The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-06
IMPROVING SOILS
Cumulative vs.. Exhaustive Cuitul

hOrtlcaltIflst of Orange Mills, Florida,
used TO say that constant cultivation for
tyvo wears without allowing a green
slrig To grow. would deplete the richest
soil in the State until il would not pro-
tara COW peas. This is not mere theory
Cr opinion. but the result OF careful OBJ
ssrvaton AMI experiment, and cOincldts
with the experience of every thOughtful
farmer. Constant stirring Is constant
aeratlon. AMI this in our warm climate
means, during the greater potion ~ the
year. tine rapid evaporation and v1li,il-
,z1rlOn Of the nutritive elements u the
soil The iains also are washing away
the o 'ganic matter that lies lightly upon
the surface. Our soil, are generally so
deficient In organic matter, or humuS,
that even small loss ~ this kind is ap-
preciahie. III a clean and constantly
.irred surface bc exposed to the action
If the elements. sun. rain AMI air com.
hine. not only To di>sipa,e the plant food
that has accumulated for years, but also
t. disintegrate and destroy those min
cral and other substances which nature
has stored away in solubl. form FOR fu-
ture use. The soil Is taxed 20 its full ca
pacity To- produce nothing. Ii is like
grinding wihout grist; eypens ~, dam
aging and protitless
Now If small orange, or other orchard
trees. are growing on this surface at in
tcrvals of twenty or thirty feet, the con,
dnionS arc not materially changed The
.rcc-. II ~ trne, get the benefit ~ such
portion of the plant food that il being
elaborated from the soil as they can Use
Thsy can ,ake up AMI sssimulate, how
ever. hut a small part of the nutrient
rl>ments given utI hy the soil. which
under this s,..cm Of tillagc are simply
wasted, The result is that pine lands.
naturally deficient in organic matter are
speedily Impoverished, and the richest
hammocks lose their fertility before the
trees arrive at maturity. Heavy. and in
most cases, artificial fertilization must
he resorted 10 to maintain the yigor OF
the trees. The soil becomes n negative
factor. exercising mechanical function
merely, supporting the trees in their po.
-ition and ailording medium for the
artificial nourishment of the plant.
In a state of nature. we find tia, soil,
having sufficient vitality to produce veg
citation. constantly increase in fertility.
There is no wastago Tho plant food
Elaborated from the soil l.y the action OF
heat. light. air and moisture. goes to
nourish the vegetable growth that all
times covers the surface. And in turn
every blade of grass. every green leaf, is
constantly absorbing from atmosphere
and rainfall other elements 10 be return.
ei to- the soil. Each successive growth.
IN it, life AMI subsequent decay, returns
To the soil more than it takes from it.
and the soil grows rich in linmus from
wear To- year.
"ln contrast with this stands the asri-
culture Of man; he grows plants, not to
return them to the earth. bnt 10 feed and
cloth himself. lie must take from the
soil. iiut tle!c is limit to this taking.
Tho soil has, TO begin with but n fixed
amount Of plant food; this exhausted the
plant will no longer thrive. The soil
ceases to give. for the reason that it has
nothing. Tia, cultivation which Is ever /,
taking. never giving, has been aptly
called by German writers freebooter
farming.
In fruit calturc the natural or cumu- .
Iatvc method can easily bc followed.
The soil i net or should not he subjected
to the heavy drain of annual crop. The
open spaces between the trees allow sue
crSsiye growths OF vegetation to be re-.
turned [, the soil Give this ipethud
trial this year, Now il the season for
planting: sow COW peas in your grove at
once if the soil is moist enough to sprout !
- -...l - = tlay uGtnr tlt1
rhOwer, Plant them in hills or drills
rows three feet and half apart aud
hills one and half or two feet apart in
the ruw. Unless the land is very strong
Won will ct more even stand 10y sow
ing in drills or rows and working once
or twice than BY sowing broadcast. Fol- .
low this crop hy second sowing or
batter still, tam the first crop under
when the pods begin to form and plant
a second and third crop, to bc treated
in like manner Oll farmers say that !
growing COW peas NJ on soil will i'm !
urove it even il the peas are matured and
gathered. The last crop Of peas may he
allowed iu mature to furnish seed for
the next year. When the last crop Of
peas has been disposed of sDw broadcast,
rye. oats or sonic similar plant to be
turned under in the spring. If he nee
essary to farm the land upon which the
Young grove stands, portion OF the pea
vines can he cured for forage, or they
can prccele crop Of potatoes or suc
.eed a crop Of corn, and the fall sowing
will afford excellent winter pasture for
;. ock or range for fowls.
10 get the hes. results, especially on
pine land. these annual crops as well AZ
ine trees should be fertilized for the
fr-t few years at any rate. 1t VIII
not require more fertilizer than the
trees have received under clean culture.
and the quantity can be diminished from
wear TO year, which, under the latter
svstep1, it must be increased. The trees
viii Immediately appropriate but
small portion Of the fertilizer applied
in eitl,er case this surplus which the
growing crops take up, and return 10
the soil with interest. would be entirely
wasted under the exhaustive system.
Under the exhaustive system the
grower must resort to chemical analysis
to determine what to feed each year,
and If he is "gulled' By bs fertilizer
man. or fails to "hit it right" in quantl-
+, or Quality. his trees suffer. Unless he
ha5 more wisdom and foresight than the
average mortal. under this hand TO-
mouth feeding, some element or condl-
ton will be wanting at the right time
aud his trees lose vitality. II he does
produce vigorous growth he must fol.
iow one stimulating fertilizer with an
other to keep his trees from falling
L,ci. IIa tniist kpnn nm "A constant