The gold leaf., 1899-10-19
PREPARING LAND FOR WHEAT.
The Use of Fertilizers on Land Defi-
Gent in Humus-Bare Land.
(Southern Planter. }

(Southern Planter.)
J. A. Williams. of Mllbrook. Tenn.
writes:
..Do YOU think that after plowlng
land early for wheat in the fall 1t
would increase the yield to harrow
the land and roll it until it is so COM
pact that just enough dirt will fall
behind your drill on the wheat to
cover it?
..Is not the application Of heavy
fertilizers in INJURIOUS to land deficient
in humus, unless Immediately follow
ed with grass-say, clover or herds
grass?
(Which do YOU think the most in
furious to very poor land-to let it
Law out exposed to the sun naked or
put in grain, even if you must use
fertilizer to make yield?"
believe it is best to plow wheat
land early, provided the land is
rolled as soon as plowed and followed
bv the harrow. After the first har-
rowing, cultivation should be re-
peated at least once a week, and if it
rains. oftener-after every rain. The
idea is to prevent a dust blanket
The dust blanket acts exactly as a
mulch, and prevent the rapid evapo-
ration and loss Of moisture that
would otherwise take place. AS you
are aware, the soil is filled with
capillary pores that have the power
Of lifting moisture from the lower
areas to the surface. These capillaries
work their evaporating way to the
surface, and thus the soil is opened
to the evaporating influence of the
sun, and not only carries off the
moisture. but also some of the
nitrogen. BY cultivating with the
harrow to the depth Of two or three
inches, the connection Of these pores
with the surface is destroyed, and
hence all the moisture in the soil is
reserved for the future crop. Be
sides that, an abundant supply Of
moisture enables fermentation and
the breaking down of plant food to
90 on more rapidly in the soil.
do not believe in compacting the
soil too much, as that prevents the
ready distribution of plant roots in
the soil, and the vigor Of the crop de-
pends largely on its having deep.
wipe-spreading roots to draw an
abundant supply Of food from the
soil area.
also think it is best to drill in
wheat deep rather than shallow. 1t
may take it little longer TO get
established and started growing, but
when this is accomplished the growth
will be more vigorous.
The heavy application of some
artificial fertilizers might in lurc the
land. though it would be more likely
to injure the roots of plants or the
seed that it came in contact with. 1t
is poor economy to heavily fertilize
soils deficient in humus. Most OF
our soils are more in need of this
element than of any other, and if it
is abundantly supplied first, it en-
ables the formation of new chemical
combinations in the soil that render
available large quantities of plant
food, and at the same time prevent
inj jures by firing that might be in
duced where heavy fertilizers are
alone used.
Glover (or cow peas in the South
Ed.) is the best thing to use to give
huHIus to the soil, fuI the reason
that it is legume and can absorb
large quantities of nitrogen from the
air through the tubercles on its roots.
1t thus increases the supply of
nitrogen in the soil and renders the
use of this element in the form of an
artificial unnecessary. Humus, OF
course. enables the soil to withstand
drought and to retain much larger
quantity of moisture, both of which
are essentials where large crop pro-
duction is sought.
would not let very poor land lay
out exposed to the elements. The
proper way to do is to put in some
crop, especially legume, and plow
humus to the soil. and then, if neces-
sary, add artificial fertilizer to supply
the other elements needed. In this
way you can soon build up worn
out soil. If you let it lay exposed,
the fertilizing elements, as they are
rendered available, are in large
measure dissipated by means of
evaporation from the surface or they
are lost by subterranean drainage.
ANDREW M. SOULE,
Agriculturist Tennessee Experiment
Station.