Plowing Under Green Manures 151 



time enough to have everything in the best possible 

 condition, than to rush the seed in early and expect 

 to do the fitting and weed -killing afterward. 



The importance of observing the practice here 

 pointed out increases more and more as we pass from 

 the more humid climates to the semi -humid ones. 

 Be it remembered that it is important not simply from 

 the soil -moisture side, but from the plant -food side as 

 well ; for plant -food cannot be developed in the soil 

 without the right conditions of moisture, temperature 

 and air, all of which are secured by early, thorough and 

 frequent tillage before the seed is in the ground. 



5. The Danger of Plowing Under Green Manures 



In both humid and sub-humid climates, where irri- 

 gation is not practiced, the use of green crops for ma- 

 nures in the spring cannot be looked upon as always 

 a rational practice, unless it be on grounds which are 

 naturally sub -irrigated, or for other reasons are natu- 

 rally too wet. The difficulties standing in the way of 

 this practice are these : If the green manure crop 

 should be rye, or anything of that character, its ten- 

 dency to remove from the soil all of the nitrates and 

 other soluble plant -foods as rapidly as they can be 

 formed leaves the soil for the time being impover- 

 ished ; and it can be readily understood that if another 

 crop like corn or potatoes is put at once upon the 

 ground, in weather when germination takes place 

 quickly, this crop would find itself placed under con- 

 ditions in which it will be forced to wait, or at best to 



