The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-09-11
THE GROWING OF
LEeUMlNoUs CROPS.

| The aggressive campaign that has
been waged for the past few years in
the Interest Of better farming by the
use OF legumes has not been without
its reward. AS farmers have become
better acquainted with these crops and
as they have more fully understood
their economy In crop production, the
greater has grown the demand for in
formation about them. Nor is this
surprising, for when we recognize the
value OF cover crops, and the advan-
tage Of legumes as cover crops, as pre-
venters of erosions conservers Of
plant food which might otherwise be
leached out OF the soil and, also their
power to add to the supply OF plant
food. deepen the soil and add TO It's
supply OF humus: TO improve its ply
steal condition, and. In addition, their
value AS hay and grazing crops, TO the
progressive farmer they become very
interesting, But TO properly perform
the functions OF "A winter crop, those
adapted TO that purpose should be SOW
ed sufficient early to so cover the soil
before their growth IL stopped by cold
weather as to protect II from erosion.
But when they are sowed even too late
for that, their root system may make
enough growth TO stop a large part OF
the waste OF plant food that would be
leached out OF bare soil, Then IL is
a well known fact that OF the three
essential elements in plant food nitro
gen. phosphorus and potassium, one or
more OF them is deficient in most OF
our cultivated soils, OF these nitro
gen IL the most important and, from
recent Investigations, has proven TO be
the most elusive. Also IL has been
shown by experiments In Germany and
also In this country that only 40 per
cents 10 about So per cent Of the nitro
gen applied to crops Is recovered or
taken up by the crops. This makes
the subject still more interesting.
II In an established fact that all
legumes have the power OF securing
free nitrogen from the air through the |
agency Of bacteria peculiar to the par
tlcular kind OF legume grown. For in
stance, the cowpeas will thrive only
when the bacteria peculiar TO the COW
pea IL present; the SOY bean requires |
the presence OF bacteria adapted to |
that plaut crimson clover viii thrive |
only when the bacteria peculiar to that
plant IL present; and so on throughout |
the entire list, with certain exceptions.
Those now known are: garden or Eng
lish peas, and the vetches can become
iuoSulated with the same bacteria.
sweet clover and burr clover
win lnoculate either plant
Most " the legumee when cut ut the
proper time and well cured make
very nne quality OF hay. When the
hay can he used To advantage on the
farm, Il tx much better to make the
crop into hay and feed II 10 live stock
cut II the land needs Il more than the
i've stock does. then II may pay better
% turn II under for soil Improvement.
Each farmer may decide this gor him
self, However II may be well TO re-
member that feeding hay 10 live stock
Toes not add anything to its fertillz-
ng value. Therefore the manure OF
yiNen quantity Of hay fed to live stock
md the manure returned to the land
VIII not contain as much plant food as
he grass would have furnished II IL ,
'ad been plowed under instead OF hav-
ng been made into hay and fed To the ,
I've stock IT. II. Parker d,