Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-05-27

In the early part Of the present CEN
fury, when the rich valleys and the
hillsides of the country were first being
cleared off and cultivated by the sturdy
woodmen who occupied them, 1t was
never thought necessary to consider
the subject Of manures or fertilizers OF
any kind. All the farmers OF those
days had to do was TO SOW the seeo'
cultivate the crops occasionally to keep
down the weeds and when harvest
time came harvest heavy crop There
was, as they thought-if they thought
at allan iHexhaustible supply OF plant
food in the soil, and perhaps they
would have laughed to scorn the loea
that 1t was possible to impoYerish INC
soil and bring it to state wnere
could not produce a crop. But all TINS
has passed or is passing away. Inc
farming class all over the land is be-
coming awakened to the fact that their
soil will not produce the crop 1t once
did. Some, perhaps, know the reason
Of this, but the large majority does not,
and Of those who do only email per
cent understand how they may bring
the soil back or approach the original
fertility. The regular routine has been
going along for years, and it is hard
to get out of the ruts. Chemists have
analysed the soil. and they find that
some plants take more of given ele-
ment than others. For instance, If a
field has been growing wheat for a
number of years, it will be found that
the crop is becoming less and less ev-
cry year, and soon the crop will not
pay for the seed and labor. 1t is evil
dent that something must be done to
enrich the soil and in bringing up
soil the following points must be care
fully considered:
1. A careful and extensive tillage.
2. A carefully arranged rotation OF
crops.
8. A judicious application of plant
food.
The three important adjuncts just
mentioned go hand in hand, and each
deserves special attention. Every farm
er realizes that it is absolutely neces-
sary to give his soil a thorough Guilt
vation; without this the land would
be cloddy and lumpy, and such would
prevent the easy passage of air and wa
Ter, not to mention the disadvantages
such a condition presents in regard to
he movement of the plant roots in
heir search for food in the soil. In
the rotation every farmer
should see that either clover or peas is
These crops have peculiar
aculty of drawing nitrogen from the
ir, and hence there is great saving
o the farmer in the purchase of fertil-
GERS. Nitrogen, as sold on the market,
osts about ii or Is cents a pound,
yhereas when furnished by clover or
cas- it costs practically nothing. The
itrogen being furnished by the growth
the legumes mentioned, it remains
My for the farmer to add phosphoric
cid and potash. Acid phosphate and :
are both good sources Of :
hosphoric acid, while muriate of pot !;
sh furnishes potash. The proper plan :,
lould be to fertilize the clover or :
cas-, so as to get a larger crop, and =
len when the entire crop is turned h
lder, It will furnish plenty of organic :.
after and plant food for the succeed =
g crop. In connection with this G
ethod Of green-manuring it has been
und that an application of lime about
cry five years is of great advantage ~
the soil. Lime sweetens a sour soil, 81
axes heavy soil lighter, and greatly W
Iproves the physical condition of the II
nd. There is nothing complicated tt
out feeding plants. and every farmer B
ould find out the needs of his own
ii and govern himself accordingly re
w. B. ~, ~
ri