Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-25

/ from wnicn II is QerlNeNs the cnefnlSl
can easily tell us about the store OF
plant food which it contains. Natural
ly, a soil derived from granite rock
would not be expected to contain much
limestone. though through the gradual
\ decomposition of felspar a very appre'
ciable quantity of potash would likely
be found. Thus, with the aid of the
chemist, we are able to ascertain, as II
were. the store of plant food in a given
soil and the elements which IT will be
most necessary TO supply in order that
plants may be grown to advantage.
The decomposition of rocks is. very
slow process, as all know who have
studied this subject. The boy becomes
the man and passes on into old age, and
yet the surface of the earth shows nc
Improbable change in the vicinity Of his
home. Just the same. the rocks are de-
composing slowly but surely, and this is
brought about largely through the action
of lichens which may be observed, fol
instance. growing on rocks and old fence
posts. After they have worked Ions
enough the rocky surface of the ground
is disintegrated so that plants of a high
er order may grow. This gives an idea
of how old the world must be. When
rock had decomposed. depending on
/ its origin we may find it to contain as
much as 70 per cent OF silica, per cent
OF lime. rs per cent of phosphoric acid
and 2 per cent Of potash, with varying
quantities of alumina, iron oxide, soda,
magnesia and humus Nature has so
provided that plants through their roots
may be able to extract the relatively
small quantities of plant food needed
from the soil. and by reason of the great
range of their roots to penetrate to
depth of several feet, thereby drawing
lnourishment from a comparatively large
area OF the soil. After a while these
plants decay and thus enrich the land
because they have been brought into
condition which other plants can use
such elements as lime, potash and phos-
phoric acid. This process continued FOR
centuries finally results in the produc-
ton of a rich. deep, friable soil. In
land of this character seed may be
placed and under the marvellous changes
which nature brings about through the
presence of warmth and moisture, the
starch in the seed is changed into sugar
and the life of the plant commences,
life just as characteristic, precarious
and troubled as that OF the human being
life which If preserved will result In
the production Of food for the animals
on which we live.
As the transformations cited above
procsed a green stem and shooJ appear
above the ground and leaves are ulti-
mately formed which act as the lungs
OF the plant. while the roots working
deep in the soil gather and store plant
food which Is transformed and elaborat-
ed in the leaves. The leaves innale car
bonic acid, decompose IL, absorbe the
carbon and give oxygen back 10 the air.
The roots take up the nitrogen from the
ammonia carried into the soil by the
rainwater, and thus through proper
harmonizing of these various activi-
ties the plant grows. After the plant
has made sufficient growth the forma-
ton of fruit commences, and through
various chemical activities the ripening
action proceeds until the fruit or grain,
as the case may be, has completed Its
growth, and is ready to provide through
its death the seed necessary for the
continuance of it's kind. If We take this
plant, even though considerable bulk,
and burn ii. there is left only small
quantity OF ash matter. If we determine
the various elements in this ash we will
find out the different kinds of food re-
ouired by the different plants which
vary in this respect quite as much as
human beings. For instance, the ash
of hay will be found to contaion 4 per
cent of phosphoric acid, winter wheat
6 per cent and Irish potatoes per cent.
OF potash oats contain 7per cent and
red clover Is per cent. OF nitrogen
rye straw contains 4 per cent, hay la
per cent and wheat 2 per cent. OF lime
oats contain L per cent and red clover
20 per cent.
Just in proportion as these elements
are found in proper quantity and bal
ance the soil may we expect plants to
grow and develop They have no power
of celebrating food save from the soil
and the air. Therefore, in order that
plants may be fed intelligently, skill
fully and economically. every one must
understand the character of the soil on
which he is attempting to cultivate
them. He must ascertain the quanti-
ties Of the various essential elements Of
plant food which in their order of i'm
portance may be set down as nitrogen,
phosphoric acid, potash and lime. 1t is
true that plants also require iron, alumni
ma, magnesia. silica and various other
elements, but it is seldom that these
are not found in the soil in sufficient
quantity. Then, a piece of land may
contain a superabundance of phosphoric
acid, but be deficient in potash nitro
gen or lime. In that event IL will not
grow profitable or satisfactory crops.
Moreover. If we have a rich piece OF
soil which Is abundantly supplied with
ell the elements of plant food, II is per-
rectly plain from the ngureS presented
above that some of these elements will
become exhausted before others. AS
soon as this exhaustion occurs with
referene to any one element, the land
becomes improbable for cultivation.
Let US remember that our soil is aft
er all our bank account; that Il is not
worth so much per acre. but IL is wol tn
just the propOrtionate amount of plant
food IL contains: that we have the
means for ascertaining its deficiencies;
that we have the means for supplying
these deficiencies; and that we must
exercise these God-given intellectual
powers il we are 10 preserve the fertil-
ity OF our land and use IL in the manner
best calculated TO advance the inter-
ests OF the human race.
DO NOT FEED MOLDY ROUGH
ACE.
A. q. NJ. Ashburn. Ca writes. Is molly
roughage dangerous feed for cattle
and horses. and f. there any way TO re-
move the moldg We would like to know
how TO mako a well-halanced ration from
Any damaged or moldy feed should
not be used for live stock. In our ex-
perience this character Of feed often
PRODUCES sickness and apparently is re-
sponsible for the death of many ami
mails. There is no method by which you
can remove mold successfully from
feed with which we are acquainted. We
would not think II desirable. therefore,
TO use the roughage in question for live