The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-10-19


cent potash. Twenty cows will void
in year 1000 pounds of nitrogen,
400 pounds of phosphorus and p
100 pounds of potash. Each hog will
void one and a half tons of manure
in year, and this has been found
TO CONAN 0S5 per cent nitrogen,
O.4 per cent phosphorus and 0,S per
cent potash. Tae manure produced
by 100 head of hogs will, therefore,
contain 1850 pounds of nitrogen, j.
200 pounds of phosphorus and 800
pounds OF patsh. This makes a
total Of 1850 pounds of nitrogen,
$500 pounds of phosphorus and s.
400 pounds of potash returned TO
the farm by the animals kept on
the farm In addition to this Glow
err will return fertility because 1t is
legume and has power TO gather
nitrogen from the air, and is deep
rooted crop and will bring up phos-
phorus and potash from the subsoil.
Just how much nitrogen 1t will
gather from the air is, matter
that can never be correctly deter
mined. however the Minnesota
station has found that where ro-
tation of wheat, clover, wheat aud
oats is grows the plat will show an
annual gain OF CT pounds OF nitro
gen per acre In other words, the
clover will leturn to the soil PA
rounds more nitrogen per acre in
one year than can be removed by
The two crops OF wheat. one crop
of oats and one crop OF clover hay
This conclusion would lead us to be-
lieve that a crop of clover will re-
turn to each acre about 400 pounds,
Of nitrogen, more than is needed
to produce the crop and is lost by
apid decay of humus and in the
d image waters But 10 be ON the
safe side of the matter let us esti-
mate only fifty pounds per acre, or
. 1000 pounds for the forty acres
The clover, being a deep rooted
crop, will gather considerable phos-
phorus and potash from the sub
soil Some of this will be used in
maturing and making the hay, and
some OF T. will be left In the roots
and stubs, Some estimate that the
amount thus brought up will exceed
100 pounds OF phosphorus per acre
and 200 pounds OF potash, This es-
innate we think is exceedingly large,
but we do think that nearly II not
quite as much OF these elements are
! brought from the subsoil as Is need
ed to make the crop OF clover hay.
Taking this as truth and figuring
the nitrogen returned at only fifty
pounds per acre. we have the total
re urn to the farm. from the manure
and clover of $50 pounds of nitro
gen, 2,SG0 pounds Of phosHlorns and
3.4OO pounds of potash. BY again
considering the amount removed by
the crops, it can be seen that We
have gain of over $500 pounds Of
nitrogen, which is ample for loss
that may be expected from the
rapid decay of humus and In the
drainage waters, while the phospho-
rus and potash are practically the
same, thus showing that it is posi-
BILE to maintain. the fertility Of the
soil in this simple manner.
BY rotating the pasture as well
as the crops the stock are changed
from one part of the farm to anoth-
er, and they apply great deal of
their manure themselves while
they are in the pasture thus the
question Of the application of ma
nure is materially reduced a1d the
itnd receives the manure while it Is
fresh and before it has lost any of
It's fertility.
The whole question of how TO
maintain the fertility of the farm
land resolves itself into the one
thought: Maintain the supply of
humus in the soil, and the supply OF
plant food will also be maintained.
The supply of humus can best be
maintained by the growth of clover
in rotation with other crops and
the keeping of enough stock on the
farm to consume all the forage and
hay produced and considerable OF
the grain. II this is done the fer.
uHty of the farm will be maintain.
ed. Analyses, as have shown
above, prove that this is true. The
experience of practical farmers al
so proves that it is true. Wher
the common farm crops or the pre-
vailing crops of the section arr
grown, the fertility of the soil car
be maintained in the very way
have suggested. OF course, If ex
haustiye crops, like some of the gar
den crops, are grown, then the grow
er will have TO resort to the u.s.
; Of commercial fertilizers. But wher
tho common farm crnng are grown