The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-07-25
TO KEEP FERTILITY
Proper Physical Condition and
Vegetable Matter Needed.
Rotation That VIII Distribute Labor
Throughout Year and Maintain
Supply Of Nitrogen 10 esst-
Much Depends on Crop.

"0SU OV0OVoo Wv OsSts
ny H. p. PATTERSON. Montana Eek
pertinent StAtion.)
No way has been discovered to
maintain the fertility Of arid lands
except by getting the soil in the prop
er 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 10 absolutely nee
essary that a proper rotation be es-
tablished. BY q 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 can utilize the available ele-
ments to the best advantage. No sin
gle rotation is adapted to all parts of
our country, to every farm in any par
tfcular 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 10 to be grown. A rotation for a
dry farm would necessarily differ from
Z rotation adapted for irrigated lands.
For dry lands 1t has been recommend
ed that 12-year rotation be adopted.
Tho first season winter wheat is
usually raised; as soon as the crop is
removed the field Is thoroughly
disked and narrowed, 80 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 1t Is summer
fallowed again. Another crop OF
wheat Ii raised the seventh year and
in the spring Of the eighth year the
land IL plowed anf seeded to Alfalfa.
using about ten pounds of seed per
acre. The seed is usually sown with
out q 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 80
that 1t 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 1t profitable to raise anything
but grain and as 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 surplus of nitrogen
However. we are seldom troubled
with this factor In the west. Lodg
ing - usually caused by a lack of DO
tassium, for the stiffness of the straw
10 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 deficiency in the amount OF
potassium In the SOIL Then again
lodging may be caused by rust OF
other diseases affecting the straw. Il
the farmer finds his grain chaffy wher
indicating plenty Of nitrogen, and II
1t still retains healthy green color
he finds a stiff straw, indicating suffi
Client potash. he may suspect that the
soil is deficient in phosphorus. There
may be plenty Of this element in the
soil. but It may be in an unavailable
form. In this event It is necessary
to supply this element or practice sys
tens Of tillage that will aid in liber
ating what Ia present in a dorm an
condition.
1t is not profitable for tho western
farmer to spend money in applying
these materials: the soils usually con
tain sufficient amounts that can b,
made available BY rotation and b,
thorough methods Of cultivation. II
conclusion might say that the fer
tility Of the land In an arid regiol
may be maintained by practicing rota
, ton Of crops, by the application O
manure and by proper system o
soil cultivation.