Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1912-02-16

crop management; on the Buccessful
management Of the crop largely rest
those Ave fundamentals:
I. Economy OF Business.
2. Maintenance OF Soil Fertility.
.. Productivity OF the Soil.
4. Subsistence for Livestock.
8. Farm Profits At end OF Season.
The term Rotation OF Crops" 10
used 20 designate a system OF crops
which give a recurring succession Of
held plants with differing plant food
requisites.
Reasons for Rotation.
The primary purposes OF a crop ro-
tation are 1at, Prevention Of Crop
Sick" soils, the result OF continuous
cultivation OF the same crop for n pc.
Rod OF years; End. The elimination Of
weeds, insect pests and crop diseases:
ara, Increase In the productivity OF
tho field crops by conserving the soil
fertility
First irrigated Crop.
The first crop 10 be grown In any
appreciable degree under the ditch"
was wheat. Wheat followed wheat
year after year on the river plain
farms OF Utah and Idaho until In
some instances tho yield OF grain fell
20 and oven 90 per cent below what
II hrat gave the farmer This was
on comparatively virgin soil which
We think 10 rich as cream. Why Ia
thisi Feeding nj tho same depth on
the same plant food elements absorb
the readily available plant food OF
this particular element so this class
OF plants Is then nparingly fed. Like
starved pig. II cannot make It's
owner the profits the well fed ones
do.
All plants do not feed alike. They
either use different foods or the same
food from different depths. There
fore, plants feeding nj different
depths OF soil. although they may use
the same food elements. the deeper
feeding plants can follow the shallow
feeders without serious immediate
loss, although eyantuaiix, unleaa these
absorbed food elementR be restored.
the available plant food will become
exhausted and tho soil Will therefore
be impoverished.
The dancss..s.ar who continues 10
draw hia money from the bank with
out making deposits will NJ last ind
his checks returned marked short"
No bank will permit continued over
drafts. We should not be taking of
all tho time. without putting back the
food elements upon which plants
feed, some OF the time. II we do. we
have crop sick soil that does not
"pay lta checks" for want OF funds
the available food elements that have
been taken through previous with
dTawala,
Our Utah aud Idaho soils are either
OF granitlc or volcanic rock formation,
These soils seem 20 hold an abund-
ance OF potash. reasonable amount
OF phosphatos. a limited amount OF
nitratea. abundance OF lime. but
great deficiency In organic matter
commonly known as humus, Here
are the essentials we need In these
soils: they constitute the soil baron
eter since tho lesaened amount OF any
one OF these will most seriously nj.
feet the general crop culture Iiumus
not only increases the water holding
capacity OF the soil but II also carries
an appreclahle amount OF n,tratos.
Hence we need. early In our cropping.
20 get humus In the soil Feed the
soil constantly. that Il may, In turn,
feed our crops. How may we do thisf
ny growing crops that tend 20 store
what little humus we have with nitro.
gen, while IL increases the humus
content OF the soil, These are legums
crops--alfalfa. beans. peas, alsike. rcd
clover aud votches constitute the To-
gume family group-which have
proven profitable for us 20 grow In
the west. Choose the one that Is best
adapted TO your farm environment.
and you feel will grow YOU the most
dollars, Give Il q permanent place
In your neld crops,
These plants seem to have the pc
culiar property OF utilizing the free
nitrogen OF the air and thus store nj.
trates In the soil and accumulate hu.
mus, the one thing our soils seem
most to need. How Is this doner
Through most peculiar little family
OF lower organisms known as hac-
terra. which Epow on the root hairs
and tiny rootlets OF the root system
of these legume plants, This creates,
as n were. fever In that particular
part ot the plant. calling for more air
and more water. In chemical pro-
cess not easily understood, the free
nitrogen obtained from the surround.
Ing air Is worked into nitrates avail
able 20 succeeding plant life.
Perennial legumes are always deep
feeders, bringing part OF their min.
eral food from soil depths below the
feeding ground OF ordinary crops,
This value 10 succeeding crops is
shown in the opening paragraph 90
COburns Alfalfa; There are some
silent subscribers that do their
work with ease and In their way,
moro enectually than any teerN or