The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-11-28
"Exhau stedp' Soils.

exhausted soil is one which will not
produce paying crop. The term
exhausted" is in reality only rela-
tive one, because any soil which can
be at all utilized for farming purposes
must evidently possess some of the
elements which so to make up plant
growth. An analysis made of many
lands now producing 'only scrubby
growth would reveal the presence of
sufficient plant punishment to grow
bountiful crops for hundreds of years
to come.
The question then naturally sug-
gests itself: Why is it that soil con
tanning plenty of plant food may yet
fail to produce an average yield? The
! answer to this question is a compare
lively simple one. The soils we're
formed long ages ago, and during all
OF the intervening time the plant food
| locked up beneath the surface has
been combining and recombining un-
til 1T has come to be an almost insolu-
bic condition. The average plant lacks
the power to unlock this plant-food
while in such n state, and is, there
fore, IN much the same position as n
man IN the middle of. the ocean with
out any suitable drinking water. He
dies of thirst while surrounded by the
very substance he is seeking, because
OF his inability to convert il to his own
use.
The agencies which assist in making
Iplant-food more available are water
sunlight, and thorough cultivation of
the soil. Through these a portion ut
least of the plant-food can be made
available and the productive Capacity
OF the land greatly increased. Vege-
/ table matter, or humus, as it is called,
IS another factor which plays an i'm.
portant part in making inert plant
food aYailable to growing crops. If
/ soil IS destitute of humus, it is much
moro difficult for plants TO get their
food from it. On the other hand, if
a soil contains plenty of humus, the
decomposition of this vegetable mat
ter helps to dissolve the more insolu-
bic substances, thus converting them
into available plant-food.
Every farmer should see that his
land is well supplied with humus or
vegetable matter, which can be done
most cheaply by growing cow peas or
clover and turning them under. Too
much Of this, however. would sour the
land. Therefore, MS an offset, q dose
OF slaked lime, say about forty bushels
per acre, should be applied once in
about every five years. The lime will
not only hasten Che decomposition Of
the organic matter, but will also I'M
lock some Of the latent plant food in
the soil, notablypotash BY thorough
system of cultivation the physical con
ditiou of the soil can be greatly inn
proved, enabling the air to have frecr
access, thus facilitating oxidation, and
causing the saltwater TO pcrcolate more
freely. This will dissolve the plant
food and move it about in the soil 20
as TO he readily available to the roots.
II must be remembered, however,
that the soil is like bank. n con
tiuuaIly drawn upon without replen
ishinn, 1t will soon become bankrupt
hence the wise farmer will see that ne
at least maintains an equilibrium by
deposItug annually what is drawn
out This guards against the gradual
removal OF plant.food. aud IL is we'll
to- remark here, that after soil has
once become run down, it is very
difficult matter to build 10 up again
A far more economical plan, therefore,
would ba to gradually increase the
productive capacity of the land
Farm, Field and Fireside.