Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-04-12
Some Problems in Soil Fertility


yua securing $4,000 to $1,000 % nor ~
The majority who equally under the same
conditions secure only small fraction of these trouble
usually result understanding the PRINCIPLES Of coil s
agricultural plants elements for their bthv
growth With the exception taken from the air
the majority exist in such abundance oil
that they do not have to be considered Nitrogen is often
deficient the SOIL potash frequently phohoric acid s less fr
queny occasionally deficient There are very few soils
.ons If II could all 10 nod lips nualy Tor one or more
fast enough for o leacha
consists principally broken material with which
small decayed organic matter
derived and from manure applied
elements nitrogen are found in the
rock or part Nitrogen is found in the organic
Of up the needed elements only nv
them through its dissolved soil
At time in soil only amount
soluble within cases not
furnish the needs of healthy growing two
three weeks me practical fertility of soil its ability
then plant comes
soluble form, whether the is great
small nena ANALYSIS could be made today of the soil
United States the fertility
farms would be found to bear little
yields ng secured from tne am Many soils that chemical analysis
shows to contain only moderate supply of
unlimited insolube fertility scarcely
profit In the first the soils
soluble the latter
fertility developed
fast as good crop would use Instances are common nartnrv in
Chemical analysis of the practically
difference between them
fertility any
given soil when high state of fertility the
down and profitably.
The practical fertility of the soil then
stored fertility becomes available This changing of the stored plant food
into soluble brought
combination of factors and the regulation of these largely
under the control of the farmer The prime necessity is know what
these factors how to control them.
Soil acteria
is nota deadn teemng witt multudes
bacteria These organisms small that they
they
sensitive 10 e environment as animals are Ihey are probably more
important than other making the fertility
available plants They the soil
cause to decay AS result OF TINS decay various weak acids are
formed
potash phosphoc acid into soluble forms The nitrogen in the
organic material soluble result the of the
organic 1t plain then that the of the rock elements
favorable for reat bacterial ACTIVITY the nIant food nav be ned fast
enough the that unfayabe
dion available be
reduced and the crop shortened 1t very vital then proper
tons for desirable bacterial action be provided These conditions
provided by keeping the supply of organic
matter This accomplished of three ()
rotation W blowing under
other
ike
crops wheat potatoes
do matter they add
the
equal the the soil through decay while the
growing But when of clover alfalfa or grass grown the mass
of turf sod broken in
the matter That is leading
why logical rotation for general farming invariably includes some 500
forming Under conditions the supply of humus will be Kept up
very satisfactorily when the sodorming crop occupies two years IN every
five or six
intensive farming land and
facilities make it unwise to use years
value heavy tonnage
green stuff powed under ves field peas and Grim
son clover cereal often grown
for this worked between producing
crops least be grown each year
example September after some early crop
removed vech which should be knee high
or higher powed crop Wheat
and worked into the system
a similar manner
introducing the system of farming whether IN e
regular two points must De
dered will add large mass of organic
matter to the SOIL that Will leave the o
nitrogen varieties alfalfa vces peas beans cow peas
soy family aDe
the aid live their roots to take IN the
free nitrogen the remains OF these plants
worked into nitrogen in the soil increased e
from the worked the soil they
ana
egumes SOIL
clover pumed commander-nn OF