The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-10-29
Exhaustion of the Soil.

1t does not take very wise man to run
down the best OF farms. A narrow range of
agricultural products, if followed year after
year, is sure to do it. One hundred and
fifty years ago. upon the Delaware peninsu
Ia, it was tobacco, tobacco, tobacco, as the
only rotation. Fifty years later, in the
Middle States, it was wheat, corn; wheat,
corn, and, q little latter, wheat, corn, oats,
aud still later wheat, corn, oats, barley.
When the soil became too much exhausted
for prof table cropping in this manner, it
was left untitled until chemical operations
steadily going on in the great laboratory OF
mother earth restored. in some measure, the
elements of plant food carried away by the
unskilled farmer.
No law of science is more settled aud in
flexible than this: Whatever elements are
carried away from the field by cropping
must in some manner be replaced IL the
fertility is kept up.
Some crops remove some elements in
greater portions than others. Some derive
their nutriment from or near the surfacs, as
nearly all cereals, turnips, onions, etc. /;
Others go down deeper for the elements that
give them active growth, as clover, lucern.
beets, parsnips, etc. While the former OF
these classes exhaust the surface, the latter
will grow and thrive when the surface has
been exhausted, with q very little start from
some stimulating fertilizer. Clover. lucern,
bsets parsnips and carrots are all improvers
OF the soil, by going down with their tap
roots and bringing up the sinking alkaline
elements which had already gone down into
the soil so far as to be beyond the reach of
all surface growing plants.
Hence the importance OF q wise success
sion of crops as a presentation OF exhaust
| ing the soil. Surface growing crops should
be succeeded by deep roofing, rs wheat by
clover; clover by wheat, corn or turnlps.
Deep blowing in some soils will, of course,
make the elements Of plant growth hold out
| longer, but can not obviate the necessity Of
a judicious rotstion of crops.
The philosophy OF the rotary sy9tem lies
in applying alkaline substances, as lime,
potash, soda aud also rhosphates and
nftrates TO surface growing crops, then fol
| lowing these by deep-rooting planta Thus
| the greatest amount Of good will be derived
from these expensive chemicals. Causfis
alkalines, a. lime. soda and potash, and
wood ashes should be applied to the surface
after blowing under sod, or stubole covered
| with rag or other weeds. They act directly
on such organic matter going to decay, and
form respectively the nitrates OF lime. sods
and potash which are readily converted
into plant food.
Another Important point, II We use ferti-
lizers to the best advantage without impover
ishing the land. Is, supply the plant soon
which the crop requires when 1T needs 1t fol
its growth. Ammoniacal plant food, when
necessary to be supplied, should be applied
to the terminating plant to give nea'tny
leaves are as necessary TO plant as large
and strong lungs to q man. Phosphori'
acid. potash and soda should only be ap
piled when wheat. for instance, begins =
tiller In the spring. and the plant begins =
prepare for the seed. Ammoncial fertiiizer
60 to make leaves-foliage-and phosphori'
J acid, potash and soda enter much more
largely into the seeds and fruits OF plants.
We are fully convinced, both by theor.
and from experiments, that the country IA
sustained an immense and unnecessary los
BY applying potash and phosphate SUB
stances to wheat in the fall, which had don'
much more good II they had been sown II