The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
CATTLE RAISING.
I'm O Grass, No Stock; Nc Stock. n o Ma
nure: n Q Manure, n Crops.''
John Calhoun in Columbia State.

Recently in trip through the west
crn States Mr.. j. II. Bennett, of this
place. asked banker Of Iowa what
crops they planted in his section.
The answer was corn, oats, barley,
clover. He was asked if they did not
plant wheat. No, was the answer.
Our lands have become too rich to
make wheat, growing too rank and
lodging. This was in q State where
no fertilizers are used, except, pos
sibly gardens. In other sections Of
western States, and particularly some
farms, the land has become too rich
for even oats.
Can anyone, although South Caro-
lima annually expends nearly 10 per
cent Of the gross value Of her crops,
and in some sections 25 per cent. for
commercial fertilizers-ca anyone
point out section IL which the lands
are too fertile to grow nst only wheat,
but any other crop? Why this differ
ence? The farmers Of Iowa have
been following natures plan; the far
mers Of South Carolina have been
violating it.
In this section Of Iowa the grain
and hay crops are fed to stock and
the resulting manures returned to
the soil. If they do not make enough
feed to carry their stock, instead Of
selling their stock they buy more
feed. Instead Of selling their own
fertility they dcpiete the fertility Of
other States and add 10 their own.
Grain fed to stock costs less to mar
ket than grain sold in bulk. This
difference and the added manures will
make any lands rich. Nature in max
ing soil fertile places first plenty Of
humic in the soil. Next she places
bacteria in numbers. Without these
two no soil can be fertile. With these
under proper management the soil
grows constantly more fertile. Ba,-
terra cannot exist in any soil where
the moisture content is not right.
There must be the right amount,
neither too much nor too little. The
humic, decayed animal and vegetable
matter, regulates this moisture con-
tent. In wet seasons moisture is
absorbed; in dry seasons moisture is
retained and given out. The bacteria
then httaok the mineral contents in
the soil, making them soluble and
available for plants. The humic it.
self 10 acted upon and turned into
nitrates for tho use Of the growing
plants. In the economy Of nature
plants build up the moleoule, animals
lear it 3owu. The animal uses the
built up molooule, the plant uses the
torn down animal moleoule to build
up more for the animal to use. It lis Q
never ending cycle.
Nature never intended that an agri-
cultural community should make one
plant continuously. Any that do go
will sooner or later suffer. It can be
saved for some years by buying fer.
tilizers; but as the demand grows
larger and the fertilizers higher in
price, the humio content of the soil
gets less and less. Fertilizers, higher
ID price, more mus. be used. The
crop must either 60 higher or soon
the cost Of cultivation exceeds the
value Of the crop. This was the con.
dition Of the cotton planters until the
recent advance in price. Do not mis-.
take me to say that fertilizers are not
to be used. This is far from right
and will be taken up later. Used
rightly, they are very profitable and
useful.
To return to our subject, nature
plan. In the wilderness every leai
and every particle Of vegetable mat
ter consumed by insects and animals
is returned to the soil. No insect, nc
bird nor any animal leaves his owr
acre very far. Nature through this