The Vashon Island record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1916-1919, 1917-08-09
Vetch Rebuilds the Soil

The following article from the
current issue of Hoard $ Dairy
man is published with the idea
that it may benefit someone on
the Islands. 1t is case of pass
ing along a good thing. In order
to save space, only important
sections of the article are given:
Farm journals, agricultural colleges
and the United States Department OF
Agriculture have been doing good
work in telling the farmer how to in
crease the fertility of his soil, but a
man by the name of Smith in southern
Indiana has discovered the easiest, sim
plest and most inexpensive way of all.
Almost anyone can tell how to spend
a hundred dollars per acre for fertiliz-
er, etc, and in the end improve the
land. But it remained for Mr.. Smith
on becoming owner of rundown
farm, to demonstrate within year
the possibilities of vetch on land that
was considered s'worn OUT and a ver-
table 'gold BRICK for the purchaser.
The new owner was given the laugh
by his neighbours and informed that
the land had never produced over ten
bushels of corn to the acre and some
seasons the crop had been complete
failure. But the neighbors received
the susprise Of their lives.
To make long story short, Mr..
Smith planted two acres of the poorest
land to vetch. The planting was done
in August. BY winter the ground was
completely covered by the plant and
washing of the land was entirely pre-
vented. An examination of the roots
showed them set thick with nitrogen
nodules. Early in the spring the plants
were pushing out their summer fol-
iage, and by May they were four feet
in length. The two acres were cut for
hay June l. The next year % acres
were planted to vetch, q acres of
which were reserved for field corn, the
balance being left for pasture. The
following spring was wet and the corn
ground was not entirely broken up UNI
til May 25. BY this time the vetch had
grown to height of feet, and it was
necessary to use double disc pillow to
turn it under. After working it down
to fairly good condition, the field was
planted to yellow corn on June and 4.
A splendid stand came up, but dry
weather set in and for week the corn
seemed to stand still. Then it com
menced to grow, and when waist high
the neighbors who all along had pre-
dicted failure on account of the mass
of vetch that was turned under, now
declared that when the corn began to
ear it would fire. and wither up. But
it did not fire; on the contrary it re-
NAMED bright and green, while across
the road neighbours fired clear above
the ears and did not yield over 20 bu
shells to the acre Mr.. Smiths corn
was harvested sound and solid and
yielded Y bushels to the acre. The cost
of the vetch seed was $3.50 per acre.
The next year Mr. Smith planted
another field OF 10 acres to vetch, and
the yield of corn after the vetch was
over 95 bushels to the acre. The cost
of the vetch seed was $500 per acre.
Similar experiments We're made with
the growing of sweet corn and pota-
toes, and the results were equally sue
cessful.
Vetch, according to Mr.. Smith, is no
respecter of soils. 1t settles down and
makes its home with the rich or poor
clay as well as the rich or poor sand,
and commences its business of soil res
toration at once. 1t has no terrors of
frost or drought. Winter may hold it
in its icy clasp for months, but when
the sunshine of spring releases it, it
smiles with its freshness of green and
continues doing business at the old
stand. The drought of fall, spring or
summer may blow its breath upon it,
but it heeds it not, and goes on with
its work of storing fertility in the soil
as though it were being constantly ca
ressed with refreshing showers.