The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-05-21

1t may be asked What will these
bacteria dot" and How are their activ-
tiles of any value in improving the pro-
ductiveness of the soil?" Before an
swering these and other questions, let
us consider the nature and origin of
soih
The main part of the soil consists of
mineral particles, somewhat variable in
size, which have been originally de-
rived from rocks; that is to say, that
the mineral matter in our soils is de-
rived chiefly from the decomposition of
rocks. The principal agent in decom-
position is ''weathering, which as is
we'll known, results in slowly crumb-
ling the rock into small fragments.
The effects of this action upon rocks
may be noted at the base of rock cliff,
where the fragments "weathered" from
the surface of the cliff fall and accumu-
late. These particles contain the same
substances of which the original rocks
were composed, but in smaller frag-
SUM, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus,
iron and sulphur, all of which are nee
cessary for the nutrition of plants
The soil also contains, aside from the
mineral particles, quantity of organic
material resulting from the decay of
plant or animal residues The quaint
ty of this organic material may not be
large, but its presence and character
largely determine the fertility of any
soil. Che average of 237 soil types ex-
amined by the Bureau of Soils of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture was 200 per cent organic matter
for the surface soil and 0S3 per cent.
for the subsidy 1t is this material
which makes the difference between
rock powder and soil; between the fer
tility of a sand heap and garden soil.
WHAT is HUMUs.
In good fertile soil the organic ma.
terial is in form called humus. The
value of this substance in the soil is
only exceeded in magnitude by our ig-
norance of its nature. 1t is substance
which is universally present in good
soils, and scarce, if present at all in,
poor soils. 1t represents fairly per-
manent form into which the decayed
plant and animal tissues have passed.
The presence of humus in the soil gives
it that rich, warm brown color which
the farmer recognizes as characteristic
of fertile soils Other soils which per-
haps contain an equal amount of or
ganic material, which is not in the form
OF humus, are lighter, hard to cultivate
and unproductive, because in such a
condition the organic matter may act
ually exert a deleterious effect upon
growing crops. This is especially apt
to be the case if the soil is unduly
heavy or wet, or if it is in an acid (sour)
condition. When organic matter in
the form of stable manure or of green
manure is incorporated with such asoil, |
it becomes sour to an increasing extent, |
the processes of decomposition seem to go
awry and produce substances of little
worth to the soil. A similar state of af- |
fairs is often brought forcibly to our at
tention in the realm of our own bodies.
When we are "out of sorts" our food, |
owing to the poor condition of the
agents of digestion, undergoes improp-
er transformations in the alimentary
tract and, instead Of breaking down in
to compounds which nourish the body,
breaks down to form deleterious COM
pounds which give us discomfort and
pain.
Concluded next week.