The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-01-23
6onse, 3arm ano Sarn.n.
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| How 90 Improve tho Fertility Of the

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How 20 Improve the Fertility Of the
Soil.
There are not less than three ways by
which the productiveness of most soils
may be improved SO that they will yield
satisfactory crops of products adapted to
their quality, provided the climate fayors
the cultivation of the kind of crop raised.
One way of improving the fertility of
land is by neglecting to cultivate it-by
allowing vegetable growth to manure from
year to year and to decay where the plants
grew. This is natures own process for
rendering barren soils fertile and rich
ground still more productive. 1t is hers
where the eminent value of no1ious weeds
for agricultural purposes is disclosed
When the farmer neglects the proper cul-
tivation Of his fields, it has been wisely
ordered that ,oeeds shall take possession
and, by slow and tedious process, ac-
complish in an age what an intelligent
/! tiller Of the soil is able to perform in a
| few years. Hence. we perceive why the
species Of 2oxious plants are so numerous,
and so much more hardy and prolific. than
| those plants which are cultivated for CROP
products. Weeds are great blessing in
disguise, As every one, from the little
| chick-weed up to the pestiferous Canada
thistle and couch grass 7riticuns repens),
! plays the admirable part of an ameliora-
| tor of the soil. fl farmer fails to cult
vate his land properly, weeds come in to
supply the deficiency. Grass of all kinds
always exerts an ameliorstine influence on
| the fertility of the soil, as the roots lay
hold of the inorganic and insoluble SUBJ
| stances that are locked up in the barren
| atoms of earth. dissolve and digest them,
! and appropriate the minute particles to
the development of their own roots, stems
and leaves. which, after they have de-
cayed, furnish available plant-fcod for
promoting the growth Of crop-plants,
which must have their pabulum supplied
directly or prepared by other vegetation
having the power to feed upon the gran
lite, mica, limestone, quartz and stubborn
soil which may be within reach of the
roots. In the foregoing manner the West
ern prairies havebeen improved in fertili
ty for ages past. Rain water,-which is
one of the most powerful solvents in ma
ture,-frost, heat, vegetable growth and
decay. and sweeping confagrations. have
all been in operation, every year, prepair-
ing both organic and inorganic materials,
reducing them to a soluble condition, and
storing the particles in the soil for the
purpose of developing useful plants which
will yield necessary food for man and
beast.
Another more expeditions way of inn
proving the fertility of a cultivated soil
is, BY employing mechanical appliances
for accomplishing in few years, in con-
nesion with the operations OF nature, what
she alone would scarcely be able to per-
form in ages. For example, there are in-
exhaustible stores of phosphoric acid in
q given soil, which is 50 firmly held in the
stubborn Gods that the particles are not
in soluble condition. Hence, they are
not available by the roots Of useful crop
plants. The grain of wheat, for example.
is composed, chemically, of 46 parts IN
every 100 of phosphoric acid and 29:97
of potash Now, then, if these substan-
ces be absent, or if they are abundant in
the soil, although in an insoluble condi-
on,-not in condition to feed the wheat
plants, it would be folly to attempt to
cultivate wheat on that soil until its pro-
ductiYeness has been improved. The ele-
ments of fertility may be in the soil. or
the fertiiizing resources of the farm may
be amply'suhicient, if properly employed.
10 develop the productiveness so that
every acre will yield bountiful crop of
grain.
The plough and other implements Of
husbandry frequently operate like magic
developing the productiveness of soil.
Whenever the steel coulter, the share,
the mold board, cultivator teeth and the
harrow teeth are brought in contact with
the coarse particles of earth containing
plant-food, the stubborn atoms are reduc-
ed to a fine powder, SO that the rain, the
burning heat of summer and the disinte-
grating Influences of the frosts of winter
| set the vast stores of phosphoric acid and
potash free; yet, the particles will be
retained In the soil until the wheat plants
throw out their numerous roots through
| the soil and collect such substanstances
| rs may ne available. In every 100 part,
of wheat straw there are 1914 parts of
| potash and 67:S8 parts of silica. The
foregoing figures furnish the intelligent
| tiller of the soil something of an idea as
to the requirements of lxnd in order to
produce crop of wheat. If these sub
stances are not present, the land may
produce diminuiive growth of wheat
plants; but the product will not be =
bountiful crop of fair grain.
In addition to the mechanical crushing
and grinding of a soil, its produotiveness
can be rapidly developed by cultivating
| occasionally a crop of clover, the roots Of
which will prepare a large amount of val
liable plant food for the cerealia, while
the leaves will collect generous supply
Unavailable pabulra from the atmosphere.
Then, e she crop be fed to domestic aui-
mails, and the accumulations of thei,
apartments be returned to the soil where
the crop was produced, the acids and tbs
slkslies in the manure will exert still
further amsliorating influence in sve!op
ing the productive character of the land.
Although no element of fertility will be
added to a ton of clover hay. or ton Of
whea. straw by allowing it to be consumed
and digcsted by domestic animals. yet, il
all the liquid and solid portions be saved
with care and be judiciously applied tc
she land. the dressing viii exert a stimu
latilg Influence on the soil, which would
not have been fsIs if the crop had beer
permitted to decay where it grew These