Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-04-24
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How 10 MANURE oHEAPLY.


Sandy, Heavy and Clay Soils Considered.
Enects Of Vegetable Matter In Sofia
The question how the farmer, and es-
ptcially the eastern farmer, can most
easily and cheaply increase the fertility
of his land is much the most important
problem that he has TO deal with. We
hear a great deal about concentrating
farm work ON a few acres instead Of
spreading it over many. But before this
can be successfully done the few acres
must be made as rich as possible. In
tensive farming cannot be made to pay
on poor land. Nor is it wise to plant
the kinds of crops that require great
deal Of labor, unless the land has before
been brought into such condition that
maximum crop can be grown. Here is
what American Cultivator has to say in
this connection:
Without doubt the growing of clover
to be plowed under the third year, after
taking a hay crop from it the previous
year, makes the best preparation for the
potato crop for all land that has fair
amount Of mineral plant food. Clover
is the cheapest means Of supplying nj
trogen to the soil II to this are added
good dressings for each crop Of phos-
phate and potash, the land will continue
to increase in fertility so long as the
clover rotation is kept mp. But there is
great deal of land in which mineral
plant food has to be supplied before any
thing can be grown on it with profit.
Most sandy soils are of this character.
They are always deficient in potash, Tor
If they were not the sand itself would
be decomposed and make a true soil
With clover to supply vegetable matter
and with potash in some form to make
clover grow on 1t sandy soil can very
soon be brought to a high condition Of
productiveness. But il requires contin-
ued good management TO keep sandy
soil in this condition of fertility.
Heavy soils, especially if wet, reverse
these conditions. The heavy soil is apt
to have large amount of vegetable mat
ter, because it is not easily permeable to
air, and being kept wet most Of the time
what vegetable matter it has decays
very slowly. This in course Of time &C.
cumulates vegetable matter so that the
clay soil is lightened, and when we'll
cultivated will be very productive. But
the effect of cultivation is to let in light,
air and warmth. This in few years,
decomposes what vegetable matter the
soil has, and its olayey parts become
too compact for profitable cultivation.
The soils will not produce paying crops,
and yet they show by analysis that they
are by no means exhausted.
The thing that most Of these clay
soils need first is to be underdrained, so
as to remove surplus water. Clover is
also the best specific for such soils. II
mellows and lightens the subsoil, while
thorough cultivation helps to make the
surface soil available for crops. After
thorough undertaking it will be found
Of great advantage to use mineral ferti-
lizers freely ON heavy soil, for though
analysis may still show the mineral
plant food present in the soil most Of
these will be reverted and cannot be
used by plants, except as vegetable mat
ter is decaying and giving off carbonio
acid gas in contact with them. This
AoSO oAPioihn eho Boou ohectS VI NoBoJd'
bic matter in soils, even when it con-
tains little real plant food. 1t is we'll
known to those who use commercial ma
nure that their best effect is produced on
moist soils we'll filled with vegetable
matter, while on pure sands and gravel
they do little good. But if stable ma
nure is used with the fertilizer this
makes the mineral available and will do
good even ON sandy or gravelly soils.