The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-01-29
ExhauSting the Soil.

There are no soils, however rich, that
with continuous cropping will not, in
time wear out. With some soils it is
true great liberties may be taken in
the cultivation of crops without regard
to a judicious rotation, and even grow
ing the same crops several years in sue
cession on them; but this cannot be
kept up continually. A day will surely
come when the richest soil under such
treatment will he despoiled of its fertil-
ity and fail to respond to the drafts
made upon it. 1t is the memorable
penalty that follows an abused law of
nature. 1t is lesson which science
long since taught, but which has to be
learned by dear bought experience again
and again as one generation follows
another. Death and taxes are not more
certain than that whatever elements are
removed from the soil by cropping
must be replaced in some way, if fertil-
ity is maintained. Twenty-Five years
ago the virgin soils of some portions of
the Northwestern States produced an
average of from twenty-five to thirty
bushels of wheat per acre, now the
average yield of the same land, save
in exceptionally favorable seasons,
is not above twelve bushels
per acre. In like manner the
cotton lands in the Gulf States pro-
duced double the quantity of cotton
that they do now. Fifty years ago
wheat was the principal crop of West
ern New York and Northern Ohio;
after time it was wheat and corn, then
other grains with it, until better sys-
tenn of farming became a necessity to
render the land more fruitful by re-
storing principles of which it had been
robbed. Going back still further. the
worn-out lands of Virginia, Delaware,
Maryland and other States. impover-
ished by continuous crops of tobacco,
furnish the same lesson of unskillful
farming. Thousands of acres we're left
untitled until nature, through chemical
changes, kindly wrought in her grand
alembic, partially restored their original
fertility. The ability of soil to pro-
duce well depends upon the chemical
constituents that are present in it, pro-
vided its mechanical condition is such
as to render these matters available to
plants. These matters or constituents
are the food upon which plants live,
and knowledge of them, combined
with an acquaintance with the chemical
composition of the ashes of different
plants, suggest a rational system of
agriculture.
The importance of a judicious success
sion of crops in order to maintain fer
tility, in the light of these facts, is at
once apparent. There are many things
to be considered in connection with
this subject which cannot be properly
elucidated within the compass of a
single article of reasonable length.
Some crops remove larger proportion
of particular elements than others,
while some derive nutriment from near
the surface, and some send their roots
to greater depth to gather sustenance;
hence the Importance of following the
former with the latter, and of supply
ing in the way of manures the SUBJ
stances necessary to surface-grOwing
plants. Science affords invaluable
assistance in this behalf. With its aid,
and the exercise of practical common
sense, wonted fruitfulness may be re-
stored to impoverished soils, and in
stead of becoming less and less pro-
ductive from year to year, their pro-
ductive capacity may be increased until
the maximum of fertility is reached. :
Prairie Farmer.