Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-12-21
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPKED THE PLow."

Correspondence on practical Agricultural topic
II solicited. Address al communications u
tended for this department to HHN1Y
HAMoND. Agricultural Editor Oxford Den
To Restore Soil Fertility.
Within IA years the farm lands of tn,
United States have doubled In selling Of
speculative value. Meanwhile they hav,
greatly diminished in actual value. They
are much poorer in nitrogen, phospho
We have reason to believe that oul
farms have as q whole reached the high
est point of valuation. We must now
compete with the farmers OF the world
Lands located near great cities or where
markets are specially favorable, will
continue to hold their speculative valu
alton, and may even advance In price
But few are buying farms as invest
ments and every man who buys land In
quires what is Its state of fertility. We
are all aware that rundown farm with
dilapidated buildings is poor invest.
ment. If man knows that he must
spend at least $50 per acre before be
harvests reasonable crop, and 500 be.
fore he comes to profit, he hesitates in
buying an abandoned farm.
Not all these cheap farms are equally
low in vitality. Some have been simply
neglected and analysis of the soil will re-
veal a goodly amount of nitrogen, phos-
phorus and potash. We may expect In
the near future soil surveys of all over
New England states. II this includes
the analysis OF the soil, then the pur.
chaser may know not only the quality of
the soil but It's fertility. Now the pur-
chasing of q farm is mere venture.
Buying o farm in these days is good
deal like investing in stocks-every man
takes bis risks, and some of US know
what that means.
But the question with every farmer is
how can restore the fertility of my soil
in the quickest and cheapest manner.
Every thrifty farmer has fields that give
him annually sure and liberal crop.
The most of US have acres that scarcely
pay expenses, to say nothing Of profit.
The same is true, we are told, OF many
herds of COWS. We have fields that give
US q good income on $500 an acre value.
Others barely pay expenses. Yet the
neglected lands cost US the same as the
good. My first remark Is that the same
methods that serve to produce a paying
crop also tend to restore the fertility of
the soil. Stable manure is far away
the best fertilizer thus far discovered.
It furnishes the greatest variety of ele-
ments and in the best proportions. But
this alone does not pi oduce the best re-
suits and contributes little to the resto-
ration of soil fertility.
It must be supplemented by chemical
fertilizers to aid the plant In certain
stages of its growth and also to meet
some of its needs. Besides the most of
the manure Is quickly available and is
used up annually by the crop. The
farmer to be largely successful must
know the need of each crop and meet 1t
in the best and cheapest way. If l may
be allowed to speak out of my own ex-
perience, would say we have made the
hay crop special study for many years.
Our soil Is we'll adapted to its produc-
ton. We first learned from the best
chemists just what ton of hay takes
from the soil and for more than dozen
years we have been using fertilizer ex.
actly adapted to meet the needs OF this
crop.
Our first consideration Is to fill the
soil with vegetable matter. Flowing In
the old sod (if 1t has good second crop
of clover ali the better), sometimes fur.
pishes humus enough to prof1tably keep
1t in grass many years. One of our best
fields has had no stable manure In 30
years. But we raise diversified crops
more and more annually, and this On.
ables US to get our land In perfect condi.
ton before reseeding, and we apply
enough of our top-dressing to keep up
the fertility of our soil until the humus
is exhausted. We lately plowed field
that had been in timothy hay 10 years
and the soil was apparently as rich in
cardinal elements Of fertility as when re-
seeded. We are trying to treat all our
crops In the same manner.
We do this partly by studying the ma
ture OF our soils-what they are adapt
ed to produce, partly by applying what
the individual crop needs, and largely by
following the methods OF the most sue.
cessful producers Of these crops. Ex-
perience is the best teacher and every
farmer should profit by the success or
failure of his neighbor, as we'll as his
own.
Nature helps the wise and diligent
farmer In the restoration OF the fertility
of his soil. The atmosphere is full of
nitrogen aud the farmer must learn the
cheapest and quickest method of obtain
ing it. The subsoil has apparently an
inexhaustible supply of phosphorus and
potash and one OF the great problems OF
the hour is how to make those elements
available. Our present methods serve
to exhaust these chemicals In the Guilt
vated soil, but draw little from the re-
serves in the subsoil.
Flowing q little deeper may add some
thing to the fertility. But keeping the
soil full of humus so as to retain mois.
ture and draw up by capillary attraction
the stored up rain in the earth may do
something in liberatipg these elements.
But apparently crops that send their
roots deep must be the chief instrument.
alities In mulching these treasures. Al
falfa and clovers accomplish the most In
this line. Sweet clover may be the great
medium In bring up these chemicals.
This sends down . tsproot sometimes 8
or 4 feet. This not only draws up phos-
phorus and potash for Its own support,
but when 1t dies leaves an open column
for the introduction of air and moisture.
Farmers have been mining the top soil
of their farms many years, greatly to
their exhaustion and poverty. We must
now study and practice deep mining.
There is no danger Of exhausting the
supply. Analysis shows that you may
20 down many feet and find little or no
dimunition In the supply of these ele'
ments.-George L. Gleason, Massacbu
setts, In New England Homestead.
Give the Boy an Interest.
Are you as a dairymau, and what Is OF
far more Importance, father, building
for the future of your son and your bust
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