THE GENESEE FARMER. 



267 



CEOPS WHICH ENRICH THE SOIL.* 



One of the great needs of American agriculture 

 is the introduction and extensive cultivation of 

 such plants as enrich, rather than impoverish the 

 soil. So far as ascertained, the leguminous plants 

 — such as peas, beans, and clover — belong to this 

 |class. So also do turnips and probably other cru- 

 ciferous plants, when not raised for seed. On the 

 other hand, the ceralia — including vpheat, barley, 

 oats, rye, nuiize, sugar cane, and the grasses proper, 

 such as timothy, red-top, rye-grass, etc., — impov- 

 erish the soil. They all have starchy seeds and 

 glassy stems. Tliey take from the soil, from rains, 

 dews, and the atmosjjhere, more ammonia than 

 they contain when grown. On the other hand, 

 the leguminous plants, turnips, etc., retain the 

 mmonia; and when the plants are plowed in, or 

 consumed on the land by animals, they increase 

 the supply of ammonia in the soil. 



All cr()j)s grown for feeding animals on a wheat 

 farm, or for plowing under as a manure, should 

 belong to the latter class, as much as possible. In 

 letermining which crop to raise for tiie purpose of 

 feeding on the farm, we must Tiot merely ask the 

 imple question what crop will afford the most nutri- 

 ious matter, but which will be ultimately the most 

 profitable, taking into consideration its effect on the 

 oil, the amount of nutritious food, and the value of 

 he manure made by its consumption on the farm. 

 Where the object is to enrich the farm, it is a 

 reat waste of vegetable force to grow barley, oats, 

 •ye, corn, and the grasses, for the purpose of feed- 

 ng animals on the farm. "We should rather grow 

 ilants of a lower organization — plants which re- 

 luire less of that kind of food best suited to the 

 ;rowth of plants used as food for man. All will 

 ,dmit that to grow wheat to be fed to animals, for 

 ,he purpose of enriching the soil as the primary 

 bject, would be a wasteful practice; and we believe 

 ,he gi'owth of the plants named, for this object, is 

 urasteful also, though perhaps in a less degree. 



If we can direct the attention of our readers to 

 ihis subject, we believe many useful plants will 

 oon be introduced which are now little known 

 ►r cultivated in this country. For this purpose 

 we have procured engravings of some of the most 

 iseful plants which experience indicates as belonging 

 that class of crops which enrich the soil. 



White Lupine. — This plant has been used in 

 50uthern Europe for plowing in as a manure, since 



* At the request of a friend we republish a portion of this arti- 

 :le fro i, the Farmer of last year — ad'iing some matter on points 

 m which he wishes information, especially in regard to the value 

 •f spurry as a green-crop for peach orchards. Eds. 



WHITE LUPINE. 



the days of Columella. We have frequently 

 alluded to it as preeminently worthy of trial on 

 the poor sandy soils 

 of the Atlantic slope, 

 especially where the 

 climate is mild. It 

 derives its name from 

 lujnis^ a wolf, in allu- 

 sion to its voracious 

 qualities. It strikes its 

 tap-roots deep in the 

 soil, and it will flour- 

 ish where many other 

 plants would starve. 

 It is of very rapid 

 growth, pKoduces a 

 large amount of vege- 

 table matter, and draws from the subsoij a large 

 quantity of alkalies. It is rarely or never injured 

 by drouth "or insects, and is admirably adapted for 

 enriching nufruitful sandy soils; while its strong 

 stems and roots open and ameliorate, as well as 

 enrich, heavy tenacious clays. Mr. Vilmoein, of 

 Paris, says it is sown in that vicinity about the 

 middle of April, after all danger from frost is past. 

 He says " the green manure yielded by this plant is 

 excellent. The seeds, soaked in water, form a good 

 cattle food, and the young plant is readily eaten by 

 sheep." 



Spurry {Spergula arvensis). — No plant has been 

 more lauded for enriching sandy soils than spurry. 

 Von Vogt states that by its use the " worst shift- 

 ing sands may be made to yield remunerative crops 

 of rye — that the green manuring every other year 

 not only nourishes sufficiently the alternate crops 

 of rye, but gradually enriches the soil — and that 

 it increases the effect of any other manure that 

 may subsequently be put on." He adds, also, that 

 " spurry often produces as much improvement if 

 eaten off by cattle as 

 if plowed in; and 

 that, when fed upon 

 this plant, either green 

 or in the state of hay, 

 cows not only give 

 more milk, but of a 

 richer quality." The 

 best seed comes from 

 Riga. It can be sown 

 any time during the 

 spring or summer. It 

 is often sown after 



wheat or potatoes, and plowed in .the following 

 1 spring. It is sown broadcast at the rate of 16 lbs. 



