288 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



lotus or sweet clover. The crimson clover is used as a soil- 

 cover and for green manuring extensively in the south, where 

 it is hardy ; but repeated trials have shown that it cannot 

 be depended upon in Massachusetts, although it is not im- 

 probable that it might winter on some of our sea-coast 

 lands. There are some twenty-eight species of wild her- 

 baceous leguminous plants common to Massachusetts, which 

 so for as they have been examined by us, produce nodules 

 upon their roots, and, much like those named above, are 

 capable of utilizing the free nitroo;en of the air and addinof 

 it to the soil. None of these species, so far as I am aware, 

 have received any attention as to their possibilities of being 

 utilized as nitrogen gatherers. Many of these species, such 

 as the bush clover (Lespedezas) , wild lupine {Lupinus 

 perennis) and rattle-box {Orotalaria sagittal is), are peculiar 

 to worn-out soil, and in all probability the rather sparing 

 growth of these plants enables them to furnish some supply 

 of nitrogen to such a soil. 



Owing to the increased use of commercial fertilizers of 

 late years, and the limited application of barn-yard manure, 

 our soils cannot be supplied with sufficient amounts of or- 

 ganic matter without recourse to green manuring. In early 

 colonial times the farmers had access to leaf-mould and 

 vegetable decay, which were the accumulations of centuries, 

 and the necessity for manures and commercial fertilizers 

 was not so urgent. In order to bring our unremunerative 

 soils back to a condition approaching that of colonial times, 

 and to put them into a condition in which they will become 

 remunerative and bear larger crops, we must follow the 

 teachings of nature, which, as we interpret them, consist in 

 supplying our depleted soils with more organic matter. 



