The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1894-03-29

SOME PROBLEMS Ill SOUTHERN
OHIO AGRICULTURE.
S-nr-sr- Of an Adar-" ref're ire
s,,i-ur< of tie School "r Asricui'"rS
Of the Onio State Ini,.r<;, by Nr. AVA
Aree, cheshire, Ga.-.a toGnty. D.
FART J.
lam requested to talk - yor about
nsonc Problems in Southern Chic Az
ricuiture." Had the subject assigned
hcpn made TO read. solutions OF some
Problems in Southern Chic A@ricni-
ture," the invitation to address yon
would not have been accepted. but
can see how those engaged IN the
study of plant life. getting facts from
books and from most efficient instruct
ors in the agricultural department OF
the Ohio State University, may hna Il
possible profit from presentation ot
some of the problems that conircnt the
pract:cal farmers in various sections OF
cur state. AS | understand it, "agri-
cu,ture" means field culture, IN dis-
often called mixed farming, IN when
a large dependence for supplies OF
plant iooI for tilIel fields is paced up
on manure from the stabic In my
immediate locality, and in various oth-
g: sections of our state. it has scelhea
lest TO drop the production oi anlhais,
aasi TO engage in pure agriculture.
merely state the fact that such 4 course
has seemed best, although only the iu-
tur, can determine the wisdom OF such
action.
In many other sections, where ami
NAL husbandry and the production OF
field crops for market still go mana IN
hand, there is strong desire to let the
animals go on account OF the small
profit possible from them in those sec
lions. Just now there is a noticeable
tendency to drop the production OF
i horses, sheep and cattle, many propca-
ing to chance the possibility of main-
| t.in:nr farm fertility without stock.
| Or, account of this desire OF many. and
-. ON account of the actual abandonment
of stock in great measure by few OF
MS. it seems fitting that your attention
be called to tl.c difficulties in ourAvay,
in the hope that as you leave TINS IN
! stitution you may be ready to demon
| STRAIT; to US in actual practice the best
way. if such exists. of keeping our soils
in high state Of fertility while pro-
duc;ne only those things that are able
10 give us living income from land
that does not proGtaLly produce beef
and wool in competition with the great
west or the wide world, or that can
mt produce horses that are able to
co,npctc with electricity rs motive
power.
There is another factor in this prob
lem that must have recognition. 1hcre
i, quite Il proportion of Ohio SOIL that
gives no apprcciabic return from apP'i-
cation. of commercial fertilizers Such
a statement. am aware, is as nnintel-
liyible to chemical enthusiasts MS the
creed of populist is to an eastern
dealer in money. When have oecil
asked the question, What kind OF
commercial fertilizers do You use on
po.atoes?' and answer that no chem
Gals appear to have any effect on mos'
soils in my locality. the questioner has
| often found himself incapa bic OF com
pretending the possibility OF such
thing, and goes on ahead pi!ing on the
questions very much as lawyer does
when he is determined to show to The
iurv how great Il prevaricator he Ia!
, I'm the witness box When n Fertilizer
is only so much available plant food
and when soil is re:entive in its na
ture, how, he reasons. can these thing
beo lie very logically reasons that a
two and two make four, when We ado
two and two we must have four. al
j. nit his logic and do not now care evei
} to dispute the correctness OF his as
sumption that he actually adds Two
when he applies the chemicals, but tn
facts are SO very stubborn that we q
. well to admit that all over this state
much soil that either does not ma *
any apparent returns from application
= of chemicals, or else by actual test Q
the scales at harvest time fails to max
:. good its promise of increased yield
grain or roots or what not
The suggestion is often made tina
= the reason for the failure of chemical
, on many farms may be founl in tn
old saying that coals are thus Dem
carried to Newcastle-that the soil
= r.ch enough witI;ou. the chemical
While the question of chemicals is onl
incidental to my subject l take tim
to point out what seems to me to /
n the absurdity of this view. II sue
land filled to respond to application
of stable manure-if it was sufficient
q j fertile to produce 800 or 400 bushels
notatoes per acre-then there would
a basis for such claim: but when
IT. well-lraine1 field requires good Ge
I OF coaxing to get it to produce i
bushels of potatoes per acre, ana
know that very fertile fields have pr
duccd 400 or more bushels per acre,
is idle to assert that the sell needs I
additional store of plant food. II
land is eager for stable manure, al
- the effects of single heavy apple
u ton are apparent for years We ms
be approaching the day when chen
y calls will act in some way on such SO
but 40 far rs we can learn by repeat t.
experiment. that day has not yet com
We recognize the fact that much sc
docs respond to applications OF chez
icals in 4 paying degree, ana II oy WI
management it retains its origin
a ility to grow crops, and does not
nually grow more dependent up'
chemicals, it ceases to present n
problems for study and does not I;
within the scope of my subject 1t
is only to the soils that do not give prof
st. able returns from chemical fertilizer
es ss. and especially to such as am most
ng tcrested in, which do not even ma
'in ;iii any promise of increased yields-ev
OF when promises are SO easy to make
i. that call your attention. You W
IN observe in what narrow lines we n
ourselves-chemical impotent or e.
improbable as chief source OF pla
food in the productions OF crops, 10
,s- priced or remote from market. or bot
r. and sta bic manures limited in quanti
In this situation does sutficien'
IN large proportion of Ohio farmers ii