The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-13
AGRICULTURE.

| FERTILITY lNoREAsRD BY ROTATION. -.
When tho farm annually yields to its full
capacity there is extracted from the soil
those elements that principally constitute
it's riches or fertility, and unless the soil is
fed with matter containing those clements
OF fertility 1t will in the course Of time fail
to repay for the labor and capital required
| in It's cultivation. Most farmers arc aware
OF that tact and use barnyard manure and
commercial Fertilizers sH order to supply
the deficiency. We have within our power
however, the means by which the soil can
be recupcrated and restored to fertility,
and evory prudent farmer takes advantage
! of such opportunities In order to bring his
farm to the highest degree of productive
ness. The practice Of rotation of crops
ls essential TO good farming, and it is
by such syetem that the most fertile
sections have been kept TO their standard
condition.
How rotation Gccomplishes 30 desirable
result ls not hard matter 10 solve, for
plants, like animals, differ IN their meth
ods OF growth and feeding capacities. When
field Is occupied by clover, the crop,
When plowed under or fed to stock on the
tarm and again returned in the shape of
manure, adds additional matter to the soil,
turns, but when the whole crop goes under
the quantity ls very large. But, as a crop
OF clover ls sometimes too valuable for the
plow. we still have the advantage OF know
ing that the sod anil roots are very enrich
ing. Glover is lime and potash plant,
requiring but little applied nitrogen to
make its growthr aud yet, by shading tho
soil, and through it's power Of utilizing the
pitrogenous materials OF tho soil and at
nlosphere, it returnf more nitrogen to tho
soil than those crops that depend largely
on that substance. Now does it take from
the soil disproportionate quantity Of
phosphorIc ACID, which is another advan-
tage III it's favor. AS clover takes from
tue soil lime and potash principally, it
leaves the ground, when removed, in good
condition for some crop that protects nj.
uogen and phosphorlc acid Experience
has taught farmers that wheat or corn IL
capable Of filling place III the rotation,
and such system is generally on well oul-
tivated farms, wheat, clover aud corn iol-
lowing in successive order.
In some sections the practice IS a hoed
crop, that is, III addition to tho use OF the
culilva,or, the hoe IS passed once through
tue cornfleld, which more thoroughly erad-
lcatcs weeds. IL calls Tor more labor on
the corn, but saves ii on tho weeds The
rotation is not, however, complete without
Il roo crop OF some kind, and this, joined
with the hurdling OF sheep, as is done IN
England, will bring an almost barren field
Ill the course of few years to a fertile
conditlLn. Oar system Of rotation is too
narrow and should take in other crops
that arc profitable, in order that the ee-
| ncnts ol plant food should be distribute ed
as evenly as possible when removed by
| crops.
Another advantage III rotation is that all
sOlls contain fertility to certain degree.
Even III the best OF soiis there are dormau ut
or lnsolublc substances valuable in com 30.
sitlon, aud when they are not being apprc-
priated by an occupying crop are gradu-
ally being reduced and rendered soluble as
p'ant-tood Tor the succeeding crop, aud
thus rotation not only prevents the loss of
particular substances III excess but con-
vcrts the iocked-up elements OF the soil
lnto free and asslmable matter. In this
country no system OF rotation is complete
without clover; in England 1t must co l,uin
tL@ cultivation Of root crops and shcep
pasIuIaGc. That we may learn valuable
lesson ny combining ho!n practices i; be-
comes the Guty Of every farmer to make
experiments, even il only on small loca-
tiuns.