The Paonia progressive and the Paonia newspaper., 1911-05-26
TO KEEP FERTILITY
Proper Physical Condition and
Vegetable Matter Needed.
Rotation That VIII Distribute Labor
Throughout Year and Maintain
Supply Of Nitrogen 10 Best
Much Depends on Crop.

CBy H. F. PATTERSON. Montana Ex-
pertinent station.)
No way has been discovered to
maintain the fertility of arid lands
except by getting the soil in tn prop
or physical condition and supplying
plenty OF vegetable matter. 30 that the
plants can utilize the rainfall and the
essential elements of fertility to the
best advantage. In order to maintain
the fertility either by the application
OF vegetable matter directly or In the
form OF manure. 1t IL absolutely nee
essary that a proper rotation be es-
tablished- BY a proper rotation l
mean one that will distribute the la
Dor throughout the year. that will
maintain the supply Of nitrogen. and
that will give each crop the place
where It can utilize the available ele-
ments to the best advantage. No sin
gle rotation 10 adapted to all parts OF
our country. to every farm in any par
ucular locality. or to every quarter
section Of land.
However, there are certain princi-
pies that are applicable everywhere.
- 81 cat otai utptuQb upOu tnt CIOP
that is to be grown. A rotation for a
dry farm would necessarily differ from
. rotation adapted for irrigated lands.
For dry lands II has been recommend
ed that l2-year rotation be adopted.
The first season winter wheat is
usually raised: as soon as the crop is
removed the field is thoroughly
disked and narrowed. so as to pre-
serve the moisture. The year follow
ing the land is plowed In the spring
and then summer fallowed during
that season. The third year another
crop OF wheat is raised. and then corn
or some other cultivated crop the
fourth year. During the summer the
soil IL intertilled and all the moisture
retained. The ffth year the land is
given over TO the growing of wheat
or oats. The sixth year IL is summer
failowed again. Another crop of
wheat is raised the seventh year and
In the spring OF the eighth year the
land Is plowed and seeded to alfalfa.
using about ten pounds of seed per
acre. The seed IL usually sown with
out a nurse crop The alfalfa Is left
down for four years. after which the
land may be ploved up and the same
rotation repeated. Very good sue
cess has been had by following such
q system and in some cases the yields
of grain have been nearly doubled.
while upon farms that have been con-
tinuaily cropped the yield has been
constantly diminishing.
The rotation should be divided so
that II will distribute the labor
throughout the year. The number OF
years 10 leave the land in alfalfa must
be determined by the amount OF live
stock kept on the farm and the
amount of available labor. In order
that the labor may be distributed
the year. IL is necessary
that some live stock be kept To the
farmer who has been continually
raising wheat this perhaps does not
sound advisable. Many do not con-
slider Il profitable to raise anything
but grain and as a result pay but lit
tie attention to the fertility of the
land
A very correct estimate OF the soil
can be had by noticing the growth OF
the plants. II the straw is rank and
the grain inclined to lodge. the soil
may contain a surplus OF nitrogen.
However. we are seldom troubled
with this factor in the west. Lodg-
Ing is usually caused by a lack of po-
tassium. for the stiffness OF the straw
is to some extent governed by the
amount OF this element present In
other words. the lodging Of grain may
be caused by too much nitrogen and
also by n deficiency in the amount Of
in the soil. Then again.