The Huttig news., 1914-06-27

| paSture0 or I6Q 10 CdLCle ana mai keted in the form of beef. or pre- ferrably as butter, which carries away practically no plant food nearly 85 per cent of the fertilizinf value of the feed is returned to the soil in the form of manure, aftel the animal nutrients have been tak sn out. This manure on being ar piled to the soil increases the amount of plant food, improves the texture and increases the wat holding capacity. Not the least benefit derived from barnyard ma nure is the chemical effect of tte i bacteria and acids that act upon the soil and particles and render available the plant food that has been locked up.
 A farm should be so laid out and the crop rotation so planned that one piece of ground is not occupied y the same crop two years in sue ;ession Unless this is done, the plant food contents of the soil raE- idly decreases. and as each plant takes more of one certain element than of any other. the fertility is said to be one-sided. Most people farm their land only in the summer. but the progressive farmers rota. ton calls for winter crops of small grain, vetch or clover to hold the soil if it washes badly and to take up all the available plant food to prevent it's teaching These cover Ecrops can be used as grain or hay, cut and fed and the manure re- turned, or they may be pastured and then plowed under. Another and better method, so far as the benefit to the soil is concerned. consists of blowing under the whole crop when it is green. This last l method is called green manuring . 1'4tx Denef1ts conse from the fac. that it returns all the plant food. adds humus, thus increasing the water holding capacity. and inn proves the texture of the soil, loosening up a clay scil and binding sandy soil together. When peas, 1 clover or vetch (the legumes) are Iplowed under the benefits are still greater, as these plants have the power of gathering nitrogen from the air. By growing these legumes a farmer can save money on his ntrogeno0s fertilizer bill.
 In connection with all that has been said. and, indeed, without it nothing could be done, proper till age is of vast importance. In pre- pairing the land the depth of blow ling depends upon the quality and texture of the soil, the amount of trash and foreign matter to be buried and the crop to be grown. Suffice it to say that the best pos
 
 sible preparation is none too good, a we'll pulverized seed bed being essential. No less important than the tillage of preparation is the Itillage of cultivation. The ground should be disced or narrowed after each rain before planting. and after the crop is grown a dust mulch should be maintained to conserve moisture. This leaves the ground in good mechanical condition for the next crop, which may we'll be winter cover crop. We till in so many different ways and for so
 
 many different purposes that it is i. impossible to gre a best method of tillage. We should study our own soil and condition and till we'll: to pulverize the soil; to establish a seed bed; to conserve moisture; and to kill weeds.
 l The more. we study the question l of restoring the lost fertility the more interesting it becomes. the more vital 1t seems. When we find the best methods of maintaining the fertility. and see it put into practice, especially all over the South. the cost of living will not be so high, as it will mean increased and cheaper food products, the pro- duction being more nearly equal to