72 TITE FARM. 



manure, which had been exposed to the weather, yielded five hundred and 

 sixty-four bushels of potatoes, while the other two acres manured with 

 covered manure, yielded nine hundred and thirteen bushels, or four hun- 

 dred and tifty-one bushels more than the other. The increased effect of the 

 covered manure did not cease with the first year. The next year both plots 

 were sown with wheat, and from the two acres dressed with the barnyard 

 manure ninety bushels of wheat were harvested, while from the two acres 

 dressed with the covered manure, one hundred and eight bushels of wheat 

 were obtained. These facts show the importance of protecting the bam 

 manure from the weather. 



The Fertility of Soils. — The fertility of a soil depends not alone on its 

 composition. A proper mechanical te-iture is essential. On the texture of 

 soils depends not only their suitableness for the growth of different crops, 

 but likewise the rapidity of their growth. It is the texture, also, which 

 regulates to a just extent the soil's power of absorbing and retaining heat, 

 moisture and manure. 



To be fertile the soil must be firm enough to afford a proper degree of 

 support to the growing plants, and yet loose enough to allow the delicate 

 fibres of the rootlets to extend themselves in all directions. It must be 

 loose enough to allow free access of air and suitable drainage, and at the 

 same time close enough to retain sufficient moisture. 



Unless there be a sufficiently free passage for the rain throughout the 

 substance of the soil the plant food will not be properly prepared, nor the 

 stationary roots of plants be fed. 



The fertihty of a soil is also dependent on the cumate in which it lies. 

 Local conditions as to rainfall, temperature, etc., miast be considered in 

 estimating the value of soils. They may be the same in composition and 

 texture and yet differ widely in value. The amount of rain, the season of its 

 descent determine largely the value of the soil of localities for agriculture. 



The temperature of the air in any given locality has an important bearing 

 upon the productiveness of the soil, whatever may be its composition and 

 texture and the amoimt of rainfall. 



Green Mainires. — I have never yet been able to make as much barn- 

 yard manure as I wanted, writes a Southern farmer, and commercial fer- 

 tilizers are dangerous things to come in contact with a farmer's pocket, so 

 I touch them lightly; then what is the next best resort? Green manures. 

 In the fall of 1882, I determined to try rye as a fall crop, and I sowed a 

 twenty-five acre lot in it, and the following May I plowed it under, when 

 fully headed, and sowed black peas, one bushel per acre (having used the 

 same quantity of rye) . We had a nice pea fallow, and plowed them under 

 about the first of October, and sowed wheat in the latter part of October, 

 1883. Last year we cut the wheat, and though it had the nist very badly, 

 we made between twelve and fifteen bushels per acre. The growth of the 

 straw was very fine, and I am confident we would have made from twenty 

 to thirty bushels per acre but for the rust, on land that would not, before 

 these green fallows, have made ten bushels of wheat. I now believe yoii 

 may grow wheat on the same lands every year by following each crop with a 

 pea-fallow, along with ten bushels of lime per acre, applied when the peas are 

 fallowed in. We did not apply any lime on our fallow, as the land had 

 been limed a few years before with fifty bushels per acre. I verily believe 

 the lands can be cropped, as above stated, and constantly improved. We 

 should never buy peas to sow but once, and thus save our seed each year, 



