The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-26

Facts About FertiIity-Im-
.ortance of Humus.
ton of good hay is the result of about
\. A mounds of green grass well air dried.
| ralvsis shows that it takes the follow
IA substances from the soil;
II Lbs.
". osnboric acid NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Sl2
'f5sne ......... ..........'. '.'.''''.''.''''''O
~ ouesia NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .s..'. D
IA ......... .....,....... ...'.'.''''''.''.'' y
cni "a ............. ........... ...''......'zl.
tx. rooen ........... ........... .........zz
is only the first two and the last
Ill these elements that it is regarded as
sssential to be applied to soil, all the rest
~ sfing in abundant supply usually.
- IONS of bright clean hay is esteem
III a very satisfactory crop.
Z m the essential elements such would re-
~ re and take from the soil:
Lbs.
Nitrogen ..................... '..''.''''.''.-4o
Wtash ........ .......,...... ..'....'''''.....lS
Mosphoric acid .............-..'.....'.
II If was desired to restore at once to
M soil these elements taken from II.
"a we were to use the ordinary mate
ii Is used as fertilizers in the south, IL
Lbs.
% cotton seed meal .................... 7OO
Mid phosphate ........................ lo0
IA total of Observation-Disclosures. ".l, 800
Now this is a much greater application
81 fertilizer than the average southern
hrmer ever conceived of putting upon his
a for any crop; nor is it to be expected
MAJ he should. He could not make it
Nv on such crops as cotton, corn, oats
b hay AS a general thing, it is only
Be successful trucker growing early crops
d cabbage, onions, potatoes, tomatoes,
H. that is justified in making, such APP
cation.
IThis being the case, how, then, is the
knmer growing the staple crops named
replace the elements of fertility taken
WAY by a particular crop without its
Rsting him more than the value of the
bop would Justify?
The f0rty-five pounds of nitrogen is by
DR. the most valuable and expensive part
II the elements exhausted by the 1000
lpunds of hay. 1t costs the farmer any
4here from s. to So, that is, forty-fve
lpunds does In using 800 pounds cotton
teed meal to restore that much it is true
n gets about twenty pounds of phosphoric
tPd additional, and the 500 pounds of hull
khes contain something over thirty
Punds of phosphoric acid, the total, nifty
Funds, of which is three times more than
be amount of phosphoric acid that enters
to two tons of hay. We can, therefore,
Nspense with the $50 pounds of acid
phosphate and at the same time have
Ee assurance that so far as this element
concerned, there is enough in the soil
insure an increased yield.
Except what he gets from his stable ma
ure and cotton seed, the only way
puthern farmer can restore nitrogen eco
omcaIly and satisfactorily is through
Pc means of clover or pea crop. Either
using the speckled pea (WhippowilD
the Unknown, or the SOFA bean, or
/ ur or Crimson clover, he can restore
his forty-five pounds of nitrogen, and
yen more without it's costing little be-
|oha the cost of the seed ana
little cultivation. If clover is
sea Tor the purpose, even cultivation is
necessary, Bur or Crimson clover can
+ soWn in October or early Novem Der,
hd viii produce a vast amount of vegeta-
.e matter, rich in nitrogen by the follow
lg May, all of which can be given to the
ind directly or part of it Indirectly after
eng fed to the cattle. Any of our soils
nat are worth cultivating will produce
ur or Crimson clover. An equally good
no ottentimes much better plan is to
," the common Red clover with oats, rye
+ wheat in the fall, and let the clover
IKE possession of the land after the grain
cut OH, and later give the clover to the
ma after affording a splendid pasture for
-ock for several months. Remember the
'ots OF clover or peas or sofa bean afford
considerable portion Of the humus and
tFogen themselves. The minds of some
dLhers are so set in the idea that clover
III not grow on their land they will not
'eh give ii trial when advised to do so
u me purpose of restoring cheaply. the
ns lost fertility of their soils or rather,
e should say, maintaining this fertility
10 not allowing fair soil to become ex-
iusted. IL Is a slow and poor business to
store fertility after the soil has been
ought to the verge of exhaustion. The
ue plan is to keep up its fertility as one
YES along. Not just keeping it up either.
y, y. increasing it's capacity for producing
niue every year. This is very easily done
using the various leguminous plants
nave mentioned on every occasion pos
'Ie' either as Catch crops" or second"
subsidiary" crops, If the farmer
esn' believe in clover why then let him
ME the sofa bean or the Wonderful or
hippowill pea to it's fullest extent, and
can still save his land from exhaustion
rather keep It steadily improving. In
rous ways can these sofa beans and
cas- be worked in as catch or supple
'htary crops returning their seeds to the
over for the purpose of human or stock
DO and furnishing their roots and stalks
me soil supply that costly and indispen-
DE element of plant growth, nitrogen,
ing with that equally indispensable sub
ince, humus.
n this day of civilization and agricul-
raj advancement it behooves the far
~ that would prosper in his calling to
.eem as a self-evident truth that when
soil. his best soil. too, perhaps, has
Ieriorated to the point where II cannot
oduce more than Is bushels of corn or
pounds OF lint It needs building up
ing up. enriching. Most of all II needs
mus. Without humus It has no fertility
nen all the humus has been burnt out
soil truly has become exhausted. 1t
ould never reach that stage. 1t should
approximate II even. There is not an
re in the south worth cutivating that
mot be given some humus every year,
a bountiful supply every three, IL not
cry other year