Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-10-10

p a series Of articles on "The o
p Science and Practice Of Agri- @
b culture and How to Harmon @
b ize Them," by O. L. Smith, o
y agriculturist of the o.-W, r. o
y 6 NJ, one Of the best known o
o farming authorities in the o
p Northwest @
o o o Q o o o 9 o o Q o Q o o @
HYHE SCIENCE Of agriculture is only
organized common sense, The prac-
tico of agriculture is jumble Of
methods based upon tradition, super
Btition, more or less absurd theories
and varying degrees Of business sense
combined with q limited measure Of ex-
act knowledge. To harmonize these
contradictory and often apparently an
t4gonistic factors, is o rather difficult
task, requiring time, tact, patience and
accurate knowledge. BY accurate
knowledge I do not mean just what can
DO learned from books, lectures, labora-
tory practice or even field studies. I
have known men full to running over
with all these and yet unable to har-
monizo any Of them with actual farm
practice,
One reason why tho task Of harmon
Izing the science and practice Of agri.
culture is 80 difficult is found in the
average conception Of the term
''science," / can remember whom the
term was to my mind always associ'
nted with unpronouncablc Latin words
bad smelling drugs and sulphur fumes
But when l found 30 good q story
teller as Charles Dickens claimed that
TO SOW tho Same seed, in tho same soil
under tho same conditions will surely
yield tho same fruit according to itS
kind, began to realize that science
was only tho knowledge that certain
causes would produce certain results
The possession Of this knowledge woulC
enable me to combine causes or factors
and surround them with conditions thai
would produce n desired result. Wher
] had learned this much aboui
"seienco" the term lost It's terror ant
became only namo for group Of
everyday things.
Like Produces Like,
From this point Of view It was com
paratiyoly easy TO harmonizo tho prac
tice of agriculture with tho science o.
agriculture. TO illustrate, II is recog
nizod ns scientific fact that undei
normal conditions "like produces like.
II 10 also fact that perfect plan
growth can bo secured only whom therr
Aro present In tho soil groat variet!
OF inorganic elements such as potash
phosphorous, nitrogen, calcium, silica
iron, sulphur, magnesia, etc, That tn
different plants use different propol
tops Of these Clements potatoes, 10
instance, require n larger proportion 0
potash than corn or wheat, but loss O
PHOSPHORUS and othor elements.
What Science Says,
Clover roots and loavoa make idoi
homes for minute soil bacteria tht
help to dissolve aud mako available u
various elements used by tho plant
Furthermore tho scientist will say thi
whore tho soil Ia too compact, heavy
cold, the plowing under Of u crop III
cloyor will loosen and warm IL Thor
fore tell tho scientist that you have
hoavy clay loan soil and wish TO gro
on II prize crop Of potatoes, and fro
his organised facts he will sayi "Gro
crop Of rcd clover, plow under q
eocond crop, leave the ground roul
ovor winter, work fine in tho spril
and plant ae soon no danger Of fro
In past, planting smooth, sound, ovc
sized tubors, for like produces like
Now LOT US see how we can harmc
iae this with practices Jim Kolly
Marysburg had won tho prize Of
riding culNyntor for the best buahel
potatoes exhibited at the County Fa
wanted TO know how he did H. n
drove 10 miles out TO his farm, viii
wap In hardwood district whero /
soil was rather heavy clay loam'
what Practice Says.
After complimenting Jim on I
prize, + asked him to tell me how