The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-05-02
No. 12

Next to the earth, humus is second
in Importance. 1t is the basis for the
development of the forces that utilize
the sunshine-heat. light, air, organic
life, electricity, nitrogen, the phos-
pilates, potash-in fact all the elements
that enter into plants after and through
the plants into animal life, and that
help to build up the soil.
Humus is also the seat Of plant in
telligence that guides and controls the
forces that send the quality that makes
leaf, stem, root, seed or fruit, to it's al
lotted places. Humus is the carbon
(fre property of animal or vegetable
refuse. It is the coal of fire; burning
very slowly, as it does, it assists in the
oxydstion or burning up of this refuse.
It is the concentrated heat or stored
up sunshine or storage battery" The
slow fire it keeps up makes a proper
temperature to act as culture" or
''hot bed" for the germs of organic life,
some of which are al ways present ex-
cept in soil absolutely barren. Humus
is that which these forms Of life can
attach themselves to or cling to. It is
a home for them-a hive in which they
can work.
The presence Of humus is an abso.
lutte requirement in plant growth OF
the kinds farmers grow. These life
mites have their digestive functions
and a capacity for breathing air or
fixing nitrogen. Therefore, soil rich
in humus, teeming with life, has the
ability and raise the temperature Of
the soil several degrees. And we call
it a warm, rich, live soil.
On the other hand, soil deficient
humus does not invite this form of
life. There is nothing for it to cling
to, no basis upon which it can develop,
no culture plant or hot bed to warm
into life these dormant germs. And
we call such a soil cold, clRmmy-a
poor, dead soil-and speak the truth.
1t will be upon such soils without
humue) you will find TOAD hair" wire
grase, sour sorrel-and they only grow
upon sour soils, acid soils.
Each OF the plants (there are many
others) develop the peculiar conditions
that brought them into existence, and
at the same time develop other Condi-
tions that destroy other better types of
vegetation. And it is where the plants
named grow the acids that sour the
soil are developed. And you can't
grow sweet, nutritious plants upon
such land. The corn, wheat, oats or
grass grown there partakes of like
qualities.
Aerate this soil by filling it with de-
caying animal or vegetable matter
(humus), fertilize it, ond you kill out
the ''toad hair" wire grass and sour
sorrel, and sweeten the soil, and the
cIovers come seemingly Of themselves.
We must remember clover is somewhat
of an aristocrat. It must have good
food, clean soil, pure air and humus.
1t won't grow on poverty points.
If plants and animals live upon food,
drink and air, how do they change
them into animal forms, or plant
growth3 To know how will help US to
see the necessity of humus, and the
waste of plant food and animal food,
and how it takes place.
What the progressive farmer ought
to be seeking for in these times Of low
prices and sharp competition is the
way to get maximum crops at mini
mum expense.
The mission of the agricultural press
and farm institutes is to help him.
R. 8. Cook, of Kansas, took Rrst
prize at the Worlds Fair on ''pigs'
over five and uRder twelve months
old. It was awarded to five Of his
"pigs" eleven months old; the average
weight was 528 pounds.
The most startling thing about it is
that this phenomenal result was made
on less rich concentrated food than the
average farmer feeds out to get 300 to
300 pound ''hogs."
One purpose Of these papers is to
show farmers how Mr.. Cook got 628
pound ''pigs" and "why" the average
farmer only gets 300 pound 'hogs. :"
Also why one farmer will get double
the results out of the same quantity of
manure or fertilizing materials, and
often at less expense. The secret of
this is the why" one farmer fails and
''hoW" another succeeds
Mr.. Cook made and maintained al.
most perfect conditions. Other feeders
do not educate themselves to their i'm
portance and are Indifferent as to re-
suits. II our animals are made out of
| nIanAn EEnrn "a got tLn rnnnnA nn;nnnlr