Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-08-16
ClaYef EIlnualloA


From the Farmers Review: The n.
nous clover sub-soil pump has been
spoken OF 30 much in farm papers and
institute lectures that 1t seems to have
gotten beyond the stage of n mere fig-
ure OF speech. AS a matter OF fact.
clovers have no more power to draw
plant food from the sub-soil than
every other crop Of an equal root area:
furthermore. there is always great
deal more plant food In available forr,
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 wick
draws up oil In lamp. This moisture
flowing as 1t does over and around soil
particles. dissolves n very small guam
tity OF mineral matter. and In this
manner In the aggregate. a great deal
OF plant food Is brought to 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.
Glover makes growth where such
crops as corn. wheat and timothy fail
because clovers have the power OF sup.
PLYING their own plant food nitrogen.
taking II from the air. OF course, they
must nave potash and phosporic 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 shor,
OF at least one Of tho three elements
OF plant food. As nitrogen Is subject
to more losses In the soil than potash
and phosphate. soils arc most COM
monty short Of nitrogen. hence cioycrs
which supply their own nitrogen will
make n good growth when non-le-
gumes fall. They are the potash and
phosphate and add to their own nitro
gen. This Is about all there Is to tho
famous clover ''sub-soIi pump"
We have often read that quick act
!ns chemicals fertilizers arc Injurious
TO tho soil because they stimulate the
soil to tho quick use Of all the ayaila-
bic plant food In sight" Really. tho
cioseFa arc much worse than chem
iealA. Chemicals can 70 no further
than an equal balance to tho plant food
they contain. while cioycrn supply all
tho nitrogen needed to draw out OF tho
soil every bi; Of i,a soluble potash and
phoaphatos. As 100 pounds Of nitro
gen actin. through eloscra takca GU;
about los pounds OF potash and %
pounds OF phosphor!e acid. tho speed
OF this exhaustion becomes apparent,
soil contains say 800 pounds OF
soluble potash per acre. the clover will
furnish nitrogen to take up ali o. II.
and no more. jus, "a Il will do II ,hers
arc but 100 pounds of soluble potash
present, Hence tho cShanstins nature
OF cloScra ID very severe and lasting
In Its effects. We arc all pretty famil.
lar with clover sickness and know iha,
II means nlno times ou; OF ten simply
soii exhaustion.
This exhaustion should be guarded
against by liberal applications of pot
ash and phosphate fertilization. where
cioseFs arc used in rotation. and tho
best time TO uso this ia for winter
wheat Tho corn has drawn heavily
upon the plant food stocked up In tho
clover. roots and stnbbic. 30 that
there Ia little available mineral plant
food lcf, for the wheat. and eonsc.
quonily II is In no shape for sprin.
stooiinE. In this way clover cxhaus-
uon becomes very serious menace 10
| profitable farming. Il is useless TO try
heavier seeding. deeper piowinE. roll.
ing. etc. when the whole trouble lies
in a soil exhausted Of its soluble min
crai plan, food by a rank growth Of
clover. or course the clover may DO
returned to the soil "a manure. bot /,
never pays TO grow a crop simply for
manure. at least not In cereal farming.
/ Geo. X. Wilson.