Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-02-28
EXCERPT FROM RECENT AeRI-
CULTURAL BULLETIN.
VALUE OF BARN MANURE
Marsh Land not Necessarily Fertile
Humus May Be Injurious-Forms
Coating Around Soil Grains and
Prevents Natural Weathering Of
Soil Grains.

agricultural experiment station. The
work is by Professors A. r. Whitson
and C. w. Stoddard of the university
and is one of special value to all who
are interested in plant growth whether
on the farm, In the garden, on the lawn
or In the home. The authors declare
that their purpose has been to put be-
fore the reader statement of present
knowledge of the factors which in
fuence the fertility of the soil and OF
the relation Of these factors to each
other. That portion of the bulletin
which relates to the influence of or
ganic matter upon the soil is of
special interest
1t Is commonly supposed that the
fertility Of soils is largely determined
by the organic matter they contain
especially in the form OF black htfnus
Indeed, so generally Is this idea held
that the expression rich, black soil"
is very generally used. While 1t is I'M
questionably true that most soils
which are fertile are we'll supplied
with organic matter, and even that
those which are very fertile are usual.
ly quite black in color, there are a
large number Of exceptions to the
statement that the fertility and
amount of organic matter go hand In
hand. One of the most striking Illus
tratlons of this Is the lack Of fertility
shown by many of our marsh soils. In
some cases they need potash fertil-
izers. in others they need phosphates
to make them productive. On tho
other hand, we frequently find soils
that contain a relatively small amount
of organic matter, at least in the form
of black humus. and yet show con.
siderable degree of fertility.
The influence OF green vegetable
matter turned under on the fertility OF
soils Is well known, and in extent ID
very important. The practice of turn
ing under green manuring crops Is
followed to considerable extent, but
by no means so widely as 1t should
be. The opinion, however. seems
TO be quite general that the effect Of
this green manuring is, to a consider
able extent at least. due to its actor
on the soil grains, producing changes
in them which make them available
to crops. This idea. however, we dc
not believe to be sufficiently vel
grounded in actual observation ant
fact In most cases, by far the great
err action OF these green manurine
tG t.tf -. al y.eeJ. IA a..
of the return through decomposition
OF their contents To the soil in m
available form for the crop following
The influence OF barnyard manure |.
too well known to need comment ex
cept to call attention to the fact thai
the decomposition of the manure is
not generally followed by arcumula
ton OF the organic matter in the form
of humus, although this Is frequently
stated to be the case, On the contrary
II has been repeatedly noted, especial
ly by growers OF tobacco. that soils on
which this crop is grown and to
which large amounts of manure are
applied each year, very commonly
continue to decrease in humus II Is
evident that the manure has all been
decomposed and that therefore its
content OF the various elements has
been liberated.
Another illustration of this charac.
ter is seen In the effect of cutting OFF
the hay from marsh land. While 1t is
true that in some cases the wild grass
growing on marsh lands has been cut
for number OF successive years
without greatly reducing the yield
sun the general rule on most of our
Wild marshes is. that where they are
cut over year after year without in.
PERMISSION the crops steadily dimln.
ish and in many cases become too
small to be proiitably harvested. The
statement is very frequently made
that marsh soils must be fertile since
they produce an abundant natural
vegetation, This argument, however
is not conclusive. Ii Is very probable
that the growth made each year is
in large part the result OF the de-
composition OF the crop for the proceed.
ing year.
When all these facts are considered
Il seems probable that the chief action
OF vegetable matter with reference to
fertility Of the soil IS in supplying
the crops with its content Of the va,
rious elements. The black humus
which Is residual product formed
under natural conditions where the
soil Is not wei drained and is not cul
tiyated. has In itself very little IL
any direct action OF chemical nature
which affects the fertility OF the soil
Indeed Il seems quite possible that this
inert waxy humus may be injurious,
inasmuch as Il forms a coating around
soil grains and thus prevents natural
westhering by the action Of soil water
containing carbon dioxide and acids