The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-10-08

cultural science, and that was the
dogmatic way Of teaching it The
practical men couldn't give any rear
sons that would logically contradict the
scientific conclusions, so he rejected
the science, clinging to his tradition,
and continued to practice certain
methods without being able to explain
why. 1t took ten years for the scien-
tist to reach the conclusion based on
experiment, observation and collected
facts, that physical condition was quite
as important factor as chemical
composition.
Then came the bacteriologist who dis
covered that live soil was productive
and dead soil non-productive, regard
less of the composition. That live soil
contained innumerable quantities Of
microscopic organisms that through
their life and death made available for
the use Of the plants the various ele-
ments which the plants used Still fur
ther investigation demonstrated tho
fact that proper proportion Of air,
water, heat and light were just as
necessary for perfect plant growth as
any other element.
Bacteria In Soil
Next the scientist explained fact
long well known, but apparently lost
sight Of, that bacteria were found only
in organic matter. They vindicated by
their collection Of facts the theory of
the fact that nothing could live but
something else must die So after 20
years l could answer the Professor and
tell him that the value of stable
manure was in its physical effect upon
the soil composition rather than Its
chemical compounds. That it furnished
a home for those minute bacteria that
made available those inorganic ele-
ments; that it regulated to marked
degree the soil temperature, increased
its capacity to absorb and hold mois-
ture and could therefore carry a much
larger amount Of oxygen without which
the little bacteria would have to quit
business.
And then I remembered what 40
years ago q practical German garden
er, when showing mo row Of ruts-
bagas, said At one end they would
average about ten pounds apiece and
at the opposite end Of the row about
two ounces apiece. I asked him why
and he said: "Oh, this ground up here
where the big ones are Is alive Thzt
over there where the little ones are is
dead" asked him what would put
new life into the soil and he an
swered. "Plenty Of stable mature"
Impractical Science.
Down in Georgia, one of the old
school scientists applied ten dollars'
worth per acre Of nitrogen, potash and
PHOSPHORUS and doubled his yield Of
cotton on . piece of worn-out land;
but the next year it took twelve dol
lars worth to accomplish the same re-
suits. He kept increasing the doses
Of medicine until the medicine cost
as much as the market value Of tho
crop.
The old darky who drove the mules
to cultivate the cotton had seven acres
Of tho same kind of land, but no
money to buy medicine, so he just
grew weeds until they were foot
high, and then piowed them under.
Then he sowed some oats, cut off the
heads and plowed under the straw.
Then he sowed some cowpeas and har-
vested for hay, sold the hay to tho
boss for SIS per ton to feed the mule
used to cultivate the cotton that WIS
taking medicine.
For convenience the mule was
stabbed on his seven acres, and he
kept the manure.
Harmonizing.
The fourth year his three acres Of
upland cotton that hadn't had any
medicine, produced more than any three
acres of the scientist 8 that had had
forty-five dollars worth Of medicine.
While his other four acres produced
oats, corn, sweet potatoes and pea hay
equal in value to any four acres Of the
doctored cotton. Then Sam, the prao-