Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1880-02-19
ts&R--V--<sHE
FLOWING.

Inc great purpose of blowing is to nul
Eeflze The soil, and thus enable the rootlets
to search for food and the air and water tc
ma Its way through its pores 1t gives the
power OF destroying the life of weed, ming.
Ing them Will! the soil and lllstening tlleiI
decay. Late autumnal blowing does much
towards killing insects and eggs or larvae
Ihe latter often penetrate some inches be.
low the surface. Flowing EXPOSES them to
the irostS.
But the great object most farmers have
in view is to mellow the soil. increase its
poroslty and augment the amount of all,
| that may disntegrate aud decn.nposc the
vegetable, animal and mineral ingredients
and fit them for nourishing coming plants.
We all know how valuable is air to main
tain vegetable and animal lite Its oxygen
enables animals to breathe and live and it's
carbonic acld feeds aud gives tirmness to liv-
Ing plants. The presence in the air. or soil
OF oxygen promotes the starting into growth
all seeds. Many germs may remain dor
mant for many years, while excluded from
the air. but start at once when exposed the
air, warmth and moisture. The air also be-
gins the decay of the vegetable matter in
the soil and resolves it to simpler forms of
matter. and evolves carbonic acid and VIII
ter that contributes largely TO the growth
OF vegetable infancy. II a small amount on
ly OF air be present, decomposition NAV
slowly occur but may generate new com
pounds, that may injure or retard the
growth ofplants. Exclude the usual per
centage OF oxygen. and the vegetable mat
Ter OF the soil abstracts oxygen from such
earthly matters as may decompose and lose
helr usual state OF oxldasIon. 1t takes OK. |
fgen from Snlphates and changes them to |
ulphideS. These lower oxides are harmful |
o vegetation. We prevent lieSe Injurious
hanges by plowing, narrowing and loosen
ng The soil so as to admit air freely to every
particle of soil. Give the soil all the air il
an absorb and it will fit it for the noursh
nent OF plants. A poor supply of air harms
nnts as much as animals.
Compound mineral substances in soils re-
tllre constant supply OF oxygen to has
an or promote their decomposition and so ;
hrch the soil These decompoSing miner
Is yield large supplies of inorganic materi-
Is that feed and foster growing crops. Air. !
zen. aids the decay of this mineral matter :
I'd helps to bring carbonic acid in contact
llh plants. In this way we clearly see
at porous soil and exposure to air ia a
'rs the growth OF plantshy presenting to r
cir roots atuH supply OF organic and in t
ganic food. c
Ammonia and nitric acid are generated in fl
lis. They are OF great value to vegetable b
G. Ihey arc HE more abundant. the b
ore often the land is powrd and harrow W
. All elements that the surface soil ab- ft
rhS from tle air will be the greater the :
ire and ofener the entire soil IL exnosed
oxygen. The better the farmer pnws,
rr"ws and pnlrerizes his land. the larger :
! his crops.
t soils are pervious to the air. tllp root =
can easily penetrate the soil. Their "
res spread far around and are tnlly sun ~
'd with food. A we'll pulverizeu and az
How soil. that can be freely entered by "
and roots. will yield larger crops than an
en Il greater depth. but less permeahle or
exists. A deep soil is always able to th
ld larger crops than shallow one. other sit
dllion> being the same.-Pyaj17e Farmer. eg
AGRICULTURE IN THE SCHOOLS.
some of the Western States they are ~
r tn n,y tla NJ, Ill 6