The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-15
Benefit of Humus in the Soil.

Humus. which is but another name
for decaying and decayed vegetable
matter, in the soil, is one of the neces-
sary factors in the production of good
crops, but all farmers do not appre-
ciate it's value, and so make no effort
to supply it until compelled by poor
yields to give their fields a rest while
crop of clover or other soil removal
tor is grown, says the Epitomist. This
element in the soil renders it mellow
and porous, therefore all vegetation
thrives because the little feeding roots
can branch out in every direction and
find no hard earth to resist their
growth. A drought cannot do much
injury If there is plenty of humus in
the ground, for the soil particles are not
adhesive and so do not form crust on
the surface to bake into cakes with
large cracks between from which the
moisture below readily escapes. On
the contrary, such soil will be found
loose and quite moist just below the
surface even though no rain has fallen
for weeks, while you will find the
ground dry as a bone" where there
is little or no humus. Paradoxical as
IL may seem, an abundance of humus
makes the growing crops less suscepti
BILE to injury from continued wet
weather because the surface soil being
loose the water readily runs through
to the subsoil and gradually penetrates
II or is carried off in underground
drains, natural or artificial. This con-
sideration alone is enough to make 1t
valuable, for often after wet spell the
weeds have taken a strong hold, and
the farmer who is first in the field
most easily destroys them and so in
sures a good crop, while his brother,
whose land has been exhausted of its
humus, must wait for his ground to
get in good condition to cultivate, and
this waiting gives the weeds a strong
hold and irreparable injury is done.
Another great benefit that we derive
from this matter in the soil is the ease
with which ii is stirred and cultivated,
and moreover, l do not believe it nee
essary to cultivate so often when hui
mus is abundant. Aside from the de-
struction of weeds, the object sought
in cultivation is to loosen the earth so
that the air may have free passage
through the soil particles and by its
action on them make them soluble .as
plant food. In all soil where humus IS
present in large quantities the earth is
porous and allows free passage of air
TO the roots of growing plants, and
this is a permanent condition not de-
pendent upon frequent stirring.
Though l am an advocate of frequent
cultivation, yet / once grew a fine crop
of corn, which was only plowed once
with a double shovel. The field was
newly cleared timber land, the virgin
soil broken for the first time. After
one cultivation / had an attack of ILL
ness which lasted till corn was made
No help was TO he had and when ] got
able to go to the field | expected the
crop was ruined, but on the contrary ]
found fine, we'll developed ears. Weeds
there also were in plenty. but no grass
to choke out the feeding roots. The
corn on old land neglected I'm the same
way grew only nubbins and some stalks
set no ears at all. Allowing for the
greater fertility I'm the new soil would
not account for this difference In the
Yield. for the next year both fields were
again planted 90 corn and the new
ground cultivated four, the old hve
times and the difference In the yield
was not worth noticing showing there
was sur plant food enough In the
ground of the old field. but that with
out cultivation Il packed so closely
that the little rootlets could not reach
far enough TO find what was needed
because the air could not penetrate
through the soil particles and by Us
action make them soluble. So We must
ascribe the difference TO the great sup
ply OF humus IN the new ground.
Intensive Farming.
80. 49,. HaurN ,.,ftaN