The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-03-17
SEED, SOIL AND THEIR Gull
TIVATION.

March meeting OF the Ninth Distr1cG
Farmers Club.
One of the best ways to improve
our crops on the farms or in the
gardens is to select good seeds for
planting. 1t is the law of nature
that like produces like"
Careful selection year by year will
gradually improve any crop. The
seed, should be healthy in every
respect free from impurities, large
and heavy for it's kind, and taken
from the best plants. We may save
seeds from those plants in the
garden that show the qualities
which we want. The same care
should be taken in the selection OF
seed wheat, oats, rye, and other
field crops.
In the case of corn and potatoes
it is possible to select seed in the
field from the best plants or hills,
but l don't expect many of us will
take the trouble of marking the
plants or hills, though some do
select the best ears OF corn for seed,
in the field as they haul in the corn,
which think is good practice.
But in the case or small grains
this method would not be practical
with these grains we should have,
some good way of grading, such as
a good tanning mill with proper
sized sleeves, and thus we will be able
- 40 tho n0av cood from a
good, and to secure good, large,
plump kernels.
All seed to be sown should be
cleaned and re-cleaned until they
are pure and of the pest quality. 3
Wheat and other small grains have
been less improved by selection than
corn, because the kernels are handl-
ed less and being smaller have not
been given the same attention at
harvest time. But these grains are
now receiving the attention of few
experiment stations and valuable inn
provements being made.
One of the greatest hindrances
to good farming is weeds in the
fields, weed seed is in the soil, in
the grain, grass seed, and nearly
all farm seed. It is claimed there
are 80 or more different kinds O.
weed seed to be found in clover and
alfalfa seed. The grass seed is very
often full of bad weed seed. There
is no place on the farm where weeds
are a greater enemy to our success
than in the grass fields, it is harder
to get rid Of them there than from
the fields where we are doing some
tilling. So it would seem that the
right thing to do is to examine our
clover seed, and other seed as well,
before buying them, and spending
money for weed seed to sow on the
farm. So let US be careful what
kind Of seed we SOW.
Soil-The soil is one of those
common things most of us think
very little about, we see it every day,
we work on it, we eat and wear it's
products but we very seldom give it
thought. 1t may even surprise
some Of us to know that we get
from the soil not only our food, our
houses and our clothing, but that
all animal life comes Indirectly from
the soil.
For every living thing comes
) originally from two sources, the air
and the soil.
The foods which plants secure
from the air are too abundant to
ever become exhausted by large
farm crops. And no efforts are re-
CURED on our part to make this
food available to plants.
The plant foods taken from the
soil are much available and the
ability of plants to secure them may
depend very largely on the efforts
OF the farmer. 1t is necessary for
him to study his soil, to see what
It needs, and how ne can make it's
plant food most available.
Soil, that part of the earth's sur
face which can be titled, and in
which plants grow. It is the loose,
highly decomposed layer of mineral
matter resulting from rock decay,
which furnishes food and foothold
for plant and animal life.
Plants and animals decay to form
the organic matter, or humus, in the
soil.
The humus found in our fields is
chiefly of vegetable origin, and it is
secured by blowing under waste
materials such as weeds, stubbIe,
straw, barn yard manure, etc.
Crops of rye, scarlet clover and the
like are also sown and plowed under
and called green-manure. When
these rot in the soil they form humus
which is very useful in all soils.
The best farm soil is said to be a
mixture Of sand, clay and humus
Enough sand to absorb air and