same quantity 

 of seed to the acre When first grown upon the farm vetches may not 

 do well on account of the insufficient development of the bactei'ia which 

 are essential to vigorous growth. After a few years it may be expected 

 that these bacteria will become abundant and the growth will be better. 

 It is the winter vetch which is likely to be of most value as a green 

 manure, for besides serving as a nitrogen gatherer it will serve also as 

 a nitrogen conserver and will furnish protection to the soil in winter. 

 It grows early in spring, starting up with the lye, and can be turned 

 under in season for corn and similar crops to follow. The following 

 table shows the increase in rye by green manuring with vetch, and sev- 

 eral other crojjs which are to be spoken of, upon a sandy soil in Ger- 

 many : — 



Increase in the Yield of Ri/e per Aerc cm Grccn-manurccl Pla/s over those 

 not Green-manured. 



Kind of Gbeen Manure. 



Date when 



ploughed 



under. 



Increase in 



Grain 

 (Pounds). 



Increase in 



Straw 

 (Pounds). 



Yellow lupiuc, 

 Blue lupine, 

 White lupine, . 

 Serradella, 

 Crimson clover, 

 Vetch, 



Sept. 28, 



Sept. 28, 



Sept. 28, 



Sept. 28, 



Sept. 28, 



Sept. 28, 



1,101 

 1,343 

 1,352 

 1,241 

 903 

 1,077 



1,261 

 1,963 

 2,137 

 1,845 

 1,620 

 2,122 



The vetch in this exjaeriment was sjiring vetch, sown May 15, at the 

 rate of 18 pounds per acre with about one-third of its weight of rye to 

 act as sujiport for the vetch plants. It will be seen that the increase in 

 crop was very large. This is no doubt chiefly to be ascribed to the fact 

 that the vetch stores up a large amount of nitrogen taken from the air. 



Concerning the value of vetch as fodder it seems unnecessary to go 

 into details. It is similar in its composition to clover and is relished 

 highly by cows. It can easily be made into hay as the stems are com- 

 paratively fine. About one bushel of seed per acre is commonly re- 

 quired. 



Peas. — The common field jiea, though requiring a rather longer 

 season for development than most of the crops we are considering, is 

 nevertheless sometimes valuable as a catch-crop. This croj^ is valuable 

 as fodder and may be used either green or made into hay. Curing is 

 more difficult than in the case of vetch on account of the coarser vines. 

 Peas do best upon medium or heavy soils. This crop is a nitrogen 

 gatherer and is sufficiently hardy so that it may serve also the purpose 

 of nitrogen conservation The pea is so well known that further notice 

 appears unnecessary. Tlie quantity of seed required is from one and 

 one-half to two bushels per acre. 



Lupines. — The cultivated lupines are all annual plants while our 

 native wild lupine is perennial. Of the cultivated lupines there are 

 three distinct sorts, the white, the blue and the yellow. Lupines do 



