American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-06-01
To KEEP FERTILITY
Proper Physical Condition and
Vegetable Matter Needed.
Rotation That viii Distribute Labor
Throughout Year and Maintain
supply Of Nitrogen is Best
Much Depends on Crop.
tBy Fl. F. PATTERSON, Montana Ex-
pertinent StationJ

maintain the fertility of arid lands
except by getting the soil in the prop
er physical condition and supplying
plenty OF vegetable matter, SO 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. it is absolutely nee
essary that a proper rotation be e.
taDilshed. By a proper rotation
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 1t a utilize the available ele-
ments to the best advantage. No sim
gle rotation is adapted to all parts OF
our country, to every farm in any par
ticular locality, or to every quarter
section of land.
However, there are certain princi-
pies that are applicable everywhere.
A great deal depends upon the crop
that is to be grown. A rotation for a
dry farm would necessarily differ from
a rotation adapted for irrigated lands.
For dry lands it has been recommend
ed that 12-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 is intertilled and all the moisture
retained. The fifth year the land is
given over to the growing of wheat
or oats. The sixth year it is summer
fallowed again. Another crop OF
wheat is raised the seventh year and
in the spring of the eighth yea the
land is plowed anf seeded to a.xalfa-
using about ten pounds Of seed per
acre. The seed is usually sown with
out a nurse crop. The alfalfa is left
down for four years, after which the
land may be plowed up and the same
rotation repeated. Very good sue
cess has been had by following such
a system and in some cases the yields
of grain have been nearly doubled.
while upon farms that have been con-
tinually cropped the yield has been
constantly diminishing.
The rotation should be divided so
that it will distribute the labor
throughout the year. The number OF
years TO 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
throughout the year. it 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 it profitable to raise anything
but grain and as a result pay but lit
tie attention to the fertility of the
land.
4 very correct estimate OF the soil
can be had by noticing the growth OF
the plants. If the straw is rank and
the grain inclined to lodge, the soil
NAV contain a surplus of nitrogen.
However. we are seldom troubled
with his factor in the west. Lodg-
ing is usually caused by a lack Of po-
tassium. for the stiffness of h straw
is to some extent governed by the
moun of this element present. In
other words, the lodging of grain may
be caused by too much nitrogen and
also by a deficiency in the amount OF
potassium in the soil. Then again,
lodging may be caused by rust or
other diseases affecting the straw. II
the farmer finds his grain chafy when
Indicating plenty Of nitrogen. n II
it still retains a healthy green color,
he finds a stiff straw. indicating sufh-
cient potash. he may suspect that the
sell is deficient in phosphorus. There
NAV be plenty Of this element in the
soil, but it may be in an unavailable
form. In this event 1t Is necessary
to supply this element or practice sys-
tens of tillage that will aid in lber-
ating what is present In q dormant
condition.
It Is not profitable for the western
farmer to spend money in applying
these materials; the soils usually con
tain sufficient amounts that can be
made available by rotation and by
thorough methods Of cultivation. In
conclusion / might say that the fer
tility Of the land in an arid region
may be maintained by practicing rota-
ticn of crops. by the application OF
manure and by a proper system of
soil cultivation