Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-11-15
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
xts UnreII.bIllty When Applied to the tx
animation OF soil


animation OF soil
II Is often thought that q chemical
examination Of any soil will reveal the
true value OF the Ingredients contained
in IL Many. consequently. have the
idea that 70 analyze the soil chemically
Is sufficient to show what elements are
present and how much Of these ele-
ments can be utilized by the plant in
the process Of its growth. And further,
that by knowing the mineral constit-
uents Of the matured plant and the total
amount Of these constituents extracted
b. the crop. it will be an easy step &c
ascertain what mineral fertilizers are
needed to apply 70 the soil to make ur
any deficiency caused by their absence
from the soil. or TO make good what is
extracted By the crop.
Director H. B. Battle. Of the Y. G.
Z 5. says that the fallaey Of this rea-
sOuirg lies in the fact that n chemical
examination Of the soil. while it does
give the total quantity OF its constitu-
ents, does Eoi give the quantity avail
able 70 the plant, such as can be
utilized By the plant This fact Is all
important. for there may be plant food
in abundance. in the soil. yet in such
a form that It IS impossible for the
plant 10 derive any benefit from its
presence. though il may lie in intimate
contact with its numerous roots. Many
OF our ordinary feldspathic rocks con
tain in every Zoo pounds as many a. 10
pounds OF potash. Yet these 10 pounds
almost equivalent TO 100 pounds Of
kainit-are in such an ins0Iuble. IN
available form. that they are absolute
ly unserviceable as plant food. unless
By some process of disintegration and
decomposition. they may become
changed to form which the plant ear
take up.
The thorough chemical examination
will give the quantity Of potash pres
ent. and likewise the quantity Of the
other chemical elements. but the sci
euce OF chemistry has not yet devised
an exact method for determining the
proportion Of these constituents. which
is available to the needs OF the plant.
and which can be used by it in its
growth
But does a chemical analysis OF the
soil. no matter with what exactnass II
is carried out, show with sufficient ac-
curacy the contents Of the soiI2 Can
we depend on its results to show with
definiteness what fertilizer to apply to
the soil to render it more productivef
For this distinct purpose the chemical
analysis, always so delicate and accu-
rate. is inadequate. A cubic foot of
our average upland soil (frOm results
obtained at the station in the
past), weighs 10 pounds. An
acre OF this soil. inches deep.
weighs 2.s3j.O62 pounds. or a
fraction over I.4I7 tons. Nine inches
are taken as an average depth reached
by plants roots; with cotton the tap
root grows even much lower than this
The ordinary application OF ammoni-
ated fertilizer Is 200 to 800 pounds 10
the acre II this application Of SO
pounds j. Thoroughly mixed with the
soil and an average sample obtained.
then by no chemical means. no matter
how delicate. can this anmouiated fer.
tilizer be detected. and yet this appli-
cation changes the yield from an I'm
productive to a productive one. and
draws the line between success and
failure Not only can not 800 pounds
to the acre be detected by chemical
means, but it Is also the ease with SOC
pounds. with 1000 pounds, with one
ton. TO the acre We can see. there
fore. how little we can expect from a
chemical analysis OF q soil.-RuraI
Nee Eo-ksr.