300 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Oct. 
Green Manuring. 
I have a piece of land that needs enriching, but this 
I cannot do for it, except at too great an expense—that 
is, by drawing manure from Buffalo, nine miles by 
pland road. The land referred to was seeded with grass 
last spring, and it looks well; and there w r ill from pre¬ 
sent appearances, be a fair crop of timothy and clover 
next season. I propose about the 20th of June next, 
to mow the grass and spread it over the ground, and 
leave it to decay, and leave what comes up afterward 
the same season to rot on the land. Will this be a good 
way to bring up the land 7 C. S. East Hamburgh , 
Erie eo., N. Y., Aug. 8, 1853. 
We would not by any means recommend the expo¬ 
sure of the crop of grass the whole season to the ele¬ 
ments, although we have no doubt that much enriching 
material would thus be afforded, when plowed under in 
autumn. Plowing under at once would better promote 
decay and decomposition, and prevent the dissipation 
of a valuable portion of the crop of grass. Several 
successive crops of green manure are always best for 
poor land, but it is generally most convenient to turn 
in but one in a season, preceding some farm crop. If 
our correspondent, however, wishes to obtain the benefit 
of two successive growths in one year, we would recom¬ 
mend the following course: In the early part of next 
summer, when his clover and timothy begin to approach 
maturity, (for much is lost by burying it when very 
green and juicy,) throw it flat in the direction the plow 
is to move, by means of a roller; or if a roller is not 
to be had, by means of a common harrow—then let the 
plow run in the same direction, and the grass will be 
mostly buried. A short piece of heavy chain, dragging 
from the upper part of the coulter, in the furrow, and 
the other end fastened to the right handle, will greatly 
assist in sweeping the grass from the mold-board so as 
to be more completely buried. If it is desired to turn 
under a second green crop the same year, this plowing 
should if possible, be done to a depth of ten to twelve 
inches, by means of that incomparable implement, the 
double Michigan plow ; immediately after which a crop 
of buckwheat or Indian corn should be sown upon the 
fresh soil. This will grow, and may in its turn be buri¬ 
ed with a shallow furrow in the same way, by mid-au¬ 
tumn, or sooner. In this way the soil will be well filled 
with two different strata of vegetable manure, at diffe¬ 
rent depths, and will be greatly improved in produc¬ 
tiveness by another year. If the com is sown in drills 
about 20 inches apart, so that each drill, after rolling 
down, may bo plowed under by every second furrow, it 
will be found that it can be more effectually buried, 
and there will be less waste of seed than if sown broad¬ 
cast. Two bushels to the acre should be used. 
If a dressing of lime could be applied about the 
time, or a little before the green crop is plowed under, 
it would be more useful than at any other time, and in 
many cases would be of much benefit. 
The great advantage derived from green manuring, 
is the material which the growing coat of manure de¬ 
rives from the air and water of the soil; for although 
the soil itself is in some degree exhausted by every 
crop of plants, yet by plowing the whole under, all 
that is taken from the soil is returned, together with 
all that is obtained from air and moisture. Broad or 
round leaved plants are found to get a larger propor¬ 
tion of their growth from the air, than those like wheat 
and grass, with narrow leaves; hence such should be 
chosen for green manuring. Nothing has yet been 
found in this country equal to a crop of red clover for 
this purpose. We greatly need a series of accurate ex¬ 
periments on the different crops adapted to green ma¬ 
nuring. —--*©«■■— 
Underdrawing. 
A correspondent (Y. W. II., Trexlertown, Pa.) who 
has never seen any underdraining, wishes to try an ex¬ 
periment on a piece of meadow lying on both sides of 
a small creek—the ground gravelly, and generally too 
wet to bring good grass—and he desires practical di¬ 
rections how to perform the work. 
We can only give, at present, very brief hints on the 
subject, as to treat it in full would require a volume. 
Cut the drains as narrow as the workman can stand in 
them, and at least three feet deep—let them run di¬ 
rectly down the hill, so as to give rapid descent, which 
is especially necessary in gravelly subsoil; for if laid 
obliquely they will leak, and be comparatively of little 
use. As tile cannot probably be had by our corres¬ 
pondent, the drains may be filled with stone or with 
brush, as may be most convenient, the former being 
most durable, the latter more easily constructed. If 
much water flows in the ditch, and the descent is mo¬ 
derate, a free channel must be made for the water by 
placing a row of stones on each side of the ditch’s bot¬ 
tom, leaving a space of two or three inches between; 
across both of these rows flat stones are laid, forming a 
covered channel. If flat stones cannot be had, hard or 
durable slabs will answer, but they will ultimately de¬ 
cay. The ditch is then partly filled with small stones, 
none being admitted half the breadth of the ditch ; on 
these straw or inverted turf is deposited, and the rest 
of the space filled with the removed earth. But there 
are several precautions to be observed, or the earth will 
soon fall in among the stones. If the soil is clayey 
much less care will be needed, however, than with 
lighter soils, those approaching the character of quick¬ 
sands being most of all difficult to manage and control. 
The precautions are, to place the smallest stones at the 
top, and flat stones, if to be had, to close all cavities; 
and if the soil has little clay in it, to cover these stones 
with a layer of slabs, before placing on the inverted 
sods or straw. Also, if the soil is light or gravelly, a 
smaller portion of the ditch must be filled with stones, 
than if much clayey; because the water will find its 
way down through the former more readily, at the 
same time that the less tenacious soil will be more apt 
to fall in among the stones if they are near the surface. 
In either case, an abundant depth of soil must be al¬ 
lowed for plowing freely over the drain. 
When the streams are not copious, we are inclined 
to prefer, decidedly, the construction of brush drains, 
in all places where plenty of brush can be obtained; 
and these are more especially suited for the use of such 
