Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-06-24
THE FARM AND HOME.
THE FERTILITY AVAILABLE IN
THE SOIL.
Farmers shonld Experiment with Their
soil-starved Trees Weighing
Niiik y Farm Notes and
Home Hats.
Available FsrtllIty In solI.


mineral elements Of plant food, ever
becomes entirely exhausted. As
cultivation decreases the proportion
Of vegetable matter the land becomes
hard. cloddy. and not easily permea-
bic to air and water. the two agents
I thar chiefly aid in making plant food
available for the roots 81 plants 20
feed on. Under such conditions the
/ scarcer and more costly mineral ele-
ments assume insoluble forms.
Analysis Of the soil shows them still
+ present, but each year too small pro-
portions Of these minerals become
available, and the crop is compare
tive failure.
Barnyard manure. 81 course, Is the
staple remedy for these conditions.
By restoring vegetable matter 70 the
soil in form likely 70 rapidly iarment
it sets loose carbonic acid gas. one Of
the best solvents OF mineral manares
II Is the carbonie acid gas taken in By
the snow in its passage through the
air that gives the water from melted
snow such superiority for cleansing
Z va b 81 - UEEACE even NAAAA kAlG
freshly fallen rainwater, as the snow
in passing through the atmosphere
exposes a larger surface to IL The
gardener who waters his plants with
water from cistern does not give
them the proportion OF carbOnic acid
gas that they get in showers or light
SHOWS. IL is becoming known that
By putting small quantities OF car
bonic acid gas in water used for irri-
cation its likeness TO rain water and
its value may be greatiy increased.
There are other ways, however, %
increasing carbonic acid gas ia the
soil Undertaking is one 81 these.
and indeed, Is the most necessary.
( i allows not merely the water that
falls on the surface 20 sink through
the soil, but by providing outlets he-
meath as il disappears in the drain,
air takes its place aud IT, oxygen
attacks whatever vegetable matter
the soil contains and turns il into
carbonic acid gas This decOlnpo-i-
ton Of air in the soil creates some
heat, as il il in fact Slow process IL
burning. Hence it warns the soil.
and this Of itself makes it, mineral
plant food more available.
We suspect that the ADVANTAGE
from use o. salt in some eases. and it,
little value az manure ia Others. III.
ponds on whether 1t can lnd III the
soil any elements that need 10 ~
made soluble salt, in small amounts
that are usually applied to land,
hastens rather than prevents decon-
position. II i thus help Ia Great
ing carbonic acid gas wherever Ii
can find material 10 decJmpose. The
salt Itself is also dec0mposed. and
may thus furnish an inappreeiable
amount Of earbOnic acid gas. Its
greater help comes, however. from
its ability to aid the decomposition OF
manures, and in furnishing the sow
ent TO keep mineral fertilizers from
revertlng TO insoluble conditions.
1t Is quite probable that much phos
phate soon passes beyond the condition
in which II can be used. While there
Is nothing in salt TO take the place Of
phosphate II may be better To make
phosphate in the soil available than
extra supply Of that mineral. Potash.
especially in the form Of wood-ashes.
has also the same effect. with the
advantage that the ashes. besides
furnishing carbonic acid, are them.
selves a supplier OF potash, one OF the
direct constituents Of all plants.
Wood are necessity Ia the
yineyardist or orchardist Possibly
farmers raising crops that require
less potash can keep their soil fertility
available, for time. at least. more
cheaply by the use Of salt. But when
ever the time comes that potash Is
exhausted. as It is apt. quickly to be
on sandy or grayelly soils. salt win
no longer be Of any benefit. and Rs.
sort must be had % supplies Of potash.
IL is we'll for farmers to experiment
with their land to ascertain what
means Of filling it with carbonic acid
gas Is cheapest and most available.
says the American Cultiyator. For
though this gas in tho soil does not
itself become plant food, II Is the lacl,
that more than any other fits what
- 80 ftA~ oSAA AbA cAF hAlAOit AHG. llTaIn=
ing, the use Of stable and green ma
nures, and Of such solvents as salt
and potash, are each and all good in
their places Which will do tho
work best is to be determined IN each
case only by practical experiment.
Starved Trees.
There are on farms and fruit
gardens an occasional tree or grape
vine which seems TO lack vigor--does
not grow well, and yet seems 10 have
no particular disease. The pro.
liabilities are that the tree is dying I
OF starvation and needs liberal /
supply OF food When you give IL
TINS ration do not pile load Of
manure around the trunk Of the tree
or the body Of grapevine. THIS h
just the place where IL will do tho
least good. Nearoet fbe tr,,,,l- - - /