Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-18
FEEDING THE SOIL.
The Necessity Of Putting in That
Which the Crops Take Out.

In many OF the older agricultural
regions, the main question to the
farmer is that OF supplying plant food
for the soil. Year after year a field
has been called upon TO produce the
same kind of grain. consequently the
soil has lost its productive capacity.
This land must now have food or its
value viii be naught- This food must
be stored up in the soil. The farmer
thinks he cannot spare the land for
clover, but must put il in wheat or
corn year after year in order to get
good living from il. SO crop rotation
does not appeal TO him Other meas
ures must be adopted Fertilizer OF
some nature must be used. and he
resorts to it to build up his land.
A good commercial fertilizer is
beneficial to the soil. but nothing is
better than farm manure. The fer
tility OF the well-manured land does
not pass away with the first crop,
but abides for several years. The
lasting effects Of farm manure on soil
was proven at an experiment station
in England Manure was applied to a
piece OF land once each year for 20
years. then IL was discontinued. over
20 years after the last application.
larger crops of barley were secured
from this land than from land that
had never been MANFRED
The reason many farmers do not
get the full benefit Of manure is that
they allow IL TO remain in piles about
the barn until IL deteriorates. or they
fail to apply it evenly 20 the soil.
Manure should always be put on the
soil before it decomposcs. for as IL
decays IL acts upon the mineral
PARTICLES of the soil and changes
them into valuable plant food. An
alysis OF soil by experts shows that
* often contains large quantities of
phosphorus. potassium and other ele-
ments in inactive forms When fresh
manure is thoroughly mixed with this
soil il produces such a change in the
mineral elements that they at once be-
come available for plant life.
II Is said that farm manure does
not contain a large amount OF total
plant food. only about 80 pounds OF nj
trogen, phosphorus and potassium to
the ton. It's value then is not so
much IN what &c contains as in its
power 10 operate on the mineral ele-
ments in the soil. changing them into
available plant material Experiments
have proven that when manure is APP
piled 10 soil IL produces 20 or so per
cent. of available plant food The
products thus formed are called hui
mates.
When we come 10 calculate the
actual value of manure in dollars and
cents. says Farmers Voice. the re
suit is surprising. Suppose an acre
OF impoverished land that could pro
duce no more than 20 bushels OF corn
In favorable season is treated 20 1--WE
tons of rich manure. IL the season is
suspicious this acre will now produce
40 bushels OF good corn the FIRST wear.
This increase OF 20 bushels. sold at
80 cents. would bring ten dollars per
ton. Besides the land has perma-
nent benefit and will manifest il
from year 90 year
The manure should always be dis
tributed evenly. Too much in one
spot and not enough IN another re-
suits disastrously. a manure spread
er is almost Indispensable 10 the up
to-date farmer. Some farmers get along
without them. bat IL takes a lot or
time and patience TO properly spread
the manure.