The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-02-02
BUILDING UP THE SOIL.


condition the butcher needs them
BUILDING UP THE SOIL.
Professor Roberts, who for many
years was at the head of the Cornell
(Ithaca, N W Experiment Station, IN
a recent address made this remark:
EFF l were twenty years younger
should go up and down our country
emphasizing the work of plants in
producing soil productivity. Instead
of using mallet, as once did to put
a piece of land in productive state,
should use plants. Blessed be weeds.
Some are minute, but all are soil
builders. They give their bodies back
to the soil and add to the supply of
highly available plant food. Tillage-
and plants would emphasize in soil
building"
Farmers are indebted to Dr. Roberts
for so persistently advocating and
proving too, the value of cultivation
to make available the immense
amount to potash stored in the sod
At first the statement was ridiculed
but the doctor was known to be
cautious as well as a learned man,
and not given to making rash state
ments, so others investigated and
found to their surprise, that ne was
right. Then he and others took UP
the question Of the raising of legu-
menous plants and the blowing OF
them under to add nitrogen to the soil
which had been gathered by the
plants from that boundless reservoir,
the air. Thus the two most expen-
sive plant foods became the least ex-
pensive. Then came his advocacy. re-
newed persistently, of the cover crop,
so that the plantless soil during the
winter is only to be found on farms
whose owners are too stubborn to
learn. These incidents are mention
ed to point out anew the value to the
soil of green manuring and OF cuitl-
walton so that he who runs may read.
WARM QUARTERS ARE NEEDED.
veteran dairyman once said to the
writer that he would no more think
Of going without thermometers in his
barns and poultry-houses than ne
would in his house. Many stables are
too warm and many more TOO cotd-
There is the usual difference of opln-
ion as to- the proper temperature OF
a stable or poultry house, so that Il
is hardly wise to state any decided
point where the temperature is pest.
Under ordinary circumstances, Wner0
the house or barn can be ventlIateo,
it is safe to say that temperature
OF from As to SIS would be safe one
with animals in a normal condition
Some animals require greater tenn
perature and others lower one; IN
such cases the individuals should De
placed in the structure according to
their needs as far as possible.
It is safe to say that many stables
are much colder than is thought by
their owners, and in some cases the
temperature is lower indoors tnan
outdoors, due, largely, because there
is inadequate ventilation and lack OF
sunlight. These two elements, air
and sunshine, freely admitted into
stables and poultry-houses Will DO
much toward making them more COM
Portable, and will rarely reduce 0ne
temperature to point where the AMI
mails will suffer indianapolis News.
AS TO CROSS BREEDING.
The vital objection to cross-Dreed-
ing is the danger that scrub stock
NAV result, which would likely be
the case if the crossing was continu-
ed beyond the first generation. On
the other, hand, there may exist con-
ditions when it is desirable to make
a cross. even while admitting that the
grade Of stock is by far to be pre-