Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-28
HAVE WAY TO TEST
SOIL OF THE STATE.

MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR COW
PREHENsIvE SCHEME TO AID *
THE FARMERS OF IOWA.
Farmers or Iowa who believe that II
is time to make a thorough investiga-
ton OF the soils OF the state to dis-
cover how they may be conserved and
made to produce better crops, now
nave an opportunity to give assistance
20 such work. The soils section Of the
!, IOWA Agricultural Experiment Station
Is ready to undertake the task Of de-
termlnlng what Iowa soils need in the
way or lime, phosphorus, manure, COM
merclal fertilizers and other materials
put II needs experiment fields in diner
eilt sections to carry out it's plans. The
soils section has money available to
start part of this work this fall and
provide labor, machinery. seed ant
iertllizing materials. but 1t does no.
nave money to buy or rent the neceS,
sary plots of ground on which to do Il,
work. For the land 1t must look to cit
izens who believe enough In the woSl
TO furnish small folds located on tn,
more important soil types OF the state.
|
Held will consist for the most part OF 3
group Of about so plots each. A rota
ton adapted to the region, such a,
corn. oats, wheat and clover, will b,
4 treated IN such way as to give the
most valuable information regarding
the fertilizing and crop producing value
| or rotations farm manures lime phos.
phorus, potassium, commercial fertiliz.
ers, ana such other materials az give
promise OF having a real value in keep.
soils. : 80 "
Local Value Of Experiment Fields.
SOL experiment fields Of this kind vii
De OF the greatest practical value to tn,
respective communities in which the,
are located for the following reasons:
=. 1t Is impossible to secure data al
a single point, such as Ames, for. IN.
stance, regarding soil management and
the needs OF the soil for manure, lime,
phosphorus and other fertillzing ma
terla!s, which will apply directly to the
problems which exist In other sections
| or the state and on other types OF soil.
= me operation Of soil experiment
fields In the different sections Of thu
| state Will make 1t possible for the agri,
cultural experiment station to carry or
SOIL and crop Investigations on each
of the principal soil types in Iowa. TIL,
experiments on these fields will a fforf
|
opportunity to study his soil problem,
at point near his farm and to note tht
! erect OF various systems of soil man.
agement on both the quantity ant
quality of the crop.
system Of live stock farming ant
, OF grain farming will be worked out II
considerable detail in order to shou
definitely the relative profits OF eaci
system and the effect OF each systeIl
on the productive capacitysof the soil
! 3. The farm crops section has at Tho
present time improved strains of Ger.
calls, such as wheat and oats, which
should be tested on the different soil.'
or the state under various climatic con,
ditions. Soil experiment fields vii
make possible such tests. 8
4 Conditions for Establishing Fields.
The following facts set forth clearly
the conditions under which soil expert.
ment fields will be established in Iowa
/ The number Of such fields will neces-
sarily be limited during 1914, owing to
a lack Of money.
I l. An individual group Of citizens, OF
responsible organization Is invited to
turn over to the Iowa state college for
a soil experiment field suitable tract
! OF land, the same to be fenced hogtigl1t,
! and to contain not less than thirty
acres
2. 1t is very desirable that the land
the Iowa State college, the deed to con-
tain a reverting clause to the effect
that the land shall revert to the donor
or donors In case it Is not used for ex-
detrimental purposes at any time for
" period Of two years. ~
I. 3. Preference will be given to land
which Is decided to the state, but In
case decided field cannot be provided,
a suitable tract Of land will be consid !.
cred on condition that 1t be leased, rent
free. to the Iowa state college, for a
period Of not less than rs years
/ d. The soils section will lay out and
maintain comprehensive series of ex-
periments as briefly described above. "
5. The section will provide all nec-
tilizing materials. and all products
grown on the field shall be the property
of the section.
g. The section will give public dem.
onstrations at the field from time to
time, and will label all experiments In
order that the work may be Of the
largest possible benefit to all who are
interested.
l 7. 1t is understood that the soils
4 section will give careful consideration
to all propositions which are made re-
garding the donation Of land Tor soil
experiment fields, but the section must
be free to accept only such tracts as
can be handled with the available funds
, and such as are especially adapted to
the proposed experiments.
8. All soil experiment fields should be
located near a good town; not more
than one mile out is preferable, al
though the distance may be somewhat
greater. The field should also be located
on line Of railroad which affords good
i connections with Ames. 4,
I For further information address c. r..
| Curtiss, Director, ,Ames, Iowa.