

CHAPTER IV. 



GREEN MANURING, MULCHING, 

 INTER-CROPPING, &c. 



Green manuring consists in growing special crops, either 

 alone or intermixed with others, for the purpose of dicing or 

 ploughing into the soil in a green state, when they have reached 

 a suitable height, or before flowering. This mode of enriching the 

 soil is considered to be one of the most economical as well as 

 efficacious, the fresh vegetable matter being returned to the soil 

 with greater benefit, than when it has been decomposed and 

 much of its goodness has been lost in the process of rotting and 

 fermentation. For improving the condition of light sandy soils 

 especially, green-manuring is of the greatest value. Briefly, the 

 following are the principal benefits derived from the application of 

 green- manures or cover- crops, viz : 



(1) The addition of humus or vegetable matter to the soil, 



which increases its capacity for retaining moisture. 



(2) The prevention of surface-wash on steep land. 



(3) The improvement of the mechanical condition of the 



soil by the action of the roots of the green-manure 

 plants or cover crops. 



(4) The protection of the soil and roots of crops from the 



excessive heat of the sun. 



(5) The suppression or diminution of weeds, and therefore 



economy of labour. 



(6) The decomposition of the vegetable matter gives rise 



to acids, which act as solvents on the soil consti- 

 tuents, thus rendering available more material for 

 plant nutrition. 



(7) The fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in the soil by 



leguminous plants, especially those of the sub-order 

 Papilionaceae. 



Whilst all plants, weeds included, are useful for adding organic 

 matter to the soil, when dug into it in a green state, yet all are not 



