ON FARM GARDENING. 21 
soil enrichers, and these plants have, therefore, assumed the 
highest agricultural significance. 
It is well known that such crops as cowpeas, crimson or 
scarlet clover, common red and pea vine or sapling clover, 
Soja beans, vetches, etc., can be used to add nitrogen to the 
soil in commercial quantities. The gain of new material, ex- 
pressed in money, has been estimated as high as $25 per acre. 
This, therefore, is the avenue through which the farmer can 
most economically supply nitrogen to his land. If he will 
exercise all the* economy heretofore suggested in the care of 
natural manures, and will grow legumes, he will not have 
much occasion to buy nitrogen in the market. 
Grass vs. Clover — An idea of the great fertilizing value 
of the leguminous plants as compared with grasses may be 
obtained by a study of the following analyses from U. S. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 16, by Dr. E. W. Allen, on "Legumi- 
nous Plants for Green Manuring and for Feeding": 
Fertilizing Value in Crop. 
Assumed 
Per Acre. 
Yield. 
Per Acre. 
Nitrogen. 
Phos. Acid. 
Potash. 
Hay from 
Tons. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Red top (a grass) . . 
2 
23-0 
7'2 
20*4 
Timothy (a grass) . . 
2 
25*2 
io*6 
i8'o 
Red Clover (a legume) . 3 
62-1 
n*4 
66*0 
Alfalfa (a legume) . . 
3 
6 5 '7 
15*3 
50*4 
Cowpea (a legume) . 
3 
58*5 
15*6 
44' 1 
Soja bean (a legume) 
3 
69-6 
20" 1 
32*4 
Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid, Potash We have just 
noted the cheapest source of nitrogen. It can be collected 
by root tubercles at less than the commercial rate of 14 to 17 
cents per pound. 
Phosphoric acid can be best secured, if a new supply be- 
comes necessary, in the form of ground bone or in the form 
