The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-02-12
CONTROLLING THE SOIL
By Mrs. Byrd Trego

b MS. byru lreSo
One of the most pleasurable and interesting occupation in the
world is controlling the soil to make it produce abundantly. There
is a nearness to the Creator and nature that is fruitful of a high
regard for cleanliness of mind and purity of morals, to the thought
full soil worker. The farmer has two neverfallng partners-God
and nature. There is no gainsaying the fact, the season of growth,
production and frution will come, sent without even the asking.
In some section the growing season is short, too short we are
wont to say. That this condition exists with us no one will deny.
1t behooves us then, to see how we can, in our calling of controlling
the soil, lengthen the season of fruition and income. What may
we by our thoughtful efforts make the conditions yield to us in
excess of what we already have?
What constitutes a growing and fruition season anyway?
If | were to ask the average farmer this question he would prob
ably say, From April to October" At the date OF this writing,
January 81, Mr.. Trego and have been out with a fork lifting
the mulch of leaves from our flowers and find the snowdrops well
out of the ground, with crocuses close second and the bleeding
heart following. The snowdrops will bloom in about two weeks,
are always Towering from the fifteenth to the eighteenth of Feb
ruary, and are able to take care of themselves in any weather
that may follow. Crocuses are likewise hardy, and sensible in
not venturing out until they know they can stay out without harm,
but not so with the bleeding heart, which is ever too hasty to burst
out in leaf, and needs to be covered over every spring with an
inverted apple box that has the bottom taken Oft and a piece of
cheese cloth fastened on in its place.
SO we have heightened the growing season by persuadng the
soil and season to allow the snowdrops out of their winter beds
the t~hirtyfrst of January. Now for a little common sense reason
ing. God and nature are our partners, but they arrange the eli
mate, soil and season in Bingham county to bring about a condl-
ton that will grow the wild flowers OF the desert and other natural
growth which we know come out later. We take this soil and add
to it manure to give it warmth and leaf mold or compost to pulverlze
and give it other qualities you all konw about. We plant our
snow drops whose habits we have, studied, on the southeast size
of the house where the sun has ample opportunity to warm the soil
and thick brick walls, then we leave the rest to nature. In the
fall we pick roses some seasons as late as the middle OF November,
and chrisanthemums a little later. We have one luxurient vine
that stays green until about Christmas. So by our careful study
and work we have heightened the season by advancing it in spring
and continuing it in fall, with the sanction OF our partners, God and
nature. We really have only one month when nature is dead or
asleep, and that is January, and even during that month the root
life is forming beneath the frost line.
The farmer advances the spring season when he sows his
wheat in the fall, but he may add very much to the interest OF
his work and variety to his table early in spring if he will apply
these principles earnestly to his garden. He can plant his onions,
lettuce, spinach and turnips, and perhaps other things, IN the tall,
managing them Just as we have indicated for the snow drops.
root force under ground all the latter part of winter, and by artrh-
cal protection such as boxes to keep Oft the cold or coal OIL cans
or other large pieces of tin, set so they will reflect the neat or the
sun on them and about the roots, will advance the product days
or weeks in the spring. He can even have pleplant IN mid winter
bv uncovering a root or roots and removing them to the cellar and
subiecing them to light and heat with moisture. Each root or
cump will yield enought for a pie from one to three times a week,
according to conditions. The stewed pieplant is a dellcay greatly
appreciated in the sick room under some conditions where the
system Graves the things of spring. The farmer, who has plenty
of plants, can easily dig out a ring around some of them in the
fall and make it easy to remove them during the winter, and can
have abundance of these delicacies during the cold weather. To
those who do not care for the pieplant, we suggest that there is
as much difference in rhubarb or pieplant as there is in cherries,
and YOU might do we'll to secure a better or different kind OF
plants.
This discussion leads on to the preparation of the soil, some
thing would not attempt to tell the business farmer about, be-
cause he already has superior knowledge. However, l want to
tell an incident or two, because his wife or daughter may do me
the honor to read this. l am sometimes favored by a visit by
some good friend from the country, and wish more OF them would
come, for it is much easier for them to come to Sagehurst, than