The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-04-05
Soil and Plant Facts.

There is probably no natural element,
barring the air we breathe, with which
we come in closer contact than the
soil under our feet, yet at the same
time no element about which we pos
EesS less specific information. 1t is
wondrous realm, full OF fascination
and interest. Farmers bulletin No.
245, issued by the United States de
partment OF agriculture and entitled
Renovation OF Wornout Soils" con
tains mine OF Information on the sub
ject and should be in the hands OF
every farmer and be studied IS
primer of agriculture. 1t is rom this
we CLEAN the following facts about The
soil and plant life: The soil consists
of organic and inorganic matter. Tn
der the first heading are included all
elements in the soil that are subject
TO vital processes growth and decay;
under the second, those elements that
are not subject to these changes. e.,
minute portions of stone and gravel.
the soil air and water 1t is the latter
the moisture in the Soil-that CON
tains the plant food substances, and it
Is these that possess most interest and
value from the human standpoint.
These substances are divided into two
classes, according to their ultimate
source. The soil furnishes nine of the
thirteen chemical elements used in
plant growth phosphorus, potassium,
calcium, sodium, iron, silicon, chlorine
and sulphur. Nearly all varieties of
rock particles, of which the soil quite
largely consists, contain more or less
of these elements. Every year the soil
water dissolves a thin surface layer
from each particle, and it is this solu-
ton which furnishes the plant its min
eral food.
In addition to the elements named,
the plant in its growth requires hydro
gen. which it secures from water
(which is compound of hydrogen and
oxygen; oxygen, which 1t secures part
ly from water and partly from the air;
carbon, which is secured from the car
bonic acid gas in the air, and nitrogen,
which in many respects Is the most inn
portant OF all the plant food elements
AS il is not found In the rock particles
of the soil, plants have 10 depend for
their supply upon decayng organic
matter-manure and other fertilizers
Being very soluble, the ntrateS quickly
wash out OF the soil unless appfopriat-
ed by growing crops, II Is in supply
ing nitrogen to the soil that the le
gumes possess so great value for the
agriculturist. There is a certain spe-
cles OF bacteria that can use atmos-
pherlc nitrogen. the supply or which Is
unlimited, and the clover. bean ana pea
families have learned 10 swap work with
them. When these bacteria are pres
ent 10 a soil in which leguminOus crops
are growing they invade the roots or
the plants and live there. their presence
being shown by swellings tubercles.
Nitrogen from the soil air filters into
the roots, where the bacteria apprOpri-
ate IT, manufacture an abundance OF
nitrates and give 1t to the plant Ia re-
turn for starch. The tissues or the
plants thus become very rich III nitro
gen compounds, which they set free
when decay sets in ANA which are
available for sany growing crop. A
condition Of Soil that likewise greatly
raYors the growth OF the plant Is pro.
duced by humus. decaying vegetable
matter. which may or may not be rich
in nitrates, but which renders possible
a proper circulation OF air ia the soil
aud those chemical actions which ac-
company decay or organic matter.
One Of the most important objects or
plowing is thus seen 10 be lOOssning
OF the soil ana mixing OF fresh air
with it, This is bur part OF the story,
but still enough 10 show that fixed nat
ursl laws underlie aud govern all agri-
cultural operations. ana that there Is
no fieid OF effort where a greater meas
ure Of Intelligence is needed nor In
which intelligent EFFORT Is more surely
or generously rewarded.