The herald., 1897-01-09
Test Plots or Soil Analyses-Practic or
Theory.

Test Plots or Soil Analyses-Practice or
Theory.
The discussion which has been goius
on with reference to the best methods or
learning and supplying the needs OF the
soil is not mere paper discussion, out
reaches the interests of every ranchman
in THE state
During the year 1891, when the writer
was a stranger in Southern California
he called upon many prominent rancherS
and found that there was uniNersai
want of knowledge Of the first principles
in the matter of the feeding of crops.
The few who could talk upon the SUD-
iect seemed to think that the matter
could be settled ard advice given upon
am analysis of the soil. The writer gave
to many ranchers his views on the SUD
ject, which briefly stated were and are: :
Soil analysis will not determine what
plant foods can be most advantageouslE
applied; put the question to the SOIL anu
get the answer in the crops, !. e. put th9
different fertilzing constituents on
singly. doubly and all three TO-
getEer, and let the crops un.
der these different treatments tell
which and how many of the elements
have done the most good. These discus
SONS resulted in many requests to form
uiate his ideas for print, which was cone
Cne Los AnSeleS anu 'iS Oei.i
forrria Cultivator.
The article in the Cultivator called
forth the following reply from Prof. Hill
gard, although his name had not ap-
peared in the above named papers:
"The article by Prof Woodbridge in
a. late issue of the California Cultivator
and Poultry Keeper. while justly recon-
mending to farmers the use of fertilizers
for the production of better and more
abundant crops, undertakes to condemn
as useless the employment of soil anaiy-
sis in determining what elements may
be required in fertilizing to the best ad-
vantage and recommends Tor exclusive
use for this purpose. fertilizer test plots.
I'm his argument on the subject DIR.
Woodbridge simply forgets or ignores
the fact that what has been said by
European and some American chemists
on the impossibility of obtaining an in
sight into the needs of the soil by analy-
sis, refers to- and is based upon expert
erce with soils long cultivated and fer
tilized II not only does not necessarily
apply to virgin soils, or to those that
have never been fortified, but it is al
together unreasonab BILE, upon the most
general considerations, to suppose that
such should be the fact. in the very
large proportion of the cases in which
the ANALYSIS of virgin soils shows either
a very marked scm'city or a very great
abundance of certain important soil in
gradients. To aver that soil analysis
is useless is a very convenient way uf
avoiding the trouble of handling a very
complex subject requiring a great deal
of practical knowledge and experience.
beyond that of the mere chemist; and it
is quite true that the latter might as
we'll let 1t alone. for aught of good that
he or the farmer will usually get out
of his columns of figures. The chemical
composition of a soil is a highly i'm
portant factor in judging of it's product
iveness. but 1t is only one of a number
that requires to be considered in fore
casting its agricultural value. The
making of such forecasts is matter of
no mean Importance to the present ani
incoming population of the newer states.
and it is cold comfort to them to be in
formed by those who ought to know 70
be able to give them competent judg
ment of the land upon which they pro-
pose to settle, that they must first try
culture experiments in onder to know if
it will pay TO do so. or to plant certain
crops upon them or what fertilizers will
first be needed
To give single example: When soil
ANALYSIS has determined that potash ex-
lists abundantly and even in soluble
form, not only in the irrigation waters
but also in the soils of the valley OF
South California. will Dr. Woodbridge
still think it necessary to try a potash
fertilizer there?-when the same pro-
cess shows the extreme scarcity of hu-
mus in these same (mesa) soils, being a
~ere fraction of what is always found
productive soils elsewhere, will he
,ubt that to supply nitrogen Will he
e first thing needful when crops begin
fall short? If so, let him inquire
nong those to whom / have recon-
ended the use of Chile saltpeter on
le grounds of this analytical indica-
on. and ask what has been the result
the thrift of their citrus trees. When
1alysis shows the same soil TO con-
lin abundance of lime, would DIR.
7oodbridge still put his clients TO the
'oubIe and expense of trying the linn
lg process?
1t Is high time that those who claim
be agricultural chemists and
instruct farmers In regard
1emselves of the prejudtces i'm
ibed under the influence of old world
Aachings and grapple with the prob
Ems of agriculture in conformity with
he new conditions presented to them
+. w, HILGARD.
BerkeleS, Cal, December. 1891.
To this reply we answered, among
other things:
In regard to the questions propound-
ed by the learned professor we would
say that we shall carry on our eXperi-
ments just as planned, plaster included
The cost or such test, in conjunction
with the others, is but nominal, as but
400 pounds per acre will be used. ana
as our experiments for the most part
will he on but one-tenth acre plots
1t Will require only a. poundF the COM
mercial value of which is but 20 cents.
and if it shall transpire that we have
been carrying Goals 10 Newcastle the
toll will not he heavy.
Beyides. Prof. Hileard's article mad
failed in its aim for while he claims
that the virgin soils of this state made
1t practicable and desirable TO use anal
ysis that admittedly failed in soils
longer cultivated. yet he entirely neg
lected to give a single reason for such
an opinion. An ipse diXt is as WORTHLESS;
in an argument as in producing a crop.
Subsequently we received q letter from
Prof Hilgard. of which the following
is a copy:
"University of California College nr
Agriculture. Agricultural Expert.
ment Station. Berkeley january t..
1892
"Dr. s. NJ. Woodbridge. Io, \ eeles-
Dear Sir: 7 note your article In reply
to mine in the last issue of the Califnr-
MIA CuItivator and Poultry Keeper tic
tone, as well as that Of editorial com
ment thereon, suggest the iautf,itv Of
any further discussion in that nlace. If
also suggests that YOU can hardly be
aware Of the directly aggressive ma