The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-09-15

Ill Iu6 preparation VI dlhS W
Farmers" we do not claim all the
matter used will be original. Where we
find another has expressed well what
we want to say we will use good
material in a good cause and the ar
thor will accept this as our apology
for doing so.
Soils differ in their composition.
Where there is more sand than clay
they are called sandy soils; where
more clay than sand, clay soils. They
differ in color; we have light, dark,
red and black soils; then we classify
them as poor or rich as they produce
crops.
All soils are composed of different
substances; some of these are alumni
mum, quartz, feldspar, iron, potash,
lime, phosphoric acid, magnesia, soda
and humus. There are also present in
soils, water and gases, such as oxy-
in changing the character of sub
stances and making available plant
food.
Humus is not an original element,
it is the result of decomposition. A
soil without humus will not produce
vegetable growth even with other ele-
ments of plant food.
A clay subsoil is capable of great
improvement, and no matter how
much abused can be reclaimed,
The soil is not only root bed but
also food bed and work shop for
plant growth Neither of these latter
purposes can be secured if the soil
be too compact. Circulation is the
law of plant life, and for circulation
there must be room. The mechanical
texture of the sail is a matter of
great Importance. Through the soil
comes the sap, for that reason there
must be moisture; this can be pro-
vided by deep pulverization of the
soil. The moisture not only furnishes
the sap, but it dissolves and holds
in solution plant food ready for the
tender rootlets to absorb. Nearly
three-fourths of living vegetation il
waer; about ninety-seven per cent. o
the solid part is from the air ant
only three-fourths per cent. from tn
soil. To determine the above facts
take quantity of vegetable matte
and weigh it green, then dry it an
we find the water it contained, the,
burn the dried matter and the diffel
ence in weight of the dried matte
and ash after burning represents tn
portion taken from the air. The as
: left will amount to about tire
pounds for every hundred pounds
dry matter, and all that was take
from the soil. This ash is compose
of fourteen substances; iron, sodi
sulpher, lime, potash, phosphoric aci'
magnesia and others we need NJ
I mention. These fourteen substance
+ are everywhere present in all soil
- Eleven of them are in such sma
quantities in the ashes and are
such universal distribution in su
ficient quantities in all soils, that W
S need not worry about them becomin
y exhausted. Three of them are foun
e in larger quantities in the ashes, an
T. as result from the continued GRO
e ping would ultimately be deficient an
n have to be supplied in some torr
These are absolutely necessary for II
healthy growth of all our crops;
it is a matter of great Importance
IS the farmer 20 know about potas
IS phosphcric acid and lime. Witho'
e. these he cannot farm proftably. VIII
e iron does for man potash, phosphor
is acid and lime does for pants; gi'
plant everything but either of the'
will die.
1t is not because Tennessee soil
so deficient in plant food or becau'
there is not the right kind OF sol
!, for the various crops, or because the
u is not enough rainfall, or because Il
II climatic conditions are not right fl
'r crop production, because eVeryol
familiar with these conditions in TIE