214 



ON VARIOUS SOILS. 



thickly and well can be easily calculated, taking the 

 requisite quantities of each species, and the average 

 number of seeds to the pound. The number of differ- 

 ent species taken, including some of the larger-leaved 

 or protection plants, should be at least as many as ten; 

 the more the better, as they will more surely form a 

 close, thick mass of green vegetation. 



Of the better grasses suited to this top-seed manure 

 culture on medium soils, might be mentioned the 



Making use of a mixture of some or all of the species 

 named above, together with more or less plants of a 

 larger and ranker growth, we might form a heavy mass 

 to turn under and enrich and mellow the soil. 



Such as would be suited to a heavy clay soil may be 

 selected from the above, bearing in mind that the 

 larger plants to be sown with them should be such as 

 penetrate deeply, and grow with a rank and vigorous 

 growth. In a similar manner may be selected mixtures 

 for light sands, by a reference to grasses that affect 

 such soils, as described in the first chapter. 



To carry out a complete system of green manuring, 

 requires some little time in securing the seeds ; and this 

 the farmer must attend to personally, if he wishes to 

 have them fresh and good. There is scarcely any 

 plant that grows along his fields, pastures, and roadsides, 

 that may not be made serviceable as a green manure, if 

 judiciously managed, and sown and turned under in the 

 proper season. The economy of green manuring 



