raked moderately level and the seed of the cover crop sown on 
the surface. The ground should then be raked over so as to cover 
the seed as much as possible. It is a good plan after planting to 
spread a thin layer of stable manure (about two inches thick) over 
the ground. This will add fertility and protect the cover crop 
during the winter. A plot 20x40 feet will require about 1 pound of 
winter vetch (hairy vetch) or 2 or 3 pounds of rye. The two crops 
may also be planted together, using half the quantity of each. In 
the spring when the rye is from 6 inches to 1 foot in height, it 
should be dug under, first spreading lime over the surface at the 
rate of 40 pounds to 800 square feet. By this method the soluble 
fertilizing elements of the soil are not lost by leaching but are taken 
up by the cover crop and returned to the soil again when dug in. 
The practice of green manuring is a valuable method of add- 
ing humus to the soil, especially in those sections where it 
is difficult or impossible to obtain stable or barnyard manure. 
Green manuring may be practiced on clay and sandy soils to 
equal advantage, but to secure best results it must be supple- 
mented by the use of concentrated fertilizers or stable manure. 
A good plan is to apply a “complete”, concentrated fertilizer, 
obtainable from most seedsmen, to the soil immediately after the 
green crop has been buried, thoroughly raking the surface to mix 
and evenly distribute the fertilizer. 
The main advantages of the preparation of land in the 
autumn may be summed up as follows : 
In the case of grass land, the sods have opportunity to decay 
before planting time. Clay soils are more readity penetrated by 
frost, which assists in breaking the clods and renders the soil 
more amenable to cultivation, and thus enables planting to be 
accomplished earlier. 
In the case of sandy soils, it offers an opportunity of growing 
a crop for green manuring, which adds fertility, improves the 
physical condition, and prevents leaching of soluble plant foods. 
Another advantage that will be appreciated by those in the 
city who experience difficulty in obtaining decayed manure, is 
that manure fresh from the stable may be used in the fall with 
good results to the crop the following year, and without creating 
a nuisance to one’s self and neighbors. 
Montague Free. 
