f 



276 TALKS OX MANLKES. 



As we have shown, clover can get more nitrogen out of the soil, 

 than wlieat, barley, and oats. And the same is true of beans and 

 peas, though probably not tr) so great an extent. 



Now, it would seem that Indian corn c m get more nitrogen out 

 of a soil, than wheat, barley, or oats — and to tliis extent, at 

 leiist, tve may consider Indian corn as a renovating crop. In other 

 wonls, the Indian corn <an get more nitrogen out of the soil, than 

 wheat, barley, and oats — and when we feed out tiie corn and 

 stalks on the farm, we have more food and more manure than if 

 we raised and fed out a crop of oat.s, barley, or wheat. If this 

 idea is correct, then Indian corn, when consumed on the farm, ]£* 



should not be classed with what the English farmers term " white 

 crops," but ratlier with the " green crops." In otlier words. In Man 

 corn is what (dil writers used to call a " fallov.- croi)" — (jr what 

 we call a renovating crop. 



If tliis is so, then the growth and consumption of Indian corn cm 

 tlie farm, as is the ca.sc with clover, should leave tiie farm richer 

 for wheat, rather than j)oorer. I do not mean richer absolutely, 

 but richer so far as {Uottral'ihlr supply of plant-food is concerned. 



" It may be that you are right," said the Doctor, " when corn is 

 grown for/'/rW/T, but not when grown for the grain. It is the for- 

 mation of the seed which exhausts the soil." 



If I coul 1 be .sure that it was true of corn-fodder, I should have 

 little doui>t that it is true also of corn as ordinarily grown for 

 grain and stalks. For, I think, it is dear that the grain is formed 

 at the expense of the stalk.s, and not directly from the soil. The 

 corn-fodiler will take from the soil as much nitroL^en and phos- 

 plioric acid as the crop of corn, and the more it will take, the more 

 it approximates in cliaracter to clover and other renovating crops. 

 If com -fodder is a renovating crop, so is the ordinary c(jrn-crop, 

 also, provided it is consumed on the farm. 



" But what makes you think," said the Deacon, " that corn can 

 get more nitroiren from the soil, than wheat? " 



" That is tiie real point, Deacon," said I, " and I will a.'skyou this 

 question. Sui>pose you had a field of wheat seeded down to clover, 

 and the clover failed. After harvest, you i)low up half of the field 

 and sow it to wheat again, the other half of the field you plow in 

 the spring, and plant with Indian corn. Now, suppose you get 15 

 bushels of wheat to the acre, how much corn do you think you 

 would be likely tn get ?" 



" "Well, that depends," said the Deacon, "but I should expect at 

 least 30 bushels of shelled corn pr^r acre." 



"Exactly, and I tliink most farmers would tell you the same; 



