The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-15

days came to think that this black
ness was an Indispensable factor of
soil fertility. Hence, our surprise in
finding the light-colored volcanic ash
soils of the arid regions so immensely
rich. 1t took us some time to learn
that the unleached soils of the arid
regions are naturally richer in plant
food than the leached soils where
rains are copious. The bTackness of
soil does not necessarily indicate the
presence of the essential elements of
fertility which are mainly nitrogen,
potash and phosphorus. Soil made
black by decayed vegetation will re-
main black after these elements of
| fertility are exhausted. Decayed veg
citation can return to the soil, so
far as fertility is concerned, only what
is has taken from the soil in it's
growth.
So we may safely conclude that hui
mus does not add any fertility to the
soil, that is, nothing except what it
has already taken from the soil. Then
what good does it do? To answer
that question is what I have been
working up to. The benefit of humuS
is chiefly mechanical-it puts the soil
into better filth. We will not study
soil conditions very long till we will
learn that soil, to do it's best work,
must be porous so that the air may
circulate in it. Air is needed in the
soil as we'll as above ground. Then soil
we'll mixed with humus will admit
water more freely than where it is
To- 1zin0 will o1cn rptoin moisture
much longer One trouble that we
encounter with the volcanic ash soil
| is that it has a tendency to run to-
gether and cement" as we often say.
Where this is the case the more water
we run along our burrows the worse
the condition becomes. Nothing will
| help this cementing of the soils like
working vegetable matter into them
and let it decay. The decaying of this
vegetable matter in the soil has a
chemical effect on the fertilizing min
erals in the soil by putting them in
the available form.
| AS stated in previous issues the ele-
ments of fertility may be present in
the soil but not in the available form.
If they are not soluble in water the
plant cannot use them. The decaying
of the vegetation whereby we produce
humus helps to put them into the sol
uble condition. We do not fully know
all the benefits to be derived from de-
caying organic matter in the soil but
we know enough to feel sure it is
very great. The experience of farm
ers in the passed ages convinced them
that humuS was necessary in the soil,
but in many cases it was supposed
that it was the fertility in the humus
rather than the mechanical effect OF
which we have just spoken. One
thing is settled beyond all cavil-
and that is that humus is necessary
and without it we cannot get the best
results from our soils even when all
the elements of fertility are present
This humus, secured by blowing or
disking under the tops of legumes,
more than pays for the seed and Ia
Dor, and, therefore, we get the nitro
gen stored in the roots for nothing.
So | think the case is fully made out
that we may, by growing legumes in
our orchards, get our supply of nitro
gen from the air free of all cost. We
must buy our supply of potash and
phosphorus when they are needed but
we shall pursue an unwise course IL
we continue to buy our nitrogen when
we can get it for nothing by growing
legumes.
The bird question still is up for con-
sideration. The birds have their enc
mics and their friends. 1 was not
looking for any one to take up the
defense of the English sparrow but
our friend L. Ferdinand Floss, of La
tourell Falls, Oregon, comes to the
defense of this outlawed bird as fol
louL-. 81 had To lauph HEARTILY about