The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-04-21

N'S IaS'y LHan oy otoCk Raising
&c. ]. Kinney, Assistant Agronomist
Kentucky Agricultural Experimen
Station)
Generally the most profitable typ,
OF farming for Kentucky is one il
which part of the farm crops are solC
for cash and part fed to stock. Whea
and tobacco are the ordinary casr
crops, while corn, hay, and oats are
the crops fed. By feeding these prod
ucts, the farmer has usually been able
to secure 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.
1t is very true that large percent
age of the farm lands of Kentucky
live stock. Such is the case with prac-
tlcally ali billy 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-
tFated is nearly impossible, and ero-
sion means such rapid loss of plant
food that fertility can not be profitably
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 fertiI-
lty can not be maintained without
them. This brings up the question as
TO whether this is true or not. Must
the farmer feed stock for the sake of
the manure, even II he makes no profit
otherWlse, or can he devise a system
or farming where fertility can be main
tanned without animal manures? IF
this can be done, there are doubtless
many men who would keep little stock,
even If they could not realize quite as
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. In ,
addition, some men find no pleasure in
raising stock and the enforced confne-
ment to the farm, that the care of 9
stock necssitates, is irksome and I'm I
pleasant to them. Before trying to /
answer these questions it will be well
10 consider briefly some of the prin a
c1ples of soil fertility in order to learn t
what the chief functions of manure
are, so We can decide as to it's neces- t
5lty in the maintenance of fertility a
Essentials of Good Soil.
Soils originally fertile become IN
productive usually because nitrogen. r
phosphorus, calcium, potassium or or |
5anic matter become deficient The
nitrogen of the soil is practically ali |
in the organic matter, and
deficiency Of organic matter usually
companies a deficiency of nitrogen.
lrganlc matter furnishes nitrogen. i'm |
roves the physical condition of soils. |
ives them greater water-holding ca |
acity, and causes other elements of |
liant food to become available more
apidly. 1t is perhaps the most i'm. J.,
ortant constituent of every fertile /
oil. The supply can be maintained
My by returning part of the plant |
rowth to the soil, either as animal |
manure or in other forms. L
Potassium is mineral element, and
early all Kentucky, coils Contain :,
nough for AL crop requirements di
Where organic matter is deficient, 40 CT
assiunh may not become available Is
apidly enough for plant use. The
emedy is to increase the amount of "
rganic matter. :,
PHOSPHORUS and Calcium. b,
Phosphorus is another mineral ele 81
nent. In the Bluegrass section the n;
oils contain sufficient for present
liant requirements, and probably al
nough to last for many years. All the tc
ands of the state, with the exception tt
# this area, contain relatively small
d Nj
rops reduce the supply to a point
where plants can not secure enough
or their needs. To maintain a sufj-
lent supply it is necessary to use CON- pa
nerclal PHOSPHORUS in some form. pe
or 1t is evident that the manure pro NC
uced on anv form, oon ~ .o;,4. m
he errn1v az 1o1 4-1,e go hs
n this element III
Calcium is also a mineral element ~
# plant food Soils seldom lack sufi- -
lent for this purpose, but in addition
o its function as plant food, calcium
arbonate or limestone, calcium COM ~
'ound, is capable of neutralizing acids ~
which form in the soil. When a soil to
ecomes acid clover and other legumes q,
all to grow well, if at all Legume -
rops are absolutely necessary in any
ystem of farming to maintain the
itrogen supply. There are not many
oils in the state where the addition =
limestone would not prove bene-
claL Either ground limestone or lime n
lay be used. The need for limestone
an not be supplied by manure.
Held To Be Easier Way.
we may conclude from the above
Latements that most of the benefit
ON animal manures is due to the fact
nat they supply humus and nitrogen.
no that if an efficient method of sup
lying these in some other way could
round, We could maintain fertility