1 Dec., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 525 
crop on a light soil, you will have done more harm than good, because the 
plants will not rot. The moisture will evaporate from the soil rendered more 
open by the buried plants, and only by careful rolling and harrowing and 
cultivation of the surface will you get a succeeding crop. 
Many farmers do not believe in this method of renewing the fertility of 
the soil. They say it is much better to harvest the crop of cow pea, velvet 
bean, maize, or peas; feed it to stock, and then put the resulting manure 
on the land. This is called “ sozléng,” of which you will hear more hereafter. 
But all farmers, especially cane farmers, do not keen any stock except the 
horses for the farm work and a few cows and pigs, so that they could not get 
enough manure to fully cover the land. Such farmers sow the cow pea, and find 
it usually a great advantage to do so. There is no doubt that the ploughing in 
of green crops at the proper season has a wonderful effect in increasing the 
fertility of the soil. Now, you can easily prove this even in your little bit of 
garden. Sow a few peas or beans. Let them grow till they flower, then dig 
them under. They will soon rot. Then sow a little wheat or some maize on 
that patch, and sow the same quantity on a patch not manured with the peas. 
Watch the growth, the colour of the green ilag, the height of the straw, the 
size of the ear, the number and size of the grains, the weight of the little crop, 
the time the wheat took to come to maturity. Then compare the yields of the 
two patches. You should also make a note of the number of times rain fell, 
of the frosty nights, of everything, in fact, which helped or hindered the 
growth of the plants. Then you would learn by your own experience what I 
have been trying to teach you here—the value of green manuring. 
In Germany in one field 200 lb. more grain and 420 1b. more chaff were pro- 
duced on a plot manured with cow peas than were obtained after a bare fallow. 
Green manure sometimes acts very slowly. This is worth your attention. 
The inorganic matters and the nitrogen in the buried plants are not all consumed 
by the living crop, because the dead ones have not been completely rotted, so 
that something will be left to assist a second crop. 
Now, although I have told you as much as you need know about green 
manuring, it is not often practised except in the case of sugar-cane fields. 
First, because where there is plenty of live stock it is better to feed the green 
fodder to them and put the manure on the land. Secondly, because if the 
green crop is a thrifty one like cow peas, it pays better to harvest the crop. 
‘here is another thing to be noted—that is, that time must be given to the 
buried plants to be destroyed; otherwise the next crop sown may also be 
destroyed. Finally, remember that if green manuring is done it should be 
done thoroughly—that is to say, that the heaviest possible crop should be 
grown by the help of fertilisers, and then plough in such a mass of plants ag 
will equal a fair manuring with farmyard manure. 
Now, this lesson is long enough, and I will set you a few questions on it. 
Our next will deal with draiage, and after that we will talk about irrigation. 
Questions on Lesson 7. 
. What is meant by green manuring ? 
. What is the object of green manuring ? 
. Explain the process. 
- What plants are most suitable for green manure? Why ? 
. How can you tell whether a plant can furnish a supply of nitrogen to 
the soil ? 
6. At what stage of growth should the green crop be buried ? 
7. What effect has green manuring on sandy soils ? 
8. Mention a possible danger which may result from burying a heavy 
green crop. 
7. Might not the crop be employed more usefully than by being ploughed 
in? In what way? 
10. What should you be careful to do in order to get the best results from 
burying a green crop ? 
OP wpe 
