Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-06-06
SOME FARM TOPICS
INTERESTING SUBJECTS FOR TIL
LERS OF THE SOIL.
How to Increase the Yield of Crops
For Pulling P~Osts-Best Way to
Set a Hen-LeveI CultTrc for 70
tatoes-Poultry Notes.

Dt ~ ~ ~
without too much outlay, 1t VIII De
wise to study the plans that are likely
to secure such an end, so far as at all
practicable, to adopt them. The exua
bushel or two per acre may bring a
proGt where without it there would De
no profit, and where the yield can De
rim I'D several bushels per acre beyond
the cost of production, the profit then
becomes a substantial {.
Various methods may be adopted 10
increase the average yields per acre
Some of these relate to rotation, others
NJ Thorn relate to cleanliness, ana yet
others to live stock keeping in II OF
tho other of its branches. In fact, they
are various. and we shall now aim 10
show how they conduce TO the enu
sought. -
4 varied rotation does no draw upon
ono particular element, or upon two OF
three Of these. as the case may De, ID
r,,ch as a narrow rotation. This arises
from the fact that some plants Draw
more largely on one kind of plant ZOO
than others: hence. when plants vary
ing somewhat in their necessities are
grown. they draw more regularly on
the varied elements in the soil. A va
ried rotation has the effect also Oh
keeping lands cleaner, and cleanliness
has q favorable influence on productive
ness, since the fewer the weeds In the
soil the less do they consume OF the
plant food which Is present in the SOIL
for the sustenance of the crops.
The growing Of hoed or cultlva'ed
crops has a favorable influence on pro
ductiyeneSs. This is owing, first, 10
the cleanliness which it brings to the
soil: second to the liberation or plant
food in the same, induced by the cui-
tiyation given to it in conjunction Win
w%eathpring Influences; and, third. 10
the greater mOistneSs which 1t DrlnSs
70 the land. The added mOiStneSS may
not always be beneficial, but in the
case Of light lands it Is beneficial. 1t
should be remembered, however, that
hOed crops generally take Il good deal
of fertility out Of the soil; hence. when
they are much grown, il must be feu.
When grasses, and more especially
clOvers. are introduced frequently into
the rotation, the yield of cereals Is
pretty certain TO be increased. These
crops aid the land very much. they
aid all kinds Of Land. They help To
bind light lands and to hold them to-
gether. They help to loosen up stlf
lands and bring them into n better
state Of cultivation, and they ErlnS
vegetable matter to all kinds of soil.
which has the effect Of furnishing o o
for the crops, and Of holding moisture.
LeguminOuS crops grown on land
bring nitrogen to it, and therefore rem
der it more productive, whether these
are plowed under or not, as these crops
usually have n Salutary influence on
the texture Of the land; and as they
are nearly all firSt-clasS foods for live
stock, the aim should be to grow them
as frequently as possible. The best
of these crops for p actical uses is
clover, either the common red or the
Mammoth, according TO the ends
sought in growing them, and according
to the adaptability of the land.
Flowing land in the fall tends TO in
crease the yield OF cereal crops. This
Is true Of all, or nearly all. kinds of
land, and 1t is nor especially true Of
stiff soils. The reasons. or at least
some of them, grow u of the liberia
ton of plant food that goes on in the
late fall, and In the spring, through
watering influences, II out of the
early warming Of the surface of the
soil as o as winter has gone.
But more than anything else. proba-
bly,, the keeping of live stock tends TO
increase the average yields of farm
produce. When the produce which is
raised on a farm is fed on it. and when
leguminous crops are freely grown at
the same time, the Improvement in fer
ttlity, and, therefore. in ability to pro
duce, goes on quickly; and, if some
food stuffs are purchased and fed at
the same time, the fertility of the land
Is still further increased.
One more way of increasing fertility
requires to be mentioned. We refer to
the purchase of artificial fertilizers.
In some sections this will pay if ju-
diciously done; in other sections it will
not pay. These fertilizers require no
little knowledge to enable us TO handle
them Alright. Sometime an application
Of some fertilizer, as, for instance. nj
trate Of soda, applied at the right time,
Will effect great good; whereas, if ig-
norantly applied, it would probably be
lost-Live Stock and Farm Journal.