The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-17
Sound Advice IL Given I
Shawnee Land Tillers.
State Agricultural College Puts
Out Pamphlet.
Tells Of Crops That VIII Bet
ter the Soil.

The failure Of many Shawnee county
farmers to practice rotation of crops
has resulted IN ifnp0ve ffshed soil. The
Kaw valley strip IL the garden spot Of
Kansas and capable Of producing mar
velous crops. but the methods of many
farmers are beginning to tell on the
fertility OF the soil.
On some of the upland farms corn
has been planted each season for thirty
years. The result Is that the acre yield
has been materially reduced.
''Sofl Survey OF Shawnee County,
Kansas recent publication Of the
Kansas State Agricultural college. IN
corporation with the bureau of soils
Of the United States department of agri-
culture. offers some timely advice to the
farmers OF this county. The following
Is taken from this publication:
Maintaining Soil Fertility.
The maintenance of soil fertility is
one Of the most vital problems concern
ing farmers Of Shawnee county today.
A step of utmost Importance in the
maintenance Of the fertility Of the soil
is the adoption of some system OF crop
rotation in which q leguminous crop.
such as alfalfa. cowpeas, clover, or
sweet clover. is grown at definite periods
on each Of the cultivated fields of the
farm. At the present time over IS per
cent OF the OswegO silt loan and Os-
wego silly clay loan, two Of the richest
upland soils of the county. are in corn
each season. Some OF these fields have
been cropped to corn continuously for
over thirty years. The same is true of
some OF the soils Of the Usage series.
Under such treatment it II not sur
prising that the acre yield of corn in
the county has declined. rotation of
crops should be practiced on these soil
types, and in the rotation some legu-
minOus crop should be Systematically
grown to supply nitrogen. The chemi-
cal analyses of these soils show that
nitrogen is the limiting element of plant
food, and must be supplied il maximum
crops are to be grown.
Cowpeas in Rotation.
The cowpea Is good leguminOily crop
to grow for the purpose of supplying
nitrogen to the soil. This crop may be
planted in the summer after haryestinz
crop OF wheat or oats, and in seasons
Of ordinary rainfall will produce an album
dant growth by fall. The best practice is
to pillow the crop under before frost, leave
the ground rough over winter. and plant
the field the next season to corn or kafir.
Alfalfa Good in Rotation.
Alfalfa is good crop to grow in rota
tlon with other crops for the purpose of
aaoine nitrogen to the soil Some Of the
nitrogen taken by alfalfa bacteria from
| the atmosphere, and utilized Nv Alfalfa
Ior growth, may in turn be used by other
crops that succeed alfalfa in the rota-
tioh III, provldine the alfalfa growth is fed
manure returned to the soil. Alfalfa will
not add g large amount Of nitrogen to
the soil when the crop is cut for hay AMI
sold from the farm
Barnyard manure is one of the best
forms In which to supply organic matter.
AS large quantity as possible should be
produced on every farm, and the manure
produced should be carefully saved and
| applied to the soil. Fresh manure fur
nishes the largest amount of organic
matter.
Commercial Fertilizers.
I Commercial fertilizers have not been
commonly used in the past in Shawnee
county, but as the soil becomes less fer
| tile greater interest Is taken in their use
Commercial fertilizers are manufactured
and sold for the purpose of supplying one
or more of the three essential elements OF
plant food. nitrogen, phosphorus, and
| potassium. F. L. 8.
! CThis is the eighteenth of a series OF
articles on agriculture in Shawnee coun
/ ty published in the state Journal.)
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