The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-01-20
Composition OF Soils.

VIM. P. PERKINS.
Composition OF Soils.
Missouri Station Bulletin: The soil
is mixture of fine and coarse material
mixed with greater or smaller
amount of organic humus-like sub
stance, holding a variable but large
quantity of moisture in it's composition.
The percentage of this organic mat
ter is usually low, amounting in our
soils rarely to more than ten in hun
dred, being more frequently only four
to five. The water reaches higher
figure, and though Is per cent Of it in
soil will support ripening crop,
double the amount is preferable in the
early season and more for a limited
time advantageous rather than other
wise. The nitrogen, through the ac-
emulation of ages, is but a fraction of
one per cent and the average compos-
ition of our soils during the summer
season as follows:
per cent organic matter.
Oh per cent nitrogen.
20 per cent water.
1853 per cent mineral matter.
The mineral matter is the matter
derived from the rocks that orig
mated the soil modified, as suggested,
by the action of weather and the
growth of plants. It consists of par
ticles of quartz sand, feldspar, mica,
and variety of mineral species, cas-
lily recognized under the microscope,
and, in addition, of clay, soluble sill
lea, simple and double hydrous sill
Gates, the result of the alteration of
soil and the addition to it of the ash
constituents of the plants that grew
upon it. These latter. the hydrous
double silicates. are of the utmost i'm
portance to the fertility OF soil as in
them really resides the power of hold
ing and storing up for future use the
substances for the lack of which a soil
is wholly sterile. In all discussions
of agricultural problems relating to
mineral fertilizers but three sub
stances need to be considered, potash,
phosphoric acid and available nitrogen.
The large quantities of potash and
phosphoric acid in our soils are there
fore of value; but insoluble at present
to large extent their value is n.y.
pothecated to the future. By their
gradual conversion through atmos-
pheric and other agencies of insoluble
into soluble compounds they furnish
a steady though limited supply of plant
food for moderate crop. but the de-
mands of modern agriculture for large
and salable annual harvests sufficient
to yield satisfactory return over and
above their cost of production is not
responded to. True, improved meth
DDS of cultivation will insure better
returns, but only up to a certain point
beyond which artificial, /. e., mineral
fertilizers, become a necessity. The
readily available plant food, the &C.
emulation of centuries, has been
cleaned by our forefathers of their
fertile acres; to us the choice is left of
having time unlock similar treasures
yet in our soil and in the meantime
quit harvesting, or to supply the de-
ficiencies by becoming buyers with the
certainty of becoming to a much larger
extent sellers of our products.
Up-Rooting Alders-The common
sweet alder often becomes a nuisance.
as its seeds are left by birds in the
corners of old rail fences, where a
clump of them will soon grow. It il
not a difficult shrub to uproot and de-
stroy, as its roots. like its top growth,
is very soft. and easily cut. All that is
necessary is to dig up the side of the
clump next to the fence, and then hitch
q span of horses to chain bound tight
~ around the bush, close to the ground
As the horses pull, the roots will come
into view. and can be cut OF with even
dull axe, as the strain on the roots
will make them easily, severed. II ia
only the work Of two or three hours for
two men and one team to destrov .
large clump. II the fence can be taken
down and the ground plowed and new
~ seeded. fine turf viii be a year
hence in the space now occupied bv
worthless 8l0efS.7EX.
In many places the apple and other
trees are scraped once year and the
trunks whitewashed. It does not in
jure the looks OF the orchard, and II
IL believed to keep away borers ana
some other pests.
Always feed the mash crumbly, not
sloppy.
Millst seed i great ess-producing
grain