The morning news., 1894-10-22

cultivation adds no fertility to the soil
1t simply puts the ground in better con-
dition and makes the plant food contained
therein available for the crops. Let us
remember that large crop removes from
the soil a larger amount of the elements
that go to make up the plants than small
one; so the better we cultivate the better
we must feed, if we would maintain the
fertility of our fields. Glover is consid-
cred cure-all by many. There is no
doubt that clover is a very valuable
plant for the farmer; but too much must
not be expected of 1t. Glover will not grow
on a poor soil. soil that will grow
good crop of clover will grow other crops;
so don't buy a rundown farm and eX-
pect to build it up with clover alone.
The great value of clover lies in the pow
er it is supposed to have to gather nj
trogen from the air That it does gather
nitrogen no one will deny. Whether it
comes from the air or soil is question
1t does leave the soil in fine condition for
crops. Add to this the fact that 1t roots
deep and is supposed toAhave some power
of its own to unlock and make available
the elements in the soil, and we have
plant not to be neglected. Yet valuable
as 1t appears to be, it is far from being a
Cure-all. 1t may be considered an assist
ant, and no farmer should overlook II.
It will be noticed that clover adds nothing
but nitrogen to the soil granting that the
nitrogen comes from the air). 1t does not
supply any phosphoric acid or potash
1t Is important for us to remember that
when we use clover as a part of out rota-
tion and take off large crops of wheat, po-
tatoes, corn, etc, and put on nothing to
take the place of the fertility removed
we are simply selling the fertility Of our
fields; or, to speak plainly, running down
our farms. Like good cultivation, clover
will make the plant food in the soil avail
able, and, in addition, furnish that most
valuable element nitrogen. No farmer
needs to remain blind to-day. Our ex-
pertinent stations are giving us valuable
aid in determining the composition of all
farm crops, and if we will but read we
may know about how much plant food
we took off our farms each year that must
| be returned in some form. The day viii
! come when the farmer, at the close of the
| year, may take account of stock, and the
| true value of the farm will be found by
! adding the value of the plant food fur
( nished and deducting the value of that
/ carried off. Then farmers will look upon
/ the farm as a factory where raw mate
rials in the shape of waste of all kinds,
chemicals and other fertilizers are made
into finished products in the shape Of
grain and vegetables. Every farmer
should read and study and should take
one or more good agricultural papers. The
better the farmer, the more of value will
he find in them but while we read we
must not fail to apply good common
sense to what we read. 1t would not be
safe for a man with limited knowledge
of agriculture to read some Of the articles
that are printed in farm papers, and yet
they may be true and apply to the sur
roundings of the writer's. 1t is useless
for a writer to. say what fertilizer any
farmer should use. Each must be, in a
measure, governed by his own surround
ings. Those on the seashore may LOOK
to the sea for a supply of fish wastes
| and seaweed will assist them but does
not give a complete fertilizer. Potash
must be added. Those in the vicinity of
I large city caE~-Slways find a supply
| Much of it-especially stable manure
makes a complete fertilizer.
In some sections we will look to the
dairy; in some to stock raising, yet after
all most Of us in the older sections of the
states will find it to our advantage to use
in connection with the others, commercial
fertilizers of some kind. Farmers will
not only be governed by their location
but by the crops they wish to grow and
the quality of the soil. The fertilizer best
suited for crop they wish to grow NAV
be learned of others, but the wants of
their own soil they must learn from their
own fields. The use of chemicals is des-
tined to be Of great assistance to farm
ers. BY their use we are able to feed one
or more parts as we may find we need
We often find wastes rich in nitrogen and
phosphoric acid but lacking potash. By
using potash salts we have a. complete
fertilizer. Nitrate of soda is very valua-
BILE chemical, how valuable, but few farm
ers know. 1t is used by market gardeners
quite largely in connection with stable
manure. Nitrate of soda is a fertilizer
containing but one eiement-nitrogen:
but 1t is a fertilizer and cannot be classed
with gypsum and lime, which contain no
plant food but simply act upon the soil
and set free that already stored there
The true farmer will save all wastes con-
tanning plant food and return them to
the soil he will follow a rotation that
nothing may be wasted in the soil for
the object Of fertilizers is not to enrich
the soil. but to make crops He will pro-
cure the food for the crops where he
can buy 1t cheapest.
Cumberland County, Me.