Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-07-31
INTERESTING ADDRESS BY PRO
FEssoR C. N. sToD0ART.
MOISTURE INDISPENSABLE
Bacteria in Countless Number Essen
tia. to Render Available the Re-
quired Plant Food-conVert Nitro
gen into Form for Growing Veee-
tation.
Madison July "a

tHOCuidIiOn Oh SOILS Win DdcJeTld
to satisfy the nitrogen hunger OF
plants. the effect of drainage and OF
dry farming" fertilizer tests, treat
ment Of exhausted soils, and similar
subjects OF Tit2! import to bread pro.
ducers of the country were discussed
in lecture by Professor Charles w.
Stoddart of the college of agriculture
YESTERDAY afternoon before students
in the University of Wisconsin sum-
mer session. In Illustration of many
portions of his discussion a large col
lection of stereopticon views showed
! model fields, experimental plots, and
crops grown under varying conditions.
Soil Composition.
"Geologieally. soil is a loose mass
of particles derived from rock disin-
itegration and animal and vegetable
decay; agriculturally it is the portion
of the earth which can raise crops"
said Prof Stoddart Beside the rock
and organic matter, there are also
moisture and bacteria. There are
many kinds Of soils, which we may
call, in general sands. clays, loans.
mucks and peats. The sands are de
rived from sandstone and granite;
the clays from granite and limestone;
muck or marsh soils from sands and
lclays with much organic matter which
gives them a black color; and peats
from decaying vegetable matter.
4 .arf&I s.Ia ~
and sand. Alphabetically the best
soils are loans containing both sand
and clay, as their texture is soft and
mellow and the organic content
higher than In sands and clays
How do rocks break down into
particles which form the greater part
lof the soil? Weathering is the most
active force. Frost, beating rains,
ocean waves fltwing rivers, chemical
agencies which Dissolve the lime and
,magnesia in limestone, organic acids
from vegetable decay, all have part
in the work. A small part of the soil
lis soluble in water, and in humid eli
mates such soluble salts are carried
away in the drainage waters In arid
countries the rains are insufficient to
wash out the soluble substances they
ines ease in quantity. and 'alkali' soils
result. The organic part OF the soil
: the humus, includes root fibers par
J ticles OF stalks, leaves and bark, ant
: the decomposed animal and vegetable
/ matter, This humus holds the moist
| ure In the soil, warns 1t, binds to
gether the coarse sand grains. makes
| impervious clay soils open and porus
: and in it's further decomposition Is o
: linestimable value in making minera
3 elements available for plant food,
: Moisture Indispensable.
, Moisture is an indispensable sol
constituent. In Wisconsin there arr
? lost from the SOIL either by eyapora
I ton from the surface or by transpira
ton through the plant 270 tons o
7 water for every ton of dry corn ear
/ and stalks produced. and sac tons 0
$ water for every ton of dry clover
: Thus. in raising an average crop o
. corn. about / 900 tons OF water ar
J withdrawn from the soil in one acre
| and for a similar crop Of clover hay
I about TOO tons OF water. In all soils
: at a greater or less depth. there Il
1 standing water; when it is too nea
THE surface, drainage Is necessary t.
) lprevent damage to crops from excess
, of moisture When this water table
lis too far below the surface and rain!
, are infrequent, farmers resort t
. Ieither irrigation or dry farming I
system of cultivation OF the surface o
, the ground to prevent evaporation o
water rising by capillary attraction
from the water table
Soil Bacteria.
Bacteria exist in countless MIN
bers In the soil, and the extent o.
their usefulness Is hardly realized
Some render available to the plan
the potash. phosphorus and iron In
the soil; others prepare nitrogen for
. ready assimilation On the roots o.
such plants as common clover peas
and beans, are little nodules Oh
i inches which constitute natures lab
oratory for converting atmospheric
nitrogen into compounds for plan
use. zach bunch contains millions o.
bacteria which In some way are able
to fix the nitrogen of the air in form
available TO the plant.
when a soil is poor the best meth
cd OF discovering what elements are
lacking is to try the effect Of different
fertilizers on small plots planted witt
corn, plant very sensitive to sol
variations"