The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-08-14

THE SOY BEAN. A GOOD SOIL BUILDER.
trates are formed from the nitrogen
contained in organic matter. The nj
trates are exceedingly soluble. and IN
less soon made use of by CROWN.
crops they are washed cut OF the soil
Nitrogen is therefore usually the first
element to become exhausted
Fortunately there are certain species
of bacteria that can use atmospheric
nitrogen. Of which there is al mex
haustible supply. One family of
plants. the legumes. has learned to ex
change work with these bacteri:. and
with an abundance Of nitrogen in Il
form they can Use When these nitro
gen fixing bacteria are present in n
soil on which Il IegumiDous crop is
growing the bacteria invade the roots
of the lcgume aud live there, Their
presence is usually made manifest by
swellings-the so called tubercles- on
the roots of thrifty plants OF clover.
alfalfa, beans, peas and other legumcs
The tissues of ieguminous plants be
come very rich in heterogeneous com
pounds. and when they decay in thu,
soil they set free large amounts Of nj
trates for the use Of crops.
The cultivation of leguminOus crops
Is one of the most important and eco
nOmical means Of maintaining IL sup
n <f nifp0ony,n,,c Iav, in, 1,<~
soil. Nitrates may Of course be sup
piled In commercial fertilizers, but fer
tiliZers containing nitrogen are yer,
expensive, and 1t usually pays better
to supply nitrogen by growing lc@u'nes
or by the application of stable manure.
which is rich in nitrogen when proper
ly handled. LII good farm practice.
both stable manure and legnminnuS
crops are used as sources of nitrogen
In order to produce Il ton of dry hay
| on an acre of land it is necessary that
the growing grass pump up from that
acre approximately 800 tons of water
The soil must not only be in condition
to absorb and hold wafer Well but II
must be porous enough to permit wa
ter to flow freely from soil grain to
soil grain. The presence OF large guam
titles Of decayfng organic matter (h,i-
mus, adds enormously to the water
holding capacity of the soil. Not only
that. but the shrinkage of the particles
of decayins organic matter and the
consequent !ooseuing of soil grains
keep the soil open and porous
| Furthermore. humus Of good quality
Is exceedingly rich in both nitrogen
| and mineral plant food The m,inte.
nance Of fertility may almost be said
to consist in keeping the soil we'll sup
| piled with hu1nus The first step In
reHovating wornout soils is to give
them an abundant supply of humus OF
good quality. Perhaps the best source
of hnmus is stable manure containin,
both the liquid and the solid cxcre
mant. especially when the stock i.
feu on rich heterogeneous foods. Even ;
poor quality of barnyard manur,
which has had much of the plant foof
teached out of it has considerable
value because of the humus it makes.
Another cheap and valuable source
OF hnmus, but one which must be used
understandinsly, is crops grown to
turn under us manure The legumes
are especially valuable for this pur
pose because Of the nitrogen they con.
tain. but other crops. such rs rye and
even corn sown thick. may sometimes
be made to supply large quantities OF