Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-20

ing treatise on MODERN tarnlnS
Methods" by w. E. Taylor, the we'll
known soil expert of the Deere & Co.,
factories of Moline, Ill. Mr.. Taylor
attended the farmers institute held
recently in this city and delivered an
address which showed his intimate
knowledge of the subject matter. The
treatise:
i A farmer should have two important
objects in view; namely:
G. To till the land and mango his
land sufficient to compensate himself
and family for their labor and yield
a reasonable interest on the value of
his investment.
G.. TO till the land and manage his
operations SO that the fertility OF the
soil will not become exhausted.
HaphaZard methods and careless
work will not accomplish those results,
but systematic management, modern
methods and a scientific knowledge of
plant and animal requirements, will
surely bring success in a high degree.
Farming is profession no less i'm
portant nor less difficult to master
! than many of the so-called learned
professions, and the man who believes
that farming is foolproof occupation
will usually make an abject failure of
the business.
Two features must be observed;
namely. stock raising and crop raising
They are interdependent; they lean on
each other and neither one will long
endure alone. The crop consumes
plant food from the soil, but the supply
is no more inexhaustible than the
farmers bank account. The soil fer
tility must be replenished from time
to time, and it must be stimulated to
activity, otherwise the soil becomes
sick, anaemic and unproductive. Live
stock should consume the major por-
ton of the product of the soil in order
that many of the organic substances
essential to make inorganic elements
(Which exist in most soils in abund-
ance) available, may be returned to
the soil in the form of manures. Eighty
per cent of the fertility removed by
the crop is restored TO the land, if the
manure is properly preserved and ap-
piled.
Stock Raising.
Stock raising involves features re-
Quiring knowledge of breeds, means of
caring for animals, and the science of
feeding them. A high bred animal,
whether beast of burden, or for meat
or dairy products, is manifestly far
superior to scrub. A we'll bred ami
NAL requires no more food than one
with an inferior or inbred reford, and
the production is usually very profit
able.
| The difference in the amount of feed
consumed by we'll bred dairy COW
and poorly bred one is insignificant,
but the production in milk makes one
very profitable while the other does
lot pay for the feed eaten.
| The science of feeding is of even
more Importance. TO obtain the best
results the ration must be balanced;
that Is natures requirements should
be provided. Food elements that make
fat, heat and energy are called carbo-
hydrates, but they do not promote
growth. Growth is made by feeding
heterogeneous substances, but to secure
a perfect and rapid development the
right proportions of both must be
given.
Animals are no exception to the
rules governing construction in other
things If one is building a house. the
quantities of the various parts must
be in proportion, if the structure is
complete and durable In chemistry
we find that the law of combination
will permit of no radical interference.
Two parts of hydrogen and one part
Of oxygen will make pure water but
equal parts will not, nor will any other
proportions of those two elements
make that very necessary essential to
| life. Oxygen is absolutely necessary
| to sustain life, but if we place three
| volumes of oxygen with one each Of
hydrogen and nitrogen. we form nitric
acid and no other combination will
make that fluid. I mention these facts
to impress upon my farmer friends the
necessity Of knowing the requirements
of his stock in order that he may Sc
cure the best possible results IN his
feeding operations, for natures laws
of exactnesS are very strict.
Crop Raising.
The other feature of modern farm
ing, namely: raising crops, involves
four distinct steps or operations and
several subdivisions which will be
briefly referred to hereafter.
Iwant to impress upon the minds of
my readers the absolute necessity of
faithfully observing each one of the
operations which are,
Cd The seed bed.
(2) Fertility, or the operations nee
essary to prevent exhaustion of The
fertility of the soil.
(S) Selection and breeding of seed.
(4) Cultivation Of the growing
plant.
These operations are of equal I'M
portance, and a neglect Of any one of
them will invariably be the cause OF
deficient harvest.
The Seed Bed.
The seed bed must be so made that
it provides for each and all of the re-
Gurements of the growing plant.
The requirements are:
Cd An abundance of room.
(2) Atmospheric oxygen.
co Water
ca Humus.
60 Food.
The abundance energy and ability