The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-08-17

From the Farmers Review The "a,
nous clover suh-soil pump has been
spoken of so much in farm papers and
institute lectures that it seems to have
gotten beyond the stage Of a mere hg-
uFe Of speech. As a matter Of fact
clovers have no more power 20 draw
plant food from the sub-soil than
every other crop Of an equal root area
furthermore. there is always a great
deal more plant food IN available form
In the top soil than in the sub-soil. IN
many cases the penetration Of roots
into the sub-soil Is Of very doubtful
value to the plant. Plants take up
moisture through their roots and draw
moisture from depth just as a wick
draws up oil iE a lamp. This moisture
flowing as it does over and around soil
particles. dissolves a very small guam
tity Of mineral matter. and Ia this
manner In the aggregate. a great deal
Of plant food Is brought 10 the plants,
but this supply is too scanty and too
irregular to be depended on for profit
able culture. II such plant food sup
plies seems all that is needed, there
never would have been any need Of
what is called modern agriculture.
Clover makes growth where such
crops as corn. wheat and timothy fail
because cloFers have the power Of sup
plying their own plant food nitrogen.
taking it from the air. OF course. they
must have potash and phosporlc acid
to do this. Soils after many years un-
der cultivation lose a great deal Of
plant food which they contained as
natural soil. and are apt TO be short
Of at least one Of the three elements
Of plant food. As nitrogen Is subject
70 more losses IN the soil than potash
and phosphate. soils are most com
monty short Of nitrogen, hence cioYers
which supply their own nitrogen win
make a good growth when non-le-
gumes fail They are the potash and
phosphate and add to their own nitro
gen. This Is about all there is to the
famous clover "sub-soil pump.
We have often read that quick act
ing chemicals fertilizers are injurious
to the soil because they stimulate the
soil 70 the quick use OF an the availa-
bic plant food "in sight" Really, the
slOYers are much worse than chem
icals. Chemicals can no further
than an equal balance L ,t plant food
they contain. while cl0yers supply ali
the nitrogen needed TO draw out Of the
soil every bit Of It's soluble potash and
phosphates. As 100 pounds Of nitro
gen acting through clovers takes out
about los pounds OF potash and Is
pounds OF phosph0rlc acid. the speed
Qf this exhaustion becomes apparent.
n a soil contains say 400 pounds OF
soluble potash per acre, the clover will
furnish nitrogen 10 take up an Of t.
and no more just as it viii do Il there
are but 100 pounds Of soluble potash
present Hence the exhaustlng nature
Of clovers Is very severe and lasting
IN its effects. We are ali pretty famil-
far with clover sickness and know that
Il means nine times out Of ten simply
sol exhaustion.
This exhaustion should be guarded
against by liberal applications Of pot
ash and phosphate fertilization, when
elovers are used In rotation, and thl
best time to use this is for winter
wheat The corn has drawn heavily
upon the plant food stocked up in the
clover. roots and stubble, 80 that
there ia little available mineral planl
food left for the wheat, and conse.
nnenffv Il Is IN no shape Tor spring
stooling. In this way clover exhaus
tion becomes a very serious menace q
profitable farming. Il is useless 70 tri
heavier seeding. deeper plowing. roll
ing. etc, when the whole trouble iel
in a soil exhausted Of lis soluble min
oral plant food by a rank growth o.
clover. OF course the clover may n'
returned 70 the soil as manure. but 4
never pays to grow a crop simply io
manure. at least not IN cereal farming
Geo. X. Wilson.