Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-23

] the sources from which the gunpOwder
makers were supplied with this material
for their product Wars were then car
RED on on a much smaller scale than
| now, and this rough method was one
| of the means of carrying on the un-
happy strife.
How the saltpetre was formed was
! then unknown, and it is only recently
| that it Las been explained by the dis
| coyery of the microbe which enables
+, clover and other related plants to pro-
cure the nitrogen they contain from the
atmosphere. 1t is plain now, and this
knowledge inures to the benefit of the
farmer who. in pursuit of his peaceful
industry, makes use of the same meth
DDS in his fields as the chemist made
available for the manufacture of one
OF the principal needs of the soldier and
OF the destruction of his fellow men.
This in measure fulfills the old proph-
coy OF beating swords into plowshares,
;'nd 1t would be Il happy thing if this
! chance could be carried still further
| \ rec Mt lecture by Prof. Warrington,
of england. once the chemist to the
~
an Interesting account of this nutr'ify-
IT. organism and its action in the soil
lie states that it can act only in a soil
I'D which there is an alkaline medium.
alI without a base TO combine with
the nitric acid produced there is no re-
suit. The most effective base is car
Donate of lime. Thus Il dressing of car
Donate Of lime, chalk, Or mari, or of
air-slacled lime. which is quickly
changed to Il carbonate in the soil, is
greatly beneficial to the land The ac-
Hcn gees on more rapidly when the
lime is added in small quantities.
This culiOuSly confirms the experience
Of farmers, who have found that repeat
ed dressing of ten bushels per acre are
more useful than larger ones given at
LONGER intervals.
III the experiments described in the
lecture it is shown that a heavy dose
of lime arrested the process of nitrifi-
cation, but that the action was resumed
as soon as the lime became reduced to
a carbonate by contact with the air
end the water of the soil, which ALWAYS
contains carbonic acid. At the same
time 1T was found that small applica-
tons OF manure were favorable to the
action of the nitrifying organism, and
that heavy manuling was far from
economical, especially on land that was
not very fertile, light applications of
manure being more quickly available
for the production of nitrates in the
soil by the quicker and more energetic
action Of the organism, but that when
gypsum was used, the eject Of the or
ganism was greatly stimulated. This
is another confirmation Of the common
belief and practice of farmers, who
have found this fertilizer of much value
for the growth of crops and especially
of clover Thus Prof. Warrington re-
marks that an application of gypsum
the common land plastel) greatly slim
ulateS the action of manure Thus, too.
another common experience of farmers
is verified and justified by the recent
discoveries of science
A high temperature is another essen
tial condition necessary to the full ac-
ton of the organism But at the same
time nitrificatiOn takes place pretty
freely in the soil during the winter
when the temperature is not too low;
the action, however, is greatly FASTENED
and increased in the summer at mOder-
ate heats. but when the heat of the
soil exceeds 100 degrees it rapidly dim
lnlSheS, and at 13G degrees there is no
action at all. At 80 degrees the action
is ten times greater than at 81 degrees
The action is also reduced greatly in a
dry soil. Darkness is also necessary to
the action of the organisms Thus
warmth, moisture, the presence Of lime
and manure in the soil, are the best
conditions for nitrification These dis
coyeries afford much valuable inforna-
ton to farmers, and go far to explain
the conclusions that have been reached
by the most skillful farmers in long
practice and to confirm the wisdom of
the common practice which has been
. formed during many years of work and
by long experience. To the thoughtful
farmer these combinations Of his prac-
tice will be very interesting and instruc-
tive in the pursuit Of efforts to improve
his land by manuring and through cul-
ture. They go to show how the prac-
tee of making composts may be made
much more useful than hitherto by not
only adding to the soil material for
these organisms to work upon, but at
the same time supply the active agent
that is needed to produce the changes
in the soil which increase it's fertility.
For, as the chemist, or the brewer, or
the baker adds the yeast to his materi-
,, ais by which the Preventative action is
set a-going, SO the farmer, by the use
of a portion Of rich soil from the wood
lands or the fields, where these organ
islns abound, may start this beneficial
action in other fields, and so more
greatly enrich them from the abundant
stores of nitrogen in the atmosphere
And in this way the compost heap be-
comes the agent for starting this nitro
gen ferlnent i'll the field-New York
Times.
UPHOLDS Thu LAW
The Big Four Loses its Suit to Test the