Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-01-20

To do well. This is because Il cannot
set rs much OF the mineral elements
as it needs.
Too much nitrogen I'm proportion 10
the amount OF mineral elements causes
the plant 10 ego all 70 vines" There
viii be an excessive growth Of leaves,
but the yield OF grain will be small
Take an ear OF corn or n bunch OF hay
and burn Il. The ashes that are left
are the mineral parts OF the plant
These cannot be obtained from air or
water. but must come from the soil
Some of the most important OF these
are iron. which Is the substance that
helps to build up chlorophyll. and sui
phur. which is found I'm the nitroSc.
nous parts OF the plant. There are a
number OF others also. all Of which
are present I'm the soil I'm such large
amounts that there will probably al
ways be all that the crops can use.
Two OF these minerals. however. po-
tasSium and phosphorus. are rot So
plentiful. When the plant cannot get
enough potassium the grain will not
be filed out well. IL there is too little
phosphorus. especially I'm the case OF
fruit trees. the development ~ fruit
is checked Adding barnyard manure
TO the soil helps TO keep up the supply
OF these two materials. ON farms
where little stock Is kept or where
grain has been raised continually fer
years and little attention raid 10 the
soil Il is sometimes necessary 20 apply
phosphorus and potassium IN thu form
OF commercial fertilizers.
In the eastern part 81 this country
there are r,cny farms that hsve lc-
come SO holy ran down that Cr0rs
will not grow at all unless they ere
fed with commercial fertilizers. rhcSe
are very expensive ard Il cft~a takes
nearly all farmer makes 20 nay his
fertilizer Iiils These fare would
never have become So worn cut e they
hNd been properly cared for Les~in.
plowcd ground. especially ca t.il de.
exposed for several rncnths CHf.-.. The
fall and winter allows much plant food
to wash away. CROWN ;ie 81
crop year after year wears out tho
land rapidly. Different CT rt require
different kinds OF food. BY changing
crcps from year TO year no one food
material Is used TO C-caSs and the
others wasted. BY keeoing ~ much
stock on the farm as possible. saving
tho manure carefully and spreading Il
on the fields before Il rots or teaches
away and by using lcCumincua plants
10 gather nitrogen the soil can he kent
well supplied with plant food
II Is much more profitable 10 feed
the crops In this way than 90 buy
plant food OF the market ~ % rSslse
prices. Usually. however. -. g'ant IL
hungry for the mineral SIS not
because they are not In d.. -.a. but
because they are In n fC-.l IN which
IL cannot get at them. The rCcts Of
re plant spread all through the soil
In search OF food. II you Will look at
a little root through magnifying
glass you VIII see that II is covered
with root hairs. Il is through these
root hairs that the plant takes up food
from the soil. There are no openings
directly into them. but the walls are
so thin TINT the water can soak
through 10 the inside. Solid sub
stances. Of course. cannot get In. so
that the plant food must be Gl~coIved
In water before IL can Get into the
roots and so up 10 the chlorophyll
which is waiting 10 build II into seeds
or leaves
II the soil has been worked until II
Is fine and loose each little particle