Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-11-19

prizes IOr Iue DGSL WI!lltu essays
on various scientific farm topics.
Ralph Weeks, 1S-year-old son of j.
H. Weeks, a prosperous farmer liv-
ing south of Pullman, took first
prize in the contest for the best es-
say on Palouse country soils, AM
the article is so well written and con
tains so much useful inform alton that
it is here given space. 1t follows:
The Importance of Humus in Palousc
Soil
The Palouse soil is becoming ex-
hausted of some Of its plant foods
and soon will be what is called
WORKOUT soil if the present system
of single cropping as common is re-
tanned for any length of time. One
thing that shows this is the chemical
analyses of the soil which proves
that there is an unbalanced food sup
ply in the soil There is too much
potash in proportion to the other
plant foods. AS compared with other
soils the Palouse has an abundance
Of potash but no more, if not less,
than the average amount of other
plant foods. Farmers may be mis-
led by the unusual tall growth of
wheat but this is the result of the
abundant supply of potash.
oh, Loo,
by the tendency of the soil when it
drys out to work up in large Jumps
or clods or to run together and cake
after heavy rain.
The best way to remedy this con
dition of the soil is to add humus.
Humus is the decayed organic or
vegetable matter in the soil such as
.stubble straw, leaves, etc.
The cheapest and most profitable
method Of adding humus to the soil
lis in the form Of barnyard manure.
or by green manuring by plowing
under green crops.
Humus in the first place modides
the texture of the soil by making
it more porus and friable ana less
plastic doing away with the ten 'enay
to run together and cake. There
are other benefits to the physical
condition of the soil from addition
of humus which are accomplished
largely through the improvement of
the texture and structure. One Of
the most important is the increase
in water-hOlding capacity of the soil,
The porus soil allows the water to
flow more freely from particle to
particle so that much more surface
is moistened or absorbed by humus
than would be if soil were packed
as in case of the soil where humus is
deficient. The loosened soil not only
allows much more to be absorbed for
plant use but also provides better
drainage for the surplus water.
Since the pores Of the soil are
larger and not filled with water the
air can circulate much more freely
and promote the oxidization Of the
humus. 1t also raises the tempera-
ture of the soil, making ii warmer
But one result of adding humus,
and one that should command a great
deal of attention from farmers, is
that it makes the soil easier to work.
The humus leaves the soil in gran
ulated condition and if worked at
the right time will be mellow and
can be firmed to hold more water.
The soil being better aerated makes
it possible to work 1t much earlier
and quicker after a wet season as it
important functions of The humus
is in the chemical benefits. 1t sup
plies nitrogen. This food is liberated
by living organisms maintained by
the food supplied to them in the hui
mus. They, in turn for this food
supply, break up or decompose the
organic matter and by a process of
notification make nitrogen available
for plants to use. Through the
agency of the bactria life, humus lib
crates other gases and acids neces-
sary to the decomposition of humus
and the forming of soluble COM
pounds available for plants to use.
Other plant foods are made available
besides nitrogen such as potash ana
phosphorus.
Air is also essential to the bac-
terra life as they get part of the nj
trogen from the air and if air is ex-
cluded, these beneficial organisms
cease to act, and other organisms
commence to break down nitrogen
compounds and let it escape back in
to the air.
The humus purifies the soil by re-
moving or destroying the substances
and gases, which are given off by
plants and organisms which other