The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-04-24
EXPERIMENT
STATION NOTES.
Missouri Should Grow More COwpsas.

as il becomes more and more necessary
to maintain the fertility to secure a net
return, cowpeas or similar crops must
come into more general use. They
build up the soil, as does clover, but
they have the advantage Of much
shorter growing season and Of lending
themselves for use as a catch crop to
be p!owed under or pastured down for
soil building purposes.
1t is true that cowpea seed is some
what expensive and that cowpeas are
hard 10 cure, but the return that can
be secured from them when a man un-
derstands how to handle them is as
great or greater than that from clover.
At present, practically all the cowpea
seed in Missouri is produced in the
southeast Missouri lowlands, There
is no reason why the uplands Of cen
tral or south Missouri cannot produce
cowpea seed proftablY. This would
cheaper the cost of seed for the indi-
yidual farmer. Small pea threshers
are now on the market which will en-
able farmers growing small amounts Of
peas to save their own seed and even
put some seed on the market.
The farmer on average to thin land
in Missouri who expects TO make good
net returns from now on will usually
find the cowpea one Of his mast profit
able crops, when he learns to handle it.
M. F. Miller.
The Supply Of Organic Matter in the Soil.
The most fundamental cause OF de-
creased productiveness Of Missouri
farmland is the gradual depletion Of the
otganic matter A good supply Of
organic matter in soil is necessary,
first, to keep the soil loose and lriable,
second, to maintain the supply ol
nitrogen, and third, to make available
the mineral plant foods through its de-
cay. Commercial fertilizers will, for a
time, bring remunerative results on
worn land, even when the organic
matter Of the soil is not maintained,
but the continued profitable use oI
commercial fertilizers on most soils is
dependent upon the maintenance o.
the supply OF organic matter.
The growing Of grain crops is the
most important cause Of the depleted
supply Of organic matter in our soils
Organic matter cannot be maintained
under grain farming unless largei
amounts OF manure are added 10 The
soil than can be made by feeding the
grain crops. Where man canno
buy manure, as is usually the case, i
is therefore necessary.to alternate grair
crops with organic matter building
crops, such as clover and cowpeas
either feeding all Of these back or turn
ing a part Of them under.
Thus far, we have lived largely upoi
the virgin fertility Of our soils. From
this time forth we must learn to in
crease soil productivenesS, and main
tanning Of organic matter is the frs
principle. M. f. Miller.
Dsting Corn Land Before Breaking
The importance Of good seed be-
for corn is not sufficiently appreciated
A poor stand Of corn may be due t
a poor seed bed as well as TO interio
seed and other causes. Briefly, tn
sort Of seed bed which is desirable Gc
corn is one which is loosend deeply
from six to eight inches, but which
well settled together below with me
low and well pulverzed surface.
One Of the best ways 10 begin th
preparation Of such a seed bed is Wit
disc harrow before blowing. This
particularly true Of stalk land, whel
the weighted disc will not only CT
the stalks so they may be turned unde
but will also pulverixe the surface
, that when the soil is inverted the Q
gsnic matter which is thoroughly nike
' with the soil will not delay the re-esta
? Ii hment of caplllarily.
The discing Of stubble land is al