The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1896-05-01

'ss III o od matter ma, a.n 1u, I, ~ ,5 70
~ mass OF organic
matter is composed
Of four only. car
bon. oxygen. hydrogen and nitrogen.
Adding silicon. aluminium and calcium
the 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.
In plants We find but thirteen forms
Of matter. including sodium, mngnes'
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 arc Of equal value. as many are In
great abundance. while others are rare
silicon Is abundant In plants, but "
the base Of sand. and with aluminium,
which Is not found In agricultural
plants. and Is common In clay. makes
mp the great mass OF our soils. They
form the framework Of our soils. and
are nearly. II not quite. soluble. They
hold the lime. magncsia, potassium,
phosphorus and sulphur. which are
more soluble. and enter the plant In
solution In water. These last canno,
be dispensed with. as no plant can grow
without them.
Upon Thursday morning Or. Kcdzle
gave a talk upon Soil Exhaustion"
In the early days the valleys OF the
Mohawk and the James were thought to
be inoxhaustible. but after cropping for
a number OF years the yield obtained
was so small that the crop was not prof
liable. and when that condition was
reached they were exhausted. There
are two causes for soil exhaustion: a.
unsuitable physical conditions. such as
too wet or too dry. too loose or too com
pact. 30 that they are not In condition
to grow crops. and (g when plant food
is lacking. The soil Ii not 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
sparone OF the constituents Of granite.
contains over 10 per cent OF potash.
and as II weathors II decomposos and
produces clay. setting free large
amount OF potash. OF which i3.S6 per
cent. is available as plant food. The
greatest danger 10 from the exhaustion
OF the soil nitrogen. While II exists
In immense quantities IN the air, II Is
In free stato-in that form II Is Of no
value TO most crops, IA rule about
sN pounds OF combined nitrogen per
acre are annually brought down In rain
or snow. but this Is insufficient for farm
crops. The humus Of the soil. as a re-
suit OF nitrihcatlon, yields mp large
amount Of combined nitrogen. Nltrates
are easily washed out Of the soil, but
Il can be largely prevented II some crop
Is kept upon the land. as winter rye.
which will take II up. Fallow land
develops nitrogen. but q large amount
Ia washed away.
In his fourth lecture DR.. Kedzle spoke
regarding Manure and Fertilizers"
lie considered barn yard manure az the
best material for use MS fertilizer.
and the pivot Of successful farming. BY
means OF charts. the loss OF the ma
nurlal elements when II Is exposed TO
the weather was shown. when kept
for year under the caves OF a barn.
more than four-ffths Of the ammonia
and nearly as much OF the potash was
lost. In the open air, but away from
the caves, the loss was slightly less.
but was more than two-thlrd8 for the
above elements. only about one-fourth
OF the phosphoric acid was lost under
either condition.
Wood ashes came next In value rs n
fertilizer; 100 pounds OF wood ashes
free from dirt will contain pounds OF
potash and ga pounds OF phosphorlc
acid and will be worth nearly 80 cents
per bushel. As they are seldom pure.
one-hnlf the above will be a high price.
Leached ashes have lost part OF their
potash. but are generally one-thlrd rs
valuable as the uhleached, Therc IN
little value In coal ashea.
All the remains OF vegetables and
especially OF animal materials are OF
great value as fertillzing materials, as
well as for their physical effect upon
the soil, az the capacity OF the soil to
hold water depends largely upon the
amount OF vegetable matter II contains.
The lack OF nitrogen can be helped by
growing leguminous crops. such ms
clover and peas. M they have warts or
tubercles upon their roots which have
the power OF utilizing the free nitrogen
OF the air.
(From Farmers Review special re-
port OF South Haven Michigan) farm.
ers' instituted
Michigan horticultural Convention.
CONDENSED from Farmers Review