The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-04-02


matter il composed
OF four only, car.
bon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen
adding silicon. aluminium and calcium
ne seven will make up almost all OF the
mass OF the world In addition we have
the various metals, which are OF such
value In the arts. and potassium, phos-
phorus and sulphur. which are essen
tlal for all animal and vegetable life.
ia plants We find but thirteen forms
of matter. including sodium, magnes-
lum and chlorine In addition TO those
named above.
The FIRST four come almost entirely
from the air. while the nine mineral
substances all come from the soil. Not
all are OF equal value. as many are ID
great abundance. while others are rare.
Silicon Is abundant In plants, but Is
the base Of sand. and with aluminium.
which Is not found In agricultural
plants. and is common In clay. makes
up the great mass Of our soils They
form the framework OF our soils. and
are nearly. II not quite. soluble. They
hold the lime, magnesia, potassium
phosphorus and sulphur, which are
more soluble, and enter the plant In
solution IN water. These last cannot
be dispensed with, as no plant can grow
without them.
Upon Thursday morning Dr. Kodzio
gave a talk upon soil Exhaustion" "
In the early days the valleys OF the
Mohawk and the James we're thought TO
be inexhaustible. but after cropping for
number OF years the yield obtained
was so small that the crop was not prof
table and when that condition was
reached they we're exhausted. There
are two causes for soil exhaustion: Oh
unsuitable physical conditions, such rs
too wet or too dry. too loose or too COM
pact. 10 that they are not In condition
TO grow crops. and 90 when plant food
Ia lacking. The soil Is not a mine to
be worked out. II must be cultivated
with reference TO It's continued fertility;
anything else Is robbery. All soils have
a supply OF reserve matter In an In
soluble form that will be gradually
drafted into service. Potash Is de-
rived from the decomposition OF the
mineral ingredients OF the soil. Field
spar one OF the constituents Of granite
contains over 10 per cent Of potash
and az Il weathers II decomposes and
produces clay. setting free large
amount OF potash, OF which i3.S6 pei
cent, Is available as plant food. The
greatest danger Is from the exhaustion
OF the soil nitrogen. While It exists
In immense quantities in the air. II Il
In free statc-in that form II ls Of nc
value to most crops. As rule about
So pounds OF combined nitrogen pei
acre are annually brought down In rain
Or snow. but this Is insufficient for farm
crops. The humus OF the soil, az a re-
suit Of nitrlhcatlon. yields up a larg'
amount OF combined nitrogen. Nitratel
are easily washed out OF the soil. bu
Il can be largely prevented II some croI
Is kept upon the land, as winter rye
which will take Il up. Fallow Land
develops nitrogen. but a large amount
Ia washed away.
In his fourth lecture Dr. Kedzle SPOKE
regarding Manure and Fertilizers
lie considered barn-yard manure as thu
best material for use as a fertilizer
and the pivot OF successful farming. n,
means OF charts. the loss OF the ma
nurlal elements when Il Is exposed I,
the weather was shown. When KEEP
Tor n year under 'kS Uaves OF a barn
more than fouT-hfths OF the Ammonia
and nearly as much OF the potash wal
lost. In the open air. but away from
the caves. the loss was slightly less
but was more than two-thirds for IN,
above elements. only about One-fourtl
Of the phosphorIc acid was lost undel
either condition.
Wood ashes came next In value as
fertilizer: 100 pounds OF wood ashe
tree from dirt will contain pounds o
potash and 54 pounds OF phosphorl,
acid and will be worth nearly 80 cent
per bushol As they are seldom pure
one.half the above will be a high price
Leached ashes have lost part OF thel
potash. but are generally ono-thlrd a
valuable as the unleaehed. There q
little value In coal ashes.
All the remains OF vegetables ant
especially Of animal materials are o
graf value as fertlllzing materials. a
well IA for their physical effect upoI
the soil, as the capacity Of the soil 4
hold water depends largely upon IN,
amount OF vegetable matter It contains
The lack OF nitrogen can be helped b!
growing legumlnous crops. such a
clover and peas, as they have warts o.
tubcrcles upon their roots which havr
the power Of utilizing the free nitrogen
Of the air.
From Farmers Review special re
port Of South Haven Michlgan) farm
ers' instituted
Michigan horticultural Convention.