Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-09-17
SOIL IS FARMERS BANK
It's Capacity to Produce Good Crops
More Important Than Anything
Else.


More Important Than Anything
Else.
Thy Prof. A. M. Soule, Director vir-
ginia Experiment Station.)
TIME farmers capital does not con-
sist In his grounds and build
ings, but in the capacity Of his
soil to produce profitable crops. The
son Is not only q medium In which
plants grow. but It is storehouse Of
plant food. A great variety Of ele-
ments are found in the soil and each
Of these doubtless has duty to per-
form, but only three or four are OF
Immediate concern to the farmer, be-
cause II they are there in an available
form he can be assured Of profitable
crops for an indefinite period, pro-
vided he cultivates his land intelli-
gently and turns back to the, soil a
portion of what ne takes from 1t.
How many farmers appreciate that
the plant food in the soil is limited in
amount; that the total amount is
small. and the amount In an available
form, that Is soluble in water so 1t
can be utilized Immediately by the
plants Is exceedingly small. How
many farmers appreciate that they
are yearly drawing on their principal
Through failure to rotate crops, and
that 1t Is only a matter of little
while until the farm that was once SO
profitable and such source of pleas
ure Will become q useless incubus.
This Is indeed a sad picture, but it Is
one not infrequently met with in this
country, although it is so young. What
does 1t mean? Can it be that a large
per cent Of the cultivated lands must
be abandoned and that this condition
a has been brought about through
reckless squandering of the farmers
capital; that is, the stores of plant
, food with which nature placed the
soil.
N It has been found that the soil is
most likely to become deficient in four
elements. namely, nitrogen. phos-
pilates, potash and lime. 1t has also
been found that by asking the soil
few simple. questions the need of any
/ one or all OF these elements can be
easily determined. Let us see, there
eore,swhat the functions of these diff
4 terent elements are and, then the In
II dividnal farmer can ask the needed
ii questions OF his soil and so determine
kwhat he needs In order to secure bet
pter crops. and possessed Of this
Aknowledgs 1t will be simple matter
Vor Him to purchase the needed arti-
eeciafforms Of plant food and SO again
&revivffy his soil.
Nitrogen may be supplied to the
(soil through the use Of nitrate of soda,
cotton seed meal or the blowing down
Of some green, leguminous crop such
as clover, cowpeas, etc, A small
spindling growth and a yellow appear
4 ance indicate the need of nitrogen in
4 the soil, and as 1t can be supplied SO
\ cheaply and will do so much to In
GREASE the size and vigor of the plants
(which simply means, increasing the
4 )yieNd of the crop, the farmer should
lose no time in feeding his soil suffl-
4 cient nitrogen in one Of the forms
suggested to bring about this very
4 desirable result.
Another element in which the soil
r. fs likely to be deficient is phosphoric
- acid, which has to do largely with
u tfhe fruitage Of plants. In other
Y words, If the plant makes plenty of
growth, but fails to produce fruit
n Freely, 1t is evident that the soil is
Inefficient in phosphoric acid, for its
Mspecfal function Is to aid in the for
Enation of fruit. The duty of the far
Sner in this case is plain. The soil
@lust be supplied with phosphoric
%1jriI. from 200 tol5 500 pounds per acre,
NH spending on it's natural fertility. APP
N.hly 200 pounds of acid phosphate con-
M laining IA to 1e per cent of available
M plant food. If the crop responds to
dts use try more the next season and
$50 on until the point is reached where
IA profitable increase is no longer OBJ
\ Miained from the application. Phos-
: Rahoric acid is such an important and
% sential element of plant growth that
Asie farmer cannot afford to neglect
2Sts use. In fact, most of the soils are
1efcient In this very essential element
Inf plant food, and if it were used more
N3iberally 1t would increase the yield
s32f grain to a surprising extent and
TA 1ld largely to the profits of the far
M |, The third very important element
Y y II plant food Is potash, which helps
III Y build the frame work of the plant
f,h living 1t size and substance, as il
~ tsere. 1t also has important functions
Efi perform in relation to the develop.
Fill cent and transition of starch from
,xS Up part of the plant to another. Il
y iathus vital element SO far as as the
"A. sowth and development of the plant
= Aconcerned, and 1t has an influence
y IA the fruitage of.,the CROP though Il
not such an important element II
is respect as phosphoric acid.
Potash should be applied liberall,
II 10 ailesandy soils and to all legu
Sninous crops. 1t also frequently give
Excellent results when uped on srss
Binds AS sucn a large per cant o
Certain sosnas or nntash consists a
yailable plant food, such heavy ap
lications as in the case OF phosphori
! eid are not needed. and SO it is on,
9&f the most economical and yaluabl,
sorms Of plant food the farmer cal
lie.
Ry utilizing these threa nr;,,,,r,