The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-17

air itself; it is a continuous source of car
bonic acid, which it emits very slowly. An
atmosphere of carbonic acid formed at the
expense OF the air surrounds every PARTICLE
todecaying humus. The cultivation of land
by loosening the soil causes fires and unob-
structed access Of air. An atmosphere of
carbonic acid is therefore contained in every
fertile soil, and is the first and most import
ant food for the young plants which grow
in it."
Upon this action of humus rests its chief
value. Unless carbonic acid and ammonia
are in the soil in proper quantity profitable
crops need not be expected from it. The
little Of these derived from the atmosphere
II any such is utilized goes very little way
toward making crop. ANY experienced
farmer who has inteliigently observed ap-
preciates this. We may supply CONNER
cial fertilizers to soils that contain no
humus and yet produce no profitable crop.
for, as remarked, carbonic acid is the chief
requisite in the growth of plants, and this
commercial fertilizers do not supply either
directly or indirectly.
Stable manure is the only humus-provid-
ing fertilizer that is generally availble for
farm use, but no farmer ever had enough
OF 1t to make it act the part of a humus-
proVider to the extent of his needs.
Experience in this country, as we'll as in
older countries, proves that humus can be
proftably restored to land only by growing
the vegetable matter on the land. 1t can
not be hauled on to the land profltably, as
we would so much manure. Through the
medium of grass and clover, peas and the
like, and stock only, can humus be supplied
on large scale to worn soils, so as to re-
store it rapidly to fertile condition.
In this section system of farming that
Utilities the Bermuda and other perennial
grasses, that recognizes the value of peas
sown by themselves or in the middles of all
cultivated crops as they are laid by is the
one that can solve the problem of an eco
nomical restoration of bumus equal to the
task of restoring our lands.
Such land as a farmer devotes to cult
waited crops, let the rows on all medium land
be wide enough to admit row of peas be-
tween as the crop is laid by.
The next year plant the crop, whatever
it may be, where the peas grow, giving
row Of peas every year.
Alternating in this manner from year to
year very decided improvement will be
manifested yearly, if fair amount of ma
nure be applied to the crop. A fair proper
ton Of the farm should be devoted to fall
sown oats, rye and barry, allowing the
stubble everyesummer on this part to grow
up weeds which are to be turned under in
the fall. Many prefer to SOW this grain
stubble land to peas, and it is well enough
sometimes to do so bat it is not usually the
most advisable or economical plan, by
gsod deal. In our hot climate humus is
much more rapidly burnt out than it is in
soils further north where the summers are
shorter, and where the season permits of
only one crop year. The effect is always
more or less disastrous when our soil is
freshly turned up in midsummer and ex-
posed to the scorching temperature ranging
from So to 110o.
The SUMS rays upon the humus is, In a
lesser degree, similar to the effect of fire
heat. This slow burning of humus, result
ing from heat and moisture, Liebig has
termed ''eremacausis," or slow burning
Fire heat does rapidly what the suns rays
and moisture require longer time to ac-
complish. Vegetable matter left on the sur
face will as surely disappear after a while
through this influence as if it were
burned unless the restoration is more rapid
than the waste, as may occur in forests or
when alluvially deposited.
On account of the decided waste of hui
mus, when the soil is freshly exposed in mid
summer, we have held for years that it was
not true economy to plow it then, but let
the grain stubble grow up in weeds to sup
ply the necessary humus. We hold this
more emphatically, as experience and OBJ
servation are enlarged. The midsummer
turning can be justified only when the OBJ
ject is to plant quick growing plant, like
peas, that will soon shade the land, and the
vegetable matter resulting be given TO the
land, taking from it only the pea seed made
by the crop. The farmer that would keep
his land as paving investment should I'M
derstand how important the question of hui
mus is to the well beng of that land.
S. A. Z.