Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-10-13
EASY TO DOUBLE THE CROP.

OF Illinois. Professor Hopkins is the
author Of many works increasing the
fertility of the soil. His address fol-
lows in part:
That We can double the crop yields
of dhe United States is not a predic-
noGs but fact. To say that millions
of acres of abandoned farm lands in
the Older states can be restored and
increased in productivity far above
the present average for the 5000 co:h
belt lands is merely to speak the
truth. To accomplish these objects
requires first of all That agricultureal
ignorance shall be replaced with az
ricultural intelligence in the minds of
the people Of influence in This Ma
ton.
Why should not every influential
man and woman in America have a
definite and quantitive knowledge Of
the basic principles that to increase
and permanently maintain the produc
tive power of the normal soils, in
practical systems Of farming requires
the addition to the soil and perman-
emit maintenance adequate supplies
of only three important constitu-
ents, limestone, phosphorus, and nj.
trogenouS organic matter?
With abundant supplies of limestone
and phosphorus provided, the nitro
genous organic matter. can be produc-
ed upon the farm by the growing of
clover and other Eegume crops, which
nave power to secure nitrogen from
the inexhaustible supply in the air;
and by blowing under this organic
matter, either directly or in animal
manureS, the remaining essential
mineral plant foods, such as potas-
sum, can then be liberated and made
available from the practically mex
haustible supply in the soil.
In 1S4S Sir John Lawes and Sir
Henry Gilbert began at Rothamsted,
England, an investigation to ascertain
the effect of applying phosphorus to
normal soil where a good crop rota-
tdon and a practical system of farm
Ing were followed. The Norfolk ro-
tation, already well known at that
time as one of the best rotation sys-
TENS, was timmips, barley, clover and
wheat. In these practical field ex-
periments, the turnips were fed on
the land and the animal fertilizer
thus produced returned to the soil,
which was we'll supplied with lime
stone.
During the next thirty-six years
$29.52 worth of phosphorus was ap-
pliedrtD one part of the field, and in.
comparison with another part Of the
field, cropped and managed the same,
except that no phosphorus was ap-
piled, the $685. worth of phosphorus
produced $9SD2 increase In the value
of tulrnips, $37.45 in barley, s4S.SS in
clover land other kegumes) and S45.99
increase i'm the value of the wheat.
The toal value Of the crops grown on
land not receiving phosphorus during
the thirtysix. years was s4S2.4S per
acre; while. on the phOSphated land
the crop values amounted to $662.S2,
an increase OF s23O.39 from an invest
ment Of $685. in phosphorus. These
statements summarize the results
of thirSySix years of careful invest-
CATION in practical farming on normal
soil, but not one American ina hun
bred knows. utilizes or imparts this
information: Meanwhile the ten-year
average yield Of wheat in theUnited
States is fourteen bushels per acre,
while Germany's average Is twenty
eight bushels and England s thirty
two bushels per acre; meanwhile the
United States continues to ex-
port annually, for the paltry sum Of
5 million dollars, million tons OF
OUT best phosphate rock, carrying
away an amount of phosphorus which
if applied to our own depleter and de-
pleting soils, would be worth not 5
million, but a Thousand million dol
lars for the production of food for us
and for the oncoming generations Of
Americans.
It is gratifying to acknowledge that
the state of Illinois is now devotang
100000 per amum to soil and crop
investigations and the dissemination
of the information secured, even
though this is less than l per cent OF
the revenue of the state, all of which
come directly or indirectly from the
soil. It is also gratifying to acmOw-
ledge that according to the crop STA
tistics reported by the federal govern
ment, and confirmed by the impen-
dent crop statistics of the Illinois
Ctofo poo,5 ~ Aorro,,lfa,ra fha last