The independent-reporter., 1910-04-28


sight.
There may be readers of these notes
who would like information relative
| to the several irrigation projects
which are being carried to completion
under the supervision of the national
government or about public lands
anywhere which are still subject to
homestead entry. Inquiries addressed
to the office of public lands. Washing
ton. d. c., stating what Is wanted. will
secure the information which Is sought.
The fellow who has been duping
through the sale of a dope which he
claims will render poultry immune
from the worst ailments that affifct
! them for the rest of their lives is first
| cousin to that other chap who operat-
ed In about the same territory year
or so ago with a spray mixture the
application of which he said would
/ protect trees from their several insect
and fungous pests for a term of sew
eral years.
That the sheep business bids fair to
be paying one for some time to come
is indicated In figures which have re-
Gently been published showing that
since 1873 there has been a decrease In
the worlds f1ocks Of sheep of 93,OOO,-
900 head, or more than 100000 head
a year. The decrease seems to be in
quite measure due to movements of
population which have discouraged the
keeping of the large focks Of the past.
tendency which means that the keep
ing of limited number on the small
farm would be attended with increased
profit.
At Rothamsted. England, Is located
famous government experiment sta
tion where exhaustive experiments In
soil fertility and crop production have
been conducted during the past fifty
years. On one field to which no ma
nure and no plant food has been CIV
en- the average yield Of wheat per acre
during this interval has been 1919 BUSH
els. Another field which has been
heavily fertillzed with barnyard ma
nure has given an average of 35.5
bushels for the same period. A third
field which has been REINFORCED with
commercial fertilizers has produced
37.1 bushels Of wheat per acre in the
same period. These English expert
ments should have suggestion or two
for some American farmers who are
getting perllously near the twelve
bushel yield as a result of continuous
cropping to wheat.
The application of lime to land does
not add to it's store of fertilizing ele-
ments, but merely serves to correct
an acid condition of soil, thereby en-
abling plant life to utilize the ele-
ments already stored there. Some ex-
periments lately conducted by the New
Jersey station showed that on sandy
soils ground unburned limestone gave
better results than burned and slaked
lime. In similar experiments con-
Quoted by the Florida experiment sta
tion the application Of ground unburn.
ed limestone doubled the yield Of beg
garweed. a legume WHICH is classed
as the clover of the state. An inter-
esting fact which was developed in
connection with this test was that the
lining of the soil resulted also in a
large increase In the number and size
Of nitrogen nodules, upon which the
value Of the legumes as soil enrichers
| depends. This service rendered by
lime is one that those who are desir-
GUS Of getting a start In alfalfa and
some other legumes should keep in
mind.
Among the several elements Of the
soil that make the growth of plant
life possible is humus. or vegetable
matter In various stages of decomposi-
ton; consisting Of the roots, stalks
and leaves of the plants which have
grown thereon In q wild state or the
straw, litter and manures which have
been mechanically distributed. Not
only does such decaying vegetable mat
ter contain important chemical fertiliz-
ing elements. but 1t gives the soil that
friability and loosenesS so essential to
an easy manipulation Of 1t with plow
and cultivator and so favorable to a
ready circulation of the soil air and
moisture. Indispensable factors In a
rapid growth Of plant life. In view
Of these facts the tiller of the soil
should keep constantly in mind both
the wisdom and necessity of maintain
ing this supply of humus in the soil
and increasing 1t when occasion re-
quires. A proper understanding Of the
matter should put stop to the burn
ing Of stubble and straw. should mean
the turningl down now and then Of
growths of green manures and the rak-
ing and scattering Of the largest pos
sible quantities of stable manure. 1t
is under a system Of grain farming
that, the supply of humus In the soil is
most rapidly depleted, and on this ac-
count the system is a harmful one and
should be discouraged In all sections
where stock raising and dairying can
take its place.
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