The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-02-01
ing Ingredients which if purchased in

| AS AuSreu1anls winch II purchased II
the form of commercial fertilizers, would
cost him about $5.10;that if he sells 2, 600
pounds of wheat, he sells an amount
OF nitrogen. phosphoric acid, and potash
which it would cost him $7.75 to re-
] place in his soil in the form of CONNER
clal fertilizers (Or looking at it from
a somewhat different standpoint) a far
mer who sells for example, $40 wortt OF
! wheat sells with it about $2.5S wC%h of
fertility of his soil. In other words.
when he receives his $40 this amount
does not represent the net receipts of the
transaction, for he has parted with So. SO
worth of his capital, that is, of the stored
up fertility of his soil, and if he does not
take this into the account he makes the
same mistake merchant would should
ne estimate his profits by the amount of
cash which he receives and neglects to
take account of stock.
The doctrine of compromising and re-
storing to our soil what has been re-
moved is here strikingly illustrated.
The farmer, like the merchant, cannot
encroach on his capital each year and
expect the same profit from the next
years labors. His soil stored with the
elements Of plant food constitute his
wealth, and if he succeeds he must see
that his soil is not depleted of these ele-
ments.
SOIL ANALYSIS.
In view of the many questions relative
to the value of soil analysis in addition
to what we have said on this subject we
quote the following from G. E. Morrow,
OF the Illinois experiment station:
IAN examination of soil by chem
list will show with great exactness of
what 1t is composed and the relative pro-
portions of the elements. 1t may show
that there is evidently too small sup
ply OF some essential ingredient, or it
may show that some substance or some
ombination present which will be in
furious to plants. In these ways such
an examination may give most valuable
suggestions as to manuring the soil or
other methods of improving its fertility.
A chemical analysis, however, will not
show with certainty whether the sub
stances of which the soil is composed are
in condition to be available as plant food.
Often it gives very little help to an I'M
derstanding of whether or not the soil is
in good physical condition. The chem
list is able to state not only the actual
and relative quantity of each element
found in the soil, but also the percentage
of this which is soluble in water and SOL
uble in acids. This information helps
greatly in estimating the quality of
each which is probably in suitable con.
dition to be taken up and used by
plants"
After 95 years study of this question
on great variety Of soils, Professor Hill
lard (Cal. R. 1889, p. 1859 concludes
that ''in no case has any natural virgin
soil showing high plant food percentages
been found otherwise than highly pro-
ductive under favorable physical condi-
tons, hut the reverse is not
true, viz, that low plant food percenta.
ges necessarily indicate low productive
ness" Improved physical conditions in
the latter case may more than make UP
for the deficiency Of plant food sit Is
then absolutely Indispensable that both
the physical character, as to penetrabili-
ty, absorptive power, etc, of a soil
should be known, as we'll as its depth
above bed rock, hardpan. or water, be-
fore judgment of its quality. product
iveness and durability can be found
from its chemical composition" One
kind of examination is the necessary
complement of the other.
The processes by which soils are
formed and plant food rendered availa-
Bile are constantly going on in the soil,
so that both the chemical and physical
conditions of soils are constantly chang
ing, and frequent examinations are ne
cessary if we are to be accurately in
formed as to the chemical and physical
properties of any soil at any given time.
In actual chemical analysis only the
fine earth (never larger than 1 nm. in
diameter, preferably 12 nm. according
to Hilgard) is examined, it being assumed
that this fine earth contains all the plant
food readily or Immediately available to
plants.
This fine earth is submitted to diges-
ton with acids which separate it into
two partisan insoluble residue which
affords an approximate measure the
sandiness of the soil, and soluble DOR
ton, which is further examined.
THE GARDEN.
The secretary of the North Carolina
state horticultural society gives the fol.
lowing calendar for January work in
the garden:
"Clean up the garden; prune all woody
plants, burn all prunings and trash. re.