The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-11-23
Making bIlssOurl SON Rich.

nitrogen. On any soil il will b,
profitable to apply nitrogen in som,
one Of the ways hereafter indicated.
except now and then = rich bottom
field subject to frequent overflow,
where the land is already so rich
that the small grains tall down and
the grasses grow too rank for good
hay.
The difference in the way nitro.
gen is gotten makes the difference
between rational and irrational
practice, and between successful
and unsuccessful farming.
First-It may be purchased in a
commercial fertilizer. such as raw
bone meal, dried blood, nitrate of
soda, or sulphate Of ammonia.
Purchased in this way, the nitrogen
costs from ISe to o a pound, de.
lIvered to the farmer. This price
makes this source o. nitrogen abso-
lutely prohibitive for the ordinary
farm crops and under the ordinary
conditions. The farmer who relies
upon this source of supply will be
sold out by the sheriff in a few
years.
Fortunately it is not necessary TO
be at this expense for this very I'M
portant element of plant food. In
truth, every farmer may have this
given to him. That is to
say, all plants belonging to the
family, such as red clover.
bokhara or sweet clover, white clio.
yer, alfalfa, eowpeas, sofa peans,
ETC., have the power Of gathering
this nitrogen from the air, through
nodules or tubercles or knots
adhering TO the roots of these plants
one will take the trouble to dig
up a red clover plant carefully and
the soil from the roots. he WILL
ind attached to these roots a large
number of small knots or noduIes,
resemble IN appearance ordi.
nary clover seed. These nodules
tubereles are in reality a low or
Ter of plants with the power to feed
ipon the nitrogen that is in the air
md later to give it over to the clio.
plant TO which they are attach.
as so much ieuilizing material.
These tubercles will not grow up
IN the roots of corn, wheat, tirno.
by, nor indeed upon anv agricuItu.
al plant except the ~cloyers, peas
md beans.
The poorer the land is, the more
numerous these tubercles are on the
cots, because OF the greater need
or them. On a piece Of land y.
'essively rich in nitrogen, such, foT
as where an old stable
las stood for many years. the clio.
yer plants will be practically devoid
Of these ,ubereles, because there is
10 need for them.
Thus, a piece of land having
been grown in clover is richer by
ieveSal dollars worth Of nitrogen
per aeie than before this crop was
This is even true when
he clover has been harvested for
iay, because the nitrogen left in the
cots and stubbls is sufficient TO
make the land more productive
han before.
~ u unnecessary TO say, in pass.
nc, however, that the clover hay
hus made should under no cirenm.
be sold OIL the farm n, any
'''ee that II will command on the [
market, but should he carefully fed
nd the mnnurr saved and returned
0 the soil.
Another very important way of
eeunug nitrogen Tor nothing i, 10
ny feed and take cart OF the ma.
ufe. TINS msans 10 enrich your {
II The expense Of somebody's
lse farm. Il ought - he the pol. I
y Of every Missouri tanner not TO |
nny corn oT hay and 10 buy alI
I ihe feed that he can use with I
'oii' and 10 20 arrange his feeding ]
pefalions that a. much ~ possible
tie manure - dropped why're il
aaaa.H. "