The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-01-13
Winter On the Farm.

SaInere0, the farmer should count over
ms gains, and, if it must be, the losses
also, and try and learn BY inspection the
causes which have combined to Weld him
Inc result OF his seasons labor. A GER
Iain neld, 1t may be, has given more
wheat than was expected, and it is part
OF the winter work upon the farm to
learn why such an agreeable increase
was produced. 1t may be that the wear
itself was favorable one, and this will
lead the mind to consider the influence
Oh the climate upon a crop; the effect of
a good rainfall, a cool summer. or both
On the other hand, the granary-bins,
after threshiDg, tell the sad story of a
light crop, perhaps not half paying for
the labor bestowed upon the field. Here
again the causes are to be sought for, and
1t may be remarked that in this case they
will be more apt to lead to an investiga-
ton than when the field is remunerative
and satisfactory. 1t is only when the
system is out of order, and the good re-
suits OF health are not obtained, that the
physician is desired. In the same sense
the field may be "out of Sorts" at least
does not fulfill its functions as a profita-
BILE producer Of crops. Land is some
times spoken of as Sc clover SICK" and
with some propriety field that is sspoor-
ly'' may be said to be sick, Granting
this, it is very natural to try and discov-
er the nature of the malady, and, having
found it, if possible apply the remedy,
or remedies. There are already, even in
this new country, many fields that are
undergoing slow but sure starvation.
Food is being withheld, and at the same
time hard work is demanded. As well
hope to get the best speed or greatest
possible power from a horse that is
pinched at the manager. Ahorse on half
rations is not half horse, as far as those
products are concerned for which horse
is kept. The engineer who only furn-
shes his engine with fuel enough to
keep the water in the boiler trife be-
low the boiling point, or, better, only
makes sufficient steam to run the ma
chine of the engine, with no surplus for
work, practices most wasteful econo-
my. He may save some coal or wood,
but that which is used is thrown away.
The same reasoning applies to the cult
waited soil. The grain field is in more
sense than one, a factory in which the
products of the farm are made. The
soil and air are the sources of the food
or fuel which the plants use in building
up their structure. The question of the
air may be dismissed, for it seldom, if
ever, fails to yield the necessary food
elements in sufficient quantity. If the
soil does its part the greatest difficulty in
the way of a good crop is removed.
Let us consider briefly some of the fac
tors of good soil, and then the reader
may perhaps be the better able to see the
fault in his own field, if he should be so
unfortunate as to have faulty one, and
seeing it, may apply the proper remedy.
The soil must contain all of those ele. |
ments of plant food furnished by the |
soil; the potash, phosphic acid, magne- i
STA, iron, lime, nitrogen, etc. More than
their simple presence is demanded; they
must be in an available form, that the
growing plant may readily extract them
from the soil. 1t is on this account that
the chemist is not able by an analysis to
give an exact estimate of the
worth of an agricultural soil.
The phosphic acid may be in an
jnsoluble form, and the potash may be !,
locked up SO securely in its combinations
with other substances as not to be with
in the reach of the delicate roots of the
plants.
In order that the plants may feed with
the greatest advantage they must have
the soil deep and mellow, thus securing
the conditions for the growth and spread
ing of many fbrous roots. The work of
absorption is done largely by the delicate
root hairs, and they must be able to pass
between and come in contact with the
fine particles of the soil. Besides being
rich and deep and mellow the soil should
be warm and moist. The absence of
these two last essentials will make good
crops impossible, no matter how well
stocked the soil may be with the food
elements of plants.
An examination of the leading essen
tials leads to a word as to the remedy
for the absence of any one or more of
them. If food elements are lacking they
must be supplied either in a return Of
those that have been removed in the
crop as barnyard manure, or in the ap-
plicatiOn of the same elements in q more
form as commercial fertil-
izers. If there is lack of depth and
mellowness, these must be obtained
through more thorough tillage. Awet
and cold soil has its remedy in the re-
moval of the excess of water by open
bitches or undertaking.
1t may be that neighbor having like
problems to solve may drop in for an
hour, and while it is all cold without,
the discussion-let it be warm rather
than none-may 60 on to the advantage
of both; the boys may be taken into the
debate, and the evening will yield rich
return in thoughts that afterwards may
be put to good use in the practical work.
ings of the farm. The mind active in
winter, alive to the demands made upon
it by the circumstances of a competitive
farming, means a planning and sys-
tenn in future work that must bring sue
Christian Union.
Marsh hay and straw differ from the
best hay in being deficient in nitrogenous
matters, starch, sugar, and fat, and in
,