Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-02-20
Nitrnren for Sandy Soils.


OF all the soils to be cultivated or to
be restored none are preferable to the
light, sandy soils. BY their porous.
ness free access is given to the power
full effects of air. They are naturall%
in that state to which drainage and
sub.soll plowlng are reducing the
sitter lands of England.
Manure may as we'll be thrown into
water as on land underlaid by water.
Drain this, and no matter if the upper
soil be almost quicksand, manure Will
convert it into fertile, arabic land.
The thin covering of mould, scarcely
one inch in thickness, the product OF
a century, may be initiated and pro-
duced in a short time by studying the
laws of its formation.
It is we'll recognized fact that next
to temperature the water supply is the
most important factor in the produc-
ton of a crop. Light soils give good
crops in seasons Of plentiful and we'll
distributed rains or when skilfully ir-
rigated, but insufficient moisture in
soil is an evil that no supplies of plant
food can neutralize. Sandy soils are
rich in mineral constituents and fall to
give good crops in time Of drouth only
on account of their inability to retain
moisture. This can be obyiated by the
application of fermented peat or clay,
or the sowing of clover. All of these
enable It. to retain moisture in times
of drouth, and the decay of vegetabi5
substances in the soil gives off car
bonic acid, a powerful solvent in the
soil.
Peat contains as much nitrogen as
barnyard manure. but as it is dug out
the nitrogen is locked up by acids in
insoluble combinations and applied to
the land in this condition brings in
sorrel, coarse and unnutritious grasses.
Composing it with an alkali to neu-
tralize its acidity causes the peat to
heat, then ferment, and renders 1t SOL
uble and fit for food for plants at
cost of two cents pound for nitrogen.
If the land is in condition to bear
clover it is easily brought to state to
produce any crop, and If not in con-
dition it can be readily made so at a
trifing cost for fertilization. A crop
of three tons of clover contains the
following constituents: 1913 pounds of
alkali, 21O pounds alkaline earths, As
nounds phosphoric acid and 127
pounds nitrogen.
Soils are not exhausted when it is
seen the power suitable crop has to
liberate and convert the insoluble sub
stances existing in the soil and store
them in plant for future use.
The clover should be cut for fodder
the first year; the second year cut 1t
once for fodder; then allow it to grow
again and go to seed, which save for
future use, and there is left in the
clover roots in the soil to the depth Of
12 inches. 81 pounds Of alkali,
2e2 pounds alkaline earths, II pounds
of phosphoric acid, 1S0 pounds of nj
trogen, available for crop, which,
when plowed, leaves the land clean,
light, retentive of moisture and easily
titled with available constituents in
the clover roots and soil enough to
produce any crop profitably, and the
necessity of purchasing fertilizers and
applying them is saved. The farm
should be made self-supporting, but 1t
can only be done so by judicious ro-
tation of crop. If this is not resorted
to fertilizers, which are much more
costly, must be applied.-Andrew H.
Ward. in New York Tribune.