The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-07
THE REACH OF THE ROOTS.
A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE IN CON-
NECTION WITH FLOWING.
Valuable Information for "The SEN
tineI's" Farmer Friends Deem
Flowing Not Always Best-CIover
Still Ahead-AII Around the Farm
Hints for the Housekeeper-Recipe

It is well known. says the Philadelphia
Record, that when a crop is removed from
the soil there is left in the ground a Ger
tain proportion of root material, which
adds so much fertilizing matter TO the
soil. according to the kind of crop re-
moved, and much of this material IS taken
from the soil itself, far down below the
reach of the pillow, being stored in the
plants as well as in the roots. Agricul-
turists have never fully determined the
value Of the roots to the soil except in a
few cases with certain kinds OF plants,
such as clover and some Of the grasses,
The Utah experiment station has, how
ever, made a series Of experiments in this
direction, which throw considerable light
on the subject. Trials with roots at vari-
Gus depths have been quite limited, and
the effect of tillage on cutting roots will
be very much modified. There are those
who favor deep blowing. so as to give the
roots better opportunities for extending
downward. but others object because
deep blowing cuts the roots.
Deep Flowing Not Always Beat.
1t was found that the weight of the
roots Of potatoes was but 120 pounds per
acre, and the greatest weight was found
in the seventh inch of depth. Barley
gave S76 pounds per acre. the greatest
weight being in the third inch OF depth.
Corn gave 462 pounds OF roots per acre.
one-third of this weight being at the
fourth inch Of depth. The first inch con-
tainS but sixteen pounds. Wheat gave
about 493 pounds. the greatest weight
being in the fourth inch. Timothy gave
1903 pounds, One-half of which was a
the first inch The cat crop gave 1883
pounds Of roots, the greatest weight be-
ing at two and three inches depth, the
mos5 being at three inches. The fact that
the greatest weight of roots IS found at
from one 10 four inches does not indicate
that deep blowing Is a necessity, and it
is probably surprise 10 many than the
weight of the roots of oats is 50 heavy.
Glover StiII Ahead.
Clover throws all other plants in the
shade in proportion to weight of roots
left in the soil, the weight Of roots for
a four-year-o.d sod being $3.50 pounds
and two-year-old clover roots weighed
1.4S1 pounds. The old clover gave it's
greatest weight in the second inch of
soil O,24s pounds, and the first inch
contained 1868 pounds. After passing
five inches in depth the decrease in
weight was very rapid, being but 20
pounds for the sixth inch and fOrty-eight
and one-half pounds for the twelfth inch.
In the face Of these facts the value of
clover a sub-soi.er IS not as great as
was supposed, its benefit TO the soil beilS
due to the influence Of the tubercles in
the roots. The preponderance IF roots
is shown for the majority OF crops - be
In the upper soil, where they feed, and
the experiment is not favorable % deep
plOwing, as many Of the accepted the
cries seem to be overthrown. 1t is. how
ever. a strong point in favor of jhe TO-
tation Of crops, and the result Of the eX-
pertinent will be 10 lend . radical
changes in cultivation.