The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-02-19

TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT SOILS
Soils, while naturally depending for
their material elements upon the source
from which they are themselves derived,
at the same tirie often rely more upon
artificial treatment than the original
source for their fertility. There are,
indeed, few lands of such character as
to be permanently independents Of the
aid of applied fertilizers; therefore the
necessity for knowledge of the chemical
constituents of a soil in order to know
what crops it will best grow and what
elements of plant food it requires.
Soils composed Of coarse land, while
they may be rich in mineral elem(,nts,
are, ii the absence of judicious treat
ment, a continual source of disappt,int-
ment 10 the crltiyator. They allow a
rapid descent of water through them,
are incapable Of supplying moisture
from below by capillary attraction and
are deficient in the power of absorbing
moisture or fertilizing gasses from the
atmosphere. Fertilizers applied to
these lands are of little or no use be-
cause they are not retained. The con-
sequence is a failure of crops, especially
in times of drouth. These soils, how
ever, with proper management have
their mechanical defects corrected and
their value many times enhanced. Fall
blowing when there is a clay subsoil
within reach is very beneficial, because
it brings up the clay to mingle with the
sand surface by the action of frosts and
rains. A green crop or two turned I'M
der further assists in stiffening the tex
ture of the land, improving its capilla-
ry action and facilitating root action.
| When there is not clay subsoil within
reach of the pillow, the use of lime in
conjunction with vegetable matter turn
ed under is advised as one of the most
effectual and economical means for the
amelioration of the land.
| The successful management and cul
tivation of clay or stiff lands are much
more laborious than the lighter soils
Clay soils under proper treatment, how
ever, endure long and yield great va
riety of crops. They are generally
adapted to the cereals, make good grass
and pasture lands and grow fine fruits
Clay lands are deficient in veg
etable matter and are there
fore greatly benefited by al
application of the same. Lime is also
beneficial to such lands, assisting tc
remedy their stiffness and tenacity. Any
substances which serve as divisors, pre-
venting the adhesion of the particles o.
earth both in times of drouth and ex
cessive wet are of great service.
Good drainage is especially necessary
for clay soils. Without drainage sea
sonable work can seldom be done in the
spring. Every farmer knows how
troublesome clay land becomes if rur
| together and packed after having beer
plowed. Much needless work is causec
by blowing such lands too early in tn,
spring. Fall blowing is great assist
| ance; it adds humus through whatevel
growths may be on the farface, and tn
| alternate freezes and thaws of white
break up the inert clods and grind dow
the soil into more soluble raass.s Coli
and unproductive soils which have stag
nant water sufficiently near the surfac
to be reached by the roots of plants re
quire to be underdrained.
Alluvial soil may be said to have nj
distinctive character, being cornpose'
of successive deposits, continued through
a long period. They partake sonnewha
of the soil of the country from whicl
running waters have washed and de
posted them. Alluvial lands, of course
are rich in hurnus and do not need tn
assistance of green crops turned unde
or the application in any form of vege
table matter. They are generally de
ficient in the mineral elements and ar
benefited by phosphoric acid, potasl
and est..ss- mineral plant-food- Th
same may be said ofsoils known IS veg
etable molds and containing large pc
cent. of vegetable matter.
Loans are soils in which clay an,
sand unite, sandy loans being those il
which the sand predominates and ella,
loans those in which the proportions 0
sand and clay are reversed. These mus
be treated according as the sand or cla
predominates.
/ If all the crops annually produced up
on ones land were returned to it tn
soil would annually improve in fertility
With this fact In view it is easy TO I'm
derstand that as a part, at least, of eac
crop is annually removed plant-foo
equivalent to that contained in the poi
ton of the crops carried off must be re
turned to the land to secure its endurin
fertility. 1t has been practically dem
onstrated over and over again that tn
roots of all plants, and especially tn
legumes, have power OF acting a
chemical agents upon the mineral ele
ments of the soil in a manner whic
renders them available as plant-food
This in part explains the desirable ei
fects of the cultivation of peas, Glove
and the like.
While the general principles here lai
down and already familiar to man
farmers are the same everywhere, thei
application to practice must of neces
sity vary with the differing circun
stances surrounding individual farmers
Certain practices which give admirabl
results at the North may fail to be {
any avail at the South, and vice verss
Many of these differences farmers mus
learn from experience, though niue
knowledge may be gained by observs
ton. The interchange of experience
from all sections of country throug
journals devoted to the farmers intel
ests, agricultural stations and farmers
clubs can not be too highly priced G
encouraged. Every farmer who take
, the trouble to promulgate facts comm
into his own line and of general intere'
is soon rewarded for that trouble b
some equally valuable FACT, otherwis
unknown to him, from another farme
whose opinions were called out, MAYBE
| by his own communication. -Nesc Yor
World.