The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-05-21

When Crop ResIdues Are Returned To
Land Promptly and Leaumes Are
Shared With Nature In Fair Proper.
ton, Productivity Can Be Maintained
More Easily Than BY Stock Rails ns.
,E. J. Kinney, Assistant Agronomist,
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment
Station
Generally the most profitable type
OF farming for Kentucky Is one in
which part OF the farm crops are sold
for cash and part fed to stock Wheat
and tobacco are the ordinary cash
crops, while corn, hay. and oats are
the crops fed. BY feeding these prod
ucts, the farmer has usually been able
to secure a little better profit than II
he sold them for cash
With the high prices which corn and
hay have been bringing during the last
few years. however. the profits from
feeding stock have been rather small.
In some cases, the only gain has been
In the value OF the manure secured.
Perhaps the belief that the fertility OF
the soil can not be- maintained without
the use OF animal manure Is the only
reason that many farmers feed stock.
II Is very true that a large percent
age OF the farm lands OF Kentucky
live stock. Such is the case with prac-
tically all hilly lands. Increased profits
from these lands will come only when
more OF the area is kept In grass and
fewer acres cultivated. The proven.
ton Of erosion when hill lands are cul.
tivated is nearly impossible. and ero-
sion means such rapid loss OF plant
food that fertility can not be proftably
maintained.
Fertility Without Stock.
Animal manures always have played
an important part in maintaining pro-
ductiveness, and this has led TO the be-
lief held by many farmers that fsrtil
lty can not be maintained without
them This brings up the question as
10 whether this is true or not Must
the farmer feed stock for the sake Of
the manure. even II he makes no profit
otherwise. or can he devise a system
OF farming where fertility can be main
tanned without animal manures? n
this can be done. there are doubtless
many men who would keep little stock.
even II they could not realize quite az
much profit from their farms. Stock
farming requires more capital than
grain farming, not only because Of the
value OF the stock, but because more
buildings and fences are required H.
raising stock and the enforced confine
ment to the farm, that the care OF
stock necssitates, is irksome and un-
pleasant TO them. Before trying to
answer these questions il will be well
TO consider briefly some OF the prin
ciples Of soil fertility in order to learn
what the chief functions OF manure
are. so We can decide as TO its neces
sity in the maintenance OF fertility.
Essentials Of Good Soil.
Soils originally fertile become un.
productive usually because nitrogen
phosphorus. calcium. potassium or or
ganic matter become deficient. The
nitrogen of the soil is practically all
contained In the organic matter, and
deficiency of organic matter usually
accompanies a deficiency OF nitrogen.
Organic matter furnishes nitrogen i'm
proves the physical condition OF soils.
gives them greater water-holding ca.
paclty, and causes other elements OF
plant food TO become available more
rapidly II is perhaps the most i'm.
portant constituent OF every fertile
soil. The supply can be maintained
only by returning part of the plant
growth to the soil, either as animal
manure or in other forms
Potassium is a mineral element. and
enough for all crop requirements
Where organic matter is deficient. DO
tassium may not become available
rapidly enough for plant use The
remedy is TO increase the amount OF
organic matter,
Phosphorus and Calcium.
Phosphorus is another mineral ele-
ment. In the Bluegrass section the
soils contain sufficient for present
plant requirements, and probably
enough to last for many years. All the
lands OF the state. with the exception
OF this area. contain relatively small
amounts Of this element, so that few
crops reduce the supply to a point
where plants can not secure enough
for their needs. To maintain a sum.
Client supply II is necessary to use com.
mercial PHOSPHORUS In some form.
for Il is evident that the manure pro
duced on any farm can not maintain
the supply on land naturally deficient
in this element.
Calcium Is also a mineral element
OF plant food Soils seldom lack sufii.
Client for this purpose, but in addition
to its function as plant food. calcium
carbonate or limestone, a calcium com.
pound, is capable OF neutralizing acids
which form in the soil When a soil