Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-12-14
Preparation OF the Soil.


# there is any one thing more than
another that the farmer fails to realize,
it is the importance of thoroughly pre-
pairing the soil before the s~ed is plant
ed, or the plant set. Our grandfathers,
for hoed crops, spread their coarse ma
nure on the surface of the land and
plowed it under, then they furrowed the
ground with d small horse pillow, and
where the seed was dropped put half
shovel full of the finer manure, on
which the seed was dropped and COW
cred; thus leaving the manure unmixed
with the soil, and where it would lay
undisturbed until the land was plowed
for another crop; nor was any effort
made to pulver.ze the soil until the crop
was up large enough to hoe. If they
had tree to set they simply dug a
small hole just large enough to receive
the roots. and without any preparation
of the soil, filled up the hole and left
tire tree to take its natural course.
Our fathers made a step of progress
by spreading the manure ON the surface
after the ground was plowed. and with
the old toothed A harrow mixed the
manure with the soNahd when they
set a tree many of them dug hole much
larger than the roots of the tree extend.
ed; and after setting the tree filled
around the roots with soil well prepared
for plant growth: But it was left for
this generation TO more fully realize that
if we are to force nature much beyond
her natural course, we must study to
prepare the soil not only in the best
manner, but at the best time.
| A careful study of natures WAYS of
/ feeding plants teaches It's that crude ma
tefials can not enter the plants, bit that
separation must first take place, di-
/ viding the fertiliZing materials into
atoms that are in a condition to mingle
with both air and water, which they will
readily do, and thus form molecules that
are readily taken up by the growing
plants, and conveyed to the numerous
cells, where that nice chemical opera
ton takes place which transforms each
molecule into the particular substance
necessary to produce all of the charac-
teristics, of the plant and the fruit or
/ vegetable.
Having satisfied ourselves OH some OF
the principal points of vegetable
growth we can more fully realize the
Importance Of thoroughly pulverizing
the soil, and SO minsling the fertilizing
materials with it that there will be d
rapid formation of those. molecules
which produce plant food. The fact that
tho division of particles by the decay of
Substances is FASTENED by the presence
of water and warm air, readily explains
the reason why well pulverized soil is
best adapted to the rapid manufacture
of plant food. A soil that is closely
pressed together prevents the free
passage IF both water and warm air;
! therefore, although it may contain large
quantities Of fBrtilisihg materials, the
manufacture of plant food viii be very
slow indeed, because of the want of the
two elements essential to produce a
change.
If %e t5duld work to the best advan-
tage it is necessary lhst We should know
how soon after the soil Is stlfrsd the
process of the decay of materials conf
mences, and thus the manufacture of
plant food takes place. Observation
teaches that this Is in q very few days;
III feet, sometimes in a very few hours;
consequently When We cat readily do
so, it is best to prepare tht soil for
most of crops but short time before
they are expected to grow. For exam
pie, if the crop be carrots, it would be
very unwise to prepare the land in the
at!tumf; let il settle all winter, and
then SOW the seed I'll .hc bard surface
without pulverizing it. A better way
would be to partially prepare the land
in the autumn, and then just before the
seed is sown in the spring, thoroughly
pulverize the soil that it may be in a
condition for The air and water to min
gle with the particles IF manure at the
time when the growing crop tieeds 1t.
What is true of carrots is true of all
plants.
| Experience (Which is worth more
than all OF ths theories that ever exist
/ ed)proves that if we Would produce rap
/ id plant growth we must not only have
the land well pulverized before the seed
| is planted, or the tree set, but frequently
stir the soil while the plants are grow
ing, aud shat the more thoroughly the
| manure is mixed with the soil the better
will the crops grow.
The old methods of otir grahdfathers,
and the newer and better methods of
our fathers of setting trees has beer i'm
| proved upon by modern orchardists, who
! dlC nOb COlGtnl W
| hole and set the tree in it. even though
they surround it with rich soil in place
| of the natural. Understanding is now
resorted to on clay soils, and the whole
land is thoroughly prepared before the
trees are set, by deep blowing and the
thorough mixing of the manure with
| the soil. 1t is fotind that by thus thor
oughly preparing the soil a short time
| before the trees are set, they start of
the first year with a growth that is high
ly satisfactory.
Our age is one of rapid progress. We
are not content TO wait the slow prog
ress of nature when left to herself but
we find it for our Interest to use such
means as are at our command to hasten
the growth of the crops we grow i'll our
fields, orchards and gardens. The
more carefully we study the ways of
nature the better shall we be prepared
to assist her: Very few in our day be-
lieve, as our grdfldfsthsrs seemed to,
! that plants feed on coarSe materials,
| and so place the manure in little heaps
where it can remain undisturbed
throughout the growing season: but
| they realize the absurdity of the idea,
| and so spread the manure evenly over
the entire field, and f1ingle it with the
soil where it will be frequently stirred
during the growing season. BY thus
assisting nature in her efforts to pro-
duce materials for plant growth as fast
as they can be taken up by the growing
erops, n growth is obtained that is far
above that which would be produced
by nature unassisted. - Massachusetts