The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-22
Fertility Of Soils.

w nll0 IL Is True JnaG the vigorous
growth of vegetation depends largely
on the condition and composition Of
the soil from which it grows, yet the
soil contributes but small per cent of
the material used in that growth. IF
we take plant and carefully burn it,
the ash which remains will represent
the material drawn from the soil, and
this is seldom more than three or four
per cent. and often less than one. The
great mass of material used in vegeta-
BILE growth is derived from the air by
the leaf machinery If vegetable mat
ter be exposed to high heat in exclu-
sion from the air, mass of charcoal
will remain which is nearly pure car
bon. This is derived from carbonic acid
gas carbon dio oxide), which is always
mixed with the atmosphere to a greater
or less extent. This is absorbed by the
leaf and decomposed in its cell struct-
ure by the joint action Of the life force
in the plant and the suns rays. The
oxygen is given back to the air, and
the carbon is appropriated to the pro-
duction of gum starch, sugar and woody
fiber, for all these are composed of car
bon and the elements of water.
But before particle of this carbon
can be organized and built into veg
etable form, there must be present a
substance containing nitrogen, which
is derived from ammonia or nitric acid
In vegetable composition this substance
takes the form OF gluten albumen, or
case!ne, familiarly known as that which
Igives adhesiveness to wheat dough, or
ias seen in the white of an egg, or in
Iicheese. Now, nitrogen is literally dis
ltributed i'm nature. 1t forms four-fif
of the atmosphere, and is, to limited
extent, found in all organic bodies,
whether animal or vegetable. But in
its simple. uncombined condition, as it
exists in the air, it can not be appropri-
ated by growing vegetation, and it has
a wonderful aversion to entering into
chemical combinations. In the decom-
position of animal and vegetable SUBJ
stances the nitrogen takes the form Or
ammonia and passes into air as gas,
OF is dissolved in water The strong
odor given off from pile of fresh stable
manure gives evidence of the liberal
contribution of ammonia it is making
to the air. But though this has escaped
from its rightful owner through his
carelessness, yet it is not lost 1t floats
in the air, ready to be washed out by.
the first shower that falls, or to be abb
sorbed by the first mellow soil it comes
in contact with.
But though these two elements Of fer
tility may be abundant and in an avail
able form, yet if the small per cent.
contributed by the soil and represented
by the ashes remaining after combus-
ton be absent, there can be no perfect
growth. This mineral, or earthly mat
ter, consists chiefly of lime, potash,
soda, silica, phosphorus and sulphur.
Except the two last named, these are
compounds of oxygen with a simple ele-
ment; and these last named form acids
by combining with oxygen. Now, all
these elements of plant food must be
soluble in water, or exist as gas, III
order to be available as plant food and,
of course, water must be supplied to act
as q solvent and to carry the material
to the various parts of the plant where
it is to be used.
But this formidable array of materials
of plant growth is not all to be taxed to
the farmer. The carbonic acid and wa
ter are supplied from the atmosphere,
with but little care on his part, and the
mineral elements exist already in the
soil in q pretty generous supply in this
country, though they are not always in
an available form. and may be exhausted
by constant cropping. Our soils, under
steady cultivation, will need supply of
potash and phosphorus, which may be
furnished by the use of wood-ashes, or
German potash and bonemeal. Avail
able nitrogen in the form of ammonia
or nitric acid is largely supplied from
the atmosphere either by rain water or
from absorption by a porous soil abound
ing in absorbent material.
Sir J. B. Lawes, by careful exam
ination of the rain-water that fell at
Rothamsted in 1882, ascertained that in
that year his fields had received, in the
form OF ammonia by rain-water, 2.7
pounds Of ammonia per acre, and
nearly the same amount in the form of
nitric acid. If we add to this variable
and uncertain amount absorbed directly
from the air, we will have five or six
pounds Of nitrogen, derived from the
air alone, on each acre of soil, and in a
form available for the use of crops.
This explains the effect of high cultiva-
ton on the fertility of soil. IF yege-
table loan. containing large amount
of carbon from the decay of organic
matter, be made very fine, it will alb
sorb from the air enough ammonia to
supply the fullest demands of growing
crops, if the mineral elements be in
nrnner proportion. -IndianQ Farmer,