Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-02-01
The farm and fireside.
FERTILITY INCREASED BY ROTATION.

When the farm annually yields to its iull
capacity there is extracted from the soil those
elements that principally constitute its riches
or fertility, and unless the soil is fed with mat
ter containing those elements of fertility it
will in the course of time fail to repay for the
labor and capital required in it's cultivation.
Most farmers are aware of that fact and use
barnyard manure and commercial fertilizers
in order to supply the deficiency. We have
within our power, however, the means by
which the soil can be recuperated and restor-
ed to fertility, and every prudent farmer takes
advantage of such opportunities in order to
bring his farm to the highest degree of pro-
ductiveness. The practice of rotation OF
crops is essential to good farming, and it is
by such system that the most fertile sections
have been kept to their standard condition.
How rotation accomplishes so desirable
result is not hard matter to solve, for plants,
like animals, differ in their methods of growth
and feeding capacities When field is Occu-
pied by clover, the crop, when plowed under
or fed to stock on the farm and again return
ed in the shape of manure, adds additional
matter to the SOIL When fed to animals,
only a portion returns, but when the Whole
crop goes under, the quantity is very large.
But, rs a crop of clover is something too val
liable for the plow, we still have the advan-
|
very enrching. Glover is Il lime and potash
plant requiring but little nitrogen to make its
growth and yet, by shading the soil, and
through it's power of utilizing the nitrogenous
materials of the soil and atmosphere, it re-
turns more nitrogen to the soil than those
crops that depend largely on that substance.
Nor does it take from the soil a disproportion-
ate quantity of phosphorc acid which is an
other advantage in its favor. AS clover takes
from the soil lime and potash principally, it
leaves the ground, when removed, in good
condition for some crop that prefers nitrogen
and phosphoric acid. Experience has taught
farmers that wheat or corn is capable OF ILL
ing place in the rotation, and such system
is general on well-cultivated farms, wheat,
clover and corn following in successive order.
In some sections the practice is hoed crop,
that is, in addition to the use of the cultiva-
tor, the hoe is passed once through the corn
field, which more thoroughly eradicates weeds.
1t calls for more labor on the corn, but saves
it on the weeds. The rotation is not, how
ever, complete without a root crop OF some
kind, and this, joined with the hurdling OF
sheep, as is done in England, will bring an
almost barren field in the course of a few
years to fertile condition. Our system of
other crops that are profitable, in order that
the elements of plant-food should be distribu-
ted as evenly as possible when removal by
crops
Another advantage in rotation is that all
soils contain fertility to a certain degree.
Even in the best of soils there are dormant or
insoluble substances valuable in composition,
and when they are not being appropriated by
an occupying crop are gradually being reduced
and rendered soluble as plant food for the
succeeding crop, and that rotation not only
prevents the loss of particular substances
in excess but converts the locked-up elements
of the soil into free and aSsimilable matter.
In this country no system of rotation is COM
plete without clover in England it must
contain the cultivation of root crops and sheep
pasturage. That we may learn a valuable
lesson by combining both practices it becomes
the duty of ever farmer to make experiments,
even if only on small locations.