Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-07-05
Maintaining Fertility.

The quality of the soil in Indiana as
it came from the hand OF nature was
for the most part excellent, the sur
face having been densely covered with
fine tiEber-walnut, yellow poplar,
elm, sugar, ash and beech; where this
forest was removed the earth was soou
decked with that king of grasses, Ken
lucky blue grass. Our upper soil has
been formed by the disintegration OF
sandstone, by which deposit and decay
of forest leaves which the hand OF
time has annually thrown upon the
earth for centuries. by the decay OF
vast quantities of roots of trees anu
wild plants. and by the action OF frost
and chemical substances deposited by
melting SHOWS times without number.
All this humus mingled with sand and
known as clay loan. a strong. rich soil
when the first furrow was plowed. BY
constant blowing and tramping, ex-
posure TO fierce sunshine and robber
winds, with little or nothing returned
in the way of manure, with numerous
surface washings. our tiilable land is
being depleted and becoming incapable
OF original results. How then shall we
proceed to recover and maintain the
lost fertility? The course of treatment
which would suggest may be thus
stated: !. Application of real manure.
=. Green manuring. 8. Resting and
setting in grass. 4. Deepening soil by
tile drainage.
IL applying barn-yard manure we
find on the average farm the amount
too limited to cover much surface. SO
must increase the supply. The more
stock kept under shelter the greater
the amount of manure saved: and it
may be increased by careful attention
to bedding. using an abundance OF
straw, leaves or sawdust. All stable
manure should be hauled directly TO
fields and spread; ali yards where stock
is kept should be scraped when the
conditions are favorable, and the ac-
cumulations hauled.
Land that is not too poor TO produce
o crop OF some green stuff. whether it
be weeds. clover. rye. cow peas. or
Leans. can be materially improved by
turning under the crop. providing it be
done before the seed ripens. a farm
g: of wide experience in this country.
in farming a piece of creek bottom al
ways sowed his ground to rye in the
standing corn the last of August or
first of September. as an aid TO fertili-
ty to the coming corn crop; the eX-
cellent crops raised proved the wisdom
OF this plan.
Another way of building up land is
il may be explained. land can produce
a crop of grass each year and if not too
closely pastured continually grow bet
ter. The decay of grass roots. the alb
sence OF surface washings. the drop
pings of animals will cause increased
fertility il the surface is not unduly
tramped.
The fourth method is mechanical in
its aprlication-ridding the land OF
water-soaked conditions. making the
soil mellow to a greater depth, raising
the temperature by admitting air and
warm rain water. causing it to draw
r:cre nitrogen from the air, in short.
putting il in condition so the roots of
plants will penetrate it and bring up
soil properties as yet not available
Good farming. be il remembered. is
raising large crops and at the same
time increasing the fertility of the
farm.-A. B. Milligan in Agricultural
Epitomist.