Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-07-02

,.,,vded Il out II " believed. now
- chat Ii contains matter that ,
,.o,id he Of value to our agriculturists'
",d IL as applicable today as a year /
and a half ago when written
NV II. Il. LIEFtELD.
Agricultural College, Logan.
observations made in various parts !
~ ,be state point TO the methods pur- /
sued by some or our inrm'fH' MY op- /
~, a. writing is 20 show fcw dan ]
ttst ,br,atcn and how the same
-. t,e avoided. After having visited
~ major portion " the hest farming
ti.,,irfg ~ the state and observed
,tt,,-r from the standpoint Uf an ag-
,tr,,ittirni student. wish TO present a
49, thourbia along the line NJ those
|a,,nryotions. In presenting one phase
I'D those thoughts Il seems TO be wise
a. ro back somewhat 60 the origln ~
things. and give reason Tor the
points that win be presented ana TO
foliow out tho rnmc In logical order
No person who has travelled through
ana over the mountain ridges of th7
/ einto but has.or may have observed tho
Gradual dlslntCgration OF the rocks
which ultimately form The coll of the
valleys The wcnthcrinu effects ~ rain
and snow Of heat and cold have been
gradually. and for ages boon pulvor-
lglne tho surface ~ the Mountains aud
the Hoods N spring and summer have
carried down the decomposed rocks and
spread them over the valley. un-
doub,sdiv the major portion of this
nulrr between the mountains hrs been
podlmentnry. yet no one who wltncsncd
Tho effects Of the cloud bursts ~ re-
cont years could fan 60 recognize them
af Important agencies In the work cs-
rtclniy IN forming the surface soil In
mnuy places.
Vor Inc most part the mountains NJ
Ve aintc are devoid ~ timber ana
vegetable growth owing Co the SLIGHT
min foil ~ rule u ~ only In small
and secluded rulchcs. where the drlficd
rrowa 81 winter furnish fountain ~
ne Tor summer growth. or healdc the
mountnin.fed streams which wind
their way down tho canyons. do We Ind
anything approaching the tlmhercd
nfpnH OF humid rrrinna. and then n ~
nnurht but an approach. u % thus
evident that our rollH contain "a mixture
~ mineral with minimum NJ vcrcta-
bic matter. How different this from
thc Atlantic states. where once stood
"thr forest uflmrvui" with tho ground
covered with vorrtnbie mould. or again
on The vast plains N the central west
who're the growing ErnFa furnish Tor
ARCS hut the bison HuHtouruCo. nud
gave "a deep. rich. black soil full ~
ofrHniC matter.
Tho disintrcEatlon Of tho rocks do
not cease when the Crumhllnr particles
orr carried down into the valley. The
forces " nature are yet az work chang
Ing ~ phyrlcM and chemical proper
tifn. The lnHnluabc fofmH break mp
nnc upon another forming new COM
pounds. natures great laboratory II
ever 40 work and change. not rest IL
M natural order Of things. Yes ans
what mighty forces rhc has ~ work;
man ~ az best but poor aud weak
imltntor ana follower
In those regions which have an album
don't rnlnfnn the deceived rnli inrra-
diHnta are quickly carried m. perco-
latlnE down through The rnli and I'M
/ ally fading ~ way 10 the ocean. In
arid regions whore the rain fail Or not
sufficient 20 dMaolve and carry on thn
naitr formed. they accumulate In the
|fuh-H0il. This accumulation Of salt IL
bot uncommon throughout the state,
|iut ! noticed u most markedly IN the
iouihorn counties. with n light irfi-
Patton which e. not sufficient 20 wash
tho soll, The rapid evaporation Of water
FROM The surface which the large
amount N sunshine In our climate In
duces, these salts tend a. come 90 the
surface, accumulate there and XIII veg
citation. Evidences ~ this trouble were
apparent In some N the older settled
4 districts ln the southern part N the
4 State. Fun details and explanations
~ this difficulty are given In the cal.
iiornln station report for 1915 and In
tn year book OF the department Of
agriculture. Washington. u. G.. Tor the
/ year 1895. The latter may be- obtained
hy rpplying 10 either or the senators. or
90 the representative from Utah AZ Con-
rreHs
The various salt lakes pords and
marches IN the valleys of tho arid region
which for ages have flowed into these
places carrying with them the Dissolved
salts u the rocks ana soil Tho only
p yet has been by = uorntlon which
4 carried OF the water, bat lcft the
lm which have accumulated IN the
remaining water In some places COM
contratlon ~ the salts have continued
nntil part M them have been perclpl-
thifd, This Ia seen every year In many
mhifhN places whore the evaporation
0f water leaves n white coat Of alkall
or SAT- on the surface.
Plants get their suntenanee mainly
from three fourcos-thCir mineral mat
ter from the soii-the diElntegrndsd
iock- heir niiroErnouH matter (which
~ animal produces lean meat. the curi
OF milk and the white of egg some
rnHl'ry cfilfd flesh formerD
ltom ne soil mainly from r1iiluF
vegetation, ana The woody fiber.
aroteeaof rtlmra
starch, sugar lat. etc.. from the air.
Tho latter IL everywhere abundant,
our soils contain an abundance ana IN
some places fnpeTabuudnnro " min
lfu matter. md the only likely de-
hclency y In tho vegetable or nitrogen
Gus matter.
The method N cropping followed By
most of The farmers of the state la exc
elusive grain growing, mainly ~ the
cereal Kinds, ana frequently the SAND
hnd OF grain crop has hrsu grown for
years on the same land. When land
hna been seeded 10 lucen n hnH been
allowed % stand aH long as "a fair cut.
tlng could be- obtained Tho eject III
Wv hns been 10 materially Impair the
tcrillliy of The soil Many oid settlers
WIN whom ! cOnyCrsed hore testimony
20 me fact that a1 large cfnus could
MOI ho grown now aa were grown. ten
niieen. or twenty yenra ago. S0ma
Ingredient which the plant require from
the sou 10 attain maximum nf isruwth
mas been too largely drawn upon by
ieprhlrd cropping, ana with dlniouty
IN gotilnE the proper food SUNNY
COMES deereaaed growth 81 tho crop
another result that has follow Il
from ms system, or rather lack ol
Nhlem In farming has been nn I'm,
.t'is' ~ the weed crop Weeds. ma.
INC grain crop wiFnd uDnn the farm
hhNf particular hahita 0f growth nua