Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-13
WHAT MAKES VALUE IN SOIL.

Humus Is formed from the decaylng
vegetable and animal matter In the soil,
II contains, ordinarily Sla per cent nj
trogen, therefore loss or deficiency Of
humus results In a loss or deficiency OF
nitrogen. As nitrogen is valuable
constituent In the soil for the growth
Of crops, We should endeavor to culti-
vate our soil in such a way that we
shall have an abundance Of this con-
stituent available when required.
Humus Is detected In the soil by the
following physical properties; /, BY
the dark color impaired to the soil. 2.
BY the specific gravity Soils with hu-
mus are lighter. bulk for bulk. than
soils without humus. 3. BY the power
TO absorb and hold moisture 4. BY
the rate which water will move through
or from the soil by capillarity. eyapora-
tion or percolation. s. BY the expan-
sion Of the soil when absorbing mois-
ture.
Some OF the effects OF humus are:
First-It darkens the soil and allows
heat from the sun to pass through.
This makes the soil warmer and more
capable OF promoting termination.
Sec0nd-lt makes soils lighter In
weight, bulk for bulk, and as a conse.
quence We do not have so compact a
condition OF our soils. This condition
allows free access Of air and more room
for roots of plants.
Thlrd-It diminishes adheslveness OF
clay. Thus clay soil Is made more
friable and less liable 10 bake and be-
come compact The humus holds the
water In the soil and thus prevents the
cracking so often seen In our clay dur
Ing the summer
As above mentioned, humus increases
water capacity Of soils, therefore lack
OF humus In the soil results in decrease
ing lis power OF storing up and proper
~ supplying crops with water, Soils
win liberal amount OF humus are
capable OF more enectually Withstand
Ing drought than similar soils with less
humus In arid regions the loss OF hui
mus from the soil is more serious than
IN regions OF continuous summer rains.
by having ourisoils supplied with hui
mus we do no; need to depend 80 much
upon the summer showers. With a good
supply OF water our crops would con-
tinue 10 advance during the hot
weather instead Of going back, az they
generally do. In sandy soils the loss OF
humus Is most severely felt. because
without humus the water percolates be-
low the roots of the plants and out OF
heir reach. In poorly drained soils,
where there Is a deficiency OF lime, pot
ash, phosphoric acid and other ma
ierials, the humus may form sour
molds, but this may be overcome by
the use OF mari. lime or wood ashes,
he action OF these materials being TO
break up these molds and make the
soil friablc.
Humus-forming materials like the
lecaylng animal and vegetable matter
N farmyard manure have the power OF
with the potash and phos-
phorlc acid OF the soil to form humates,
which are readily assimilated by the
plants when acted upon by the proper
soils organisms. These humates then
Increase to q marked extent the avail
able plant food Of the soil. Thus the
farmyard manure and other humus-
forming materials are not only yalu.
able for the elements Of fertility which
OF making the inert materials OF the
soil more available to plants. There
fore is soils where there Is good
stock Of reserve materials II Is cheaper
70 cultivate fertility through the agen-
cy Of humus than II Is TO purchase Il
in the form OF commercial fertilizers.
Fourth-It increases water capacity,
thus II Is very valuable in soils that are
liable TO suffer from drought. During
the hot weather soils with a limited
amount OF water suffer from drought.
but 10y having a good supply OF humus
we can Increase our water capacity
and thus insure supply Of water for
our crops.
Flfth-It prevents soils from teaching.
In the teaching Of soils we lose very
much Of the fertlllzlng materials in the
soil. Anything that will prevent this
teaching is a decided gain 10 the land.
The decline In the crop producing
power Of many soils Is due 10 a loss OF
humus. Farmers want today the best
crops possible, and these are TO be got
only by the systematic rotation OF our
crops and the return OF transforming
materials 10 the soil. The humus Of
he soil is decreased by continued Guilt
walton % grain, roots or any crop with
which the land Is KEEP, continually IN
der the pillow without the addition Of
to form humus. II can he
increased by the use OF well prepared
farmyard manure. green manure and by
rotation Of crops. In which
grasses. or preferably clover, form an
important partisan Francisco Call