The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-12-24

u'O I0Ob UClOW VIE SuTidC0 Ou WHICH
they had sown nitrates, and the follow
ing spring found ammonia 10 the rain
water which had percolated through,
making it's way back t. springs. carry,
ing the valuable fertilizer with it; and
doubtless thousands of dollars worth of
the richest constituents of our farmers
most expensive commercial fertilizers
are yearly thus. wasted. This waste,
could not occur were the soil well filled
with vegetable matter in advanced state
Of decay, for humus is the greatest
"fxer" and garnerer of nitrogen or am
monia known to agricultural chemistry.
FertillziDg matter cannot waste from
soil we'll supplied with vegetable mat
ter. A thick web of roots spreading in
all directions, utalizes the soluble con
stituents as fast as set free in nature 8
labratory, building up grass or grain on
the surface and forming roots below the
surface. When the growing season
closes the roots die and remain a net
work of food for the next seasons crops.
which cannot be wasted by the rains of
autumn and winter, but slowly, by the
process of decay, supply food for the
young plants the following spring,
which in turn fill the soil with growth
Of new roots, taking the place Of those
that have been consumed by decay;
thus the soil is ever full of decompos-
ing vegetable mater or of growing
roots, which take up the manurial con
sttuents what are in the dew and rain
water, and that soak into the soil as the
manures spread on the surface are de-
composed. A soil Of this character is
always warmer in the cold weather of
spring, than the pale destitute "hungry'
soil, giving young plants the best OPP
portunity to commence early growth;
and it is moistcr in the dry. hot weather
Of summer, because finer and more por.
Gus, every root fibre serving as an air
tube which fills the soil with warm, sur.
face air, and becoming cooled by con
tact with the earth it leaves its moisture
to supply the thirsty roots, as it pene,
trates these millions Of pores which are
furnished by the abundant vegetable
matter.
These are, in brief, few Of the fun
damental reasons why wheat should be
dethroned and grass crowned King in
our agriculture.
The subject might be elaborated almost
infinitely. This is natures mode OF
making fertile soils Man by keeping
her laws in view, and working by his
more expeditions methods may keep his
farm in the highest state of fertility,
A soil Of this character all farmer,
know, will in poor season double the
yield of the ordinary farm; in a fair
season it will produce abundant crops;
and in the best seasons it will far sur
pass the yield of what are considered
good lands.
What then are the inducements to
strive for such system Of culture?
With less area under cultivation the
crop of grain is larger. There is less
waste by wasping, from such soil, and
less injury by evaporation. The com
mercial fertilizers are brought into con.
dition more rapidly as plant food; the
soluble parts are retained in the soil
which have not been appropriated by
the growing plants, and are locked up
in the humus for the next seasons
crops.
When rich sod is turned under the
farmer is sure of a heavy crop of grain.
He is independent Of wet weather and
of dry weather-or comparatively So
and can pillow and cultivate his fields
almost any day in the season of active
farm work.
What changes from present modes
would be necessitated if grass were
made the sheet anchor of our agrcul-
ture, offer wide field for thought and
discussion, which cannot he considered
in this paper, but with the system of
farming here outlined the answer to the
question, could the wheat crop be made
to pay, would undou btedly be an affirm.
alive one. for grass farming contem
plates the maximum crops with the
minimum of expense. The French
mans motto should be written on every
farm barn door
eff you wish grain, make meadows;
grass makes manure, manure makes
grain. Thus the dung heap fills the