Semi-weekly herald., 1913-02-03
HOW TO SAMPLE SOIL.

HOW TO SAMPLE SOIL.
Do you know absolutely what the
soil of your farm or orchard contains
If not, how do you know, except by
guess work, what fertilizer it needs,
and what crops will grow best there ?
The man who does not know these
things is unlikely to make the maxi
mum success of his farming. His
only excuse is that he does not know
how to find out these things. For this
reason the department of agroncmy
has prepared printed directions for
soil sampling at the Oregon Agri-
tural college, and any farmer who
vii send samples, taken according to
these directions, to Prof. II. d. Scud-
der soils specialist of the experir en-.
station, will receive report con-
tahing information of vital import.
ance to his farm.
"Take samples from an open field
and avoid paths, gopher holes, etc,
from which modified and not typical
samples are likely to be obtained"
says Prof Scudder. Select an aver
age spot, pull up the plants growing
on it, brush aside half decayed vege-
table matter and bore or dig verti-
cal hole to where the soil changes
tint, or, if no change is seen, % the
depth of cultivation. Get sample cf
the soil to this depth from several
places N the field, mix well on cloth
or parse paper (avoid jute bagging).
"ln the same manner get an aver
age sample of the subsoil, taken be-
low the surface sample to the depth
of approximately two feet. Put it in
separate bag and label that also.
Dig or bore to depth of three or four
feet, and if hard pan or any other
popularity in structure is noted, send
properly labeled sample. If solid
rock is found, state at what average
depth it occurs and send small sam
pie.
"Send letter by mail with as com
plete a history of the field as pos
sible, the name of the nearest town,
the probable selling price of the land,
the elevation above the nearest riv-
er, the direction and grade of slopes.
Tell how long it has been cropped
and what has been raised on the land,
what the yields were and whether
fertilizers have been applied. If there
are any peculiarities which may have
bearing on the agricultural qualities
of the soil they should be mentioned
in the letter. The samples should be
expressed prepaid, 10 the experiment
station soils department"
The person who informed us that
"Tud' Patterson and wife passed
through from Denver to Silverton
must have seen double as Mrs. Pat
terson was not along but is visiting
in Colorado Springs and Cripple
Creek.
County Superintendent W. G. Swim
ney of San Juan county, New Mexico,
returned from Santa Fe last night
where he attended a semi-annual
meeting of the state board of educa-
ton of which he is member
The funeral of the late Ed Hum
phries was held from the Goodman
and Delaney undertaking parlors this
afternoon. The services were con-
Quoted by Rev. Mr.. Clements of the
Salvation army.
| Mrs Edna Patterson returned from
Denver last night where she has been
engaged as stenographer for the past
three months. She is domiciled at the
Strater.
i Rev. Mr. Hanson was an over night
visitor from his Dry creek ranch.
House building is the order of the
day out at his homestead.
II Mrs. Firman Hamor and lite
daughter returned on last nights east.
crn from a two months visit with rel
atives in Mississippi and Missouri.
j Scout Bobby Gilks is in Pensacola
4 Fla, putting the training grounds Ii
shape for the Cleveland Maps.