The Dickinson press., 1914-03-28

Of GREAT Benefit TO SOIL
W. c. PALMER, North Dakota Expert.
ment Station.
The value of stable manure is meas.
ured by the increase in crop it will
bring. At the North Dakota Expert
ment Station it has been found that
when manure (six loads per acre) is.
applied to corn that the corn crop is
increased six bushels and. the next
three wheat crops eight bushels. With
corn at so cents and wheat at 80 cents
this means $1.57 per load. The bene-
fits do not cease at the end of the
third year, thus increasing the value.
Professor Snyder of the Minnesota
Experiment Station found that the
loss Of nitrogen from a soil that was
In continuous grain growing was five
times as much as that taken out by
the crop. The humus holds the nitro
gen largely. In the continuous grain
growing. the humus was destroyed
fast, hence the loss Of the nitrogen.
The application Of manure adds hui
mus as well as plant food. The humus
added is in the best condition for
benefting the soil. The grinding
and mixing given it by the animal
puts IT in this ideal condition. The
bacteria in the soil have q good deal
to do with the soils: available fertility.
The manure furnishes food and condi-
lions in the soil suitable to bacterial
activity. The organic matter Of the
manure also increases the water hold
ing capacity Of the soil and improves
it's mechanical condition. The humus
formed from the manure holds avail
able plant food that the plant can
absorb. It has been found that when
the soil is we'll supplied with avail
able fertility that the plant requires
slessswater to produce a pound Of dry
matter than where the plant food Is
but slightly available. It has been
found for instance that it requires
less moisture to produce a pound of
dry matter on the part Of a field
MANFRED than on the unmanured part.
The value Of manure depends on the
kind of animal producing it, the food
fed, and the bedding. About three
fourths Of the elements of plant food
contained in the food are returned in
the manure, which means that the
manure from animals fed alfalfa and
clover, hay, bran, oil meal, ETC., is
more valuable than If they were fed
straw, timothy hay or corn.
The way to apply it SO, as to get the
best results is q big question. Corn
is q good crop to apply it to; pasture
is also splendid. Manure applied d.
rect to grain crops does not give so
satisfactory returns.
When applying manure on pasture
or for corn it can be spread in the
fall, winter or spring. For corn 1t
needs to be plowed under. The disc
ing, narrowing and cultivating will
pack the soil sufficiently.
The question Of using freshSor rotted
manure is an important one The
fresh manure contains the most plant
food and the most organic matter. It
may also contain weed seeds. When
the manure rots 1t loses a good deal
in bulk due to the organic matter
breaking down. A good deal Of the
nitrogen also escapes. Where the soil
is dry it takes the fresh manure some
time to break down. II fresh manure
were plowed under, and the land.soWn
to grain the manure would interfere
with the moisture passing up into the
plowed soil. The fresh manure would
also have more Of a tendency to cause
the grain to go to straw than rotted
manure. When applying for corn the
fresh manure Is satisfactory though
lit needs to be plowed under well and
to a fair depth. When manure is an
piled to corn it helps the corn crop
and has d splendid effect ON the cr0p
ef grain that follows. The. manure.
when handled right, Will keep up the
crop producing power OF the coil.
handful of linseed meal y
fed the horses about three i
times q week viii aidto5regl- Z
late the system, promote I
health and glossy coat
!