The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1893-08-24
FARMER AND PLANTER,
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NATURE.
| that is the Position of Every Farmer in
| the Land.


That is the Position of Every Farmer In
the Land.
AS the science of agriculture becomes
mare perfectly understood, it is DIS
closed more and more forcibly that
nature stands ready and more than
willing to aid everyone who will but
take advantage of its resources. 1t IS
not generally realized that the poorest
farm that exists in the land to-day has |
fertility enough locked up within Its
soil, the key being at the command OF
anyone who will apply for it, to pro-
duce the finest crops that grow in its
latitude, and that there is a wonderful
store of fertility in the air that sweeps
over it, some part of which nature Is
ready to bring to earth and store in the
roots of plants if only the proper con-
ditions for its transmutation OF tertll-
ity is provided.
Now, nature is pretty good partner
to take into the business OF farming;
for it is very much at home in the busl-
ness, has unlimited capital at its COM
mand and attends strictly to business.
If the active partner in such firm
does his part, the business couldn't
help being successful. But great
many people do not realize the extent
to which nature is able to aid the tlller
of the soil, and, without further plac-
ing the matter in a fanciful light. let
us see just what stores of plant fertili-
ty man is able to secure by natural
agencies-fertility that otherwise
would remain of almost no use to man.
AS has been intimated, the poorest
soil that lies out of doors has in it an
enormous amount of fertily, but it is
unavoidable fertility in its present
| form; but exposed to the sunlight and
| the air, or, in other words, to the &C
ton of natures agencies, these elements
will become available as plant
| food and man can reap the
advantage of them. But man must
do his share-he must pillow and culti-
vate and work his soil, so as to bring
this latent fertility where the air and
sunlight can act upon it. In word,
he must practice good tillage. He must
drain his land if it is not naturally
drained, and he must keep his hoes, his
cultivators and his harrows bright with
continual stirring of the soil.
Soil that is sodden with water lets no
air in to carry on the chemical changes
that will make unavailable plant food
availab BILE, and when the water has
finally dried out the soil is left so solidly
packed together that air can not then
enter.
In securing this change of inert
chemical elements into soluble plant
food, man can thus well afford to go
into partnership with nature. But this
is not the limit of the direct assistance
which it is able to afford him.
There are certain plants-clover is a
good example of thern-whieh have the
power of taking plant food from the
air and storing it up in their roots,
which, decaying year after year, won
derfully increase the richness of the
land. It is presumable that knowl
edge of this ability of clover and kin.
dred plants to thus aid in increasing
the fertility of land, while affording in
it's own growth one of the best of all
crops for the growth of animals and
for the production of milk, is not pos
sessed by the average farmer, or pos
sessed at best only in vague way, OF
we should see a far greater production
of this splendid fertilizing and growth
producing clover. 1t is able to be made
the salvation of the farmer of small
means, furnishing, as it does, mean!
of enriching the land wher
commercial and homemade fertilizer
may be of necessity limited. Glove
and most thorough cultivation of thu
soil are the means that will enlist ma
lures active participation in the en-
riching of even WORKOUT souls, ant
wise indeed is the man who makes us
of this most valuable assistance.-Cor
Home and Farm.