The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Exhaustion Of the Soil.

Every farm should be made to pro-
duce two or more crops a year If posi-
BILE, as l. can be done by proper sys-
tenn Of rotation. The farmer will have
to =, rid Of the impression that there
are bu, three or four crops that can -.
grown on farm. and b-anch out Tor
something new. When the merchant
fms slJw sales and low price be adds
new Hines To- his stock, aud, - farming
IS a. much a business a. that Of selling
merchandise, the farmer can only keep
up with those engaged in other pur-
suits by adopting any and all methods
which may open better opportunities
in his business. The kind Of crops u
grow can not be determined for the
farmer, as he must regulate his oper -
tons according 10 the climate and bis
soil, but on all farms there Is room for
something new and an improvement
upon the old. The farmer who Is averse
to growing more than one crop a year
for fear Of exhausting his soil has 10
right to attempt farming. The soil
should never become exhausted under
any system Of farming that permits a
profit t. be obtained, as true farming
mems that nothing should be taken
from the soil without rendering an
equivalent, and if more than one crop
gives larger profit than before then
the ability of the farmer to feed his soil
is eorrespOndingly increased, and he
can invest more largely in fertilizers;
in fact, whether he desires il or not, be
is compelled to add plant food to his
soil or he will find his land becoming
exhausted VIII ether he grows one crop
a year or more.
NATURES METHODS.
Naturally the land is ever striving 90
produce something. As soon as one
crop is removed another takes its place,
and weeds spring up Is if by magic
when the land is given up to rest.
There is no rest to the soil, if it is capa-
bic of producing anything at all, and
il might as well contain something Of
value 10 the farmer as to expend its sub
stance on weeds. Nature also covers
the ground, and the forest land with a
mulch in winter If the farmer does not
interfere. Under the covering there
are chemical processes constantly Oc-
curing. Plant food is being manu-
featured from insOlu0le substances, hui
mus is prepared, and the soil is in better
condition when the spring opens tn
produce cultivated crops. This Is we'll
known TO those who have observed
covered land. Place q board on the
ground and il becomes "a mulch. An
examination of the soil under the board
in few weeks or months after, viii
disclose a darker color TO the soil, more
humus is easily noticed, and that little
strip will promote growth better thah
a similar strip adjoining. Nature
therefore, covers the ground both win
ter and summer, and If field Is left Ia
recuperatiOn by natural methods tie
soil will improve in fertility, althOugi
nothing has been aided by the farmer,
and yet it was under growth of soms
kind, frcG early spring until late ia
the fall, aud also covered with the dead
weed in winter.
MORE CROPS AND MORz FERTILIZER
The rotation of a number of crops
gives many combinations. When rye
is sown in the fall il becomes a win
tercovering. If followed by early
potatoes, and the potatoes by tur-
nips, crimson clover can be seed
ed as the next winter covering. In
that ease two crops and one green ma
nurial crop rye are secured in one
year with the land seeded down 10 the
crimson clover. Early potatoes and
late cabbage, or early cabbage and late
potatoes, are grown in some sections.
Early peas hsye been gotten out Of the
way for beans, and in order to save
time two crops are grown at once by
planting at different periods. For in
stance, sugar corn or cabbage can be
planted between the potato rows before
the latter are dug, and turnips are al
ways in order fE a late catch crop,
while rye and nsOn clover can De
carried over tn, 'C-inter TO be plowed
under ihS sing ,m,ch crops as melons
and sweet = -O0erSssn oe used in the
rotation on l : ~ OF and a crop of
milIet or buzz > S-r. i9r ! be grown il
seeded down as g siaof, where the
growing season is n ihnstt short. Bet
these crops demand o farmer more
fertilizer, and he eanl\> ignore them
He gains more Ia. before and his
land becomes richC S1y judieious app'i-
cation of fertilizer and the pIowing
under of green material. The cost is
no item if the land returns it, and il
the productions of the land are inereas-
ed the profits are also larger, the real
wealth, however, derived from better
farming being the increased fer tility Of