The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1905-02-03
Substitutes for Barnyard Manure
lWritten for the EpitomIstl


1t is more and more problem
with the general farmer how to meet
the constant drainage Of fertility
which goes on year after year. That
such an exhaustion is taking place
is as sure as that we live and grow
crops. II cannot be otherwise. Ey-
cry crop OF wheat, corn, oats, pota-
toes or grass makes heavy drafts on
soil fertility. And 1t has come to be
a recognized truth that even fruit
trees require liberal applications of
fertilizer There Is a lack of what
is commonly called barnyard manure
Few men keep stock enough 10 con-
sumo the stuff grown on their farms.
From their lands every year must
20, therefore, immense quantities of
grain and hay which have drawn on
the native goodness of the soil and
left the earth 50 much the poorer.
The question which presses upon us
all, is naturally, How can we sup
ply the urgent demand for plant
focd? We already see that our
farms are not doing as well as they
once did. We do not, year after
year, gather in as large quantities
Of grain or gnss The production
is dropping, down a little every year.
Some are resorting TO commercial fer
tillizers. Immense sums Of money
are annually spent In this country in
this way. But It is an exceedingly
expensive way OF supplying lacking
soil elements; and after all the re-
suit is as yet somewhat questiona-
BILE, Those who have followed this
method of supplying the exhausted
resources Of their farms find that
they must use more and more as
time goes by. II is like giving a
sick man morphine. The more he
takes the more he feels he must
have. Flowing under green crops, is
coming to be recognized as a most
valuable way of furnishing plant
food. Take clover or rye for exam
Pile. The clover plant especially, send.
out immense numbers OF rootlets
running all through the earth
These reach down and bring up rich
supplies Of soluble elements that
may be utilized in growing farm crop:
and while this valuable work is going
on beneath the surface, the stalks
and leaves are reaching up and
bringing down out OF the sky, othel
clements that, by plowing under. still
further enrich the soil. The chem
lists will give us learned discussions
as To the amount Of phosphoric, car
boulc and other distinguishing acid'
thus supplied. This is not essentia
to us. The main point is to know
that green manuring does give bacl
to the earth much needed elements
Sull more: Every time we plow un
der a field of green crop we make ou
soil mellow and loose. thus openinI
the pores for the escape Of certail
gases and providing free entranc
for air, sunshine and water. Tn
value Of this process is most impor
tant wherever land has become har
and packed down by the action @
the weather or by having been work
ed when not In the proper condition
Nothing that we know OF will NOR
quickly destroy the seryice-ability {
n piece of ground than working whe
too wet; am nothing will NOR
speedily restore It's normal state tina
lplowing under green crops The pro,
OF many things is simply In the tr,
ing of them. This every man can d
for himself. We can not always d,
pend upon the experience of the e,
pertinent stations, nor upon the wor
done by men in distant parts of tn
! country. Soils and conditions diff,
so widely that this is impracticabl
But We can test the matter for oul
cal,.ao HNaly, n nfn.a - Lad ,N,s