Middletown transcript., 1915-12-11

The characteristic which distin-
guishes the fertile western prairie
soils is the large proportion of vege-
table matter with its accompanying nj
trogen. 1t is to this fact that they
owe their remarkable fertility and
lasting quality. For the most part
they certainly contain abundant stores
of the mineral elements of plant food,
but in this respect they do not differ
from many soils of less productiveness
in other parts of the country. It is
the larger percentage of nitrogen
holding, humus forming material and
its intimate incorporation with the
sand and clay that give to these soils
their superiority.
1t is stated by Doctor Shut of Otta-
wa, that nitrogen may be regarded as
the chief index of the fertility of
prairie soils, the most reliable meas
ure of their crop producing power.
The extraordinary growth that char
acterizes vegetation on the prairie so
soon after the season opens is un-
questionably due, for the most part,
to the fact that rapid nitrifcation
takes place in the spring and early
summer months. Nitrogen is the
chief constituent of humus, but the lat
ter is very valuable in addition to be-
ing the storehouse for the nitrogen
that may be readily nitrified and made
available for the crops. During it's
further decay it aids in liberating pot
ash, phosphoric acid and lime so that
in all probability large part of the
food supply of the growing crops is
obtained through the humus.
There is also to be observed a won
derful influence on the physical con-
dition of soils. This is most markedly
felt in increasing the capacity of the
soil for holding moisture. Investiga-
tions at Ottawa have shown that the
moisture holding power of soils is in
direct proportion to the organic mat
ter content. It's power OF modifying
tilth and temperature is common
knowledge to all and need not be en-
larged upon here. In short it is hui
mus that gives life" to the soil, for it
is the material upon which the useful
micro-organisms feed, organisms that
prepare food for farm crops, hence it
is a fitting and comfortable medium
for seed termination and root ex-
tension.
Elements Lost.
Are we appreciating the value OF
this essential constituent to our soils
and preserving it accordingly or are
we on our way to bankruptcy? Indi-
cations at the present time are not
too promising. At Indian Head, Sask.,
two samples of heavy clay were taken
and analyzed which allow a compari-
son between the virgin prairie and the
same soil after % years of cultivation
without manure. The cultivated soil
up to the time of analysis had pro-
duced six crops of wheat, four of bar
ley, and three of oats with fallow
between each crop after tle first five.
The virgin soil was taken from an ad-
1acent area, the point of collection be-
ing about $50 feet distant from where
the cultivated soil had been taken.
The first four inches showed that the
virgin soil contained 3.11 per cent
more of organic and volatile matter
than the cultivated soil; it also con-
tanned 400 per cent or 1924 pounds
of nitrogen per acre, while the culti-
waited soil contained only 259 per cent
or 2,421 pounds.
Though the cultivated soil today is
still very rich it is seen to have lost
practically one-third of its nitrogen.
At Portage la Prairie, Man. two
samples of soil were analyzed, one
soil which had been cultivated for rs
years. There was a slightly greater
loss of organic matter and about the
same loss of nitrogen as in the case
of the Indian Head soils.
Already manure applied to prairie
soils is producing excellent results.
1t has been found at the North Da-
kota experiment station that manure
has given a return of $1.40 per load,
and that was on the heavy Red River
valley soils. To secure this result it
was applied to a corn crop which it
increased as we'll as the wheat crop
that followed it. Had it been applied
directly to the wheat these good re-
suits would likely not have been Sc
cured. In fact, it might have brought
in the first crop a decrease instead Of
the 25 per cent increase.
At the Langdon substation in North
Dakota it was found that wheat fol-
lowing corn manured, ten loads to the
acre, was increased seven bushels.
more than wheat on similar corn
ground but not manured. And the
next year barley grown on the same
land was increased seven and one-half
bushels and the good effects of the
manure will extend to one or two more
crops.
The Minnesota experiment station
is responsible for the statement that
already thousands of farms in the once
fertile prairie states would not pro-
duce sufficient wheat today to pay the
cost of production. Other farms in
the same section which are doing it
now will not do so ten years hence if
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