The Colfax chronicle., 1900-08-25
FEEDING OUR SOILS.
Emphasized the Necessity of
Feeding the Soil.

attention has been paid to fertilizera
in Texas, except that some farmers, tc
get stable manure out of the way, have
hauled it to the field instead of dist
ant dumping ground. The advent OF
truck farming has changed this, SO far
as truck farmers are concerned. Com
mercial fertilizers may be said to have
been unknown to Texas soils until this
new departure was in a fair way of de-
velopment. Even now the use of these
preparations is confined almost exclu-
sively to the output of the Texas pack
cries, slaughter-houses and onl mills.
Neither has restorative rotation been
practiced toany greatextent. Alternate
years in corn and cotton, or oats and
cotton, regardless of system has been
about the only rotation practiced. On
account of the rich virgin soils this
reckless system has not yet worked
ruin to many farms. A few have been
practically exhausted, but alluvial bot
toms are good for hundred years, and
with a decennial overflow win main
tain their fertility for thousand
years, and then be as good as at first.
The black waxy soils would be prac-
tically inexhaustible under wise sys-
tenn of rotation. The sandy soils be-
come short on humus in a few years,
and commercial fertilizers do not sup
ply this very necessary element to the
soil. Therefore, for all such soils barn.
yard manure should be literally sup
piled, and clover or cow peas grown
every two or three years, either alone
or with corn, the latter being the most
economical process. The chemists tell
us that we can buy nitrogen, phos-
phoric acidand acid from the fertilizer
houses for less than the cost of haul
ing barnyard manure to the field. But
it aften occurs that the farmer has
the stable manure, and the carts and
teams, and has not the money to spare
to buy the commercial article. Then
the value of good stable manure is not
fully disclosed by chemical analysis
The vegetable matter it contains is as
necessary as the three main sub
stances. 1t has been demonstrated that
a soil containing 3.5 per cent. of vege'
table matter contained IA quarter
more water to the cubic foot than a
similar soil titled until it's vegetable
contents was reduced to 2.52 per cent
Precisely the same conditions pre-
vailed with both soils. Other tests have
developed greater difference thar
this. Soils rich in humus not only con
tain more moisture, but give it off b,
evaporation more slowly than soil
poor in humus. Not only do soils ricl
in vegetable matter contain more wa
ter and retain it better, but the SAM
humus makes the soil blacker, an,
consequently warmer, because blacl
absorts, and it opposite reflects tn
suns heat. We have never known bu
one case where barnyard manure wa
used at a loss, and that was where
/ farmer hauled dry COW manure tel
years exposed 10 the weather an
spread the briqucttes over his iielt
That was Is years ago, and these har
Jumps are in the soil yet to .imped
the plow. That particular article
one of the most durable substances i
: nature, and is only fit for fuel Barr
yard manure, properly cared for an
: properly applied, aided by an occs
: cional crop of peas and judicious n
, tation, will not only maintain the fel
, tility of a soil, but improve it. 1t wi
, even redeem q soil absolutely barre
from excessive cropping. This we hay
' seen well and fairly tested. To kee
: up the fertility of farm, keep liy
r stock and plant cowpeas, and the RI
r suits specified will follow as sure a
5 fate. There are some soils to deficier
I in phosphoric acid that this substanc
e must be supplied from without, br
f such soils are rare exceptions, and thi
is intended not for exceptional, but fo
, general application.-Texas Farm an
!. | Ranch.
|