Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-04-07
CONCERNING


NhtEe tue FARMER MUST LOOK Tor the tiItt
supply of Plant Food.
The unscicntitic farmer is of the
opinion that lcgminous crops, such as
clover, beans, alfalfa, etc, add to the
fertility of the soil, instead of draining
it. Such. however, is not really the
fact. This class of plants have deep
searching roots, and obtain from
deeper in the earth the rich supplies OF
nitrogen, which the shallow rooted
plants do not reach. The lc%guminous
plants above named incorporate more
nitrogen in their composition than
many other kinds. And when the crop
is removed more nitrogen is removed
from the soil than with II crop of wheat
or corn. But the way clover, alfalfa,
etc, fcrtilizc the soil is by drawing ii
from deeper in the earth. and in the
decay Of their roots, leave in the sur
face soil, and for the support of shall
low-rooted plants, n large amount of
nitrogen. This is one of the principal
ways in which these lcguminous plants
benefit the soil. Some agricultural
chemists contend that they collect or
absorb in their growth much of this
nitrogen from the atmosphere,
But the best authorities almost as
tonish us with the statements which
they make as to the amount of nitro
gemin good soils. Krokcr showed long
ago that good, cultivated soil contains
not less than one per cent. of nitrogen,
or 3 800 pounds 10 the acre in the loan
one foot deep. And A. Miller, in his
chemical analysis of soils found as high
as e per cent, Boussingault also, on
a~nalyzing q number of loans of u good
quality, taken from different localities,
found from 5000 to $4,000 pounds Of
nitrogen to the acre, taken TO the depth
Of eighteen inches. This is soil nitro
gen. Storer says there are q pounds
of nitrogen in each ton of timothy hay,
in a ton of clover 43 pounds, and if
three tons OF red clover be taken from
an acre, which is not uncommon, Il
crop takes from the soil l29 pounds
per acre.
Lewis and Gilbert by careful expert
ments proved that cropping continu-
ally, without returning nitrogen
in some shape to the soil, will render
it barren and unfruilful. Storcr SAYS
Volume one, page 35l):''lt is to the
soil that the farmer must look for all
the chief supply of nitrogen, as well
US for all of the other kinds If plant
food except oxygen and carbonic acid.
l,lost of the nitrogen Of the soil exist,
there in insoluble and inert forms
which have never been accuratel,
studied" While nitrogen comes nj
most exclusively to plants from the soil
ammonia, oxygen and carbonic acit
comes to plants from the air. Tn,
amount of carbonic acid Gas stated b,
Storer) in the air is almost incredible
He says there are 2S tons Of carboni,
acid in the air TO every acre Of til,
carth's surface. So If mans misman
agemcnt eXhausts the nitrogen Of tn,
soil, there is little danger of his i'm
providence exhausting the supply o
carbonic acid, which is so important I,
animal and vegetable life.
Oxygen is another e'sreni ncccssar,
for plant growth VII animal life, whicl
no extravaganza of man will ever cx
haust. Eight-nin.hs of water, one
fourth air, rs well ms onc-half of al
silica, chalk and alumnia, which ar
the three chief constituents of III
earth's surface, is oxygen. OF this ma
need rot be saving. Ammonia is M
other element in plant life and growl
which. is most f%reqeuntly combined wit
othej elements. But all Of these thiny
ope', q wide field ZOE The stud, and IN
vcstigation OF farmers. But especial
| that OF nitrogen, which constitutes III
/, best element VI MI natural or CONNIE,
tiul fertilizers. POS H,iass RJ7i,ier.