The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-08-13
To THE FARMERS
OF TENNESSEE
BY CAPT. L. F. PECK,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
BY CAPT. 7. F. PECK,

N>NSNSN~~NrSe~r~e~~~eSe SrNr~r~1S'>T>rN>>
In previous talks to farmers W
have discussed Soils and Method
for Improving Them" but the subjec
is so important. and one that so rev
understand as they should, we fee
justified in emphasizing this question
of soil building. The soil is the far
mer's working capital-hls worl
shop-and his success depends upoI
the fertility and good condition of his
soil.
All soil is made up of pulveriZeC
rock and vegetable matter. The rocE
contains the mineral matter that the
plant feeds on. This mineral matter
must be unlocked, either by nature oil
some other means, before the plant
can make use of it. Before this min
eral matter can enter into the plant
as plant food it must become dissolV-
ed by the water and taken up by the
water. This can only be done after
nature or some other agency has I'M
locked it.
Nature unlocks plant food very
slowly, and the business of the farmer
is to hasten this process so that the
growing plant can be provided for.
One of the means to this end is intro
ducing vegetable matter into the soil.
When this vegetable matter rots in the
soil it ferments and starts what is
called humic acid, Which eats away at
these mineral substances and puts
them in a~condition so water will dis
solve them. This is the cheapest way
of unlocking the mineral plant foods
of the soil.
This same vegetable matter, while
1t is unlocking the mineral plant foods,
is doing other work as fully as i'm
portant. This plant food can only be
taken up by water, and unless there
is sufficient moisture in the soil the
plant cannot hold moisture in sus-
pension. Adding decayed vegetable
matter (humus) to the soil increases
its capacity largely for holding water
in suspension where the plant can get
it. The late growing crops, like corn
or potatoes, are cut short often for
lack of soil moisture. Fully 80 per
cent of the moisture the corn plant
makes use of is taken up after the
corn begins to tassel. This ordinarily
is the dryest time of the whole season,
and the plant will suffer unless the
farmer has taken time by the fore,
lock and filled his sell with vegetable
matter and has done good tillage.
Many of the soils that fail to respond
after being titled for some years are
still rich in plant foods that are lying
dormant and are waiting to be I'M
locked by the introduction of vegeta-
BILE matter.
Nor is this all that rotting vegetable
matter will do for soils. A plant
must have, in addition to plant food
and water, warmth and air. When
vegetable matter rots in the soil it
separates the soil particles, letting in
the warm air warmed by sunshine.
One can easily test this. Put Their
mometer in a soil that is filled with
rotting vegetable matter in the spring
Af hn nd In nj
devoid of vegetable matter and note
the difference. 1t will be found that
the thermometer will register several
degrees of heat in the first named soil.
All sod fields dry off and heat up ear
lier than old fields. This is very i'm
portant, especially where a crop of
corn is growing. An abundance Of
vegetable matter in a soil will push
a corn crop ten days ahead of a crop
growing on a field lacking in this i'm
portant element.
Another lift that vegetable matter
gives the soil Is in letting In more air
in the soil so that the soil bacteria
can better work. Unless soil is in
the proper condition for these soil
bacteria to work and assist in placing
food at the disposal of the plants, the
growing crop must suffer. Scientists
tell us that in spoonful of earth
there should be more than million
soil bacteria. These can only work
where air is supplied. Then the more
air they have the better they can work.
In other words, soil filled with rot
ting vegetable matter makes an ex-
cellent medium for the soil bacteria
to multiply and work in. In short,
many soils that fail to respond with
paying crops are really lacking vege-
table matter rather than plant food.
How can this vegetable matter be
supplied? BY better use of the farm
manure, growing of legumes and ro-
tation of crops.
nronnAd info Eartl1,a OnanInd.