108 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Frs., 1900. 
The Orchard. 
FRUIT CULTURE IN QUEENSLAND. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
MANURING—No. 3. 
GREEN MANURING. 
Havine dealt with farm manures and commercial fertilisers in the second part 
of this article, we now come to the very important question of green manuring: 
The principle of green manuring consists in the growing of a suitable cron 
on the land to be manured, and, instead of carting it off or feeding on the land, 
of ploughing it under when it has produced its maximum of growth and contains 
either in its leaves, stems, or roots the largest proportion of available plant food, 
so that, when ploughed in, the soil is enriched to the greatest extent and will 
derive most benefit therefrom. 
Queensland soils and conditions are especially adapted to green manuring; 
and this method of improving land or of maintaining it in a state of fertility 18, 
im my opinion, of vital importance to the agriculturists of this colony. 
Green manuring is especially adapted to our local conditions for the 
following reasons :— 
1. In the coastal districts, owing to the’more or less heavy rainfall, 
humidity, and tropical heat, the organic matter of the soil is rapidly decomposed, 
even in the case of virgin land covered with scrub or forest, and is only main- 
tained by the constant supply of dead leaves, twigs, &c.; but where the land 18 
cleared and under crop, and this natural source of supply is cut off, the organi¢ 
matter in the soil, together with its attendant nitrogen, is quickly diminished to 
such an extent that the fertility of the land suffers, and it is unable to produce 
paying crops. 
This is becoming noticeable in lands that have been under cultivation for @ 
number of years in sugar-cane, bananas, and farm crops generally, and it cam 
only be remedied by returning to the soil those ingredients in which it is defi- 
cient, and the best and cheapest method of doing this is by green manuring. 
2. As soon as land is cleared and the soil broken up, the action of the sui 
and rain causes the decomposition of the organic matter in the soil to take place 
more rapidly. Heavy rains also leach the soil of its soluble plant foods more 
rapidly, and at the same time carry away the smaller particles of organic matter; 
hence the greater necessity of maintaining the supply of organic matter. 
3. The depletion of organic matter from the soil renders the soil less easily 
worked, as the soil becomes more compact and less friable. This has the effect _ 
of retarding the free passage of air and moisture through the soil, and, conse- 
quently, the disintegration of the soil proceeds less rapidly, and insoluble plant 
foods present in the soil are more slowly rendered soluble. The deficiency of 
organic matter also lessens the power of the soil to retain moisture, and this 1D 
ie is a very important consideration, especially in the drier parts of the 
colony. 
4, The heavy soils of the tablelands could be rendered more friable and 
easier to work by the judicious use of green manures, especially those that are 
deep-rooting, as they tend to burst up and lighten the soil, and thus permit of 
its being worked at a cheaper rate. ‘This has been especial] mec at both 
the Hermitage and Westbrook Experiment Farms, where the growing of cow 
peas has had a very marked effect in improving the texture of the soil, which 
can ay be worked during a dry spell when adjacent soil is often too hard to 
plough. 
