Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-22

ltsks form lmestones earthworms and
ants aid in the formation # vegetable
mold and the increase Of the soil humus
major animal life is less important In this
connection; and, unfortunately, mans eff
forts as rule have hson destructive
rather than constructive
eOIL MATURING.
(By c. II. Jones, Chemis. Vermont Expo
riment Station)
Soil manuring consists In correctly
maintaining such an amount of the es-
sential plant food elements. l. e.. nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash, in available
forms. In the soil as will best supply the
needs Of the growing plants. The details
bearing on this question Of soil nanuring
or the feeding OF plants are very numer-
Gus. A close study Of tho known facts
and their Intelligent application will often
bring remunerative returns where, other
wise, failure would result.
Why Is II necessary to ferriIize the sc :?
Just as man must have protein. carbo-
nydrates and ash for the manufacture T
muscle. ,at and bone. so do plants re-
qure certain elements for their growth
and plant needs were not we'll under
Stood We heard Of inexhau. Ible soils and
the fertilizer sack was unknown. Con-
tinued cropping ana putting nothing back.
however. has so removed or depleted the
available food supply that in the older
settled parts Of our country. the original
productive soil no longer exists and plant
food must be supplied 10 make good the
| deficiency.
| Quite Z number Of elementary sub
stances are found in plant tissues. Many
Of the most common are Iron, magne-
stun. silicon. sodium. calsium, chlorine.
potassium. sulphur. phosphorus, nitrogen,
carbon. hydrogen and oxygen.
| Mature, In most cases. supplies the need
! cd amounts OF all these elements. save
nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. 1t has
! Neen repeatedly shown that proper plant
/ growth Will not result, unless a sufi
cheney Of these three, in available forms
is present In the soil. they are therefore
collectively termed the essential ele-
merts Of plant food"
It should be the aim OF every farmer &c
know, not only what these elements are
| but, also
l. In what forms they are obtainable; ?
Their relative prices; 3, The particular
function Of each: 4. Amounts removed by
different crops: s. How to ascertain sol
, needs; g. How best to supply the needed
food.
The chief materials used to supply plant
food are:
For nitrogen: Manure, nitrate OF soda
tankage, ground bone.
For phosphoric acid acid phosphate
tankaRe, ground bone basic Stag.
For potash: Muriate Of potash, kainit
and sulphate OF potash.
1t IL we'll TO remember that nitrogen
costs four times as much as either phos
phoric acid or potash and that 1t II
readily lost by teaching. Phosphorus aci'
nj potash. on the other hand. can b.
literally supplied without FEAR of waste
Aim to so regulate the nitrogen as u
have 1t in the soil when the plants neec
It, Purchased plant food either as q com
mercial fertilizer or crude stock SHOULD
always supplement the home supply o
farm manure.
SOIL MANAGEMENT.
(By Dean ]. L. Hilis)
The term soil management covers so!
treatments by various operations, b.
means OF tillage, with reference to it
moisture conditions and its living organ
isms, by means OF fertilizers. OF edequat
rotative cropping and the like These pre-
cedures may result--when properly carrie
out--in larger yields OF better quality.
Village: a. promotes surface uniformity
90 develops effective soil depth (S) aug
J ments tho humus supply; "a improve
4
moisture supply: % sets free plant foo
supplies: 60 enhances soil health: % RI
duces waste through weed killing; 6
tends to control erosion; 90 augment
aeration.
Drainage: o. removes excess Of water
% bettsrs an unfavorable physical oond
I ton: 81 augments Its supply Of availa bl
Z water ~ promotes soil aeration q
, warns the soal; 0 increases Its availah
Z food supply; % increases the ability {
> tho plant to use it, food supplies; 80 lie.
!, sens heavtng injuries: % reduces or pr
q vents erosion; 10, enlarged crop growth
Irrigation IN humid lands: az insurs
Y against drought; 60 Increases crop Yield
Z )@ promotes the public health (sewas
0 'armirg): az reduces wastsge; % aus
. ments the crop growing power OF a
Z acre.
E Germ life In the soii-which 10 in som
: measure controlled by adequate soil mar
agement-: a decomposes organic matter
(2) nitrifies and thus renders available oil
ganic nitrogen: 90 gathers nitrogen fro'
the air; thus augmenting plant food SUI
plissi % dsnitrifes and causes loss;
O probably bears relation to the availApii't
Of mineral TOWNS Of plant food
d Rotstivs cropping Is deemed advantaa
r eous because It: ~ ovsrcomss in1urfe
x wrought by continuous cropping; (O even
: up the usage Of plant food; u augment
: tn humus supply; ~ enables better us
OF tho svbsoii: a. permits the benefits
: isgums growth 70 b extended TO oths
} crops; % lessons the necessity Of CONNIE
ciai fertiiissr purchases; @ augments II
\ amount II for manure; IN cleansss q so