Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-26


his sons and daughters at home. The
new farmer reads and thinks; he
studies his own environment, sees his
opportunity and limitations, improves
the one and removes the other The
new farmer is not only a scientist,
but sociologist. He works in harmony
with his neighbors for the general
good and uplitt of his immediate COM
munity, and above all else he realizes
the dignity and importance Of his own
profession and individuality, in the
permanent and national welfare
Scales Show Effect Of Phosphorus.
If land we're abandoned for deple-
ton Of nitrogen and organic matter,
nature would restore these by wild
legumes, grasses, etc, if there was
enough phosphorus; but If land were
abandoned for lack of phosphorus II
would be permanently dead so far as
nature is concerned. The phosphor-
US factor is the simplest; phoserphus
has but to be bought and applied.
There is no possible way of applying
it through any rotation. and there is
no system of farming that will main
tain 1t except where the products of
other farms are added. Even a strict
ly live stock system, with all the
crops fed and all the manure saved,
will not maintain this element. 1t is
also the cheapest element of plant
food that has TO be supplied.
Phosphorus works especially in
developing the seeds and grain. Nitro
gen develops the leaf and stalk, and
rank, vigorous growth of these indi-
Gates plenty of nitrogen But it takes
the scales to tell the value of a phos-
phorus application. A few ounces
more or less to each hill of corn
makes a large difference in the yield
per acre. but is beyond the eyes of
anybody to measure.
Best Care of Manure.-Manure is
very perishable and loses rapidly I'M
der most conditions from the time
1t is made. If dropped where il is
wanted, or if applied at once, the loss
! is the least. No farmer should be so
blind as to suppose he is keeping up
| fertility in proportion as he feeds
stock, unless he gives the manure
| proper care; tits getting manure on
the land that counts in fertility. When
manure cannot be hauled and spread
as soon as produced, it is best pre-
served by the deep stall system Get
/ ting it accumulate under the animals
/ feet with p.enty of bedding for any
| desired timeJ. This system seems
especially adapted to winter feeding
in mixed farming Nitrogen is the
principal element in manure and the
! full value of manure is secured only
when it is applied to land needing
nitrogen.
! That the state should have a closer
relation with the road and bridge con
struction that the taxpayers may Sc
! cure better results for the money ex
pended, has been amply demonstrated
| the last few years by the state high
way commission, which was created
| to prove that a great improvement Of
the roads and bridges was possible
I " AlHOuN llSl SoACSs WI
| the people we're willing to adopt new
methods Of construction and the ad
| vice and supervision of the commits
sion.
The best earth roads are often found
! inadequate for the heaviest Travelled
highways Practical experience hal
! shown that the best method of treat
! ing the roads is to surface them with
/ broken stone or gravel A very eco
nomical plan has been put in opera
ton for constructing object lessor
roads Of crushed rock in those sec
tons of the state where there is nc
rock or gravel and the people had uc
chance TO see how such a road wears
The convicts prepare the crushed rocf
without adding to the cost of keepine
them. This does not interfere witt
any existing industries, but rather
creates an industry and demand FOL
free labor. The results of this wori
for the last few years seems in ever!
way practical and successful, and ii
view of these beneficial results, i
would seem entirely practical for thu
the state to make provision for thu
systematic designing and inspection
Of all bridges and the improvement o
all roads throughout the state.
Such a plan would be best carried
out through the cooperation of count.
engineers to have immediate charg
OF all road improvement and bridg
construction under the general super
vision OF the state highway commits
sion. whose approval OF all plan
should be secured before the work i
contracted.
Over two million dollars per yea
are spent In bridge construction. Tn
method of letting contracts is cum
hersome and unbusinesslike, and lac
of skilled supervision is very apparent
4 serious fact is that public safety
concerned in this work The taxpay
ers have given large sums of none
for bridges and have secured, in ger
eral, structures wholly inadequate 10
the purpose and very often at far to
high a cost Safe and economics
bridges cannot be secured, as a rule
under the present system.-H. A M
Reene, secretary Illinois Farmers II
sritute, Springfield, III.