Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-04-07
Plant Life In the Soil.

nAhnOSD, AkrlcH4sural Ellkoy OxIOrN GU
oerat. Par.s. Ne.
Plant Life In the Soil.
iEarl Jones, Instructor IN A Agropomy. at Farm
ers' Week. OrOno.
Only a small amount of the plant food
in the soil becomes available each year
IL IL had originally been soluble and
available, IL would have been lost in the
drainage water centuries ago. Under
natural conditions, iittle plan, food wa
removed from the soil, as the plants fell
TO the ground and decayed where they
grew. The plant could he used agair
and az the same time the organic matter
content Of the sol was kept up.
Mao, however, must remove the crop
from the soil. This means that both
plant food and organic matter mus, be
taken away. Unless measures are taken
u keep up the productiveness of the
soil, the yields will decrease, alter con'
tiuued cultivation, because the available
plant food of the soil will become ex-
hausted aud the natural agencies in the
soil will not make il available with suf'
ficent rspidity for prof able crop pro
duciiun. Soil will become productive
again, after being abandoned for a few
years, that nature may repleuish the
supply of available plant food and re,
store the organic matter TO the soil.
The chief factors making plant food
available are organic acids from decaying
organic matter, csrbonic acid dissolved
in the soil water, and the work Of soil
bacteria. DecayiDg organic matter Is
the chief source of carbonic acid and is
also the food for the bacteria. Thus, 1t
may be observed that the supply oil
available plant food in the soil is de-
pendent, very largely, upon the amount
of decayipg organic matter.
As the humus or organic matter con-
tent of the soil decreases, its physical
condition becomes uufavorable to plant
growth, its power to hold moisture is
decreased, and it becomes compact and
hard TO work. Some of the prairie soils
of the west were cropped continually Tor
many years, after the settlement OF the
country and soon their productivity de-
creased. Experiments showed that or
ganic matter and not fertilizer was need
ed by these soils.
The soil must be in a loose, friable
condition, so that the plant roots Will
have plenty of air and moisture and at
the same time be able to spread through
The soil. Lacking these conditions, no
amount of plant food will produce the
largest crop. One authority says that
millions of tons Of commercial fertilizers
are used annually in this country, with
out results simply because they are ap-
piled TO soils lacking organic matter or
humus.
Cultivation necessarily destroys the
organic matter content OF the soil very
rapidly. Unless measures are taken 70
keep il up, it will soon be exhausted. 1t
is aiways safe TO add organic matter, al
ter a soil has been cultivated for ten
years. Sandy soils, especially, need or
gauic matter to give them the power TO
hold water and plant food. Organic
matter lightens up clay soil, makes 1t
easier 10 work and less likely to bake, II
worked when wet.
The use of ordinary farm manure Is
one of the best ways OF keeping up the
organic ma ter content of the soil. II
this is not available for the entire farm,
it will be necessary TO plow under
crop, probably every five or six years.
Flowing under the second crop OF clover
might be advisable. Adding organic
matter is the first step to take in build
ing up a run down soil. For summer
growth, buckwhest is very good, while
rye and other winter grains make good
growth in the fall and can be plowed un-
der the next spring. This factor cannot
be neglected and usually the chief diff
ference between run down and produc-
tive land is the organic matter content OF
the soil.
Soil bacteria are of great Importance
in making plant food available. They
are minute plants living on the organic
matter in the soil, decomposing IL, and
rendering the plant food it contains
available for the use Of other plants.
The acids formed during the decay, are
Of value in making the mineral plant
food available. Other bacteria live in
the uodules on the roots Of the clover
aud other legumes and take some nitro
gen from the air. This the plant 10 able
10 use and the blowing under of clover
crop may mean the addition OF nitrogen
to the soil.
Soil conditions favorable to the growth
of other crops, are also favorable to the
growth of bacteria. They work best in
land we'll drained, we'll aerated and kept
sweet by the use of lime, if necessary.
Cultivation also favors their work.
Since organic matter is their food, a
plentiful supply is necessary for their
best action.
Making the plant food in the soil
available is of great importance. Keep
ing the soil in good condition for this
work will reduce the amount of fertil'z'
ers that need be purchased. CONNER
cial fertilizers will neither keep up the
yield nor prove profitable many years,
unless the soil is kept in good physical
condition for the growth of plants.
The blind use Of commercial fertiliz
ers, without attention TO these other
matters will often do more harm than
good and will eventually result in finan-
cial loss