The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-06-14


1t Is a far cry from a Canadian
farmer boy In the sixties to the Dear
or Agriculture to-day in a rising inSti
tuition IN the West. yet. by the applica-
uon or science to practical farming.
such change has been wrought by
Edgar ]. HOLSTER. a soil expert OF
wide reputation.
No agricultural college opened its
friendly doors to this young pioneer.
nor was the Canadian government so
deeply Interested at that time as now.
IN ITS farming population. Books on
the subject were few and fell woefully
snort OF the mark. yet he knew neither
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT nor dismay.
a call from western Ontario. his
oifth place came In 1878 and in re-
spouse. some time was spent In set |
ing out peach orchards, the work los 4
ing its irksomeness because of the
study which accompanied it. More
over. at this point a company was en-
gagged In retaining some TWENTY-FIVE
thousand acres OF land by the drainage
OF an inland lake. The young man as
sisted IN some Of the surveys and was
IN touch with the chief engineer of
the Work- His enthusiasm was
arour---- 10y TIE anticipation of the re-
SUITS which would come from the adj | =,
dirion of such a large acreage. which =,
hitherto worthless. was now. bv re- [
duclng- 1t to cultivation, TO be made '
productive g
After some further wears OF sfndv a
ana preparation Mr.. HOLSTER became e
Interested in the organization OF a COM Il
pany for the development OF D
large tract OF swamp. The land was r.
cleared OF brush and reclaimed 10 81
cultivation, buildings erected. ma p.
installed and a system of h
larinlng very nearly perfect, was %
established Fields of six acres were bi
made to produce an income of 81 ve
'DO-0O each, while others of four acres
reduced $4,000 OF the latter 81 su
1000 was net; while thirtv-five acres M
vas made TO yield 100000 gross at WI
n expense of $4,000. OF course. ga
hese were special crops such as eel IN
~. onions and other vegetables pu
SLOW PROCESS OF NATURE. ito
In some instances five years Is the me
erlod allowed for the reclamation of wa
M Dy the slow process of nature sol
tier the drainage has been obtained sal
ven then these lands may fail to ans
'ouuce paying crops, because OF their STR
'nciency In essential elements such to
lime, potash. phosDhorfc acid and ma,
asnesia- These are some OF the tres
rces which 90 to make stability in the
ants. II is true that such lands con Gov
In large percentage Of nitrogen tam
cumulated from the decomposifion mig
vegetable matter annually produced Pro-
low places. However this nitrogen acre
'ieh would produce growth were it in ]
sliaDie. Is IN an unknown quantity the
4 available only when sufficiens the
lsture IS present, yet does not pr,, nine
e the same results upon crops as prod
rogen derived from other sources first
p as bone, dried blood or barn. vege
u manure The
o make these lands productive i'm were
lately after drainage. 1t is neces- ~ a
to correct their acid condition bv fgI
use OF lime and by disfnteeraffon cattI.
ne SOL particles, thereby increas- ing
their powers to retain water and duce.
'rb oxygen. These forces together and
81 lo'asn ana the three abso yield
sei''lais ~ piaht growth are nj and