The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26
MODERN FANM MtThODS
BY Dr. W. {. Taylor Director Soil Culture Department
Deere & Co., Moline, Illinois.

A farmer should have two impor.
tant objects in view, namely.
/. TO produce wealth from his
land sufficient to compensate him
self and family for their labor and
yield a reasonable interest on the
value of his investment.
2. To till the land and manage his
operations so that the fertility OF the
soil will not become exhausted.
Haphazard methods and careless
work will not accomplish those re-
suits, but systematic management
modern methods and scientific
knowledge of plant and animal re-
quirements, will surely bring sue
cess in high degree.
Farming is a profession no less
important nor less difficult to master
than many of the so-called profess
'sions, and the man who believes that
farming is fool proof occupation
will usually make an abject failure
Of the business.
Two features must be observed
namely, stock raising and crop rails
ing. They are interdependent; they
lean on each other and neither one
will long endure alone. The crop
consumes plant food from the soil,
but the supply is no more inexhaust-
ible than the farmers bank account.
The soil fertility must be replenish-
ed from time to time, and it must be
stimulated to activity, otherwise the
soil becomes sick, anaemic and I'M
productive. Live stock should con-
sumo the major portion of the pro-
duct of the soil in order that many
of the organic substances essential
to make inorganic elements (Which
exist in most soils in abundance)
available, may be returned to the soil
in the form of manures. Eighty per
cent of the fertility removed by the
crop is restored to the land, if the
manure is properly preserved and
applied.
Stock Raising.
Stock raising involves features re-
Quiring knowledge of breeds, means
of caring for animals, and the science
of feeding them. A high bred animal,
whether a beast of burden, or for
meat or dairy products, is manifestly
far superior to scrub. A we'll bred
animal requires no more feed than
one with an inferior or inbred record
and the production is usually very
profitable.
The difference in the amount of
feed consumed by we'll bred dairy
COW and poorly bred one is insig-
nificant, but the production in milk
makes one very profitable while the
other does not pay for the feed eaten.
The science of feeding is of even
more Importance. To obtain the
best results the ration must be bal
anced; that is, natures requirements
should be provided. Food elements
that make fat, heat and energy are
called carbohydrates, but they do not
produce growth. Growth is made by
feeding heterogeneous substances, but
TO secure perfect and rapid devel-
opment the right proportions of both
must be given.
Animals are no exceptions to the
rules governing construction in 9th
err things. If one is building a house,
the quantities of the various parts
must be in proportion if the struc-
ture is complete and durable. In
chemistry we find that the law of
combination will permit of no radical
Interference. Two parts of hydro
gen and one part of oxygen will make
pure water, but equal parts will not,
not will any other proportions of
those two elements make that very
necessary essential to life. Oxygen
is absolutely necessary to sustain
life, but if we place three volumes of
oxygen with one each of hydrogen
and nitrogen, we form nitric acid
and no other combination will make
that fluid. ] mention these facts to
impress upon my farmer friends the
of knowing the require
ments of his stock in order that he
may secure the best possible results
in his feeding operations, for ma
lures laws of eXactness are very
strict.
Crop Raising.
The other feature of modern farm
ing, namely, raising crops, involves
four distinct steps or operations and
several subdivisions which will be
briefly referred to hereafter.
| mant to impress upon the minds
Of my hearers the absolute neces-
sity of faithfully observing each one
If the operations which are
l. The seed bed.
2. Fertility, or the operations nee
essary to prevent exhaustion Of the
of the soil.
5. Selection and breeding of seed
4. Cultivation of the growing
plant.
These operations are of equal i'm
,ortance, and neglect of any one
If them will invariably be the cause
If a deficient harvest.
The Seed Bed.
The seed bed must be so made
hat it provides for each and all of
he requirements of the growing
liant.
The requirements are
Il. An abundance of ROOM
?. Atmospheric oxygen.
3. Water \.
4. Humus. ....
Is. Food.
A Roomy Seed Bed.
The abundance, energy and ability |
f plant roots depends greatly on the
DOM and freedom they have to de-
elop. Roots seek the course OF least
esistance. especially during the ten
s.,~ h. ~ a o.