The Huttig news., 1913-11-01
How to Baiid Up the Soil.


 the farmers in Arkansas. Except in the bottom country and low lands, the greater part of the sells Of Arkansas are deficient in organic matter. Organic matter may be hsd by adding humus, in blowing under pea vines and stubble, corn stalks, weeds, grass, etc, The corn stalks do not add much value but some. and they should never be cut and burned. The best way to add organic matter is by ra;s ing and pasturing stock. Stab man ure is the best of ail, but COW man ure, hog and sheep manure are al so good
 There is such an abundance of what is known as range or wild untitled land. that. few farmers care to use part of their farms for pasture for stock, preferring to use the land for growing crops Due to this fact few of our farmers realize the value of COW or hog manure dropped during the year A writer of recognized authority says hat the average mich COW will drop twenty tons of manure in a year. How many of our farmers know this? How many ever figur- ed on this from ar economic stand point in their farm operations9 How many realize how much they have b5en standing in taeir own light by not giving pasture room to the humble mileh COW, Most of them have overlooked the fact that the COW is a miniature fertilizer factory for the farm, and that all tle farmer has to do is to capitalize the plant and the industry runs it. self, for the COW on the pasture will gather the elements of nature Ih ough the process of grazing for : psFi5o cf sighf months n F6e year and return them to the soil in the form of organic matter, and even  do the spreading, without mans aid.
 On the other hand. how many of our farmers have ever figured the manure from the hcg's droppings as of any value at all9 Yet pound for pound the droppings from the hog are more valuable as organic matter on most of our soils than those of the COW. The hog is good pasture animal. lie likes the pasture, and if given good pasture will thrive on 1t and pay for his board in manure. besides making meat for the family, or providing pork for the market.
 Cow peas plowed under adds or ganc mater to the soil and builds up the soil surely and rapidly, Yet how many of our farmers can af- ford to sacrifice the yielding value of their tillage soil by turning un- der a crop of COW peas? However almost the same end can be attain ed by growing and harvesting the COW peas and feeding them to the cattle and hogs. for they will re- turn to the soil almost the full fer tilizing value of the pea crop. They will do even better than that. for they will harvest the crop in addi- tion if you will let them.
 The sheep is another good ferti- lizing agency. The droppings of the sheep have a high fertilizing value. Few of our farmers are giving any attention to sheep, but it would pay them to raise them. Recently 1 travelled through the State of Illinois, and alongside the railroad saw an immance fertilizer plant, devoted exclusively to pre- pairing sheep manure for market, and advertising it as of the, highest valure as a fertilizer. So if the farmers would restore or maintain the fertility of the soil they should above all else begin to prepare pas lures for their cattle, hogs and sheep. and keep them up for their value as soil builders, if nothing cleo If tria6 otIt sufficiently if