The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-01-25

flVe fundamentals:
l. Economy of Business.
2. Maintenance of Soil Fertility.
3. Productivity of the Soil
4. Subsistence for Live Stock.
o. Farm Profits at end of Season.
The term Rotation of Crops" is
used to designate system of crops
which give a recurring succession OF
Held plants with differing plant food
requisites.
REASONS FOR ROTATION
The primary purposes of crop ro-
tation arc LIST, Prevention of "Crop
Sick soils, the result of continuous
cultivation of the same crop for a per-
lod OF years; End, The elimination of
weeds, insect pests and crop diseases
Srd Increase in the productivity of the
field crops by conserving the soil fer
tility.
FIRST IRRIGATED CROP
The first crop to be grown in any
appreciate degree under the ditch
was wheat Wheat followed wheat
year after year on the river plain farm
OF Utah and Idaho until in some inst
ances the yield of grain fell 25 and
even 90 per cent below what it first
gave the farmer. This was on compa,.
itively virgin soil which we think is
rich as cream. Why is this? Feed
ing at the same depth on the same
plant foot elements absorb the readily
available plant food Of this particular
element SO this class of plants is then
sparingly fed. Like starved pig, it
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 Therefore,
plants feeding at different depths of
SOIL, although they may use the same
food elements, the deeper feeding plant
can follow the shallow feeders without
serious immediate loss, although even
tually, unless these absorbed food ele-
ments be restored, the available plant
food will become exhausted and the
soil will therefore be impoverished.
The depositer who continues to
draw his money from the bank withou
making deposits will at last find his
checks returned marked "Short'. No
bank will permit continued over-drafts.
We should not be taking off all the
time, without putting back the food
upon which plants feed. some
OF the time. If we do, we have crop
sick soil that does not "pay it's checks
for want of funds-the available food
that have been taken through
previous Withdrawals.
Our Utah and Idaho soils are either
Of granite or volcanic rock formation |
These soils seem to hold an abundance
Of potash, a reasonable amount Of pho
pilates, limited mount of nitrates.
abundance of lime, but great defic-
ency in organic matter commonly
known as humus. Here are the es-
'entials we need in these soils; they
constitute the soil barometer since the
essened amount of any one of these
Will most seriously affect general crop
culture. Humus net only increases the
water holding capacity of the soil but
also carries an appreciahle amount
u nitrates. Hence we need, early In
'ur cropping, to get humus in the soil.
Feed the soil constantly, that it may,
n turn. feed our crops. How may we
10 this? By growing crops that tend
o store what little humus we have
With nitrogen, while it increases the
lunlus content Of the soil. These are
equine crops-alfalfa, beans, peas.
Ike. red clover and vetches constitute
ne lasume family group-which have
roven profitable for us to grow in the
Vest. Choose the one that is best +
dapted to your farm environment, and I
GU feel will grow you the most dol i
ars. Give it permanent place in
our field crops. t
I
uliar property OF utilizing the free ni.-
ogen Of the air and thus store nitrat- !
in the soil, and accumulate humus, / !
ne one thing our soils seem most to
eed. How is this done? Through a t
lost peculiar little family Of lower c
known as bacteria, which Y
row on the root hairs and tiny root /
t. ct TIE root system of these legume j
'ente This creates, as it we're, a 0
iver in that particular part of the
liant, calling for more air and more f
aier. In chemical process not cas- n
understood, the free nitrogen OBJ t
lined from the surrounding air is t;
orKed into nitrates available to sue !.
'tding plant life. @
Perennial legumes are deep feeders, Il
'inging a part of their mineral food {.
NJ depths below the feeding ground C
ordinary cronc ~