GREEN-MANURE OR COVER-CROPS, 
MULCHING, INTER-CROPS & 
CATCH-CROPS 
Green manuring consists in growing special crops, either alone 
or intermixed with others, for the purpose of digging 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 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 condi- 
tion of light sandy soils especially, the application of green-manure 
or cover-crops is of the greatest value. Briefly the principal bene- 
fits derived are: 
(1) The addition of humus or vegetable matter to the soil, 
which increases its capacity for retaining moisture. 
(2) The prevention of surface-wash or soil erosion 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 reduction of weeds, and_ therefore 
economy of labour. 
(6) The fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in the soil by legu- 
minous plants, especially those of the sub-order Papi- 
lionaceae. 

The following are recommended for the purpose all 
belonging to the family of Leguminosae. 
Aeschynomene Americana Adenanthera Pavonia 
Accacia Decurrens Cajanus Indicus 
»  Vilesa Clitoria Cajanifolia 
Albizzia Moluccana Cassia Didymobotriya 
a Stipulata »  Hirsuta 
4 Falcata »  Multijuga 
Crotalaria Anagyroides Indigofera Dosua 
3 Juncea .; Arrecta 
ae Usaramoensis Leucana Glauca 
A Striata Mimosa Invisa 
