American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-03-04
VALUE OF ROTATION
Single Crop Idea Not Successful
on irrigated Farm.
Much Emphasis 10 Laid on Value Of
Quantity OF Humus In Soil, Which
Eastern Farmer caIis "ysry
Life Of Soil"

The basis OF farm success is or
ganiyation. system on the farm: the
baaia Of organization on the farm Is
management Of the crop largely rest
the following Ave fundamentals:
1. ECONOMY OF business.
2 Maintenance OF soil fertility.
:. Pi oductivity Of the soil.
4. Subsistence for live stock.
3. Farm profits at end of season.
The tetrm rotation of crops Is
used to designate a system OF crops
which give "A recurring succession Of
field plants with different plant food
requisites. This covers a period Of
years and are maintained In different
or alternating fields Of the same farm
The primary purposes Of a crop rota-
ton are: First. prevention Of crop
sick" soils. the result OF continuous
euitsvati an Of the same crop for a
period OF years: second. the elimina-
ton OF weeds. insect pests and crop
diseases. third. increase In the pro-
ductivity Of the field crops by conserv-
ing the soil fertility.
The first crop to be grown to any
appreciate degree under the ditch
was wheat. Wheat followed wheat,
yea after year. until It's yield fell be-
low 60 per cent OF what 1t first gave
the farmer. This was especially true
In northern Colorado, the Arkansas
valley. the San Luis valley. and the
river plain farms Of Utah, where wa
ter was irst used. 1t Is like feeding
the family a diet OF bear soup three
times a day for an indefinite period
Nature wants a change. The single
crop idea Is not successful on the irri-
gated farm. any more han It Is In the
South where cotton has so long prov.
en- the need OF a rotation of crops.
The San Luis valley wheat grower,
IN his despair. sen to the chemist OF
the State Agricultural college. He
told the farmer that his soil was
crop sick, too much wheat growing
for the soil. lie recommended field
peas. They were tried. and we're a
successful crop from the start. These
practical farmers brought In lambs
from other parts. and thus they drive
tho pea crop to market" 1t has prov
In this large valley.
Our Rocky Mountain soils are of
granite origin, ground out of the
solid rocks OF our hills. Granite Is de-
composed. forming that superior bal
last used for railroad and street sur
facing The next step Is for II to sep
arate. In the natural processes which
follow. into the elements of which II
Is composed; quartz. feldspar and
mica shlst. From the quartz comes
our sand, from tho feldspar our clay.
by the process OF erosion aud through
the decaying OF animal and vegetable
matter. some organic matter gets In.
and thus we obtain humus, or vege-
table mold. which holds nitrates In
the soil. and a good percentage of
moisture
The different elements contain diff
ferent foods upon which the plants
feed. Since all plants take their God
10 solution, the food must be soluble
In water-~we can see there must be
a fneness OF soil just right. and we
must have the proper mount OF mois-
tnre In that soil for the plant to ob-
tain food We have many different
plant q In all soils, but the fertil-
tty OF a soil Is determined by the
amount OF potash. phosphoric acid.
and nitrogen In the form In which the
plant a use It, which that soil con
tains. These are considered the bar
ometer of IA soil since the lessened
amount OF any one of these three most
seriously Affects general crop culture.
Right here We need to emphasize the
value 10 the irrigation farmer. of the
quantity of humus In his soil. which
the down East farmer calls the very
life OF his soil"
II is this important element that
helps are farmer. after he ~irrigates.
TO store the ate In the capillaries
that abound In humus and enables II
TO hold water like a sponge. and acts
therefore as an underground storage
reservoir from which the tiny rootlets
can draw at win. and which enables
those soils to liberate quantities of
plant food in the form the plant can
use IL
Our western sohs are rich In potash.
but deficient In humus and nitrates.
Hence We need early In our cropping
20 take such steps as shall enrich our
soils In huinus. IL Is the easiest plnnt
food TO supply. but 1t is considered
the most costly to buy. Therefore.
the n thing the Irrigation farmer
needs to impress on himself Is this.
Get humus into the soil Feed the
soil constantly that Il may in turn
iced your crops,