The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26

Humus..
When organic matter becomes
thoroughly rotted and combines with
chemical elements in the soil, it is
called humus. Indirectly it is an
important factor in fertility, in fact
soil devoid of humus Is practically
barren. Humus increases the mois-
ture absorbing ability of soil to a
very marked degree and exerts de-
cided influence on the temperature
of the ground. Barnyard manure is
| the best source of humus, although
! green crops plOWed under are excel
j lent.
Fertility or Plant Food.
| Plants require certain specific in
gradients in the right quantities II
rapid growth and abundant prOduc-
ton is secured. An unbalanced plant
| food ration proves as disastrous to
| the growing plant as an unbalanced
food ration does to the animal. Hence
the farmer should know three things
pertaining to feeding plants, and he
can secure that information in study
ing and experimenting.
l. He should know the require
ments of plants.
2. He should know the quantity
of each element or substance neces-
sary to secure the best results,
3. He should know how to till
his land and manage the operations
of the farm so as to utilize and make
available what nature has provided
in crude form.
Soil is composed Of disintegrat-
ed rocks Rocks are composed OF
soda. potash, PHOSPHORUS and sui
phur. In those substances we have
the basic elements of fertility. TO
make them available plant food COM
pounds, we must have nitrogen and
oxygen, hydrogen and carbon oloN-
ide. Oxygen exists in the air in
abundance Hydrogen composes two
thirds of the volume Of water. Three
fourths of the atmosphere is compos-
ed of nitrogen, and carbon dloxlde is
the result of decomposition OF vege-
table and animal matter. The whole
layout is fine, and it is up to the
farmer to convert them into useful
plant food.
Can it be done? Certainly it can.
and that too by any intelligent farm
err if he will use his good judgment
and apply means and methods that
are at his disposal. Natures gener-
osity is of little use, however, if man
neglects his part. The factory needs
steel. How is it secured? Iron ore
is buried deep in the mountain, coal
is hidden below the surface, lime
rock forms a portion of the crust OF
the globe. When brought together in
the right proportion in the blast
furnace, iron is reduced to an avail
able form for another process, and so
on until the product is completed.
Without mans intervention the COM
ponent elements that are finally re-
solved into a cambria needle would
sleep on until the last day of eter-
nifty. Thus it is with the story of the
fertility of the SOIL
The story of the many complex
changes and combinations that take
place between the elements and sub
stances is too confusing for the busy
farmer to master He is interested
in what to do and how to bring about
the right results.
Most soil contains an abundance
of potassium, but it may be locked
up in particles of granite, feldspar,
alumina or clay, but it is made avail
able by the application of powdered
lime rock to the soil.
Phosphorus may exist in abund-
ance, but is not in the right form to
use until it is transformed into phos-
phoric acid by the action of acids re-
sulting from the decaying of manures
or organic materials of some kind.
Elements may exist in abundance,
but are not made into compounds to
be used by plants until the various
elements are brought together by
stirring and tilling the soil, thereby
changing the position of the soil par
ticles and the chemicals.
Converting and rectifying bacteria
may be absent or dormant for lack
of oxygen or because of an acid soil.
Lime neutralizes acid soil, and tile
and tillage ventilates it. If nitrogen
is lacking it can be supplied by plant
ing clover, alfalfa, COW peas or soy
beans.
Water is an essential factor in
forming plant food compounds, and
it's presence depends upon the meth
DDS used by the farmer. In short,
a sweet soil we'll stocked with air,
water and manure, we'll titled, will
rarely fail to produce abundant
crops.
A we'll arranged system of rotation
of crops is a splendid means of keep
ing the soil rich in plant food and in
a most excellent physical condition.
We know that if land is cropped |
year after year with the same kind of |
crop that each succeeding year the |
crop is less. We also know that If
crops are rotated, that a greater yield |
is made The farmer naturally in
4uires why there is such a variation
between continuous cropping and the
results of system of rotation. While
the same chemical elements enter
into all farm crops, they differ great
ly in the quantities the various ones
require. For instance, grain crop !
requires less potash than clover, pO-
tatoes or root crops; oats take more
potash from the soil than wheat or
corn, likewise, clover requires more
than grain crops. The
of wheat for instance,
are the same each year. Each crop
calls for just so much nitrogen, phos- !
nhoryc ond pofoch Tho roots IF each